Happy Norouz -- Persian New Year -- to all who celebrate! And for all who inhabit the northern hemisphere, happy vernal equinox / first day of spring, regardless of whether or not you know today as Norouz.

Today is a holy day, Wikipedia tells me, for Zoroastrians, Persians, Sufis, Ismailis, and Baha'is. Today is a holiday in my house too, though for a far more prosaic reason -- it's my birthday, which I share with such luminaries as J.S. Bach and Benito Juarez.

Today I turn thirty-six, double chai. I'll be celebrating by giving an after-lunch reading from 70 faces at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield -- if you're around and free, please come!

I wish all of y'all a lovely day!