I mean, aside from the fact that the above is a depiction of a skyline that doesn’t really exist anymore…
Anyway.
I am really trying hard to not get depressed over not being in NYC this weekend. Aside from the fact that I love NY, I also really need some time away. I was looking forward to just being in the hotel room. Just being away from everything, if only for a few days.
But on we go.
And depending on what Sandra has to say when she gets back from Atlanta, I’ll find out if I’ll still be going to NYC in November. We shall see.
Meanwhile, Tommycakes is hanging in there. (See posts from the last few days if you have no idea what I’m talking about thus far.)
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Okay.
Not positive, but it looks like Johnny Depp is back in the Bahamas! (Perhaps to celebrate his birthday, tomorrow??!!)
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And from George Vjestica (one of the Bad Seeds) over the weekend– the rehearsals are over!
And now it’s only TWO DAYS until showtime!!! You can still buy tickets HERE!!
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From Phyllis Stein —
Another great shot of Willy Deville in New Orleans, 1992:
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And today is the heavenly birthday of my most favorite person that ever lived.
I know I say this every year, when I post a photo of him either on his birthday or the anniversary of his death, but I’ll say it again– life on Earth has never been the same for me since he died.
We met in our Junior year in high school, in the theater department, and remained best friends up until he died from AIDS in October of 1999. Here, he is in my kitchen in the paradise apartment on E. 12th Street in the East Village — visiting for Thanksgiving. I think it was 1986 or 1987.
Happy heavenly birthday, Paul. I miss you so much.
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Okay. I’m gonna close with this today. Hopefully, my spirits will be better tomorrow, gang. The Agency just texted and begged me to go stop in at my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s house and at least make sure he gets something to eat, because the caregiver who was scheduled called off. Jesus.
But here’s this — beautiful Nick Cave in beautiful color:
Have a good Monday, wherever you are in the world.
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning here. After thunderstorms all night long…
But the new Central Air Conditioning is unbelievably fantastic. What a godsend, truly. I slept really well. We ignored the thunder and lightning and high winds all night long…
Plus, I had moved all the outdoor potted plants and flower pots onto the kitchen porch yesterday, to keep them safe from sailing away on the wind, and when I went out onto the kitchen porch at 4:45AM this morning , not only was everything perfect, but Tiki was out there, sleeping happily in a veritable jungle of blooming flower boxes.
I am of course trying to just look at the positive stuff this morning, although yesterday was a really difficult one — having to decide to postpone the trip to NYC, which I was really looking forward to.
But now I have a total of 6 days off to just relax — and God knows, the house is CLEAN!!
I found out yesterday that the “trip insurance” is practically a scam. So I am out the cost of the airfare to NYC, but it wasn’t that expensive. Still. It was sort of the final straw (I also found out yesterday, by way of a “little bird,” that Sandra might be going into semi-retirement but hasn’t told me yet… She’s currently in Atlanta, shooting another episode of the “Ms. Pat Show” for Paramount+. So we’ll see how she’s feeling when she gets back.)
When I got home from my shift yesterday, I called Wayne to sort of vent about everything — he and I were going to be having dinner together on Thursday in NYC. He told me the same thing had happened to him once, regarding “trip insurance”, but it had ended up costing him almost 3 times as much money as I’d lost.
Later, during the night, Wayne sent me this on WhatsApp. It made me feel better because I had sent a REALLY nasty email to Travel Guard yesterday, and I hate sending nasty anything’s to anybody, but after reading this, I’m guessing mine was just one of millions they probably receive:
And then, around 3AM, when I got up to use the bathroom, I saw on my phone that my niece had sent me a friend request on Facebook! Yay!
Technically, we follow each other on Instagram but she hasn’t posted there in a few years. She is my half-brother’s daughter — the half-brother who is half-Cherokee and absolutely nothing but trouble.
Here she is at age 6 months, in 1997! I had bought her that little dress she’s wearing:
So that was a very nice alert to find when I looked at my phone at 3AM.
And late yesterday afternoon, I finally got an email from my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn. Mentally, she’s doing better, but she does have to have surgery on both hands on June 15th.
So here’s hoping that when I finally get back to NYC, she and I will both be back to normal.
And as soon as we can get everything sorted back out, we’ll get that mini-podcast up and running, finally.
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At least both of my shifts yesterday were really nice ones. And the torrential rains didn’t start until early afternoon, so my drive back out to that guy’s farm yesterday morning was just lovely.
And his home was almost an hour’s drive from my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man’s house. And from a whole different direction than I usually take, so that was a lovely drive, too.
And, yes! Me and my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man had a great day!! Finally, we were alone! The house is back to normal!! And we went out for sashimi & sake and had a really lovely time (ALONE) together!
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As for Tommycakes, I’m just taking it moment by moment, and I hope she will last for the whole summer but when she goes, hopefully I will be here for her final journey.
For readers who are new to the blog — Tommycakes is one of my rescued feral cats. Meaning, she is not domesticated. Feral cats attack people, so they can’t be put into pet carriers– you have to trap them in order to transport them anywhere.
I have (humane) traps in the basement, but the traps are so traumatizing to them that at this stage, since she is so frail and thin, I doubt Tommycakes would survive getting trapped. And even then, no vets around here will handle feral cats. When Daddycakes (her brother) was dying, I found one vet 45 miles from here, who was willing to let me bring him in. He was so far gone and suffering at that point, that I just wanted him to be put to sleep. So the vet was willing to do that for me.
Otherwise, with the ferals, I have to just let God take them in their season. So far, Tommycakes is at least still eating.
Tommycakes with one of her kittens, 13 years ago
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Okay.
Speaking of trying to look at the bright side of things!
74 years ago today, my adoptive parents were married!
Their wedding day was a really happy one. And so was their honeymoon. I’ve decided to just think about that part of it today and let all the rest that came afterward just go…
Happy heavenly anniversary, Mom & Dad. RIP.
And on June 4th, Tom Petty’s 2nd wife, Dana. posted this:
They had gotten married earlier, in Las Vegas, but had their official Wedding Day on June 3rd. Little Richard (on the far right) was the Minister who married them.
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And here’s this!
My birth dad, Don May, and his older brother, Earl, were friends with the Country singer, Johnny Paycheck. They all grew up together in Greenfield, Ohio. My dad’s younger brother, Ralph, who was a professional Country singer as an adult in Nashville, was friends with Merle Haggard.
When Johnny Paycheck met my Uncle Ralph in Nashville and found out he was one of the May boys from Greenfield:
JOHNNY (to everyone in the room): “Those Mays were so poor, that when they had me over to lunch, they fed me mustard sandwiches!”
My dad later concurred that they’d been very poor…
And meanwhile, here’s my favorite Merle Haggard song — a song I first learned about in an interview Rolling Stone Magazine did with Keith Richards!
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And here’s this!
The Rolling Stones in London, 1971!!
And the Rollings Stones at some other time, backstage someplace!
And Nick Cave sent out a really lovely Red Hand File the other day! Wherein among other things, he had some great things to say about Freddie Mercury!! I loved Freddie Mercury!! And I got to see Queen in concert in Columbus in the mid-seventies. Wow, what a great show!!
But Nick also had this to say about the upcoming live shows this summer — for the band and audience alike — a quote from the song “Rings Of Saturn”:
“This is the moment, this is exactly what we were meant to be“
It’s coming up on Homecoming Weekend here in Crazeysburg — wherein they block off 2nd Street and put up carnival rides and games and have live music, and all the local kids have a blast.
It’s called “Homecoming” because anyone who has prior connections to the village are encouraged to come back for an evening and reminisce.
The hard part about it for me is that it marks the anniversary of the horrible tornado we had 2 years ago. I can’t separate the sight of all the carnival rides going up now, from the sight of all that destruction the tornado caused that year. It happened the night before Homecoming Weekend. The rides were not hit, but many, many homes & a couple of businesses were destroyed.
And all the destruction happened literally 2 minutes from my house but the only street that got hit at all was 3rd Street. But it got hit really hard. No one died but a lot of people were taken to the hospital.
The gas station on 3rd Street that night:
Anyway. It’s over. The gas station, at least, looks better than ever. And I’m trying to just feel those “happy” feelings when I see the carnival rides getting assembled now…
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All right, so on a much less stressful note, but alas, still a little stressful–
I am hoping to take my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man out for sashimi & sake today because it is a STUNNING day out there today! His daughter is still there, though, so she might have other plans. We shall find out.
She heads home on Friday. It has been a really long trip for her.
At the very least, I hope I can get him over to the Nature Preserve near his house. Just getting him around trees in the sunshine makes him so happy. So we will see how today goes.
Hoping for a little of this…
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Well, my relationship with the Caiaphas play deepens but I still have more questions than answers about how the story is going to unfold.
It requires a lot of sitting and staring. Or driving and staring, as the case may be.
Perhaps even flying and staring — if we cast our thoughts ahead to next week, when I leave for NYC!
Meanwhile–
Ronnie Wood has added another date to his upcoming tour. This one in Lisbon!! You can buy tickets HERE.
And here’s part of Keith’s heavenly birthday wishes to Charlie Watts from yesterday:
And speaking of Keith–
Obviously, I loved this!!
Keith and Anita in Venice in 1967. Maybe smoking, but I’m not completely sure…
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Okay!
Guess what happened 41 years ago on this very day??!!
One of those rare albums that absolutely stopped me in my tracks was released. The Firstborn is Dead. By Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.
It was my first exposure to Nick Cave’s music and the scope of his songwriting astounded me. (I still have my copy from — lo! — those 41 years ago…)
And the happy Bad Seeds 13 years ago! (Their smiles are just contagious, right??)
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And that is kind of it for today.
I forgot to mention that the huge PRO carpet shampooer did indeed arrive and it has been assembled, and tomorrow — my day off — I am going to shampoo all the carpeting in the house.
And I’m also going to be putting out the last of the flower boxes — on the 2 windows of the barn. (Actually, they are fabric flower “boxes” that hang off the sills.)
So, summer will officially start around here tomorrow.
Okay. Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, 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!!
Yes, it’s from the Oldies FM Radio Station, but it was when I was getting ready to get into bed last night — not getting up in the morning.
I loved this song when it came out, gang. I was living in the paradise apartment on E. 12th Street in NYC — just a stone’s throw from Allen Ginsberg, Richard Hell, and — a couple blocks over — Iggy Pop!
And upstairs from me was the awesome playwright Pamela Enz. We spent many an evening at her kitchen table, sharing a bottle of red wine, smoking cigarettes, while also sharing whatever writing we each had done during the day.
Anyway! This song reminds me of all that!
Pet Shop Boys. 1984 “West End Girls.” Enjoy, gang.
It is another really gorgeous day here today and I’m hoping that I can take my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man out for sashimi & sake today, however–
His daughter was taking him to pick up his new wooden leg on Wednesday and I don’t know yet if it fit correctly or not.
If it didn’t, he will only have one leg for a while and it is WAY too difficult for him to get around. So we shall see when I get there! But I hope things went great. It would be so nice to take him out today.
His daughter heads back to Seattle this evening, so starting tomorrow, things will be back to “normal’ around there. With or without the added leg…
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Okay.
It seems like a lot has happened since I posted here on Wednesday.
Here’s a very cool thing:
Yesterday evening, there was a sudden, very brief, and HUGE price drop on roundtrip airfare to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the weekend of James Tabor’s Patreon Research Group conference!!
So I got my plane ticket!! Which means I’m really going. The price dropped from over $400, each way, down to $107, each way!!! And shortly after I got the tickets, it popped up to $167. Which is still a great price, but, you know. Wow!
And this price drop happened right when I was starting to think that maybe I wasn’t going to be able to make that trip, since the weekend in NYC is going to be expensive.
So I guess God stepped in and said: “You’re going!! Buy those tickets!! Now!!”
Apparently, to Charlotte, North Carolina to FINALLY meet James Tabor!!
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I keep meaning to at least update you on the mini-podcast launch with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn–
She developed an extremely painful problem with her hands. Some sort of nerve-related or arthritis-related neuropathy, but she didn’t know where it was coming from. She had an emergency appointment with the hand doctor yesterday, because they were worried she might be having a pre-stroke (!!). Man.
Very stressful. I don’t know yet what the doctor said. But things with the podcast launch are on hold until we know. Needless to say, she hasn’t been able to paint or draw , or do much of anything with her hands for over a week.
I will keep you posted.
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Wayne and his brother left Vietnam and actually began the long trek back to the States yesterday. I thought they were going back to Australia, first, but I was mistaken!
Here is a fond farewell — Wayne’s brother & a new friend in Saigon!! (And yes, I know it’s not called that anymore!!) (Wayne’s brother is a retired police officer, btw.)
And very early this morning on WhatsApp!!
From Wayne, in Dubai: “He’s EVERYWHERE!!”
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Okay!
I got an email yesterday, alerting me that my much-desired Tom Petty Zippo lighter has finally shipped!! Yay!! (Only took 5 weeks to ship it…)
10% off all merchandise, but you have to sign up for the mailing list & get a code.
You can do it ALL here!! (This is not Cave Things. This is Bad Seed things.)
And also–
You can still buy tickets HERE for the UK & European tour!!
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Okay, you gotta hurry for this one, because the tour is almost over!!
From Joe Satriani & Steve Vai:
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Here’s a couple of Iggy things!!
One from Phyllis Stein!! Iggy looking splendid!!
And Bowie and Iggy in Berlin in 1976!!
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I love this photo.
The Birthday Party — doing that thing they do!! You know, not smiling and looking for cigarettes and stuff!
Here’s Nick Cave with every single hair in place in Mexico City in 2013!
Photo by Fernando Aceves
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And here’s this!
Ronnie and Keith and Bob Dylan backstage at Live Aid in 1985!!
And a couple of cool shots of Keith, doing what he does!!
Looking cool in red & black, and smoking!! (And playing guitar.)
Looking cool in a pair of shades!! (And playing guitar.)
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All right. That’s it for today.
I am so happy that all my flowers are out and summer can now begin!! (The flowers for the windows on the barn should be out this weekend.)
Oh!
My trips to the old Kohl’s and old Aldi’s on Wednesday were eye-opening, indeed. It wasn’t depressing, I’m actually glad I did it. But it was definitely like encountering my own ghost at both stores and I felt for certain that my life was a lot better back then. Pre-scamdemic, lockdowns, etc.
Certainly my career was going a lot better. I traveled constantly for writing-related stuff. My life was filled with colleagues, and friends, and family all over the place — a lot of whom have died now, or simply disappeared.
And a key thing back then — I always had a feeling of hope. As opposed to nowadays, wherein I always have a feeling of: I hope I don’t DIE before I can get the rest of my projects done!
I want to try to get some of that other kind of hope back. We’re gonna see how that goes.
And meanwhile, on SUNDAY NIGHT (!!) the write-a-play-in-a-month thing starts at the Dramatist’s Guild, so we’re gonna see how that goes, too. Such an insane idea, to try to fit this in with NYC right in the middle of it.
(And, yes, I miss all my crazy writer friends. The world was so different not so long ago…)
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All right.
Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Okay!
Unbelievable music-to-make-the bed-by today!!
Apparently, on the Oldies FM Radio Station on the retro boombox next to my bed, they are playing only songs that were hits on this day in 1971!!
Holy fuck.
Hit after hit after hit, all of which I knew by heart.
I was 10 years old and still living in Cleveland back then! Jesus. I played the Top 40 AM radio all the time.
When they played the song below, I literally sprang out of bed. I used to LOVE this song and I had not thought of this song since, I guess, May 29, 1971!!! But I still knew all the words and the cats loved it!!
Ocean, “Put Your Hand in the Hand”, 1971. Connect with your inner 10-year-old white girl in Cleveland, and sing along and enjoy, gang!!
May God bless and keep you always May your wishes all come true May you always do for others And let others do for you May you build a ladder to the stars And climb on every rung May you stay forever young Forever young, forever young May you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous May you grow up to be true May you always know the truth And see the light surrounding you May you always be courageous Stand upright and be strong May you stay forever young Forever young, forever young May you stay forever young.
May your hands always be busy May your feet always be swift May you have a strong foundation When the winds of changes shift May your heart always be joyful And may your song always be sung May you stay forever young Forever young, forever young May you stay forever young.
c -1973- Bob Dylan
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Wayne was active on WhatsApp by 4:30AM, my time, this morning.
He and his brother are in the Mekong Delta now, which Wayne knows has a lot of emotional connections for me, since that was where my birth dad got injured, on a flame thrower, and he was briefly sent back to the US to recover.
While in the hospital in the US, my dad’s understanding of how most Americans felt about the war in Vietnam completely changed. Because of that, he went AWOL for awhile when he got out of the hospital. But then turned himself in. (He was career Navy, so they didn’t put him in the brig. They just sent him back to Vietnam, where he managed to develop a serious drug and drinking problem after that. And, uh, well, let’s say, “an attitude” problem forever afterward….)
Anyway. Here’s a Buddhist temple, enroute to Mekong:
Here’s Wayne and his brother enroute to the Delta. I love this!
And on the actual Mekong Delta:
And Wayne meets a new friend!
Wayne and his brother are soon heading back to Australia to join their other brother and his wife, and finish their vacation there.
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Speaking of Australia!!
Warren Ellis posted this!!
Warren also recommended we all watch the TV show, “Mr. Inbetween”. But it appears I can’t stream it anywhere for free. Maybe you can:
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Here’s this!
Jack Kerouac and cat — and also, some good advice:
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Another lovely photo of George Harrison:
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Apparently, 58 years ago on this very day!!
The Rolling Stones released THIS single and the rest is history…
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And here’s this!
A couple of great photos of Keith with his daughter, Theodora:
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And here’s this!
A young Nick Cave, with great hair and perhaps his pajama top??? Not sure…
I have to say that I’m fighting depression around here, gang. I am so sick of this gloomy, rainy weather.
Memorial Day weekend (which came early this year) is usually when I buy all my flowers and get them out on all the porches for the summer, along with all the summer decorations.
I do have 2 really pretty petunia baskets, and I bought 3 colorful new outside doormats for each door. But it’s a far cry from how Memorial Day weekends usually look around here.
I’m planning to go Wednesday to get all the rest of the flowers and just wait until the weather warms up and it stops raining. At least I will have everything sitting on the kitchen porch, waiting.
Tomorrow, Rasha’s mom is stopping over so that I can show her around the house and introduce her to all the cats. She and her baby are staying here while I’m in NYC, to look after everything. So maybe that will perk up my mood — it will make NYC feel that much closer.
Oh, and I saw that the Agency added a very short early morning shift to my June schedule — back with the farmer guy that I was with Friday evening. So it will be nice to see him again. Hopefully, it won’t still be raining because usually it is a really beautiful drive out there.
Okay. Gonna try to do some yoga here and get my spirits up. I have to head out today to see the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat, and I do not want to be depressed around any of my clients.
So, I’m off.
Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world. (And happy gloomy Memorial Day weekend, to any of you who live State-side.) (Oh, and a belated Happy Shavuot to any of my Jewish followers. And Happy Pentecost, too, if you celebrate it!)
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Let’s close with this!
Last night’s lying-in-bed listening music!
First, I spent the evening studying my French, then studying a bunch of notes for the Caiaphas play. Then re-listened to Part 1 of an interview with Tom Petty, from just 2 years before he died:
Then I spent the remainder of the evening lying in bed, listening to The Essential Leonard Cohen.
So I leave you with this–
“A Thousand Kisses Deep”. 2001. From his album, Ten New Songs. Enjoy, gang.
“A Thousand Kisses Deep”
The ponies run, the girls are young, The odds are there to beat. You win a while, and then it’s done – Your little winning streak. And summoned now to deal With your invincible defeat, You live your life as if it’s real, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
I’m turning tricks, I’m getting fixed, I’m back on Boogie Street. You lose your grip, and then you slip Into the Masterpiece. And maybe I had miles to drive, And promises to keep: You ditch it all to stay alive, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
And sometimes when the night is slow, The wretched and the meek, We gather up our hearts and go, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
Confined to sex, we pressed against The limits of the sea: I saw there were no oceans left For scavengers like me. I made it to the forward deck. I blessed our remnant fleet – And then consented to be wrecked, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
I’m turning tricks, I’m getting fixed, I’m back on Boogie Street. I guess they won’t exchange the gifts That you were meant to keep. And quiet is the thought of you, The file on you complete, Except what we forgot to do, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
And sometimes when the night is slow, The wretched and the meek, We gather up our hearts and go, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
The ponies run, the girls are young, The odds are there to beat . . .
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!!!
Finally! Just coming out and saying it!
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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 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.
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.
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 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.)
Not mine
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.
Louisa May Alcott in 1870
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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
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–
Keith, contemplating lighters
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!
Photo by Ken Regan
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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
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.
Marilyn's Room 