7.133 meetings, fopal, concert

Monday 04/13/2026

Resident Association meeting at 9. During the meeting I was thinking what a great demonstration it is of the Channing House culture. The library volunteers were featured, and they were introduced and asked to stand in groups, because there are different subgroups who do different things. But all told there must be 15 people involved in keeping our library up to date with the latest books (“We buy a lot of mysteries because that’s what people ask for”) and organized. All resident-organized and run, no staff involvement, as with a number of other activities like the gift shop.

After that a brief pause and then another meeting, of the Transition committee, devoted to helping integrate the people who will soon be buying into Arris, our new second building three blocks away. Discussed a number of issues, of which the most interesting technical issue is, transportation. Should CH hire a driver just to shuttle back and forth? Or can we acquire a self-driving car to do it? That’s my preferred solution. I think the cost of owning or leasing our own Waymo or Zoox vehicle is competitive with the cost of a staff person, and it works longer hours.

Anyway, picked up a lunch sack and headed out to FOPAL. There I spent three hours, one hour doing the post-sale cleanup, and two hours processing 6 boxes of donations.

Back in time for a nap, then early supper at 5:30. I and Joanne joined Jerry and Betty, and right after supper we got in their car and off to Stanford, to attend a concert at the Bing. This was to hear Samara Joy, a noted jazz singer. On the way back I was saying it was one of those “high respect, not so much enjoyment” things. She used to sing standards but now she has a regular group of 7 musicians and they perform as a unit, with her voice as the lead instrument among them. Lots of scatting, lots of vocal decoration and improvisation, not much in the way of recognizable lyrics or melody. So, appreciation of a tight, well-rehearsed and very skillful set of musicians, but nothing to hum along with.