A splendid morning so far!

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Not only is it a really beautiful Fall day here today, gang, but it has also gotten cold enough at night now, that today I am bringing all the green houseplants indoors until next Spring.

Which also means that the 6-month battle between me and the cats gets underway today!

The cats LOVE exploring the houseplants and, whenever possible, toppling the flowerpots onto the floor and spilling soil all over the carpeting!! Yay!!

So this is a time of year that I really look forward to!!

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It has also been a splendid morning because of this!!

Yes! It’s the New Guy In My Life’s birthday today!!

So — Happy birthday to the new guy in my life!

We spoke briefly at 5:03AM (“Happy birthday!”)

Then a little lengthier chat at 6:55AM (other stuff that I won’t go into — but, yay!)

Then a very, very brief chat at about 7:25AM… (him, quickly reiterating stuff that I won’t go into — yet!)

Mostly we laughed a lot. But he also said, “I’m so sick of Florida already! I want to be back there in Ohio!” (He’s been gone about 5 days, with the rest of the entire winter to go…) (If you’re new to the blog — when he’s not at his home in Florida, he lives in the house directly across the road from me. And we decided to start dating, like, the day before he left for Florida.)

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Okay.

Today is also this —

Gone 6 years today. RIP Eddie Van Halen.

And here’s this, from 1984, “Panama”!

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Okay!

Here’s this!!

Keith!! Doing the polka!!

OOPS! Of course, I meant, wearing polka DOTS!!

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And I loved this.

Allen in his apartment just a few steps away from my old apartment on E.12th Street! And I had 2 fireplaces in the old apartment that looked very much like his looked below. PLUS, I love that he has that photo of Mick & Keith stuck on his fireplace!!

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In the “Urgent Dog Update” Department!!

Oh no! It seems Tupac threw up again!! Apparently, this time, right on Warren Ellis’s brown suit and it appears that Warren might have had to change clothes!!

And here’s this! “Back in Black”!! AC/DC, 1980!!

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And here’s this!!

Your guess is as good as mine on this one, gang!!

What I can at least tell you is: Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, black & white!! From Facebook!!

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Well.

So, yesterday! I really, really loved being back at the old health & wellness store, gang.

I’m re-learning some basics– like how to work the cash register and credit card processor.

But, for the most part, it all came back to me. God, I just love that store. I literally love being in it. The energy of it — it’s a privately owned alternative health store, that’s been run by the same family for about 40 years now.

And at the end of the evening, the owner gave me a big hug and a smile and she said, “I am so happy you came back!!” Yay!

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All right.

I guess that’s it for now.

I gotta get busy bringing those plants indoors and then get back to work on editing the M. Christian tribute anthology.

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!

Can’t wait for “Ludwig” Season 2 to begin here in the US!! One more week, gang!!

First, a short– (2 mins 22 seconds):


David Mitchell LUDWIG 2 Exclusive Announcement interview 2026 (5 mins):

Another New Life Awaits!

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Okay, gang. I don’t really have much to post about today.

Yesterday was mostly about talking on the phone to everyone imaginable, and also getting the house ready for me to be going off to a job again (3 days a week).

You know, mostly this —

Oh, and you know, after I’d vacuumed my entire house — while my birth mom was here for 3 days:

SHE (when I got home from the airport): “I went ahead and vacuumed. Hope you don’t mind.”

I guess it’s hereditary — this nonstop vacuuming.

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I’m really excited to get back into that store today and start learning again, gang.

I used to know every product in that store, what it was for, why it worked, why you might not need it, why you should stay away from it, or why it might save your life.

A lot of it, I still remember, but a whole lot of it I will have to re-learn. Plus, there’s new stuff out there that I need to find out about!

I’m also really excited to start wearing my regular clothes again!!

For the last 4 years, I’ve worn shirts with specific logos on them. I’d actually forgotten about some of the really pretty sweaters and fall clothes that I had because I hadn’t worn them in so long.

So that feels really great, too! Sort of like having a new wardrobe, but more like getting reacquainted with things I used to love.

I guess it’s called having a life…

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Okay.

Sandra called yesterday to update me on the various things I will most likely need to go to Rhinebeck and NYC for in December and January. I’ll post more exact details here when I can.

God, I just LOVE Rhinebeck, NY!!

Sandra’s cabaret at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in Times Square, in NYC, will still be happening in January, but I’m not sure of the exact date yet. (But another hotel stay is in my not-too-far-off future, gang!!)

And for the next week or ten days, when I’m not working in the store, I will be completing the editing of the M. Christian tribute anthology and turning that in.

After that, my guess is, I will need to focus on tightening the script for Sandra’s one-woman cabaret show (which includes a couple segments from our play, “The Guide to Being Fabulous”).

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Okay!

From Ross K. Nichols Sunday School yesterday–

“Jesus made the Kingdom of God the centerpiece of his message. He said it was the reason he was sent, told his followers to seek it first, and taught them to pray for its coming. But where did the idea come from, what did it require, and was the work ever completed?”

The Kingdom of God: Jesus’ Unfinished Mission (52 mins):

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And here’s this!

A couple from Phyllis Stein!

Joe Strummer atop the Rock, in NYC, 1981! (I love his t-shirt!) (Photo by Bob Gruen)

And regarding the t-shirt — in summer 1981, The Clash played a week-long gig at Bond’s in Times Square, which was one block from where I lived back then. Absolute pandemonium!

AND–

Johnny Thunders smiling in London in 1985! (Photo by Jane Simon)

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Upon first glance here, it almost looks like the family that smokes together, stays together!

However, Marlon isn’t really smoking…

Anyway!

A quite perky Keith, with family, in Germany in 1970!!!

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And here’s this!

From Facebook, no doubt!!

And I think that perhaps this one is a little AI enhanced (?), but I still love it!

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And that is actually it for the “here’s this’s” today.

And I’m guessing that I won’t have too many tomorrow, either. Unless of course the store has a firm policy now that staff members remain on their phones, scrolling through Instagram at all times…

I wouldn’t want to go against a firm policy or anything…

Anyway!!

Enjoy your Monday, 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!!

It’s been all over Instagram lately, to promote the release of the 49th Anniversary, My Aim Is True, 5 CD Boxed Set!!

Elvis Costello, Watching The Detectives (Live On Top Of The Pops, October 11, 1977) Enjoy, gang!

I can’t believe it’s been a week already!

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It seems like 5 minutes ago, I was in Charlotte, NC, at James Tabor’s conference, staying in that beautiful hotel!!

Honestly, where does the time fly to, gang?? It is mind-boggling.

Here’s something I wanted to mention about the book signing yesterday:

Two different times, young women (19 or 20, tops) came up to buy a copy of my book. They were excited to buy it. Because they already had heard about it — but not through social media. I found that extremely interesting, especially since no one is reviewing the book, except for Ron Bass, and it doesn’t seem to be selling very well. So I have no way of knowing how people are responding to it.

It seems to be word of mouth.

So, I just found that really, really interesting. Here’s hoping it continues.

The whole event was such a strange experience for me, since all the book signings I’ve done in the past were when my books were really well known. And people came to the event specifically to see me.

Yesterday, except for my friends who stopped by to be supportive, no one had a clue who I was. Plus, it was only me. I thought 2 other writers were going to be there signing, as well, but it was just me. With a table of books, in an empty (but really pretty) mall.

So I really was thrilled to sell almost all the books I had brought with me. I hadn’t expected that.

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Also, on the New Guy front–

We spoke briefly on the phone yesterday. He got to Florida just fine, but his AC is out and it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit there right now, so he has to sort of drop everything and fix it…

But we had a nice chat and it sort of seems like we’re in a “relationship” — in his opinion. Which is actually totally fine with me.

Sadly, though, I found out why he prefers to get to Florida before Christmas. One of his sons died from cancer many years ago, and then his wife died a few years ago. And so he doesn’t want to be in Ohio anymore at Christmastime.

But he said yesterday on the phone that maybe next year, he won’t head down to Florida until after Christmas. So we shall see, gang.

(He wouldn’t want to miss this insanity, right?? So, we’ll see.)

Simple, downhome Christmas.. Nothing fussy.

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Okay!!

I have an odd mix of “here’s this’s” today.

Someone on Facebook considered this to be the “greatest rock band in the world”… Hmmmm. I’m guessing that I couldn’t agree more! (Rolling Stones, 1969)

And here’s that Happy Family of Rock!!

Keith, Anita, Marlon…. long, long time ago, gang. Marlon is a grandad already.

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Here’s this!

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Stan Lynch, the original drummer for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, released a song he wrote & sings (with his band The Speaker Wars), in honor of Tom Petty on the 9th anniversary of his passing the other day.

It is just beautiful!! The song and the video.

Stan Lynch and the Speaker Wars – High Flying Bird (Official Video):

“High Flying Bird”

What do you see from way up there
What’s it like in that soft clean air
Quiet calm and understood
Ode to a high flying bird
Flying bird
Flying bird
Flying bird

Must be sweet to have no plans
But how do you know when it’s time to land
Stunning view so I’ve heard
Ode to a high flying bird
Flying bird
Flying bird

I know you’re out there flying round
Hidden in the broken clouds
Will you be singing when it’s my turn
An ode to a high flying bird
Flying bird
High flying bird
High flying bird

c – 2026 Stan Lynch

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And I think ALL of these are from Facebook–

I’ve posted this before, but just a reminder that rock & roll is serious business, gang.

Nick Cave & Iggy Pop!

Have no idea why this is titled “Lost”– but here it is! Nick Cave, lost!

And here’s this!! Couldn’t agree more!

And I know for sure I’ve posted this one before, but I love this photo!! Including but not limited to that shirt!!

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And that’s it for the “here’s this’s”!

Meanwhile…

Valerie in Brooklyn and I are both very excited that Season 2 of “Ludwig” is finally coming to Britbox here in the US!! It starts Oct. 13th!! Yay!!

We both totally adored Season 1…

And BTW — a little update on Valerie .

Even though her hands have both healed nicely from the surgeries, she is now having a terrible ordeal with her eyes. Cataracts and macular degeneration. She is hoping to get surgery by late October, but it might not be until November. And meanwhile, the idea of doing the Writers & Artists mini-podcast is starting to look like it will not happen.

But I guess we’ll see, gang. I could do it by myself, but it just doesn’t seem like it would be nearly as fun.

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Okay!

I officially start back to work tomorrow!!

I am really excited, gang. It’s looking like my schedule will be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. About 20 hours a week, total. Then the rest of the week will be for my writing projects.

I really think this is going to be a great balance for me.

Meanwhile–

I’m gonna go get the laundry finished here.

Enjoy your Sunday, 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 !

From 2 days ago already —

The Rolling Stones – Mr Charm (Official Video):

Final tally!

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My dear friend Kara did indeed show up toward the end of the event and bought the Lucky 13th copy!!

So, considering I expected to sell about 3 copies, and since the Ohio State football game was going on and the place was dead, I think it was a complete success.

And the owner of the bookstore invited me to come back next year and sell any new titles and/or old titles if I can get copies of them, so, yay.

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And while I was doing that, the owner of the health & wellness store texted me and asked if I can start on Monday!

Okay. Hope your Saturday was great, gang!

See ya tomorrow.💖

Update about tomorrow

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It occurred to me, gang, that I won’t be able to post to the blog in the morning.

I’m going to want to get to the bookstore early, and before I leave for town, I will probably want to try on 14,000.02 outfits!

You know, to get the look just right!!

Especially since I will be seated at a table the entire time!!!

I will maybe try to post some photos from the book signing while it’s going on, if it isn’t crowded or anything. (I’m expecting about 3 people to show up: Kara, Wendy, and Debbie. But we’ll see…)

Okay. More from the Historic Arcade in Newark, Ohio, tomorrow afternoon!!

See ya, gang!!

📚📚📚🌹

Wow. What a great morning.

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Even though it is supposed to rain all day…

Before I talk in detail about my great morning, let’s do this!!!

Happy birthday Richard Hell!!!! Born this day in Lexington , Kentucky, in 1949!!

Smoking, gun-toting, shade-wearing, black & white, in NYC, 1976!! (Photo by Roberta Bayley)

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And on a more somber note–

Tom Petty has been gone 9 years, as of today. I hope he is having the time of his (after) life!

Mature Tom!! Shade-wearing, writing, guitar-playing in black & white!!

Attitude Tom, 1 & 2!! Smoking!!

(The only song of Tom Petty’s that I ever played live in NYC folk clubs!! “Don’t Do Me Like That” !! 1979)

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It’s time for the Story of the Week over at Brown Hound Press!

And it’s a really good one!! (And the editor claims the story is the author’s first publication! And it was submitted as a typewritten manuscript! Wow!)

“And the World Was Wide Open” by Willie James Bess

You can read it HERE. (Free)

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From Johhny Depp this morning!

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Here’s Gram Parsons in one of his many Nudie suits!

And here’s this! Gram, with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, “In My Hour of Darkness” from Grievous Angel, 1974:

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A couple of Stones smoking — but Brian has TWO!!!!

KEITH (looking away, quietly thinking): “Greedy bastard.”

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A couple of great ones — Jack Kerouac, October!

And if you STILL haven’t read or listened to On The Road, get with it already!! He only wrote it 75 years ago!! God purposely made cigarettes and amphetamines so that we could HAVE great literature like this!! What are you waiting for??

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All right!

It has become clear!!

He is WITH the band!! Not hanging out in the audience!!

From Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos yesterday (meaning that, if you were waiting on me, you missed the show in Porto!):

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Facebook has let me down, gang. They had photos of Nick Cave, but not any good ones today.

I had to go to the desktop stash for this one:

Nick Cave!! (Wondering: What the fuck is the deal with Facebook??)

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All righty!!

Here it is: “The wonderfully true tale of LUNCH and how it went!!”

Wow, gang.

I’m not even sure where to start. I can at least start by saying again: What a nice man. And it is safe to also say that it looks like we’re officially DATING.

Even though he leaves for Florida later today. So it’ll be “long distance, over the phone” dating for a while. (He’ll be back for a week in January, to check on his house — furnace, water pipes, etc.)

We share the same sense of humor and he is so easy to talk to. He says the sweetest, while totally unexpected things. For instance:

“You should enter a beauty contest, you know, in the category of women your age — you’d win that, easily!”

Okay, here are a few things, in no particular order.

In all the best ways, I feel like my dad is back. This guy is taller than me, bigger than me, older (mid-70s), he gives great hugs, he’s smart and he likes to laugh, and he can fix absolutely everything.

And he has plenty of money and property (3 homes in Florida and one across the road from me!).

But 2 of the homes in Florida are up for sale. He loves to buy older homes and rehab them and then sell them. He can’t stand being retired and needs to stay busy… The one remaining home that he is keeping (and living in) has 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and is really pretty– he said (more than once) “Come visit me in Florida! I’ll pay for it! I’m all by myself now.”

He’s a widower with grown children and a couple grandchildren.

And probably most importantly of all!! He owns an enormous RV. He keeps it parked on some property not far from my house, where other campers are parked, but his is in an isolated area because it is huge.

(BTW, he was showing me all this stuff on his phone while we were at lunch.)

I love RVs and campers. I love to go camping. But this RV is 2 stories tall. It’s nothing like the campers of the 1960s. The bedroom is upstairs. It looks a lot like this, but this is not his:

He said, “I really hope you’ll come out and see it. It’s just sitting there now.”

And then he showed me the view outside the upstairs bedroom window — green fields and tons of trees . He said, “You could run around naked out there and no one would see you.”

I thanked him for the head’s up on that…

Anyway. He is of course retired. He worked various kinds of construction his whole life. He’s very down to Earth and just very nice. And after lunch, he came inside for a few minutes to meet the cats and they seemed to really like him, too.

He did not ask me anything specific about my life yet, he was being very polite — he knows I’m divorced, that I’m a writer and that I lived in NYC and worked in publishing for about 30 years. He didn’t ask what kind of writing I do, so I didn’t tell him. I have decided I’m not telling him anything unless he specifically asks me. (Oh, and I mentioned I’m returning part-time to the health & wellness store in town and he has actually shopped there before, because his son is into natural healing and health food, etc.) (He grew up, got married and raised his family in that area of town where the store is now, a long time ago, when it was still just cornfields and farms.)

So we’ll just see how it all goes.

We texted quickly this morning around 6AM and he does indeed use smiley-face emojis!!

I thanked him again for lunch yesterday — I really did have a nice time with him. And he texted back that he feels “good vibes”! (So, yes, we are both kinda OLD!!)

But I’m excited to see where it goes. We’ll likely be talking on the phone for 3 months before I see him again. So I should have a pretty good idea by January.

Meanwhile!!

That’s it for today, gang! Gotta work on the M. Christian anthology now, and tomorrow– my book signing!!

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Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this today!!!!

I don’t think it needs any explanation. Enjoy, gang.

“It had nothing to do with pills and booze!!”

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No. I was totally sober.

I simply did not know until after I’d posted to the blog yesterday, that I missed a couple of birthdays!!

Happy belated birthday, Marty Stuart!!

And happy heavenly birthday, W.S. Merwin!! He would have been 99 yesterday!

For his upcoming 100th birthday next year, the WS Merwin Conservancy in Hawaii has plenty of really cool things planned. My favorite is this:

“A new podcast is in the works, by way of a collaboration with Hawaiʻi Public Radio. It will highlight the voices of some of our writers-in-residence, carrying their vision, and the work made while here on Maui, across the ocean.”

To find out about all their upcoming plans, and to sign up for their newsletter, visit HERE.

Meanwhile, here’s one of my favorite poems by WS Merwin:

“A Single Autumn” (2008)

The year my parents died
one that summer one that fall
I moved into the house
where they had lived their last years
it had never been theirs
and was still theirs in that way
for a while

echoes in every room
without a sound
all the things that we
had never been able to say
I could not remember

doll collection
in a china cabinet
plates stacked on shelves
lace on drop-leaf tables
a dried branch of bittersweet
before a hall mirror
were all planning to wait

the glass doors of the house
remained closed
the days had turned cold
and out in the tall hickories
the blaze of autumn had begun
on its own

I could do anything

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Okay!

If you’re a writer doing anything Singapore- or Asia-related, be sure to check out Jee Leong Koh’s Singapore Unbound and sign up for their newsletter:

“A transnational literary organization based in NYC, Singapore Unbound envisions and works for a creative and fulfilling life for everyone. We do so through the subversive, innovative, and empathetic powers of the arts, especially by amplifying underrepresented voices.”

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And here’s a trip down Memory Lane–

My own foray into Singapore unbound in NYC! 1981!

Me and Chong, our first Christmas!! (Chong, my first husband who now lives in Seattle, was born & raised in Singapore.)

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And here’s this!

Warren Ellis and his pup, Tupac, had an urgent update for us last evening, about vomiting in cars!

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And here’s this update from Nick Cave Official:

“Nick Cave has collaborated with PETA on a limited-edition merchandise collection featuring his original illustration of a dog and a rat alongside the organisation’s “Every Animal Is Someone” slogan. The collection includes T-shirts, tote bags and tapestries, with all proceeds supporting PETA’s work.”

You can shop HERE!

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And that’s really all I have for today. It was already 2PM when I got home from my job “re-application” yesterday (I had to fill out a bunch of tax forms, etc.) —

BTW, this is where I’ll be working again, part-time. My favorite Health & Wellness store! Comfrey Corner of Heath!

And once I got home yesterday, I had a bunch of little things to tend to.

Including but not limited to:

I had the cutest conversation with the man I’m going out to lunch with today.

We were over in his driveway, confirming our plans.

Then he said, sort of quietly, while glancing nervously over at my house, “There isn’t anyone who’s going to, you know, put a gun in my face because I’m taking you to lunch tomorrow, right?”

How cute was that??!!

I assured him that, no, there was no one on Earth who cared if I went out to lunch with him… Then he totally relaxed. He is so sweet.

Anyway.

We’re going here! Applebee’s, in Muskingum County! (Where basically everybody owns a gun!!)

And then tomorrow, he leaves for Florida for the winter.

What is it with all these people who go to Florida all winter and miss the thrill of Christmas in the snow & icy winds of Ohio???

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Well, anyway. I’m looking forward to lunch today.

And then, when I get back, I will focus on the M. Christian anthology!!

Enjoy your Thursday, 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!

If you have the time — it’s an hour and half long — I am really enjoying this. Although it’s taking me a while. I can only watch it a couple songs at a time before I have to go focus on something else.

However.

Absolutely classic Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers! 1978! I was only 18 back then. So hard to even believe that.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at Winterland 1978 (Full Concert Experience) (1 hr 32 mins) Enjoy, gang:

More good news!

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I did indeed get my old job back!

I’ll be working part time at my favorite health & wellness store!

I love that place, and I’m still friends with everyone who works there.💖

It turns out that it was a relief for the owner! It saved her having to post an ad, take applications, do interviews, train someone.

She was actually really happy that I wanted to come back.

It’ll probably be a week or so before I start.

I am so looking forward to being around people again but still having time to work on my writing projects.💖

The world of author Marilyn Jaye Lewis