It’s looking like I won’t be able to post today, but we shall see.
My co-workers and I are all meeting for lunch today, but now we’re meeting really early — 11AM. In town. After the lunch, I’m going to grab the groceries since I’ll be there in town.
And at some point, Sandra is going to be calling from NYC. Either before I head out or, later, when I come home.
Plus, I have the usual to do today: laundry, do yoga, wash hair.
If I don’t have time for a real blog post today—
Have a great Thursday, wherever you are in the world!
Well, on Veteran’s Day, I usually post old photos of all the men in my family who served in the various wars, but for some reason, I could not find the folder that has all those photos.
Here’s one of my birth dad in 1973, on Midway Island during the Vietnam War, though. (I’ve posted it here on the blog a bazillion times!!)
However, while trying to find those other photos, I found a bunch of other stuff!! And then I had to sort of remind myself of the time– I still gotta leave for work here soon!
But here’s this!!
The legendary CBGBs, back how it still looked when I was hanging out there with my other musician friends in NYC!! (It’s gone now.)
And here’s this!!
My first husband, Chong, on his birthday back in 2020! He’s 64 here, and in Seattle–
Here’s this again!
West End Avenue in NYC! That lower building, in the middle there on the left, is where Wayne and I lived when we were married. He still lives there:
And here’s Rudolph Valentino and his infamous wife, Natacha Rambova, as Rudy is putting her on the train in Los Angeles. They are merely “posing” for the press, though, because in reality, they never saw each other again. She was leaving him and they divorced.
And YES!!! You can still download the eBook edition of my novel about Rudolph Valentino, Twilight of the Immortal, for free on Amazon, today & tomorrow!!
I have to say, gang, I had that Lymphatic Drainage Therapy after work last night (by our in-house therapist), and WOW!!! It was incredible.
I was doing it in order to be able to tell customers what it’s like, what to expect from their sessions. I am so glad I did it.
I have never experienced anything like it before. It was beyond relaxing. It involves very little “massage”, it is mostly energy work. With targeted hands-on, gentle pressure in key areas — for me, it was mostly around the head and neck.
When it was over, I had never felt so sharply focused and so emotionally grounded in my life. Honestly, it was incredible.
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Okay!
Here’s this!
From Phyllis Stein!
Johnny Thunders in Paris in 1983!! Smoking!!!
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And here’s Sir Rod Stewart!! Getting fit for his final tour next year — he is retiring from touring for health reasons.
And here’s this because I love him!! Rod Stewart singing “You Wear it Well” in 1972 on England’s Top of the Pop’s TV show!! (And Ronnie Wood’s in there, too!!)
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Next year will be the 100th heavenly birthday of poet W.S. Merwin!
Please check HERE for all the many celebratory events they have in store:
“…These include the publication of The Poet’s Garden: W.S. Merwin’s Palm Forest, forthcoming with Timber Press; the launch of The Merwin Conservancy Books, an imprint of Copper Canyon Press; public programming presented with organizations across Hawaiʻi and the continent; a podcast with Hawaiʻi Public Radio; and more. “
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And let’s close with this!!
This first one is actually from Instagram, finally!!
Nick Cave!! Beautiful in black & white!!
And from Facebook!!
This made me really smile–
And this did, too, for different reasons!!
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And now I seriously gotta scoot!
I spent way too much time here this morning, looking at old photos, and now I’m gonna be late getting to town.
Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Let’s close with this!!
Another really great one from the “new” CD, honoring 50 years of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, No Sleep ’til L.A. (2026)
I just love this song. It is from over 50 years ago, but has just now been released.
“Unheard of Kind of Hero”. Enjoy, gang!!
“Unheard Of Kind Of Hero”
It’s just a matter of time For she opens up her eyes And finds me here Standin’ here with a sweat on my head Dirt on my hands and a 3 day beard A travelin’ drummer down in Mexico Say they ran into a woman with a baby too On her back in a shack 3 days from here There’s a picture on the wall That looks a lot like you
So if half are gone and payroll An unheard of kind of hero Go back across the rio
Doctor said when he met me at the door It’s good to see you boy I’m glad you made it through I must’ve admit you surprised us all Except the man with a badge was expecting you
He called me unheard of kind of hero Said it almost liked to let me go But there’s a lawman dead in Waco
Then he said that my wife was asleep He thought I ought to know I had a boy here too He’s been alive for about an hour now And from the poster they sent me It looks a lot like you And you’re wife said he told you so And all the money that you stole won’t help your soul Boy you never should’ve left Mexico
It’s just a matter of time For she opens up her eyes And finds me here Standin’ here with a sweat on my head Cuffs on my wrists and a 3 day beard
I don’t have too much to post about this morning, since my post yesterday was kinda late in the day, for me, and I don’t have much new stuff to post about yet.
But I want to start off by saying again: THANK YOU!!!
The sales ranking on Amazon this morning, for my eBook Twilight of the Immortal, made me so happy!!
#125 in Gay Fiction, and #310 in Historical Fiction!! Yay!
If you’re new to the blog — I self-published this novel in 2011 (it was published by a very small university press in 2010, but I withdrew it from them immediately because it was published with tons of typos that weren’t even in the original manuscript that I’d given them).
But before that, every publisher my agent submitted my book to, turned it down. And not because I presented Rudolph Valentino — “The World’s Greatest Lover” — as openly bisexual, but because there were “too many lesbians” in the book and they didn’t know how they would market it!
It was so fucking frustrating.
Anyway. It got great reviews when I first self-published it, and it sold okay for me at first, but this recent flurry, all these years later, makes me really happy. Even though it’s a free download, and I don’t make any money off of it, it still makes me happy to think that people are actually reading the book. To say I put my heart into writing it is such an understatement, gang.
Thanks everybody! You can still download it HERE for free until Thursday Nov. 12th.
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Okay!
This coming Sunday afternoon, November 15th, I’ll be doing an interview for YouTube with Alex S. Johnson for his “Kandy Fontaine Show”.
I’ll let you know when it will actually air. I’m looking forward to doing the interview.
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And this evening, at the close of work, I’m getting a free introductory appointment with one of our in-house massage therapists. This one is for lymphatic drainage massage and energy flow!
I’m very curious to see how it goes, since I’ve never done anything like it before. I’m doing it to be able to tell customers what it is and what to expect.
It should be really interesting!
Me! At work! Even when I’m not hanging out in the spa!!
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AndFriday after work — if possible– I’m going to hurry over to the Cinemaplex at the mall that is literally 3 minutes from the store, to see this!! (Well, the film, I mean! Not the premiere in London…)
Here’s Johnny Depp at the world premiere of “Ebenezer” in London yesterday!!
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And the only reason I probably won’t be attending this in Zurich, is because my German is not too great, gang. Even though I did study German many, many years ago. I only remember about 3 words…
But here’s Blixa Bargeld!! He’s giving a poetry lecture in Zurich next week!!
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And from Facebook!!
It’s another really great day to be alive!!
Nick Cave!! Onstage!! Singing into a microphone!!
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And, yes! That is it for today.
I did speak with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn briefly and she is really thrilled with the results from the first cataract surgery. She was finally able to take the patch completely off in the daylight and she could actually see again! I am so happy for her!!
And on that note…
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world, gang!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys! See ya!
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Let’s close with this!
I did indeed receive the new CD yesterday, No Sleep ’til L.A., commemorating Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ 50th anniversary year.
So far, this song is my favorite! They recorded it somewhere between, like, 1973-1975 (?). Not really sure exactly. But until now, it was never released.
“Sin City”, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, No Sleep ’til L.A.
“Sin City”
Come here and cuddle up next to me baby Don’t get too close, aye Just might strike
I just wanna hiss in your ear Baby’s goin’ underground You know it’s kinda silly But you walk among a snake When you live in sin city Small town underground, you know that it’s a pitty But you walk among a snake When you live in sin city Cities goin’ underground thinkin’ it’s a pitty But you walk among a snake When you live in sin city
Don’t get too close, I just might strike Ain’t no one alive That could live through my bite
Small town underground, thinkin’ it’s a pitty But you walk among the snake When you live in sin city Got down, look around, couldn’t find daddy But I walked among the snake When I lived in sin city That’s right, every night of the week
Baby’s in the nose down And thinkin’ it’s a pitty But you walk among the snake When you live in sin city Well we got down, looked around Couldn’t find many You walk among the snake When you live in aim city
You took it from me I gave it to you Give it back You took it from me I gave it to you Give it back
Baby’s in the nose down And thinkin’ it’s a pitty But you walk among the snake When you live in sin city Well we got down, looked around Couldn’t find many You walk among the snake When you live in aim city
Sin city to me, sin city to you Sin city to me, sin city to you
Baby’s in the nose down And thinkin’ it’s a pitty But you walk among the snake When you live in sin city Well we got down, looked around Couldn’t find man You walk among the snake When you live in aim city
He was quick, efficient, and you’ll never guess what the problem was!!!
YES!! That’s correct!!
One of the cats had chewed through a cable…
But the tech guy installed an enclosed box on the wall, so now the cats can’t get at any of the cables…
Unbelievable.
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Okay. Well, since I’ve been collecting “here’s this’s'” for several days now, this post will be a big sort of random collection.
First!
Let me say THANK YOU!! Again!!
The eBook edition of Twilight of the Immortal is now ranked at #176 in Gay Fiction, and #418 in Historical Fiction, on Amazon!! Thank you so much!!
It is FREE to download until Thursday, Nov. 12th!
And just for your reading pleasure, yet again — here’s a mere portion of another review my novel got on Amazon when it first came out in 2011:
“Believe me, this is much more than a historical novel about Rudolph Valentino. Rosemary McKisco is both a well-developed and fascinating character AND a fantastic device to give us access to everyday life in the WWI and Roaring 20s era and a “fly on the wall” kind of passport to the inner workings of Broadway and Hollywood in those years. The book has been researched thoroughly and paints these pictures in infinite detail. One of my favorite scenes involves Rosemary visiting the home of a wealthy bachelor in 1916. Rosemary tells us with awe of the things she saw there, including the up-to-date kitchen with appliances painted with white enamel, so different from the old black stove in her own home. I love this kind of detail! So now I know when kitchen appliances were making the transition from the old cast iron items of the Victorian era to the whiter, brighter stoves and ice boxes we saw on The Waltons. Maybe you don’t care for this kind of historical detail, but I love it. There are countless examples of this kind of accurate detail in Twilight of the Immortal. Another favorite documentation of mine is the description of the railroad cars the characters take cross-country. If you are interested in fashion, you’ll be in heaven as Rosemary describes the many dresses her first fiancée buys for her.”
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And here’s this!
A first look at the cover art for the upcoming William Burroughs tribute anthology!! Burroughs: The Funeral Director’s Cut. Edited by Alex S. Johnson,
And I have to say, gang, since my Internet was down, I managed to WhatsApp Wayne a copy of my flash fiction piece for the Burroughs anthology.
His comment after reading it: “JESUS!! Wow. You may have a future, kid.”
That really made me feel great!!
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Okay.
Sadly, this happened on Saturday:
RIP, Richard Lloyd.
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And yesterday was the 50th Anniversary of the release of the first album by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers–
And in honor of that, a TON of merch has been released from Tom Petty Official. Among them is the CD below, which will be arriving here at my humble abode sometime today!! “No Sleep til L.A.” Contains never-released tracks from 50 years ago!!
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And I believe this anniversary happened yesterday!
And let’s listen to this again!! This song blew my fucking mind when I first heard it on the AM radio in my bedroom — I was 12 years old. “Walk on the Wild Side,” Lou Reed. 1972.
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And speaking of glam rock–
From Phyllis Stein!
I actually had never known that the New York Dolls had a different drummer when they started out — Billy Murcia. He passed away on November 6, 1972. (I didn’t start listening to the New York Dolls until late 1973 — when I was first able to find one of their records in a local department store!! I was thrilled!!)
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And here’s this!
Another Jack Kerouac quote!
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And this is rapidly coming up!!
In honor of Gram Parsons’ recent 80th birthday, he’s being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!! (November 11th).
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And speaking of Gram Parsons’ best friend–
Here’s a couple of Keith!!
Smoking!! In France!! Around 1973!!
And here, he’s offering us a cigarette! On a Lear jet!! In 1979!!
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And, well, a few from Facebook…
First — my expression every day now, since Nick Cave announced his next “In Conversation” US Tour and I realized that I won’t be able to attend:
Meanwhile–
It really still is a great day to be alive…
Nick Cave, smoking!!
And Nick Cave!! Smoking!!
And Nick Cave sent out another Red Hand File this morning. Very interesting, indeed. Especially since I had just been to that fantastic art exhibit yesterday, wherein there was no AI or computer-generated art whatsoever, and it really just took my breath away.
The RHF discusses a couple different aspects about art and artists, including songwriting — and AI. He says, in part:
“…But song generator platforms are, in my view, indicators of this nascent technology’s demonic potential to hollow out human endeavour and sever our connection to the divine. They mock creation itself by rendering humanity unnecessary, taking the fruits of human striving and reducing them to mere products. It is, perhaps, our final, most soul-destroying humiliation….”
DAVID WITH THE HEAD OF GOLIATH BY CARAVAGGIO, CIRCA 1607
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And that is it for today, and yesterday, and Saturday evening…!!
I hope you’re having a magnificent Monday, wherever you are in the world!!
Thanks for visiting!!
I love you guys. See ya!
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Let’s close with this!!
It popped up on someone’s Instagram post yesterday. I haven’t heard this song in forever — “I love it when you call me Big Poppa” — and I always just LOVED this song!!
The Notorious B.I.G. – “Big Poppa“, 1994, from the album Ready to Die. Enjoy, gang!!
“Big Poppa”
Uh, uh, check it out (yeah), uh Junior M.A.F.I.A., uh (he-he) Uh (I like this) yeah, yeah Nine-fo’ (keep bangin’)
To all the ladies in the place with style and grace Allow me to lace these lyrical douches in your bushes (uh) Who rock grooves and make moves with all the mamis? The back of the club, sippin’ Moët is where you’ll find me (what?) The back of the club, mackin’ hoes, my crew’s behind me (uh) Mad question askin’, blunt passin’ Music blastin’, but I just can’t quit Because one of these honeys Biggie got to creep with (that’s right)
Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not? (Uh) Why blow up my spot ’cause we both got hot? Now check it, I got more mack than Craig, and in the bed Believe me, sweetie, I got enough to feed the needy (come on) No need to be greedy, I got mad friends with Benzes C-notes by the layers, true fuckin’ players (uh) Jump in the Rover and come over, tell your friends jump in the GS3 I got the chronic by the tree, cuz (let’s go)
I love it when you call me Big Poppa Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player I love it when you call me Big Poppa To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies I love it when you call me Big Poppa You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?) ‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby (uh), baby (uh)
Straight up, honey, really I’m askin’ Most of these niggas think they be mackin’, but they be actin’ Who they attractin’ with that line (what?), “What’s your name? What’s your sign?” Soon as he buy that wine, I just creep up from behind (that’s right) And ask you what your interests are, who you be with? Things that make you smile, what numbers to dial You gon’ be here for a while? I’m gon’ go call my crew, you go call your crew We can rendezvous at the bar around two (come on)
Plans to leave, throw the keys to Little Cease (uh-huh) Pull the truck up front, and roll up the next blunt So we can steam on the way to the telly, go fill my belly (G) A T-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch’s grape Conversate for a few, ’cause in a few we gon’ do What we came to do, ain’t that right, boo? (True) Forget the telly-, we just go to the crib And watch a movie in the jacuzzi, smoke Ls while you do me
I love it when you call me Big Poppa Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player (come on, yeah) I love it when you call me Big Poppa To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies (uh) I love it when you call me Big Poppa You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?) ‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby, baby (uh)
In mansion and Benzes Givin’ ends to my friends, and it feels stupendous Tremendous cream, fuck a dollar and a dream (heh) Still tote gats, strapped with infrared beams (that’s right) (what?) Choppin’ Os (uh-huh), smokin’ la in Optimos Money, hoes and clothes: all a nigga knows (all a nigga knows) A foolish pleasure? Whatever I had to find the buried treasure (for what?), so grams I had to measure However, livin’ better now, Coogi sweater now Drop top BMs, I’m the man, girlfriend
Yeah, honey, check it Tell your friends to get with my friends And we can be friends Shit, we can do this every weekend (that’s right), alright? Is that a’ight wit’ you? Yeah, keep bangin’
I love it when you call me Big Poppa Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player I love it when you call me Big Poppa To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies (uh) I love it when you call me Big Poppa You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?) ‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby, baby (uh)
Check it out Nine-fo’ shit for that ass, uh Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Junior M.A.F.I.A. Represent, baby, baby, uh
c -1994 Christopher Wallace / Christopher Jasper (and the Isely Brothers — Rudolph Isley / Ernie Isley / Marvin Isley / O’kelly Isley / Ronald Isley)
The tech guy is coming mid-morning, I am really hoping it will be a simple fix. We shall see!
Meanwhile, I’m heading downstairs to feed the cats! Here’s the current view outside my bedroom window! Hope you’re having a happy Monday so far, wherever you are in the world!🙋♀️
I just wanted to jump on here and thank everyone who’s downloading the FREE ebook edition of my novel “Twilight of the Immortal”!!
Even though my Internet has been out all day, so I couldn’t post a reminder anywhere today, it is currently ranking #343 in gay fiction!!! And the novel was published 15 years ago!!!
So, thanks everyone!💖
Hopefully, I will be able to make a regular post sometime tomorrow afternoon.
My friends who have the art gallery at the Historic Arcade over in town sponsored another art exhibition today and, wow, was it great.
It was literally about 5 times bigger than the one they had in the Spring.
Such wonderful art and artists. All of it handmade — no computer stuff or AI stuff allowed. It kind of takes your breath away, to see so many local artists and the art they’ve created.
I bought these 2 small originals. The one on the right is stained glass. You can’t really tell in the photo because it’s not held up to the light.
The one on the left is a small watercolor of a local barn.
