My new schedule (Tuesdays, Weds., and Fridays) at the health & wellness store won’t start until next week. A co-worker needed me to work for her today, so I’m heading into town soon.

But I don’t mind at all. In fact, I’m curious how I’m gonna handle the new schedule — having 3 days off in a row — because I can barely handle having 2 days off in a row. I just go nutty when I’m all alone out here with no one to talk to…

Anyway!

I took this photo just now!!

The sun is coming up in the east, but you can still see the full moon through the trees in the west (across the road from my kitchen porch):

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Okay, remember how I recently posted that I was really liking the book, The Beat Hotel?

I’m about halfway through it now, and I’m basically forcing myself to keep reading it.

I realize the Beats were sort of, well, “dysfunctional” (?!), but it’s like the author doesn’t have a sane thing to attribute to any of them. Especially Jack Kerouac.

I also realize the author is presenting “the facts” as he sees them, but I’ve read so many books — especially letters, that these guys wrote to each other in the 1950s — and you get a whole different feel about what the men were going through, how they were experiencing each other and their lives, when it’s simply in their own words. Not filtered through someone else.

This book makes them all seem just fucking crazy. I don’t know if I’ll finish it, but I’m trying to.

And this book — the new memoir by Legs McNeil:

What can I say, these punks ARE all fucking crazy!! But mostly in a really joyful way. So I’m definitely sticking with that one for sure.

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But I think that reading The Beat Hotel before going to sleep last night was a mistake, because I just felt really angry. And sad. And frustrated with how these men’s lives were coming across.

However, by 3 in the morning, I awoke thinking about what Nick Cave had written in his Red Hand Files the other day, about Transcendental Meditation — I do meditate, daily, and have done it regularly since 2008 (and I guarantee you, it has kept me from committing suicide), but I’ve never done TM.

But suddenly, at 3 AM, John Lennon’s TM mantra was going over and over and over — and over — in my head. Until 4:30!! It was sort of incredible, gang.

I was drifting in and out of sleep, but the mantra kept going.

If you don’t know what John Lennon’s TM mantra was, it was famously part of the song, “Across the Universe”. His mantra was “jai guru deva om”.

“Across The Universe”

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a restless wind
Inside a letter box they
Tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing
Through my open ears inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns
And calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Nothing’s gonna change my world

Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva…

c -1970 Lennon/McCartney

I found that really interesting. How it popped up in my head like that. And it did seem to help.

I think I will make a specific effort, when I get stressed out again (every 14 seconds, basically), to go into Lennon’s mantra and see what happens.

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Okay!

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

Here’s this!!

Keith, in LA, on the Stones’ US tour of 1975!

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And how about this??!!

Johnny Cash in 1961 !!

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Warren Ellis plays the solo show tonight in Milan!!

He has at least one shoe already on!!

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And The Birthday Party, perhaps in Paris? But just because this is in French, doesn’t necessarily mean they were in France… I don’t know!

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And you know how some days I can barely find one photo of Nick Cave to post here?

Well, not today!! So take your pick!! Smoking. Not smoking. Great hair throughout!!

From facebook!

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And I guess that is going to be it for today, because I gotta scoot and get to town!!

I hope you enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And let’s close with this!

George Harrison, singing his famous mantra!!

“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare“

“My Sweet Lord”

My sweet Lord
Hm, my Lord
Hm, my Lord

I really want to see you
Really want to be with you
Really want to see you Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord

My sweet Lord
Hm, my Lord
Hm, my Lord

I really want to know you
Really want to go with you
Really want to show you Lord
That it won’t take long, my Lord (Hallelujah)

My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
Hm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)

I really want to see you
Really want to see you
Really want to see you, Lord
Really want to see you, Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord (Hallelujah)

My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
Hm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my, my Lord (Hallelujah)

I really want to know you (Hallelujah)
Really want to go with you (Hallelujah)
Really want to show you Lord (ahh)
That it won’t take long, my Lord (Hallelujah)

Hmm (Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my, Lord (Hallelujah)

Hm, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
Oh hm, my sweet Lord (Krishna, Krishna)
Oh-uuh-uh (Hare Hare)

Now, I really want to see you (Hare Rama)
Really want to be with you (Hare Rama)
Really want to see you Lord (ahh)
But it takes so long, my Lord (Hallelujah)

Hm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
My Lord (Hare Hare)
Hm, hm (Guru Brahma)
Hm, hm (Guru Vishnu)
Hm, hm (Guru Devo)
Hm, hm (Maheśvaraḥ
My sweet Lord (Guru Sākṣāt)
My sweet Lord (Para Brahma)
My, my, my Lord (Tasmai Srī)
My, my, my, my Lord (Guru Namah)
My sweet Lord (Hare Rama)

[fade:]

(Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Hare Krishna)
My sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
My Lord (Hare Hare)

c – 1970 George Harrison