February 16th, 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 357 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.

This week I learned some stuff:

• The Prostate Adventure continues.  We are just past the 1/2 way mark with my daily radiation treatments and I had my 2nd hormone injection this week.  The side effects were a bit more noticeable this week but nothing to really whine about yet. . 

• February 15th is the 47th day of 2023! Just 320 days till Christmas! Today in 1923,  Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun; American forces land on Corregidor Island in the Philippines today in 1945; On that same day,  the Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945, the first anti-discrimination law in the United States, was signed into law; Also that same day but in 1959,  Fidel Castro became Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1st: In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service today in 1968; Today in 2005, the Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia; The last Mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army today in 2005;  Today in 1903, Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist and actor today; Also born today but in 1909, Hugh Beaumont, (AKA Mr. Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver)American actor and director; Richard McDonald, American businessman, co-founded McDonald’s  was also born today in 1909:  Anna Mae Hays, American general (the first female to achieve the rank of General in the American Armed Forces) was born today in 1920; Today in 1931, Otis Blackwell, American singer-songwriter and pianist born today in 1931: Born today in 1935, Sonny Bono, American actor, singer, and politician; Fyodor Dostoyevsky, LeVar Burton, (AKA Mr. La Forge from Star Trek) American actor, director, and producer was born today in 1957; Born today in 1972, The Bus –  Jerome Bettis, American football player; RWilliam Masters, American gynecologist and sexologist passed away today in 2001;Tony Sheridan, English singer-songwriter and guitarist died today in 2013; And lastly,, today,  Lesley Gore, (Its My Party) American singer-songwriter passed away in 2015.

Website Update:

This week: 

• Week 2 for our Vocabulary Quiz

• Last week for the Musical Trivia Quiz

• This week did a lot of cooking but no new recipes.

• The Home Page quote for this week comes from Ricky Gervals,  “Remember, when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It is only painful for others. The same applies when you are stupid.

Writing, Ceramics, Bonsai Trees, Stained Glass, and Painting Update:

•  I got new gloves but haven’t put them to the test. Gloves that are resistant to cuts and soldering iron burns while still being flexible enough to pick up small pieces of glass are uncommon. I painted a Valentine’s Day card for my honey. She liked it but I didn’t. It’s just been too long, I think I have lost my watercolor mojo such as it is.

• 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:

Fluid Dynamics! As any Engineering major what the toughest classes were in their curriculum? Somewhere on their list (there are a lot of tough Engineering classes) will be Fluid Dynamics. This week we got to watch the phenomenon at work. Our pond developed a slow leak that let the water out of the pond liner and under it. Because of recent rains, the ground below could not absorb any of the leaking water. This caused the pond liner to rise. pushing the fish and filter pumps and everything else up..until there was more water under the liner than in it. Oh, baby! Were our Koi pissed!  The pond guy came and found a whole bunch of pinhole leaks in the liner. He thinks he sealed them all but really we won’t know for a while. Keep your fingers crossed!

A good friend of mine sent me an email reminding me of a Valentine’s Day experience I had in 1997. I was on my second visit to Rüsselsheim, Germany.  We were trying to win some business from Deutsche Bank.  Earlier that week some German team members had taken me to this really good Indian restaurant near the train station (Bahnof). So I took the book that my friend had lent me with me and settled into my table for one. I ordered a cocktail and started reading while my dinner was prepared. The book, “Chicken Soup for the Soul” created an almost immediate and visceral response in me. From the first story, I had tears running down my cheeks! I was embarrassed when the waiter brought my dinner but could not put the book down. So there I sat in this really lovely restaurant, eating my wonderful meal in tears. The dinner was delicious. I put down my book, rather soggy napkin when they took my plate away. It was then I surveyed the room around me for the first time since arriving. Virtually all of the tables had been reset for couples and were filled. I hadn’t noticed before but looking now I saw the Valentine’s Day decorations everywhere. That is also when I noticed that almost all of the couples had been watching me! Until that moment, I really had no idea that it was February 14th. I was so absorbed in the work and then the book that I had forgotten. Everyone looked a time as if to say, “Poor guy.. getting dumped on Valentine’s Day!” When I got back to the hotel there was a message from my wife thanking me for the roses I had arranged earlier before my flights. We had a really good laugh when I described how the Germans had empathized with the lonely old guy in the corner table.

Music Update:

This week I am celebrating my good fortune with some remarkable music that I hope you will enjoy. I got caught up in a frenzy. Let’s see if anyone notices a theme this week:

This week’s UJT Radio Program: 

•    Don Henley — All She Wants To Do Is Dance — Every time I hear this song it reminds me of how great Don Henley is and how much better he is wrapped in The Eagles. This one is from his album, “Building the Perfect Beast” released in 1984.

• John Mayer  — Slow Dancing in a Burning Room — This one is from his “Continuum” released in 2006. This is one of my favorite sad songs. If you have ever been in a relationship that burns down it will hit home for you too.  

•   Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band — Dancing in the Dark  —  From his iconic release of 1984, “ Born in the USA”, this one kind of explains why they call him “The Boss”.

• Shane Smith & The Saints — Dane the Night Away — This one hit the UJT airways not that long ago but I don’t think any selection of songs about dancing could be complete without this cut from their “Coast” album released in 2013.

• Martha Reeves and The Vandellas — Dancing in the Street— This old dance song was covered by every garage band in history and made all the boys and girls at the dance sweat with the music. It was a different time. People danced with each other just not near each other. This one was released in 1964 on their album, ”Dance Music”.

• Tina Turner – Private Dancer – Tina Turner has always, always been there being Tina Turner. First with Ike and then on her own. This was the title song from her 1984 release and was a huge hit for her. It was written by Mark Knopfler and released by Dire Straits.

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!