Hugh Blumenfeld
Marital Status:
Married
Children?
2 sons: Blake (5) and Carson (3)
Education:
Way too much: BS in Biology and Humanities from MIT, MA in English from U of Chicago, PhD in Poetics from NYU; currently a 4th year medical student at University of Connecticut
Occupation:
English prof, traveling folksinger, freelance writer/editor
Volunteer and Professional Activities:
I volunteer at free medical clinics at a couple of homeless shelters in Hartford and at seasonal migrant farmworker clinics; conduct research on the effects of music on premature infants.
Current hobbies and interests:
playing electric bass and trying to pick up the violin again hadn't played since 7th grade. Webdesign. Children's cartoons.
What percentage of your hair is visibly gray (is this a trick question?)
not much of what's left.
If you had one year free of all responsibility and unlimited funds, what would you do?
I guess I'm pretty much doing it going to medical school. Only it's 4 years and I have to pay back the money at the end...
What are the most rewarding things that you have done in your life?
Songwriting, playing music all over for about 15 years. Being married for 20 years to my wife Andrea and now, of course, raising our two sons.
What rewarding things do you plan to do in your life?
Become a family doc. Heal the sick. Write a book. Perhaps work and live abroad for a year or two with my family somewhere down the line.
What are your favorite non-family related things to do in your free time?
Free time?
How would you best describe your idea of "being successful?"
To always be learning, to always be teaching, to always be trying to make beautiful things.
What are your most vivid memories of your days in Ridgewood?
After a few months in 10th grade my family moved to Fort Lee, so my memories are from Ridge School and GW - mostly scattered images:
Playing sax, tennis and chess with Jim Dean the only friend I've stayed in touch with till now. Mr. Ryan's math class with Jim, Dave Berry, Sylvia Singh and others. Hanging out many years with Doug Bradley who lived just up the street his great smile and easy-going nature. The smell of the public library in the summer. Acorn fights in October at Mitch Morrison's house, jumping in mountainous leaf piles on the way to school. Jeff MacDonald and Paul Belfanti inseparable and endlessly clowning around, especially with Mr. Carroll and Ms. Freeman (art and French seemed to be a good combination...). Robin Eisenmann stepping out from the chorus to sing her solo during a concert; hooking up with her at the ninth grade dance never seeing her again. Jack O'Neill kindly reaching over to unbutton the top button of my shirt so I wouldn't look like a total nerd back in 4th grade (I was a lousy protege sorry, Jack); and I'm pretty sure it was Jack who taught me how to dive at Graydon Pool; also remember surprising everyone when I showed up at a party at his house at the end of my last summer there, all of us crouching in the dark when the police showed up. Catching for Michael Senft in Little League one spring with extra padding in my mitt. Inspiring a string of bullies over the years, not really getting my footing till I moved away. I never came back until 1998-1999 when I played First Night.
What achievement or activity are you most proud of in your life?
I've been able to make 5 CDs over the years, which is pretty cool. I've managed to keep art and science together all this time, though not always successfully.
What single piece of wisdom would you like to leave for the next generation?
I hope that I can at least teach my sons to be who they are, to follow their hearts, and to ignore what other people think.
How have you changed since high school?
Maybe I've learned to follow that advice. At least on good days.
What else should we know about you?!
I've been living in Coventry, CT for almost 20 years now, in a small cape built before the revolution.