New Year for Trees

Hello all! Not much to report on the research front (I hope that slow and steady will do the job, since that's what I have to work with). I just wanted to thank all of you who have (and who yet will) wished me a happy birthday - all of 43 solar revolutions completed successfully as of today - and remark on the delightfully silly Jewish holiday Tu b'Shevat, the New Year for Trees, which is also today. Didn't think they even wanted one, did you? Well, they're already drunk and half-naked in my neighborhood - I expect some sort of fruity fireworks to break out at any moment, and it's only noon.

Anyway, I'm not planning on doing anything special for the day (though am not working, either), but I did have a good time at my friend Sinan's last night, which will stand for a party. Earlier in the week he'd said some musicians were going to meet at his place (which, as I have mentioned before, is also the tomb of a Sufi saint, Ümmi Sinan) and would I like to come play? Well, it turns out to have been a house concert, and when I got there the musicians said, "OK, now we can start!" and lead me to a room with maybe 30 to 40 people waiting for the performance to begin. Awkward! I'd never heard any of the music before, though there was sheet music, and, a little shocked, I declined to play the first half, which was all religious music - hymns and whatnot - since I didn't want to screw it up for them, especially at a saint's house. But I joined in for the second set, for which there was no written music, but it was all secular tunes - easier to follow, less serious for the audience, and some of them I knew already, so I jumped right in with both paws.

Anyway, it's the first performance I've done on this trip, and it was fun and everyone enjoyed it - I got some good feedback afterward, and my lâvta was a big hit with the musicians. On the whole it seemed to me to be an apt set-piece/metaphor for life - "Surprise... you're on, kid!" - so it was a good birthday present/celebration.

And that's it! I think I'll wander around to see if I can find a decent Chinese restaurant. Thanks again... back soon!

(Photo of almond tree by Nicolás Pérez.)