December 20th, 2025
“ Dobroho ranku”, or “Good Morning!” in Ukrainian, is an Eastern Slavic language spoken mainly in Ukraine. The UJT will remain focused on Ukraine until we can all rejoice at the end of hostilities. It has been 2,291 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
This week, I learned some stuff:
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- Most of us are preparing for some sort of end of year celebration, either religious or spiritual, or cultural. Generally speaking, almost all of the organizations we are part of at this time of year bring us together. –As families as friends as coworkers we are drawn into groups. My history anyway indicates is always going to be one or two or maybe more people around that I don’t often agree with on many levels. This seems to be more and more prevalent as my life goes on. I am going to do my best and encourage everyone to engage with those. We disagree with and find things that we have in common that we can share at this time of year. We don’t have to agree on detail, but we can agree on the higher level specifications of what we think is good and bad in life. I like us to search for something called Harmony. It’s a wonderful musical function, but it’s also a function of trying to empathize and and feel what others are feeling so we can be closer. Kindness is a word that comes to mind. Let’s give it a try this Christmas season.
- Many of you know that I try to keep a gratitude journal every day. Over the past year it’s become less of it every day thing and more of every week thing. Nonetheless, I am grateful for every day every moment I get to spend in this world with all its warts and failures I have hoped that we can solve these problems and make the place better for our children and grandchildren before we’re all done.
- You can find out all about today’s history here.
This week’s Website Update:
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- No new recipes this week
- This week’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
Bonsai Tree and Stained Glass, Update:
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- Still no progress on these stained glass project. The bonsai corn plant trees are both doing well as are the waters in the pond.
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Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
I often compare the times are living in today with those of the 60s when most of the popular was at odds with its government about the war Vietnam the way we behaved the fridge is still belonged in the fringes. The mainstream still respected each other enough to conduct themselves within the arrangements laid down by our forefathers for peaceful protest, and discord. I have dear friends that I disagree with very often, but love and respect them with all my heart. I know them to be good people, and I hope they think of me in the same light. Let’s try to remember that as we go through our days together in the new year.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
- Elton John— Harmony — this is one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists about one of my favorite words in English language. This song was released on, “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road”, released in 1973.
- Crosby stills Nash and Young — Everybody I Love You — This song it’s all about harmonizing together. This is from their 1970 release, “déjà vu”.
- The Everly Brothers — The Stories We Could Tell — the Everly Brothers had a lot to do with my fallen in love with Harmony early age. I dance to wake up little Susie and others great harmonies between the brothers. This one is the title cut from their 1972. Find the Lyrics and sing long! It will do you god.
- The Beatles —Wait — This song men lied to me as a 13-year-old growing up and learning about girls and Go steady and breaking up. This is one of the songs you can call up on the radio and request this one goes out for Becky or Susie or whatever I may have done that I don’t recall exactly. Anyway it’s another reason to love the album, “rubber soul” release in 1966..
- The Grateful Dead — Uncle John’s Band — This song is another great song from their iconic, “Workingman’s Dead” released in 1970.”. It’s subtle, but not many people recognize the fact that the Grateful Dead a lot of their lyrics for harmony this is a great song. It has a nice cappella break towards the end of the song. Hang on Jess I can’t hear you I’m coming..
- The Eagles —Hole in the World —Thi s is a beautiful example of what the eagle did vocally without all the instrumentation. This song was released as a single in 2003..
- The Chambers Brothers — Love, Peace, and Happiness — This is a title cut from a great album by a great band, They crossed genres and made us all believers. The title cut from their 1969 release. It was also released as a single in 1970.
,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!