October 18th, 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 2,258 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
This week, I learned some stuff:
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- October 13th most years since I’ve been 18 or so has been a celebration of sadness at least for me. It’s a shared holiday between Columbus, who discovered the North American continent and the indigenous peoples day since the 70s I think. I’m grateful for the discovery of North America. I just wish we did it differently so do all the indigenous people who were living here when we came.
- Another celebration takes place on October 13 every year. It is the birthdate of the United States Navy. My relationship with the Navy is complicated. I joined the Navy one all my friends were protesting, burning draft cards, running to Canada and conducting all manners of protest of everything that was established and both precisely the war in Vietnam. I was frustrated with my lack of personal progress the days leading up to my July investment I left home a while before and working in a gas station and ended up quitting school and generally floundering. I needed something to challenge me. I needed something to make me grow up. I thought the navy could do that for me and it did sort of I like to think I’m still growing up, but when I was in the Navy, I found out about being me. I found about I found out about a lot of things – who knew people actually lived in places like Oklahoma Idaho? Who knew you could put 71 strangers together and have them perform as a team – not just a team but an outstanding team they accomplish all of its goals as planned?! I certainly didn’t know these things, but I learned them. I also learned a whole lot of other things that I did I had no interest in learning. The Navy was a safe haven for people had small ambitions and large ego. Lifers as we call them and mapped out their future for at least the next 20 years or so, and determined to make the time go by as entertaining as possible. There’s a lot of opportunities for being a bully, and these people found them, but there was also amazing opportunities to make some of the best friends you’ll ever know to experience places, you never dreamed of being and growing up to learn to compromise on things you couldn’t have compromised on before you were 18. I realized that life is imperfect, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t try to improve it. Every chance you got so I’m very grateful for my time in the Navy. I’m very grateful for my friends, my experiences and the things I learned I’m not sure I would’ve ever learned those things in any other way happy birthday USN!.
- I don’t have an excuse. The reason I haven’t worked out in the last 3 to 4 weeks is I just didn’t feel like it. I’m suffering the consequences now. I’m much stiffer than I was a month ago so this week I’m back in the gym again hopefully we can keep it going.
- You can find out all about today’s history here.
This week’s Website Update:
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- Two new recipes this week- Homemade Tatar Sauce and Fish Sliders.
- This week’s quote is from John Muir: “A satisfied life is better than a successful life. Because our success is measured by others, but our satisfaction is measured by our own mind, soul, and heart,”
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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Late breaking news:
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- Today is no Kings day. I’ll see you all out on the street! Did your mail balance?
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Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
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- Is a signed up for my no Kings day protest I flash back to the late 60s when I would be doing similar things to the war of Vietnam. It was with a sense of pride that I joined the Revolution so to speak and I enjoyed the music that went along with it so this week I’m featuring the music of those times to curious through these times.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
We are finishing with the artists whose names begin with the letter “H”.
- Jefferson Airplane — Volunteers — The first time I saw Jefferson in airplane was during their volunteers tour. It was an amazing show at the Miami highlight. The acoustics were so good and drew Mccann was doing just magical things with his guitar along with Grace slick and Paul Canner doing their thing and vocals I was just getting ready to go in the. Song was the title cut from their 1969 release.
- The Beatles — Revolution — I tThis is a cut off their “White Album” is the 1968.
- John Prine — Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore — one of my reasons for being fond of Kris Kristofferson is that he discovered and promoted John Prine. Song was written in 1969 but not recorded till 1971 on Chris promoted John’s first self titled album..
- Arlo Guthrie — Alice’s Restaurant — I think that this song was memorized by everybody in my age group. We would sing it while we’re fishing we would sing it all the time is the title cut from his 1967 release..
- It’s a Beautiful Day — White Bird — not really an anti-war song per se but I always think of the beautiful things about her country that people try to hide and keep to themselves instead of sharing this one was released in 1969 on a self titled album and he’s always been one of my favorite songs.
- Buffalo Springfield —For What It’s Worth — This is the song I heard that made me fall in love with Stephen Stills the last of this day it’s such a great song it was released in December 19 69 as a single.
- Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On?— This is a Beautiful song that challenges us to look at ourselves and try to figure out why we do some of the things we do to each other to the world.. It was a title cut for Marvin’s 11 album released in 1971.
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!