January 21, 2021
“Ichiyo nade? ”, or “Good Morning!” in Dholuo (Luo), a Nilo-Saharan language spoken in Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania. It is Day 322 since the first California Lock Down. We just started to vaccinate healthcare people this week.
Last week was a tough week for me. I was deeply touched by all of the people who expressed sympathy for the loss of my friend. The Facebook posts revealed how well Jack was liked by those that knew him. I am still trying to crackdown contact data for his friends and family in Canada. I realize now that my paragraph talking about the discomfort of loosing track of someone that falls off your radar suddenly might have led some to believe that I lost track of more than just Jack. That was not the case. I just lost track of Jack.
This week was a big week for birthdays and January 17th was the busiest. Betty White probably subtracted a year. Jim Carey got a year older (58) and Benjamin Franklins shares the 17th as his birthday as well.
This week I learned some stuff:
• I learned that using the Silk Heavy Cream Alternative does indeed stand in very well for heavy cream in creamy pasta sauces quite well.
• January 21st is the 14th day of 2021!. Just 338 days till Christmas! Today in 1789, the first American novel, “The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth” by William Hill Brown, is printed in Boston; On this day in 1908, New York City passes the Sullivan Ordinance, making it illegal for women to smoke in public, only to have the measure vetoed by the mayor; Today in 1954, the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, is launched in Groton, Connecticut by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States; In 1976, commercial service of Concorde begins with the London-Bahrain and Paris-Rio routes; On this day in 1996, the U.S. House of Representatives votes 395–28 to reprimand Newt Gingrich for ethics violations, making him the first Speaker of the House to be so disciplined; Today in 2017, over 400 cities across America and 160+ countries worldwide participate in a large-scale women’s march, on Donald Trump’s first full day as President of the United States; Today in 1735, Ethan Allen, American general was born; Born today in 1813, John C. Frémont, American general, explorer, and politician, 5th Territorial Governor of Arizona; Horace Wells, American dentist who pioneered the use of anesthesia in dentistry was born today in 1815; Today in 1922, Telly Savalas, American actor was born; Born today in 1924, Benny Hill, English actor, singer, and screenwriter; Richie Havens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born today 1941; Born today in 1956, Geena Davis, American actress and producer; George Orwell, British novelist, essayist, and critic passed away today in 1950; We lost James Beard, American chef and author on this day in 1985; Jack Lord, (AKA. Steve MaGarret from Hawaii 50) American actor, director, and producer passed today in 1996;And finally, Kaye Ballard, American actress passed away in 2019.
Website Update:
This week we made the following changes:
• It was my pleasure to take down The Count Down of Shame counter from the UJT Homepage.
• Week 2 for the UJT Vocabulary Quiz!!!
• A new Musical Trivia Quiz !! WooHoo!!
• This week I removed the Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie and replaced it with A Dutch Apple Pie. I tried to make the Cinnamon Roll Pie again and just didn’t think the “juice was worth the squeeze” with that recipe so I replaced it with a pie that I think is great!
Writing, Ceramics, Stained Glass and Painting Update:
• I am having trouble getting my act together this new year. I have kind of just dabbled in stained glass and painting since finishing the Christmas project. Jess expressed an interest in learning stained glass so I have started to orient her in the techniques used. Maybe that will be the catalyst.
• This week I intend to sign up for my watercolor classes again!
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• With the help of my son and Ancestry,com I found the name of Jack’s ex wife but thats about it. I found their VA marriage and divorce documents but I haven’t located any current information. If anyone knows a Deborah Warren Jansch or Keller from the Ottawa, Canada area, please let me know. The weirdness of Ancestry is too long a subject for this week. Its interesting and in its own way brilliant, but weird.
Music Update:
Once again, your fossilized DJ takes you on another meander through the dusty cobwebs of my music library. Making these selections each week is more work than one my think.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• Alan Parsons Project — Can’t Take It With You — This band was one of my favs from the first time I heard them. This is deeper cut from their 1978 release, “Pyramid”.
• Little Feat — Texas Twister — This is another great song from a great band the was constantly changing players so each album is different but they are all good. This one comes from their, “Representing the Mambo” released in 1989.
• James Taylor – Walking Man – From The Vinyl !!! This song always takes me away to some place only JT knows. This is the title cut from his 5th studio released in 1974.
• Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun — This song was so well produced and well done it just deserved to be the hit it was for these guys. This is one of my favorite Christie McVie written tunes from Rumors released in 1977.
• Van Halen — Jump — This is from their “1984” album released in 1983. This was their most successful single. David Lee Roth was the lead singer before Sammy Hagar took over in 1985.
• Katey Perry — Firework — I hope everyone got to see the Inauguration Parade show hosted by Tom Hanks on Wednesday. Katey sang; “Firework” with Washington, DC Fireworks going off behind her. I don’t know about you but it felt like the turning of page or coming out of a very very dark tunnel. For the first time in a long time, I was proud of my country. This version is from the “Songs for Japan” complication album.
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!