Tag Archives: life

Can you believe it’s September already??

September 1, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Personally, I cannot.

Here’s something else I can’t believe — for the next 7 days, I have no appointments on my schedule.

I get to do whatever I want to do. (Including, I hope, have lunch with one of my girlfriends.)

I’m not sure I know how to handle that — all that free/me time.

The appointment with the Medicare Insurance Nurse yesterday was very interesting. We seemed to have a lot of opinions in common about things like vaxxes and pharmaceuticals vs. supplements, etc.

We chatted about a lot of things, there at my kitchen table. She was here for half an hour, even though her actual “work” was completed in about 10 minutes.

Anyway.

That’s done for another year!

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Even though Summer doesn’t officially end for 3 more weeks, everyone in the village seems to think that since school is back in session, the Summer is over and we should be putting all of our Fall decorations out…

WTF??!!

I feel like I’m the only one left who has “Summer” all over her front porch.

So, sadly, I’m going to at least take the Summer stuff off the front porch today. Move all the flowers to the kitchen porch, and try to conform to everybody else’s calendar…

But I refuse to put out my actual Fall decor until the last week of September. (Here’s hoping I don’t incur some sort of fine for that — you know, the Sherriff showing up on my kitchen porch, saying, “You’re neighbors have been complaining that this porch here still looks a little Summery…”)

I’m actually feeling kind of sad about all this — time racing away. But on we go.

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Okay.

As far as having a little window of free time to get some of my own writing done…

That feels really strange, too! My own writing?

We’ll see how that goes. It’s all about focusing and detaching from whatever is going on in the world around me. It’s been a while since I’ve allowed myself to really do that, without feeling sort of guilty about it.

That’s leftover from the caregiving.

But I’m working on moving those feelings out. Last evening, I suddenly decided to delete all the texts on my phone that I was still hanging onto from clients of mine who have since died.

I deleted any texts relating to caregiving at all. It felt like the right thing to do, because my heart needs to move on and I need to get fully back into my own life, while I’m still alive in it.

I hope to make some true progress with all of that this week.

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All righty!

Here’s this!

Keith, on a boat on the water! Getting plenty of “Keith” time!

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And here’s this!

From the last show of the Bad Seeds tour — Nick Cave in Paris!

And Nick Cave sent out a Red Hand File today, responding to an inquiry about his favorite painting. He actually got to see his favorite painting while in a museum in Germany recently. He said, in part:

“… I had heard that they had the Lochner (painting), but once inside I couldn’t find it amongst the museum’s unbelievably beautiful collection of sacred art. In my mind, the painting had become so monumental that I guess I expected it to be huge, to have its own wall, or something.

“As I was leaving, disappointed not to see it, I walked into a small, annexed room and in the far corner, in the half-light, was the Lochner, only twelve inches tall, and rendered with such tender restraint and humility that I found myself overwhelmed….”

You can read it in full HERE.

And here is the painting:

ADORATION OF THE CHILD JESUS BY STEFAN LOCHNER, 1445

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And that is it for now.

The first Monday in September is off to a sort of slow start, it seems. Even on Instagram.

But enjoy your day, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this…

From that legendary (now a little heartbreaking) album by Frank Sinatra, September of My Years (1965).

“Don’t Wait Too Long”. Enjoy, gang.

“Don’t Wait Too Long”

You are the summer and I am the autumn
Don’t wait too long
Your song’s beginning while mine’s nearly sung
Don’t wait too long

Fall is a lovely time of the year
When leaves turn to golden brown
But soon fall is ending and winter is near
And the leaves start tumblin’ down

Why must the moments go by in such haste?
Don’t wait too long
Winter is coming, I’ve no time to waste
Don’t wait too long

So while my heart’s gay and foolish and free and still can sing its song
Share every precious moment with me, don’t you wait too long

[instrumental-first line of a verse]
Don’t wait too long
[instrumental-second line of a verse]
Don’t wait too long

So while my heart’s gay and foolish and free and still can sing its song
Share every precious moment with me, don’t wait too long

c – 1965 Sunny Skylar

Okay! Just Waiting!

August 31, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Made the phone calls I had to make — you know, to alert Honda that I paid nearly $1200 in car lease payments over the weekend…

They took care of it. (Oops! Forgot to close out your Honda Civic account!) So now I’m just waiting to get a good chunk of that money back.

And I vacuumed the whole house.

Watered all the flowers.

Took care of the many cats…

And now I’m just waiting for the Medicare Insurance Nurse to arrive. And once she gets here, the checkup takes maybe 15 minutes, since I’m not on any prescription drugs and don’t have any health problems.

SHE: “Do you have any questions?”

ME: “No.” (Well, I have a lot of questions but none of them have anything whatsoever to do with my health, so I don’t even bother to ask.)

And then off she goes until next year…

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Speaking of taking care of the many cats, though–

Some really great news!

My birth mom called me yesterday afternoon and said that she’s going to be able to come here to take care of my cats when I go to North Carolina at the end of September!

Apparently, when my younger sister found out that I would be away and that cat sitters were going to be here, she told our mom: “No. I’ll take you to Marilyn’s and you can take care of her cats. And while you’re gone, I’ll look after your garden.”

So, wow, gang. That made both of us so happy. (My mom had been worried that she’d lose her tomato harvest if she came here to look after my cats.)

I much prefer it when my birth mom is here. The cats love her and she’s really good with cats. Plus she takes such good care of my house, too.

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Actually, my birth mom is still a brunette, even though she’s 79 now. I am the only one in my birth family whose hair went totally white by age 40.

What’s with that?

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Okay.

Here’s this! I thought it was pretty cool.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has a personal YouTube channel!

This is the short introductory video from the other day (2 mins):

And this was his first actual video from over the weekend (16 mins):

You can view or join his channel HERE.

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Johnny Depp has MORE art in ANOTHER country (Germany) at another gallery! (Or, um, palace…)

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And here’s this!

Keith and Dr. John. One smoking, both laughing:

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Bad Seed George Vjestica posted some great end-of-tour photos.

Here’s one of them! (Photo by fellow Bad Seed, Colin Greenwood!)

And here’s the soundtrack to George’s photos!! The beautiful Rolling Stones song, “Moonlight Mile”! From their legendary album Sticky Fingers, 1971:

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And, yes, it’s sad but true — now that the tour is over, here is my one & only photo of Nick Cave for today.

But it’s a good one!!

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And I guess that is it for today.

The rest of my week looks pretty nice, gang.

The book editing project is complete. So I can now focus on my own (new) writing for a little bit, and then on Thursday, I will probably head to town to have lunch with my Q-following girlfriend that I haven’t been able to hook up with for lunch for a couple of months!!

And then I’m also going to stop in at both of those bookstores in town that will be carrying my book (in 12 days!!).

Maybe I can find out the date for when the book signing will be, too.

Other than that–

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

And dedicate it to Nick Cave and his fantastic tour of Europe and the UK, 2026!!

Barry Manilow, “I Write the Songs”!! 1975. Enjoy, gang!!

“I Write the Songs”

I’ve been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music, and I write the songs

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

My home lies deep within you
And I’ve got my own place in your soul
Now when I look out through your eyes
I’m young again, even though I’m very old

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

Oh, my music makes you dance
And gives your spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock ‘n’ roll, so you can move
Music fills your heart, well, that’s a real fine place to start
It’s from me, it’s for you
It’s from you, it’s from me
It’s a worldwide symphony

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

I am music (music), and I write the songs…

c -1975 Bruce Johnston

Another Happy Sunday in the Hinterlands!

August 30, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

I think today the heatwave officially begins creeping in, so the AC is back on, but other than that, it is yet another really gorgeous morning here!

I did indeed complete the book edits yesterday evening, and this afternoon, I’ll chat with the writer and make sure he’s okay with everything. But as of now, it is complete.

And YES! I’m heading back to town here soon to buy more groceries and never-ending food for the cats! But it should be another really lovely drive to town and back.

Me, going to town! The guy driving is A.I.

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Wow, so, yesterday’s Zoom call with James Taber was so exciting!

Basically, all we talked about was our upcoming conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, the last weekend of September. I can’t discuss on the blog what we will be discussing at the conference, but I can at least say: Historical Jesus, John the Baptist, and things concerning ossuaries!! (This is primarily an archeology conference.)

Even though I have never been to Charlotte, I’m planning to just stick around the hotel, even when the lectures are over for the day. I love hotels, and this one sounds like it will be a really nice one to just hang out in– and of course, chat with other conference goers!!

And I recently discovered that going there and back, I have a layover in Detroit!!

I have not been to Detroit in a really long time. I realize I will only be in the airport, but I’m actually kind of looking forward to that, too.

So, the plane ticket is purchased, the hotel room is reserved, the cat sitters are lined up, and my girlfriend is taking me to and from the Columbus airport so that I don’t have to pay for an Uber!!

So, pretty soon, off I go!

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Oh, and before the trip, of course, I have a new novel coming out and a book signing!!

And the minute I come back from the trip, I start editing the tribute anthology for M. Christian!!

(I’m guessing that somewhere in the middle of all that, SANDRA will suddenly call and say, “I need you to come to Rhinebeck ASAP…” (I sure hope I am just kidding about that!!)

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Today is the final day of the Kindle eBook sale for my novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home (2020). It is 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited. You can purchase it HERE!!

Thanks, everybody!!

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I don’t really have much to post about this morning, because yesterday was booked solid with the Zoom meeting and the book editing.

But I do have this!

A photo of Keith playing a guitar a long time ago and not smoking in black & white!!

And there were a TON of just beautiful videos of the final Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds show in Paris, but no photos that jumped out at me.

So here’s this instead!

Nick Cave & Mick Harvey not smoking in London in 1981!!

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Other than that, I guess that is it for now.

Tomorrow will be FUN! I get to wait around all day for the Visiting Nurse from my Medicare Insurance Company to stop over and give me my annual “how long until you will be dead” checkup!!

Of course, while I’m waiting I can always do this!! Yay!

All right, gang, I’m going to head to town now.

Enjoy your 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!!

Late-night-listening-in-the-dark music from last night!

I don’t recall why I was suddenly compelled to listen to Neil Diamond’s album of cover songs, Rainbow (1973), but that’s what I did.

My mother was a huge Neil Diamond fan and had a lot of his records. I liked him, too, and would usually abscond with one of the records and take it up to the record player in my room.

Rainbow was an album that I not only absconded with, but kept!!

All these decades later, though, I stream it on my phone… It’s just as beautiful as ever, although it has some really intense memories attached to it, seeing as how it was a record I listened to a lot in 1974 (the Nadir of My Existence year)…

Anyway.

YOU don’t have those memories!!

Here’s the opening song from the record. Neil’s version of “Everybody’s Talkin'”. Enjoy, gang.

What is this “Friday Again” business???

August 28, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

How can it possibly be Friday again, gang??

Where the heck is the time going to???

Anyway.

Happy Friday.

For some reason, I am super tired this morning. I don’t really know why. I think it’s emotional because I actually got plenty of sleep.

Okay. Here’s something that bugs me:

I recently switched to fiber optic internet, after having about 30 years of cable. It doesn’t matter to me that it’s faster than cable, it was a lot cheaper. So I switched.

But now my brand new wireless HP printer 99% of the time cannot be found by my laptop or my printer phone app. And vice versa!

But don’t worry! The HP chatbot assures me it’s fixable!! And sent me to the page online that explains everything and what I need to do…

First, though, I need to take time out to get a college degree in “Understanding What the Fuck You Are Talking About”.

Then we should be good to go…

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Remember those faraway days when you had your non-wireless laptop and/or desktop computer and you set up your non-wireless printer and everything just worked?

Or better yet, how about this??

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In fact!

Let’s just pause for one minute and 40 seconds to take this in again, and remember how much more FUN life was back when “the wireless” meant the fucking RADIO… (CAUTION: Kleenex might be needed):

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Okay.

Let’s come back to 2026…

Yesterday, this happened!

Happy heavenly birthday PeeWee Herman!!

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All right!

Milkweed Editions and Orion Magazine invite you to a special virtual conversation with celebrated writer Helen Whybrow, author of the beloved memoir The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, and bestselling author Pam Houston, whose new book Animals Taught Me Everything reflects on a lifetime of learning from the creatures who have shaped her life.

Moderated by Neal Thompson, publisher of Orion Magazine, this wide-ranging discussion will explore memoir, place, belonging, and the lessons animals teach us about ourselves, one another, and the living world.

Special thanks to Torrey House Press, publisher of Pam Houston’s Animals Taught Me Everything.

This event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, September 17th

12pm PT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET

On Zoom

Visit HERE to register. Free!

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And speaking of animals–

Here’s Freddie McFee in the family room yesterday!!! (Notice that it’s beginning to look a little bit like Fall around here?? How the fuck did that happen??)

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All righty!

Here’s Keith!!

When he was younger!!

Smoking!!

Less younger!!

Not smoking!!

And a great shot of Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman!

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And it looks like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds were taking it easy and/or keeping a low profile in Paris, as they awaited the final show of their summer tour TONIGHT!!

There were a ton of recent concert videos on Instagram, but almost no photos and fewer candid photos.

But here’s this! Unusual as it may be!!

Nick Cave in Bonn, Germany!

And in the event that you are maybe on the Metro in Paris right now, heading to Rock en Seine and you don’t have a ticket yet…. you can BUY ONE HERE!

Other than that, gang, the tour ends tonight. And I’m betting that final show will be incroyable!!! We shall see!

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Okay.

That’s it!

I am reaching the homestretch of the book editing. I am hoping to have it completed by tomorrow morning. Then the author and I will do a final overview of the entire book next week.

However, the James Tabor end-of-the-month Zoom meeting for Tabor Research Group starts at noon tomorrow. Our final Zoom meeting before our conference in North Carolina at the end of September!!

So there could be a chance I won’t actually finish editing until Sunday. But we’re going to do our best!!

Meanwhile, enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

For today, and today only, I did something I used to do throughout the entire month of September, back when I was in my 30s, 40s, 50s…

I listened to Frank Sinatra’s incredible album, September of My Years (1965), during breakfast today.

But now that I am actually IN the September of my years, the album is almost too bittersweet to handle anymore.

But I’m gonna at least try to keep listening to it maybe once every year from now until, well, you know, I transition to that glorious other side… it truly is such a beautiful album.

What a gift Sinatra gave to us back in 1965 — a wonderful album to underscore our sunset years…

Here’s the title track, “September of My Years”. Enjoy, gang.

“The September Of My Years”

One day you turn around and it’s summer
Next day you turn around and it’s fall
And the springs and the winters of a lifetime
Whatever happened to them all?

As a man who has always had the wand’ring ways
Now I’m reaching back for yesterdays
‘Til a long-forgotten love appears
And I find that I’m sighing softly as I near
September, the warm September of my years

As a man who has never paused at wishing wells
Now I’m watching children’s carousels
And their laughter’s music to my ears
And I find that I’m smiling gently as I near
September, the warm September of my years

The golden warm September of my years

c- 1965 – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen

Making great progress!

August 27, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yesterday afternoon, I hit a point in that book I’m editing where the narrative became a lot easier to move through.

Up until then, there were a lot of very specific, somewhat technical storylines where I had to be extremely careful that I was getting everything down correctly. Lots of numbers and definitions, etc.

But now that part of the book appears to be over, and the rest of it is moving very quickly. At this rate, I could be done editing by Saturday morning.

And I still had time to stop for about half an hour yesterday and make all the little tweaks that Sandra wanted done to her updated bio, and get that back to her.

So yesterday was ultimately a really good day.

Little known fact: a cat in your lap helps the editing process move quickly! (It actually only works if it’s an illustration of a cat and not an actual cat…)

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Okay.

Here’s an update from the Merwin Conservancy in Hawaii.

Friday, September 18, 6 PM at Mission Memorial Auditorium — Transient Worlds: A Conversation with U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze & Puakea Nogelmeier

“On Friday, September 18th , at 6PM Pacific time , the 25th U.S. Poet Laureate—and former Merwin Conservancy resident—Arthur Sze will launch the “Words Bridging Worlds” tour in conjunction with the Library of Congress, The Merwin Conservancy, the Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts and the Hawaiʻi Center for the Book. Honolulu will be the first stop on a four-city national tour encouraging Americans to engage with translations of poetry in other languages, including ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.”

FREE and open to the public. Register HERE.

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And here’s this–

“NYC LGBTQ Historic Sites is proud to support the LGBTQ+ Heritage Alliance, a national network of people interested in historic preservation and place-based research related to sites of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture and history. Launched in 2025, the Alliance’s second grant cycle is now open.”

Applications are due by August 31, 2026.

The Alliance’s grant program is the first nationwide initiative dedicated to documenting, recognizing, and interpreting LGBTQ+ historic places through public-facing projects. Grants of $500–$10,000 are available for eligible nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects across the United States and its territories.

Before applying, review the guidelines HERE.

Ready to apply for a grant? Start HERE.

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And Lambda Literary invites you to a free event with poet and dramatist Rob Macaisa Colgate on Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm EST. This virtual event will feature a reading followed by a Q&A.

To register and ask a question, sign up using this form (under “Membership Type,” select “Guest).

In this webinar, Colgate will discuss his creative practice, sharing how his experiences as a poet, editor, and scholar shape his writing and offering insight into the processes through which poems and other literary works come to life. There will be ample time for audience questions.

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And how’s this for a happy update?

The Go Fund Me drive to help guitarist Richard Lloyd fight cancer has now raised over $102,000 !!

If you can donate any amount, please visit HERE.

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Today, August 27th, is that day of the year where everything in my heart comes to a screeching halt for awhile.

It has now been 52 years since the very first love of my life died in a motorcycle crash at the age of 15.

The heartache, of course, gets easier as the years fly by, but now what sort of stuns me is that SO MANY years have flown by.

The summer Greg died, I was 14 years old. And now I’m 66. I’m not sure how that happened. I’ve had an entire life and then some, since those few fleeting years when I knew Greg.

This morning, I was thinking about how the hospital that Greg had died in back then, used to be out in the middle of nowhere. At the very far eastern edge of Columbus. About 5 minutes from where each of our families lived.

Back then, the hospital looked like this, it was a solitary building, on a pond:

And now it literally looks like this. You need a map to find your car:

It’s the main thing I cannot stand about Columbus and why I rarely go back there. It is so overcrowded, and they never stop building stuff.

But here’s this. For Greg. From those days back then. I still love you and miss you, baby. So much.

Ringo Starr, “Photograph,” 1973.

“Photograph”

Ev’ry time I see your face,
It reminds me of the places we used to go.
But all I got is a photograph
And I realize you’re not coming back anymore.

I thought I’d make it the day you went away,
But I can’t make it
Till you come home again to stay.

I can’t get used to living here,
While my heart is broke, my tears I cried for you.
I want you here to have and hold,
As the years go by and we grow old and grey.

Now you’re expecting me to live without you,
But that’s not something that I’m looking forward to.

I can’t get used to living here,
While my heart is broke, my tears I cried for you.
I want you here to have and hold,
As the years go by and we grow old and grey.

Ev’ry time I see your face,
It reminds me of the places we used to go.
But all I got is a photograph
And I realize you’re not coming back anymore.

c – 1973 – George Harrison, Richard Starkey

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Okay.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play the final concert of their summer tour TOMORROW in Paris! You can still buy a ticket HERE.

Here’s George Vjestica, hanging out in Paris!!

And while we’re at it, let’s listen to that incredible Serge Gainsbourg song, “La Janavaise”!! (1962) I love this song.

And here are a few photos of Nick Cave, out & about in Munich the other day!!

I’m guessing it will be a spectacular show. A fitting finale to a spectacular tour!

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All righty.

I’ll get that editor’s cap back on here and get down to work now.

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

My listening-music from last night.

I played it on repeat as I was lying in bed in the dark.

There was a beautiful full moon out my window, shining down on this tiny village in the middle of the southeast Appalachian foothills. I gave up wondering how the heck I landed here all the way from NYC. I was just thinking about life itself and what the world was like when Greg was still in it.

I loved this song so much back when I was in high school. But even back then, it really haunted me.

“Even Now,” by Barry Manilow. 1978. Enjoy, gang.

“Even Now”

Even Now
When there’s someone else who cares
When there’s someone home who’s waiting just for me
Even now I think about you as I’m climbing up the stairs
And I wonder what to do so she won’t see
That even now
When I know it wasn’t right
And I found a better life than what we had
Even now I wakeup crying in the middle of the night
And I can’t believe it still could hurt so bad

Even now when I have come so far
I wonder where you are
I wonder why it’s still so hard without you
Even now when I come shining through
I swear I think of you
And how I wish you knew
Even now

Even now
When I never hear your name
And the world has changed so much since you been gone
Even now I still remember and the feeling’s still the same
And the pain inside of me goes on and on
Even now

Even now when I have come so far
I wonder where you are
I wonder why it’s still so hard without you
Even now when I come shining through
I swear I think of you
And God I wish you knew
Some how
Even now

c -1978 Barry Manilow, Martin Panzer

Holy Cow! What A Beautiful Morning!

August 23, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

I decided to make a quick trip to the Dollar Store as soon as it opened today, get it over with so that I could focus on the editing later — I’m going to need to stop early today because of the live Zoom with Ross K. Nichols and James Tabor later this afternoon.

It was about 8:15AM when I ran to the store. And it was only 67 degrees Fahrenheit outside, a very light breeze, blue skies for miles, birds singing — and also for miles, everything was green! The trees, the hills, everyone’s lawns. And over where the Dollar Store is, the cornfields start. The corn is tall and just so green, too.

It kinda took my breath away, gang. Everything was just so beautiful.

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Okay.

Just a reminder — the week-long sale for my experimental novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, (2020) begins this morning at 8AM, Pacific time. The Kindle edition will be 99 cents, in Kindle Unlimited, until next Sunday.

You can buy it HERE. (Suitable for mature readers. This book is not erotica.) Thanks, gang! And if you do buy it and like it, please review it!! Thank you!!

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I think this is awesome!!

The GoFundMe fundraiser for guitarist Richard Lloyd is already almost at it’s goal!!

Since yesterday morning, when it launched, they have raised $31,117 of the $40K goal!!

From bassist Sean Seymour:

“I’ve organized this fundraiser for Richard Lloyd, my friend and bandmate in the Richard Lloyd Group. For those who don’t know him, Richard is a founding member and guitarist of Television, the legendary New York band whose album Marquee Moon became one of the most influential records in rock history. In March 2026, Richard was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a serious form of bile duct cancer. He has tumors in his liver, including one located dangerously close to a major blood vessel. Because of its location, doctors cannot safely operate to remove it at this time. Since his diagnosis, Richard has been through an extraordinary amount. He has been in the ICU seven times, dealing with serious complications including sepsis twice, as well as complications involving his liver and kidneys. And through all of this, he’s fighting….”

Please donate! Any amount will help! (I’ve heard that Richard and his wife actually need way more money then they’re asking for.)

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Okay.

Yesterday, the new Autumn comforter for the bed arrived so I went ahead and put it on the bed.

It is UNBELIEVABLE how much the cats love this comforter, gang!!

This morning, literally one minute after I made the bed:

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Yesterday, this happened!

It was John Lee Hooker’s heavenly birthday!!!

Happy belated heavenly birthday John Lee Hooker!

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And I kinda can’t believe this one, gang.

Tom Petty’s granddaughter turns 13 this weekend. (She was 4 years old when Tom passed away.)

Happy 13th birthday, Everly!

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Speaking of things I can’t believe —

Today marks the 100th anniversary of silent film legend Rudolph Valentino’s tragic death.

Yesterday evening, I sent the above photo to Wayne and told him that it was the 100th anniversary of Rudy’s passing, and then Wayne texted me this!!

“Seems like only yesterday…”

It so totally made me smile!! (And I’m pretty sure he’s wearing a Ramones t-shirt…)

And if you’d like to know a lot more about the amazing and very short life of Rudolph Valentino—

Check out my book Twilight of the Immortal (2011)!!

“As historical fiction, it is rich with detail and imagery, providing a strong ‘you were there’ experience for the reader…For me, the only disappointing part of the reading experience was reaching the end.” – MB Austen, BiWomenBoston.org

You can purchase Twilight of the Immortal in eBook or print HERE. Thank you!! (It is suitable for all readers.)

And, YES!, while we’re at it–

This is the very same novel that my agent said was my masterpiece, as we sat together, having breakfast out on the sunny patio of the Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood.

As she held the lofty manuscript that it had taken me ten years to research, she said, “I can only compare this to F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is just that good.”

Then she added, “Unfortunately, no one is buying F. Scott Fitzgerald right now…”

And she was 100% absolutely correct about that!! Every single publishing house turned it down!!

The self-published book is currently ranked at #2,037 in Historical LGBTQ Fiction on Amazon.

Not too shabby for a 16-year-old book that every publishing house turned down…

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

OKAY!!!!

Speaking of not too shabby–

Check this out!

Congratulations, Johnny Depp!

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

And from Phyllis Stein–

Another lovely photo of Willy DeVille! In Belgium, 1990. (Photo by Gie Knaeps)

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! “Cadillac Walk,” Mink DeVille, from his debut album Cabretta, 1977!

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

And here are some more photos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ show at the Cabaret Vert Festival in France the other night!

And I’m not sure if this was in France or at a different show, but I love this photo– Nick Cave relaxing with a few of the Bad Seeds!

They play Munich, Germany, tonight. You can buy tickets HERE!

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

And I guess that is it for now.

I’m going to get back to editing that writer’s amazing book. (And by amazing, I mean an unbelievably intense memoir.)

And then I will get ready for that Zoom meeting, which promises to be so much fun– Ross K. Nichols and James Tabor discussing the various translations of the Bible — both Hebrew and New Testament — over the centuries, and who did it and WHY. (Because once you get into the various ways the Bible was translated, gang, it practically becomes a whole different book…)

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

Let’s close with this.

For some reason, when I awoke this morning at 5AM, this song was going over and over in my head.

So maybe it can get stuck in your head now, too!

“Letting You Go,” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. From their Platinum-selling album, Hard Promises, 1981. Enjoy, gang.

“Letting You Go”

I used to think that when this was all over
You might feel different about me
Yeah, I always knew one day you’d come around
Now I wonder if dreams are just dreams

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go

Baby look out your window, it’s raining on your summer home
You’re by the fire keeping warm and dry
There’s no one as honest as those in pain
Oh honey can’t you see me, will you let me inside?

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go

And it’s a restless world, an uncertain time
You said hope was getting hard to find
But time rolls on, days go by
What about the broken ones?
What about the lonely ones?
Honey, I’m having trouble letting go

It’s off in the distance, somewhere up the road
There’s some easy answers for the tears you’ve cried
And it makes me uneasy, makes me feel different
Do you get scared when you close your eyes?

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh
I’m having trouble letting you go
I’m having trouble letting you go

1981 – Tom Petty

Another happy Saturday at my desk!

August 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

It’s not really that extreme — I do get outside and take walks. Still get the laundry done and the house vacuumed. Still do yoga, wash my hair, eat meals and take care of 15 cats…

But all that stuff aside, I’m once again spending a whole lot of time at my DESK!!

Yay!

Oh, and speaking of cats — yesterday I lined up Rasha’s mom & her baby boy, Jude, to cat sit for us while I’m in North Carolina next month for James Tabor’s TRG conference! (1st century archeology pertaining to Jerusalem and the historical Jesus and John the Baptist.)

Now I’m just waiting to hear if one of my girlfriend’s in town can take me to & from the airport, or if I need to plan on Uber. But the trip is basically on my horizon for sure now and I can’t wait!

And speaking of James Tabor — tomorrow afternoon, Ross K. Nichol‘s private Yachad is having a Zoom meeting with James Tabor!! We’re all going to be discussing the various English translations of the Bible (Hebrew and New Testament). It should be so much fun, all together like that on Zoom!!

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

Okay.

An important message from Phyllis Stein on Instagram.

Guitarist Richard Lloyd (one of the founding members of the seminal NYC band, Television, along with Richard Hell, Tom Verlaine, and Billy Ficca, back in 1974), has cancer.

You can donate to Richard Lloyd’s go fund me account HERE.

They are already closing in on $10K of their $40K goal!! Any amount helps!

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

All right.

Look what we forgot yesterday!!

That’s right! It was Joe Strummer’s heavenly birthday!

Happy belated heavenly birthday, Joe Strummer!

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

And look at this!

TODAY is Roland Orzabal’s 65th birthday!! Happy birthday, Roland!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! Tears For Fears! “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, from their hugely popular album Songs from the Big Chair, 1985!

And here’s a pop quiz for loyal readers of this lofty blog!!

TRUE or FALSE:

Every time I hear the song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, I am instantly reminded of hanging out in the bar next door to the Museum of Modern Art in NYC in 1985, with my co-worker and best friend Valerie from Brooklyn, both of us smoking and drinking and laughing on our work-break! And then that song came on the bar’s radio…

If you replied TRUE, then you know me really, really well! Congratulations!! And– Yay!!

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

And here’s something I don’t think we have EVER seen!!

NO!! Not Mick talking on a telephone!

KEITH, stubbing out a cigarette!!

Smoking, not smoking — all in the wink of an eye!

And here’s something I wish we could see ALL THE TIME!!

Keith drinking and smoking in his rented home in Bel Air (Los Angeles) back in 1970!! Yay!!!

**********

Oh, gang, here’s something that made me SO happy!

I checked in on the Facebook app on my phone last evening, and found this message from my long-time friend in NYC, the poet Iris N. Schwartz!!

(Honestly, it made me so happy. Especially since I have gotten a lot of not so great feedback on that same book, my upcoming novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder. Iris has a review copy.)

It kinda made my whole evening.

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

Okay!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds played the Cabaret Vert Festival in France last night.

Prior to the show, from Bad Seed George Vjestica —

And as of right now, this is my FAVORITE photo of Nick Cave from Cabaret Vert !! (It was the first photo I saw posted last night!)

I’d recognize the bottom of that Gucci shoe anywhere!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Munich, Germany, tomorrow (Sunday, 8/23). Then they play Bonn, Germany, on Tuesday 8/25. Then Paris on August 28th!

And then the tour is OVER!! Buy tickets HERE!!

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

And that is it for this sunny, happy Saturday in the Hinterlands.

I’m gonna put that editor’s cap back on now, and get down to editing that local writer’s new book.

Have a superb Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

Let’s close with this.

Another HUGE hit from early 1985.

By this time, my guitar player and his wife (who were both from Buenos Aires, Argentina) had had their first baby, a girl. And one evening, while hanging out in their apartment in Brooklyn, this video came on MTV and he raised a glass to the TV set and dedicated this song to his brand new baby girl.

What a happy evening. I always think of that whenever I hear this song.

“I Want to Know What Love Is”, by Foreigner, 1985. Enjoy, gang.

A pleasant day ahead in the Hinterlands!

August 20, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Although it’s raining here this morning, it’s supposed to get really nice out there by this afternoon.

But I will be at my desk the entire day today.

I am editing that local author’s new book (I’m aiming for 30 pages a day for the best turn-around time). But at 2PM this afternoon, the Alliance of Indie Authors is having a live update on everything that’s new in eBooks, audiobooks, formatting, platforms, etc.

So, as much as I’m thinking that will be an overload of overwhelming information, I still want to attend.

And then yoga. Then prepare dinner. Then reading, reading, and some more reading, then study French! And it should be a good day.

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

It feels sort of incredible to look at my schedule for the remainder of the month, gang, and all that’s on there is one more Zoom meeting, a visit from the Medicare Insurance nurse — to make sure I’m not dead yet? — and then nothing else for the rest of the month but editing.

Wow.

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

Okay!

Not many “here’s this’s” today. Not sure why.

But here’s this!

Speaking of not being sure why, I have no clue what the facial expressions are all about, but here’s Mick and Keith and producer Jimmy Miller not smoking in the studio in LA, while recording the album “Let It Bleed” in 1969!

Photo by Robert Altman/Michael Ochs, Getty images

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

And I know I’ve posted something similar before from Allen Ginsberg’s page, but I just love this because it reminds me of the view out my own back window on E.12th Street in NYC back then — just a few apartments down from Allen Ginsberg’s.

So, here’s this! From August 18, 1984! 42 years ago!! (Of course, the view out my own back window was in living color!! And yes! The courtyards in back, between all the tenements, were FULL of trees!!)

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

Okay.

Here’s this!!

The Warren Ellis mostly-hair Odyssey!!

***********

And THIS awaited me upon opening my wee bonny peepers at 4AM this morning!!

Yay!

And even though the above photo was accompanied by a much more raw -sounding song, I could not help but be reminded of THIS song, too, and eventually, I leaped out of bed this morning, singing it!

“Too Young”

They try to tell us we’re too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love’s a word, a word we’ve only heard
But can’t begin to know the meaning of

And yet we’re not too young to know
This love will last though years may go
And then some day
They may recall
We were not too young at all

Oh, Oh

And yet we’re not too young to know
Oh, This love will last though years may go
And then some day
They may recall
We were not too young at all

c – 1951 Sylvia Dee / Sidney Lippman

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

And speaking of Nick Cave —

He sent out a Red Hand File this morning that was rather riveting. All about a young woman’s mother’s addiction. He begins:

“The problem with your mother’s motto is that it is everyone else around her whose lives she is setting on fire, including yours, it seems, and the people who are fanning the flames are those desperately trying to put them out…”

It’s a quick read, but very powerful. You can read it HERE.

FIRE AT NIGHT BY FRANCISCO GOYA, 1793-94

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ Tour of Europe resumes tomorrow in France. You can buy tickets here!

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

And that is it for today, gang.

I’m gonna go down to the kitchen and get another cup o’ joe, then put on my editor’s cap and get the day underway!

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this today!

Another gem from my wee bonny girlhood!!

INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON) – Lennon/Ono with The Plastic Ono Band, 1970!! Enjoy, gang.

NSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON)

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together. Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of? Laughing in the face of love
What on Earth you trying to do? It’s up to you. Yeah you!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darling. Join the human race
How in the world you gonna see? Laughing at fools like me
Who on Earth d’you think you are? A superstar?  Well right you are!

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on. Everyone come on!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognise your brothers. Everyone you meet
Why in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there? When you’re everywhere
Come and get your share

Well we all shine on, like the moons and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on, come on and on and on on on

Yeah yeah alright. Uh huh ahh

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on. On and on and on on and on

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on like the moons and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on

c - 1970 John Lennon

Here’s to things getting better and better!

August 19, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, if you can believe it, gang, one month ago today, I retired from professional caregiving to go back to my writing fulltime and, wow. What a difference it has made in the quality of my own life.

And yesterday, my new publisher in Pennsylvania did indeed get back to me, saying that she wants to publish The Muse Revisited Volume 4: Selected Taboo Erotica of Marilyn Jaye Lewis. (A completed manuscript from 2021 that I found in a file while looking for something else!)

Yay!

And also yesterday, one of those local ads I placed, offering writing coach/editing services, got me a book editing job!

So, another yay! (I especially like it when I can help other writers, one on one, with no agency taking a fee.)

It seems like every day, something new pops up that I wouldn’t have had time for, wouldn’t have been able to focus on, only a few weeks ago.

***********

Okay.

Apparently I’m in the Bart Ehrman- MythVision algorithm on YouTube because it keeps popping up in my stream first thing every morning!

I don’t mind, I love both of them, but I’m just saying…

Anyway. This has some interesting stuff about the discoveries of ancient gospel fragments and how they can differ from what we read in the New Testament and why.

From 3 weeks ago. Everything You Know About the New Testament Could Be Wrong | Bart D. Ehrman (51 mins):

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

And here’s Keith not smoking!!

Onstage in 1981:

Not smoking with his family in Connecticut in 1986!! (You’ll note that no one in the family seems to be smoking!!)

And Theodora Richards posted the first photos of her newest baby boy, born back in April!!

Here’s both boys, Gus and Tarka, not smoking!!

***********

And speaking of people not smoking!!!

My heart hit the jackpot this morning!!

And here are a bunch of photos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ show in Lithuania!

If you can read it, here’s the set list!!

This was cool. I don’t think this is AI or anything — usually the song lyrics on the big screen are in English!

Here’s ~~Jesus~~! Oops, Nick Cave!

And that’s it. There were tons of photos and videos, though, and it looked like everybody had a really great time.

The Bad Seeds play France on Friday the 21st of August. You can buy tickets here! And then there are only 3 more shows left…

***********

All righty!

I’m gonna head to town here soon and head over to the Rural King to buy a carload of catfood!

Then stop in at my favorite health & wellness store to say hi to my girlfriends and buy some organic goji berries , some nonGMO bathsoap made from roses in Provence, and then the all-important taste-temptingly delicious organic SNACKS!!

And then it’s back here to my desk in the Hinterlands to begin editing the local writer’s new book.

(Oh, and in case you are interested, there are only FOUR things left on my To Do List, and 3 of them are books that still need to be uploaded to the audiobook submission thing on Amazon, and the 4th thing is get that Writers & Artists podcast thing off the ground with Valerie in Brooklyn!!)

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this!!!

Breakfast-listening music!!

A great Tom Petty song from 1981!! And it is so 1981!! (About being in London back then.)

“King’s Road”, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Orignally from Hard Promises. Enjoy, gang!!

Thank [insert whatever you believe in] It’s Friday!!

August 14, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Yay!

I’ve already run some quick errands here in the village.

By 8:15AM, I was at the post office, signing for another Certified Letter from my first husband out in Seattle!! (Yes! More unexpected money!!) (So fucking nice.) (And as I was heading to the post office, it occurred to me that he and I haven’t actually seen each other since 1991. We email, we chat on the phone, but I haven’t actually seen him in 35 years. I’m wondering, at this point, if I ever will again…)

Anyway.

While in the post office, I also mailed something fun to Wayne. My second husband, still in NYC. Although, I kind of see Wayne about once a year. Still, while I was sorting everything out there with the post office clerk, I was quietly thinking: What’s wrong with this picture?

I’m all alone, in the middle of fucking nowhere Ohio, and I’m having these happy relationships with two ex-husbands who each live far away.

I don’t know. It just sort of seemed really weird.

***********

Well, yesterday I had another productive day — and this one included a lengthy chat with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn!

We’re still trying to get ourselves organized to launch our Writers & Artists mini-podcast, but we’re getting there. She is basically back to normal after her 2 hand surgeries and she’s getting a few new paintings completed. So we’re getting there.

But mostly, I am trying to make some headway in getting 7 of my self-published titles ready to submit to audiobook producers. (I have to submit 2-3 pages of text with each book that will serve as sample scripts for narrator auditions– including script notes. So it’s not difficult work, but very time-consuming.)

And before I forget!!!!

It looks like a bunch more people pre-ordered my new novel during the night! Thank you everybody!! (The Curse of Our Profound Disorder. Pre-order it here.)

So that was a nice thing to wake up to.

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

Meanwhile…

Here’s this!

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

And now I have sort of a ton of cool photos of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds from the Oya Festival in Oslo last night! It seemed like people started posting photos and videos the moment the show was over.

Here’s the set list!

These first five were posted by the same photographer, almost immediately:

And here’s two posted by Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Gothenburg, Sweden tonight):

And I loved this one!

After tonight’s show in Sweden, they play Finland on Sunday. You can buy tickets here!

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

And I guess that’ll be it for now. I need to start focusing on some work here.

Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

Let’s close with this.

You know, in September, there’s that big photo book coming out, and some sort of live event in London, to honor Nick’s wife, Susie Cave, on her 60th birthday.

And early this morning, I was thinking back to my own 60th birthday.

Even though the scam-demic was going on that year, I drove down to see my dad on my 60th birthday. The following day, July 23rd, was my dad’s 90th birthday.

My stepmom had died earlier that year, so he was a widower by then, but he did not have cancer yet. It was quiet, as birthdays go, but it was a good weekend.

And on my dad’s birthday, July 23rd, there was a streaming event online of Nick Cave’s solo concert at Alexandra Palace. Of course I watched it!! And it was the first time Nick publicly played the new song, “Euthanasia.”

That song meant a lot to me. So, this morning, as I was reliving all of that, I realized that Nick Cave was a big part of my own 60th birthday, too!

So, here’s this! From 2020.

“Euthanasia” – IDIOT PRAYER: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace. Enjoy, gang.