Tag Archives: books

Holiday Weekend Sort of Begins!

July 2, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

But obviously not for me, since I will be working the ENTIRE weekend!! Yay!!

(And I just this moment received a text from the Agency: “If you have ANY availability left this weekend, please let us know!!”)

Jeepers.

Anyway.

Yes, today is my only day off heading into the holiday. I had an exhausting week so far, and most of the exhaustion came from the added high heat and humidity everywhere I went.

But I made myself promise today that I won’t do ANY housecleaning. I won’t run ANY errands. I won’t do ANY stressing about anything. I will be getting my notes together for the M. Christian tribute anthology, and then I’ll do some more reading, (oh, and study French!!), but that’s it. I’m just gonna try to get my energy back before everybody needs me again.

And thank you, once again, God, for this amazing Air Conditioning!!

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Okay!

This is what I’m watching right now on Metrograph and I absolutely LOVE IT!!

From writer/director Gregg Araki, the first in his Teen Apocalypse Trilogy, “Totally F**ked Up”, from 1993:

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And in addition to the TON of reading James Tabor gave us for what he jokingly calls “summer school” — a bunch of essays and articles connected to the primary book we are also reading right now, which is very interesting:

— in addition to all that, I am also reading a really sweet children’s novel, Palace Beautiful.

“Three girls discover a hidden journal in their attic detailing a girl’s life during the 1918 flu epidemic, leading them to investigate her mysterious fate.”

That new client I have on Friday mornings, gave me a copy of the book.

She didn’t say, “Oh, look at this book, it was really sweet.”

She literally handed it to me and said, ‘Here, take this home and read it. It’s really good.”

We were in the spare bedroom where she has a huge collection of children’s books for her grandchildren.

None of my clients has ever done that — handed me a children’s book and told me to take it home and read it — so I did! And, honestly, it is very well written and a refreshing break from everything else under the sun that is crammed into my brain these days.

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And this came in from Ronnie Wood yesterday– all his Summer Set lists are on sale!

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And on a sort of similar topic, here’s this!

Keith smoking!! Up close!!

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And another great one from Phyllis Stein– Richard Hell! In NYC in 1977!

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And Joe Satriani had an art exhibit in DC ! (And he also gave away some guitars!!)

And he had this song accompanying his post. I listened to a mere few seconds of it and, wow, did it bring back memories!! I played this song a lot while I lived on E. 12th Street! “Always With Me, Always With You”, 1987:

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I thought these were very interesting.

My great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Black Foot Indian from Montana. These are current photos from the Black Foot Reservation. “It’s all about Jesus”…and pizza:

And here’s an idea of what it looked like when my great-great-grandmother lived there:

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And, as expected, the Bad Seeds show in Berlin looked astounding.

First, the size of the audience was jaw-dropping:

Berlin, in no particular order:

From George Vjestica, photo by Colin Greenwood:

These next 2 photos were so strange!!

And Nick Cave Official just announced that right after the upcoming Brighton show, there will also be a film festival, with films curated by Nick Cave. (I would STRONGLY suggest that if you’ve never seen “Irreversible” — Jesus, don’t go see it on a first date!!) (Probably wouldn’t see any of these on a first date, except maybe “Pinocchio”…) Anyway!

And tonight the Bad Seeds play Poland!! I guess if you hurry, you can still BUY TICKETS HERE!

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And that is it.

I am going to get this day-off underway. I seriously HOPE it involves relaxing. We shall soon see!

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And more breakfast-listening music from the “Rockin’ Down the Block” CD collection (1987)!

The Contours, “Do You Love Me”, 1962. Enjoy, gang!!

Welcome, Heat Wave!!

June 30, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yes, it is officially here. It started yesterday — temperatures in the mid-90s Fahrenheit.

I am just so happy with my Central AC, gang. And so are all the many cats! (Except that Rasha, the cat I’m cat-sitting, and Kon Tiki both seem to prefer to be outdoors in all the heat and sunshine.)

And, interestingly enough, very high heat and thunderstorms are expected for the entire 4th of July “250th celebration” weekend. Since they can change the weather on a dime now, I wonder what’s up with that? Methinks we’re probably gonna find out…

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Okay!

I absolutely loved the new optometry place I went to yesterday to get the new glasses. Sort of a complete compound– optometrists & new glasses in one building. Eye surgeons, etc., in the next buildings over.

It was absolutely incredible — the level of care, the skills, the eye-test-machines from the future that I had never seen before.

Nothing at all like the place I went to last summer — which is a sort of chain eye-glass store that is all over the country.

The staff was so nice, and I loved the eye doctor they assigned me. She went over all the instantaneous “charts & graphs” in detail, explaining everything that’s going on with my eyes.

And I love the new glasses I ordered — they are very similar to the pair I had before these current ones I got last summer, which I hate.

It was a great experience from start to finish, because, to get to the eye place, I took that really beautiful country road that goes deeper into Muskingum County — in the opposite direction of the roads I take every day, that go to the next county over.

Just a beautiful drive — farms, trees, hills. And in under 20 minutes, I was at the eyeglass place.

Yesterday morning also brought some other news, though– the Agency called the courthouse yesterday and I cannot be excused from jury duty.

After I texted my Q-following girlfriend about it, she assured me that, out in these parts, 3 months of jury duty is standard, because the population is smaller.

So, once I learned that, I decided that having to be available all summer is better than getting summoned to be available from October through December, which is my favorite time of year.

And I can get to the courthouse by taking that same back road– it will only take about 10 minutes longer than the way I usually take to that whole courthouse area of town, that’s all.

So I’ve decided to just put the best possible spin on the whole jury duty thing all summer: it’ll be a beautiful drive and it’s better than having to serve all through the Fall and into Christmas.

So on we go…

And the other nice thing to look forward to this summer, whether or not I get called to be on a jury —

I am definitely going to be overseeing the editing of the M. Christian tribute anthology for the new publisher. I’m really happy about this. I’ll be sending out a call for submissions in the very near future.

I will probably use the Internet, not a radio… we shall see.

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Okay!

Also!!

I want to thank whoever is suddenly buying the eBook from 2012, After Hours: The Best of Marilyn Jaye Lewis

The stats have suddenly jumped up in the Amazon rankings for erotic literature & fiction. Since the book is 14 years old, any jump in the ranks is nice to see! So, thank you!!

The eBook, edited by Maxim Jakubowski, was originally published by Constable Robison in the UK, but Hachette UK owns the rights to it now. It is a selection of 5 erotic short stories that were published over the course of my career from 1994 to 2010. Thanks everybody!!

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All right, before I forget, tomorrow morning I have a very early shift and won’t be posting to the blog. The same thing will happen the following Wednesday morning (July 8th.)

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And in other news!!

Here’s this! From the Oldies Radio Station on the retro boombox next to my bed yesterday morning!! Such a great song for summer…

“The Boys Of Summer”

Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer’s out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I’m driving by your house
Though I know you’re not home

But I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy?
Remember how I made you scream
Now I don’t understand what happened to our love
But babe, I’m gonna get you back
I’m gonna show you what I’m made of

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
I see you walking real slow and you’re smilin’ at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, “Don’t look back. You can never look back”
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but-

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

c- 1984 Don Henley, Mike Campbell

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Here’s this, from Sunday– photo by Michael Putland:

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And all the other “here’s this’s” today are from the Bad Seeds!!

Here’s this! George Vjestica goes shopping!! From yesterday — but the Bad Seeds play Berlin tonight!

And Warren Ellis headed to Berlin with Cookie for schnitzel —

And here’s the set list from the Antwerp show, which was another show, based on all the videos I saw, that appeared to be completely fantastic:

I loved this photo!!! Posted by radiowilly. I think it was from Antwerp, but I’m not certain:

And this was on facebook — again, I think it was Antwerp, but it didn’t specifically say:

And this is definitely from Antwerp! Posted by Jim Sclavunos this morning:

And I absolutely LOVED this!!! Definitely from Antwerp:

As everyone above has already said, the Bad Seeds play Berlin tonight. And then they play Poland on Thursday. Buy tickets here!!

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And speaking of Nick Cave–

WOW, gang.

Nick Cave sent out an amazing Red Hand File yesterday!! I absolutely loved it!! He spoke about his early beliefs about his art and how they changed over time, including:

“…There may be nothing new under the sun, but it is our distinctiveness that matters, our specialness. I deal exclusively in old, well-worn ideas, but there is still no song like a Nick Cave song, or a Morrissey song, or a Prince song, or a Lana Del Ray song, a Wu-Tang song, a Cure song, a Pixies song, a Kate Bush song, a Kneecap song, or the work of infinite other artists who have found their characteristic voice. Perhaps that is the purpose of art, and indeed life – to enchant and reinvigorate the world using those timeless ideas interpreted through our own inimitable strangeness….”

You can read it in full HERE.

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And I think that’s it for today, gang.

I can at least say that I am hanging in there, finding reasons to keep on keeping on. It sometimes feels like it’s a 24/7 task these days — looking for ways to stay focused on flowing joy and staying creative. But so far, I am still here!

So, have a Terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And let’s close with this!!

More breakfast-listening music from the Rockin’ Down the Block CD collection (1987)!!

The Swingin’ Medallions, “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” !! 1966!! Enjoy, gang!! We sure did!!

Misleading, but let’s run with it anyway!

June 27, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Let’s pretend a lovely summer is underway!!

It’ll be raining all day again today, though, and then here in Ohio, we will be gearing up for our heatwave.

The 4th of July is supposed to be not only rain, but thunderstorms, and for the whole upcoming week, the temperatures will be in the mid-90s Fahrenheit.

Each day now I just feel so blessed to have this Central AC, gang. It’s incredible, to think that This Old House is 125 years old and this is the first time it ever had air conditioning.

And when I think they gave it to me for FREE. Wow.

Okay.

Even though it was raining off & on all evening, we did indeed have our fireworks here last night in Crazeysburg.

They did a beautiful job. Although I didn’t go over to the actual ball park, where they were doing a bunch of festive stuff before the fireworks. I was exhausted from the humidity, and working my shift, doing all the grocery shopping in town, putting everything away when I got home, then making dinner, etc.

And I didn’t want to walk all the way over to the park just to find out it had been postponed because of the rain.

But, anyway. I have a perfectly clear view of the fireworks from my house. Still, it does sort of lose a little something when the fireworks go off before it’s really the 4th of July…

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So, Valerie had great news regarding her hand!

She got the stitches out and the doctor was really happy with her progress. So they’ve scheduled the surgery for her other hand on July 13th. Yay!

So it is almost over, and she will be able to get back to painting and drawing reasonably soon.

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The Rolling Stones released another track from the upcoming album, Foreign Tongues.

I not only like this track a lot, but I like that this is only an audio track. I haven’t been a fan of the Stones’ videos for many years. (Those videos target a much younger audience than me, and I’m guessing it’s working. But I just don’t like watching them.) (I also can’t stand the cover image on the new album. But, you know, they probably figure they won me over 54 years ago, let’s target someone else now.)

Anyway. Here’s “Divine Intervention”:

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So that workshop on Thursday from the Indie Authors Alliance, regarding book promotion for authors —

Wow, was it depressing. Totally stressful. I finally felt some relief when another writer posted in the chat that the workshop was really depressing…

Anyway. It was worth taking it, I learned a lot. But, wow, gang, publishing and everything that went along with it, has changed so drastically since the Internet and self-publishing kind of wiped out the traditional small presses.

In the not-so-long-ago old days, the publisher, even the small presses, did everything for you once the book was ready to come out. They arranged your readings and book signings– they simply told you where to show up and when (even if you had to go out of town, or overseas, for it). They took care of your PR, arranged your interviews — either Internet radio or they’d send you a Q &A to fill out, and then arrange for an interview for you “in print” (online) drawn from the Q & A.

Now, it seems like only the major houses do that stuff. So even if you’re not self-publishing, if you’re with an Indie press, you have to do a ton of stuff on your own just in hopes that your book will even get noticed.

Since my first book came out in 1999, I must have sold, all titles totaled, close to 200,000 print books worldwide — not including eBooks or my self-published books. Which were incredible numbers for a literary erotica writer/editor. But now I am starting back at square one. ( And I tell you, I am so grateful that the publisher I am currently with put together such an outstanding cover. It definitely gets people’s attention.)

But there is SO MUCH online AI scamming that you have to watch out for if you’re releasing a new book. I must delete at least 10 of those fake AI inquiries every single day.

In the event you’re new to the blog– my new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, is coming from Parisian Phoenix Publishing in September!! You can pre-order it HERE.

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However!! That said–

On Thursday evening, I also listened to a live talk with Eileen McKusick, sponsored by Simon Parkes’ Connecting Consciousness group.

Wow, that was really interesting and very uplifting. Although it had nothing to do with publishing:

“For 30 years, Eileen has been exploring the human biofield – the electromagnetic field that surrounds and animates the body – and how sound can bring it into harmony. Her work bridges the gap between traditional healing arts and contemporary science, offering a grounded, evidence-informed approach to health and human potential.”

Here’s a sample of one of the many things she does:

Nervous System Reset (7 mins):

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Okay.

Since I didn’t post anything yesterday, here’s this from Friday.

More about Johnny Depp’s new art offering– “3AM BLOOM”

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And the rest of the “here’s this’s” are basically all connected to the Bad Seeds tour.

From George Vjestica, heading to the show in Italy, which was last night, and which appeared to be another one of those off-the-charts shows:

Here’s Warren Ellis. He appears to be at the airport? Leaving Greece (in the heatwave) and heading to Italy? Not sure, really — but he is wearing a Harbor Freight hat!!

And here’s this, too — to underscore how hot it was??

I found this photo on Facebook, but I don’t know which show it actually came from:

And here’s the set list from the show in Italy last night:

Here’s Nick Cave in Italy:

Photo by Guiseppe Craca, Rolling Stone Italia

Here’s a shot from the jumbo screen last night — but a number of people posted videos of this — where a very happy young boy was onstage with Nick:

And here’s this!

The Bad Seeds will be in Belgium tomorrow. You can buy tickets here!

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And that is it for today.

And I still have 3 and 1/2 hours before I have to head to town for my shift! I’ll be with the retired Chaplain, so it should be a very thought-provoking evening. She usually has so many interesting things to talk about, and the time flies.

But I also want to add that yesterday morning, that new client of mine — the one who lives on that beautiful property surrounded by all those incredibly tall trees– wow, did we have a nice time. She has had quite a life. So very different from mine, and yet we have so much in common. (She’s only about 6 years older than me.)

Anyway, okay!

Have a great Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And since I’m determined to behave as if we’re finally having a wonderful, FUN summer around here–

Here’s this again!!!

Breakfast-listening music!!

From the CD collection, Rockin’ Down the Block (1987) which I always start listening to when it’s summertime —

The Rivingtons, “Papa Oom Mow Mow,” from 1962!! Enjoy, gang.

I guess it’s officially summer!

June 24, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay!

The Agency has given me my new schedule at least until the end of July and I will have no shortage of money or hours.

And most of my shifts will be in the afternoons/evenings. And I’m even picking up some Wednesday afternoons with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat!!

So as much as it broke my heart to have to part with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man (entirely because of extreme changes brought on by his family), it has all worked out for the very much better.

Honestly, it is like having a whole new life. (Waking up when I want to and going to sleep when I want to…which also means more time to write.)

Today, I sort of have the day off, except that I’m going in to the Agency for the Hospice training this afternoon. And then stopping in at the bookstore in Granville that has agreed to carry my new novel when it comes out in September — The Curse of Our Profound Disorder — pre-order here!!

I’m going to the bookstore with more than a little trepidation, because I want to see if that staff member has read the review copy yet that I dropped off for her. If she has read it already, depending on her reaction to the book, that will make up my mind about whether or not I will do a book launch party for it in Granville when the book comes out.

If she responds in a similar way to how my dear pal Wendy responded (Wendy had a lot of trouble with some of the subject matter, and really only finished reading it because she’s my friend; and Valerie still hasn’t finished reading it and probably never will, because she was worried it was going to give her nightmares). Anyway, if she responds along those lines, I will forego a book launch entirely and just let the book come out.

If I were still living in NYC, I wouldn’t hesitate to promote it, but life and people can be so different around here.

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Okay!

Before I forget–

Wow, did Simon Parkes have a VERY interesting update this morning! All INTEL.

You can only view it if you are a member of Connecting Consciousness, but it is free to join and you can join HERE.

However, what Simon had to say was very, very encouraging! Especially about the 4th of July.

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Since I worked a long double yesterday and didn’t post here, my “here’s this’s” are mostly from Monday.

I thought this was really interesting. The difference in the music business nowadays and what it was like in the not-so-old days. It’s safe to say that the Internet, with its trickle-down effect, basically ruined everything…

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And a couple of days ago, it was Ray Davies birthday!(He turned 82!)

From his brother, Dave:

And how about this, while we’re at it??

I was almost 10 years old the first time I heard this song — it was in music class at my elementary school in Cleveland. We had such a cool music teacher that year, Miss Collins!! (And, yes, she eventually got fired… but not just because of the records she played for us, but because she was white and living in sin with a black guy.)

The song really just fascinated me. I never forgot it!!

Anyway. Thank you, Miss Collins!! I never forget you, either!! You turned me on to such great music. From 1970 — the incredible “Lola” by Ray & Dave Davies and The Kinks!!

“Lola”

I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like cherry-cola
C O L A cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said Lola
L O L A Lola la-la-la-la Lola

Well I’m not the world’s most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine
Oh my Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Well I’m not dumb but I can’t understand
Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man
Oh my Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola

Well we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said little boy won’t you come home with me
Well I’m not the world’s most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes well I almost fell for my Lola
La-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her and she at me

Well that’s the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way for my Lola
La-la-la-la Lola
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world except for Lola
La-la-la-la Lola

Well I left home just a week before
And I’d never ever kissed a woman before
But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
And said dear boy I’m gonna make you a man

Well I’m not the world’s most masculine man
But I know what I am and I’m glad I’m a man
And so is Lola
La-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola

c – 1970 Raymond Douglas Davies

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And here’s this from Father’s Day!!

From Tom Petty’s eldest daughter, Adria:

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And here’s this.

Just a photo I liked from the Sid Vicious account:

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And Joe Satriani did a photo dump from the recent tour with Steve Vai, and he included a photo from Cleveland!!

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And here’s yet another intense photo from the Bad Seeds show the other night in Austria:

Tonight, they play Athens, Greece. You can buy tickets here!

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And someone I occasionally text with on Instagram who also loves music sent me this link yesterday and I really loved it:

From 1969, “Superman,” by The Clique:

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And I think that’s it for now.

I will still wait awhile before posting about my friend Jeffrey who died. I am in a better place about it today, though. Meaning, I’m focused more on how great our friendship had been and not on the fact that he’s dead now.

I’m hoping to have a great day, even considering the upcoming bookstore visit. And tomorrow, I have the day off!

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

From that wonderful yesteryear before the Internet!!

Backstage Rolling Stones 1976 Mick Jagger Keith Richards Ronnie Wood Charlie Watts Bill Wyman (6 mins):

Last Day of My Spectacular Vacation!

June 15, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Wow. No comment.

I’m actually in a good place this morning, though. Finally.

Valerie had her first surgery this morning — it’s already over, and she texted me that it went great. So, probably by midafternoon, she should be able to hold a can of beer again…

Yesterday turned out to be a really good day for me. (Oh, except for ANOTHER thunderstorm with really high winds that came late in the day, and lasted about 45 minutes…)

But yesterday, at noon, James Tabor had a private zoom call for his Tabor Research Group. It lasted over 2 hours. It was the first time in a while that I was able to be on the actual call and not have to listen to the recorded version later.

Then I did yoga while listening to the final lecture James Tabor gave in his class, “Christianity Before Paul” back in late May.

And then at 4PM, Ross K. Nichols also had a private zoom call for his Yachad group. I almost never get to be on his zoom calls live anymore. That one went over 2 hours, as well.

But all of it was so interesting. Archeological stuff, historical stuff, Biblical stuff — the zoom calls were things I can’t post about here, because the calls were private. But they really helped take me out of myself yesterday and really get my thoughts going in other directions that I really enjoy.

Then I had a Mediterranean-style flatbread pizza for dinner while watching a couple of reruns of “Black Books” on Britbox and laughing a lot.

So eventually I went to bed in a good place.

If you’ve never watched “Black Books”, it ‘s a British comedy, from about 20 years ago (4 mins):

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And the Post Office left me a notice in my mailbox that Chong, my first husband who now lives in Seattle, sent me a Registered Letter!! That means $$. Yay! (I emailed him and he confirmed that. He just wanted me to have it. He had no idea what was going on in my life right now.) So, in a few minutes, I’m heading to the post office, and then to the bank.

So, even though I have only 9 hours of work ahead of me this week, the flow between God and me and the Universe feels very, very positive.

Oh, and even though Jonathan Cainer passed away many years ago, I still like to visit his Astrology site. His nephew took it over when Jonathan died. And oddly enough, yesterday, when I was still having difficult feelings about having made such sudden changes to my shifts with the Agency, my horoscope yesterday said this:

“Since people naturally turn to you for support, you sometimes need to be reminded that support doesn’t have to mean self-sacrifice. Venus, in your neighbouring sign Leo, encourages you to focus on your emotional world and make space for your own needs and desires. Not every problem is yours to solve. And not every request requires a ‘yes’. By encouraging others to access their own strengths, you’ll reclaim yours. It’s important, because as we move towards the Solstice, you deserve to feel lighter, and free to enjoy the opportunities ahead. “

Wow. That sort of felt re-affirming, too. That these changes needed to be made because I have been losing myself and my mind for a while now. (And today’s horoscope was even better.)

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Okay.

Here’s Keith and Tom Waits during the recording of the incredible album Rain Dogs, in NYC, 1985!!

FYI– I would be very careful about taking any advice that Keith wears on a T-shirt…

And while we’re at it, here’s this again — “Clap Hands,” from Rain Dogs:

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And here are a few more photos from the Bad Seeds show in the Netherlands on Saturday night!

Warren Ellis’ solo with boot!!

Another really lovely photo of Nick Cave!

And I loved the drama of both of these, meaning the Big Screen images.

Nick overseeing George Vjestica:

And then this — I thought it was such a great photo:

The next show is in Germany tomorrow. You can buy tickets here!!

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You know, something else that’s helping me a lot around here–

Ever since I finally upgraded to the iPhone 16e, I have been having a lot of trouble with my eyes.

I turned down the brightness on the phone screen. I only turn on the Bluetooth when I’m playing music in the car. I try to wear the bluelight-blocking glasses whenever I’m looking at the phone.

Still, so much intense eye strain. Just awful.

I took the cell salts for 16 days and they worked great. But as soon as I stopped taking the salts, the eye problem came back every time I was looking at the iPhone.

Well, I finally found out how to tone the bluelight itself way down. (As opposed to just the brightness.) So now it is basically redlight.

Wow, what a HUGE difference. Immediately, my eyes felt the relief.

{In Settings, go to Accessibility, then select Display & Text Size, then scroll down and choose Color Filters, then select Color Tint, then Intensity.]

So between feeling a sort of spiritual relief now with the changes I’ve made with my schedule at the Agency, and now this relief in my eyes EVERYTIME I look at the phone (which is a lot), it all comes together to help me be in a better, calmer place.

We’ll see how any new shifts eventually pan out this summer. For now, I’m working tomorrow afternoon, and then not again until Sunday afternoon. But that could change if someone calls in sick. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, I’m gonna head out now and retrieve my Registered Letter! And then enjoy the final day of my vacation before I have a bunch more days off…

Have a great Monday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!

Mick Jagger Talks New Rolling Stones’ Album, Favorite Songs, More (8 mins):

Talk About Changes!

June 13, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, gang. If you saw my post from the middle of the night, Tommycakes passed away.

She began to show the signs of dying right when I was leaving for town to get the groceries. So I hurried to town and back, and then spent the remainder of the day just trying to be near her, to comfort her, to be present.

Around one in the morning, she finally let go.

Then this morning, after I had my breakfast, I went outside and buried her right next to Weenie– up close to the back of the house. I can see both of their graves from the kitchen window.

A painting that Valerie did of Tommycakes back in 2016:

I find it really interesting that I had the premonition that she was going to die this weekend, so I canceled my trip to NYC, and she did indeed pass away.

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The other thing in my life that has hugely changed — and I can’t go into all the details of it because I want to protect his family’s privacy–

I asked to be removed from my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s account.

I am no longer going to be working with him. Sadly, my decision had absolutely nothing to do with him, but with factors that have changed in his home life since Annie died. And I am worn out, exhausted, and it created a depression that was taking over my life.

Along with the decision, though, came a sense of release. That I am back within my own life. So maybe now the constant exhausting depression is gone?

One thing I know for sure: I now have a total of NINE hours — 2 shifts — every week for the rest of the summer.

While that feels FANTASTIC (!!), it’s obviously going to have to change because I can’t afford to only work 9 hours a week….

I’m just going to focus on one day at a time right now. It feels kind of incredible. To suddenly be free.

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So my “vacation” went from going to NYC to not going to NYC, to watching one of my cats die, to leaving a (work) relationship with a man I adored that will now make my free time sort of endless…

And then last night, the main reason I was even going to NYC — the Lambda Literary Awards…

Wow, I watched the livestream on YouTube and I want to at least give them kudos for trying, but it was a technical disaster. I finally gave up trying to watch it.

Even though I’m out the $188 I had spent on a ticket to attend the Awards in person, I’m wondering if I would have been really upset to attend the Awards and then have it be such a technical disaster at that price (plus airfare & hotel)?

Plus there was a thunderstorm in NYC, right when I would have been heading to the show. And a heat advisory– upper 90s Fahrenheit.

It almost seems as if saints & angels were looking out for me throughout that whole thing, and I was just meant to stay right here at home.

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This is from Charlie Ward’s newsletter yesterday. I thought it was kind of important so I’m passing it along, in the event you have children or grandchildren.

A growing number of adolescents and young adults are turning to AI chatbots for mental health advice, according to a new nationally representative survey published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers estimate that nearly 1 in 5 people aged 12 to 21—around 8 million individuals in the United States—have used tools such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, or Character.AI for support when feeling stressed, sad, or angry.

The study, conducted in November 2025 with just over 1,000 participants, found that more than 40% of those users rely on chatbots at least once a month. Alarmingly, over 60% said they have not told anyone about using AI for emotional support.

The findings highlight growing concern among experts, as many AI systems are not designed or regulated to provide mental health care. Previous research has shown that chatbots may offer inaccurate or unsafe responses, particularly in crisis situations such as suicide risk. Experts warn that these systems can appear highly responsive and emotionally engaging, which may increase their influence on vulnerable users.

Mental health challenges among youth remain widespread, with many facing barriers such as cost and limited access to professional care. Researchers emphasize that while AI tools may feel accessible, they are not a substitute for trained mental health professionals and can pose serious risks without proper safeguards.

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On a whole different note, but still AI–

I found this on Google this morning and really loved the summary (AI), so I wanted to share it, too. (You can pre-order my novel here.):

The Curse of Our Profound Disorder by Marilyn Jaye Lewis is a coming-of-age novel about Jemima Callahan, a young woman who navigates trauma, abuse in foster care, and sexuality while searching for her father, Reverend Parker Peabody, after her mother's mental health declines. The story explores themes of identity, belief, and survival on society's margins, influenced by her mother's philosophy that passion and divinity are intertwined. The book won a New Century Writer Award and was a finalist for the William Faulkner Writing Competition. 
Key aspects of the novel:
•	Protagonist: 
Jemima Callahan, who endures a difficult childhood with a teenage mother and abuse in foster care. 
•	Plot: 
Jemima's journey involves survival through selling herself, followed by a job as a housekeeper for a lawyer, all while seeking her father. 
•	Themes: 
Trauma, sexuality, identity, belief, and the intersection of passion and divinity. 
•	Awards: 
Winner of the New Century Writer Award and a finalist in the William Faulkner Writing Competition.

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And here’s this!

From Johnny Depp and Castle Fine Art, updates on Johnny’s new artwork:

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And from George Vjestica!

A photo from the show in Dublin this past Wednesday, and a reminder that the next show is tonight in the Netherlands! Buy tickets here! (But hurry, because they’re in, like, a whole different time zone…)

And a couple more lovely shots of Nick Cave in Dublin!

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And I think that is it.

I guess I will close this and sit and think about life for awhile. It is absolutely stunning outside today. And I’m still on vacation…

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I’ll close with this.

One of the songs I sang to Tommycakes last evening.

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1985, “Southern Accents”. 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

The new printer is up and running!!

May 17, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 4 Comments

Bu that’s not what the confetti’s about!

The confetti is because I had a very involved dream last night, about getting the “Marilyn’s Room” mini-podcast up and running here soon, and in the dream, there was all this confetti flying around.

I was really happy.

And I was drinking from a really colorful coffee mug — that I thought I actually owned in my waking life. However, when I went to retrieve it from my kitchen cupboard this morning, when the coffee was ready, I discovered that I had only dreamed that I owned this colorful mug. And I had to settle for a different mug with flowers all over it.

Which could mean that a new very colorful coffee cup is waiting in my future!! (But I kinda hope not, since I already have about 50 or 60 assorted coffee cups and mugs that almost never get used since the cats are avid caffeine-abstainers.)

Speaking of cats–

Here’s a bunch of cats I found in the hall outside my bedroom last evening when I emerged to use the bathroom.

I have no idea where they came from , or who they belong to, but, actually, they were still here this morning when I awoke (multiplied by, you know, a bunch of others):

From left: Freddie McFee, Cuddles McGee, Billie Jo, Angie, Queenie, Saffie Sue

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Yes, I did get the printer up & running yesterday, and even though it is practically the same printer I had before, it was WAY easier to set up than the last one was.

So I still have all my hair — I didn’t tear any of it out!!

And now I can get back to promoting the new novel, along with getting the notes ready for when I write the play about Caiaphas in its entirety in June.

Right.

(I’m gonna really try, though, and write that play, gang. Honestly.)

And if you recall, on Friday, I posted a photo from Instagram having to do with the cemetery where one of my ancestors is buried — Louisa May Alcott.

When I googled the exact location of the cemetery, I got side-tracked by a bunch of stuff about Louisa and her dad, Amos Bronson Alcott. It was stuff I’d already known, but I have to say that the amount of coincidences between her life (and some of her writing) and mine, just astound me.

Oh, but also — loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that the May family (my birth dad’s side of my ancestors, and Louisa’s mom’s side) have a reputation for being really intense people (after the Revolutionary War, they practically settled the entire state of Kentucky, sort of) —

Here is what Louisa’s dad said about her as a child: “After Alcott’s birth, Bronson kept a record of her development, noting her strong will, which she may have inherited from her mother’s May side of the family.”

(I’ll go into more of that May-family thing and my own life tomorrow.) But it all just sort of astounds me.

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Since I didn’t post yesterday, I have a bunch of “here’s this’s” stacking up. So I will probably save some for tomorrow’s post.

And, if you recall, starting tomorrow, I have 2 days off in a row from caregiving, so I am planning to do the spring cleaning! Yay!

And once that’s out of the way, I can focus on getting all my flowers and plants ready and out on my various porches so that life around here will be ready for summer!! (And then somewhere in all that I’ll head to NYC…)

And speaking of NYC–

If you’re in the area and support the rights of LGBTQs, on June 9th the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project is having a really cool conversation. Free to all but space is limited, so you need to make a reservation (HERE):

“Spanning the 1930s through the late 20th century, the program will reflect on their lasting impact and what that legacy means today.”

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But meanwhile–

Here’s this!!

From Jo Wood (Ronnie’s previous wife)– Mick and Ronnie on a boat off San Francisco!!

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A couple of great ones from Phyllis Stein!!

Iggy!!

In a “shirt” by Michael Schmidt:

And Keith, not smoking and walking past some taffeta! (With comments from Keith’s son, Marlon!)

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And speaking of Keith (when am I not??) —

Here’s this!

Keith smoking, with Marlon when he was still too young to make comments or to type!!

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And speaking of smoking!! (When am I not??)

I think Rowland S. Howard is smoking here, not sure — onstage in Germany in 1982!

And Rowland with the rest of the Birthday Party, in Germany in 1982 (clearly in that one “no smoking” area of Germany in 1982):

And speaking of Nick Cave not smoking!! (See photo directly above!)

Here, he and Colin Greenwood are not smoking in Poland, in 2024! (I know I’ve posted this before (in 2024, in fact), but I just love this photo!!)

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And I’d better stop now because I have stuff I gotta do here before I head out to see the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat!

Oh, by the way. As part of promoting the new novel, I’ve gotten back on social media. For many years, I was only on Instagram (and Substack and Stage 32). But now I’m back on a few more.

I am not actively following people (yet) but if you are on any of these platforms and want to follow Marilyn Jaye Lewis, please do!!

LinkedIn, X, BlueSky, Good Reads, and Facebook. (And Instagram, Substack, and Stage 32.)

And if the “Marilyn’s Room” mini-podcast does indeed get off the ground — confetti and all– and you have writing or art you want to promote, let me know!!

Okay!!

Have a beautiful Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

Since I am reading the Tom Petty & Me memoir by Jon Scott–

Here is the actual recording that finally broke Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers across radio stations all over America!! (Proving that they were a rock & roll band and not Punk.)

“Breakdown” performed live at Capitol Studios, in Hollywood, November 11, 1977. The rest was history (finally). Enjoy, gang.

“Breakdown”

It’s alright if you love me
It’s alright if you don’t
I’m not afraid of you runnin’ away, honey
I get the feeling you won’t

There is no sense in pretending
Your eyes give you away
Something inside you is feeling like I do
We said all there is to say

Baby
Breakdown, go ahead and give it to me
Breakdown, honey, take me through the night
(Take me, baby, breakdown, ooh)
Breakdown, now I’m standin’ here, can’t you see?
Breakdown, it’s alright
It’s alright, it’s alright

Breakdown, go ahead and give it to me
Breakdown, honey, take me through the night
(Take me, baby, breakdown, ooh)
Breakdown, now I’m standin’ here, can’t you see?
Breakdown, it’s alright
It’s alright, it’s alright

c – 1976 Tom Petty

We can dream, can’t we??

May 14, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Methinks the day is not gonna look quite as relaxing as this, but I’ll settle for a feeling of “ease & peace” by the end of the day, and maybe even be sporting a smile…

We shall see.

For some reason, I’m feeling distracted today. But I’m just going to let the flow take me wherever it takes me. And not fight it.

And just a head’s up!

I have next Tuesday off, which means 2 days off in a row, which means I’ve decided to do the spring cleaning! Get out the Bissel steam cleaner and get the carpeting in the whole house really clean before I head out to NYC in June (when Rasha’s mom and her little baby will be staying here with a multitude of cats…).

So, this is in my very near future and, actually, I can’t wait:

Well, just add carpeting everywhere… and cats.

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And a week from today, my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn and I will be taping our first mini-podcast for “Marilyn’s Room”. So we will see how that goes!!

It’s just a trial run, I doubt I will actually post the first one. I guess we’ll see. My main concern is learning how to use the editing tools. The rest of the “recording studio” on Substack looks simple enough.

But then we’ll be off & running (or running away), as we leap into the very serious world of painting & writing at a “certain age” after your entire young adulthood was spent getting into nothing but, well, I don’t know — trouble? Life, itself? I don’t know what to call it. But we got into it. And we’re still here! And that, in itself, is newsworthy!!

And FYI — While doing research for the podcast the other day, I came across this postcard online and wow, did it bring back a truckload of memories!! From 1981 — the important part is the description, which I guess is hard to read. I guess you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out why it’s so important!! (It involves a bunch of us dropping acid one night and going to the Wienerwald at W.48th and Broadway…)

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Okay! Onward.

Last night, while re-listening to an audiobook of Kerouac’s Big Sur, I recalled that Henry Miller had also written something about living in Big Sur and so I went in search of a free online reading of that — and found one on YouTube.

It is so interesting. This isn’t the novel, itself. It’s more like a long excerpt from it. But I am quietly astounded by it.

Written in 1957, it’s Miller’s take on Big Sur and about artists and writers in the USA, in general, back in the late 1940s.

Personally, I relate to it because Henry Miller was a writer whose books were constantly getting banned for their erotic content. But what he also had to say about writers trying to, I don’t know, be true to their craft while surviving in America — and how they needed to find the solitude of living in the middle of nowhere in order to exist…

Well, it rang a few unexpected bells for me at this stage of my life.

I’m halfway through it (excerpt is one hour):

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And yesterday, gang…

Yes! One of the other caregivers did do all the grocery shopping!

So I did get to go with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man to have sashimi & sake and we accidentally each got 2 fortune cookies at the end of our meal!!

His were oddly boring, but both of mine were great!!! Wow!

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And here’s this!

Keith and Ronnie clowning around in a closet! It is maybe in 1979:

And back in July of 1975, George Harrison visits backstage in LA, during the Stones’ 1975 tour. (Billy Preston played keyboards for the Stones during that tour.)

And Keith with James Mitchell, in the Royal Recording Studios in Memphis, in 1988:

AND —

I know I’ve posted this one before, but it is one of my all-time favorite shots of Keith (I have it, in 2 different sizes, stuck on my wall). And it was the first photo that popped up in my Instagram feed today!!

Keith, in LA, in 1969!!

Not smoking, but otherwise, so totally Keith!

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Yesterday, Nick Cave sent out a really cool Red Hand File. It was so candid and, just, I don’t know. I just loved it. Mostly, he talked about his sleeping habits — and dreaming habits or lack thereof. He wrote it while in a cab, heading to a recording studio, to perhaps begin a new record with some of the Bad Seeds. (Yay!) He said, in part:

“…I am going to Islington to mess around in the studio with Marty (he’s well now), Thomas (him too), Jim (always robust), and Warren (still lovely and deranged) with the vague idea of perhaps making a new record. …”

However, he also stated that women are generally attracted to men (and women) who wear suits….while I love Nick Cave in anything he chooses to wear, I am totally not in the “attracted to suits” category!! I’m blue-collar all the way!!

But whichever way you lean, you can read the Red Hand File, in full, HERE!!

And meanwhile —

Here’s this!!

A couple of shots of Nick Cave wearing an interesting expression!!

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And that is it for today.

I’m hoping this will be a good day, gang. We shall soon find out.

Have a great Thursday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

Bonnie Tyler is going through some very difficult health problems. As of right now, she’s in a medically-induced coma, but her condition is stable. But it sounds very serious.

So here’s this. Her fantastic, international mega hit from 1978. “It’s A Heartache.” Thanks, Bonnie. Enjoy, gang.

“It’s A Heartache”

It’s a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Hits you when it’s too late
Hits you when you’re down

It’s a fool’s game
Nothing but a fool’s game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown

It’s a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Love him ’til your arms break
Then he lets you down

It ain’t right with love to share
When you find he doesn’t care for you
It ain’t wise to need someone
As much as I depended on you

It’s a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Hits you when it’s too late
Hits you when you’re down

It’s a fool’s game
Nothing but a fool’s game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown

It ain’t right with love to share
When you find he doesn’t care for you
It ain’t wise to need someone
As much as I depended on you

Oh, it’s a heartache
Nothing but a heartache
Love him ’til your arms break
Then he lets you down

It’s a fool’s game
Standing in the cold rain
Feeling like a clown

It’s a heartache
Love him ’til your arms break
Then he lets you down

It’s a fool’s game
Standing in the cold rain

c – 1977 – Ronnie Scott, Victor William Batty

A wonder-filled Wednesday in the Hinterlands! Please join us!

May 13, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Well, I have to say that, now that Annie has left us, I have no idea what to expect on Wednesdays at the home of my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man!

He has been with 2 other caregivers since I saw him 4 days ago.

It is a gorgeous day and I really want to take him out for sashimi & sake because we haven’t been to the Peony Bistro in, like, 2 weeks. But I have no clue what will await me when I walk in that door — mainly, did anybody do any grocery shopping since I was last there??

We can only hope. But we will find out.

I’m hoping someone did, so that our day can be filled with this instead!!

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Meanwhile!

Wayne and some of his family will soon land in Australia!! And yesterday, I got his first official Vacation Text!

Here’s Wayne and his younger brother smoking outside JFK early yesterday, wherein Wayne assured me that from now on, he would be WhatsApp-ing me nothing but fantastic photos from Australia and Vietnam!!

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Wow!

Did my heart leap for joy yesterday, when I fetched the mail and discovered that THIS book had arrived!!

Obviously, I haven’t had time to actually read it yet, but just skimming through it — it’s incredible! So many photos of handwritten notes from Tom Petty to the author (a long-time record promoter & friend of Tom’s). And candid photos from 1976 up to when Tom passed away in 2017.

Tom Petty was never very gregarious with the Press. He stuck to whatever tour or album he was promoting at the time. So when you get a chance to get some access to the real Tom Petty — what a thrill. He was so funny. So smart.

Anyway. I cannot wait to read it. I have, you know, sort of a TON of stuff to do in the meantime, but I’ll somehow slip it in.

(PS: No, my cool Tom Petty Zippo lighter has still not arrived… It takes FOREVER to get anything from the Tom Petty Store. Perhaps he ships stuff out personally from the afterlife…)

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All righty!

Here’s a few great ones from Phyllis Stein!!

Richard Hell in Paris this past December! (I’m pretty sure he was there to discuss lofty French concepts, like “le grenier, le toit, et le plafond” but I’m not 100% certaine…)

And Johnny Thunders at Max’s Kansas City in NYC, 1979!

And The New York Dolls in Los Angeles in 1973!!

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You know, here’s something that reminds me of how incredibly grateful I am to Gram Parsons. Without him, I never would have had Emmylou Harris in my life and her music has meant SO MUCH to me, gang. (Her music career really took off when she became a singer in his band in 1972.)

And here’s this gem, while we’re at it!! From 1975, “Amarillo,” from her wonderful (and first #1) album, Elite Hotel. Give it a listen if you are unfamiliar with her records:

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Something else I’m incredibly grateful for!!

Photographer Peter Milne’s decision to take this fantastic photo and share it with the world! One of my all-time favorites of Nick Cave…

And here’s a couple more of Nick Cave while we’re at it!

Nick with Rowland S. Howard (and the Birthday Party) in Greece in 1982!!

And remember, if you missed the gig in Greece in 1982!! —

While, sadly, you can no longer see Rowland S. Howard or the Birthday Party, you can still see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in Greece this summer!! Tickets are still available for the show in Athens on June 24th! Buy Tickets HERE!!

And here’s Nick Cave a handful of decades later…

Photo by Tricia Yourkevich/BBC:

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Okay!

Here’s this!!

Keith!! Smiling! Smoking! Drinking! And in no way needing sleep in the early 1990s!!

And Keith backstage, not smoking but needing something, not sure what, in either the USA in late 1981 or in Europe in early 1982…

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And late yesterday afternoon, Phil had some really devastating news to share about his personal life. I was really just stunned. He is divorcing his wife, Keri. He went into the very unsettling details about why.

This is the link if you missed it.

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And I guess that is it.

Things here are kind of okay, gang. I am sort of “forcing” myself to keep my mind in some sort of balance between caregiving and my overall life as a writer.

It is working, but I literally have to take it moment by moment.

And with that, I gotta scoot and head to town.

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, whether you’re in the Hinterlands or somewhere else in the far-flung, beautiful world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!!

From the CD in the retro boombox next to my bed this morning!! (Well, the retro boombox is always next to my bed, but this is from the CD that was in it this morning!!)

George, Tom, Bob, Roy, and Jeff!!!

“…I’m so tired of being lonely, I still have some love to give…“

Yes, the Traveling Wilburys‘ first monster hit, from 1988!! “Handle With Care”. I just love these guys and this song!! Enjoy, gang!!

So exciting!!

May 12, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Yes!

Just when I needed it most yesterday!!!

The printer died!!

As in: Sayonara, baby!! Kiss the printer goodbye!!

After about an hour of trying everything imaginable to fix it, I got onto the Best Buy app and just bought a new one. It will be ready for me to pick up on Friday.

AND– it was actually cheaper than I could have ever imagined!! (When did printers get so affordable??)

I’m just not gonna stress over any more shit right now, you know? Just get a new printer! But it did totally wreck the creative flow I was having with Caiaphas…

Meanwhile, I’m hoping that the backup ink cartridges I have will fit the new printer. I tried to buy the closest model I could find to the old one. We shall see.

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In other good news!!

The guy in NYC finished reading the review copy of The Curse of Our Profound Disorder!! He really liked it. He said, among other things, that he had gotten “emotionally invested in what happened to Jem” (the protagonist).

He ultimately said: “Bravo! It reads like a true fairy tale — in the best sense of that categorization.”

As soon as the book becomes available for sale, he’ll review it on Amazon for me.

Meanwhile, if you want to pre-order it, you can do that HERE. Thank you!!

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You know, I keep forgetting to mention here that I don’t think “Wild Thing” works at the Rural King anymore.

The last 5 times I’ve been there — different days, different times — he hasn’t been at the checkout counter. Well, maybe they moved him to a different department (the guns & ammo section??), I don’t know. I usually only buy cat food and then pay and go.

Well, wherever he is — Paris, perhaps?? Brushing up on his French?? — I hope he’s having the best life!!

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Okay. I kinda gotta get moving here and head to town soon. It is a really lovely day today, though. I hope my clients want me to go out and run a bunch of errands!!

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

Here’s this!!

Keith and Mick in California, in 1969! Photo by the legendary rock photographer, Ethan Russell:

And Keith, smoking while going somewhere and looking happy, while also wearing a grey suit and some shades!!

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I loved this!!

Eric Burdon turned 85 yesterday!!

Posted by his grandchild:

And here’s this, while we’re at it! “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” by Eric Burdon and the Animals, 1965!

(BTW — I quoted the chorus to this song as my comment accompanying my Graduation photo in my Senior High School Yearbook, 1978.)

“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”

Baby, do you understand me now
Sometimes I feel a little mad
But don’t you know that no one alive
Can always be an angel
When things go wrong I seem to be bad

But I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood

Baby, sometimes I’m so carefree
With a joy that’s hard to hide
And sometimes it seems that all I have to do is worry
And then you’re bound to see my other side

I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood

If I seem edgy I want you to know
That I never mean to take it out on you
Life has its problems and I get my share
And that’s one thing I never meant to do
Because I love you
Oh, Oh baby don’t you know I’m human
Have thoughts like any other one
Sometimes I find myself long regretting
Some foolish thing some little simple thing I’ve done

I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood
Yes, I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood
Yes, I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood
Yes, I’m just a soul whose intentions are good
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood …

c – 1965 – Sol Marcus, Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell

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And from Nick Cave Official yesterday: