May 12th, 2022
“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. I have decided to maintain the UJT will focus on Ukraine until we can all rejoice in the end of hostilities. It has been 77 days since Russia attacked Ukraine.
I worked a lot in our back yard this week. According to my Hartline Studies, people who work in their gardens or take care of house plants are healthier, enjoy life more and are less apt to be stressed. Doing Bonsai is kind of the best of both worlds.
Wow! If there ever was a definition of a person with too much money and too little to occupy them, it has to be Elon Musk. Revealing his motives for purchasing Twitter this week, he said he would reinstate Donald Trump’s Twitter account when his deal goes through. Donald Trump has said “I don’t want your stinky doo doo Twitter account, I am making my own social media product”. The current number of accounts appears to be 1 so far.
Another suggestion from my Heartline Study that I want to share is an exercise that I have added to my 3x weekly routine. Evidently, falling down seems to be a more popular sport as we ease into Geezerdom or would that be Geezerhood?. To improve your odds of avoiding the whole broken hip deal, we should do 2-3 reps of sitting down and standing up 10 times on a sturdy chair with no arms (no cheating). This exercise discipline has been shown to improve balance and strengthen those vital muscles that help you get up off your old ass which in turn helps you avoid falling on it. Add it to your routine.
This week I learned some stuff:
• May 12th is the 132nd day of 2022. Just 236 days till Christmas! Today in 1846, the Donner Party of pioneers departs Independence, Missouri for California, on what will become a year-long journey of hardship and cannibalism; Today in 1926, the Italian-built airship Norge becomes the first vessel to fly over the North Pole; In 1932 on this day, ten weeks after his abduction, Charles Jr., the infant son of Charles Lindbergh, is found dead near Hopewell, New Jersey, just a few miles from the Lindberghs’ home; Today in 1933, the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which restricts agricultural production through government purchase of livestock for slaughter and paying subsidies to farmers when they remove land from planting, is signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt; In 1941 on this day, Konrad Zuse presents the Z3, the world’s first working programmable, fully automatic computer, in Berlin; Today in 1949, the Soviet Union lifts its blockade of Berlin; Today in 2002, former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro, becoming the first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since the Cuban Revolution;Born today in 1820, Florence Nightingale, Italian-English nurse, social reformer, and statistician: Born today in 1850, Henry Cabot Lodge, American historian and politician; Katharine Hepburn, American actress was born today in 1907; Howard K. Smith, American journalist and actor was born today in 1914; Yogi Berra, American baseball player, coach, and manager was born today in 1925; George Carlin, American comedian, actor, and author was born today in 1937; Ian McLagan, English keyboard player and songwriter from Small Faces and Faces was born today in 1945; Steve Winwood, English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was born today in 1948; Today is Ving Rhames’ birthday in 1959, American actor; Perry Como, American singer and television host passed away today in 2001;And lastly, today in 2018, Scotland lost their very own Jeffery Dahlmer, when Dennis Nilsen, serial killer, died from complications of surgery in prison.
Website Update:
This week:
• A New Vocabulary Quiz!!! WoooHoo!!
• Last week our Musical Trivia Quiz
• No new recipes this week
• The Home Page quote this week is from one of my favorite Yankees, Yogi Berra, who gave us lots of one liner wisdom before it was popular. Yogi said, “The future ain’t what it used to be”.
Writing, Ceramics, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• I am not happy with the first version of Lori’s Barn and have started a new sketch. My daughter thinks its good but the way I did the trees behind the barn did not work for me. I am still working on Chris’ Sunset in the mangrove images. I also am still experimenting with the neurographic images. I am not in love with it yet.
• I an continuing my streak of slacking off on the paper edits of Grandpa Stories. I just haven’t carved out any time for more chapters.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• As Yogi said so many years ago, “It’s like déjà vu all over again!”. To be honest, because like every SCOTUS nominee in RBG swore under oath during their confirmation hearings, I thought that Roe V Wade was substantiated law, so I haven’t tracked Roe V Wade’s social and economic effect. But I have yet to meet a woman who says, “Well hell, I will just get an abortion if my sex life takes a wrong turn.” For the record, being Pro-choice has nothing to do with being Pro-Abortion in spite of the rhetoric. If Roe V Wade is struck down, the only lesson we will learn is that you can indeed BUY laws in the United States. If Roe V Wade is struck down, the people’s backlash must be rapid and decisive. The reaction cannot stop until not only in a woman’s right to choose is the law of the land, but to prevent such perversions of democracy from happening in the future, all corporate contributions in any form for any race must be rendered illegal in US Elections.
Music Update:
I am really pleased with this week’s mix. I find that the gift of music is that it can transport you instantly into that place where that piece became significant for you. Enjoy the Ride!
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• The Beatles — In My Life — This is one of my very favorite songs from Rubber Soul, released in 1965. It’s is brilliant in its timelessness.
• Brewer and Shipley — Too Soon Tomorrow — From the Vinyl !!! I learned about harmony in a church choir as aa young boy. For me it was just magic and mannificent. These boys do great harmonies. This is another favorite cut from their iconic album, “Weeds” that came out in 1969. A great song and album!
• Bruce Springsteen — Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street? — From the Vinyl !!! This one was the song that captured my heart. I couldn’t figure out how this kid from NJ made all this amazing music. This from the first Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band album, “Greetings from Ashbury Park, N.J.” released in 1973.
• Howie Day – Collide – I made a somewhat impromptu trip down to Norfolk one time while working in DC and my friends dragged me to Howie Day playing in Williamsburg. It was a great show and I have loved his music ever since. This one is from his 2005 release, “Stop All the World Now”.
• AirStream – AirStream — This one is a great song you probably never heard before. As far as I know these guys were a one hit wonder band. But I liked the song. Its from their 2004 release, “Keep Your Wig On”. I hope you like it too.
• Jimmy Buffet — He Went to Paris — I have seen the boys sing this one many times. Its from his 1985 release, “Songs You Know By Heart”. I love a good song that leaves a mixed feelings tear in your eye.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; Always remember… The best is yet to come! As always, thank you for being my friend!