Tag Archives: 1954 Powder Blue Pickup by Marilyn Jaye Lewis

Here’s hoping for a beautiful day

October 5, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yesterday was — I don’t know — intense?

I didn’t really move from my desk yesterday, except to do yoga at the end of the day. I forced myself to even do that because I knew my body needed it. I was not 100%. (I am fine today, so I think the yoga helped.)

Luckily, my brain was fine yesterday so I was able to do some tweaking to the final chapter of the novel (like, about 6 hours’ worth of tweaking on 5 pages). I will take one more look at the ending this morning, before beginning the process of reading the manuscript from start to finish.

This is it, btw! 253 pages, just under 75K words.

As I was editing yesterday, I kept looking at the clock because I was worrying about my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man. I had called in sick yesterday, and I kept wondering how his day was going with a different caregiver (he doesn’t usually do too well with strangers). But I was convincing myself that everything was going okay with him.

And then, after what would have been about 2 hours into my shift with him, the Agency called me. Apologizing for calling me when I’m home sick. But the new caregiver couldn’t get my client to answer the front door. She couldn’t get in. For over 2 hours. He won’t answer the phone. They are ready to call Welfare Services to go in and make sure he is all right…

For fuck’s sake. The caregiver hadn’t even read the client’s case notes. He never, ever, EVER answers the front door. You have to let yourself in the backway. He was probably still sound asleep in bed, and without his hearing aids in, he can’t hear anything — not the doorbell, not the phone ringing.

Instead of standing there and panicking for 2 hours, read the fucking notes! Jeez.

Well, anyway. That kind of upset me…

And I had to keep reminding myself that I have my own life, too, and to re-focus on the manuscript.

When an hour went by and they hadn’t called me back, I knew everything was fine and I could just move forward. But it is hard for me — especially with that specific client — to create a line where my private life starts.

But I am at least that much closer to sending the manuscript off to the publisher. I am really, really curious to see how the book reads now, from start to finish.

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Okay.

Here’s this!

Keith, backstage in Kansas City, 1981!

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And here’s this!!

In case you forgot!!

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And here’s this.

This is actually part of what James Tabor talked about in his lecture during the New Testament Conference on the Historical Jesus last weekend.

Did Jesus Predict His Suffering and Death Or Was that Added After the Fact? (44 mins):

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And honestly, I think that’s it for now.

I want to get back to the ending of the book before I have to leave for my shift with the retired Minister and his lovely cat & wife! (But I have tomorrow off again (!!), and then after that, I begin a really insane month of caregiving.)

Oh! But I texted my Q-following friend and told her: help! I need something fun to look forward to! So on Saturday, Oct. 18th, after my shift, she and I are meeting for lunch HERE!! Yay!

Okay! Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this, for a beautiful slow moving Sunday.

From the album, Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 2014.

“Full Grown Boy”. Enjoy, gang.

“Full Grown Boy”

I like to move on sure and easy
Like a cat creeps through the grass
And the full moon seems to know me
‘Cause I’ve found myself at last
And I’m a full-grown boy

And there’s laughter on the hillside
From voices far away
How am I gonna tell her that I love her?
When this might not be the day
And I’m a full-grown boy

Yeah
My mind floats away
Yeah
And I’m changing every day

Can you see her in the firelight
Hear how soft and low she sings
How am I gonna tell her that I love her?
When words don’t mean a thing
And I’m a full-grown boy

c- 2014 Tom Petty

An Unexpected Saturday

October 4, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yesterday was strange as heck, gang.

If you saw my post from yesterday morning, I mentioned being really tired.

Well, it spiraled down from there. And even though my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man had an INCREDIBLE time at our lunch at the clubhouse, the shift absolutely wore me out. Plus, driving to his house, then the drive to the clubhouse, then back to his house, then back to my own house — 100 miles of driving for me. (On top of being responsible for the wellbeing of a 95-year-old man for 4 hours…)

By the time I got home yesterday, I could barely move and I could barely think straight. (Oh, and LUCKILY (!) my lawncare guy was here when I got home, trimming my hedges for the end of the season. And I was then forced to try to converse with him coherently for a few minutes. Yay!)

Anyway. Luckily, he’s spoken to me before, so he knows I’m not usually out of my fucking mind.

Well, as the evening went on, and after I had dinner, etc., I still wasn’t any better so I decided last night that I’d better call off for today and give the Agency time to find a replacement for me for this morning.

So I have today off.

I feel a lot better today, but I’m moving really slowly. Trying to regain my focus. My life beyond being a caregiver. And I think the “feeling better” part comes from knowing I can just sit at my desk today and do some tweaking on the novel.

Now I don’t have to be anywhere until late tomorrow afternoon, when I go to my shift with the retired Minister and his wife (and cat).

Oh, and remember how, yesterday, I had made up my mind to tell the Agency next week that I need to drop that one account that I just don’t have the stamina for?

Guess who contacted the Agency, saying what a wonderful caregiver I was? That I was so gentle and patient? Yes. The very same client.

Ack!!

So, obviously, that’s beautiful. But now I can’t really tell the Agency to remove them from my schedule…

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So on we go.

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Okay, well at least there is THIS!!

From Instagram this morning!! Wow.

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And now I’m going to go down to the kitchen and get another cup o’Joe —

–and take a look at this novel that’s on my laptop!! (and btw — I got an email from the publisher yesterday, saying that she was “very excited to review this manuscript”, so I really wanna get at it. And get it off to her!)

Okay. Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this. Just’ cause it still keeps me hanging in there. Okay. See ya.

What A Relief!

October 3, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Wow, even though I know I will need to tweak the pages I wrote yesterday, it feels incredible to have finally finished that novel!

I already alerted the publisher that I will be sending over the manuscript soon, but first I will have to read through it again from start to finish, and make sure it all holds together by the end.

And I’ll also be sending it over to Wayne. And I will be eager to hear his response, since he is always honest with me. And has basically read everything I’ve ever written.

Wayne, reading basically everything I’ve ever written.

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And not only did I spend about 7 hours on the novel yesterday, I spent an additional TWO HOURS on the phone with Sandra.

Things in that part of my world are going to get really busy soon, and that is a double-relief — regarding finally having finished the novel. I am really going to need the brain-space to be able to focus.

(I will talk more about that incredible project when I can, gang.)

Meanwhile, she has a quick theater piece that she’ll be doing at the end of October, but I didn’t get enough notice, so I can’t get to NYC to see it. So I’m a little disappointed.

But I have decided that next week, I’m going to talk to my supervisor at the Agency again and, even though I really hate to do it, I’m going to ask to be removed from one of my accounts because it takes too much time and energy for me. I just don’t have the stamina for it. I have to be able to focus on the writing now, too.

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I don’t really have much to say today, gang. I’m sort of wiped out from yesterday — but in a good way. I’m wiped out but I feel such a sense of relief.

And pretty soon here, I have to leave for town and get my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man ready for our adventure at the clubhouse!! (I’m hoping that his private nurse had him shave yesterday, because he really hates shaving and he really needed a shave when I was over there on Wednesday. We shall soon see!)

But it’s a perfect fall day here today and I feel pretty confident that we’re going to have a really great adventure!

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I want to mention here — if you’re a long-time reader of this lofty blog, you might remember this episode in my life during the vax crisis a few years ago, when I was the night manager at the old train station-turned bar/coffee shop.

I met a young woman there who had recently had a miscarriage after her mom had forced her to get the c*vid vax. And then after that, her menstrual cycle was totally screwed up and she could not get pregnant again. She was devastated and when she went to her doctor to tell him (rather emotionally) that the vax had killed her baby and totally fucked up her body, he wound up committing her to a psych ward for 72 hours (!!). (They literally carted her away against her will.)

By the time she and I met, she was in a really bad place, emotionally. But when she told me what had happened to her, I got her on an intensive natural supplement protocol to detox her body from the vax right away.

Within 2 months, her menstrual cycle got back to normal and she was thrilled. Just really, really happy.

And yesterday, I’m very happy to say, she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Yay.

(I think this guy is smiling with me right now, from wherever he is.)

Jack Red Eagle, Lakota Sioux Medicine Man

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And I think that’s it.

And in the back of my brain, I’m waiting to see which project I will undertake next — aside from my work with Sandra, that is. I have 2 memoirs in progress, 3 additional novels in progress, and a memoir that I haven’t even started yet, but that I’ve been making notes on for over a year already.

So we shall see.

Enjoy your Friday, gang, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this!

Strange as it may seem, but in its own way, it fueled the final pages of The Curse of Our Profound Disorder.

Michael Jackson, “In Our Small Way”, 1972. From his wonderful album, Got To Be There. Enjoy, gang.

“In Our Small Way”

Maybe you and I can’t do great things
We may not change the world in one day
But we still can change some things today
In our small way

Empty words are not enough
Where there’s hurt, we’ll be a crutch
When there’s thirst, we’ll fill each other’s cup
Because we care, we love
Enough to share (Enough to share)

[Chorus]
Maybe you and I can’t do great things (Do great things)
We may not change the world in one day
But we still can change some things today (Today)
In our small way

In despair, we’ll be the hope (Be the hope)
And the prayer that frees the soul (Frees the soul)
We’ll be there to share each lonely road (Lonely road)
Because we love, I know (I know)
We care enough, yeah (We care enough)

[Chorus]
Maybe you and I can’t do great things (Do great things)
We may not change the world in one day
But we still can change some things today (Today)
In our small way

[Bridge]
Just a little time is all it takes (Just a little time is all it takes)
What a difference just a smile can make, you’ll see (We’ve got)
Love is all we need (We’ve got love, yeah)

[Chorus]
Maybe you and I can’t do great things
We may not change the world in one day
(But we still) But we still can change some things today
In our small way
(La-la-la la-la-la-la-la) Ooh
(La-la-la-la la-la-la la-la) Ooh
(La-la)
(La-la la-la la-la-la-la-la)
(La-la-la-la la-la-la la-la)

c – 1972 Elliot Willensky, Christine Yarian, Beatrice Verdi

Aiming for another triumph today!

October 2, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Okay, so I have the day off today, but I have chores and stuff to do around this crazy cat-filled house, so I’m trying not to get frustrated.

As always, I really, really, really just want to focus on the novel. I made such great progress on Tuesday.

I am so close to writing “The End”, gang. So we shall see.

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First off!

I found the best pair of glasses at the eye place yesterday! I just love them. They are those kind that seem almost rimless — like you’re not even wearing glasses.

They will be ready on October 14th! Finally, I will be able to stop trying to see things through a pair of cracked lenses. Yay.

Unfortunately, I had to choose between getting a blue-light-blocking filter, or an anti-glare filter. And since I have a really intense stigmatism, I had to get the anti-glare, or driving at night would become absolutely hopeless. So I will have to keep the blue-light-blocking readers, too.

But on we go.

Yes! I was able to find these EXACT glasses! Can’t wait! Now I just need a new hair stylist, to help me capture that “natural” look!.

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Speaking of fashion!!

Maybe, just maybe, the actual Johnny ~~Smoke~~ DEPP was at the Dior Womenswear Spring/Summer 26 show in Paris yesterday! (He wasn’t smoking, so, you know, it’s hard to be certain.)

However…

There were tons of photos on Instagram, yesterday, and I chose this one:

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And the official trailer for the TV-streamer adaptation of Nick Cave’s wonderful novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, dropped yesterday, too!

The actors don’t look anything like how I pictured the characters to look in my head, but it still looks like it might just follow the novel pretty closely. I guess we’ll see! (Well, I don’t actually know if we’ll be able to see it in the US, but I hope so!!)

“After his wife’s death, a sex-addicted door-to-door salesman and self-professed lothario Bunny Munro (Matt Smith) takes his young son on a chaotic sales tour around Brighton and beyond, where he is forced to confront what kind of man—and father—he really is.” (1 min):

And just to refresh your memory–

My copy of the novel!! I read it in 2 days! (Only putting it down the first night when my eyes gave out.) What a fun book this was. (Well, I mean, you have to preface that “fun” comment by who’s making it…) Anyway.

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My shift yesterday with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man was really great, gang.

I don’t want to get my hopes up or anything. It wasn’t like he was suddenly altogether fine. But he was focused and had more clarity than he’s had in a while. We talked about all kinds of cool things yesterday and he was able to keep up with all of it.

Tomorrow, we will return here for lunch!

The beautiful clubhouse at the golf course, that has those fantastic views!

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Other than that, though, gang, I kinda have to scoot!

I really want to make some progress in the novel today — which also includes tweaking what I wrote on Tuesday. (Plus, I have a phone chat with Sandra today and you never know what those chats will do to my writing schedule!!)

I’ll close with this, since today is the 8th anniversary of Tom Petty’s passing:

For about 2 hours this morning — from the moment I woke at 4:45AM, until breakfast was all over — I played “Southern Accents” live. (Not the version I posted yesterday. The version that’s on “The LIVE Anthology”. It is breathtaking.)

Well, I miss him, gang. What more can I say?

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Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you, guys. See ya!

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Let’s leave with this!

A beautiful song, written after his divorce from Jane, his heroin addiction, his detox, then his marriage to Dana and the start of his new life.

Also from “The LIVE Anthology,” a really great version of “Square One” (originally from his solo album, Highway Companion, 2006).

Enjoy, gang.

“Square One”

Had to find some higher ground
Had some fear to get around
You can’t say what you don’t know
Later on won’t work no more
Last time through, I hid my tracks
So well I could not get back
Yeah, my way was hard to find
Can’t sell your soul for peace of mind

Square one, my slate is clear
Rest your head on me my dear
It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears
It took a long time to get back here

Try so hard to stand alone
Struggle to see past my nose
Always had more dogs than bones
I could never wear those clothes
It’s a dark victory
You won and you also lost
Told her you were satisfied
But it never came across

Square one, my slate is clear
Rest your head on me my dear
It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears
It took a long time to get back here

Square one, my slate is clear
Rest your head on me my dear
It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears
It took a long time to get back here
Square one, my slate is clear
Rest your head on me my dear
It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears
It took a long time to get back here

c- 2006 Tom Petty

Triumphant!

October 1, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yay. Yesterday was a really productive day, gang.

It took a while for the words to start coming, but I ended the day with 5 new pages in Chapter 14. And, as I mentioned in yesterday morning’s post, the chapter took a whole new turn that I hadn’t been expecting.

And I can now see the end of the novel. Meaning, I now know how it ends. I’m guessing 10-15 more pages, but we’ll see!

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These two new books arrived yesterday! (Like I didn’t have enough reading to do!!)

The Complete Works of Josephus. Well, I’m not planning on sitting down and reading that anytime soon (1150 pages). I just wanted to have it in print. Instead of in short digital files here and there in folders on my desktop. Between Josephus and Eusebius — these are the earliest mentions of the historical Jesus, with Josephus being the first source. But Josephus’s works also contain an amazing amount of detailed history from Jesus’s time (and James’s and John the Baptist’s), since Josephus lived in, essentially, the same era of Jerusalem, the Galilee and Rome as they did.

The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus is the new book by James Tabor!! I am into Chapter 2 already. It promises to be a really thorough document about what we can actually know about Jesus’ mother, the historical Mary. (Meaning — everything the theologians purposely left out of the New Testament about her, in order to better position Jesus Christ as being Divine.)

James Tabor’s short promo for the new book (5 mins):

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In other exciting news!! And sort of related!!

Today is the day that I go here after my shift —

— and FINALLY get new glasses.

I have needed new glasses forever. Something like 2 years already. And it’s going to help a lot with all this reading I’m trying to do.

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Here’s this!!

From Instagram. A very rare find, indeed!!

A photo of Keith Richards with a guitar and a cigarette!!

I don’t think it completes my set of 17 hundred trillion photos of Keith with a guitar and a cigarette, but I bet it’s getting close!!

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And someone posted this back on Nick’s birthday last week, but I just saw it yesterday.

He looks a little, well, “stressed” but I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen this photo before.

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Regarding the tone of everything going on out there right now — Truthers are predicting we have finally entered Red October, with the 10 days of darkness and EBS coming post haste.

I guess we shall see, gang. But it all still seems pretty exciting to me. Meaning, underneath all the noise.

And Mike King has an interesting update about the National Guard.

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Okay, I think that’s it for now.

I want to take a quick look at the novel before I scurry out the door and head to my shift with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man!

And then, tomorrow– another day off before my October schedule sort of becomes the schedule from Hell…

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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With the 8th anniversary of Tom Petty’s death coming tomorrow, I leave you with this.

A really great version of “Southern Accents” from the “Pack Up the Plantation LIVE 1985” movie.

“Southern Accents” , from the album of the same name (1985), is a song Tom wrote primarily about the death of his mother. Such a beautiful song, but this live version is just spectacular.

Enjoy, gang.

“Southern Accents”

There’s a southern accent, where I come from
The young ‘uns call it country
The Yankees call it dumb

I got my own way of talkin’
But everything is done, with a southern accent
Where I come from

Now that drunk tank in Atlanta’s
Just a motel room to me
Think I might go work Orlando
If them orange groves don’t freeze

I got my own way of workin’
But everything is run, with a southern accent
Where I come from

For just a minute there I was dreaming
For just a minute it was all so real
For just a minute she was standing there, with me

There’s a dream I keep having
Where my mama comes to me
Then kneels down over by the window
And says a prayer for me

I got my own way of prayin’
But every one’s begun
With a southern accent
Where I come from

I got my own way of livin’
But everything gets done
With a southern accent
Where I come from

c – 1985 Tom Petty

Well, here’s hoping today is splendid

September 30, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Although it didn’t get off to its most auspicious start. But we’ll see.

For some reason, I am so tired this morning. And after breakfast, I went back to bed with my cup of coffee, as I always do, but this time, instead of meditating, I fell back to sleep for over an hour.

Ack!

But here I am at my desk now and on we go.

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So, yesterday was really frustrating. Even though I took the walk, did the yoga, studied the Protestant Reformation lecture, studied French.

I also sat at my desk for about 5 hours and NOTHING came. NOTHING.

I tweaked a tiny bit from Chapter 13, but nothing new for Chapter 14 hit the page. Even though I have a page of notes on things that need to be in Chapter 14. Nothing came.

I finally gave up, closed down the laptop. Did the yoga. Studied the lecture. Made dinner. Then got in the shower...

And suddenly — in the shower, water of course spraying all over me — suddenly, Chapter 14 began regaling itself to me. With many details, including conversations between characters. It couldn’t have been more different from the page of notes I’d already been staring at for 5 hours…

Wow.

So of course, I had to hurry up, dash out of the shower — basically dripping wet and wrapped in a towel — go to my desk and scribble down the notes as quickly as I could before they went off to the ether.

Me, yesterday —

OOPS! No, I meant — ME, yesterday —

So, this is a GOOD thing! And I’m hoping that these new notes make it to the page today.

We shall soon see, gang. When I read over the notes this morning, I was really happy with the direction they were going in.

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Before I forget — whoever updated my Wikipedia page — Wow, thank you!

I hadn’t actually looked at it in years, and yesterday I saw that some novels had been added. Thank you!

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Okay.

Here’s this from yesterday!

I glanced over and saw Bobby McGee asleep under the printer stand next to me! Too effing cute!!

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Okay.

Here’s this!

It’s back from Sept. 23rd, when Nick Cave got the new Honorary Doctorate, but I just saw it yesterday. I think it’s the only photo I’ve seen from that day where he was actually smiling!

And dark & early this morning…

Nick Cave sent out a new Red Hand File. It was kind of intense. I was actually kind of amazed that he was willing to answer that specific question — about where he stands on things, currently. Because it seems like then everybody goes after him for what he says. But answer it, he did!

He says, in part (and this is decidedly only in part):

“…I do not believe that silence is violence, complicity, or a lack of courage, but rather that silence is often the preferred option when one does not know what they are talking about, or is doubtful, or conflicted – which, for me, is most of the time. I am mainly at ease with not knowing and find this a spiritually and creatively dynamic position. I believe that there are times when it is almost a sacred duty to shut the fuck up….”

You can read it in full HERE.

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Meanwhile…

I’m kind of keeping my one stray eye on the talk going on right now in Virginia with Hegseth, Trump and military leaders.

It’s intense.

Not a direct quote from Hegseth but close: “No more dudes in dresses… no more gender delusions. We are done with that shit.”

Needless to say, that only piles on the stress regarding certain projects currently going on in my life (for 11 years). (i.e., “The Guide to Being Fabulous”). But on we go.

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Okay, I guess I better close this and get to work on The Curse of Our Profound Disorder.

I hope you have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this!

Late night listening music!!

(I really love my new boombox! I was playing Disc 1 of this 4-CD collection last night, after dark, in my bed. Windows open. Crickets. Fall breeze. So cool.)

One of my TOP 5 all-time favorite Tom Petty songs!

“Here Comes My Girl,” 1979. From Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ The LIVE Anthology, 2009. Enjoy, gang.

“Here Comes My Girl”

You know sometimes, I don’t know why
But this old town just seems so hopeless
I ain’t really sure, but it seems I remember the good times
Were just a little bit more in focus

But when she puts her arms around me
I can somehow rise above it
Yeah, man, when I got that little girl standing right by my side
You know, I can tell the whole wide world “Shove it!” Hey!

Hey, here comes my girl, here comes my girl
Yeah, she looks so right, she is all I need tonight

Every now and then, I get down to the end of a day
I have to stop, ask myself why I’ve done it
It just seems so useless to have to work so hard
And nothin’ ever really seem to come from it

And then she looks me in the eye, says, “We’re gonna last forever”
And man, you know I can’t begin to doubt it
No, ’cause it just feels so good and so free and so right
I know we ain’t never gonna change our minds about it

Hey, here comes my girl, here comes my girl
Yeah, she looks so right, she is all I need tonight

Watch her walk

Yeah, every time it seems like there ain’t nothin’ left no more
I find myself havin’ to reach out and grab hold of somethin’
Yeah, I just catch myself wonderin’, waitin’, worryin’
About some silly little things that don’t add up to nothin’

And then she looks me in the eye, says, “We’re gonna last forever,”
And man, you know I can’t begin to doubt it
No, ’cause it just feels so good and so free and so right
I know we ain’t never gonna change our minds about it

Hey, here comes my girl, here comes my girl
Yeah, she looks so right, she is all I need tonight

That’s right
That’s right!

c- 1979 Tom Petty, Mike Campbell

Day Off! Yes!!

September 29, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Let’s see…

I’ve already been to the ATM and back, because I checked my bank balance to see if the car payment had been deducted and what to my wondering eyes should appear???

No, it hadn’t been deducted yet, but I was 50 cents shy of being able to cover it!! And the bank would be opening in 45 minutes. And that would mean a $34 overdraft fee. For being 50 cents short on the car payment.

So out of bed I got; got dressed I got; and while I was heading downstairs anyway, got the laundry started, and then off I went to put more money into the bank. (And it’s another really beautiful morning out there!)

And you know, I’m feeling really blessed around here this morning, because something told me to look at that bank balance!! (No, I don’t keep much money in the bank — only enough to cover bills.) (And did you see the price of GOLD this morning??? $3,800 per troy ounce!!)

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Before I forget —

Look what il donaldo trumpo posted last night:

“WE’LL DEFINITELY NEED MORE POPCORN THIS WEEK!!!😎🇺🇸🍿🍿🍿”

(Like we can handle any MORE of this movie!! I guess we’ll see!)

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And also.

I thought this was interesting, gang.

And I hate to always be prefacing stuff about Richard Grenell by saying that “he’s gay” because he probably has other things going on in his illustrious life that are more important to him than his sexual preferences, but anyway.

You know how people are always trying to say that Trump is against gay people…

Okay, from Grenell’s Truth Social account last evening:

“Where are the Arts reporters now?

This group of wokesters have spent decades not understanding finances or budgeting – pushing for more radical programming for the elites at the expense of the rest of us.

@realDonaldTrump asked us to make changes to the Kennedy Center in order to save it. He was right!

Last year, the Kennedy Center NSO Gala raised $1.3 million.

🚨🚨🚨
Last night we brought in $3.4 million – more money than we have ever raised.

We are saving the Kennedy Center and showing Arts institutions across the country that commonsense programming and responsible budgeting will bring in many more donors and corporate sponsors.”

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Okay, well, speaking of feeling blessed around here.

My shift last evening with the retired Minister and his wife (and cat), was rather remarkable.

During the final hour of my shift, we were all sitting outside (well, not the cat), because it was a really lovely evening. Just perfect. And for that entire hour — for whatever reason — the retired Minister spoke in detail about what it was like when he was in his teens and got the calling to become a Minister. All the various emotions that entailed, and what he did about it, and the schools he attended and why. And his feelings about being a young preacher and then how to help his various parishioners over the years, etc.

And I was spellbound. Because – yes! — I realized that these types of thoughts and feelings were currently missing from the Minister character in my novel and I suddenly saw that I needed to add that whole layer to his character. (The Minister is the primary character at the end of the book.)

I left the shift feeling a little speechless. Like, where did all that come from?? So suddenly? And it wound up being so helpful to me.

And today, I’m guessing I will take a walk. Do yoga. Study another lecture in the Protestant Reformation series. Probably study a little more French before the evening is over.

But other than that!!!

Yay. A whole day to myself to work on the NOVEL!!

My mind is already doing that thing it does when something new is getting ready to hit the page.

I really have to make good use of my 3 days off this week, because not only is October loaded with difficult shifts, the Agency slipped 2 more shifts in at the end of the month. (Meaning, the last 2 weeks of October, I will only have one day off each week.) (But it’s with that woman I really adore, who lives in that huge split-level home, behind the Bryn Du Mansion, that you need a map to find the bathroom in.)

Anyway. I feel like a lot is riding on this week.

***********

(I can’t tell you how much I want to put in a request for a few days off in November and just go to NYC and hang out by myself in Midtown for a couple of days.)

(But soon enough, I will need to go there to work with Sandra, so I kinda need to save my $$ for that.)

***********

Okay.

Here’s what 1988 looked like, in case you were too young to experience it!!!

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And I guess that’s it! I’m gonna get started here.

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

I leave you with this!

Yes, more from the playlist of songs I was playing a lot back in 2022!

(And who wouldn’t play this song a lot if they could???) (Preachers seem to feature heavily in my world, don’t they?)

Dusty Springfield, “Son of A Preacher Man”, 1968. Enjoy, gang!!

“Son Of A Preacher Man”

Billy-Ray was a preacher’s son
And when his daddy would visit he’d come along
When they gathered round and started talkin’
That’s when Billy would take me walkin’
All through the backyard we’d go walkin’
Then he’d look into my eyes
Lord knows to my surprise

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was
Ooh, yes he was

Being good isn’t always easy
No matter how hard I try
When he started sweet-talkin’ to me
He’d come and tell me everything is all right
He’d kiss and tell me everything is all right
Can I get away again tonight?

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was
(Ooh…) Lord knows he was
Yes he was

How well I remember
The look that was in his eyes
Stealin’ kisses from me on the sly
Takin’ time to make time
Tellin’ me that he’s all mine
Learnin’ from each other’s knowing
Lookin’ to see how much we’ve grown

And the only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was
Ooh, yes he was

The only one who could ever reach me
He was the sweet-talking son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
I kissed the son of a preacher man
The only one who could ever move me
The sweet-lovin’ son of a preacher man
The only one who could ever groove me
Ahh, ooh, ahh….

c – 1968 John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins

Happy Sunday from the Hinterlands!

September 28, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Okay, let me see… Yes! The Agency has texted me no less than THREE times, wanting me to work tomorrow!!

But alas, it is my DAY OFF.

I want to work on MY NOVEL.

I get so tired of saying no because it makes me feel awful, however.

Not getting this novel done makes me feel worse.

So. Decline, decline, decline — as politely as I can, gang. Before I’ve even gotten out of bed…

And now. Onward.

***********

Today, there are TWO Zoom meetings with James Tabor.

So yet another conundrum.

One is at 11:30AM, for his private Patreon group. It will only be one hour. Technically, I can tune in, but it means not working on the novel before I leave for my shift.

He is in Athens, Greece, and preparing for his talk this afternoon for the New Testament Conference. Which is the second Zoom meeting for today. I am actually going to try to tune in to that one while I’m having lunch and then driving to town for my shift with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat…

But listening while driving is not my idea of “attending” the Conference, because I’ll miss the slide presentation. But I guess we’ll just try to adjust.

Otherwise, I have to find time later in the week to watch the replay, when I would rather be working on my NOVEL….

Ack!

**********

I’m feeling inordinately stressed now because this coming week is my last week with 3 days off. Then the following week, my schedule changes for the rest of the month.

I will still have 2 days off each week, but the clients that are back in my schedule are some extremely cognitive-impaired ones and it is going to be exhausting.

And just thinking about it is exhausting.

Try as I might to just take each moment as it comes… Well, I’m not super good at that.

*********

Okay!

Well, at least there’s this!

How fucking gorgeous is this?? From 1973 (I think):

Nick Cave, in his “Angel” phase. I think it was a really short-lived phase, but don’t quote me on that.

**********

And today marks one year since Kris Kristofferson left us.

I cannot believe it’s been a year already. For fuck’s sake!! Jesus.

“The Taker”

He’s a giver, he’ll give her
The kind of attention that she’s never known
He’s a teacher, he’ll teach her
To open the doors that she can’t on her own
He’s a lover, he’ll love her
In ways that she never has been loved before
And he’s a getter, he’ll get her
By gettin’ her into the world she’s been hungryin’ for

He’s a charmer, and he’ll charm her
With money and manners that I never learned
He’s a leader, and he’ll lead her
Across pretty bridges he’s planning to burn
He’s a talker, he’ll talk her
Right off of her feet, but he won’t talk for long
Cause he’s a doer, and he’ll do her
The way that I never
But damned if he won’t do her wrong

Cause he’s a taker, he’ll take her
To places and make her fly higher than she’s ever dared to
He’ll take his time before takin’ advantage
Takin’ her easy and slow
And after he’s taken the body and soul
That she gives him, he’ll take her for granted
Then he’ll take off and leave her
Takin’ all of her pride as he goes

c- 1971 Kris Kristofferson

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

Okay, well. At least I’m still loving my new boombox, gang!

And I am, indeed, finding time to study French the old-fashioned way every evening before I call it a day (is that a mixed-metaphor?).

I’m using the textbook that goes along with the “French in 3 Months” cassettes, writing down my answers to the exercises. And even though this is all stuff I already know, it sort of solidifies it in my brain and it feels so different from using the phone app every day. It actually makes my brain feel great.

Even though the phone app sometimes throws in vocabulary that is new to me, I don’t retain it because it just goes by so fast. So I’m really enjoying going back to doing things the old way.

Just FYI, though — it is really formal French, and once you get off the plane in Paris, absolutely no one speaks that way and you’re in over your head in a nano second. But I don’t think I’ll be going back to Paris any time soon, so I don’t really care. I’m just enjoying the process.

***********

This morning, this has been burning up a few different accounts that I follow on telegram — about DJT posting an AI video about Medbeds on Truth Social. It could be really exciting, so I share it here.

(And so much great stuff seems like it is right on the cusp of exploding, gang. It is really, really starting to get exciting. If you’re able to see past all the relentless optics, noise, psyops, etc.)

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

Okay, well. I guess I’ll close this for now and try to work on the novel before the first Zoom meeting of the day gets underway.

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

I leave you with this!!!

Yes, more from the playlist of songs I was listening to in 2022!

You know, gang, it is a really fun playlist. I am really enjoying every single song that comes up! (See yesterday’s post if you missed the first 3 songs I apparently had in top rotation 3 years ago.)

I’ll list 3 more here today — and I’m posting them the same way they come up on the playlist. It’s too funny! Enjoy, gang!

“Aquarius”, Original Broadway Cast, 1968:

“Coal Miner’s Daughter,” 1970, Loretta Lynn:

“Breathless”, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, 2004:

Trying to stay in HappyLand over here

September 27, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yesterday was — I don’t know — a challenge?

I don’t want to say it was a bad day. But I’m hoping today will be better.

Things with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man were quite beautiful, but he is still declining. But he is making such an amazing effort to communicate with me. Things he wants me to know before he “goes upstairs”. It is such an incredible spiritual gift.

Today, I have decided to ask him if I can have his Bible. He doesn’t read it anymore but he cherishes it. It was given to him by a friend of his in NYC — his mechanic, actually — back in October of 1951.

I feel 100% absolutely certain that his family will simply throw it away when the time comes. And that would break my heart. So I’ll see what he says. But I want to make sure he understands that I want to take it and not bring it back.

Meanwhile — our sashimi and sake went splendidly yesterday. And here were our fortunes. The top one was his — and he read it and nodded his head, and said, “Yes.” (Mine, below that, was sort of the story of my life.)

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

Okay.

So the New Testament Conference began last evening — this year’s topic is the Historical Jesus. And as you know I have been really looking forward to it, since that is probably my most favorite topic of all time.

But I was so disappointed in last night’s opening speaker — Elaine Pagles, whom I usually love. I just felt like her presentation was about the theological Jesus — known as Jesus Christ — and not about the historical Jesus at all (Jesus of Nazareth). I found it so frustrating.

I was actually even a little depressed when it was over because my hopes had been so high.

Today’s speakers are happening primarily during my shift, so I won’t be able to access the replay until they release it in a couple of days.

And the same goes for tomorrow — James Tabor’s presentation will be during my shift with the retired Minister and his wife.

But on we go.

***********

I was also really frustrated with Phil’s livestream last night.

I’m reasonably sure he’s still doing this on purpose– because of new followers, people who are just starting to wake up to what’s really going on out there in the world. And he probably doesn’t want to scare them off.

But I just find it so frustrating. I miss the days when he could just come out and say stuff.

However, if you missed it, here is the replay.

***********

And Here’s this!

From this morning, when I was having my coffee in bed — and this doesn’t count Saffie, who was at my left shoulder, and Cuddles, who was at my right shoulder (those are my legs down in the middle of all that):

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

If you want to contribute to a fundraiser for BigCityLit Magazine in NYC, you can visit here:

“The eclectic online literary journal BigCityLit has been publishing outstanding poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction from a diverse community since 2000. The founders, Nick Johnson and Maureen Holm, had carried the entire financial responsibility of keeping the journal afloat. Now that they are both gone, we are appealing for renewed support.

With the money you donate, the editors will be able to pay for webmaster fees, domain renewals, web hosting, and the maintenance of the website….”

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

And I think that’s it for today.

I’m hoping to get some work done on the novel tomorrow, before heading out to my shift with the retired Minister and his wife.

Even a paragraph would be nice, since it’s a new chapter and I’m almost at the end of the novel. So a paragraph would at least give me a sense of where it’s going. Well, I know where it’s going, I just don’t know yet exactly how I’m going to get there!

But as of now, I have 3 days off this coming week. So I hope to take full advantage of that and be planted at my desk.

**********

And that’s it for now.

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

I leave you with this!

I decided to play the playlist of songs I was listening to in 2022!!

Quite eclectic, I must say!!

I’ve decided to post the Top 3 songs I was listening to that year, because they could not be more different from one another. But I love ALL of these songs, still! Enjoy, gang.

At the top of the playlist!!!

“Fleeting Love” 2008, from B-Sides & Rarities Part II (2021), Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds:

Followed by Trini Lopez singing, “If I had a Hammer”, 1963:

The Seekers singing “Georgy Girl” 1966!!

Everything’s Looking Pretty Good!

September 26, 2025 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, not out there in the world, it isn’t, but here in the remote reaches of Crazeysburg, things are actually great.

(And before I forget, Phil is supposed to be live tonight at 8PM eastern, with intel. But check here later to confirm. ) (Although, things are actually going pretty great out there in the world, too, if you’ve got your discernment goggles on!!)

Okay!

I passed with flying colors with the nurse, yesterday. She was only here for about 15 minutes, since I have no long list of Specialists, no meds, no surgeries, etc. She just had to take my vitals.

Actually she said that my feet looked really great (!!), which surprised me — since I’ve been pounding around on them for 65 years already — including about 30 years of concrete in NYC. So now I have a new appreciation for my wee bonny feet!! Yay!

And now I don’t have to see her again for another year.

***********

Okay!

Today begins general ticket sales for this!

You can buy tickets here!

And here’s this!!

I have always loved this shirt!! (Although I think it was actually more of a greenish color.)

Nick Cave, yesteryear! Great shirt, great HAIR!! Yay!

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Tonight, the New Insights into the New Testament Conference 2025 begins officially at 6:30 PM Eastern time, with the opening speaker– and I cannot wait!!

Dr. Elaine Pagels!! I absolutely loved her work on Gnosticism, gang. Wow.

Tonight, she “…will explore how early Christian writings shaped ideas about good and evil in ways that continue to influence Western thought. Her lecture will highlight the profound ways these ancient texts grappled with suffering, morality, and divine mystery.”

I’m guessing I will be glued to the Zoom screen on my laptop.

And at the risk of going on & on about this “Time” thing lately — I kinda can’t believe she is 82 already. Where does the effing time go, gang???

***********

Well, I have decided to risk it and wait one more week before taking my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man back to that fantastic clubhouse at the golf course with those spectacular views, because I think the autumn leaves will be just perfect next week.

I hope I don’t regret it, but I think they will be better next Friday than they are today. (Here’s hoping they don’t all just suddenly blow away…)

So today, it’s back to this place instead! Yay!

Whoops!!! That’s Keith Richards on the Orient Express. My mistake!!

No, we will be going HERE!

But hot sake will be served with the sashimi, so it will still be pretty darned fun!!

(And yes, I know. It all hinges on how his condition is when I get there this morning. We shall see and then go with the flow.)

***********

Okay, I got next to nothing done on the novel yesterday (minor tweaks only). Mostly because I am beginning Chapter 14 and I have absolutely no clue what comes next. I need a good chunk of uninterrupted time to sit and stare, and yesterday was not that day.

I did manage to get in a quick walk, in between rain showers. And then I also got to do some yoga, study some French with my new boombox, and study another lecture in the Protestant Reformation series.

But, more importantly, I had a chance to catch up on the phone with Valerie in Brooklyn!! And that is always a high point, no matter when it happens.

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

Okay.

Brand new song from the Original Alice Cooper Group! “See You On the Other Side” dedicated to their late bandmate, Glen Buxton, from the new album The Revenge of Alice Cooper:

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And that is it for now. I gotta scoot!

Have a fabulous Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

I leave you with this.

From my wild & wonderful world of wandering the night-time streets of NYC in 1984 — while wearing my prized Sony Walkman!!

More from Lou Reed’s New Sensations album, “Turn to Me,” 1984. Enjoy, gang!!

“Turn to Me”

[Verse 1]
If you gave up major vices, you’re between a hard place and a wall
And your car breaks down in traffic on the street
Remember, I’m the one who loves you, you can always give me a call
Turn to me, turn to me, baby, turn to me

[Verse 2]
If your father is free-basing and your mother turning tricks
That’s still no reason you should have a rip
Remember, I’m the one who loves you, you can always give me a call
Turn to me, turn to me, turn to me

[Verse 3]
When your teeth are ground down to the bone
And there’s nothing between your legs
And some friend died of something that you can’t pronounce
Remember, I’m the one who loves you
Hey baby, you can always give me a call
Turn to me, turn to me, turn to me

[Verse 4]
You can’t pay your rent, your boss is an idiot
And your apartment has no heat
And your wife says, “Maybe it’s time to have a child”
Remember, I’m the one who loves you and you can always give me a call
Turn to me, turn to me, turn to me

[Verse 5]
When it’s all too much you turn the TV set on and light a cigarette
And then a public service announcement comes creeping on
And you see a lung corroding or a fatal heart attack
Turn to me, turn to me, baby, turn to me

[Outro]
I’m just a phone call away
Turn to me, turn to me, hey, turn to me
One tenth of a dollar
Turn to me, baby, turn to me
(Turn to me, turn to me, turn to me)
(Turn to me, turn to me, turn to me)

c – 1984 Lou Reed