Let’s get ready to drive to town!

July 28, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Will I remember how to start the car??

Will I remember how to get there?

How to get home from there?

Most importantly — will I remember to turn on my Prime playlist before hitting the highway at 95mph, so that I will have music wherever I go??

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Wow, gang.

Yesterday was so cool.

In the middle of the afternoon, a guy came to my kitchen door. He was wearing one of those bright orange vests and he had a clipboard and an ID tag.

My first thought was, “This is gonna cost me money…” But I opened the door anyway.

Long story short, he wanted to sign me up for the new fiber optic Internet that has come to Crazeysburg. And it is significantly cheaper than what I’ve had for the last several years, so I did sign up.

But it was really hot and humid out, so I asked him to come into the kitchen while he explained everything and we did the paperwork, wherein, upon entering, he said:

HE: “Wow, your home is so beautiful. It’s hard to believe you have so many cats.”

And as loyal readers of this lofty blog know so well by now, a comment like that means so much to me!!!

Anyway.

Aside from saving me a bunch of money, the cool part was that he was from Utah. And he saw my Joseph Smith magnet on my refrigerator. And as soon as he recognized Joseph Smith, I knew he was a Mormon. And so we had a really long and wonderful chat about Mormons, and about the Kirtland Temple, up by Cleveland, which we both have been to, and how incredible it is.

“The Kirtland Temple was a sacred place of worship and learning for Latter-day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, during the late 1830s.”

The guy from the Internet company was about 20 years old, but we had such a wonderful chat.

And later this afternoon, the company is coming by to set up the new Internet.

**************

BTW —

If you saw any news this morning about terrible storms and high wind damage in the State of Ohio last night — it did not reach our part of the State. We had rain last night (and a little more rain right now) but nothing terrible.

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Okay!

When I saw this post yesterday on Instagram my heart sort of flip-flopped and my brain soared!!

If you have ever read my (award-winning!!) erotic novel, Freak Parade, you no doubt recall the character of Tricky Dick Milhouse!!

And if you know me at all, you know that Freak Parade, while fiction, is still heavily based on my actual life in NYC — things that really happened and people I knew.

And you likely also know that I don’t go out of my way to disguise the real identities of the people I write about!! (Except in the singular case of my late great friend, Holly Lane, who said, after reading the completed manuscript of Freak Parade: “If you don’t change that Frankie character and make her a lot less like me, I’m gonna sue your fucking ass off!”)

Well, I won’t print his actual name here (even though if you Google the Fleshtones, you’ll figure out right away which one it is) but I will say that he’s in that band above! “Tricky Dick Milhouse” is looking at you right now! And I Googled him yesterday and he’s STILL ALIVE!! Yay!!

What an awesome little trip down Memory Lane that was for me yesterday, gang!! It brought such a smile to my face.

Oh, and Freak Parade will soon be an audio book on Amazon’s Audible!! I will keep you posted!!

******************

Okay, here’s this from James Tabor.

My First Catholic Audience: Presenting the Historical Mary to Catholic Sisters (1 hr 17 mins):

***************

And this was from Charlie Ward this morning. Very interesting.

Japan Financial Shock, Australia EBS Alert & Fed Closed Meeting Charlie Ward Daily News 28 July 2026 (7 mins):

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And here’s this!

Keith smoking with Marlon in London in 1973!!

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And yesterday, the very moment I pushed SEND and posted to the blog and then got on to Instagram, there was yet another announcement from Nick Cave Official about the huge upcoming homecoming bash in Brighton starting on Thursday!!

A treasure hunt!!

And if you are going to be in Brighton this weekend and you DON’T have a good time, there is obviously something really wrong with you!!!!

Okay!

Here’s this, from June 29th!

And here’s this from my desktop stash!

From one of the best nights of my life — back in NYC, in the Autumn of 2019!! Nick Cave In Conversation!!

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And I think that is it for today.

I gotta get into the Honda Civic Sport and head to town and get the groceries!!

And then, I guess, work at my kitchen table today, while the Internet guys set up the new modem, etc. It’s supposed to take 2 hours (!!).

I hope you are having a Terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***************

Let’s close with this!!

Only because I love this song so much — doesn’t everybody??

The original video from way back in yesteryear —

“Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds! From their incredible album, Let Love In, 1994! Enjoy, gang!!

"Red Right Hand"

Take a little walk to the edge of town
Go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms,
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires,  in the humming wires
Hey man, you know  you’re never coming back
Past this square, past the bridge,  past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm comes  a tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with  a red right hand

He’ll wrap you in his arms,  tell you that you’ve been a good boy
He’ll rekindle all those dreams  it took you a lifetime to destroy
He’ll reach deep into the hole,  heal your shrinking soul
Hey buddy, you know you’re  never ever coming back
He’s a ghost, he’s a god,  he’s a man, he’s a guru
They’re whispering his name  across this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat  is a red right hand

You ain’t got no money?
He’ll get you some
You ain’t got no car?
He’ll get you one
You ain’t got no self-respect,  you feel like an insect
Well don’t you worry buddy,  cause here he comes
Through the ghetto and the barrio  and the Bowery and the slum
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his  red right hand

You’ll see him in your nightmares,  you’ll see him in your dreams
He’ll appear out of nowhere but  he ain’t what he seems
You’ll see him in your head,  on the TV screen
And hey buddy, I’m warning  you to turn it off
He’s a ghost, he’s a god,  he’s a man, he’s a guru
You’re one microscopic cog  in his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by his red right hand

c - 1994 - Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, Thomas Wydler

Sort of like vacation!

July 27, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Except that I’m getting a lot of work done…

And now the weather app is saying rain & thunderstorms tomorrow…

Hmmm… that makes 3 days in a row that it’s “tomorrow”.

I’m not complaining, though. It is another really pretty morning here in the Hinterlands!

And I had a great weekend, even though I stuck around the house and spent many hours on Zoom calls!

And I have a lot to get done here at my desk today, but I tell you, gang, I am learning so much about the small indie publishing houses that I thought had totally evaporated. (It turns out it’s just those pesky online algorithms that make them seem like they’ve evaporated!)

Anyway. I just love having all this TIME to get caught up on everything.

*********

Before I forget–

I’m excited about this, too.

One of my girlfriends in town told me recently about a convent she started going to for Mass and it sounds so cool. So we’re going to try to coordinate a time when I can go with her.

It’s up on a hill, totally hidden away in the woods! The nuns are self-sufficient and grow all their own food, and also have goats and cows for their dairy products. The convent is like a huge log cabin.

Here are a couple of photos from online.

Leading up to the convent:

Inside!

***************

Okay.

You might want to read this if you feel so inclined. (The upcoming WWIII “situation” is scripted. Hold onto your wee bonny hats, gang.)

***************

And here’s this!!

The Glimmer Twins not smoking!!

Yes, a few of the photos Keith posted yesterday for Mick’s 83rd birthday!

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And here’s this!

Mick smoking and John Lennon not smoking in LA in March, 1974!! (Photo by Ron Galella)

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And as we wait for Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ big homecoming bash in Brighton!! (Festivities begin on THURSDAY, finally!!) —

Here’s this! From my new favorite FB page!

Not smoking, Not happy about not smoking.

And here’s this!

Nick Cave not smoking while wielding a weapon in Amsterdam in 1988!!

And I loved this!!

He looks rested, doesn’t he??

And here’s this reminder!

And don’t forget this helpful stuff if you’ll be in Brighton!!

And all these movies, if you have nerves of steel!!

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And I’m thinking that is it for now!!

I’m gonna finish up the laundry here, take another lovely walk, and get down to work!!

And tomorrow, I’m actually gonna drive to town and get groceries. I haven’t driven to town (or anywhere) since Thursday. Wow. Will I even remember how to drive??

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***************

I leave you with this!!

This great song popped up on my playlist this morning, even though I wasn’t driving. I was just sitting there…

A lot of interesting memories came rushing back… I just love this song.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ cover of “Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart”, from their cover-album Kicking Against the Pricks, 1986! Enjoy, gang. I sure did.

“It’s funny how that weather app on her phone never resembles the actual weather outside! She should probably, you know, just look outside.”

July 26, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Yes! We have yet another gorgeous morning here today, gang. That rain & thunderstorm stuff still hasn’t happened yet — and now they’re saying tomorrow…

I guess we’ll see.

But this means I get to take another gorgeous walk out there again today.

This village is so fucking pretty in the summertime. There are a few mobile home-type houses here, but most of the houses are really old yet really well maintained — so much character, no 2 houses look alike here — and the village itself (population around 1,354) is surrounded by tall cornfields this time of year. And beyond the cornfields, are the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Tons of really green trees extending up the horizon, wherever you look, for miles and miles and miles.

When the sky is blue, and it’s not too hot & humid, it just takes my mind to a whole other place.

I really, really love walking. And even in NYC, I loved walking. And even though I really miss NYC, and even though while I’m walking here, I really have no clear idea of how I got here — it still sort of rescues my entire soul.

***************

Okay, first.

Today is the 5th anniversary of the passing of one of my dear friends, Kent. He and I met when we were 12 and became fast friends for life.

Kent loved books and music — in High School, he turned me on to people that I instantly just loved. For instance, Hunter S. Thompson and Tom Waits. To name just two.

Kent had a PhD in Geology and primarily worked for NASA most of his adult life. (And if you think that I’m a conspiracy theorist, you should have known Kent! For instance, he studied the actual moon rocks as part of his job. He said, “Those rocks didn’t come from any moon…”)

Anyway. Kent was wonderful. So smart, so funny.

Kent was also very good friends with my friend Steve — the guy I’ve known since we were 11. We texted yesterday, sort of unable to believe that Kent’s been gone 5 years already.

RIP, Kent. We still miss you so much.

Kent, visiting from Texas — holding one of Steve’s kids. (Steve has 4 children.)

*************

Today is also this!

Happy 83rd Birthday, Mick Jagger! (Below, he is about 27, in the era of Exile on Main Street.)

And here’s this, from 1985! This record was really popular back then –when I was working with my best friend Valerie at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC! “Lucky in Love,” from Mick’s solo album, She’s the Boss:

***************

Okay. This happened yesterday and sort of stunned me.

I was looking through a bunch of old photos that I found stored in the chest of drawers in the guest room.

There was one big envelope of family photos — and it was quite an assortment, between my adoptive family and my birth family.

A lot of the photos, I’d forgotten I even had.

There was a photo of my birth dad from 1954, but on the back of the photo, I discovered that the address of the house they lived in at the time was written on it. (My dad was 9 years old in 1954.)

I decided to Google the address!

I knew that by the time my dad and his family had moved to Ohio from Kentucky, my grandfather was a serious alcoholic. My great-grandparents had moved my grandfather to Ohio and bought him some land, to try to give him one final chance to start over. Instead of starting over, though, my grandfather died from complications with his alcoholism, leaving my grandmother alone with 5 kids.

As an adult, my birth dad had told me that they had been very poor because of his dad’s drinking. But seeing the actual house yesterday online, still just stunned me.

Built in 1901. 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Absolutely tiny, although it still sits on a decent amount of land. And the house is not far from where my birth mom lives now, I could easily go there and see it. This is the house my dad lived in when I was conceived:

And just FYI, this is a school photo of my dad that same year I was conceived (he was 14, my birth mom was 12):

By the time I was born, he was 15 and in jail for stealing. He was put in the women’s jail, though, because — as you can see– he was a little too young to be thrown in with a bunch of grown men.

However, even though my dad went on to be a US Navy SEAL, serving in Vietnam for the entire duration of that war — even getting injured by a flame-thrower on the Mekong Delta during the TET Offensive — he still maintained that being stuck in the women’s jail for 6 months when he was 15 , was the worst time of his entire life.

***********

Okay!

Here’s this from that FB page yesterday! Nick Cave!! Adorable!

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All righty!

I guess I’m going to get started around here. I’ve already had an interesting morning — watched the Sunday Catholic Mass from a church in Ireland. Then suddenly felt inspired to read some poems by Vladimir Mayakovsky in a book I’ve owned for about 40 years that was totally falling apart– what a trip down Memory Lane.

Later today, is the live Zoom call for Ross K. Nichols’ private Yachad Group, which promises to be very interesting. And in the meantime, I guess I’m going to go take a walk and think about my life.

I still have a list of things to do, writing-wise, but I am making really great progress with it. By this coming week, I should be able to make some real time to sit and get that memoir underway.

Okay. Have a beautiful Sunday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**************

Let’s leave with this.

A great video Kent sent me about 8 years ago. It’s beautiful. (This is a song by New Order, the video is from 2012.)

“To celebrate New Order headlining the first year of the UK’s newest festival, the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir were commissioned by Festival No.6 to record their own unique version of ‘Blue Monday’. The 60 members of the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir, formed in 1964 in Blaenau Ffestiniog, recorded their interpretation of the seminal track in the studio, then filmed the video on location at the stunning Portmeirion, location for Festival No.6 . Surely the most unique setting for a festival the UK has ever seen?”

Kent’s comments to me: “Apparently everyone in Wales can sing.”

Festival No.6 presents the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir – ‘Blue Monday’ . Enjoy, gang.

It just gets better and better!

July 25, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

This idea that I now have TIME, gang. Yay!!

Today at noon is the monthly Zoom meeting for the Tabor Research Group. I almost never get to join in on that when it’s LIVE. I almost always have to listen to the recorded playback. But not anymore!!

I am so looking forward to joining that meeting live today, gang. (And I might actually leave my room! I’m thinking I might just hang out in the family room and totally chill-ax in the AC during the 3-hour call! We shall soon see!)

And tomorrow at 3pm, is a live Zoom call with Ross K. Nichols’ Yachad Group! Again, I almost never get to listen to that one live, either. So I’m excited about joining that meeting tomorrow, as well.

And yesterday, I had another really productive day, gang.

I submitted everything I needed to submit for my proposal to speak at the writers conference in Pennsylvania in the Spring . I feel really positive about it but I will keep you posted.

Also, the bookstore in the Historic Arcade sent me an email yesterday about joining their “book cafe” to introduce my new book to local readers. So that felt very promising that I might actually get to do that book signing there, as well. It will still be a couple weeks before I will know for sure, but at least I now know I can get my book in the store.

That makes 2 local independent bookstores in 2 nearby towns! Yay!

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Okay!

To celebrate all these great new things in my life–

Keith and Anita, smoking while getting out of a taxi!! In 1973!!

Patti smoking a pen, while sitting on a couch with Theodora when she had that early Coke habit!! (BTW — pens are so much healthier for you, gang. Remember that, the next time you wanna light up a cigarette!!) (And depending on the pen, it can be a lot cheaper.)

And Keith not smoking, while leading the glorious Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Unit onto the Villa Nellcote property, on June 7th 1971!! (That was what led to the thing that absolutely changed my life forever, gang!)

And here’s that thing that changed my life forever — made in the Mobile Recording Unit!!

Exile on Main Street, in that glorious Year of Our Lord –1972!!

The BACK cover, for a change!! I just loved staring at this while listening to the records in my room.

Who can forget these opening chords?? Not me!! They changed my life forever!!

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And here’s this–

Joe Strummer hard at work on Friday!!

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Okay.

They did start posting some photos from Johnny Depp’s visit to Comic Con to promote Ebenezer. Here are a couple of them — but the actual videos are just really, really cute!

************

And as we await Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ upcoming homecoming bash in Brighton — (you cannot buy tickets here because it is SOLD OUT!!) —

We go to the desktop stash for a trip back in time!! August 1991, to be exact!!

Nick Cave in a great shirt!! (And please ignore the “send a gift” thingie!! No one is in need of any gifts at this time.)

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And I believe that is it for now.

This morning is the final morning where we will have really beautiful weather. The heat’s going up this afternoon, followed by several days of rain and thunderstorms. So I’m gonna head out for another walk before the Zoom meeting gets started.

And I want to say thanks again for continuing to visit my (mostly inactive until the podcast begins) Substack page, for continuing to buy my books and eBooks, for checking out my out-of-print books on the Internet Archive, and for pre-ordering The Curse of Our Profound Disorder.

These things really help me to stay positive and to keep on going at this lofty age of 66. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

I hope you have a happy Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

************

Let’s close with this!!

Here on the Oldies FM Radio Station on the retro boombox next to my bed, Saturdays are “Amazing 80s” Day!!

So, fresh from 1984, here was this morning’s first offering!!

“Shooting at the walls of heartache bang bang!!” — Yes!!

“The Warrior” by Scandal ft. Patty Smyth! Turn it up loud because you have NO CHOICE!! Enjoy, gang!!

“

Back to work around here!

July 24, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

But before we get back to work —

I have to tell you, gang, that I did indeed drive to town yesterday to listen to the live acoustic music at that little place in the Historic Arcade.

OMG, I am so glad I went. What a beautiful little lounge. Technically, it’s a bottle shop — they sell wine and craft beer to take away. But they also serve it there, too. Along with charcuterie boards. And it is tiny — it only seats 20. But it is so peaceful in there, and just so pretty. Here are a couple of photos I found online:

The owners in front of the shop, inside the Historic Arcade:

So you can see by the above photo, that it is tiny. But I just loved it. And the vibe is just so friendly. (Here is their website: The Archive in Newark.)

And I thought this was interesting — including me, there were 19 people there when the live acoustic music started at 5:30pm, so the place was basically full. And of those 19 people, only 3 were young enough to still have their brown hair — everyone else there, including me, had silver hair!! A totally older crowd. And yet you can also see by the photo above that the owners are really young!

I found that just really interesting — talk about finding a target audience.

Anyway. I will definitely be going back. And the music yesterday was good, too. 2 men. One played an acoustic Fender guitar with a built-in pickup. And the other played this incredible acoustic dobro with a built-in pickup, that he played on his lap, with a slide. It sounded so good.

My favorite, was their (obviously acoustic) version of Springsteen’s “Racing In the Streets” from 1978.

I hadn’t thought about that song in ages (I was still in high school, living at home, when the album, Darkness on the Edge of Town, came out). But here’s the original:

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And while I was at the Historic Arcade, I stopped in at the bookstore there and checked in with the owner regarding my novel. He said to check back in about 2 weeks, because he hasn’t had a chance to read it yet (there are 2 other books ahead of mine).

But at least now I know a specific time to go back and check in.

But overall, I just love that Historic Arcade, gang. And I would never have known about it if my friends hadn’t opened that art gallery there —

Also a small art gallery, but also just beautiful:

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Okay.

I started watching the documentary about (the now deceased) Val Kilmer on Amazon last night. So far, really good:

**********

And speaking of films —

Johnny Depp made a surprise (?) appearance at Comic Con in San Diego yesterday to promote the upcoming movie, Ebenezer.

There were literally TONS of really cute videos posted to Instagram yesterday, but so far, no photos.

But meanwhile, here’s this–

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Ronnie Wood’s solo tour of Europe has begun. You can buy setlist lithographs from the first 2 shows HERE. $110 each.

Lithographs of the setlists become available for sale the day after each show.

*************

From Nick Cave Official!

All of this will be available at the SOLD OUT upcoming homecoming bash at Brighton!

Created exclusively for the Brighton Preston Park show next Friday (31st July), this limited collection celebrates the band's homecoming show with a range of event-only merchandise featuring the official show artwork.

The collection features white and black t-shirts, a long sleeve white t-shirt, a natural tote bag, two exclusive posters - one showcasing a Brighton seaside design - plus a selection of collectible souvenirs such as Brighton rock, keyring charm and a set of four badges.

The exclusive limited edition 10" ‘Jubilee Street’ picture disc will also be available as part of the collection.

Available exclusively at the Preston Park show, with selected merchandise also available during the Resident takeover while stocks last.

And from George Vjestica yesterday:

And while we’re waiting, here’s this!!

Nick Cave smoking, while sitting near a cassette tape recorder!! A long time ago!!

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And that is it for today, I think.

I tell you, gang, I am getting so much done at my desk every single day now. But I still have a TON of stuff left to do!! So I’m gonna get started by going outside and taking another walk!

After today, the weather is supposed to change again — back to hot and rainy. But these last few days have been just breathtaking around here. Truly. So beautiful.

Okay. Have a splendid Friday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

************

Let’s close with this!!

From my wee bonny 14-year-old girlhood!

Wow, did I love this song back then. Still do. I have always been very much in love with the idea of “home”, and back in 1974, I really really needed that idea. I had a roof over my head, but “home” was nowhere in sight…

Anyway. “Back Home Again” by John Denver, 1974. Enjoy, gang.

STILL not tired of cake!!

July 23, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Wow, gang, I really had the best birthday, ever.

Even considering that for the last 20 minutes of my dinner out with Kara at my favorite pizzeria yesterday, we argued about politics (!!). We did that last year on my birthday, too…

I try really really really really REALLY hard not to talk about politics with anybody at all anymore, but wow. She pulled me into it in a nanosecond and I could not get out because she refused to stop arguing about it.

But other than those 20 minutes– I had a wonderful birthday!

And today is my Dad’s heavenly birthday — he would have been 96.

Here he is in NYC, having breakfast with me and Wayne in our apartment on West End Avenue. Early 1990s. We were celebrating both our birthdays that weekend — my stepmom, Marie, who is also gone now, took the photo:

That brief moment in time when Wayne stopped shaving…

And, continuing with birthdays!!

I was reminded by a reader that I forgot to celebrate Bobby Sherman’s heavenly birthday yesterday!! (I guess I was just too smitten with my own birthday…!!)

However, long-time readers of this lofty blog perhaps recall that I loved Bobby Sherman when I was a little girl, and it thrilled me that he and I shared a birthday!!

So–

Happy Belated Heavenly Birthday, Bobby!

And while we’re at it, here’s this!! “Cried Like A Baby” — one of Bobby Sherman’s Greatest Hits! (Try not to dance the pony all around the room when the chorus hits, but you might not be successful with that!! I sure wasn’t!!)

And, wow — what else did I miss yesterday??!!

Yes, it was the Feast of Mary Magdalene!! (I actually can’t believe I forgot that one, gang.)

Now back to my OWN birthday!!

Wayne sent me this video early yesterday morning. I just loved it!

The Ramones The Simpsons Birthday Song (40 seconds):

And Steve, the guy I’ve been friends with since we were 11, not only texted me to say “Mazel Tov” on my retirement (I think he’s the only Jewish friend I have left from my wee bonny girlhood), but he also sent this!

Was (Not Was) — “I Feel Better Than James Brown” (4 mins):

But I must say that this next one really delighted me, gang!

I got a text from Dennis right after dinner!! Wishing me a Happy Birthday, and he sent me this video!!

Rod Stewart — “Forever Young” (from way back in 1988. Wonderful):

But I also got some phone calls, some emails, and even quite a few actual BIRTHDAY CARDS this year!! I still have them all propped up on the kitchen table.

So, really, it was just such a nice day.

And starting today — back to my desk!! Wow, do I have a lot of stuff to do. But all of it is connected to various writing projects so I couldn’t be happier.

*************

Okay!

Here’s this!!

I loved how they phrased this! Words that are so un-Kafka like: “stylish bust”.

From the Franz Kafka Museum in Prague:

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And from Phyllis Stein!!

Keith, Mick, and Mick apparently not smoking in LA in 1969!! (Photo by Ethan Russell):

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And since everyone “Bad Seeds-related” seems to be taking a break right now–

From the desktop stash!! Going back in time!

Nick Cave (with Tracy Pew and some drunk people) not smoking in Germany!! Instead — he’s catching up on some sleep before the upcoming SOLD OUT homecoming bash in Brighton that is many decades away!!!!

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And I guess that is it for now.

It is another cool, sunny, gorgeous day here so I’m gonna head out for a walk now and then get down to work.

There is that live acoustic music show going on at the Historic Arcade starting at 5:30 this evening. I’m going to try to attend that but we’ll see how it goes around here.

Meanwhile, enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

************

Let’s close with this!

They actually just released Episode 5 on Prime this morning, but it’s not on YouTube yet, so here’s this!

The Rolling Stones – Speaking In Tongues | The Official Podcast (Episode 4) (26 mins):

Are we tired of cake yet?? No way!!!!

July 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 6 Comments

Okay, so far, I am having, like, the most perfect birthday.

The weather today could not be prettier. Right now, it’s only 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The AC is off! The sun is shining. The skies are blue. It’s only supposed to go up to 72 degrees today.

And btw, the cats are loving having all these windows open again. And according to the weather app on my phone, the windows might stay open for a couple of days!

And speaking of cats and my birthday–

This came special delivery from Valerie in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon — it’s about 2 inches tall and it’s adorable. Now all I have to do is keep the cats from discovering it and totally destroying it:

And this came from the Cainer Horoscope website (more cats!):

And I thought this was really interesting because I had never heard about this before (and I love eagles):

Oh, and I can’t forget to add this– I share my birthday with my beloved Cleveland, and it is 230 years old today!!

**************

Well, wow, gang. Yesterday was wonderful.

I spent about an hour on that phone call yesterday morning and I think it’s okay to post here that I’ve been invited to contribute a proposal to speak at a writer’s conference in Pennsylvania this coming Spring.

I will keep you posted with details. But I had been concerned that I didn’t have anything to speak about that would be of interest to today’s writers, you know? (Even though I’ve been a professional writer for over 40 years, the peak of my career was already a few years ago.)

But it became clear, from the conversation, that I actually do have things I can speak about that would be of interest to writers in all stages of their careers. So I’m going to put together a proposal and submit it. And I will let you know if it gets accepted!

So this means a trip to Charlotte, NC in late September. A trip to NY in (I think) November, and maybe a trip to Eastern Pennsylvania in March!

And my new novel coming out in September. Another new book (the M. Christian anthology) already in the works. And the Staged Reading of our play probably in November. And getting down to work on my memoir of the 1970s…

My mind feels just so different from how it felt even just last week. I am so glad I retired. Every shred of all that depression is simply gone.

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Okay!

Here’s this! (Speaking of depression being gone!)

Keith in shades — with curious onlookers!! — apparently imbibing in Jack Daniels at a bar but he does not seem to be smoking! (Although ashtray IS present!!)

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And this was last night! An explosive Iggy meltdown!!

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And this was posted to YouTube a few hours ago. (And the Hollywood Vampires go on tour in UK/Europe beginning August 12th. You can also buy tickets through this same YouTube Page.)

Hollywood Vampires: “Ace of Spades”. Live at Montreux Jazz Festival:

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And George Vjestica is living La Dolce Vita until the SOLD OUT Brighton homecoming bash gets underway on Friday July 31st!!

And this melted my heart yesterday!!

And while we’re at it — here’s this!! From the day after my birthday, 6 years ago… “Sad Waters” by Nick Cave alone at Alexandra Palace:

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Oh, btw– this was extremely interesting. You might want to check it out.

Charlie Reports From Dubai: Was the Airport Really Attacked? | Daily News 22nd July 2026 (8 minutes):

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And I guess that is it for now, gang.

I’m not going to do too much work at my desk today. I’m planning to head to town early. I need to renew my driver’s license today. And I want to stop in at the bookshop over in Granville and see if the owner is in today.

I’m not planning to stop in at that bookstore in the Historic Arcade until next week, but if I have time, maybe I’ll drive over there today, too. We’ll see.

Then it will be OUT TO DINNER with Kara!! Yay! (We’re having pizza at my favorite pizza place!!)

And meanwhile have a wonder-filled Wednesday, gang, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

No explanations needed… Enjoy, gang.

Off to great start!

July 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yesterday was wonderful, gang.

I got so much done right here at my desk!

And I took that walk — wow, what a gorgeous morning it was around here. It was one of those perfect summer mornings that sort of seemed unbelievable — the birds were singing, the sky was so blue & the smoke haze was gone. Everywhere flowers were blooming and the trees were so green and the corn is getting really tall out in the fields now.

And I did get a lot of stuff done at my desk but I also had a great chat with Wayne on the phone. And I got some promising updates regarding reprint rights I am hoping to secure for the M. Christian tribute anthology from the estates of both Simon Sheppard and Bill Brent.

AND– I got an email from Amazon’s Kindle that a royalty check is on its way to my bank account, so thanks again everybody!! I really, really appreciate that you keep on buying my books and eBooks.

I also discovered yesterday that my reprinted books at Kindle (which are no longer banned or blocked!!) appear to be eligible for Audible audio books now, too! So I am going to be taking care of the paperwork for all 7 of the reprinted titles, so that those can get underway.

So, yay. A great day yesterday.

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All right.

I have a phone chat scheduled for 10AM today so I need to get moving —

So, here’s this!!

This artist lives here in Ohio, although I don’t know her. But I always love her pet illustrations (she and her family have lots of dogs and cats). These 2 from yesterday really jumped out at me — big surprise!

“She believed she could so she did … She rescued every animal that came her way.”

“Enjoy the little things in life for someday you will realize they were the Big Things”

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And here’s this!

Yesterday in Boston! Peter Wolf dropped in on Jim Lauderdale before the gig!

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And here, well, I’m thinkin’ Charlie’s not so sure about that balloon on Keith’s guitar…

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And here’s this — from all the way back in 1976!

Richard Hell and Voidoids in a photo taken by Blondie’s Christ Stein!

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A couple more great ones from Phyllis Stein!

Johnny Thunders in NYC in 1981 (photo by Kathy Findlay):

And the Sex Pistols in London in 1977! (Photo by Adrian Boot)

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It looks like Johnny Depp has a new Sauvage ad campaign coming soon from Dior (perhaps just in time for the Hollywood Vampires’ tour of the UK and Europe, starting in August??) (BTW– you can BUY TICKETS HERE!):

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Over at Nick Cave’s Cave Things, they’re having a 2-for-1 t-shirt sale!! You can check it out HERE!

And although it won’t reach me by my birthday, which is tomorrow, I am still in need of this one — lyrics to “The Mercy Seat” (thanking you in advance):

And speaking of Nick Cave!!

From that FB page yesterday!!

And, while on break before the upcoming SOLD OUT homecoming bash in Brighton, George Vjestica was getting caught up on his photo-posting yesterday!

Including–

And George with Larry (although George seems sort of shocked that Larry would say that…) —

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And that is it for now!

I’m gonna scoot downstairs and snag another cup of coffee, and get all my notes and thoughts ready for my upcoming phone call.

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!

From the Rolling Stones’ new one, Foreign Tongues — “Side Effects” lyric video! Super catchy, in my opinion. Enjoy, gang.

Not only great, but it turned my hair brown!!

July 20, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yes! My first cup o’ joe on my first morning of freedom! So great!

And the stress was so non-existent around here, finally, that it turned my silver hair back to the lovely shade of brown it once was!!

Honestly, gang, it feels so interesting. This freedom thing.

And it is such an incredible morning, here! When I awoke at 6AM (again, second morning in a row — I’m trying really hard to sleep in later and stay up later), it was only 55 degrees Fahrenheit outside! Wow.

When I stepped out onto the kitchen porch to feed Rasha and Kon Tiki, the sun was up and the flowers out there were loving the cooler temperature. They looked so vibrant and full of life.

Anyway. It is just sort of a perfect morning.

I don’t remember the last time I didn’t feel the pressure to “do” something. And what’s weird is that I actually have a ton of things I want to do. But it’s all writing-related. At my desk. Or reading-related, downstairs on the couch.

I do not have to get into the car and drive the 30 miles to town and back until Wednesday — when I meet Kara for dinner to celebrate my birthday!!! Yay!

I actually have stuff on my calendar now that goes clear to November (possibly even to March, depending on a phone chat I’m having tomorrow). So it’s not like I don’t have things to do, but the difference between constant caregiving and just thinking about my own life now and the things that make me happy…

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Okay.

And here’s something that always makes me happy — a midnight text from Wayne, that also had a link to a song on YouTube!

Here’s the song!

“Save It For Later,” covered by Pete Townsend and The Deep End:

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I thought this was very interesting.

From Ross K. Nichols’ Sunday School yesterday–

“We all know who killed Goliath, right? Well, I thought I did until I realized that the biblical writers who told the story were not on the same page.”

The Goliath Story Has a Giant Problem (43 mins):

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And in keeping with my new approach to my own life, here are these!

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And during his break before the upcoming SOLD OUT Brighton bash, Warren Ellis posted some photos that I really thought were great. I think they were from the Australian tour earlier this year (?). Here’s 2 of them:

Colin Greenwood:

Warren himself:

And since the Bad Seeds are indeed on a break until July 31st, we go to the private desktop stash for that photo I love of Nick Cave from yesteryear — smoking and waiting!! Near the water!!

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And, oddly, that’s really all my “here’s this’s” for today.

But in honor of the fact that I now not only have time to get to work on that memoir of my life in the 1970s, but I am also finally in an emotionally calmer place wherein I can actually deal with my memories of my life in the 1970s…

Here’s this from the desktop stash!! Best father-figure ever!! (IMHO)

Keith, smoking…

And with that, I’m gonna finish up the laundry and maybe take a walk before it gets too hot out there.

And then–

Have a lovely Monday, gang, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!

From all the way back in 1957, but I mean it more than ever today!! Feel free to join me on this new path in life–

“Come Go With Me” !! The Del-Vikings. Enjoy, gang.

Around here, we take what we can get!!

July 19, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yes! It is currently only 68 degrees Fahrenheit!! Yay!

And even though the weather app on my phone claims that the air quality is “worse than yesterday” it doesn’t actually feel like that outside!

My hydrangeas are finally blooming around my kitchen porch!

The morning glories are blooming around my back door!

I can at least see the foothills at the end of the road — even if it looks a little “foggy”, I can actually see them.

So I’m in a really happy place.

Plus, I slept in until 6AM, since I came in a little later than usual last night (and had a bit of a difficult final shift with my favorite retired Chaplain , so I was exhausted emotionally). But it felt great to sleep in. And to wake up feeling like certain chapters are simply over now…

And this afternoon, my shift with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat is my actual FINAL shift—

And I am already feeling like I have my life back, gang.

And at around 6PM this evening, I will be free.

I have not felt really free (in terms of having the time to just devote to my writing projects) since before the scamdemic hit, 6 years ago. Wherein I basically lost everything except “The Guide to being Fabulous” — the play with Sandra Caldwell.

Anyway!

The sun was up when I was having breakfast, which never happens around here. And since it was Sunday, I decided to watch the EWTN Mass. Even though I’m not Catholic, there are certain things about the Mass that I enjoy thinking about.

It was too early for this morning’s Mass, so I watched yesterday’s, and I really liked Father Ricardo Pineda’s sermon and remarks. He starts at about 4 minutes in:

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Okay, there was a great blog post on Stage 32 on Friday (that I read yesterday) — very timely for me, and maybe it will be for you, too, if you have a new book coming out:

6 Free Marketing Resources Every Author Needs to Know by Jonathan Jordan :

“No matter what, book marketing is hard, but at least these tools will help you make some serious headway without having to spend a ton of money upfront.”

I found the post concise and just really helpful.

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And I also found Andrew Lloyd Weber’s remarks about Broadway extremely interesting.

He made the comments on Instagram on Tuesday, but I only got around to reading them this morning in the Broadway World weekly roundup:

Andrew Lloyd Webber Says Broadway Is In ‘Dire Danger’ After CATS Closing

He said, in part:

"The truth is that, for any show, it makes practically no financial sense to come to Broadway with things as they are. Creators, writers and directors have been forced to take minimal royalties from new shows, often surviving on a fixed weekly fee rather than a royalty. It makes it impossible for young creatives to make a living from theatre alone. Investors count themselves fortunate indeed if they see a portion of their money back. Of course, the established big hits are still profitable. But Broadway can’t survive because of three old shows."

He ends the statement by begging executives to come up with a solution to fix its current financial issues.

"As someone who is still as in love with Broadway as I was when I was a teenager, I beg the theatre owners, unions and producers to come together urgently to address what is a crisis coming to a head. Broadway is in dire danger of rivalling Hollywood’s empty soundstages with increasingly dark theatres."

All of the above has a lot to do with why Sandra and I are shelving the TV project, and also why we’ve changed venues for the Staged Reading of “The Guide to being Fabulous” but I can’t go into any of those details here.

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Okay.

Here’s this–

A shot of the Strand Bookstore in NYC:

But upon closer inspection, we see why I really love the Strand Bookstore in NYC! (It was just up the street from my paradise-apartment on E.12th Street!!)

Blurry, but that street sign says “E.12th Street”.

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What is weirder than this — the fact that I can recognize Iggy Pop’s back in a nanosecond??

From Phyllis Stein! Iggy in Miami:

And Phyllis also posted another great one of Johnny Thunders — a screen shot off YouTube:

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And it looks like we missed ANOTHER one, gang! Jeepers! SO many birthdays in July!! (Including, you know, “hint hint“: the initials are MJL.)

Someone else I totally loved throughout my wee bonny teenaged girlhood and on up into my lofty adult years (wherein he allegedly died by “suicide”)–

But I never really knew when his birthday was!

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Hunter S. Thompson (it was yesterday):

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And, yes! Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds are on a break until Friday, July 31st!! So, you know, here’s this instead–

From that Facebook page that never gives photo credits or the where or when info, but I still loved seeing it yesterday morning:

And after the great big SOLD OUT homecoming bash in Brighton, the tour resumes on August 2nd, in Germany. Buy tickets here!

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All right.

That is it for now.

I still have a few hours before I need to head to town, so I’m gonna go water the many flowers, do yoga, think about LIFE (which is returning to me even as I type!!)…

Have a super 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!!

You know, the week coming up will be my week of “vacation”. And it includes my birthday, and my adoptive dad’s Heavenly Birthday. And dinner out with my dear friend, Kara, to celebrate.

And while I have a stack of all my notes for the Caiaphas play on one side of my tiny desk, and all my notes for the M. Christian tribute anthology on the other side of my tiny desk, I really, really think it’s time to FINALLY focus on getting my memoir about my life in the 1970s, Joy: The Shortest Season, underway.

So with that in mind, here’s this!

From 1974!! Yes, the very same year as the nadir of my existence! From the British band, The First Class, a song I just loved!! “Beach Baby”. Play it super loud, dance around a little, sing along and enjoy, gang!!