Tag: Ella Fitzgerald

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Ella to the rescue

So far we’ve been having a challenging re-entry.

It’s Swami Kriyananda’s birthday weekend, so there were plans for a beautiful tribute concert, in addition to other inspiring events.

Unfortunately, Ananda Village is experiencing a major COVID outbreak, the worst we’ve ever seen. As a result, we’ve had to cancel a number of in-person events. The concert is also off, since — as always — singing is a super-spreader activity.

It’s quite a disappointment, but help came from an unexpected direction.

I’ve loved Ella Fitzgerald since I was in my teens. I’ve been transported over and over again by her stunning voice, amazing creativity, and sheer brilliance, to the point that I wouldn’t have believed I could still be blown away by anything she sang.

But today I was blown away anew by Ella. It was just the pick-up I needed in the midst of a challenging afternoon. Check it out and enjoy…“How High the Moon”!

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Driving, driving, and more driving

For various reasons it had been all too many years since I attending a Brooks-Stroud family gathering. So, today was the day!

The picnic was in Sunnyvale, which is usually a three and a half to four hour drive (depending on traffic). Well, today — thanks to traffic, detours, and a grass fire along 580 — it took closer to six.

I enjoyed a couple of hours connecting with Dad, siblings, aunts and uncle, and also getting reacquainted with a number of cousins. But since the friend with whom I was planning to spend the night came down with COVID 😱, I decided to go ahead and drive back home.

Lots less traffic and a dinner break along the way with another friend both helped a lot. But I was definitely getting a little tired about halfway through.

Thank goodness I happened to throw a couple of CDs into the car when I left!

Between the high energy Irish music of Orla & the Gas Men (my Irish friends from way back when) on their Minding Mice at Crossroads CD and the high energy singing of Ella Fitzgerald (“Newport Jazz Festival, Live At Carnegie Hall“), I was able to stay engaged and alert all the way home!