February 11th, 2021
“မဂႆလာပၝ (min-ga-la-ba)”, or “Good Morning!” in Burmese, a Burmese-Lolo language spoken mainly in Burma (Myanmar). It is Day 343 since the first California Lock Down. We are starting to make progress in rounding up the geezers and shooting them with vaccine. I got my first shot this week.
We had the LV (55th) Super Bowl last Sunday. It was much more one sided than anyone expected and Tampa Bay came away the victor. I think the Chiefs were mainly outcoached but you can’t take away anything from Brady. He did an excellent job.
This week I learned some stuff:
• We got our new oven and refrigerator installed this week. I was really impressed with the guys who delivered the refrigerator. They had this kind of sling thing that allowed the two of them to pickup and walk with that huge hunk of metal with ease. No dollies to get up steps or guide around corners, just two guys walking to the kitchen slowly.
• February 11th is the 35th day of 2021!. Just 323 days till Christmas! Today in 1794, the first session of United States Senate opens to the public; On this day in 1861, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state; Today in 1953,U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower denies all appeals for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg; On this day in 1979, the Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; Today in 1990, Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner; Today in 2011, the first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 17 days of protests; Today in 1934, Tina Louise, Giligan’s Island’s Ginger, American actress and singe was born; Born today in 1935, Gene Vincent, American singer and guitarist; Burt Reynolds, American actor and director was born today in 1936; Today in 1962, Sheryl Crow, American singer-songwriter and guitaris was born; Today in 1964, Sarah Palin, American journalist, politician and Governor of Alaska was born; Lee J. Cobb, American actor passed away today in 1976; Peter Benchley, American author of Jaws and screenwriter passed away today in 2006; And finally, Whitney Houston, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress passed on this day in 2012.
Website Update:
This week we made the following changes:
• Week 2 for our New UJT Vocabulary Quiz!
• A new Musical Trivia Quiz !!!! Yeah!
• This week I was too distracted by my new smoker to work out any new recipes… unless of course, you count smoking a store bought turkey breast.
Writing, Ceramics, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• I failed to work on my stained glass project this week.
• I missed my watercolor classes this week but i did order some new mediums I am looking to try!
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I got my first shot this week. It’s kind of a Soylent Green moment, lining up in our neat little lines trying not to die before our time. I found out another friend and his family have been infected but appear to be recovering ok. This is serious doo doo ..please wash your hands, wear your masks, get your shots when it is your turn .. i don’t want to loose any more folks.
• This week is so weird for me. My dad would have been 92 this week has he lived. My mom died in our converted hospice dining room this week in 2006. And I am still pissed at Jack! I bet there were 3 or 4 times i picked up my phone to text or call him as an automatic reflex. Dammit! I cannot seem to bring myself to delete his contact information. I still have my little brothers info as well. I have never been very good at goodbye.
Music Update:
Once again, your fossilized DJ takes you on another meander through the dusty cobwebs of my music library. Did you enjoy the new play list feature available now on UJT Radio?? It provides more data that it did before – artist, album name, duration of the song and sometimes the album cover artwork. I haven’t figured out the secret decoder ring needed to get every album artwork to show but I am working on it.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Stevie Ray Vaughn — Riviera Paradise — This was a SRV song that I had some how missed in my musical travels but my brother Mike saved me by sending it to me this week. I always admired Stevie’s playing. This is a very tight instrumental. According to Song Facts, SRV was recording with his band Double Trouble all day but then every one was leaving he asked the engineer to just leave the tape running. He recorded the entire guitar track alone and the band added the rest after the fact. This one comes from SRV and Double Trouble’s 1989 release, “In Step”.
• Johnny A — Poor Side of Town — Those who are long time UJT Radio listeners, well recognize Johnny’s sound right away. Discovering SRV’s “Riviera Paradise” set me to searching for a Johnny A fix. This is a soulful guitar instrumental cover of Johnny Rivers’ 1966 hit single. This version comes from Johnny’s “Get Inside released in 2004.
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – The Long Journey – Proably two of the best vocalists running around loose today somehow found each other for this wonderful duet album, “Raising Sand” released in 2007. This song was written by Rose Lees Watson with her husband doc providing the music surrounding it. The story is that she was sweeping up the house one day thinking about all the people she had loved who had passed on. The original title was, “Your Lone Journey” and she said it was especially comforting to her when her own son, Merle, passed away. Here is a link to hear Rose Lee and Doc’s version. Rose Lee and Doc’s version was released on “Doc Watson and His Family” in 1963 and has been covered many times since.
• Alanis Morissette — Ironic — This was one of my friend Jack’s favorite songs which I found ironic as Jack was a fairy sarcastic guy! This was a huge hit for at the time a fairly unknown artist. It was released on her album “ Jagged Little Pill” in 1995. This versions is special iTunes recording from 2004.
• Jude Cole — Sheila Don’t Remember — For me there is something about this song that reminds me a lot of John Mellencamp. I really like the line, “ .. Shelia don’t remember where my hands have been….”. This one come from his 1995 release, “I Don’t Know Why I Act This Way”.
• The Mamas and Papas — Creeque Alley — This is John and Michelle Phillips’ story of the group. John was a superb song writer and vocal arranger. He was very prolific writing so many songs and collaborating on even more. It is hard to believe that M&P were only together for about two and half years and made less that 50 public appearances. They had a huge impact. This was released as a single in 1967 and was also on their album “Deliver” released that same year. You can sing along with the lyrics published on the UJT here.
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!