Author Archives: admin

I’ve been so fortunate to play Javanese gamelan around the world — from performing in shadow puppet shows in Java with master puppeteers and musicians (while on a Fulbright in Indonesia) to performing in concert at Lincoln Center and jamming in the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut and even the Sultanate of Oman.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the Aga Khan Music Awards and my gamelan friend Peni, an incredibly talented Indonesian vocalist, composer, and educator who I have performed with in concert, with an unusual question — did I still have my gamelan instruments in Oman (they had seen my blog posts about playing gamelan in Oman and needed them for a special event with Peni). Well, the gamelan in Oman did not belong to me but to my British friends — so I put them in touch and after many emails, mission accomplished!

Watch these gamelan instruments in Oman accompany my pal, Peni Candra Rini, laureate of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Awards — so splendid!

I’m honored to have my new article, “Geographies of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Oman: Charting Clitographies in Law, Migration, & Diplomacy,” in Volume No 91 of AK Feministische Geographien’s latest publication — a collection of papers from our Berlin conference earlier this year at Free University: “Shocks, Turmoil & Transformation – Symposium Feminist Geographies.”

A total joy to talk about my new book The Gift of Rumi: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master w. Meg Gambino for New Books Network — very grateful for the chance to talk about Rumi’s poetry & mystic message of love. To listen, click on this link.

The book is available for purchase at Macmillan, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and many other stores. The audio book is available at Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Scribd, Chirp, Libro, and 40+ retail and library distribution partners.

After a historic 70 day heatwave and related power outages, Chengdu got slammed with an intense COVID-19 lockdown (with a powerful earthquake on top of it!). To help lift the spirits of those in lockdown, my ol’ standup comedy crew in Chengdu (it rhymes!) started a nightly “talk show” while stuck in their homes. I was so honored & delighted to be invited on their show to talk about my creative life in Los Angeles, my new book, and the continuation of my worldwide standup comedy tour which I launched in China. It was great to see them again & catch up — happy to share some sunshine from California and good cheer on their show to keep them & their fans afloat during these challenging times in China.

After tai chihuahua practice, Abu and I headed to Simpang Asia for a tasty reunion with colleagues from my Fulbright in Java — so fun to see them and feast on yummy Indonesian food!

Abu and I like to do tai chihuahua and meditation at sunset on the beach (and in the morning too) — from hiking in the Himalayas of Tibet to chilling on the beaches of California, we love being immersed in nature…

Abu and I finally got to try the coffee at Menotti’s Coffee Stop in Venice (with an awesome film / comedy colleague) — so wonderful!

Abu spent Labor Day lounging on the beach — one of his ancestors has a personal connection to the holiday, as you’ll soon learn more about…

It’s so cool to see people posting about reading my book on their Kindle — and about listening to the audio book too in locations around the globe!

The book is available for purchase at Macmillan, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and other stores. The audio book is available at Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Scribd, Chirp, Libro, and 40+ retail and library distribution partners.

Abu has become a true beach baby — he’s enjoying chilling in cafes on the beach, doing tai chihuahua in the sand, and breathing in the fresh ocean air…

I had a blast doing standup comedy at the home of comedian and filmmaker Paul Provenza (The Aristocrats) for an event celebrating Vonnegut’s 100th to benefit the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library in Indiana.

I launched my worldwide standup comedy tour in the People’s Republic of China during the global pandemic and have finally brought my act to Hollywood — dream come true. No greater joy than making others happy!

I’m thrilled to launch the audiobook of my new book, THE GIFT OF RUMI: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master — it’s a dream come true to hear Rumi’s poetry come alive through the extraordinary performances of Lilia Houshmand & Sean Rohani! The audio book is available at Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Scribd, Chirp, Libro, and 40+ retail and library distribution partners. The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan.