Tag Archives: life

An interesting bunch of hours

May 23, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, me and my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man did indeed go out for sashimi & sake yesterday — we had a splendid time, even though it rained the whole day and was kind of chilly.

But he was in great spirits and happy to get out of the house.

And look at this most magnificent fortune that was in my fortune cookie after lunch!!!

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So.

I did over 100 miles of driving yesterday, because I had that new client out in the hills on a farm.

And it poured rain throughout most of that driving — including the 40 miles I had to drive to get back home last night.

But what a nice client. What a nice home, on a beautiful farm. He had a great cat. And what an easy shift. The day shift does everything. I was just basically on “standby” all evening. I didn’t need to do much, physically.

However…

That said.

That little extra money I would now be getting from having this new client every Friday night all summer long…

It turned out that yesterday was the final evening shift for that client. He is steadily improving and will now only need help during the days.

The Agency texted me while I was there last evening. Oh well. The extra money for the rest of the summer, evaporated.

However!! The good part was learning that I suddenly had every Friday night off for the rest of the summer…. yay!!

But he was a really nice man.

And you know you’re on a farm in Ohio when you hang out and watch old reruns of “Gunsmoke” from over 60 years ago, while your client has his gun in its holster, draped over the arm of his recliner all evening…

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All right!

I slept in a little this morning because I got in late last night. So let’s get moving!

On WhatsApp this morning!! From Vietnam, finally!

Wayne & I still call it Saigon, even though it’s not called that anymore. But here’s Wayne and his brother in Saigon yesterday!

Wayne does not know what they’re drinking, only that it was “2 for $5”:

Here, Wayne’s brother is learning from a native, how to fit-in in Saigon!

And Wayne took this photo of a photo because he felt my birth dad’s energy coming from it — my dad was on these types of boats a lot in the Vietnam War. This is at the War Remnants Museum:

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Okay.

Here’s this!

More stuff that Johnny Depp is doing!

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And on to another Johnny!

From Phyllis Stein! Johnny Thunders, in Amsterdam, in 1985!

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And here’s this!

Leonard Cohen at the Chelsea Hotel in NYC, in 1967!

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And here’s this!

From that same photo shoot that my favorite Rolling Stones poster came from in my wee bonny teenaged girlhood — only in this shot, Keith is up close and smoking!! Yay!!

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And a couple of great ones!!

First, an old favorite — Nick Cave at perhaps his finest!! And smoking!!

And second — a new favorite!!

Some of the Birthday Party & Lydia Lunch in Berlin in 1982!!

And don’t forget!! Coming up soon!

Buy tickets HERE!!

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And that is it. I gotta scoot or I’m gonna be late!

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

Driving in the rain for 40 miles music from last night!

I know I posted it here recently, but here it is again!! Play it loud, over and over, in the pouring rain in the middle of a very green & rolling nowhere for 40 miles, sing along, and you can still smile the whole way home. I did!

“Better Things” by The Kinks. Enjoy (again), gang.

Beautiful Day, Part 2!!!

May 18, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay.

More about what I briefly mentioned in my blog post yesterday, regarding the May family and the writer, Louisa May Alcott.

WOW! But first!!

Remember that I said I was back on social media platforms, to promote the new novel??

I just got a friend request on Facebook, from one of my former writing students!! How cool!!

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Okay. Back to our regularly scheduled program!

So, back in 1971, I started to get completely obsessed (and I mean, obsessed) with wanting to know who my birth dad was. (And that topic is basically the core idea of my upcoming memoir about my life in the 1970s, Joy: The Shortest Season.)

I stayed obsessed for 16 years. It was impossible to find out who my birth dad was, because no one knew.

And when I finally obtained a copy of my original birth certificate — in 1985, I petitioned the State of Ohio to have my adoption files opened — on the birth certificate, it had 2 really, really sad things: that my birth mom had only been 13 when I was born, and that my father was “Unknown.”

I won’t go into all the details of everything, because you can read the memoir (after I write it)!

But I will say, that I immediately found my birth mom, who was glad to have me back but who refused to say who my dad was.

And also that the man who I was eventually told was my dad — a cousin who had gone to school with my mom told me what the rumors had been back then — was not in fact my dad.

However, that guy’s mother — a lovely woman named Mary who lived in a small town in Ohio, whom I went to visit in 1987 — knew exactly who my birth dad was. She didn’t tell me — although she showed me an old photo of her son’s best friend and asked me if I thought I looked like him. I did!! But she didn’t say more than that.

And then, one night a couple months later, alone in my paradise apartment on E. 12th Street in NYC, I was watching a rerun of the Andy Griffith Show and got a phone call. A long distance phone call; a man calling from Reno, Nevada.

ME: “Hello?”

HE (a thick hillbilly accent): “Is this Marilyn?”

ME: “Yes.”

HE: “Well, Marilyn. My name’s Don May. And I think I’m your father.”

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That is the short version. But my life changed overnight. Finally.

And that was the beginning of finding out what it meant to be descended from the pioneering May family.

And somewhere in there, I learned that I was cousins with Louisa May Alcott — there were Mays all over Kentucky, but also all over New England. And they were all related.

Eventually I realized that back when I was still a young girl, and still obsessing about who my “real” father was, there were hidden clues to his identity all over my world.

For instance, I loved Donny Osmond. And Donald was my birth dad’s name.

I also loved David Cassidy, and he and my birth dad had the same birthday: April 12th.

I loved the Rod Stewart song, “Maggie May,” from 1971.

I grew up in Cleveland, where the most popular department store was the May Company.

And at my adoptive grandparents’ home, there were 2 old books on the upstairs bookshelf that really appealed to me a lot; books that had belonged to my adoptive mother, Marcia, when she was growing up: Little Women and Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag, both by Louisa May Alcott, who I already knew was a famous writer.

But for some reason, Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag really stuck out and I ended up taking that book home with me and keeping that book, and I still have it.

It’s an edition published in 1929:

Here’s the inside cover — my adoptive mom’s Aunt Molly had given her the book (and oddly enough, I was almost named after that Aunt Molly, until my adoptive dad got his way and named me after Marilyn Monroe instead):

And here’s the beautiful title page, from a book that is now almost 100 years old:

So, it was thrilling to eventually discover, years later, that I was related to Louisa May Alcott, the writer (and by then, I had just become a published writer, myself).

But what thrilled me even more–

After my birth dad passed away in 1999, I began getting letters from his older sister, who lived in North Carolina, whom I had never met.

She sent me beautiful letters, along with old photos of my dad from various eras of his life– from little boy on a farm, to sailor in Vietnam. Really lovely letters. I still have all of them.

Here’s a sample — Yes, a letter from my Aunt Jo:

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There are a couple more things I discovered just yesterday , between Louisa May Alcott and the surname “Peabody”, in my new novel The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, but I won’t go into all that right now.

Just wanted to share some of all this today.

Okay.

Oh my goodness! My previous writing student just texted from Facebook: “Hi! How’ve you been?” (I haven’t seen him in about 10 years… where to begin???)

All righty!!

Thanks for stopping by again! Have a great Monday.

I love you guys. See ya!

Absolutely Official!!

May 18, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Honestly, gang — today is the most beautiful day of the year so far. It didn’t seem like it would ever come.

It is just gorgeous out there. And WARM!! No clouds. And no high winds!! And it is the first of my 2 days off in a row!!

All the windows in the house are open, so the cats couldn’t be happier — the sound of birds singing is basically filling the house.

Just the feeling of fresh air and all this sunshine — wow, has it helped put my mood through the roof. Finally.

As I mentioned the other day, I’m planning to spend these 2 days off getting the Spring cleaning done. And I’m actually really looking forward to it. Mostly, finally getting the carpets really clean. And after that, I can focus better on the writing stuff that needs my attention — AKA: The Caiaphas play.

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Okay!!

Immediately following a WhatsApp text, dashed off from me to Wayne at 5AM this morning—

ME (texting): “Is your camera broken?”

Then this photo appeared! As if by magic!

The Lewis boys, at their lodge in the Australian Outback!!

Wayne, center, his brothers on either side! Methinks the sister-in-law is taking the photo…

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This was so cool.

When I was with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat yesterday —

The lovely wife and I always enjoy talking about local history and little known facts that she discovers about this area of Ohio.

And yesterday — wow! I had no idea about this, gang!! But she discovered that Frazeysburg (where I live) “served as a crucial waypoint within the Muskingum Valley and central Ohio routes of the Underground Railroad.” (The secret routes slaves used to escape slavery and get to Canada before & during the Civil War.)

I guess just another reason why I love this village so much. You can really feel the spirits here, and they are generally really good.

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From Ronnie Wood! You can pre-order a new signed print of his collage, “Back in Your Life”, HERE.

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And speaking of pre-ordering!

You can pre-order the eBook edition of the interview with Nick Cave — On the Fragility of Life — by ERIS gems, HERE!

“A conversation of rare depth and tenderness, On the Fragility of Life finds Nick Cave reflecting on love, loss, faith, and the fragile beauty of being alive. What emerges is a luminous meditation on mourning and meaning—unflinching, compassionate, and filled with the kind of grace that only grief can teach.”

And, well, okay–

Speaking of Nick Cave!!

A couple photos of Nick Cave — listening to the muse, perhaps??

And I guess a photo from after the muse… At an Arts Fair in London. I love his expression!!

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Johnny Depp’s production company is in the news today!!

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On a sad note….

46 years ago today, Ian Curtis, of Joy Division, left us (by suicide):

And while we’re here, I always LOVED this song. Joy Division, “Atrocity Exhibition” from their album Closer, 1980:

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And I know this post is already really long…

So I will post it and then, I will do a separate post, with more from what I wrote about yesterday, regarding Louisa May Alcott being one of my cousins.

So I will be back in a little bit!

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya! (soon.)

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Let’s temporarily close with this!

Yes!

From the retro boombox next to my bed!

I love this song and it is perfect for today!!

The Traveling Wilburys’ “End of the Line,” 1988! Enjoy, gang!

“End Of The Line”

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring (End of the Line)
Waiting for someone to tell you everything (End of the Line)
Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring (End of the Line)
Maybe a diamond ring

Well it’s all right, even if they say you’re wrong
Well it’s all right, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well it’s all right, As long as you got somewhere to lay
Well it’s all right, everyday is Judgment Day

Maybe somewhere down the road aways (End of the Line)
You’ll think of me, wonder where I am these days (End of the Line)
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays (End of the Line)
Purple haze

Well it’s all right, even when push comes to shove
Well it’s all right, if you got someone to love
Well it’s all right, everything’ll work out fine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

Don’t have to be ashamed of the car I drive (End of the Line)
I’m just glad to be here, happy to be alive (End of the Line)
It don’t matter if you’re by my side (End of the Line)
I’m satisfied

Well it’s all right, even if you’re old and gray
Well it’s all right, you still got something to say
Well it’s all right, remember to live and let live
Well it’s all right, the best you can do is forgive

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, even if the sun don’t shine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

c- 1988 – George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Thomas Earl Petty, Roy K. Orbison

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

TGIF, MoFos!!

May 15, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Although, around here, Friday just means that I’m getting ready to work the entire weekend.

And starting next week, I’m picking up a couple of double shifts on Fridays, but the evening shift will be out here in Muskingum County, on a farm way out in the woods. And since it’s Spring, it will still be light out when I have to drive the 30 miles back home.

So, I’m okay with it.

Meanwhile!

Surf’s up in Australia for the Lewis family!!

The first photo from Wayne arrived on WhatsApp last night! I think I saw it at around 3am and it just made me feel so happy!

Wayne with his 2 brothers and a sister-in-law

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And in case you needed to see this…. (I know I did)…

Yet another photo from yesteryear of Jack Kerouac typing!!

And in case you’re curious —

Through my birth dad’s side of the family, I am cousins with Louisa May Alcott! (Through her mother’s side). Maybe I should go visit this cool place! You know, go on the road …

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And I don’t want to , you know, start trouble or anything, but there appears to be a veritable plethora of lighters in this world–

And I still have not received my really cool Tom Petty Zippo lighter!!

You never know, though, I might get lucky and actually receive it sometime!!

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Speaking of Tom Petty!!

From yesterday–

And last evening, I did begin reading that new book I got the other day, about Tom Petty, written by his long-time record promoter, Jon Scott:

It’s really good, but I did start to cry while reading it.

I had a rough day yesterday, so I was really emotionally worn out, but also I never really knew any of the details about why the first album by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers took so long to break in America. (It was a hit in England first.)

Just reading about what total dickheads the record company was toward them with that first album — even knowing that the story had a happy ending, it still just made me cry.

That said, I am hoping today will be a better day.

It’s sunny and should be nice all day. And I’m taking my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man out to the Rural King to start getting his baskets of flowers for his back deck! (Although Annie was the one who always did that, but we are trying to just move forward and get stuff done and not get too sad.) However, about every half hour or so:

HE (quietly): “Annie is gone now?”

ME:” Yes, she’s gone.”

HE: “She didn’t tell me, you know.”

ME: “I know, she didn’t tell me, either.”

(That she had cancer.)

And later today, I’m picking up my new printer from Best Buy. So my writing/promoting world can get back on track…

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In the meantime–

Here’s a photo of the Stones looking almost happy in 1977!

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And in case you also needed THIS —

Here are two more photos of Nick Cave & Blixa Bargeld — this time, doing that thing where they keep their eyes open!! (Or behind a pair of shades, as the case may be…)

And while we’re at it — here’s this fantastic song from Iggy Pop, 1986 — “Shades,” co-written by David Bowie, from Iggy’s incredible album Blah-Blah-Blah. I love this song!!!

“Shades”

You gave me a present
The paper was blue and green
I unwrapped it with pleasure
These are the best shades I’ve ever seen
You can be my girlfriend
Forever and a day
I never thought I was worth much
Or that anyone would treat me this way

[Chorus]
I’m not
The kind of guy
Who dresses like a king
And a really fine pair of shades
Means everything
And the light that blinds my eyes
Shines from you
It makes me come in the night
It makes me swim with delight
I like this pain
I like this mirror
I like these shades

I could have had a problem
I might have never followed through
The other guys are in trouble
They wouldn’t listen to a girl like you
These shades say something
I’ll bet they cost a lot
I hope I don’t break ’em
I hope we don’t break up

[Chorus]

c – 1986 David Bowie, Iggy Pop

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And back to Nick Cave–

From Nick Cave Official:

A reminder that the soundtrack for the TV series, “The Death of Bunny Munro” is available for streaming HERE on the platform of your choice!

And there is an upcoming documentary about Kylie Minogue on Netflix — launching Wednesday May 20th — which will have music contributions and some comments from Nick Cave!

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And I think that is going to be it for today, gang!! I’m gonna head out soon and get the whole thing moving all over again.

Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

I find it a little creepy and I still have not been able to watch it all the way through.

It is allegedly not AI — it features “doubles”, actual actors. But still. God knows, I prefer the original “old” Stones to fake ones…

Anyway. The new official video from the Rolling Stones for “In The Stars”. (You can pre-order the upcoming new album, Foreign Tongues, HERE.) Enjoy, gang.

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!!

*****

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!

********

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!!

*********

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!!

***********

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…)

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

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!!

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

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…

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

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.

***********

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!

***********

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.

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

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!!

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

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!!

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

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!!

*********

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

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

And from Nick Cave Official yesterday:

And here’s this!!

Nick Cave in London, in 2022!

***********

And that is it.

I really gotta scoot!

Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

Okay, we’ll close with this!!

One of those songs I recognized from the very first piano note–

As it came out of the Oldies FM Radio Station on my retro boombox, when I was getting ready for bed last night. I could not help but sing along!

“Tiny Dancer,” Elton John. From his classic, Madman Across the Water, 1971. Enjoy, gang.

WARNING: This site in no way idealizes smoking…ever.

May 11, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 3 Comments

Okay, so.

Day 2 in absolute mental overload — but the brain is still working just fine.

I am of course referring to the commitment I made to write an entire play about Caiaphas in the month of June (wherein I will also be in NYC for 4 days). (See yesterday’s post if you missed it.)

I have to say, gang, just going over the piles of notes — alone — will take an entire month, but I’m still moving forward. And I feel really good about it.

This bit of monologue floored me. (First, let me just point out that Caiaphas’ entire reputation for being the man behind killing Jesus is based on basically one line in the New Testament and it basically only states that the “trial” went on in his home. It was more the doings of his father-in-law and brothers-in law (also High Priests), but after 70 AD, Pharisaic Christians wanted to re-frame that. Hence, my desire to write a play about how a man’s horrific reputation, which, throughout eternity has basically been false, is seen from that man’s POV in the afterlife.)

Anyway. I digress.

I came across this scribbled bit of monologue in my notes from 2014 and I loved it:

(Caiaphas speaking): “The bounty I gave to the world because I gave it a picture of the crucifixion of God’s son.”

FUCK, right??!! Think of everything that has come from it: Religions, wars, art.

Anyway.

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

Okay.

So I’m in a good place. I’m not losing my mind or living in overdrive. My only –albeit small — regret, is that I didn’t write the whole play back in 2016, when all the notes were fresh. (Most of the notes are historical and archeological, and now it’s looking like I gotta read all that stuff again.)

But I’m okay.

And yesterday, since it was Mother’s Day, I had a nice phone chat with my birth mom, finally.

Yes! I called her on the phone and she actually answered it.

But it appears that on Friday and Saturday, the other daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughter, celebrated Mother’s Day with her in various lovely ways.

And my brother was going to be stopping by later in the afternoon yesterday, so she was sitting alone in her living room with nothing to do and so when the phone rang, she answered it.

She sounded in good spirits and that always makes me feel great.

Regarding all the caregiving stuff in my world, though, it is still a bit overwhelming and I have to make a dedicated effort to draw some sort of inner emotional lines for myself. We’ll see how that goes. But meanwhile.

Oh! I finally finished watching the Netflix film, “Je m’appelle Anjeta” last night, and I really just loved it, all the way through. It was so fun!

And, speaking — sort of — of France (the movie is in Swedish and French and takes place in Provence), I’m still studying my French every evening and, after studying French for something like 57 years now–

This past week, I learned 3 new words. Well, I’m always learning new words, but these 3 are for common, ordinary things, but I am JUST NOW learning them. I find that so weird.

The words are:

Plafond (ceiling)
Grenier (attic)
Toit (roof)

I guess, you know, I’ve always needed to learn about stuff that didn’t involve looking up in any way. But I just find that so weird. After all these years. And I did not even realize that I did not know these words.

ME (all over Paris): “Excusez-moi, où est le toit ?” [“Excuse me, where is the roof?”]

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

Okay!

Yesterday was not only Mother’s Day (here in the USA) — it was also this guy’s heavenly birthday!

Happy Heavenly Birthday to Sid Vicious!

***********

And here’s this!

Keith, doing something he’s really good at besides smoking– being HAPPY!

And here’s this!

Keith and Mick, not smoking at a soundcheck in Malmo, Sweden, in August 1970. (I think they are singing that classic Beatles’ song, “Help,” but I’m not 100% sure.)

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

I loved these!!

Nick Cave not smoking in a brownish suit!

And Nick Cave not smoking onstage in Hamburg in June, 1982!

And don’t forget!!

If you missed the Hamburg gig in 1982, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will be all over Germany this summer and tickets are still available! Buy them HERE!!!

********
And I think that is it, gang!

It is, of course, my illustrious day off.

Laundry is already done!

No vacuuming is needed today!! (I will give you a moment to pick yourself up off the floor after that shocking remark!)

And all that I gotta do now is take a deep breath and, I guess, dive into a truckload of notes I made 10–12 years ago, sort them all out, and create a play!

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

I leave you witih this!

Morning-listening music!!

I had it on “repeat” through most of breakfast.

I love this song so much. (It reminds me of most of my family, on my birth dad’s side, going back 150 years…)

Recording the song caused Tom Petty a lot of problems:

Story of Tom Petty punching a wall in 1984 breaking his hand (2 mins):

Originally from the album, Southern Accents, Tom Petty & the Heartbreaker’s “Rebels”, 1985. (This is an alternate take, from his posthumous collection, An American Treasure.) Enjoy, gang!

“Rebels”

Honey, don’t walk out, I’m too drunk to follow
You know you won’t feel this way tomorrow
Well, maybe a little rough around the edges
Or inside a little hollow
I get faced with some things sometimes
That are so hard to swallow, hey!

I was born a rebel, down in Dixie
On a Sunday mornin’
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel, born a rebel

She picked me up in the mornin’
And she paid all my tickets
Then she screamed in the car
Left me out in the thicket
Well I never would’ve dreamed
That her heart was so wicked
Yeah but I keep coming back
‘Cause it’s so hard to kick it, hey, hey, hey

I was born a rebel, down in Dixie
On a Sunday mornin’
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel, born a rebel

Even before my father’s father
They called us all rebels
As they burned our cornfields
And left our cities leveled
I can still feel the eyes of those blue-bellied devils
Yeah, when I’m walking ’round tonight
Through the concrete and metal, hey, hey, hey

I was born a rebel, down in Dixie
On a Sunday mornin’
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel, born a rebel

Hey hey hey

c – 1984 Tom Petty

It was a success!

May 9, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 4 Comments

I don’t want to sound too “excited” about it because we were getting him ready for Annie’s funeral, but I arrived at my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s house at 7:15 am yesterday, and he woke up the moment I stepped into his room.

On some level, he seemed to be aware of the funeral and I was able to get him out of bed and start dressing immediately. He even remembered that his shirt needed cufflinks, although he couldn’t remember the word for it. But he remembered where the wooden jewelry box was that contained them.

I so WISH I could share the photo I took of him after he was dressed and ready to go — I texted the photo to his daughter in Seattle, so that she would be assured that everything was going well.

The photo was GREAT. He looked GREAT in his suit and tie. His daughter was so happy. But obviously, I can’t share a photo that private on the blog.

His stepson – & – stepdaughter-in- law arrived by 8am. And everything really just went so smoothly.

And the stepson texted me late last evening to say that he is taking us to lunch today! So that should really be nice.

Probably not us, but I guess we shall see!

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

So I worked for an hour and a half yesterday, then headed over to the old train station, saw Wendy, then had an early lunch with Steve!

Gave Steve the review copy of The Curse of Our Profound Disorder. And since he worked as a social worker for about 30 years, we both feel confident that he will not find the novel too disturbing, or hard to handle.

Mainly, he was just really happy for me that the novel is finally coming out.

Remember that you can pre-order it HERE.

**********

And after my shift today, I’m stopping over at the fully restored Historic Arcade, to drop off a review copy of the novel for Kevin at his beautiful art gallery there.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what the Arcade is like when it isn’t hosting an art expo in that main hallway. I want to see if the vibe is the same. I just loved it when I visited it a couple weeks ago (for the first time). We shall soon see!

The Historic Arcade in downtown Newark — and please note, there is a really nice used bookstore there!!

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

Okay.

Apparently, yesterday was Robert Johnson‘s heavenly birthday!! He was born on May 8, 1911.

From Phyllis Stein!

And here’s this again! I love this song…

**********

And today is Beat Poet/Buddha Gary Snyder‘s 96th birthday!

I thought this news was so cool, since I am re-listening to the audiobook of The Dharma Bums at night, and one of the main characters in the novel is based on Gary. I’m up to Chapter 27:

***********

The house that Patsy Cline and her husband lived in when she died is now a renovated retro-vacation home. You can rent it!! It’s not far from Nashville.

Here’s the really cool basement!!

**********

And here’s this!!

Sort of an odd bit of info:

*********

And here’s this!

Franz Kafka with his sometimes-betrothed, Felice Bauer!

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

Here’s this!!

James Tabor sent this out to us on Patreon yesterday. It’s from the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz:

The Mysterious Copper Scroll and the End of Days

“One stood among the Dead Sea Scrolls: made of metal, and seemingly never meant to be read. Who made it, when and why, and how was Bar-Kokhba involved? Shimon Gibson presents a new theory”

[full article is here]

“**The Copper Scroll, never read by human eyes except the people who commissioned and made it of course”** Credit: Abraham Meir Habermann

***********

And here’s this!!

Keith in Kingston in 1972!

It’s funny, but during our lunch yesterday, Steve told me that he remembers me telling him, when we were about 13, that I wanted to go on the road with the Rolling Stones. You know, as a performer.

I have no recollection of this, but it sure sounds like me. I was already writing dozens of songs back then. It was my whole world.

But what I think is SO COOL — even though I wouldn’t meet her for another 20 years, right around the time I was saying that to Steve, Sandra was already off in Berlin, with Romy Haag, Bowie and Iggy, and she worked briefly as a female backup singer for the Rolling Stones during the German leg of their European tour!!

Just a reminder — Sandra, back then!! (about 10 years before her transition surgery):

And just FYI — you might want to come see our play, “The Guide to being Fabulous” all about Sandra’s life…

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

And what is not to love about this??!!

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds sitting in a fountain-type thingie, lighting cigarettes!!

And what’s not to love about this, while we’re at it??

Nick Cave and Grinderman, not smoking on the stairs!! (It almost seems like they’re refusing to smoke…)

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

And speaking of Nick Cave…

He sent out a Red Hand File yesterday, wherein he replied to 2 very different letters. But one of them was about the painter/teacher Philip Guston. Nick said, in part:

“…Bruce, I couldn’t let this one go! I’m stunned that you had Philip Guston as an art teacher. I didn’t know he was one! Such a brilliant artist – an extraordinary colourist and master of paint, subversive, radical, playful, tough. I’m envious! …”

You can read it in full HERE.