Perhaps you may recall that a couple of months ago, a cat came in from the cold and I named her Lulabelle:

I had a vague understanding of what her history was — that she had been abandoned by her owner a year and a half ago. But I thought another neighbor had been taking care of her.

So I was surprised when she darted into my kitchen early one snowy morning and then did not want to go back out into the cold.

So she’s been here with us since then, however, she had parasites really bad. I have made progress in helping her get rid of those — and she’s pretty good at using those puppy training pads that I put out all over the floor for her. But I was getting to the point where I was thinking of taking her to the vet.

Aside from worrying about Lulabelle’s health, I was wondering how on Earth I was going to ask my birth mom to stay here when I have to travel again, with this added cat now that is very high maintenance.

I was doing a lot of praying that Lulabelle would just get well.

Then last evening, after my shift, and after I was done taking care of all the cats, I was toying with just going up to my room and calling it a night; but since we jumped ahead an hour yesterday, I was absolutely not tired yet.

So I sat down at the kitchen table and turned on a rerun of Poirot — “Death On the Nile” — yay!!

On the table before me, I had my teriyaki seaweed snacks, organic tortilla chips and salsa, some mixed nuts in sea salt and a glass of organic coconut water with a dash of fresh lime ….

(I know, your mouth is watering over my idea of “snacks”…)

Anyway, I glanced up and saw someone coming up onto my kitchen porch. It was already dark outside but I could tell it was a young woman.

I paused Poirot and went to go see who it was.

I opened the kitchen door and it was a stranger.

She had a huge bag of cat food and a huge bag of cat litter.

And she was very nervous, but very pretty and very polite. She said: “I heard you took in my cat.” She was near tears.

Wow, gang!

Not only was it Lulabelle’s mom (the cat’s name is actually Rasha), but her brother was one of the guys who installed my Central AC and he had recognized Lulabelle/Rasha and told his sister I had taken the cat in during the bad snows.

The young woman was so grateful and I invited her into the kitchen, wherein Rasha recognized her immediately and was so happy to see her.

They had a wonderful little reunion in my kitchen while the woman told me the story about what had actually happened and why she had had to leave the cat behind. (An intense story, having to do with her family and with having just had a baby and her husband had left them.) But she had in fact left the cat with another neighbor down the street, but in an outside cat house thingie. But suddenly, the bad snows came and Rasha was gone.

The young woman said that within a couple of months, she and her son will be in their own place and she will be able to take Rasha back. In the meantime, she borrowed one of my cat carriers because she wants to take Rasha to the vet herself. (Rasha is 10 years old and has been with the young woman a long time.)

Anyway. Wow. So Rasha will be back with her mom in a new home before I have to do a ton of traveling. But the relief that woman felt, the gratitude, when her brother had told her that a woman had taken Rasha in from the cold.

It is so incredible how God works, gang.

I thought I was just helping a sick cat. I had no clue the cat’s owner was going through such a trying time and missing her cat so much.

***********

Of course, now the whole village will refer to me as the Cat Lady who lives in that house on the corner. As if they didn’t already….

***********

All righty!

Tonight, the Biblical Archeological Society’s Scholar Series is having a cool online seminar about synagogues in post-Second Temple Israel. I’m really looking forward to that.

And tomorrow night, is that virtual screening of “acclaimed writer & visual artist Rachel Eliza Griffiths’ Green Room presentation at the Honolulu Museum of Art, which coincided with her recent residency at The Merwin Conservancy”.

I’m looking forward to that, too! (I don’t know if I will be snacking during these seminars, but if I am, you will already know what taste-tempting morsels I’ll be eating!)

*********

Meanwhile, I will be at my desk on this truly Spring-like, beautiful day today, working on at least one short story. So I’m feeling pretty happy, gang.

And —

Here’s this!!

I saw this photo in my Instagram feed and wow, a whole bunch of great memories came flooding back! This was the cover photo for Combat Rock. I had this album while living with my first husband, Chong, in our apartment on W.45th & 8th Avenue in NYC. The Clash was so popular in NYC back then, it was insane:

And here’s this, from the legendary album Combat Rock, the song “Car Jamming”:

*********

And here’s this!

Richard Hell at CBGB’s in 1978!

**********

And this!!

David Johansen in 1974!! I love his T-shirt! It is so beatnik: “I made the scene in Greenwich Village”. (I did, too, baby, I did, too!! Just a few years later…)

*********

And here’s Joey Ramone, at home with his cat in NYC in 1978!

*******

And don’t forget– this was also going on in NYC in the late 1970s- early 80s:

Keith was falling head over heels in love with Patti!!

**********

And not in NYC, and from way back in 1967–

Janis smiling in her apartment in San Francisco!

**********

And last but not least!

I think I’ve posted this photo here before, but it showed up in my Instagram feed this morning. Yay!!

Nick Cave not smoking in another great shirt!!

********

And with that, I guess I better scoot.

The laundry is almost done. The sun is shining like crazy. I’ve got lots to get down onto the page today, so I’m off.

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

********

I leave you with this!

I was driving to town yesterday and thinking how fucking exciting it’s going to be to go to that James Tabor’s Research Community Conference in late September (and there’s even a small chance that Simcha Jacobovici will be attending!!!! Fucking WOW!!) And then THIS came on my driving-to-town playlist!!

I’ve posted it here before, but it was just so perfect, gang. It made my whole heart smile.

From my wee bonny Sabbath School days in Cleveland, the joyous Hebrew folk song, “Hinei Ma Tov” !! It brought back so many memories and made me so excited about soon having some new ones, all these decades later. Okay. Enjoy, gang.

Okay, gang. I did it.

Got through the worst morning of the year and I am just fine.

And as I posted yesterday (post is here if you missed it), today I have indeed started a new life.

And I was indeed sitting at my desk at 7AM today, without going back to bed after breakfast, hanging out with my cup o’ Joe.

But it’s okay. Methinks I will be writing a TV pilot with Sandra pretty soon, so I gotta get 2 short stories written, and then the tribute to M. Christian, and then get ready to give 1200% of my focus to writing a new TV pilot. (And then still do all the things left on my “List of Things To Do” before the new novel comes out…)

But actually, I really am totally fine this morning. Which is usually unheard of for me on the first morning of Daylight Saving Time!

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

Okay!

I don’t actually have much to post about today. Although, yesterday, I did a bit of texting with my dear pal, Wendy, and she is going to help me throw a very small book launch party in September, in Granville! (I’m paying for it, so it’s going to be very small.)

We’re thinking about having it out on the patio at the old train station, where I used to be the night manager.

I think the conversation with the owner will go something like this:

ME: “Hi!! You remember how I used to be the night manager here for a couple of years and then I quit, without giving you any notice whatsoever?”

HE (looks at me, says nothing).

ME: “Do you feel like doing me a favor?”

We’ll see how it goes from there…. (He still likes Wendy a lot, so I’ll have her stand in front of me.)

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

All righty!

Here’s this!

Posted by Keith yesterday, in honor of Peter Wolf’s birthday!

***********

And here’s this!!

I don’t know when it was taken, but the photo is by Bleddyn Butcher.

Nick Cave! Not smoking in front of a piano!

**********

From James Tabor. An interview about his new book, The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus.

Evangelist Johnny Ova Interview: The Lost Mary (59 mins):

And that’s actually it.

Gonna get to work on some writing here, before I head out later to see the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat!

Enjoy your “Daylight Saving Time” Sunday!! Wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

I leave you with this!!

Yet another song that came on the Oldies FM radio station on my retro boombox, as I was getting ready to call it a night last night, that I recognized from the opening “ooh-oohs” and then launched into singing it out loud, remembering every fucking word!

I hadn’t heard this song in decades, gang. It’s so weird how these songs just remain in the brain, somewhere. And then spring forth, in all of their completeness, the moment you hear them again.

So here it is!

The absolutely gorgeous “Being With You, ” by Smokey Robinson. 1981. Sing along. Enjoy, gang.

“Being With You”

I don’t care what they think about me and
I don’t care what they say
I don’t care what they think, if you’re leaving
I’m gonna beg you to stay
I don’t care if they start to avoid me
I don’t care what they do
I don’t care about anything else
But being with you, being with you

Honey don’t go, don’t leave this scene
Be out of the picture and off of the screen
Don’t let them say “we told you so”
They tell me you’ll love me and then let me go

I’ve heard the warning voice
From friends and my relations
They tell me all about your heart-break reputation

I don’t care what they think about me and
I don’t care what they say, no
I don’t care what they think, if you’re leaving
I’m gonna beg you to stay
I don’t care if they start to avoid me
I don’t care what they do
I don’t care about anything else
But being with you, being with you

People can change, they always do
Haven’t they noticed the changes in you?
Or can it be, that like love I am blind?
Do I want it so much ’til it’s all in my mind?

One thing I know for sure
Is really really real
I never felt before the way you make me feel

I don’t care what they think about me and
I don’t care what they say
I don’t care what they think, if you’re leaving
I’m gonna beg you to stay
I don’t care if they start to avoid me
I don’t care what they do
I don’t care about anything else
But being with you, being with you
Being with you
Being with you

I don’t care about anything else
But being with you, being with you
I wanna be with you
I don’t care if they start to avoid me

c – 1981 William Robinson, Jr.

Yes, a little bit of rain this morning, but this afternoon–

Partly sunny and going up into the 70s Fahrenheit!!!

Can you believe it, gang?

My favorite 95-year-old Japanese man is going to LOVE this weather and, obviously, we will head out for sashimi and sake posthaste!!

I’m guessing that when I arrive at his house, it’ll go something like this:

ME (running into his bedroom): “Get up! Get dressed! Get your wooden leg on! We’re hittin’ the road!!”

HE: Sleeps soundly. Until I repeat myself a couple of times and he finally wakes up.

But then…. Off we go!! Yay!!

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

All righty!

James Tabor sent out the link to reserve our hotel rooms for the Tabor Research Community Conference in late September!

I booked my room yesterday! A king-sized suite. (I’ll be all by myself in a great big room with a wet bar — unless it’s “pet friendly” then I might bring about 17 cats…)

I don’t know if I’ll be flying down there or driving. I’d like to drive, because I’ve heard it’s a beautiful drive down to North Carolina from here, but we’ll see if I’m up for it. I don’t know. Because then I’ll also have to drive back.

But either way, I will be HERE on Labor Day weekend:

Getting all the updates on the Cave of John the Baptist news, the Talpiot Tomb news, the James son of Joseph/brother of Jesus ossuary news!! Finally getting to meet James Tabor and probably having the time of my life!

(I’ll be drinking Wild Turkey bourbon with Diet Coke on ice, smoking unfiltered Chesterfields, cranking the rock & roll and popping a little speed — Oh, wait! No!! That’s what I do in motels. This is gonna be a hotel. I behave totally differently in hotels.)

***********

Anyway.

I’m excited.

September is going to be a busy month. a fun month. 2 conferences. My new novel comes out. The Musical Director of our play “The Guide To Being Fabulous” needs me to be available to get back to NYC for the staged reading — no firm date yet, though. But I already know the venue and I’m fucking excited!!

And here’s this!

Also coming in September!

***********

I finished watching the final episode of Season 1 of “Riot Women” last night. I don’t know yet if there will be a Season 2, but what a great show.

Just so well written, but also extremely intense. And it occurred to me that most of the intense things that happened to each of the women, separately, also happened to me, to one extent or another.

It was a hard show for me to watch, to be honest, but they handled the storylines so brilliantly. With truth but also with compassion.

But crimony, gang. It’s no wonder I’m a walking PTSD factory!!

Jesus.

**********

Okay.

Here’s this to lighten the mood!

Keith and Mick in LA in 1969!

And then Keith and Mick a handful of decades later:

Then Keith and Mick and Ronnie, onstage somewhere in 1975:

And Keith onstage in 1972, the summer I was 12 and fell in love with him and remained that way for the rest of my life:

And here’s this! The song that made my 12-year-old jaw drop that same summer, when I brought home the double-album Exile on Main St and put that first album onto my portable record player and played it for the first time!! Wow. My world was never the same. (And I wouldn’t trade it for anything, when it’s all said and done, gang.)

***********

Okay.

James Dean lassos Elizabeth Taylor!! (On the set of “Giant”, in Marfa, TX, 1955.)

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

And I believe that’s it!!

I gotta scoot!

Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

I leave you with this!!

Wow.

A friend on Instagram reminded me of this song this morning. I had forgotten all about it. I LOVE this song!! (And the movie it came from: “The Wonder Boys”.)

The song is now cued up on my driving-to-town music!

Bob Dylan. “Things Have Changed.” 2000. Enjoy, gang!

All right, gang.

Yesterday was great.

I can’t go into all the details about this part yet, however–

I had to take my client to the dentist yesterday afternoon. And while I was alone in the waiting room, waiting on him to be done with his appointment, Sandra called!!!

Since I was alone, I was able to take the call. And she has heard from the producers we sent our TV proposal to and they loved it!!!!

That’s all I can post publicly for now, but, wow, this is so exciting!!

***********

The other exciting news—

Yes, I went to the Rural King yesterday morning.

And, yes, ‘Wild Thing’ was there.

And since I had about a cart-load of cat food, I let the older man behind me in the line, who only had one item, go in front of me. And it turned out the older man knew ‘Wild Thing’ and they started chatting and I started eagerly eavesdropping!!!!

Wow! I got an earful!!

And everything finally became clear to me!

Why it is I behave like a crushing 14-year-old whenever I see ‘Wild Thing’. And why he reminds me of every boy I was crazy about in, like, 1974…

Anyway.

He’s a SINGER!!!!

He’s been singing in local bars for years. My guess is some type of Country music, since the older guy was a farmer and knows ‘Wild Thing’ from a bar he used to sing in all the time, but the bar’s been torn down.

The older man was kind of talking to me, too, so it wasn’t like I was being totally rude or anything. I was being included. And it made it incredibly simple for me to leap in and start asking questions of ‘Wild Thing’ when it was my official turn in line, no longer piggy-backing on the conversation by way of the older man.

Our (brief) conversation was very enlightening, gang. And it was like a whole door to everything sort of blew open. Finally. After all these months.

And no way on Earth is he as young as I kept thinking he was. I’m still old enough to be his mother, but now the vibe just got totally different.

I will keep you psoted. (That is pronounced: ‘p – soh- ted’ but it still means ‘posted’.)

***********

All righty!

Here’s this! More excitement!

Attention all artists! The winner will be welcomed into The Art of Elysium, will be featured in Art Forum, and will win $25,000! Visit this LINK for details!!

*********

And here’s this!

Keith and Anita, on one of Anita’s birthdays, long, long ago! Anita looks happy. Keith looks bewildered. I think that’s called love.

*********

And here’s this!

Yet another gorgeous Native American! (Created with Edits) (Please create one of these for me. Thank you.)

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

And this!

Some info from Dwight Yoakam (and ZZ Top)!

***********

And here’s a different Anita altogether!

And I guess this is what true love looks like!!!

Nick Cave and Anita Lane!

And a handful of decades and lightyears later…

Nick Cave, waiting alone on a bench, looking splendid.

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

And I guess I better scoot. I have to head to town soon to see my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man.

So have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this!

From the late, great Buddy Holly! (Who, apparently, still lives…)

“It’s So Easy” (to fall in love), 1959. Enjoy, gang!!

Yes, the snow is gone around here. It barely lasted through the morning yesterday before it all melted away.

However, from today onward, RAIN! Which means: to town & back, to town & back, etc., etc., in rain.

I don’t care!! I prefer sun, of course, but rain is better than snow. I am so ready for Spring, gand! (Alternate spelling for “gang”.)

Okay, guess what??

I made a HUGE dent in my “List of Things To Do Immediately” yesterday!! I almost can’t believe it.

I got all my current self-published titles — 8 are currently available — loaded, linked, etc., for the upcoming re-launch of the Indie Author Bookstore.

I have been trying to get all my various titles (self and otherwise published titles — 10 total) organized and available online before that Indie Author bookstore does a huge press release, and before my new novel comes out with Parisian Phoenix Publishing.

I still have 6 time-consuming things to do on my list, but they aren’t needed as immediately as all that stuff I did over the last few days. So it feels great.

I was kind of surprised to see that I have 10 books and/or eBooks in print. Some of it still needs organizing, but I usually think that most of my books are out of print now (a huge number of them are). So that was an interesting discovery.

**********

Okay.

I spoke with Sandra yesterday and she had some great news!! It is about our play, “The Guide to being Fabulous,” off-Broadway, but I can’t really post about it yet.

And she did a live in-person streaming interview thingie at The Beechman Theater in NYC over the weekend. She said it went really great.

I believe it will soon be uploaded as a “prior podcast” thingie. Just look for “You Might Know Her From” at Apple or Spotify, if you’re interested in hearing it!

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

Sandra also has some new digs in NYC (do people still use that word “digs” to mean a place to live in?), since she has to be in the city a lot right now.

Anyway, she’s in a huge apartment that she splits with a girlfriend and Sandra said that I can stay there probably for free, if I come to NYC while the other girl is out of town. Which I guess is most of the time. (It’s the other girl’s apartment.)

Anyway.

The apartment is literally one block away from the apartment wherein I used to live with Wayne when we were married — in which Wayne is still living.

I think that will feel so strange, gang. To be so close to where my other life was for so many years. I’m guessing I will sob uncontrollably but keep it all hidden, as I always do.

But I guess we’re gonna find out how it feels pretty soon.

But it’s all good, gang.

**********

Okay.

Today is Tuesday!! Which means I stop at the Rural King to buy cat food before I start my shift!

Yes, my favorite 2 and a half minutes of the week will soon be underway — assuming ‘Wild Thing’ is working the checkout.

Meanwhile,,,,

Here’s this!

A color version of the Rolling Stones from that same photo shoot in London, 1969, that my favorite poster from my wee bonny girlhood was from (only in black & white):

***********

And speaking of black & white–

Here’s this!!!

Allegedly from March 2nd 1997 —

Nick Cave, wearing one of my favorite shirts! (Well, it’s his shirt, just a shirt I always liked!) (I don’t think I have ever seen this shirt in color, though. I have no idea what it looked like in “real life”.)

And in Berlin, in 1986, photographer Peter Anderson managed to capture a moment in time when Nick Cave was smoking!! Yay!!

***********

And that’s actually it because I gotta scoot!!

(I will be unbelievably thrilled gang when the days return wherein I don’t have to split my life between (even a part-time) job and everything else I have to do before I die…)

Still, have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

I leave you with this!!

Such a fantastic groove. I love Keith’s vocal here! (Do they still say ‘groove’?)

Levon Helm, Keith Richards, Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana & The Band: “Deuce & A Quarter“:

There wasn’t one word about it on the weather app!

Amazing.

But guess what, gang? I don’t have to go anywhere today, or do anything outdoors, so I don’t care.

But the electrician had to postpone until Thursday, because out where he lives, at the lake, they are getting a ton of unexpected snow, which means no snowplows have been out there yet.

Anyway!

My cold is finally fucking really GONE. And I slept for 7 and a half uninterrupted hours last night, so I woke up in just the best frame of mind today.

And I am just feeling really good about everything.

Let’s start off with this!

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Lou Reed!! A man, songwriter, musician I adored.

And here’s this, to help celebrate the day! “Perfect Day”, Lou Reed, 1972:

***********

BEFORE I FORGET!!

Again!!

Yesterday, the “Read an eBook Week” Sale over at Smashwords got underway!

For this week only, my THREE eBooks published there are FREE to download! ADUTLS ONLY!!! (“Thank you for your attention to this matter.” – DJT)

The Muse Revisited, Volume One: Early Erotica

The Muse Revisited, Volume Two: Erotic Novellas

The Muse Revisited, Volume Three: More Early Erotica

And the reason I say that only 3 of my eBooks are free over at Smashwords this time is because–

Freak Parade is now back at Kindle! And until Friday, it is free to download, if you are in Kindle Unlimited!!

Download it HERE! (Adults only!!!)

“The Independent Publishers Award-winning erotic novel, Freak Parade. Explicitly erotic and blisteringly hot, written by one of America’s top erotic authors, Freak Parade is also ‘a complex, literary novel, and yet one that is a real page-turner in the best sense. Lewis knows how to create compelling minor characters without wasting the reader’s time with descriptive prose that is too elaborate. Her dialogue is focused and believable, and it fairly sparkles off the page as one reads it. Perhaps best of all, her portrayal of the downtown Manhattan demimonde reveals her knowledge of and love for one of the most exciting periods in the history of the city, and it will appeal to everyone who was there or who wishes they had been there.’ —Ron Bass, In Search of the Wild and Wonderous“

Freak Parade was my first self-published novel, back in 2011, and not only did it win a prestigious publishing award in NYC right off the bat, but many thousands of you have bought and/or downloaded this book since then. Which has meant so much to me.

(Yes, this was the book that the new erotica imprint at Harlequin was set to publish for a six-figure advance at Christmas 2005, when the Editor-in-Chief at the time announced at a staff meeting that he would never publish a piece of filth like Freak Parade, ever, not in a million years… etc., etc.)

But on we went!! I eventually published it myself and it’s still here!

And until Friday, FREE to download at Kindle Unlimited.

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

Big City Lit, in NYC, announced that it has a new issue up — the Winter 2026 issue! Poetry, fiction, nonfiction and book reviews.

You can READ IT HERE. FREE!

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

And Sandra is calling sometime today.

And in about 15 minutes I have a phone call with my Accountant in NYC, so I gotta get moving here.

And then I will be working on CHECKING OFF more things from my “List of Things To Do Immediately”!!

So here’s this!!

Two photos of Nick Cave!!

Nick with 3 dolls — 2 of them Living Dolls, one doll of “Himself”:

And Nick smiling, young — unusual, in and of itself!! (Not the being young part, the smiling part!):

***********

And that’s it!!

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this!

I’ve posted it here before, but since it’s his birthday!!

One of the many demos I made of my song “Lou”. This one, I made with Peitor Angell and Stephen Blades, in Peitor’s studio apartment on the Upper West Side, back in the late 80s.

Yes, this is the version of “Lou” about which the beloved Bob Cato, who was still at Columbia Records back then and trying hard to get me a record deal, said, “Why are you singing like that? What am I supposed to do with this??”

[A little about Bob Cato: he “…designed and oversaw hundreds of albums for dozens of artists, forging lasting relationships with many, including The Band, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Janis Joplin, and Van Morrison.” You can see why it meant so much to me that Bob thought I had so much songwriting talent. He was such a wonderful human being, too. So kind. Invited me over to his house to meet his wife. Took me to lunch. Took an interest in my whole life.]

Anyway.

For Lou Reed. Enjoy, gang.

LOU

Come watch the rain
Wipe out the ballgame and 
Strike-out the names
Of players who’d gamble
With needles and dreams
In a game that’s as ruthless
as whiskey on speed

Who’ll call the game
On account of the rules being
Too tough to save
Any losers who’d forfeit
In a halo of fear?
Well, shame takes a holiday,
Let’s have a beer

CHORUS:
Fight, and maybe you’ll find
A reason to smile 
At the end of the line
Why don’t you fight?
Maybe you’ll win
And you’ll have some stories to tell 
For trying

Strike up a tune
For those who surrendered
And ducked out too soon;
Vice in the shadow
Was no easy crime
Let’s make it a double
For auld lang sine

You carve your name
In seasons of anger
of laughter and fame
To warn of the dangers
In packaging pain
For lives that get tossed
On account of the rain

© 1984 Marilyn Jaye Lewis
First of May Songs, BMI

I won’t go into everything I really think about what’s been going on with Iran for the past month or so, but I found this so interesting.

Ross K. Nichols posted this in his Patreon group about an hour ago and suddenly the timing of bombs this morning is making sense. Ross is a Biblical researcher and scholar. He’s not into politics:

Today is called Shabbat Zachor, which means the Sabbath of remembrance. There are additional readings from the ancient Torah cycle today on Shabbat Zachor, 1 Sam 15, and Deuteronomy 25:17-19.

This “special” Sabbath before Purim is associated with the killing of Haman, the Jew hating descendant of Agag (Esther 3:1; 9:24), who was the king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15).

Amalek is biblically the archenemy of God whose hand is against the throne of Yah (Exodus 17:8-16) and who attacked the weak and feeble continually (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).

The story of Haman’s foiled plot to kill the Jews in the book of Esther is the ultimate tale of turning the tables. The evil planned by Haman became the story of his own demise. The story is set in Persia, which is modern-day Iran.

Today in synagogues around the world, Jews will be hearing the message of the defeat of Amalek while the world wakes up to learn that U.S. and Israeli forces are jointly bombing targets in Iran.

As a Bible guy it’s not difficult to associate the characters of old stories with our modern cast. Let’s pray that Haman gets what he deserves, and that the world soon sees a new Cyrus leading the ancient, proud, and wonderful people of Iran. Cyrus, was, after all, the non Jewish messiah (Isaiah 45:1).

So today, I pray for the freedom of the people of Iran from the oppressive, and evil regime and for a possibility of peace that comes from this war.

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

Today is also the heavenly birthday of this guy.

Brian Jones in 1967 — Happy Heavenly Birthday:

***********

Today is also the 5th anniversary of the death of my adoptive mother.

One of the few nice memories I have of her is how she used to read to me from books we got in the mail from the Dr. Suess “I Can Read It All By Myself” book club, in the early 1960s.

By the time I was 2 years old, my mother had explained to me that I was adopted, that I had another mother somewhere. So when this book came into our home, it really, REALLY jumped out at me:

I still have the book. And the book has a happy ending, in case you aren’t familiar with it. (And my search for my birth mom has an ongoing happy ending, too, btw.)

Me and Wayne, visiting Cherie, my birth mom, while on our honeymoon in 1993. I love her t-shirt! (“Caution: I go from 0 to bitch in 4.2 seconds”):

***********

Speaking of mothers…

From James Tabor — A “deep dive” into his latest book, The Lost Mary:

“The materials contrast the traditional, theological image of a silent virgin with archaeological and textual evidence of a resilient Jewish matriarch who raised eight children. By examining the socio-political climate of Roman-occupied Galilee, the sources describe Mary as a working-class survivor whose family served as skilled builders in the city of Sepphoris. Tabor argues that later church dogma systematically erased Mary’s humanity, royal lineage, and revolutionary influence to fit a specific religious narrative. Ultimately, the text reclaims Mary as a pivotal leader and the primary source of the radical social ethics later championed by her son.” (29 mins):

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

Here’s this!!

The back cover copy of my upcoming novel from Parisian Phoenix Publishing, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder:

The publisher, Angel Ackerman, told me yesterday that they expect proofs and author copies in a few weeks (!!).

The official publication date will likely be in early September.

***********

And speaking of Jesus (sort of)!

Here’s this!

From my private desktop stash, Nick Cave onstage, drinking and sporting a JESUS tee!

And here’s this, minus the Jesus thing!

*********

And I think that’s it for now. I want to try to make a dent in some of the things on my “List of Things to Do Immediately” before I head into town to see my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man.

Here’s hoping we’re all gonna have a good Saturday, wherever we are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

*********

I leave you with this!

I am so totally loving this show, gang! (Short) “Riot Women” on Britbox/BBC: