40

Apparently, 1979 was quite a year. Just went to Balinese gamelan Sekar Jaya’s 40^thAnniversary concert. I played in this group from 1986 to 1988 and some of the members then were still playing in this concert! It’s also the 40^thanniversary of Body Musician Keith Terry’s organization Crosspulse, another big influence in my own musical life and the group Kitka singing Eastern European music. Never have played my Bulgarian bagpipe with them (and they’re grateful!), but we love the same music.

Yesterday was also my 40^thwedding anniversary and my wife Karen and I celebrated by walking some 11 miles through the city visiting some of the places where we used to live. We stopped at each while she sketched them and remembered who we were all those years back. Sweet.

But it wasn’t all nostalgia. Ate a new restaurant on Balboa Street, stopped in to see some controversial murals at George Washington High School, dropped in at the Richmond Branch of the Community Music Center, it’s parent version in the Mission where I got my first job in 1974. And being at a walking pace, discovered lots of interesting houses nestled amongst the Junior Fives of the Richmond District. A good day to mark the occasion. 

A bit sobering that we’re at the age where it doesn’t make sense to say, “Here’s to 40 more!” But grateful for the life we’ve been granted and hey, who knows? My Zen teacher passed away at 108, so if the fires and floodwaters and fanatics don’t keep rising, I theoretically could have 40 more! Happy anniversaries to all!