The end of a rather intense year!
And I am very eager to see what unfolds in 2026 and, while I don’t want Time to gallop away from me any faster than it already does, I don’t mind saying farewell to 2025!
ME (waving): “Bye, see ya!”
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Here’s this!
The other day was the anniversary of Rowland S. Howard’s death. He passed in 2009:
And here’s this, because I’m in that kind of mood today. “Autoluminescent,” Rowland S. Howard, from his album Teenage Snuff Film, 1999:
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And Phyllis Stein does it again!
She posted yet another great photo of Willy (Mink) DeVille!
And here’s this! “Cadillac Walk” from the album Cabretta, 1977:
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And I loved this photo–
Marc Bolan, in 1971:
And why not this?? From the above-mentioned album, the legendary “Bang A Gong (Get It On)”:
(And knowing me, gang, can you imagine me in my bedroom at age 11, hearing this amazing song for the first time??? Yes, I was only 11 when songs like “Brown Sugar,” “Maggie May,” “Walk On the Wild Side”, and “Bang A Gong,” among hundreds of other amazing songs, were on the fucking radio in my room!)
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Okay!! Anyway.
You are lucky ducks today!
James Tabor posted an edited version of the lecture from Sunday on Theophilus of Antioch to his YouTube channel.
Why You Probably Have Never Heard of Bishop Theophilus of Antioch! (47 mins):
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And another interesting read from Dr. Eli’s blog if you’re into it. This one is a 7-minute read:
Galatians within First-Century Judaism: Rethink Apostle Paul’s argument for Gentile Inclusion without Proselyte Conversion.
“In this article, we reread Paul’s letter to the Galatians—one of the earliest New Testament writings—from within the diverse landscape of first-century Judaism, avoiding later Christian supersessionist (replacement theology) assumptions. The letter addresses a crisis in the Galatian communities, where certain Jewish Christ-accepting evangelists were persuading Gentile believers that full membership in the people of God required adopting Torah observance in the manner of proselytes, including markers such as circumcision and kashrut. Paul vigorously opposes this view, arguing that Gentiles are incorporated into the Abrahamic promise through faith in the Jewish Messiah alone, without needing to become proselytes….”
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All right.
And it is with a heavy heart that I have come to the following decision!
I had a long conversation with Sandra on Monday about the best way to approach everything we need to focus on in 2026 and while it is going to take a TON of concentration and time to move forward with all 3 projects at the same time…
I also had a talk with my accountant on Monday and, even though, technically, I could retire if I really, really want to, I really will have to live frugally. More frugally than I had anticipated.
And while it’s doable, I’m worried that that’s going to cause me more stress than simply trying to juggle everything the way I always do. And it could put a serious damper on trips to NYC whenever I feel so inclined to go.
So, for now, I’m going to keep on working part-time, and just try to focus on everything at the same time — until I’m actually getting a significant paycheck again from something besides being a caregiver.
However!
Although I make no money from it at all, I still want to say thank you AGAIN, for all the downloads of my FREE erotic eBooks in the Smashwords Christmas Sale!
Today is the final day of the sale, and you guys have been just amazing. I think there have been more downloads during this sale than there have been in a couple years. So thank you, again, for all of the interest in all these really, really old books and stories!
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In other good news…
Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that I have had trouble finding a church out here in the Hinterlands that I actually want to attend.
Some of you know that there is a (200-year-old!!) Methodist Church literally 3 minutes from my house. You can see it from my window. And the woman who works at the local Dollar Store has invited me a few times over the years to stop in at the Wednesday night suppers.
But for some reason, I have always felt hesitant about going there. I didn’t really know why. My Ministry Degree is in an evangelical denomination, so Methodist is a cake walk compared to that. Still, for some reason, I had an aversion to going in. Although the little church is quite lovely:
Well, also on Monday, I was in the Dollar Store, as usual, and for some reason, I asked the woman about the Methodist church and she was very excited and said it’s no longer Methodist. It’s just a Christian Church. They have a brand new minister, and she was just very enthusiastic about all of it.
So I decided to finally check it out! After living 3 minutes away from it for almost 8 years…
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Okay, I think that’s it for now. It’s snowing out there and I have to head to town to see my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man!
Have a happy and healthy New Year’s Eve, wherever you are in the world, gang!
Thanks for visiting! (And, yes, for some reason I have gotten more visitors to the blog in 2025 than I’ve had in about 10 years… not joking about that!)
Anyway. Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Let’s leave 2025 with this!!
I know I’ve posted it here just recently, but here it is again, gang.
From my wee bonny girlhood, and the sort of “theme song” from my upcoming memoir, Joy; The Shortest Season.
“Joy” by Apollo 100. Enjoy, gang.
Marilyn's Room 