January 30th, 2020
“Lumela; U zuhile cwang’i?” or “Good Morning” a Bantu language spoken mainly in southwestern Zambia, and also in Zimbabwe, Bostwana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia. It is also known as seRotse.
Let me summarize my Holiday weight watching efforts – non-existent! So many wonderful tasty things to enjoy with our son and his family in Texas, I just kind of, sort of kept to my dietary discipline the way jellyfish swim in a straight line. Anyway, I am back and my scale is being brutally honest with me. I started a free Weight Management class given by our medical group which focuses on the basics.. fruits and veggies balanced carbs and proteins; exercise – both cardio and strength and logging all of the above to track our performance. Tuesday was day one and it will run for 10 weeks. I am kind of excited about it as I have been struggling to get my physical exercise regime restarted. So wish me luck.
I am making progress on the backyard project .. still a couple steps forward and a step back but forward none the less.. If all goes well (trying not to jinx myself) I should finish the staining and grouting the tile in time for the superbowl. Woo Hoo!!
This week I learned some stuff:
• I learned about a new interesting website for geezers. AMAVA.com has some some interesting job things, volunteer gigs and unique experiences designed to keep us fogies from fogging up too bad or too early. Check it out you might find something that interests you.
• I learned that my credit card company automatically refunds the money that the scammers got from me because they are a know scammer outfit. Woohoo!
• January 30th is the 30th day of the year (leaving only 331 days till Christmas!). On this day in 1847, Yerba Buena, California is renamed San Francisco, California; Indian pacifist and leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is released from prison in1908; in 1933, Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany; Martin Luther King Jr.’s home is bombed in retaliation for the Montgomery Bus Boycott;The Tet Offensive was launched by the Viet Song and NVA in 1968; Today in 1969, The Beatles gave their last performance on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert was broken up by London Police; in 1972, “The Troubles: Bloody Sunday occurred when British paratroopers opened fire on anti-internment marchers in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing a total of 14 people; The American Embassy in Kabul closes in 1989;South Korea launched its first carrier rocket on this day in 2013; FDR, Franklin D. Roosevelt was born in 1882; Gene Hackman was born in 1930; Marty Balin, Jefferson Airplane singer songwriter was born on this day in 1942; Phil Collins, English drummer, singer, songwriter was born in 1951; America lost its first flag maker, Betsy Ross on this day in 1836; Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948; Orville Wright passed away in 1948; Lightnin’ Hopkins, American singer, songwriter and guitar passed away in 1982.
Website Update:
• Last week for our “New” Vocabulary Quiz.
• Week two for the Music Trivia Quiz.
• I added some fun recipes this week. Chef Jacques Pepin was on Simply Ming this week doing and interesting hotdog and potato salad and I have captured the recipes for the UJT gang. I also came up with a lovely Eggplant Sauté.. that you should try because it tastes good and is good for you!
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• Classes start again this week .Woohoo.. back to work on my thank you card paintings and my ceramic totem pieces. My next adventure after never-ending backyard-project-from-hell ends, is going a stained glass project. I have been researching it and even have a couple of ideas drawn up. The bad news is that I have none of the tools or materials I will need to start ..so there is that.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• One of the things that impressed me the most about this new Weight Management class was that it had this wonderful quote not the front of the binder they gave us, “Those that try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.” Lloyd Jones, New Zealand author of Mister Pip(2006).
• I have been watching Jeopardy fairly regularly for as long as Alex Tribek has been hosting (forever). And most days, I do pretty well so I decided to take the practice test to see how I might fair. Well, I am pretty sure I would not get to Final Jeopardy. It was a humbling experience that I recommend for anyone who has fleeting fancies that they might be smart.
Music Update:
Another tiptoe though the archives to share some things you might missed or never have heard or at least not heard recently.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• U2 — I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking for — One of my all time favorite songs from their iconic, “The Joshua Tree” album, released in 1987.
• Lifehouse — Who We Are — This the title cut from their 2007 release, produced by Jude Cole.
• Warren Zevon – Lawyers, Guns and Money — This one is from his 1978 release, “Excitable Boy”. There was just something about Warren and his eclectic music that I always connected too.
• Jimmy Buffet — The Pascagoula Run — I think we could all use a “black sheep uncle” like Jimmy. “What do the ladies say? What do the ladies Say? … ” This one comes from one of my favorite JB releases, “Off to See the Lizard” from 1989.
• Les Paul & Peter Frampton — So Into You — This great cover of the Atlanta Rhythm Section is from the “Les Paul & Friends” album released in 2005. As one might expect from these who guitar greats, the guitar work on this song is incredible.
• A Flock of Seagulls – I Ran(So Far Away) — This one comes from their “A Flock of Seagulls” released in 1982. “Aurora Borealis comes in view; Aurora comes in view-ewe ..”
• James Taylor and Carole King – Fire and Rain(Live) – This is a wonderful live version of one of my JT favs. Carole plays an excellent piano on this version. This is from their “Live at the Troubadour” collaboration released in 2010 (although the concert was played in November, 2007).
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!