April 16th, 2020
“Јакшылыкту таҥла (Ĵakšılıktu tañla)” or “Good Morning in Altay, a Turkic language spoken mainly in the Altai republic and Altai Krai in the Russian Federation. It is Day 28 of the California Lock Down (i.e. Shelter in Place order + Face Masks are Required in Public).
We had rain!!! Glorious rain which is always needed so badly but it added to the cabin fever vibe hanging over our house. I have been in kind of a funk and really cannot figure out why. But it manifests itself in a lack of creative energy. Usually, I have 3-4 paintings going, ceramics projects and now stained glass but lately the best I can manage seems to be retaining my back yard fence! And the rain didn’t even allow that to proceed. Oh well.. this too shall pass.
This week I learned some stuff:
• This week I haven’t learned much. I made a few new recipes that were interesting and tasty but nothing else much snuck into my old guy brain. I did see a post on FB of a old EDSer get together that took place last year ..it featured many if not most of the people I consider to be some of the best leaders of our time in attendance. It was good to see so many are still alive and thriving. I am grateful to each of them for the things they taught me.
• April 16th is the 107th day of the year (because 2020 is a leap year – but there still only 258 days till Christmas!). On this day in 1881, Bat Masterson, fights his last gunfight in Dodge City, Kansas; In 1943, Albert Hofmann accidentally discovers the hallucinogenic effects of the research drug LSD; On this day in 1947, Bernard Baruch first applies the term “Cold War” to describe the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union; In 1961, Fidel Castro declares himself to be a Marxist-Leninist and announces that Cuba is going to adopt communism; Apollo 16 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, FL. on this day in 1972; On this day in 1990, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Death, participates in his first assisted suicide;On this day in 2007, Seung-Hui Cho guns down 32 people and injures 17 before committing suicide it what became known as the Virginal Tech Shooting; Wilbur Wright, American inventor, was born on this day in 1867;Charles Chapman, English actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and composer was born on this day in 1889; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, American, basketball player and coach was born on this day in 1947; Rudolf Höss, German SS officer who was excited on this day next to Auschwitiz’ crematorium of the former Auschwitz I concentration camp that he operated during the war. He admitted to killing over 2 million people in his gas chambers but claimed that last 1.5 million attributed to him at Auschwitz, died of disease and starvation; In 1989, Kaoru Ishikawa Japanese author and educator best know for his work in creating excellent product quality processes to Japanese production, passed away on this day; Lastly, Robert Urich, American Actor, who started in over 15 television series including, Spenser For Hire, passed away after finally loosing his fight with a rare kind of cancer on this day in 2002.
Website Update:
• Week 2 of the “New” Vocabulary Quiz (the crows murmurs looking down at their phones!)
• Wooohooo!!! A New Musical Trivia Quiz !!!!
• It was a bountiful week for new recipes this week – Funky Mac & Cheese, Home-made Doggy Biscuits, Creamy Mustard-Dill Potato Salad, Pork Chops in Dijon Sauce and lastly, a wonderful Coconut Curry Chickpeas recipe, you really just have to try.
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• As I whined about earlier, didn’t really do much creatively this week.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• Under the heading of, “What is the %&)#!-ing Point?”, China decided to rewrite the chronology of how COVID-19 originated. Apparently, the government thinks it can improve its image by editing scientific papers describing how this disease became so deadly. My guess is, they are going to get together with the North Koreans and publish that COVID-19 started in Biloxi, MS to save face. Just goes to show folks, dumb-ass has no geographic, political, wealth or faith based limitations… It can occur at any moment anywhere.
Music Update:
Another tiptoe though the archives to share some things you might missed or never have heard or at least not heard recently.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Duran Duran — Hungry Like the Wolf — I stumbled across this song from the past. I always liked how tight these boys were in their productions both audio and video. This was the title cut for their 1982 release.
• k.d. Lang – Constant Craving – This one is her hit from the album, “Ingénue” released in 1992. She is a great songwriter with a remarkable voice.
• Howie Day — Perfect Time of Day — This is a great song about a strange subject….I think it kind of describes that last moment we get to have in this life. I got to see this guy’s show at William & Mary college with some dear friends of mine. It was an amazing show! This one comes from his, “Stop All the World Now” album released in 2005.
• Pink Floyd — Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part 1-V) — I remember when “Wish You Were Here” came out in 1975. I thought they were crazy to have so many very long songs. But the more I listened the more I understood, that I couldn’t have cut any of this down either. There is magic in every musical phrase.
• Don Felder — Warm Wind — A beautiful instrumental by a wonderful guitar player. This one comes from his “This Time In Between” album released in 1995
• Big Brother and the Holding Company — Summertime — From the Vinyl!!! I still miss Janis Joplin after all these years. I even miss hearing all the mistakes that Big Brother made playing behind her. This was another hit off their iconic, “Cheep Thrills” album released in 1968.
• Sheryl Crow — I Know Why — This is just a beautiful song sung beautifully. From her Wildflowers album that I got from some fund raiser from Darrian’s school, released in 2005.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; And always remember … The best is yet to come! As always, thank you for being my friend!