Petite Thursday Update!

October 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Okay! I finished all the edits and got all the stories in a good order. (See earlier post from today.)

Over the weekend, I will write the Foreword and then the M.Christian tribute anthology can be sent over to the publisher. 📚🥰💖

A delightful Thursday in the Hinterlands!

October 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

All righty, gang!

Today, I am hoping to finally decide the order to put the stories in for the M. Christian anthology. For some reason, I’m having trouble with that. But I am hoping to simply tackle it today.

Then write the Foreword.

Then turn in the anthology to my publisher.

That’s the plan anyway….

If for some reason it goes awry, I still have the weekend to finish it and turn it in.

Oh!

My work schedule has changed. I will now be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And one Saturday morning per month. (Which means that for 3 weeks each month, I will have 3 days off in a row…)

I am still absolutely loving being back at that job, gang. Honestly, it’s like being part of a family again.

And there is so much passion there, and laughter — mixed with a genuine desire to help people (the customers) take control of their own health.

And at the end of the shift, we generally all walk out together and hug each other while saying goodbye and heading out for the night.

That little health & wellness store has been family-owned and on that spot for over 30 years.

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Okay!

I thought this was very interesting. I read it in “The Dailies” this morning:

“WGA East found a way to make scripts AI-proof. The [screenwriter’s] guild is partnering with Cloak, a startup whose tool makes files unreadable to AI but readable by humans, and giving members free access to keep their work out of training data. Cloak claims it holds up against ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, plus the auto-summaries in Gmail.”

You can read about it in full on IndieWire HERE.

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From Singapore Unbound today:

“You are warmly invited to Singapore Unbound’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, wherever you are in the world! Established in 2016, Singapore Unbound envisions and works for a creative and fulfilling life for everyone through the arts and activism. We organize events such as the monthly Second Saturdays Reading Series and the biennial Singapore Literature Festival in NYC. We also publish a literary journal called SUSPECT and books through our close associate Gaudy Boy.”

Singapore Unbound’s 10th Anniversary Celebration (online)
Saturday, November 14, 8.00-9.30 pm ET / Sunday, November 15, 9.00-10.30 am SGT
Featuring Vijay Seshadri, Gina Apostol, and Tania De Rozario
RSVP: HERE

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All righty.

From Phyllis Stein!

Gene Vincent, smoking in 1956!! (Photo from Michael Ochs Archives)

And also from 1956 — Gene Vincent’s HUGE hit, “Be-Bop-A-Lula”!! (I loved this song as a wee bonny lass! It was, by then, already a classic.)

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And here’s a great photo of Keith Richards and the late, great, and very missed, Charlie Watts!

And here’s Mick and Keith goin’ places on a train!! (1964 or 65?) (Mick doesn’t own a cellphone yet so he’s just staring at a bottle…)

Keith thinks staring at bottles is, well, stupid.

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Here’s Ronnie Wood, painting!!

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And here’s a photo by the legendary rock photographer, Lynn Goldsmith!!

3 of my idols when I was in my late teens:

Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, and Tom Petty!!

And why not listen to this, for a change?! Jackson Browne’s huge hit from 1978! “Running On Empty”!

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And here’s this!!

Yesterday, Bad Seed George Vjestica wished Jim Sclavunos a Happy Birthday!!

Happy belated birthday, Jim Sclavunos (aka “Super Hot Dog”)!! (I love this photo: Bad Seeds Jim, Colin, George, and Carly.)

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From Nick Cave Official this morning–

Apparently, it’s been 5 years since Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds released Vol. 2 of B-Sides & Rarities!!

(I can’t believe it’s been 5 years already…)

But this happened, 5 years ago, too! This was such a great conversation. This happened online during the era of lockdowns. I remember listening to it on my (now obsolete) iPad, in bed , in the dark…

Nick Cave & Mick Harvey Talk B-Sides & Rarities (36 mins):

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And from Facebook!!

You know, in case we wanted to have some FUN today!!

Nick Cave!! Smoking!! And, well, having fun…(?)!

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And that is it.

I better get that editor’s cap back on and get to work around here.

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!

One of my absolute favorite songs from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ B-Sides & Rarities, Vol. 2!

I do not know how many times I have listened to this song in the last 5 years…

“Fleeting Love”. 2008. Enjoy, gang.

“Fleeting Love”

I wake up and it’s half past four
My baby, she turns her face to the wall
I ain’t gonna cry
But it ain’t that funny no more

I pulled on a blanket made of stars
I wrap up my darling, all nice and warm
I ain’t gonna lie
But I don’t want the truth no more

Everybody knows
Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

On her way to the club
I hear her say
She’d dance the night away
Everybody needs some fleeting love

I follow my baby up the hotel stairs
And I’m lying into the back of her legs
I ain’t gonna buy
Whatever it is they’re selling, no more

I wake up later and it’s half past five
My baby, she stretches, opens her eyes
She says, “I ain’t gonna lie
But I could get to like you, babe”

Everybody knows
Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

On her way back to the club
I heard her say
As we dance the night away
Everybody needs some fleeting love

Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

When she opened her eyes
I heard her cry
Saying, “Darling, don’t you sigh
‘Cause everybody needs some fleeting love”

c – 2008 Nick Cave, Warren Ellis

Still dark out there!

October 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

It’s at that point now where it is really feeling like fall.

It’s stays dark out in the mornings until 7:30 AM, and by 7:30 PM, I’m lighting the little tea candles in my room and watching TV (or listening to music) by candlelight.

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, gang — followed extremely closely by Christmas!!

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Okay– the sun is coming up now and it is such a gorgeous morning out there!! Something about autumn leaves against a clear blue sky just makes my heart soar, gang.

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All righty.

Today marks 57 years since Jack Kerouac’s passing. RIP, Jack.

And on a related note — I am currently reading 3 books now. I recently added this one to the stack next to my bed and I am really loving it:

The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs and Corso in Paris, 1957-1963 by Barry Miles (2001)

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This was from yesterday.

Adria’s heavenly birthday post for her dad, Tom Petty:

And here’s this, while we’re at it! “You and I Will Meet Again” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1991.

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I want to thank Martha for the kind review on Amazon for A Man in her Arms & Other Stories.

If you guys downloaded it last week — when you have a chance to read it, please review it if possible! It helps those algorithms. Thank you!!

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Here’s some great news!!

The B-52s have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!!

From Fred Schneider yesterday–

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! “Love Shack,” by the B-52s, 1989!!

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From Phyllis Stein!

Iggy & the Stooges at Max’s in NYC, 1973!! (Photo by Danny Fields)

And on the subject of Danny Fields, the photographer (above) — I actually met him once, he was good friends with one of my girlfriends, a playwright.

He and I were riding around the East Village one afternoon, in the back of a rented limousine. We were talking about my songwriting career. I was frustrated because everyone was telling me to move to Nashville — that my songs were too Country for NYC. But I just didn’t want to go to Nashville. I loved NYC… Anyway. He was very nice.

And on another related note — I eventually got a song publishing deal in Nashville. But I got it through my uncle, who was a popular Country singer back then and he was very well-connected in Nashville.

He basically got me the deal –I still have the actual contract– but nothing ever happened with it. I was that determined to never go to Nashville…

Me, in my room back then, never going to Nashville!!

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Here’s Rowland S. Howard not smoking in Cologne in 1992!!

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And from Facebook!

Nick Cave, smoking but, IMHO, not laughing… ?? (Such a great photo.)

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Okay, that is it for today.

Well, darn it — now there’s a heavy fog all over the village.

That’s one thing about living in a valley in the foothills: “Sometimes there’s fog, so quickly!!” (To sort of paraphrase Tennessee Williams and “A Streetcar Named Desire”…)

Anyway.

Hopefully it will lift as quickly as it came, and I won’t have to drive to town in the fog. We shall soon see.

Meanwhile, have a wonder-filled Wednesday, 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!!

In honor of Jack Kerouac’s passing… His legendary TV appearance on the Steve Allen Show.

Kerouac – (1959) Steve Allen show (5 mins):

“Her Tuesdays should just be called ‘sorry I’m late’ day.”

October 20, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 1 Comment

I don’t really know what it is about Tuesdays, now, gang, but since I started back to work at the store, Tuesdays feel like Saturdays to me. And I just seem to get a really slow start here.

Meaning: I go back to bed after breakfast; play with the cats; look around at my world and wonder how the heck I even got here… Etc.

But here I am, now, at my desk! Happy Tuesday!

Before we forget!!!!

Happy heavenly birthday, Tom Petty!!

Believe it or not, he would have been 76 today. I almost can’t fucking believe it. Anyway…

And let’s listen to this one today! One of my all-time favorite Tom Petty songs. “You & Me”, from The Last DJ, 2002.

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Well, I have to say that Rasha’s mom did come to get her and take her to her new home, and I actually miss little Rasha quite a bit.

Yes, even with 14 cats still living here…

But every time I remind myself that Rasha and her mom are finally re-united now — I feel very happy for both of them.

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From James Tabor–

Did the First Witnesses Believe that Jesus’ Body Left the Tomb? (33 mins):

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And here’s this!

A couple of great photos of the Rolling Stones from yesteryear!!

1966–

1980!

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And something else I did not know about Dwight Yoakam!!

(Although I do know that he went to high school in Columbus, Ohio!! But he lived way on the other side of the city from where I lived. Plus, he’s 4 years older than I am, so I was about 13 when he was graduating high school…)

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Here’s this!

Rowland S. Howard smoking and promoting “Swamp Thing”!

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I have had misgivings about posting this photo to my blog, because I didn’t want to invade her privacy or anything.

But, you know, she DID post it to Instagram… so I’m gonna go ahead and post it to my blog!

Blare N. Bitch!! At “Gay C/DC”!! The “All Gay Tribute to AC/DC” in LA the other night!!

She is still a guitar player — but more a heavy metal player than the punk rocker she was when we first started, you know, doin’ that stuff we did in the 1980s…

Anyway. She was the absolute love of my life then, and she still looks fantastic at 67!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! The song I wrote for her in 1983! “Where Do Dark Girls Go?” (Back then, the girls she ran with in her punk band had some heroin issues… but she’s been clean now for about 38 years.)

WHERE DO DARK GIRLS GO?

Where do they go
When the night comes down?
They turn up the radio
And they drive around;
When the night comes down.

Where do they hide
When the lonesome road
Is taking its toll again
And the kicks get old;
Where do dark girls go?

Out on the wind
Where the voices call
From the pain of centuries
Through the darkest soul?
Is that where they go?

CHORUS
She takes it in
She breathes it out
She breaks the thing
She cares about
She tries again, cries and in
Anger she breaks it down;
She buys the dream
She holds it then
The passion turns to fire again;
She’s trying it, hiding it
This is her only crime:
She speaks her mind.

Where do they run
When the dreams get lost
And the game goes round & round
And she can’t get off,
And she can’t get off?

Where do they hide
When the fear takes hold
And she’s pushed the needle down
As far as it will go?
Where do dark girls go?

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And here’s this!!

Nick Cave, looking splendid while lounging somewhere, not smoking and holding a pair of glasses!! In black & white!!

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And actually, I think that’s it for now.

I’ve got to run a couple of errands here in the village, then focus on the M. Christian tribute anthology which is just about complete…

I do have to say that I am battling a sort of undercurrent of depression, gang. The anthology has brought some wonderful people back in my life from the old days — but it makes me really miss the old days. I’m trying to just focus on “here & now” and allow the past to be part of what “now” is. If that makes sense? (All of it would probably be easier if I were still living in NYC, however.) But I am so grateful I have the old job back at the health & wellness store, and get to be with my friends when I’m working there. Because at least that makes me really, really happy.

Anyway — I do have this to look forward to today!!

Episode 2 of Season 2 of “Ludwig” started airing on Britbox today! I will watch it during my dinner!

Okay!

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!

The new video by the Rolling Stones!! Just dropped this morning. Enjoy, gang!

Onward We Go, Gang!

October 19, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

I got the final contribution for the M. Christian tribute anthology last night and so I am now very close to completing the editing — still need to write the Foreword, but I wanted to read the final contribution before I did that.

Then I turn it in to my publisher.

And btw — this happened yesterday at the Easton Book Festival! (This is my wonderful, huge-hearted publisher; do you see my new novel on the table there?? Yay!!)

Anyway!

This anthology has been a very moving experience for me to put together, gang. It not only connected me to so many wonderful memories of the small press world-gone-by, but it showed me that all of us writers were affected by how drastically the publishing world changed when the economy crashed back in 2008.

Reading what these other contributors wrote about M. Christian and those times, made me feel less alone in all that upheaval of the past, you know?

Once the publishers went under, my agent had me redirect my focus to films, TV, and then theatre, because there was a lot going on in those areas. But for me, it was never as fun as working with the small presses had been.

Then of course the scamdemic wiped out the remainder of my career a few years later… but onward.

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Okay!

From Johnny Depp yesterday!

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Here’s an area of Greenwich Village that I used to hang around in A LOT. In the folk clubs. The infamous Cafe Wha? was not a folk club but it was just a few steps away from a club I played in all the time in the early 80s.

This is about 20 years before I was around there, though:

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Here’s George Harrison and his refrigerator!!

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Keith in black & white!!

I think I posted this once before but I saw it again and I just love the feel of it.

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Phyllis Stein posted this yesterday.

I only copied one of the photos she posted in this grouping, but my main interest is in what she says about Rockets Redglare, below. (FYI, Phillis was one of the producers of the great documentary, “Sad Vacation: The Last Days of Sid and Nancy,” 2016.)

Sid & Nancy, at Max’s in NYC, 1978 (photo by Ebet Roberts)

Here’s the doc if you haven’t seen it (free, on YouTube, age-restricted).

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And here’s this!

From Ross K. Nichols’ Sunday School yesterday (this was very interesting):

“The Book of Psalms is made up of several collections. One of them stands apart. It covers 55 psalms, more than a third of the Psalter, and every one is marked with the title of one man. He never speaks in these psalms. We don’t even know his name. And yet some of history’s most famous cries come from his collection. Some of the singers whose names appear in it were remembered as prophets and seers. And when the Gospel writers record Jesus speaking in his suffering, the words of the Psalms they give him come from this collection. “

The Choir Master and the Suffering Psalms (48 mins):

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And here’s this!

Warren Ellis sending mixed messages this morning!! (Is he in need of a trim, or are the pups??? I’m not sure!!)

But here’s this, in the meantime! (See above). Donovan, “Season of the Witch” 1966! (Such a great song — so evocative!)

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Okay!

This is all I have re: Nick Cave today! But it, too, is evocative!!

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And that is it for today!

I’m heading out here soon to go spend the day with a couple of my favorite people! At my favorite health & wellness store!

I still can’t believe that somehow, so suddenly, I have my old life back. And I just love it. And even though I’d been gone from the job for about 4 years, customers come in now and instantly remember me! Wow. And all of them say, “It’s so great to have you back!”

It’s just beautiful.

Okay. Have a great Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this!

From Act 2 of one of my favorite operas — that I had kinda forgotten about: “Les Conts d’Hoffmann,” by Offenbach.

I saw this opera about 15 years ago, in a movie theater, but it was being broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera in NYC.

The opera is just really enjoyable, just delightful. You can watch the entire opera free on YouTube if you feel so inclined,

But this is from the opening of Act 2, “Barcarolle.”

It is absolutely stunning. I listened to it several times in bed last night, in the dark. Incredible — just soaring. Enjoy, gang.

Anna Netrebko & Elīna Garanča – Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Barcarolle (3 mins):

A new day underway, in every sense of the word, gang!

October 18, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

All righty.

I think it is okay to say this now.

I had been having a lot of misgivings about the New Guy, and how we had absolutely nothing in common. And how he was really sort of entrenched down there in Florida — buying yet another house. (He now owns 4 homes down there.) (And I don’t really care for Florida, at all. High heat, humidity, hurricanes… and he lives there 6 months out of the year.)

And then I had a huge problem with the difference in our ages.

About 10 days ago, he had finally told me how old he really was and I’d almost fainted. A 21-year difference between us, gang!! And I’m not a spring chicken… I’m 66. (I leave you to do the math.)

(Yes! 66 + 21 = Older Than Keith Richards!)

On the phone yesterday afternoon, I was moving into that area of saying “this isn’t working for me”. And I was planning to say it plainly when we spoke tonight.

However, this morning when we texted, we both agreed that it wasn’t going to work. Yay. No drama at all.

This is a HUGE relief to me, gang.

And now I can focus again on the things that need my attention.

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Okay!

Alex S. Johnson — one of the contributors to the M. Christian tribute anthology — invited me to contribute new erotic stories to 2 anthologies he’s editing/publishing. Yay!

I only have a few weeks, though, to pull something new together (x 2) before submissions close, so I really need to focus on completing the M. Christian anthology and then send it off to my publisher.

I have one more contribution coming in for the anthology later today, and that will be it. I just need to write the Foreword.

The long short story I was editing yesterday — I love the story so much, but the more I looked at it, the more I realized it is just not a good fit for the anthology for M. Christian. So, alas, that work is done.

But I am indeed getting it all together.

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All righty.

I don’t have many “here’s this’s” for today, but…

Here’s this!

This is what it looks like when you’re having a “fantastic time!” with Blixa Bargeld!!

From Teho Teardo–

And here’s this, while we’re at it! (I love this song.) Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld, “Still Smiling” in 2013!!

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And here’s this!

Bad Seed George Vjestica alerts us that he is tempted!! (And why wouldn’t he be??)

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And from Facebook!!

Here’s this!!

Nick Cave!! (And, as always, I couldn’t agree more!!)

However, this one comes with a warning!! (Not sure what I’m gonna think about now!! Darn it!!)

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And that is actually all I have for this Happy Sunday in October.

Okay.

This evening, Rasha’s mom is coming to get her and bring her to her new home!

Rasha has lived here for about a year now, while her mom tried to find a new apartment she could afford, where she could also have her cat back.

So this is a big day for Rasha!

Rasha outside among the flowers, a couple weeks ago.

So I’ll soon be down to 14 cats… with Kon Tiki of the Great Outdoors still preferring to remain outdoors…

Okay. Now I’m gonna finish up the laundry and then put my editing cap back on!

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!!

More vintage Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds!

And I’ve certainly posted this one here before, gang, but here it is again — since it highly features Nick with Blixa, having a fantastic time!

“The Weeping Song”!!! Yay!! Originally from 1990, but I was listening to it this morning on Disc 1 of Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (2017). Such a great video!! (And song!) Enjoy, gang.

“The Weeping Song”

Go son, go down to the water
And see the women weeping there
Then go up into the mountains
The men, they are weeping too
Father, why are all the women weeping?
They are weeping for their men
Then why are all the men there weeping?
They are weeping back at them

This is a weeping song
A song in which to weep
While all the men and women sleep
This is a weeping song
But I won’t be weeping long

Father, why are all the children weeping?
They are merely crying son
O, are they merely crying, father?
Yes, true weeping is yet to come

This is a weeping song
A song in which to weep
While all the little children sleep
This is a weeping song
But I won’t be weeping long

O father, tell me, are you weeping?
Your face seems wet to touch
O then I’m so sorry, father
I never thought I hurt you so much

This is a weeping song
A song in which to weep
While we rock ourselves to sleep
This is a weeping song
But I won’t be weeping long
No, I won’t be weeping long
No, I won’t be weeping long
No, I won’t be weeping long

c – 1990 Nick Cave

Had to jump on here

October 17, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

And post this!!

Took this photo just now from the window at the top of the stairs.

Such a beautiful day today!!

Fall, Finally!

October 17, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 4 Comments

Wow, it really is finally Fall around here, gang.

Chilly, sunny. Most of the leaves on the trees have turned to those beautiful autumnal colors, while a bunch of them are already on the ground… All over the village.

It’s just totally October today!

I will be at my desk probably the entire weekend. I need to stay on track with the M. Christian tribute anthology deadline. And that one longer short story is front and center on my desk today for editing.

Also! I want to mention here — Dr. Carol Queen and Alex S. Johnson have both contributed to the anthology. So I thought I’d post this! (Alex interviews Carol!! From a few days ago.)

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Okay!

The FREE download promotion for my short story collection, “A Man in Her Arms & Other Stories” over on Amazon is over now, but I want to thank everyone who downloaded it!!

Even though it was free, so obviously I don’t make any money off it, but just having you guys download it put it in the sales rankings, so that helped hugely. So thank you so much!!

(And that cover above was designed by my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn!! I just love it…)

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Okay!

Coming up on October 21st in Iowa — in honor of Jack’s passing! (I think this is so cool. I wish I could be there.)

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And here’s this!

More from Johnny Depp’s current art exhibit in London!

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And it looks like yesterday was the anniversary of Hilly Kristal’s passing. He was the owner/founder of CBGBs in NYC. He was practically as famous as his club was.

I went to CBGBs many times in the early 80s (in addition to playing there), because I had friends in bands that played there frequently back then. And I do remember at least one night when Hilly was there and everyone was sort of whispering and pointing at him…

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And here’s these two guys!! In days gone by…

Gram Parsons and Keith Richards. Not smoking.

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And here’s Keith!! On the road to getting better with age!! Yay!

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Okay.

Here’s this!!

And I’m not sure what’s going on here but it looks like they see something! (Personally, what I see, is some truly great hair on Nick Cave…)

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And that is, I guess, it for today!

I hope you have a fantastic Saturday, 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!

Breakfast-listening music from this morning!

Yes, I have listened to this song 7 trillion times in my life, and yes, I have posted it here to the blog about as many times…

But here it is again! From Disc 2 of Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (2017) which is currently in the little jukebox on my kitchen table!!

“The Ship Song” (originally 1990), Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Enjoy, gang!!