And I took that walk — wow, what a gorgeous morning it was around here. It was one of those perfect summer mornings that sort of seemed unbelievable — the birds were singing, the sky was so blue & the smoke haze was gone. Everywhere flowers were blooming and the trees were so green and the corn is getting really tall out in the fields now.
And I did get a lot of stuff done at my desk but I also had a great chat with Wayne on the phone. And I got some promising updates regarding reprint rights I am hoping to secure for the M. Christian tribute anthology from the estates of both Simon Sheppard and Bill Brent.
AND– I got an email from Amazon’s Kindle that a royalty check is on its way to my bank account, so thanks again everybody!! I really, really appreciate that you keep on buying my books and eBooks.
I also discovered yesterday that my reprinted books at Kindle (which are no longer banned or blocked!!) appear to be eligible for Audible audio books now, too! So I am going to be taking care of the paperwork for all 7 of the reprinted titles, so that those can get underway.
So, yay. A great day yesterday.
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All right.
I have a phone chat scheduled for 10AM today so I need to get moving —
So, here’s this!!
This artist lives here in Ohio, although I don’t know her. But I always love her pet illustrations (she and her family have lots of dogs and cats). These 2 from yesterday really jumped out at me — big surprise!
“She believed she could so she did … She rescued every animal that came her way.”
“Enjoy the little things in life for someday you will realize they were the Big Things”
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And here’s this!
Yesterday in Boston! Peter Wolf dropped in on Jim Lauderdale before the gig!
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And here, well, I’m thinkin’ Charlie’s not so sure about that balloon on Keith’s guitar…
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And here’s this — from all the way back in 1976!
Richard Hell and Voidoids in a photo taken by Blondie’s Christ Stein!
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A couple more great ones from Phyllis Stein!
Johnny Thunders in NYC in 1981 (photo by Kathy Findlay):
And the Sex Pistols in London in 1977! (Photo by Adrian Boot)
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It looks like Johnny Depp has a new Sauvage ad campaign coming soon from Dior (perhaps just in time for the Hollywood Vampires’ tour of the UK and Europe, starting in August??) (BTW– you can BUY TICKETS HERE!):
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Over at Nick Cave’s Cave Things, they’re having a 2-for-1 t-shirt sale!! You can check it out HERE!
And although it won’t reach me by my birthday, which is tomorrow, I am still in need of this one — lyrics to “The Mercy Seat” (thanking you in advance):
And speaking of Nick Cave!!
From that FB page yesterday!!
And, while on break before the upcoming SOLD OUT homecoming bash in Brighton, George Vjestica was getting caught up on his photo-posting yesterday!
Including–
And George with Larry (although George seems sort of shocked that Larry would say that…) —
*********** And that is it for now!
I’m gonna scoot downstairs and snag another cup of coffee, and get all my notes and thoughts ready for my upcoming phone call.
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world, gang!!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!!
**********
Let’s close with this!
From the Rolling Stones’ new one, Foreign Tongues — “Side Effects” lyric video! Super catchy, in my opinion. Enjoy, gang.
And thunderstorms are expected all evening, which should move the rest of the smoke out of the air.
LUCKILY!! I have a long evening shift with one of my favorite clients, the retired Chaplain — my final shift with her before I retire TOMORROW — and this means I get to not only drive home in the dark tonight, but in thunderstorms as well!
So I guess I’m going out with a “bang”… (and tomorrow is my final final shift — and it will be with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat.)
And oddly enough…
I got an email notifying me that TODAY is the anniversary of my Ordination and that I should make sure all my credentials are still up to date.
Wow. So I looked at my credentials and sure enough, on July 18th, 2013, I was ordained as a minister and received my Authority from the State of Ohio to solemnize marriages.
So I’ve officially been a minister since 2013. But for some reason, I had thought it was 2015… So, like, how old am I getting around here???
We’re not sure
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Okay. Anyway.
Yesterday was a really good day, except that by late afternoon, I was coughing like crazy from having been out in that smokey air. (I guess that’s why they told people to stay indoors yesterday but, I guess, you know, I don’t consider myself “people”…?)
However, yesterday afternoon, I stopped by that bookshop over at the Historic Arcade (see post from Thursday). And even as I was driving over there, I was having second thoughts because I don’t want to offend a bunch of strangers with my intense novel, etc. But I went over there with a review copy of the book anyway….
And the owner was there, alone in the shop. And he was really nice. And he said that they were open to everything except hate speech stuff. And he was happy to read my novel. And he said (without my saying anything at all about it), “If we like it, we’ll set you up with a book signing when the book comes out in September.”
WOW!
Here’s hoping he likes it.
Then I stopped in at the art gallery to say a quick hello to my friend, Kevin, and I told him about what the book store owner had said, and Kevin said, “Oh yeah, they do book signings all the time over there.”
So that made me feel really hopeful, gang. So we shall see! It would take so much stress off of me.
Historic Arcade. The bookstore is pictured on the left
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All right.
A bunch of “here’s this’s” today, so let’s get started!!
Here’s this!
I realize this wasn’t exactly addressed personally to me, but I still loved getting it in my email yesterday!! (The Stone’s new album officially hit #1 in the UK.)
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And while we’re at it!
A bit of Keith and a little Ronnie!
Keith!! In Dallas, in 1975!
Photo by Nicolas Russell/Getty Images
From Phyllis Stein– Keith in a BIBA shirt!
And Keith, not smoking or drinking but very close to a glass that contains some sort of beverage–
And Ronnie — not smoking or drinking, but very close to a large sign that promotes Budweiser Beer!
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Oh!
I keep forgetting to tell you some really great news.
The little house across the road from me, that has sat empty the entire time I’ve lived here (over 8 years already), is no longer empty!!
A couple around my age bought it, rehabbed it, and moved in last week and they are so nice!! I’ve already been over to visit them a couple of times. (And that little house is the same age as mine — 125 years old. So cool to think about who might have lived in our houses back when they were first built, right?)
This little house is finally a home again!
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Okay!
Here’s Dwight!! Cowboy hat, long legs, etc. (Photo by Emily Joyce Photography)
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And here’s Jack Kerouac and a cat!
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And I loved this!
I loved David Cassidy!! (This is happening in London.)
Oh, okay — let’s go ahead and listen to this!! David singing with The Partridge Family, “I Think I Love You” from 1970!!! (Yes, I was 10 and still in Cleveland.) Don’t be shy, gang!! Sing along!!
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And here’s Keanu in Rome!!
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And because it’s summer, here’s this!
The Cars, in color!!
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And I thought this was interesting. Livestreaming July 31st, 9:30pm Eastern time. I am definitely going to check it out:
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And here’s this announcement from Nick Cave Official yesterday:
“Impressed Recordings release Too Dark To See, the first-ever anthology of Conway Savage’s music, today.
The 24-track collection brings together songs from across Conway’s career, including many rarities and is pressed on limited edition heavyweight double lilac vinyl, with the first pressing limited to 200 individually numbered copies.” You can ORDER IT HERE.
(BTW — in case you don’t know, the late Conway Savage was once a phenomenal Bad Seed.)
And this will be handy if you’ll be at the SOLD OUT Brighton show!
Gates open: 13:00 SET TIMES 13:30 – 14:15 Warmduscher 14:45 – 15:30 Cate Le Bon 16:00 – 16:45 English Teacher 17:30 – 18:30 The Flaming Lips 19:30 – 22:00 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Please allow plenty of time to enter the site. 13:00–15:00 is the best time to arrive, with busier queues expected later in the afternoon. Alongside the music, Preston Park will feature over 50 food stalls, 15+ bars, DJs, exclusive Brighton merchandise, an Arcade Treasure Hunt, chill-out areas, the Bad Seeds Fish & Chips van and more.
And here’s Warren Ellis!! Brighton-bound!!
Here’s an intense photo of Nick Cave from the Stuttgart show–
Another great photo from the show in Vienne–
And a couple from the show last night in Carhaix, France!!
And now I guess Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are on a little break until the Brighton Show on July 31st.
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And I guess that is it for this happy Saturday!! Whew!
Enjoy yourselves, wherever you are in the world, gang!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
********
Let’s close with this!
From the Oldies FM Radio Station on the retro boombox next to my bed this morning!!
(And where were YOU the first time you saw this video on MTV??? I was sitting on the side of my bed on E.12th Street in NYC, staring at the TV and wondering: is that Johnny Depp??)
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, “Into the Great Wide Open”, 1991. Enjoy, gang!!
The cats around here are seriously hyper today — could this have something to do with it??
From the Cainer Horoscope newsletter this morning:
The sky opens up in a big way this week. Between July 15th and 21st, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Jupiter all move into alignment together.
We're more open to new ideas, more drawn to people and experiences outside our usual circle, and more willing to follow our own instincts instead of someone else's script.
Ambitions come into sharper focus, old talents get a chance to resurface, and you'll find that a little boldness goes a long way.
The invitation this week is simple: stay curious, aim a little higher than usual, and give yourself room to think and live differently.
Interesting, though, right?? We’ll see how this plays out!
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Gorgeous weather again here today, although it’s gonna get HOT by this afternoon.
Which is good, because I only have a ton of fucking errands to run after I see my clients later…. but, you know, at least I’m still alive and it isn’t raining.
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Okay!
Well, since I got a lot of work done yesterday at my desk — and also took a walk, did yoga, etc. — I don’t have a whole lot to post about today.
Although the good news is that, so far, my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn’s hand surgery went very well yesterday! So all of these delays are almost all behind us, and soon we will launch the new artists & writers podcast !! Yay!!
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A short one from James Tabor this morning — taken from the intro to his online course, “Quest for the Historical Paul.”
Does Paul Misread His Two Favorite Bible Verses? (3 mins):
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This one was from a few days ago, but in case you missed it–
The Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues | Zane Lowe Interview (1 hr):
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And oddly enough, the only “here’s this’s” I have for today are about the Bad Seeds.
So, here’s this!!
To kill time between the show the other night in Madrid, Spain, and the upcoming show tonight in Nimes, France, Jim Scavulos took in some ruins!
However, Warren Ellis used that time to dash quickly to Cleveland — a trip of approximately 4,350 miles, and which takes about 17 hours each way — just to say hello! Yay! (I was going to dash over to say a quick “hello” back, but Cleveland is a good 2 hours from here and I hadn’t had my coffee yet.)
Anyway.
He also delivered a warning that not all rock icons are willing to make publicly; “Don’t Smoke In Bed”!!
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An interesting photo of Nick Cave in Montreux, with a fan (?):
And onstage in Madrid!
As we already discussed, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Nimes, France, tonight. You can buy tickets here!!
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And aside from all that…
I did get word from another local bookstore yesterday that I could drop off a review copy of my new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, anytime this week! I will probably get there on Friday.
That particular store does a ton of promoting for local writers, so maybe it could lead to an instore signing of some sort. We shall see.
Other than that —
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Okay. Let’s close with this today.
From Warren Ellis’s sage advice while in bed earlier…
Nina Simone’s heart-wrenching, “Don’t Smoke In Bed”. 1958. From her debut album, Little Girl Blue. Enjoy, gang.
“Don’t Smoke In Bed”
I left a note on his dresser And my old wedding ring With these few goodbye words How can I sing Goodbye old sleepy head I’m packing you in like I said
Take care of everything I’m leaving my wedding ring Don’t look for me I’ll get ahead Remember darling Don’t smoke in bed
Don’t look for me I’ll get ahead Remember darling Don’t smoke in bed
Here is the official Call for Submissions, if you are interested, or if you know a writer or publisher who might be interested.
*****************
July 13, 2026
Dear Writer or Publisher,
This is an invitation to contribute to a tribute anthology to honor, celebrate, and remember the life and works of our beloved friend and colleague, M. Christian.
The Work: Your contribution can be a new work of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art – or a reprint. The primary requirement is that it be a work that connects you in some way with M. Christian – did he inspire something you wrote or created? Did you write something together? Did he publish something you wrote? Did you publish something he wrote?
This is a celebration of the world surrounding M. Christian as we knew it. Along with your short bio, you are asked to submit a statement about how your contribution is connected to Chris.
Length: A maximum word count of 5K is suggested, but we are open to considering whatever you feel moved to send in.
Compensation: As of now, this is a labor of love on the parts of the Publisher and the Editors. Discounts will be offered on contributor copies.
Deadline: October 1, 2026
Please send all submissions to:
marilynjayelewis@protonmail.com
Disclaimers:
Since much of what we will be publishing in this tribute anthology will be adult-themed, we ask that you be of legal age in your territory to contribute.
We ask that you refrain from themes of pedophilia or bestiality.
If you are contributing a reprint, please ensure you have all legal rights to the work.
Please feel free to forward this invitation to any writers who you feel would likely be interested in contributing work to honor M. Christian.
Thank you for any interest you have in joining this project! I look forward to hearing from you.
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.
The road I took for about 16 miles
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.
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!!
It’s funny to think that, even though I live way out in the middle of fucking nowhere, my “big dream” is to go even deeper into the middle of fucking nowhere and spend the night sleeping under the stars!!
My neighbors just bought a new tent and, for now, they have it set up in their backyard.
I can see it from my kitchen window.
I have a tent, a sleeping bag, a couple of camping chairs, a ton of camping dishes & cookware — all of it stored in my storage closet. Because, apparently, going camping again is just some weird sort of pipe dream I have. But I hope that the 2 little girls who live next door get a lot of use out of that new tent and have the time of their lives this summer… (heck, even if they only stay in the tent while it’s in the backyard!!)
Okay!!
Yesterday brought some really great news.
I can’t go into the details yet on the blog because we have only begun discussing it, but the publisher I am currently working with asked me yesterday if I’d like to undertake the M. Christian tribute anthology — meaning, be the Editor of it.
It was an absolutely unqualified, “YES!” (M. Christian was a long-time and very dear colleague of mine and he passed away in January.)
I will keep you posted with the details.
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Okay!!
Yesterday also brought some really FUCKED UP news.
A couple of weeks back, I got notified by the Muskingum County Courthouse that I was up for jury duty, and to keep myself available from July 1st through September 30th to potentially serve on a jury.
Okay, so, in what world does that kind of commitment make sense??
The Agency sent a letter saying that I needed to be excused from that because I have clients booked all summer long who count on me.
But yesterday, the courthouse sent me a letter back, saying that my request to be excused was denied.
I was unbelievably furious (plus, I have already done jury duty several times in NYC and also in Columbus, Ohio — why am I always being called upon? It absolutely makes me want to stop registering to VOTE (they pull jurors from the voting registry)…but then I can hear my ancestors, who fought in the Revolutionary War and helped to create the glorious US Constitution, shouting: “Are you out of your fucking mind??? You can’t give up your right to VOTE!!”)
Anyway. I am really pissed off. I left word with the Agency that they need to call the courthouse Monday morning and try to fix that.
Not only can I in no way afford jury duty, I was just getting my mind/life back together by finally having a schedule I can work with all summer long.
Someone’s Revolutionary War ancestor, saying: “You can’t give up your right to VOTE!”
And the letter arrived just as I was getting ready to head out to my shift.
And I can’t take a bunch of rage and depression and frustration and hopelessness, into a client’s home. So that was a real challenge– clearing my vibrational air and finding a better emotional place for myself in a sort of nano second.
But I did. And I had a great shift with the retired Chaplain. As usual, she and I talked about some very, very interesting things. She is almost 89 and has had a harrowing life. I always learn so much from her.
Also–
Oddly enough, in yesterday’s mail, right alongside the letter from the Courthouse, was a card from one of my supervisors at the Agency. (Depending on which town a client is in will determine who my supervisor is for that client.)
Anyway. As of now, all 5 of my clients are with the same supervisor, and that supervisor sent me a “Thank You” card, saying how much she appreciated the quality of care I give my clients and how she never has to worry when she sees that my name is assigned to one of the clients on her list.
That made me feel really appreciated, but also really determined to not have to waste my gifts serving on a jury. Again.
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Before I forget, tomorrow morning, I have an appointment to get a new pair of glasses. I absolutely hate the glasses I currently have and I want a new pair. But this could mean that I won’t get a chance to post to the blog tomorrow.
Marilyn does glasses and coffee! I don’t usually dress like that in the kitchen, but the rest of it is, like, totally me.
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Okay!
Here’s this!!
The B52s, perpetually celebrating National Sunglasses Day!!
And while we’re at it!! This was on the Oldies Radio Station on my retro boombox next to my bed the other evening!! Yay!! Yes, I knew every word and sang along quite loudly!! “Love Shack”, by the B52s, 1989:
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And here’s this.
From Phyllis Stein — David Jo, and Keith, smoking (and Delbert McClinton) at Tramps, NYC, 1985!!
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Here’s this!
A lovely photo of Dwight!! He’s currently on tour in the U.S. of A.!
And here’s this — his fantastic duet with Buck Owens, back in 1988. “Streets of Bakersfield.” The first time I heard this song was on the radio in my birth dad’s kitchen, out in Nevada. And my dad then regaled me with the story about how he smoked a joint with Dwight, outside a gig in Los Angeles. (My dad had been a roadie for my Uncle Ralph, who was a Country music singer back then. At that time, my Uncle Ralph had songs on the Country charts and Dwight was just starting out — he’d been the opening act for my Uncle that night.)
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I loved these!!!
Early photos of Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart! Be still my heart–
And here they are with The Faces:
And here’s this — 1971, The Faces, “Had Me A Real Good Time” !! Classic!! (“I was glad to come, I’ll be sad to go, so while I’m here I’ll have me a real good time!”)
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And here’s this!
From George Vjestica. The Bad Seeds play Antwerp tonight!
And here’s a great photo of Nick Cave! Since he was onstage in Italy, I guess he wanted to point out his Gucci shoes?? Not sure!!
The Bad Seeds play Berlin on Tuesday!! And you can buy tickets here!
And here’s this–
Nick Cave &The Bad Seeds / “Papa Won’t Leave You , Henry” Live Lingen June 16, 2026:
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And that is it for today. And as I said, I might not be posting tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes.
Meanwhile, I’m gonna do a little yoga, then do a little thinking (I’m finally coming to a good-feeling place regarding the almost-in-progress new memoir), then head out to see the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat.
Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world, gang!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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More breakfast-listening music from the “Rockin” Down the Block” CD collection (1987)!!
The Vogues!! “Five O’clock World,” 1965!! Enjoy, gang!!
“Five O’Clock World”
Up every morning just to keep a job I gotta fight my way through the hustling mob Sounds of the city poundin’ in my brain While another day goes down the drain Yeah, yeah, yeah
But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows No one owns a piece of my time And there’s a five o’clock me inside my clothes Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah Oh my lady, yeah
Tradin’ my time for the pay I get Livin’ on money that I ain’t made yet I’ve been goin’ tryin’ to make my way But I live for the end of the day Yeah, yeah, yeah
‘Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows No one owns a piece of my time And there’s a long-haired girl who waits, I know To ease my troubled mind, yeah Oh my lady, yeah
In the shelter of her arms everything’s OK When she talks, then the world goes slippin’ away And I know the reason I can still go on When every other reason is gone Yeah, yeah, yeah
In my five o’clock world, she waits for me Nothing else matters at all ‘Cause every time my baby smiles at me I know that’s it’s all worthwhile, yeah Oh my lady, yeah Oh my lady, yeah Oh my lady, yeah
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:
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):
Although mine will look nothing like the picture above, I can still dream…
Well. Wow. Did I have a great time with my client last evening! We were both so glad to see each other again.
And here’s something that rarely happens when I go for awhile without seeing a client — she was actually in better health than she was in the last time I saw her!! And she’s in her mid-80s.
She looked great and felt really good. And, wow, her home! One of the family’s private caregivers had been in to clean and dust before my client got back from Florida, so it would be ready for her after having been gone for 5 months. It was sort of jaw-dropping how perfect everything looked — not a speck of dust — especially since it is such an enormous and really, really old farm house (1800s), that’s filled with antiques.
Anyway. It just felt so good to be back in that incredible love-filled home and to chat with her again. 5 hours absolutely flew by.
I’ll be back with her again this evening — and then every Saturday evening for the rest of the summer.
One of her sons was at the house — he lives out of state but had flown back with her from Florida. And he gave me the rundown of all the places where my client likes to eat, including the country club where she has an account, and he said, “Feel free to take her out for dinner! She’ll pick up the tab.”
This is so different from how it was the previous 2 summers, which shows how much better her health is now. But anyway, it should be a good summer!
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Okay.
I guess the way to really get a podcast off the ground is to do it with the 83-year-old Rolling Stones!!
Anyway. The Rolling Stones’ podcast launches on Thursday, June 25th.
The Rolling Stones – Speaking In Tongues | The Official Podcast Trailer (1 minute):
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And from Nick Cave Official yesterday — priority booking for this talk begins June 23rd at 10AM:
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This is from Metrograph Weekend — in addition to vintage films, they also have a really cool quarterly journal.
“…But perhaps the film in the Sachs oeuvre which The Man I Love most recalls is Keep the Lights On (2012), his hushed and devastating study of a relationship marked by deep attraction and mutual need, but marred by dishonesty and addiction, which is currently streaming on Metrograph At Home. …” [interview is by Mark Asch]
Director Ira Sachs. Photo by Jac Martinez
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And from Ross K. Nichols last evening– the video touches on the James Ossuary scandal, the Shapira Scrolls, and the Jehoash Inscription. (Ross will be going into more detail about the Jehoash Inscription in his Sunday School class tomorrow.)
From the Times of Israel, 2022. Into the Land: The Forgery Scandal (17 mins):
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And here’s this!
From June 17th!!
Bob Dylan and Eric Burdon, at Bob’s concert this past Wednesday at the Santa Barbara Bowl:
And from a mere 41 years earlier…
The first time Bob Dylan and Tom Petty played onstage together (which led to a lifelong friendship, recordings, and many tours together).
Bob and Tom at Farm Aid, Sept. 22, 1985!!
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And from Facebook (yes, I really have no clue why I’m back on Facebook… but anyway):
Nick Cave and Mick Harvey, smoking on a bed!
And don’t forget, tonight the Bad Seeds play Prague!! (Which is truly the one city I would really love to see before I die, since it has that intense connection to Franz Kafka.)
As I continue to get accustomed to my new schedule — wherein I have so much more uninterrupted time to sit and write…
I came to a sudden decision early this morning that I will wait on continuing work on the Caiaphas play until after I attend James Tabor’s conference in late September, in North Carolina. That conference will cover all the most up-to-date archeological news on topics that underscore my play.
And, instead, I felt like I really wanted to begin work on my memoir about my life in the 70s. Finally. (Joy: The Shortest Season.) And, wow, gang, that feeling felt really good. To finally sit down with it and let it come out. So we shall see!
Meanwhile, enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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From the drive home last night– speaking of getting ready to write that memoir…
Neil Diamond, “Shilo” live, from Hot August Night, 1972. Enjoy, gang.
“Shilo”
Young child with dreams Dreaming each dream on your own When children play Seems like you end up alone Papa says he’d love to be with you If he had the time So you turn to the only friend you can find There in your mind
Shilo, when I was young I used to call your name When no one else would come Shilo, you always came and we’d play
Young girl with fire Something said she understood I wanted to fly She made me feel like I could
Held my hand out, I let her take me Blind as a child All I saw was the way That she made me smile She made me smile
Shilo, when I was young I used to call your name When no one else would come Shilo, you always came and you’d stay
Had a dream and it filled me with wonder She had other plans “Got to go” and I know that you’ll understand I understand
Shilo, when I was young I used to call your name When no one else would come Shilo, you always came
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
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning here. After thunderstorms all night long…
But the new Central Air Conditioning is unbelievably fantastic. What a godsend, truly. I slept really well. We ignored the thunder and lightning and high winds all night long…
Plus, I had moved all the outdoor potted plants and flower pots onto the kitchen porch yesterday, to keep them safe from sailing away on the wind, and when I went out onto the kitchen porch at 4:45AM this morning , not only was everything perfect, but Tiki was out there, sleeping happily in a veritable jungle of blooming flower boxes.
I am of course trying to just look at the positive stuff this morning, although yesterday was a really difficult one — having to decide to postpone the trip to NYC, which I was really looking forward to.
But now I have a total of 6 days off to just relax — and God knows, the house is CLEAN!!
I found out yesterday that the “trip insurance” is practically a scam. So I am out the cost of the airfare to NYC, but it wasn’t that expensive. Still. It was sort of the final straw (I also found out yesterday, by way of a “little bird,” that Sandra might be going into semi-retirement but hasn’t told me yet… She’s currently in Atlanta, shooting another episode of the “Ms. Pat Show” for Paramount+. So we’ll see how she’s feeling when she gets back.)
When I got home from my shift yesterday, I called Wayne to sort of vent about everything — he and I were going to be having dinner together on Thursday in NYC. He told me the same thing had happened to him once, regarding “trip insurance”, but it had ended up costing him almost 3 times as much money as I’d lost.
Later, during the night, Wayne sent me this on WhatsApp. It made me feel better because I had sent a REALLY nasty email to Travel Guard yesterday, and I hate sending nasty anything’s to anybody, but after reading this, I’m guessing mine was just one of millions they probably receive:
And then, around 3AM, when I got up to use the bathroom, I saw on my phone that my niece had sent me a friend request on Facebook! Yay!
Technically, we follow each other on Instagram but she hasn’t posted there in a few years. She is my half-brother’s daughter — the half-brother who is half-Cherokee and absolutely nothing but trouble.
Here she is at age 6 months, in 1997! I had bought her that little dress she’s wearing:
So that was a very nice alert to find when I looked at my phone at 3AM.
And late yesterday afternoon, I finally got an email from my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn. Mentally, she’s doing better, but she does have to have surgery on both hands on June 15th.
So here’s hoping that when I finally get back to NYC, she and I will both be back to normal.
And as soon as we can get everything sorted back out, we’ll get that mini-podcast up and running, finally.
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At least both of my shifts yesterday were really nice ones. And the torrential rains didn’t start until early afternoon, so my drive back out to that guy’s farm yesterday morning was just lovely.
And his home was almost an hour’s drive from my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s house. And from a whole different direction than I usually take, so that was a lovely drive, too.
And, yes! Me and my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man had a great day!! Finally, we were alone! The house is back to normal!! And we went out for sashimi & sake and had a really lovely time (ALONE) together!
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As for Tommycakes, I’m just taking it moment by moment, and I hope she will last for the whole summer but when she goes, hopefully I will be here for her final journey.
For readers who are new to the blog — Tommycakes is one of my rescued feral cats. Meaning, she is not domesticated. Feral cats attack people, so they can’t be put into pet carriers– you have to trap them in order to transport them anywhere.
I have (humane) traps in the basement, but the traps are so traumatizing to them that at this stage, since she is so frail and thin, I doubt Tommycakes would survive getting trapped. And even then, no vets around here will handle feral cats. When Daddycakes (her brother) was dying, I found one vet 45 miles from here, who was willing to let me bring him in. He was so far gone and suffering at that point, that I just wanted him to be put to sleep. So the vet was willing to do that for me.
Otherwise, with the ferals, I have to just let God take them in their season. So far, Tommycakes is at least still eating.
Tommycakes with one of her kittens, 13 years ago
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Okay.
Speaking of trying to look at the bright side of things!
74 years ago today, my adoptive parents were married!
Their wedding day was a really happy one. And so was their honeymoon. I’ve decided to just think about that part of it today and let all the rest that came afterward just go…
Happy heavenly anniversary, Mom & Dad. RIP.
And on June 4th, Tom Petty’s 2nd wife, Dana. posted this:
They had gotten married earlier, in Las Vegas, but had their official Wedding Day on June 3rd. Little Richard (on the far right) was the Minister who married them.
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And here’s this!
My birth dad, Don May, and his older brother, Earl, were friends with the Country singer, Johnny Paycheck. They all grew up together in Greenfield, Ohio. My dad’s younger brother, Ralph, who was a professional Country singer as an adult in Nashville, was friends with Merle Haggard.
When Johnny Paycheck met my Uncle Ralph in Nashville and found out he was one of the May boys from Greenfield:
JOHNNY (to everyone in the room): “Those Mays were so poor, that when they had me over to lunch, they fed me mustard sandwiches!”
My dad later concurred that they’d been very poor…
And meanwhile, here’s my favorite Merle Haggard song — a song I first learned about in an interview Rolling Stone Magazine did with Keith Richards!
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And here’s this!
The Rolling Stones in London, 1971!!
And the Rollings Stones at some other time, backstage someplace!
And Nick Cave sent out a really lovely Red Hand File the other day! Wherein among other things, he had some great things to say about Freddie Mercury!! I loved Freddie Mercury!! And I got to see Queen in concert in Columbus in the mid-seventies. Wow, what a great show!!
But Nick also had this to say about the upcoming live shows this summer — for the band and audience alike — a quote from the song “Rings Of Saturn”:
“This is the moment, this is exactly what we were meant to be“
Marilyn's Room 