Posts

A00370 - 2024 Jenkins Family Update

2024 was a year of significant highlights.  However, the theme for the year just might be "The Year of Reconciliation" or put another way, "The Return of Sparkle." My Music: A00019 - Irene Cara, R. I. P. The year of events began with my return to the Philippines and by spending Martin Luther King's Birthday (January 15) on Siargao Island.  Siargao is known for its surfing and, while I do not surf, I made a special point of visiting the surfing Mecca known as Cloud Nine just to be grateful for being "Free at Last".  My Music: A00061 - Cloud 9 on MLK Day Later on, I spent some quiet time on the beach of the Siargao Beach Club where I had a nice conversation with God.  A00229 - A Day at the Beach with God I do not think that God is done with me yet. February 2 was a major life altering event.  The family dog, Bentley, passed away.  My Music: A00062 - The Soul of Bentley and The Colors of the Wind Bentley was more than a companion; he was a soulful counsel...
Post a Comment
Read more

A00369 - P. S. A Time For Us: The Lyrics and the Voice of Johnny Mathis

  On late Saturday night, while scrolling through the channels to find something to watch, I came across a PBS special highlighting the music of Englebert Humperdinck and, by "coincidence", just as I joined the program this song was playing  Engelbert Humperdinck In Hawaii 2018 - A Time For Us - - YouTube In my universe, there are no "coincidences". The timing of this encounter with a performance of "A Time For Us" immediately after having written about it, caused me to think that my previous post was incomplete.  While Henry Mancini's piano version is beautiful, the lyrics associated with later versions of the song has given even greater life to this masterpiece.  So, to complete what I started, I  now note the mastery of not only Engelbert Humperdinck and also of Andy Williams   Bing Videos And I especially favor the rendition of the song as performed by Johnny Mathis.  Bing Videos With these additions, and the references set forth below, I now ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A00368 - Songs That Always Make You Cry, Smile

  Ellis, In answer to your question, there was a song that came out in 1968 that became embedded in my mind because of my nascent athletic career.  In my only track and field campaign with Len Miller, I found that my running abilities were rather mediocre but I began to get some traction with my jumping abilities.  In February of 1969, I began to learn the Western roll method of high jumping.  For me, success came by learning to approach the bar with a certain cadence and the song that came out in 1968 provided the perfect cadence for my high jump approach.  The song was Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited Performance: Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited | SecondHandSongs You can hear and feel the song at Bing Videos I actually set my one and only athletic record by jumping to Soulful Strut.  I was 15, a sophomore on the Class C track team and, in May of 1969, I jumped 5'9 and 1/2" to set the school record.  Not bad for a 5'11" 110-pound Ethiopian ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A00367 - A Time For Us

    In previous emails, I have noted that 1968 was the year the made me.  I will not repeat what I previously said but I will add that one of the reasons why it was an important year was because of the notion of romantic love that became embedded in my 14-15-year-old mind influenced by Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and by Henry Mancini's haunting 1969 Love Theme based on Nino Rota's music from the movie. Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Wikipedia Bing Videos Of course, the lovely Juliet in Zeffirelli's movie was Olivia Hussey, the British-Argentine actress who ten years later would again inspire me with her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Franco Zeffirelli's "Jesus of Nazareth."  Bing Videos As is my custom, I finished watching "Jesus of Nazareth" early on Christmas morning.  And, as is also my custom, later on that Christmas day, I made a call to the woman who...
Post a Comment
Read more

A00366 - Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

  As I ready myself for my traditional watching of Episode 3 of Jesus of Nazareth, I wanted to send everyone a warm Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year message.  I am 71 now and this year I have been reminded that no one lives forever.  But I am still here, and I am very thankful to once again celebrate this very special time of year.  So, to all of you who may receive these email messages, I wish you all only the best and that I hope to see you again, hopefully, within the coming year.  Also, for those who receive my snail mail Seasons Greetings cards, just a reminder that the "Season", for me, lasts until the Lunar New Year.  God willing, your card and my Jenkins Family Update will soon be in mail. Peace and Good Will to All, Everett "Skip" Jenkins Fairfield, California December 25, 2024
Post a Comment
Read more

A00365 - Book of the Month for the Month of December 2024: "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe

  As I return to my stroll through the year 1930, I come to Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe - Wikipedia In reading the Wikipedia bio for Chinua Achebe, I am struck by the fact that this trailblazing African writer resided in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts from 1972 to 1975, some of the same years that I resided at Amherst College.  In reading his rich bio, I suddenly thought about the lost opportunity I may have had to have gotten to know him while we were both at Amherst and to learn more about his perspective on African literature.   Obviously, I cannot go back in time, but I can make up for loss of time by reading Achebe's most famous work  Things Fall Apart  Things Fall Apart - Wikipedia   Accordingly, for the month of December 2024, the book of the month shall be  Things Fall Apart  by Chinua Achebe.  I wonder if reading it now will lead to a change in perspective on what is occurring in Africa now. Peace, Everett "Skip" Jenkins Fai...
Post a Comment
Read more