A Curious Bit of Good News

 

The date rarely figures in my dreams, so when it does, of course it goes funny. Dreamt that today is January 48th. You can imagine my puzzlement. Almost everyone I asked agreed that January should have 31 days, except one who suggested, "Maybe it was decided to have 50 days in January this year.
Porridger’s Almanack (Breakfast of Ganglions)

It’s depressing that “Secret Agent” has become synonymous with “Sex Maniac.”

— David Niven as Bond, James Bond in Casino Royale (1967)

Gentle Reader, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reported here on

this blog that my piece was not selected for whichever call I had submitted

it to. The fact that Lord of the Things actually succeeded in being chosen was therefore an instant rarity, and perhaps a kind

of landmark. Yesterday I received a message which, while it reported the

apparent disappointment that my piece could not be included in the program

driving the Call, was a highly encouraging

and unforcedly kind word from a conductor associated with the call:

I am reaching out

to you personally to express my admiration for your submission. Due

to practical limitations,

the organization was not able to program your piece for the upcoming

season. However, with your permission, I would like to add it

to my personal

repertoire and perform it at some point in the future, through the DNMC or otherwise. Please stay in touch. I’ll

let you know when I am able

to play your piece. In the meantime, I will stay alert for any

of your new works. [emphasis in the original]

The piece in question? Thoreau in Concord Jail. Highly gratifying, indeed.