January 19th, 2023
“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. I have decided that the UJT will remain focused on Ukraine until we can all rejoice in the end of hostilities. It has been 329 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
This week I learned some stuff:
• This week went by so fast! Sean’s time with us was great but seemed to flash by. He was back on the plane Saturday afternoon.
• The Prostate Adventure continues. I was supposed to get my 2nd MRI in the Soft Tissue Study for UCSD but the MRI scanner went down and we had to reschedule.
• This week we finally got the gutters installed. I feel like such a procrastinating dingbat for having waited so long (should have been done in 2001!). Anyway, it’s done now. Hoping for rain!
• January 12th is the 19th day of 2023! Just 348 days till Christmas! Today in 1883, the first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey; German zeppelins bomb the towns of Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn in the United Kingdom killing at least 20 people, in the first major aerial bombardment of a civilian target today in 1915; On this day in 1920, the United States Senate votes against joining the League of Nations; Also that same day, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is founded; Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in seven hours, 28 minutes, 25 seconds today in 1937; Today in 1945, Soviet forces liberate the Łódź Ghetto. Of more than 200,000 inhabitants in 1940, less than 900 had survived the Nazi occupation; Almost 72 percent of all television sets in the United States are tuned into I Love Lucy to watch Lucy give birth today in 1953. Today in 1978, the last Volkswagen Beetle made in Germany leaves VW’s plant in Emden. Beetle production in Latin America continues until 2003; Iran hostage crisis: United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity today in 1981; Today in 1983, the Apple Lisa, the first commercial personal computer from Apple Computer to have a graphical user interface and a computer mouse, is announced: Today in 1997, Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city; Robert E. Lee, American general and academic was born today in 1807; Edgar Allan Poe, American short story writer, poet, and critic was born today in 1809; Paul Cézanne, French painter was born today in 1839; Also born today but in 1912, Leonid Kantorovich, Russian mathematician and economist, Nobel Prize laureate; Jean Stapleton, American actress and singer was born today in 1923: Ira Hayes, American marine who raised the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima was born today in 1923; Today in 1930, Tippi Hedren, American model, actress, and animal rights-welfare activist (and so much more!) was born; Phil Everly, American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born today in 1939: Born today in 1943, Janis Joplin, American singer-songwriter;Dolly Parton, American singer-songwriter and actress was born today in 1944; Born today in 1949, Robert Palmer, English singer-songwriter and guitarist; Dewey Bunnell, British-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (member of America) was born today in 1952; Born today on TV in 1953, Desi Arnaz, Jr., American actor and singer: Katey Sagal, American actress and singer was born today in 1954: Born today in 1971, Shawn Wayans, American actor, producer, and screenwriter; ;Died today in 1998, Carl Perkins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist; Anthony Franciosa, American actor passed away today in 2006 as did Wilson Pickett, American singer-songwriter; Denny Doherty, Canadian singer-songwriter and founding member of the Mamas and Papas died today in 2007; Today, Suzanne Pleshette, American actress passed away in 2008; John Stewart, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Kingston Trio and wrote DayDream Believer for the Monkees) died today 2008; Stan Musial, (AKA Stan the Man) American baseball player and manager died today in 2013; And finally, we said good bye to the great Miguel Ferrer, American actor who passed away today in 2017.
Website Update:
This week:
• A New Vocabulary Quiz !!! Yeah!!!
• Week 2 for our Musical Trivia Quiz
• This week I didn’t add any new recipes.
• The Home Page quote this week is from Dr. Martin Luther King, from an address at Spelman College, 1960. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”.
Writing, Ceramics, Bonsai Trees, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• I didn’t work on the stained glass project and no painting got done this week. Focused on visiting with Sean.
• I am 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:
Are you a fan of horror films? My first exposure was a 1960 film, “House of Usher”. It scared the bejesus out of me! But not being too bright, I tried again first with Psycho and then with The Birds both by Alfred Hitchcock. They both also scared the bejesus out of me! By 1963, I had learned that genre was not for me. I don’t like being scared for entertainment. But in the last one, I got to meet Tippi Hedren. She was a model Hitchcock discovered doing TV ads. But she fascinated me the first time I ever saw her. So I kind of kept tabs on her and she is even more fascinating than I thought. She has pretty much devoted her acting career to earning money for her lions and tigers at the preserve she has set up for them in North East LA county. Her Shambala Preserve is home to some 70 lions and tigers. When Michael Jackson closed his Zoo both his Begal Tigers came to Tippi and the preserve. She also pretty much created the Vietnamese Nail Salon business. She was visiting a refugee camp and the Vietnamese she met were fascinated by her manicure. So she paid her manicurist to come teach all the women at the camp and got them jobs at salons all over the area. The entrepreneurial tendencies of the refugees took over and created an industry. I may just wander up north sometime to tour the preserve and perhaps meet the matron who still lives there.
Music Update:
This week I am celebrating my good fortune with some remarkable music that I hope you will enjoy.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Jeff Beck — Beck’s Bolero — We lost Jeff this week. Social Media is burning up with commentary on what a truly spectacular guitar player and musical innovator he was. Thousands have acclaimed his music as influential for them as Hendrix, Clapton, etc. This is a rock instrumental composition attributed to Jimmy Page but I am pretty sure Jeff had a lot to do with it. Jeff and at the time, studio guitarist Jimmy Page, were long time friends. It was Jimmy who recommended Jeff replace Clapton when Eric left the Yardbirds. This song was recorded with Jeff, Jimmy, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon and Nicky Hopkins. This is one of my favorite songs from Jeff’s debut iconic studio album “Truth “, released in 1968.
• Joss Stone — Parallel Lines (feat. Jeff Beck and Shelia E.) — She is one of my favs and bringing Jeff’s dazzling guitar skills into the mix is almost distracting from her great singing . This one was on Color Me Free, finally released (after a legal battle with EMI) in 2009.
• Tedeschi – Trucks Band –Ball and Chain— From their, “Relevator” album, this is just a song of celebration before they formed the real band (Susan and Derek got married:)..
• Shane Smith and the Saints — All I See is You — There is just something about these guys that pulls me in. Shane sings with an old guy’s soul. This one comes from their album “Geronimo” released in 2015.
• Traffic — Light Up or Leave Me Alone — This is a deep cut from “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” album released in 1971. This one was written by one of the nicest and deeply talented high heeled boy, Jim Capaldi, his own self! This album is a favorite of an old friend of mine, Mke Fallin.
• Lifehouse – Better Luck Next Time – This is a deep cut from their third studio album, “Lifehouse” released in 2005. For me, these guys’ music, lyrical phrasing and production just grabs me and won’t let go till I am smiling.
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!