June 20th, 2019

“সুপ্ৰভাত (xuprôbhat)!” “Good Morning !!!” to you all in Assamese, an eastern Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, and also in Bangladesh and Bhutan.

I hope all you daddies, papas and fathers out there had a wonderful Father’s Day. Growing up the way I did, we just never did Father’s Day until I was like 19 or so and in the Navy. But for me, what my Dad and I lacked in time together we made up for in the quality of the time we did have with each other. I miss him a lot. I like to watch Perry Mason each night to see Paul Drake who looked a lot my dad when they were both alive and younger! I now have not one but two Star Wars Storm Trooper Helmet coffee cups(one white and the other silver)! Life is Good!

This week I learned some stuff:
• The third Thursday in June is WORLD TAPAS DAY!!! Traditionally, tapas are small servings of Spanish dishes served with a drink. I have loved those all those small plates of flavorful delights since 1970 when I found out that Spain was different than Cuba. The small amounts, tasty flavors and variety make Tapas a wonderfully sociable way to consume food!

Website Update:
• Week two for our New Vocabulary Quiz!!!!
• Last week for our UJT Music Trivia Quiz.
• I made an new flavorful chicken dish this week – Piri Piri Chicken. I have some other new ones I am looking forward to making later this week.

Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• I finished two more paintings this week and started another. I also painted a nice belated birthday card for an old friend. I brought my newest Flamingo planter project home from ceramics class and to sand down the rough spots before glazing when class starts up in July but in the process I managed to break a few toes and the stand platform. I thought it was a lost cause then I remember that in this case, I could epoxy the parts back and paint it with acrylics. So I did and he turned out pretty cool given his crappy design and craftsmanship.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.

Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:

•For my Father’s Day dinner, my daughter made this huge mondo chicken supreme nachos for us all with homemade brownies for dessert! Yum! It felt weird to be so pampered!
•Two people contacted me to let me know that VW has produced a new mini-van more simliar to the old Type 2 that Urge II was. I understand that this one is all electric and cute as all get out.. just like Urge II was. I will be checking them out. 
•My grandson, BJ, turned 20 this week!!!! How weird is that! I remember. It just seems like months ago, he was just a cute little boy whose head seemed to big for his body running around smiling, laughing and dragging this little stuffed elephant with him everywhere he went. He is about a mile taller, quieter and more thoughtful. He has grown to be the fine young man that makes us all so proud.  

Music Update:

I thought I had re-learned my digital turntable and associate software! Weehaa!! But alas, it kicked my ass again! I will get it by next week’s episode of UJT Radio. I have created a very nice selection of deep cut songs from a variety of genres that, I think, celebrate life in a grand way!

Go to this week’s UJT Radio program.

• The Moody Blues — The Other Side of Life — From their most recent live album, “Lovey to See You (Live)” released in 2005. We got to seen them that year in Escondido.
• Mike Stern — Texas — Beautiful jazzy guitar instrumental from his. “Who Let the Cats Out” album released in 2006
• Mike and the Mechanics — Another Cup of Coffee — This is a remastered version of a deep cut from their “Beggar on the Beach of Gold”, released in 1995.
• Bob Dylan — Oh Sister — This is deep cut from his amazing 1976 release, “Desire”.
• Dishwalla — Today, Tonight — This is a deep cut from their 2002 release, “Opaline”.
• Bruce Springsteen — Lonesome Day — This is another deep cut from “The Rising” released in 2002. Just a wonderful collect of wonderfully written songs!
• Olomana – My Grandfathers Music – From the Vinyl!!!! I discovered these guys when I lived in Hawaii in the mid 1970s. This is from their first album, “Olomana” released in 1976.

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!