July 6th, 2017
Pyeri iiđeed!! (A “Good Morning” you might hear in Inari, Finland.)
July 1st at ~3:00pm EST, I became the last living member of my family. I feel so profoundly alone even surrounded by my family. My dad and mom both passed some time ago but I never expected to live longer than my baby brother. We knew his illness was terminal but the timing was much shorted than we expected. The grief passes through me in waves and frankly, surprises me. Please don’t misunderstand, I loved my brother but our lives took different paths a long time ago. I cannot speak for Pat but my love didn’t diminish with time or distance but our lives were full with just occasional phone conversations, rarer meetings and birthday and Christmas cards. But since talking with Joann, his wife, the grief just rolls through me as I try to do the mundane tasks of a retired old fart. I can’t seem to paint or draw or read very much since hearing the news. I have been very thirsty and fascinated by TV to a greater degree. I will be fine and then find myself sobbing. I feel his loss so deeply and profoundly. I am grateful that he did not suffer but I wish I could have hugged him one more time.
This week I learned some stuff:
• Ten Years! That is all it has been since the iPhone appeared in our world?? I can hardly remember a time when the entire universe was a few clicks away no matter where I was. I cannot remember the exact date but it was in the mid 1980s I think, I heard part of a speech by Steve Jobs when he was telling everyone about portable computing. Beepers were big and the mobile phones around were attached to lunch box batteries and this guy was taking about email, videos, music, etc all in the palm of our hands. I don’t think very many people believed him. I know I didn’t. But sure enough, on June 29th, 2007, the first iPhone was release and a new era was born. I cannot even imagine how I managed anything before.
• Watermelon is amazing. Originating in Southern Africa, it was first harvested as a crop in Egypt over 5000 years ago. It is a vegetable in the cucumber family even though we eat it as a fruit. Watermelon is the most consumed mellon on the planet, followed by Cantaloupe and Honeydew. I love the new Watermelon/Cucumber juice but Watermelon is a great refreshing 4 of July treat.
Website Update
• Week Two for the New Vocabulary Quiz!!! Woohoo!!!
• This week I also added the lyrics for “2002” from Bob Schneider.
• Added a recipe for Grilled Tri-Tip Beef
• This week’s “Interesting Human” is Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, whose was a completely multifaceted individual whose interests included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.
Writing and Painting Update:
• I got the critique on my Purple Shamrocks that I painted last week. I am going to get some tweaks on it. It won’t go into this next show but maybe in August
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I misread the email confirming my flight information and missed my flight. The lady at the counter thought it would be over $200 to change to the redeye to Charlotte but when she checked, she found that the change resumed in a $1.49 refund and I am still scheduled into Norfolk in time for the funeral (weather & traffic permitting). How weird is that ?
Music Update:
This week’s UJT Radio program features a little mediation, some sadness and a nice cross section of tunesl:
• John Bear -Little Brother – Key of D — Once upon a time, I worked with an interesting man by the name of Robb Welch. We were chatting over a cup of coffee one day and he was explaining his interest in birds and I was sharing some of my musical interests. He said if you like meditative Native American music, I will bring you a CD. The closest I had come to native music was listening to some of the Hawaiian music when I lived in the islands. He ended up sharing a number of songs by John Bear with me and of those this one became special to me .beautiful flute music. Thanks Robb
• Olomana — Seabird — From the Vinyl !!! This was one of the songs that I heard and learned to love when I was living in Hawaii. I love the long instrumental lead in and warbling vocals floating by.
• Venice — Right where we left out — This one is from their Home Grown album. This one made me cry this week because my brother Pat and I won’t be doing this anymore at least not face to face for while. And so it goes… a pretty song about special people.
• Bruce Hornsby — Listen to the Silence — This one come from his “Spirit Trail album. I just like it. Hope you do too.
• Don McLean — Vincent (Starry Starry Night) — This must be my week for songs of sweet sadness. This one goes out to brother Vincent.
• Carl Verheyen Band — New Years Day — My my my… this boy packs a big tight sound that makes you glad you could hear.
• The Subdudes — Flower Petals — You might not find this one your cup of tea but I surely do like it.
• Bob Schneider — 2002 — This one comes from his Lonelyland album. I just love this guy and I hope you do too.
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