August 8th, 2019
“صباح الخير (ṣbah lkḥīr)” or “Good Morning!!!” in Moroccan Arabic. I have been exploring some Moroccan Tangine cooking dishes so I thought that I would make it a complete frenzy of Moroccan up in here!
Have you ever been overwhelmed or at least felt that way? I am fortunate in that it has only happened to me a couple of times. Whenever you are convinced of the need for immediate action but are confronted with so much wrong that you aren’t sure where to begin. That kind of overwhelming. Once when my mom was in hospice care I had to move her out of her apartment in Chicago. She had been living there in for over 15 years and had 70 years worth of stuff to address. Our current political environment is overwhelming to me. There is so much wrong I cannot figure out where to start. Every area where it is possible to be politically effective, yet remain completely morally, fiscally, and ethically wrong, the Orange Moron is hitting them out of the park. While the people who we would expect to work together to overcome this huge stinking mass of composted wrongness, cannot get out of their own way. The Democratic Party’s approach to the 2020 elections is: A democrat is going to win, so every one into the pool! Of course, to do that they need to inspire the American people to take action: To pull their collective heads out of their butts; Actually show up and vote for candidates at all levels of government that wish to improve the world versus just perpetuate their own narrow agenda and cadre. We need organized grown ups that can work together to overcome our country’s black hole of racist, hate infested, fearful and just plain stupid policies that have alienated our friends and invigorated our enemies. But Nooooo… that is not what we are getting. Sensing weakness in the Orange Insanity, everyone whose ambitions, egos and personal agendas are greater than their desire to actually be of service to their country. Putting all of their energies into promoting themselves above and beyond the rest of the party that is running. The missing ingredient is leadership. We do not need 19 variations of the same set of alternatives. This foolishness may result in not only the loss of the presidential office, AGAIN, but other critical offices in Congress, State and Local governments.
This week I learned some stuff:
• Today, August 8th is The International Day of the Cat. So try to find a cat to ignore you.
Website Update:
• Last week for our “New” Vocabulary Quiz!
• Week two for “new” UJT Music Trivia Quiz!
• This week I have added some new recipes for you. I went all Filipino this week and celebrated with Adobo Chicken and Pancit. Both dishes were delightful. I did the Chocolate Flan Cake over with adjustments and now I think it just might be worthy of your taste buds. I also created a wonderful Creamy Chickpea Salad too. I also wrote down a recipe that I have loved for a long time but that grosses some people out, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Liver Salad. Try it and you might surprise yourself. I hope so. Lastly I got all Fillipno up in here and made some really delightful Chicken Adobo and Pancit.Enjoy!
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• I managed to break my street number sing trying to make a few minor tweaks before is first firing. Oh Well. Starting over
• Most of this week I spent flat on my back with the flu so I didn’t get to paint anything.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I have lots of time to think this week and I find it amazing how much I have taken my good health for grated. When this industrial strength intestinal bug got me and threw me to the ground, I was like sooo surprised. “How could this be happing?? I didn’t even drink too much!”
Music Update:
Once again this week, I have created a very nice collection of song samples that I think celebrate life in a grand way!
Go to this week’s UJT Radio program.
• Linda Ronstadt — Blue Bayou— One of the sweetest sounds I recall from my early years. Written in 1963 by Roy Orbison but became Linda’s signature song in 1977.
• Stephen Stills and Judy Collins — So Begins the Task — Just two old friends playing together again. I have seen Stephen play this live and this version has the best guitar work I have heard from him in a long time.
• Bob Marley and The Whalers— Three Little Birds— This is a remastered deep cut from their “Legend ” album but this was originally released in 1977 on “Exodous.
• Colin Hay — Looking for Jack(New Recording) — From his album, “Man At Work, released in 2003.
• The Beatles — I Am Looking Through You —This one was released in Rubber Soul in 1965. Did you ever have anyone you felt this way about ?
• Procol Harum – Whiter Shade of Pale — Remastered in 2007 this amazing song still haunts me. We skipped the lights fandango, turning cartwheels ‘cross the floor… the room was humming harder as the ceiling flew away… as the mirror told its tale that her face at first just ghostly turned a whiter shade of pale “.. hmmm I remember,
• George Gomez – Bistro Fada v 1.3.a – This one has not been released on an album yet. My friend George shared it with me a few years ago. I think it is just beautiful.
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!