My name is Daniel Gilman, I was born in Manhattan, New York and lived in Ithaca, NY until I was 16. Ithaca is on a lake in a valley in the middle of the forest and has a lot in common with Ilharna: we had a Tibetan monastery among other things. Somehow I also managed to live in New Orleans, London and Maryland during that time. When I was 16 we moved to Chicago. I went to Indiana University (where I met Zulf) and studied jazz saxophone and Japanese. It was good, but I hope to never be more than a days drive from a coast again. After graduating I moved to Tokyo and taught in a public middle school and did odd jobs for 4 years, during which time I met my wife. We spent a year in London, UK and then I went to Boston for grad. school. As of October, I live in DC. I wouldn't mind staying here: it is nice and I am very tired of moving.