November 30th, 2024
“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, is an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. I have decided that the UJT will remain focused on Ukraine until we can all rejoice at the end of hostilities. It has been 1026 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
This week I learned some stuff:
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- I hope we all enjoyed time with our friends and family this Thanksgiving! And, of course, the feast! I approach a large dinner like my mom and her mom did. I decide what I will serve and divide it into two categories – what can be prepared beforehand and what cannot. With big meals with lots of moving parts, the kitchen, not to mention your head, gets congested. there are only so many burners and usually one oven. I was always amazed that they got all that food done, let alone on time for dinner. Our Thanksgiving menu can vary but typically includes at least one turkey, perhaps one ham, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, gravy dressing, deviled eggs, and assorted pies. And except for the pies, it all has to come together simultaneously. No wonder I love doing it and eating it so much!!
- “The jouncy to a cavity is a very personal one” ..a great quote from my son to his 19-year-old son inquiring if his dad is still paying for dental work now that he is all grown up. I found the situation funny and Sean’s response priceless! But remember kids! There is nothing funny about what happens if you do not get regular checkups, cavities filled and teeth cleaned. Doing all that is the mark of someone “all grown up”. I know because I learned it the hard way.
- We lost another old friend this week. John Patching and I met to pursue a contract with one of Spain’s premier financial institutions. I was a fill-in player thrown into the Geographic SBUs proposal team by LFI. I was not a great fit. It was a bundle of firsts for me. It was my first pursuit of a large contract and the first time that I had worked with the international EDS community. And it showed. John took me under his wing and did not let me do too much damage to the company or myself in the process of going through that pursuit. John was a poster child for fine British culture. He had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh. Always dressed immaculately, John was a commanding presence. After our 6 months together in Spain, we keep in touch. My wife and I moved to Germany and enjoyed seeing John again. He invited us to the Multiple Host’s Ball in Bath, UK. This was a serious social weekend event with a Pub Crawl, Hens Party, and a fancy dress (costumes!) ball culminating in a formal dress ball. We drove over from Germany and had an amazing time. Karen also invited us over for a surprise 50th birthday party at their home in Brighton as well. I last visited with John. Karen, Honor and Lara in Sydney. Australia while traveling for business. That was almost 23 years ago. We kept in touch all along via emails and Facebook. The world is a much poorer place without John’s magnificent mind, amazing wit, and laughter. He will be missed by all who knew him. RIP, my friend! We had us a time, didn’t we!!
- Like many of my tender age, my standing balance sucks. I won’t pretend to know the stats, but a whole bunch of old farts suffer mightily from falls caused by their loss of balance. I learned a new way to contradict this problem called. “The Corner Method”. You find a corner and back into it until you hit the wall. Step forward 1 step and start with your feet apart. Test to make sure that if you lose your balance your shoulders will hit a wall. Have someone spot you in front or place a sturdy chair in front of you. Cross your arms with your hands on your shoulders. Turn your head from side to side 10 times and then forward and back for the same number. Once you master thesis moves without touching the walls or using the chair, move your feet closer together. As you progress, you can stagger your feet, then finally place them toe to heel and repeat the exercises. My understanding is that doing this well reestablishes the muscle memory to keep us upright. Repeat as often as needed.
- You can find out all about today’s history here.
This week’s Website Update: I
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- I was too focused on finding glass for my stained glass project and ramping up for the feast on Thursday to create any new recipes.
- First, let me apologize to Winnie the Pooh for carelessly changing his name to “GWinnie the Pooh”!This week, the Home Page will quote the Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore: “It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities”. This quote is what Professor Dumbledore was reassuring Harry that he was not nor would ever be like “he who must not be named”. But like many of the lessons of the Harry Potter stories, there is a trader context to be heard. It is not our words that mater as much as what we do.
Bonsai Tree and Stained Glass, Update:
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- I was unable to find what I wanted in my rather extensive stash of glass this time. Fortunately, I found what I needed the first place I went. A mere $165 later, I was good to go. Now if I could find the power cord for my LED light pad!
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
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- I keep a daily (or semi-daily) Gratitude Journal. I try to start my day by capturing what I am grateful for each day. I also capture and maintain my personal “To Do” List. I have been doing this for a long time. While My journalling has changed a lot over the years. While I was working, I kept a rather handsome bound journal with me almost all the time. I would use it to capture my thoughts about a wide spectrum of topics but rarely about my feelings. For the past 4-5 years, I have focused on the positive things that I am fortunate enough to have experienced and to be grateful for. I also have these UJT Updates that I send out almost every week. In the Kitchen Drawer Under the Jacaranda Tree site, you will find all of the Updates since 2016. I might have captured some of my thoughts and feelings in them. To be honest, I have no idea why I started all this. Perhaps these things are just crumbs left in my wake across the universe. Perhaps not. I do hope that someday, someone might find value in my remainders. All I know for sure is that I have enjoyed every second of it.
Music Update:
Again this week, I am featuring songs from my top 50 list on iTunes. This is another big brother feature from Apple. Itunes keeps track of what you play the most. Oh boy! The funny thing though, when I looked at it, I liked all the songs 🙂 This a random sample in no particular order.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
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- Simon & Garfunkel — The Sound of Silence — In school I learned about poetry, but it was Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Simon & Garfunkel that taught me of the beauty of poetry. It was fall of 1964 and I was learning about love and beauty. “Wednesday Morning, 3AM was such an important new way of looking at things for me.
- Rolling Stones — waiting on a Friend — This great song was a bit of a departure from the norm for the boys. It was gentle in its celebration of friendship as a special condition of life, if you are lucky. Released in 1981 on their “Tattoo You” album. It has always been a favorite. I LOVE THE SAX ON THIS SONG!!!
- Jackson Browne — Fountain of Sorrow — I was lucky enough to see Jackson when he opened for James Taylor here in San Diego. It was so wonderful! If I remember correctly, this was the last song he sang in his set, and by the time he had finished, I think everyone had tears in their eyes. I know I did. You have to be a giant of a talent and person, to let Jackson Browne open for you. Jackson was coming out of a very bad time and James got him into the tour and it was amazing. This one was recorded on his “Late for the Sky” album releasted in 1974.
- Ambrosia Nice, Nice, Very Nice —. From the vinyl!!!! I never thought that this band got enough credit for the spectacular musicianship of all their albums. So tight! This one is from their “Anthology” album released in 1997.
- Alan Parsons Project — Eye in the Sky — Alan Parsons has given us soooo much great music. This was my first exposure to him. Everything we owned was stolen when we moved to Detroit in the 1980s. We were living in a Cheap Sleep on 11 mile and Dequinder and of course the first piece of gear I replaced was my stereo and this was my first new CD. Released in 1982 on their self titled album. Always been a favorite.
- Little Feat —Fat Man in the Bathtub — This song always makes me smile. I remember racing down the road at a blistering 49 mph in my 1958 microbus, Urge, with this song at full blast and having people smile and honk as they passed and sang along. There is no steering wheel better when it comes to beating time to a great song. This one came from their live album, “Waiting on Columbus” released in 1978.
- The Allman Brothers Band — Whipping Post — This one is from one of my all-time favorite records, “At Fillmore East” released 1971. I was lucky enough to see the boys before and after Duane’s dealth. They were always a great band! Greg had one of the best blues voices in the biz.
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!