May 3rd, 2018
“ Ne y beoogo” “Good Morning” in Mossi (Mòoré), a Gur language spoken in Burkina-Faso, Mali and Togo.
I forgot to mention, that last Thursday, the countdown clock on the UJT home page, clicked 999 on the days of shame left in this presidential term. I know it is just a silly reminder of how much more time we have left to endure but I continue to hope for our country’s full recovery from this terrible decision and public lapse in character. Today it will read, 992!
My vertical pallet garden is planted. I am so excited to see it grow. We have onions, cilantro, marjoram, rosemary, a few types of lettuce,peppers and watermelon. We have it in a sunny part of our backyard near to the table and grill. Please keep a good thought for our little fledgling plants!
This week I learned some stuff:
• A good friend of mine shared a YouTube of Jackson Browne singing a song I think he wrote back in 1986. Jackson found a way to link his music to his beliefs. Its a great song but it makes me sad. My generation showed so much promise and had so much hope. For me by 1986, I guess I kind of grown up to be just like the previous generation (something we swore would never happen). I fell in love with the “important stuff” like money, reputation, cars, houses and trappings of personal success. In the process I left fall by the wayside all my aspirations for my fellow humans on this little planet. I let someone else take on that role and let them do it just as poorly. Perhaps I have not yet lived my finest hour, yet. Lives in the Balance
• May 3rd is is“National Paranormal Day”, so take a ghoul to lunch or perhaps hold a “say-Ance” to talk over where your Uncle Rickie left that baseball card collection he had.
Website Update:
• Last week for the New Vocabulary Quiz!!!
• I added a really nice recipe for a really nice chili for a wet rainy and chilly day that sometimes happens before spring really goes for the gusto. Serve with nachos and good guacamole!
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• Still cannot touch the Wisteria in bloom painting. I started the String Of Pearls painting in class on Friday – so far so good. I have another painting still banging around in my head as well.
• The Blue Meany and Glove trivets are having the final firing this week. I think they may turn out ok. I am going to start the last of the Trivets this week. Urge II rides again!
• I told you all that I had started the detail work on the Chewy acrylic painting last week. Started my be too strong a word. I did stare at it and get disgusted…doesn’t brush and paint have to be involved to constitute a start ?? I may have exaggerated.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• Medical Claims! I suspect that over the years “they” (The Medical/Pharmaceutical-Insurance-Industrial Complex) have collectively spent no less that one billion dollars to make reconciling a medical claim impossible. I challenge anyone to be able to trace the gobble-d-gook data elements included on a given claim to the actual service delivered. Of course, they all speak “Claimese” which is a language comprised of arbitrary figures, codes and symbols used to confuse the crap out of any one reasonably logical in their thinking. Their racketeering is called, “In Network” which is how they can say, “you can use any doctor you like” without incurring any of the expense one might reasonably come to expect an insurance company to incur. “They” process the claim for you automatically, after collecting their copay, naturally. Of course, claim processed doesn’t look like the bill you get later. But things are improving! You can be just as confused but even faster using their online views of claims that do not track to the provider bills you got in the mail. Some of my favorite foreign films show scenes of medical services being delivered as a function of that society. Of course, I recognize that those poor people aren’t as “free” as we are, just not going bankrupt when someone in the family falls ill. Silly foreigners!
Music Update:
Go to this week’s UJT Radio program.
• Lifehouse — Whatever It Takes — This band just gives me goose pimples every time I hear a new song from them. This is from their 2007 release, “Who We Are”.
• Little Feat — Representing the Mambo — This is the title song from one of my favorite incarnations of the Feat released in 1989. I encourage you to listen to the clever lyrics and tight music.
• Bruce Cockburn — Islands In A Black Sky — This is a rather long instrumental that features some lovely guitar work. This one is from his 2005 release, “Speechless”.
• Ambrosia — You’re The Only Woman — From the Vinyl!!!! A couple of years back, I featured David Pack’s solo version of this song. This is the original cut from their “One Eighty” album released in 1980.
• Neil Young — Heart of Gold — This one comes from his “Harvest” album released in 1972
• Lawrence Juber — White Pass Trail — Beautiful guitar work from his 1998 release, “ The Collection”.
• Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers — Breakdown — I miss Tom a lot . He was a fixture in my world for so long. Its hard to believe that he is done.
• Joe Walsh — Midnight Man — From the Vinyl!!!! I fell in love with JW listening to Funk 49 on the first James Gang album. I always like this one, it really pushed Joe’s funky tuning magic to the edge. This one comes from their “Thirds” album released in 1971. I remember I bought my first copy at the PX in Norfolk.
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