Back At It!!

This will probably be a quick one, gang, because I need to head into town a little earlier than usual today.

But it is a stunning day (so far)!! So the drive to town should be really nice.

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The plot thickens over there in Vietnam!

On WhatsApp from Wayne this morning– he took his brother to get a “massage”!

I put the word “massage” in quotes because I know Wayne and those massages in the Far East. However!! Here it is! (Wayne is taking the photo.)

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From James Tabor–

“…in the Hellenistic world, in which a “Great Reversal” took place. Humans began to look to the heavenly world above as their true Home, whereas the Earth was seen as a dark lower world into which we have fallen–strangers in a strange land.”

When Heaven Replaced Earth (17 mins):

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I thought this was sort of incredible, gang.

I had never heard this interview with Tom Petty before and I started listening to it last night. A 1986 audio interview with Tom, regarding songwriting and the importance of rhythm guitar in a band, etc.

When Jas Obrecht asked Tom who his early influences were when he was just getting into music — I knew Tom was hugely influenced by Elvis when he was really young, but I had no idea that his first big influences were:

John Lennon! And Keith Richards!!

Fuck. That just felt so fucking weird that I stopped the interview there and will continue to listen tonight. (If you’re new to the blog, Lennon and Keith were my two first influences — they utterly changed my life when I was 11 & 12 years old.)

Tom Petty: The Complete 1986 “Guitar Player” Interview on Songwriting and Rhythm Guitar (52 mins):

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Okay!

Here’s this!!

An important lesson on “accountability” from Warren Ellis’s legs (and also his dog’s leg)!!

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Keith!!

In 1973!!

Heading into that Rotterdam rehearsal before the start of the Stones’ European Tour, 1973!! (Not sure if I mentioned that it was 1973, but it was in 1973!!)

(Photo by Adri Steenland)

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Oh, wait. Before I forget!

Some important “cat” updates.

Last night, Huckleberry let me pet her.

This is huge, gang.

She is 14 years old and has been with me for 13 and a 1/2 of those years. But she is a rescued feral — not domesticated. In all these years, she barely let me touch her, let alone pet her, as in, run my hand along her entire body several times.

And she was so content and happy to have me do it! It was amazing. So beautiful.

Huckleberry, on the right, about 9 years ago with one of her feral “kittens”, Weenie. He died last May, at age 12:

And Rasha’s mom came by yesterday, and she brought her little boy (almost 2 yrs old) and the boy’s daddy. They will all be staying here when I’m in NYC.

They were all so incredibly sweet. And the little family is getting back together, which makes me feel really happy for them. Honestly, they couldn’t have been sweeter. And they are so YOUNG!!

Anyway. Rasha was very happy to see her mom, but every single one of my cats hid from them. Except for Tiki, out on the kitchen porch.

I showed them the whole house but there wasn’t a single cat in sight. You’d think the only cat I had was Rasha — which is THEIR cat!!

FIFTEEN cats, gang!! And it literally looked like I had no cats at all.

The minute they left the house and drove away — BOOM — the cats were all back, zooming around.

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Okay.

Here’s this!!

Nick Cave sent out a FANTASTIC Red Hand File this morning!! Essentially about his professional relationship with Warren Ellis all these years. But also!! A whole lot about Spongebob Squarepants!!

I do not want to spoil it for you in any way — it was too fun — so you can read it in full, HERE!

But here’s a hint: