Tag Archives: love

Happily saying farewell to yesterday!

October 28, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 4 Comments

Wow, gang.

I honestly have no idea what happened, but late yesterday afternoon there was just a huge energy shift around here. Negative. Intense. Stressful.

I don’t know if it was strictly coming from me, or if other people were feeling it, too? You know how they say that cell towers can be used to transmit negative radio waves. or micro waves? Things like that?

I just don’t know. But I went from having a very decent day to suddenly feeling like I was on the verge of a mini-nervous breakdown. I couldn’t calm down — couldn’t force myself to do yoga. Couldn’t force myself to go outside and take a walk, even though it was a really beautiful day.

And I do think it’s sort of curious how my blog went from usually getting around 200 visitors a day, worldwide — then yesterday there were only 36 visitors, and most came from Europe. So it made me wonder, if just in general, there was a stressful energy going around.

And then — I was supposed to hear back from Sandra late yesterday afternoon about one of our projects, but she didn’t call. I was awake at 2:45AM, struggling to go back to sleep. I decided to text her, just to remind her that I’m working today and to call me Thursday instead… she texted right back! At 2:45AM. She couldn’t sleep, either.

So who knows! I did eventually fall back to sleep and woke up feeling a lot better. more human. A little tired…

And I did spend a couple of hours on the flash fiction piece for the Bill Burroughs anthology early yesterday afternoon. I’m not really sure how it’s going because I don’t know yet how it will end — I don’t know yet what I’m aiming for, but we’ll see how it unfolds. At least I got started.

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Okay.

From James Tabor– he posted this to the Research Group last night. I think it’s okay to re-post it here:

“Robert Eisenman, Scholar of Early Christianity Who Freed the Dead Sea Scrolls, Passes Away at 89“

“I was very close to Robert since 1991 when we excavated at Qumran. We have spent hundreds of days together over these years. He lived a full and amazing life. I have endless stories to share with you all. Packing and getting ready to head to Israel soon. He was buried yesterday on the Mt of Olives…I will try to visit his grave while in Jerusalem weekend after next.”

James also included this video:

Robert Eisenman & the Dead Sea Scrolls: RIP: Best Interview Ever! (1 hr):

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Well, this really perked my “spirits” yesterday!!

Warren Ellis posted this photo from the after show — after his solo performance in Milan!

Yay!! Look who showed up?? And 2 of them had already been dead for decades!!

But at least a good time was had by all. Richard Hell, Johnny Thunders, and Sid Vicious:

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And here’s this!

Tom Petty in NYC in 1977! (Photo by Michael Putland)

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And this!

Keith and Ronnie, rehearsing in 1978 in NYC. (Photo by Ken Regan)

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From yesterday!

Alex S. Johnson chats with the legendary author, Paul Di Filippo (1 hr):

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And here’s this!!

There was quite a crowd of current and former Bad Seeds on Denmark Street in London the other day!!

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And here’s this!

From 1989!! In Los Angeles! A few of the Travelin’ Wilburys, standing still! With a couple of plates over their heads!! Tom Petty! Jeff Lynne (smoking! drinking!)! And George Harrison!

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And back to the Bad Seeds–

A couple of great ones with great hair! Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld!!

And from Facebook!

(And today, I heartily concur — although, yesterday afternoon, not so much!!)

And that is it for now.

I want to try to just get a little more rest before heading to town. Just to make sure my energy is completely back on track for the store. Since, you know, you can’t really help others if you can’t help yourself…

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.

Perfect accompaniment for my in-progress Bill Burroughs piece.

Jack Kerouac, reading “MacDougal Street Blues” with a jazz piano. (With film footage of NYC in the 1950s-60s.) (3 mins). Enjoy, gang!!

A Happy Tuesday in the Hinterlands!

October 27, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay!

I am here.

It’s been an active morning here so far!!

I slept great. Absolutely, totally great.

Then got out of bed at 5:30AM to discover that one of the cats had thrown up on one of the upstairs bathroom rugs. Oh well.

And another cat (the truly beautiful Cuddles McGee) was in the process of peeing on a throw rug in the hallway.

So one load of laundry got immediately underway! And I only got a tiny little bit pissed off…

Then in the downstairs bathroom, off the laundry room, I discovered that the cats had managed to get into the cupboard under the bathroom sink and had shredded THREE brand new rolls of paper towels.

Shredded bits of paper were all over the floor and I had to drop everything and sweep it up.

At this point, it was about 5:43AM.

I only got a tiny little bit more pissed off — if you count hollering, “You FUCKERS!!!” as being a tiny little bit more pissed off…

However.

I was able to easily switch gears when I took the shredded paper towel rolls out to the trash bin beside the kitchen porch, and there sat my beautiful Kon Tiki of the Great Outdoors, on the porch in the dark, and she went trotting into the kitchen to join us for breakfast.

Yay.

And so then we got breakfast underway!!

I made a really big breakfast for myself this morning, because I’ve been missing being in that hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, a few weeks ago — and, NO!, not because my cats weren’t there, but because the hotel had that great breakfast buffet every morning!

So, since I have today off, I decided to make a big breakfast and I’m really glad I did. It really, really shifted my mood back to being in a happy place!!

Okay!

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Today, I’m mostly going to begin working on the flash fiction piece for the William S. Burroughs anthology.

I have an overall feeling about what I want to write, but I’m not sure, yet, how I will put it down on paper. So we shall see how it goes!! I still have about 2 weeks to nail it and send it in.

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If you are a taxpaying US citizen and either have an IRA or need help starting an affordable one (retirement account), go to TrumpIRA.gov and sign up for info, if you haven’t already. (You might have already received a letter from the IRS about doing this.)

The government will be making up to $1000 contributions to our retirement accounts, annually, beginning in 2027, so be sure to sign up!!

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Okay.

Sadly, this happened on this day in 2013–

And, no, I’m not going to post this song here again, because I’ve already posted it here a million times….

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And here’s this–

Speaking of Bill Burroughs!! Here he is with ~~philosopher and former Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain~~ — Oops! excuse me — the artist, Francis Bacon!

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And here’s this!

Keith!! Holding a pair of shades! And a half-empty or half-full bottle of Jack Daniels!! (Photo perhaps taken by my little Jewish, Jack-Daniels-drinking school friend, Karen, back in 1972?? Not sure…)

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And here’s this!!

From the show in Milan last night!!!

Warren Ellis!! Plus one of the cutest pups ever!!

And here’s this while we’re at it!! “Cherry Bomb,” by the legendary Runaways, 1976!!

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And from Facebook!!

Here’s this!

Nick Cave, smoking!! Singing! Maybe even sweating a little??!!

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And that is it for today!!

And since it’s Tuesday, it means I get to watch a new episode of Season 2 of “Ludwig” on Britbox during dinner tonight!! Yay!

Meanwhile, have a terrific Tuesday, 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!!

Burroughs on Kerouac (1 min). Just beautiful:

“Her Tuesdays should just be called ‘sorry I’m late’ day.”

October 20, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 1 Comment

I don’t really know what it is about Tuesdays, now, gang, but since I started back to work at the store, Tuesdays feel like Saturdays to me. And I just seem to get a really slow start here.

Meaning: I go back to bed after breakfast; play with the cats; look around at my world and wonder how the heck I even got here… Etc.

But here I am, now, at my desk! Happy Tuesday!

Before we forget!!!!

Happy heavenly birthday, Tom Petty!!

Believe it or not, he would have been 76 today. I almost can’t fucking believe it. Anyway…

And let’s listen to this one today! One of my all-time favorite Tom Petty songs. “You & Me”, from The Last DJ, 2002.

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Well, I have to say that Rasha’s mom did come to get her and take her to her new home, and I actually miss little Rasha quite a bit.

Yes, even with 14 cats still living here…

But every time I remind myself that Rasha and her mom are finally re-united now — I feel very happy for both of them.

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From James Tabor–

Did the First Witnesses Believe that Jesus’ Body Left the Tomb? (33 mins):

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And here’s this!

A couple of great photos of the Rolling Stones from yesteryear!!

1966–

1980!

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And something else I did not know about Dwight Yoakam!!

(Although I do know that he went to high school in Columbus, Ohio!! But he lived way on the other side of the city from where I lived. Plus, he’s 4 years older than I am, so I was about 13 when he was graduating high school…)

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Here’s this!

Rowland S. Howard smoking and promoting “Swamp Thing”!

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I have had misgivings about posting this photo to my blog, because I didn’t want to invade her privacy or anything.

But, you know, she DID post it to Instagram… so I’m gonna go ahead and post it to my blog!

Blare N. Bitch!! At “Gay C/DC”!! The “All Gay Tribute to AC/DC” in LA the other night!!

She is still a guitar player — but more a heavy metal player than the punk rocker she was when we first started, you know, doin’ that stuff we did in the 1980s…

Anyway. She was the absolute love of my life then, and she still looks fantastic at 67!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! The song I wrote for her in 1983! “Where Do Dark Girls Go?” (Back then, the girls she ran with in her punk band had some heroin issues… but she’s been clean now for about 38 years.)

WHERE DO DARK GIRLS GO?

Where do they go
When the night comes down?
They turn up the radio
And they drive around;
When the night comes down.

Where do they hide
When the lonesome road
Is taking its toll again
And the kicks get old;
Where do dark girls go?

Out on the wind
Where the voices call
From the pain of centuries
Through the darkest soul?
Is that where they go?

CHORUS
She takes it in
She breathes it out
She breaks the thing
She cares about
She tries again, cries and in
Anger she breaks it down;
She buys the dream
She holds it then
The passion turns to fire again;
She’s trying it, hiding it
This is her only crime:
She speaks her mind.

Where do they run
When the dreams get lost
And the game goes round & round
And she can’t get off,
And she can’t get off?

Where do they hide
When the fear takes hold
And she’s pushed the needle down
As far as it will go?
Where do dark girls go?

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And here’s this!!

Nick Cave, looking splendid while lounging somewhere, not smoking and holding a pair of glasses!! In black & white!!

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And actually, I think that’s it for now.

I’ve got to run a couple of errands here in the village, then focus on the M. Christian tribute anthology which is just about complete…

I do have to say that I am battling a sort of undercurrent of depression, gang. The anthology has brought some wonderful people back in my life from the old days — but it makes me really miss the old days. I’m trying to just focus on “here & now” and allow the past to be part of what “now” is. If that makes sense? (All of it would probably be easier if I were still living in NYC, however.) But I am so grateful I have the old job back at the health & wellness store, and get to be with my friends when I’m working there. Because at least that makes me really, really happy.

Anyway — I do have this to look forward to today!!

Episode 2 of Season 2 of “Ludwig” started airing on Britbox today! I will watch it during my dinner!

Okay!

Have a terrific Tuesday, 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!

The new video by the Rolling Stones!! Just dropped this morning. Enjoy, gang!

Getting ready to be super helpful!!

October 7, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yes!

Soon I will be off and running to Day #2 at the health & wellness store!

I’m thinking that today should be really fun, since my favorite Q-following girlfriend in town works today, too! She wasn’t there on Monday, it was her day off. She texted me last night from her grandson’s football game — a bunch of happy smiley face emojis! “Looking forward to tomorrow!”

So I’m thinking it’s going to be a great day. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have somewhere to go now that really makes me smile and feel energized, gang. It has been such a long time.

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Okay, here’s an interesting update. I guess we’ll find out soon enough if it’s true–

My new guy texted last evening from Florida, saying that trying to get to know someone through texting is making him crazy so he’s thinking of flying back to Ohio for a few days in early November!

Wow. It sounds serious!

I’ll keep you posted, of course.

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All the houseplants that were outdoors have now been brought back inside. And so far, there have been only two incidents between the plants and the cats –and one of them was a pretty BIG one!!

An absolutely gigantic spider plant toppled down onto tiny little Calico and scared her to death!!

So maybe they’ll give it a rest for a while and leave the houseplants alone… we shall soon see.

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All righty!!

Here’s this!

Nothing says “Keith Richards on a European tour in 1990” like a good wholesome game of dominoes!! (It almost even looks like he’s keeping score!!)

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And here’s this!

From my wee bonnie teenage “I’m dropping out of college after about only 12 weeks” girlhood!!

The First Time Tom Petty Ever Played “Refugee” Live | Winterland 1978:

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And here’s this!!

Smoking & drinking with Iggy!! Yay!!

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And this!! From Facebook!

Nick Cave sitting on stage somewhere!! And smoking!! And looking at something or other that has to do with Blind Lemon Jefferson!!!

And I guess here’s this, while we’re at it!! Almost 100 years ago!! Shit.

BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON – One Dime Blues [1927]:

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And this was on Nick Cave Official yesterday–

From July — a few photos from just before the Bad Seeds did that surprise gig on the rooftop of the Resident record store in Brighton!

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And I guess that’s it for today!

I’m making steady progress on editing the M. Christian tribute anthology — and getting a sense of how I want it to feel, overall.

And I will soon be proceeding with the audiobook version of The Guitar Hero Goes Home, so I’m looking forward to that!

Other than that, I’m still sort of astounded by how much my life has turned around in only a handful of weeks.

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!

A short with Nick Cave, a long time ago!! (1 minute):

And we’re off!!

September 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

We’re getting awfully close to Thursday around here, gang!

Thursday being the day my birth mom arrives to take care of my cats while I’m gone.

All the dusting and furniture polishing is already done, and the mirrors are sneeze-free! (Meaning, where the cats sneezed on them; not that the mirrors actually sneeze…)

So starting today, we’re doing all that heavy duty laundry that you only do when houseguests are coming — all the sheets, blankets, the bed skirt from the guest room. All the extra bath towels.

Then I’ll do the final vacuuming, too.

AND– I’m even gonna touch up the paint on the walls, where the kittens scratched at it when they were younger and totally delighted themselves while making me not quite so delighted.

It’s also time to cut back the rose bushes for autumn. I’ll do that probably tomorrow. Or whenever it stops raining.

You know, just try to not only make everything look like 15 cats don’t live here, but also take away ANYTHING that would tempt my mom to undertake the tasks herself!!

I just want her to be able to relax!

Yes, even though my mom is 79 years old now, she is still a brunette… (And oh yeah, trust me — she imbibes!!)

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Okay.

Well, this happened last night.

I discovered that in 11 days, reruns of the old TV show “Castle” are leaving Amazon Prime.

I loved that show when it first came out. And I only recently re-discovered it on Prime. I always watch it during dinner now and it totally makes me calm down. I love everyone in the show, but I especially love the interactions between Richard Castle (a writer) and his mom and daughter, up in his duplex apartment in Manhattan.

I had purposely been making myself only watch one episode a night, because I wanted it to last…

Now, I can’t possibly watch all the episodes in the next 11 days, unless I watch it around the clock. (It ran for 8 years.)

Dang! I will probably just buy the whole show from somewhere online and keep watching it. Honestly, it settles down all my anxiety.

A clip from 15 years ago, Castle with his teenage daughter (1 minute):

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And then this happened last night, too.

While I was doing yoga yesterday afternoon, my eye caught site of that children’s book Keith Richards and his daughter Theodora wrote. (Theodora illustrated it.)

Keith wrote it about his grandad, Gus, who taught him how to play, and to love, the guitar.

I’ve had the book since it came out in 2014. I did read it, but that was 12 years ago. So I took it down from the shelf and saw that it had a CD inside, attached to the inside back cover! I never even opened the little pouch! Never played the CD! It’s Keith, doing the audiobook reading of it!!

Wow. I thought it would be nice to listen to it in bed, in the dark!

So after everything was done yesterday, and I was in bed in the dark, and with the CD in the retro boombox next to my bed —

I turned it on and Keith’s amazing voice filled the room.

I was so delighted!!

But since it’s a children’s book — it lasted about 6 minutes. Shit.

Too bad there’s not an audiobook out there of Keith reading War and Peace or something equally indescribably long….

Anyway.

Here’s the audiobook version of the book, but it is not Keith reading it.

Gus & Me by Keith Richards (6 mins 29 seconds):

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Okay!

From Phyllis Stein!!

Richard Hell wearing his heart on his sleeve in London in 1977!!

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And back to Keith!

Looking intense! In black & white!

Also intense, and equally black & white, but also smiling in 1981!!

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And some more great photos from Facebook! (To be honest, it’s basically the only thing I do on Facebook now.)

Nick Cave! Singing, smoking, sweating!! (Apparently, I chose 3 words)

Nick Cave smoking!!

I loved this one!!

Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld, smoking!! Near some alcoholic beverages!! Full color!!

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And that is actually kind of it for now.

I have a ton of stuff to do around here today.

However!

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Okay, this stuff has got to STOP!

I am already having way too much trouble dealing with TIME passing!!

That said–

Apparently, yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of the release of the phenomenal Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds double-album, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus !!

22 YEARS!!! WTF??!!

Well, anyway.

Let’s close with this gem!

“Breathless”, by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, from the above-mentioned double-album with the very long title!! 2004!! Enjoy, gang. (I sure have — for 22 years…)

“Breathless”

It’s up in the morning and on the downs
Little white clouds like gambolling lambs
And I am breathless over you
And the red-breasted robin beats his wings
His throat it trembles when he sings
For he is helpless before you
The happy hooded bluebells bow
And bend their heads all a-down
Heavied by the early morning dew
At the whispering stream, at the bubbling brook
The fishes leap up to take a look
For they are breathless over you
Still your hands
And still your heart
For still your face comes shining through
And all the morning glows anew

Still your mind
Still your soul
For still, the fire of love is true
And I am breathless without you
The wind circles among the trees
And it bangs about the new-made leaves
For it is breathless without you
The fox chases the rabbit round
The rabbit hides beneath the ground
For he is defenceless without you
The sky of daytime dies away
And all the earthly things they stop to play
For we are all breathless without you
I listen to my juddering bones
The blood in my veins and the wind in my lungs
And I am breathless without you
Still your hands
And still your heart
For still your face comes shining through
And all the morning glows anew
Still your soul
Still your mind
Still, the fire of love is true
And I am breathless without you

c – 2004 – Nick Cave

All righty! Happy Saturday!!

September 19, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Okay, gang.

I did indeed wake-up this morning, and I am still here.

Why I am — is anyone’s guess, at this point.

But since I am still here, I’m going to try to make the best of this day.

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Yesterday afternoon, I did decide to at least put in an online application for that part-time job that appealed to me. We’ll see if they call me for an interview.

Mostly, I just want to be around people. Noisy people, even. People who aren’t dying. So we’ll see.

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And sadly–

I did finally get a chance to talk on the phone with my old school friend yesterday — the one that I’ve known since Jr. High School (1972), who reconnected with me on Facebook the other day.

It was very sad. She is now confined to a nursing home, waiting to be transferred to Assisted Living — none of it is really her choice. But she is very ill and it won’t get better. And her family made the decision for her.

I am going to try to visit her before I leave for North Carolina, but definitely as soon as I get back if I can’t get to Columbus this week.

If you live in the US and you’re on Medicare, I am 100% confident to share with you who handles my Long Term Care insurance, in case you want to look into them where you live:

Bankers Life

The more I see what friends go through as they age, at least out here in Ohio, the more grateful I am that an agent from the company found me when I turned 65. They are honest and they really help you make decisions that are based on the reality of your age, your income, and where you live.

Where you live is key for Medicare and Long Term Care insurance, gang.

A couple of older people I know here in Ohio switched over to Bankers Life, when they told me how unhappy they were with their insurance companies, and they were really glad they switched.

For my girlfriend who is now confined to a nursing home/Assisted Living, and forced to be on Medicaid, it is too late. At least here in Ohio, once you’re on Medicaid, they take everything from you and your life is as good as over; your freedom, gone.

So just, you know, find someone you really trust to help you make your Medicare plans.

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All righty!

Let’s try to get on a cheerier note!

Here’s this!!

I loved Hunter S. Thompson so much, gang. He was one of my very favorite writers. (And being a hardcore conspiracy theorist, I don’t believe he “committed suicide”…)

Anyway.

My dear (and now dearly departed) friend, Kent — the one who was a geologist and used to work for NASA, and who once told me, “Those rocks didn’t come from any moon!” — was the friend who first turned me on to Hunter’s work by giving me his copy of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when we were 15.

I was familiar with Hunter’s name because I was an avid reader of Rolling Stone magazine back then. But this was the first book of Hunter’s that I read (and afterward, I proceeded to buy & read everything he wrote.)

And here’s something I loved: The one and only book that was ever stolen out of my apartment on E. 12th Street in NYC, was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas!!

When I discovered it was missing (I don’t know who stole it, but people came and went constantly back then), I thought: “Wow! They really needed that book!”

I thought it was so cool! And I went out and bought another copy. And YES!!! Eventually, it got stolen, too! (What a great book! Everyone had to have it.)

But the 3rd time was the charm. Here’s my current copy:

And here’s the inside cover!!

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And speaking of Johnny Depp!!

(He did a fantastic job playing Hunter in the film version. I still have my VHS copy of the movie. Maybe I’ll re-watch it on the VCR later!)

Here’s this!

From Johnny’s production company IN.2 Records — Johnny plays guitar on at least one track.

The album The Great Behind, by Glenn Richards & the Venus Lakes will be released Oct. 9th 2026. Pre-order it HERE!

Glenn Richards & The Venus Lakes – 1990Never (Lyric Video):

Great song. I am already anticipating having it on my driving-to-town playlist!

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Okay!

If you thought I was just kidding when I posted recently that “tiny Richard Hell heads” used to be very popular….

Here’s Richard Hell!! With — you guessed it! Another “tiny Richard Hell head”!!

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And here’s Ric Ocasek, on a smoke break and leaning against a trailer!!

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Oh!

This was GREAT!!

I watched it during breakfast this morning. She really gives a thorough explanation about why any gospels concerning Mary Magdalene did not make it into what became the New Testament.

“…dive deep into the enigmatic and often misunderstood Gospel of Mary Magdalene with renowned scholar Dr. Elaine Pagels. In an episode that promises to challenge traditional narratives, Dr. Pagels sheds light on the mysterious texts that reveal a different side of one of Christianity’s most fascinating figures.”

Myth Vision — Mary’s Lost Gospel ROCKS Christianity! | Dr. Elaine Pagels (14 mins):

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And from Bad Seed George Vjestica yesterday!

(My answer was: May 2, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio, USA!)

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And as much as he said he is going to relax now, I’m afraid Nick Cave is going to have to go back on tour! Pronto! The photos are really getting to be slim-pickings!!

From Facebook:

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And, yes, that’s it!!

The other day, when I was supposed to go shopping at Kohl’s with my girlfriend — she had to cancel at the last minute. Her daughter had to work late and so my girlfriend had to pick up her grandson from football practice.

But she texted this morning, and we might try to meet up at Kohl’s this afternoon. It really has been such an intense week for me, gang. I could probably use a mindless sort of outing of shopping today — a sunny day, a good friend, a store that has happy memories for me.

So we shall see!

Meanwhile, enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

It’s been a while! But in honor of a possible trip to Kohl’s with Cathy!!

The Sandpipers!! “Come Saturday Morning”!! 1969. Enjoy, gang.

All right! Getting better!

September 16, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Again, I really want to thank those of you who contacted me privately the last couple days, to just send your good thoughts and prayers.

I truly, truly appreciate that. It helped me a lot.

I am in a much calmer place now, for sure. And I’m trying to just move forward.

I have decided to set up a GoFundMe drive later today, to try to get donations to help me recoup $1700 that was earmarked for the audiobook productions. All of that money is gone.

The recent book editing job I had, and the check I got from Honda last week, would have covered all my production costs, but that, of course, was in my bank account, which got wiped out Monday.

And again, just FYI — I didn’t know this, maybe you do, but don’t answer your phone if the caller ID is from your bank. Call your bank back instead, and ask if they were trying to reach you. That way, you know for certain who you’re talking to.

Also, be alert to anything concerning CHIME online bank. Not that CHIME bank is a scam, it’s not; but the police officer who was taking down my report said that CHIME bank is used a lot in banking/phone scams. And even Wayne said that he had a $45 scam involving a CHIME bank account recently.

So just be aware.

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I also have 2 pairs of vintage Gucci high heeled shoes, from the 1990s — one, a pair with those silver mirrored sequins designed by Tom Ford, that is reasonably valuable.

The shoes don’t fit me anymore because my feet got too wide. But I have such great memories of wearing those shoes in the 1990s! (And that is an understatement.)

However, I have the memories. I don’t need the actual shoes, so I’m going to offer them for sale online. Maybe get as much as $800, combined.

We shall see.

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Okay.

Later today, my Q-following girlfriend in town is meeting me at Kohl’s! Not that I can afford to go shopping right now, even though they’re having a huge sale. But we decided it would be good for me to get out of the house for a few hours and just have fun.

I’m looking forward to it. The store has changed a bit over the last few years, but it used to be my favorite store, so it has good memories for me.

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Another totally mind-blowing thing happened to me yesterday, gang.

Another “I didn’t see that coming” thing — but this time, in a really good way.

I can’t go into all the details yet, but I can say that an older gentleman who lives across the road, who chats with me frequently when I’m outside watering the flowers or getting my mail, was chatting with me yesterday afternoon.

He is very friendly, very chatty. And he suddenly said, “I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but how come you’re not married? You’re so beautiful.“

Long story short, he asked me if I wanted to go out to lunch sometime. And I said, “Yes!!”

He is just so nice. (He’s a widower.)

So we decided that when I get back from James Tabor’s conference in North Carolina, we’ll go out to lunch. That made me really happy, gang.

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All righty!

If you missed this last night, here’s the replay! (I really enjoyed this because he is so much younger than me — his take on the whole literary world now is so different from what my experiences were.)

“Rob Macaisa Colgate is the author of the poetry collection Hardly Creatures (2025), winner of the Chicago Review of Books Award and longlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize, and the verse drama My Love is Water (2025). Currently based in Chicago, he serves as managing poetry editor of Foglifter Journal and was the inaugural poet-in-residence at Tangled Art + Disability. A graduate of the New Writers Project at University of Texas at Austin, he is a recipient of fellowships from Creative Capital, the National Endowment for the Arts, MacDowell, and Fulbright.”

Webinar with Rob Macaisa Colgate, Author of Hardly Creatures (51 mins):

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Okay.

Here’s this!! It brought a smile to my face.

From Phyllis Stein.

Sid Vicious and friends!! In 1976. (Photo by Bob Gruen)

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And I loved the blonde hair…

Again, from Phyllis Stein.

Iggy in the East Village, 1976 (Photo by Roberta Bayley)

(And when I lived in the East Village in the 80s, Iggy lived 4 blocks from me!!)

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And here’s this!

From Dior!!

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And I loved this!!

Blixa Bargeld! Smoking!! In London!! With great hair!! In 1987!! (Photo by Andrew Catlin)

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And speaking of Bad Seeds….

My stash from Facebook!!

Nick Cave!!

Great hair!! Weasels or not!!

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And speaking of Nick Cave ( as if there were ever a time when I’m not speaking of him…)

He sent out one of those great Red Hand Files yesterday, wherein he answered 40 questions with very short answers. (He was celebrating the Red Hand Files turning 8 !!)

This was my favorite!! (It took me a minute to get it, I have to confess.)

“Fuck you & fuck Isreal
from MICHAEL, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

“Daer Micheal, a raelly graet plaesure to haer from you again.”

You can read them all HERE!

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Okay.

That’s it for now.

If I do set up the GoFundMe drive, I’ll post it here later.

Meanwhile, 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!

I have learned so much from Elaine Pagels over the years, about Gnosticism, the Secret Teachings of Jesus, the Gospel of Thomas, etc.

This is a quick interview, with Myth Vision. I watched it during breakfast today. Enjoy, gang.

The Secret Teachings of Jesus | Dr. Elaine Pagels (11 mins):

Totally thinking ahead here!

September 13, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

It’s a gloomy and rainy morning so far, but that often unreliable weather app on my iPhone says that by noon it will be sunny and remain sunny for the rest of the afternoon!!

Yay!!

So I’m going with that thought today, gang! Nothing but sun up ahead!

And since Sunday has become my go-to-town-and-get-groceries day, I’ll wait until noon before heading to town.

I’m hoping I can persuade these guys to go with me again today —

It’s always so much more fun driving anywhere with them!

So, we shall see. (They’re probably in church right now, so I’ll wait a bit before calling them…)

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Okay!!

Wow, you know? What a morning. The first 2 things I saw on Instagram, very early today (5AM), were 2 of my favorite accounts having huge troubles with Instagram & Facebook — the various algorithms there were making them very unhappy.

One was our beloved Phyllis Stein — I so hope she doesn’t leave Instagram, but it was actually Facebook that was threatening to block her awesome account for no valid reason.

The other account was for 2 cute little dogs that I follow in Germany —

I have followed the account for years and the woman who runs the account is around my age and we interact all the time (luckily she speaks perfect English since my German consists of about 4 words — and I count “gesundheit” as one of them). But she is so fed up with Instagram interfering with her posts now that she is actually leaving Instagram as of today.

I really can’t stress enough how much I do not like Facebook (I recently rejoined it). It has gotten so different now and it is very difficult to post over there.

I don’t interact much on fb at all. I have about 5 followers. Literally. And all of them are people I have known for a long time and, except for Iris N. Schwartz, I also follow them on Instagram. So fb seems sort of pointless to me.

It seems like the only thing I really do on fb is look at Nick Cave photos!! Like I needed another app on my phone to look at more Nick Cave photos!

But here’s one I liked on fb yesterday!!

But as far as Instagram — I love Instagram. I have been active on it every day for about 8 years.

Once in awhile I post something concerning my writing career, but mostly I post photos of my cats. And I just love looking at everybody else’s photos.

I mostly follow other cats, and dogs, birds, alpacas, goats, donkeys, cows! From all over the world!

And a few people in Finland and Norway who take unbelievably gorgeous photos of nature.

And a bunch of Punk and rock & roll musicians — most of whom, sadly, are already dead.

But I just love Instagram, so it makes me sad that people I enjoy following are being bullied by the algorithms now — and enough to leave the platform altogether.

I don’t have a lot of followers on instaramg — sorry, that’s a different app I also use. But on Instagram, I have about 1600 followers.

But I only really interact with about 12 of them on a daily basis. So for me, it’s just fun.

I can’t imagine how awful it must be to try to rely on those apps for career-related stuff. It must be a nightmare.

I am so glad that I have my blog, gang.

You know, even though it is totally old school — no bells & whistles — I have about 100 people a day, sometimes as many as 200, from all over the world, who stop in and read my blog!

That’s about 3,000 views a month, and about 36,000 views a year now!

And I’ve had this same blog for 12 years already. In fact, a few years back, WordPress was after me to update it to a different layout. They wanted to retire the layout I use because it was too old-fashioned. But I love this layout because it is SO easy to use.

So I think I am the only blogger left on WordPress who uses this layout.

Anyway… I digress.

I am really glad that WordPress doesn’t resort to a bunch of terrorizing algorithm stuff.

And I really want to thank you guys so much for stopping by every day to read the blog.

It still means a lot to me, even after all these years.

“Oh, and then I saw a photo of Keith Richards smoking in London back in 1968, It was just SO COOL…”

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All right.

Well, after listening to the new auditions for audiobooks that came in yesterday morning, I have decided that for now, I’m removing the short story collections from the audition queue.

Those are just going to be too complex, since some of the stories are from the female POV, and some from the male POV. I’ve decided to just focus on the novels for now.

But other than that, we are moving forward with perhaps THREE novels to turn into audiobooks! 1954 Powder Blue Pickup, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, and possibly Freak Parade.

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Okay!

Since the Bad Seeds’ tour is over now, I am resorting to a photo of Nick Cave from the desktop stash!!

Singing and smoking!! In black & white!! (He looks so, I don’t know, energetic here!)

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And here’s this!!

If you look REALLY carefully, Keith is smoking — and walking & carrying a package in London in 1986. In full color!! Heavy on the blue!! (Photo by Richard Young)

I can’t say for sure if Keith is smoking here, you have to do your own research on that. But it does seem to be the 1980s, and in black & white.

And if you don’t really know much about Keith–

Back when he was a heroin addict, his teeth started rotting really badly. After he quit heroin for good, around 1978, he had all of his teeth replaced.

But here’s one of the photos from the not-so-great-teeth days. But he still looks so sweet here:

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And that is what I have for now.

The laundry is just about done! I’m gonna check in on the 2 cats outside and see who wants to be fed (again) before I head to town.

Have a great Sunday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

And THANKS for visiting!! I really mean that.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

Since I have been reading that book, Conversations With Tom Petty (2006) at night now, and we are now up to when he was recording his triple multi-platinum Wildflowers solo album, I put that CD in the kitchen jukebox player this morning!

So let’s listen to “You Wreck Me”. I hadn’t heard it in awhile!! A real rocker.

From the Wildflowers album, 1994!! Enjoy, gang.

“You Wreck Me”

Tonight we ride, right or wrong
Tonight we sail, on a radio song
Rescue me, should I go down
If I stay too long in trouble town

Oh, yeah, you wreck me, baby
Yeah, you break me in two
But you move me, honey
Yes, you do

Now and again, I get the feeling
Well, if I don’t win, I’m a-gonna break even
Rescue me, should I go wrong
If I dig too deep, if I stay too long

Oh, yeah, you wreck me, baby
Yeah, you break me in two
But you move me, honey
Yes, you do

I’ll be the boy in the corduroy pants
You’ll be the girl at the high school dance
Run with me, wherever I go
And just play dumb, whatever you know

Oh, yeah, you wreck me, baby
Yeah, you break me in two
But you move me, honey
Yes, you do

You wreck me, baby
Yeah, you break me in two
Oh, but you move me, honey
Ah, yes, you do

c – 1994 Mike Campbell, Tom Petty

Happy Labor Day from the sunny Hinterlands!

September 7, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Wow, what a spectacular day here today.

The windows are open, the house is cool, the skies are sunny for as far as the eye can see!

I am in a much better mood this morning about everything.

Oh! I forgot to post this, in case you or someone you know was having the same problem– about the wireless printer no longer working right with a new fiber optic Internet connection.

Since I don’t really like wireless printers, in general, and since I could not for the life of me understand the written instructions online about how to fix it myself, and since the HP printer tech support line involves NO HUMAN BEINGS WHATSOEVER and I was ready to tear my fucking hair out….

It finally occurred to me to check the back of the printer for a USB cable port and VOILA!!!! It had one. So I went and bought a USB printer cable and then carefully did this very complicated procedure:

I plugged one end of the cable into the printer and the other end into my laptop and in 0.2 nanoseconds, suddenly the printer was working just fine….

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Okay, gang!

It is official!

On Saturday, October 3rd, from 1-5PM, at Holland’s Book Nook in the really lovely Historic Arcade in downtown Newark, Ohio–

I will be singing — well, I won’t be doing a whole lot of singing, mostly I’ll be signing copies of my brand new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder!

2 other local writers will also be there, but I don’t know who the writers are yet.

If for some inexplicable reason you will be in the area that day, please stop by!!

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Okay, I don’t have a lot to post about today since I spent a good chunk of yesterday in town, running errands. And then the remainder of the afternoon working on the new MEMOIR… and I finally found a way to approach it without totally depressing myself.

But here’s this!

From the wonderful Phyllis Stein!

Richard Hell in NYC in 1977!! (Photo by Stephanie Chernikowski)

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And here are 2 great ones from that Nick Cave/Facebook account that I love!

Absolutely SMOKING!! (Nick Cave, and then The Boys Next Door)

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And honestly, that is it for today, gang.

I’m hoping that I have a productive day of writing ahead of me here. We shall soon find out.

Meanwhile, if you live State-side, have a fabulous Labor Day. Otherwise, have a great Monday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

Continuing from yesterday’s post…

A little more Lou Bega!! (Get in the car and drive, gang!!)

“Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)”, 1999. Enjoy!!

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: