March 15, 2018
“Maidin Mhaith” A fine Irish “Good Morning” to you my dears!
St Paddy’s day is this weekend and I will expect every one to celebrate tastefully and with decorum. Perhaps a dram or two of the lovely spirits wouldn’t hurt you know. But none of these “hooligan-ish” behaviors such as over boisterous callouts to your fellows or groping the innocents around you! And that goes for you gentlemen as well! A toast! “May you be in heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you’re dead”. Happy St Paddy’s day, one and all!
Have you been watching the Women’s History Month commercials on TV? I must say ladies, I am so impressed!!! I mean I always knew women were under-appreciated and under-utilized in virtually all area’s of human endeavor. AND I do know it has been slowly, ever so slowly, getting better. But to be totally honest, I had no idea as the range and magnitude of women’s contributions to the species over the past several decades. If we had half the character and brains we profess to, we would simply get out of the way and let women fix many of the “insurmountable” problems facing us. Or better yet, join them wholeheartedly on that task! One must ponder the concept of how far along we would be right now if we just quit taking old white men so seriously! Just saying …
My humidor is back in production albeit with its slovenly plated keyhole cover but that’s another story. But it do look “purdy”!
We moved the GLCPS&L Society to a new location last week. Its a greater commute for me but the new location is much closer to the members who live in the north county. We still have to work out a few kinks (Greg don’t forget the chips next week!) but both the lady that runs the place and set up seem to work well.
This week I learned some stuff:
• I did not know that owls’ feathers are not waterproof so they cannot fly when it rains. So all the shots of Hedwig, flying in from a heavy downpour in the books and movies – Magic! There you have proof !
• I learned that the handicapped placard you see on people’s review mirrors are not for the car per say. They are assigned to people and to be valid in California anyway, the handicapped person has to be in the car. I got a ticket 🙁 No one mentioned it when I picked up the placard at the DMV. But I am not sure being a dumbass will get me a pass on the fine 🙁
• I learned just how difficult it can be to try to paint white roses in watercolor. I saw this really pretty bouquet of them, whipped out my iPhone and captured their beauty. This week in class, I attempted to covey that beauty to paper and I am sorry to say my white roses are now have yellow and gold petals with some rose colored tips. All things considered, they failed considerably at being white roses but I like them anyway.
• March 15th recognizes, “Everything You Think Is Wrong Day”, a day where decision making should be avoided, as your thoughts are wrong. It is also a day created for some people to realize that they are not always right. While starting a conversation, one might want to avoid using the words “I think.” Everything You Think Is Wrong Day may be a time for all to contemplate our own lack of knowledge. It is okay that one does not know everything, and if there is a need to feel as if you do, hold on. Tomorrow will be here soon, and then once again, you can think that you do!
Website Update:
• Last week for the New Vocabulary Quiz!!!
• I added another two recipes for you guys this week – I included a great recipe for ham on the bone from Chef Jacques Pepin and a very tasty Red Beans and Rice for our Cajun tastebuds. This batch of Red Beans and Rice was even ‘mo betta’ because we had some of the wonderful smoked ham to add. Yum! I am going to use the bone for another winter favorite of mine – Split Pea Soup 🙂
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• Chewy’s sketch on the canvas is haunting my office but I am still unable to pick up a brush!
• The very weird remote control holder thingy that I am building in my Ceramics Class now enjoys another coat of under glazing. This week I began working on my next project (trivets for our kitchen) .
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I did know that a flock of crows is called a “Murder of Crows”. But I was not aware that a flock of ravens is called an “Unkindness of Ravens.” How weird is that ????
• I am not aware of anything weirder than time. I was going to say weirder “on this planet” but time isn’t really anyplace or perhaps its just everyplace at the same time?? Every six months or so, we all agree that at this time we are going to make it that time and, thank you very much! How weird is that ?
• I cannot imagine a more frightening political event than #SCROTUS (Trump) meeting with #SUPREMEBADHAIRCUT (Kim Joung-un). It seems likely to enjoy the same predictable outcome of hiding a lit match in a bucket of gasoline. I predict that the location of this meeting will suffer at least a 15% reduction in the average IQ for 100 miles in all directions including underwater. In fact, the only places dumber than that location will be the locations of anyone who believes that Trump has accomplished anything positive domestically or internationally for anyone other than himself or his cronies. I continue to count down to his end of office with the optimistic belief that our democracy may survive his participation for that long.
Music Update:
Click here for week’s UJT Radio program.
• The Clancy Brothers — Irish Rover — I think it might just be illegal to listen or better yet sing along with this song sober in Ireland. So hoist your glasses and catch up lads and lasses and remember to belt out the chorus and the part about “Mic McCann…the Skipper of the Irish Rover”. And Smile me dears!
• Pink Floyd — Another Brick In the Wall Pt. 2 (Live) — This week the divisive moron #SCROTUS came to view the wall demo in my home town. I live near Otay Mesa and I swear their was a new stench in the air. This song, the wall seems to summarize the extent of this small minded mean spirited old F#cking White Guy very well.
• Jewel — Satisfied — This is just a real pretty song about bravery sung by a pretty woman from Alaska.
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience — Voodoo Child (Slight Return) — From the vinyl!!!! This another chunk of cosmic goodness that fell off into our world from his, “Electric Ladyland” album.
• Extreme — Decadent Dance — Nuno Bettencourt celebrates his joy of heavy guitar rifts. The boys from Boston do get busy on this, the first track of their “Extreme II: Pornograffitti (A Funked Up Fairy Tale)’ from 1990.
• Guns and Roses — Sweet Child of Mine — This one was released in 1988 and is probably my favorite G&R cut. It began as a guitar exercise by Slash and by the time it was done the whole band had put in a part. Accidents happen sometimes.
• Train — Feels Good at First — This is a great little song from their “California 37” album, released in 2012.
• The Beatles — Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) — This one comes from their “Rubber Soul” album released in 1965. This was the first song where a rock band introduced a sitar. Rubber Soul also marked the turning point for The Beatles. Changing from commercial “boy band” format (as demonstrated in the album and movie “Help”) to serious going to change the world musicians, at least that is how it felt to me. Don’t misunderstand, like everyone else, I loved Help and all the other early songs but I also was overjoyed to follow their changes from that place. The Beatles lead us all by then.
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!
James
Under the Jacaranda Tree URL: http://www.jfmccann.com