Tag Archives: music

Okay! Just Waiting!

August 31, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

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

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

And I vacuumed the whole house.

Watered all the flowers.

Took care of the many cats…

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

SHE: “Do you have any questions?”

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

And then off she goes until next year…

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Speaking of taking care of the many cats, though–

Some really great news!

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

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

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

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

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

What’s with that?

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Okay.

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

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has a personal YouTube channel!

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

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

You can view or join his channel HERE.

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

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And here’s this!

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

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

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

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

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

But it’s a good one!!

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And I guess that is it for today.

The rest of my week looks pretty nice, gang.

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

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

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

Other than that–

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

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

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

“I Write the Songs”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

c -1975 Bruce Johnston

A relaxing Saturday, indeed!

August 29, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Okay, gang. Happy Saturday!

And it’s another truly gorgeous day here in the Hinterlands. (I haven’t even needed to have the AC on for about 5 days!) (However, another heatwave is on its way next week…)

I am almost done editing the writer’s book. I will try to complete the edits this afternoon, after the James Tabor Zoom meeting. But I will most definitely have it done by tomorrow. A day before it’s due!

What a book, gang. I do not know how this man lived through what happened to him.

And I also am curious indeed how his book landed on my desk — of all people to be editing a book like this! (Referring to my 4 recent years of nonstop digital soldiering…)

Anyway. It is definitely a story that needs to be told.

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Okay!

Here’s a happy thing!

Last evening, I got a text from my 93-year-old uncle down in Virginia. I had sent him a review copy of my upcoming novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder.

He has read everything I ever wrote, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to read the new book, since it is just really raw, with some unhappy things that are always sort of just right in the reader’s face. But he said he would try his best to read it all the way to the end.

His text last evening said, in part:

“Just finished reading your book. It was strangely entertaining and a shift from my usual reading material. You have an unusually creative mind…”

He said some other nice things, but I don’t want to spoil the book for you! But it made me really happy that he had not only finished it, but that he also liked it! (You can pre-order it in print or eBook HERE. It will be released on Sept. 11th by Parisian Phoenix Publishing.)

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Speaking of writing!

This newsletter for writers is the best! Not only is it very informative, but she gives you all the information for FREE. Including all sorts of calls for submissions!

I get so disheartened how, nowadays, writers often need to pay someone to get access to calls for submissions or other paying publishing markets. It was never like that in the old days.

But now it seems there are so many people out there who just want to make money off of writers.

Here is Erica Verrillo’s The Publishing … and Other Forms of Insanity Newsletter

You can read her current newsletter HERE and also sign up for it, for free!

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Okay!

Get ready for THIS today!

It’s Australian musician (and former Bad Seed) Mick Harvey’s birthday!! He turns 68 today!

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And on a similar theme–

It’s the 40th Anniversary of the release of the Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album of cover songs, Kicking Against the Pricks! From August, 1986!

You can listen to the entire remastered album HERE. (Choose your preferred platform.)

I recently posted this one from that album, but here it is again!! Their cover of “Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart”!!

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And speaking of Nick Cave!!

The final show of the tour is over!! And here’s what he had to say this morning!

Dear All,

Our tour has come to an end: thirty-two shows across Britain and Europe. Thank you to everyone who came along to make it what was, by any measure, a momentous summer. You were the most amazing, engaged and responsive audience, and it has been a true privilege to play for you.

People often ask how I stay so emotionally engaged night after night. The answer is, The Bad Seeds – the greatest live band a singer could wish for. So powerful, so vulnerable, so nimble, gloriously anarchic, and utterly committed to their own brand of lunacy. They really are the best. And it is you, the audience, who give so much. That connection sweeps us all away. People call it transcendent, even religious. Well, it is exactly that. The audience becomes a vast church into which the band pour their love, and that love, that devotion, comes surging back. For me, this is where the power resides. It’s love, plain and simple.

My manager just sat down with me at breakfast here in Paris and said, “The tour’s over. You did a good job. Now, let’s talk about The Bad Seeds and 2029. I have a very interesting idea.” Weirdest thing, I felt a surge of excitement.

Love, Nick

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And here’s a photo from last night’s show in Paris!

Here’s the set list!

And from Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos in Paris yesterday–

And the tour is officially over!!

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Okay, gang.

That’s it for now.

I’m gonna finish up the laundry. Maybe take a quick walk out there in the glorious sunshine, and then settle in for James Tabor‘s Zoom meeting. (They usually last at least 2 hours.)

Then, editing!!

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!

From up there on Jim Sclavunos’ post from Paris yesterday!!

Perry Como, 1955, “It’s A Good Day”!! It certainly is! Let’s enjoy it, gang.

What is this “Friday Again” business???

August 28, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

How can it possibly be Friday again, gang??

Where the heck is the time going to???

Anyway.

Happy Friday.

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

Okay. Here’s something that bugs me:

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

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

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

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

Then we should be good to go…

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

Or better yet, how about this??

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In fact!

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

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Okay.

Let’s come back to 2026…

Yesterday, this happened!

Happy heavenly birthday PeeWee Herman!!

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All right!

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

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

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

This event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, September 17th

12pm PT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET

On Zoom

Visit HERE to register. Free!

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And speaking of animals–

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

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All righty!

Here’s Keith!!

When he was younger!!

Smoking!!

Less younger!!

Not smoking!!

And a great shot of Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman!

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

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

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

Nick Cave in Bonn, Germany!

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

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

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Okay.

That’s it!

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

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

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

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The September Of My Years”

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

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

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

The golden warm September of my years

c- 1965 – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen

Let’s Get This Monday Started!

August 24, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Before I forget, the GoFundMe drive for guitarist Richard Lloyd met it’s goal yesterday!! And now they have increased it to an additional amount.

If you can donate any amount, here is the link! (They have currently raised $47,792!)

From bassist Sean Seymour:

“Richard is currently unable to tour. For a working musician, that’s devastating—not only because performing is what he loves, but because touring is his primary source of income. Richard and his wife, Sheila, are now facing serious financial pressure. Sheila is Richard’s full-time caregiver and is unable to work because Richard needs constant support. …Richard is being overwhelmed by crushing medical expenses and the ongoing costs of simply getting through each month while he is unable to work….”

Please donate if you can!

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Well, yesterday was sort of interesting, gang.

I got a lot done — laundry, a little vacuuming, took a magical walk! Did yoga, washed my hair. Got a lot of editing done of the local writer’s new book. AND–

I listened to that live Zoom meeting I was so excited about — with Ross K. Nichols and James Tabor, discussing important Bible translations.

And after one hour of listening, just as they were getting ready to reveal the best English translation of the Bible out there right now–

YES!!

Sandra called.

How does she always manage to DO that??!! I’d been waiting on her call for 3 weeks… (she was taking a break after having had a really busy summer).

Obviously, I wanted to take her call, but the timing was just too funny.

Anyway. We had a GREAT chat!! And as soon as I can give you additional details about the upcoming Staged Reading of our play “The Guide to Being Fabulous”, I will post it here.

Meanwhile, just know that I am really, really happy with the developments , gang.

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Don’t forget, the Kindle edition of my novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, is on sale this week for 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon!

This is the link!!

And if you do buy it and you do read it and you do like it, please leave a review! Thanks, gang. (Suitable for mature readers, not erotica.)

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Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood’s FEARLESS tour is underway, and the set list lithograph of his London show from the other night, is now available!

You can purchase it HERE!

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Meanwhile…

On a sort of related note — here’s another Rolling Stone — someone I really miss. Gone 5 years today:

Life-long drummer for the Rolling Stones

Should we do it again, gang?? Why not! Best rock & roll drummer, ever.

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And here’s Mick, Keith, and BB King backstage in 1969!!

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And here are some photos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ show in Munich last night!

Here’s the set list — posted by Bad Seed Carly Paradis! (The encore sort of looks as long as the entire show…)

And here’s George Vjestica!

And here’s George and Nick Cave!

And here’s Nick Cave! (Although I’m not 100% positive this is Munich…)

And here’s Warren Ellis!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Bonn, Germany, tomorrow (8/25) and then the final show of the tour is on Friday in Paris! Buy tickets here!

(And yes, gang, on Wednesday, August 26th, the kids here in Muskingum County head back to school! Can you believe the summer is over???)

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This morning, Nick Cave sent out another Red Hand File that was sort of heartbreaking. He was replying to a devastated young woman whose husband is in the hospital, dying from cancer. At the end of his letter, Nick says, in part:

“…[you are] a woman of courage measuring her love against the vastness of its tragedy. I wish I had words to comfort you. Perhaps there are no words, except to say that all of us who read your letter can feel the love you have for your husband, and for a while we sit with you, in recognition and love.”

You can read his reply in full HERE.

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Okay.

Before I get down to the editing work today, I need to head back to town for more groceries. (Not sure how this is possible, because it feels like I was just there doing that!)

But it is another gorgeous morning so it will be a really lovely drive.

I hope you have a magnificent Monday, 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!

Apparently, it is cued up to be first on my playlist for my drive to town!!

The Monkees!! “The Kind of Girl I Could Love”!! 1967, from their album, More of the Monkees. I’m thinking I’ll be playing it really loud. Okay. Enjoy, gang!!

Holy Cow! What A Beautiful Morning!

August 23, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

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

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

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

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Okay.

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

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

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I think this is awesome!!

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

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

From bassist Sean Seymour:

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

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

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Okay.

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

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

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

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Yesterday, this happened!

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

Happy belated heavenly birthday John Lee Hooker!

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

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

Happy 13th birthday, Everly!

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Speaking of things I can’t believe —

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

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

“Seems like only yesterday…”

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

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

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

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

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

And, YES!, while we’re at it–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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OKAY!!!!

Speaking of not too shabby–

Check this out!

Congratulations, Johnny Depp!

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And from Phyllis Stein–

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

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

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

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

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

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And I guess that is it for now.

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

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

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

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

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

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

“Letting You Go”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1981 – Tom Petty

Another happy Saturday at my desk!

August 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

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

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

Yay!

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

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

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

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Okay.

An important message from Phyllis Stein on Instagram.

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

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

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

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All right.

Look what we forgot yesterday!!

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

Happy belated heavenly birthday, Joe Strummer!

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And look at this!

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

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

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

TRUE or FALSE:

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

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

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

NO!! Not Mick talking on a telephone!

KEITH, stubbing out a cigarette!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

It kinda made my whole evening.

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Okay!!

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

Prior to the show, from Bad Seed George Vjestica —

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

Another HUGE hit from early 1985.

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

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

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

How can it possibly be Friday again?!?!

August 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Wow, that was a fast week.

And I got a TON of stuff done.

Yesterday was interesting. I did the book editing, and then stopped to attend that Indie Authors livestream — updates on promotion, platforms, eBooks, audiobooks.

I found it so joyless and felt so overloaded, that I was off of there in 20 minutes.

Things have just changed so much in the last few years, gang. Self-publishing used to be easy, quick, even fun. It’s none of those things anymore, so I have decided to just keep going my own way regarding publishing and not make myself completely INSANE over all this stuff!

And speaking of all that stuff–

Beginning this Sunday (8/23) and running until the following Sunday (8/30), the eBook edition of my experimental adult novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, will be on sale for 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.

“An American rock & roll legend, in the final year of his life, finally comes clean about sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Experimental Adult Fiction by Marilyn Jaye Lewis ‘As arousing as it is heartfelt, I can give no greater praise for Marilyn Jaye Lewis’s The Guitar Hero Goes Home than to say this is a book written by a wonderful writer at the height of her powers. Highly Recommended!’ — M. Christian, author of The Bachelor Machine“

This book is not erotica, but it has adult themes and is recommended for mature readers only. Thank you!!

And you can always read a free excerpt here on my blog.

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I did make good progress with editing the local writer’s book yesterday, but I think that trying to edit 30 pages a day is too much. I still need to getup from the desk and get outside and take walks! So now I’m aiming for 25 pages a day.

I don’t want to betray the writer’s privacy by saying anything here on the blog — I’ll certainly let you know where you can buy the book once it’s published — but for now I can only say that it is an INTENSE book. A memoir. It kind of takes a lot out of me, just editing it.

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If you are in the film industry in any way, you need to sign up for this great newsletter — if you haven’t already. It cuts to the chase, isn’t loaded with stuff you don’t care about, gives you updates on stuff you do care about, and it’s a quick read.

The Dailies (you can sign up at that link)

“5-minute newsletter that keeps film/tv professionals in the loop, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.“

And most importantly — it doesn’t have a fucking phone APP that pings at you every 2 seconds…

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Okay!!

Here’s this!!

Something I could literally just look at all day and call it a complete life!!

Keith! Drinking coffee and smoking somewhere!!

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And here’s Jack Kerouac on the floor in NYC in 1959!!

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And here’s a lovely photo of George Harrison not smoking as he gets into a car somewhere — maybe 1969, early 1970s?

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And here’s some nice news about the late and absolutely great Shane MacGowan!!

(The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is in New Orleans.)

And while we’re at it, here’s this!! Shane and The Pogue’s version of “Dirty Old Town”!! From the phenomenal album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash, 1985. I still play this song all the time, usually when I’m out driving alone in the middle of beautiful nowhere, and I always sing along!

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Okay!!

Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos was kind enough to help me study my French last night!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will be at Cabaret Vert in France tonight! Buy tickets here!!

And Warren Ellis once again proves that he is a master at wearing the architecture of foreign cities!!

And in the event you suddenly feel like getting loaded and having a good time — Primal Scream, “Loaded” and having a good time!!

And even though there were TONS of photos and videos from the show in Lithuania the other night, here’s this instead!!

Just ‘cuz I fucking LOVE it!

Nick Cave seriously SMOKING onstage somewhere a long time ago…

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And that is it for today. I gotta get down to some editing here. It is a gorgeous day, once again, so I will probably head out for another one of those magical walks later, too.

And I leave you with some truly wonderful news, gang!!

A stray cat has had some adorable kittens — but NOT at my house!!

Here they are, outside my dining room window, but at the house next door! Yay!

Cute stray kittens but NOT at my house!!

Okay. Have a fantastic Friday wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!!

From that fabulous year of 1965!!

The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself”!! Such a great song! Enjoy, gang.

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

August 14, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Yay!

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

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

Anyway.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And before I forget!!!!

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

So that was a nice thing to wake up to.

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Meanwhile…

Here’s this!

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

Here’s the set list!

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

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

And I loved this one!

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

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

Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, here’s this! From 2020.

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

Life resumes!

August 12, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

First off, if you heard anything on the news about the really bad weather in Ohio yesterday — terrible thunderstorms, high winds, flooding — that was mostly in and around Columbus.

And it was really bad there.

But here in Crazeysburg, about an hour southeast of Columbus, we had our usual thunderstorms and some high winds. But no real damage. (Thank God.)

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Okay.

Today I am heading to town to run the errands.

First, I have to drop something off at Honda — a weird little meter thingie that one of the service guys accidentally left in my car last week.

(Yes! He left it in my brand new really fast Honda Accord that loudly alerts me when Sheriffs are lurking!!)

And since I will be in that neighborhood, I am halfway tempted to stop in at the home of one of my former caregiving clients. She and her husband got some really bad news a few days ago and I want to see how the wife is holding up.

I am going to wait until the last moment to see if I actually do that or not. I have such difficulties drawing boundaries around my own heart these days, but this would be visiting her as a friend, not as a professional caregiver. So we’ll see what my heart tells me when I leave the Honda dealership. (She lives 2 seconds from there.)

Then I will get the groceries, and then stop in at my favorite health & wellness store to buy my week’s supply of deliciously taste-tempting organic SNACKS(!!) and to say HI to my girlfriends there!

BTW, this was interesting. From yesterday. The Terry Naturally company makes top-of-the-line health supplements. This is from a podcast that the owner, Terry Lemerond, does for free.

What Causes Alzheimer’s disease? (51 mins):

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Okay.

On the Sealey Challenge front–

I’ve had to stop reading the “one poetry book a day” for now, because James Tabor announced to us (Tabor Research Group), that he wants us all to re-read The Jesus Discovery before we meet for our conference on September 25th.

It’s an incredible book. And it’s co-written by Simcha Jacobovici, whom I also adore.

It was actually through Simcha that I first found out about James Tabor and his archeological work in and around Jerusalem. I used to love Simcha’s TV show on the History Channel, “The Naked Archeologist” (trailer- 1 minute):

Anyway.

Since I am still reading John Cooper Clarke’s autobiography, I Wanna be Yours, (and I am almost done!! only 40 more pages to go!!), my eyes can only handle so much reading each evening.

So instead of poetry, I am back to focusing yet again on Early Christianity. (And this specific book is about the discovery & research of the Talpiot Tombs, just south of Jerusalem (around 2010). And the current research on the Talpiot Tombs is a lot of what our upcoming conference will be about.)

And speaking of Early Christianity!!

I was listening to yesterday’s episode of Bart Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus” podcast — which was very good, but then my eye caught sight of a podcast from last month that I hadn’t heard yet:

8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe (43 minutes):

I have studied Biblical History (online) with Bart Ehrman for about 15 years. I find his work in Biblical research really fascinating. I have learned so much from him and the Biblical scholars I have been exposed to through him.

However, early in this particular podcast, he mentioned the Country singer-songwriter, Iris Dement — specifically her song from 1992, “Let the Mystery Be”.

WOW!!

I love that song — I love that whole album (Infamous Angel). It was one of the CDs that Wayne & I took with us on our honeymoon road trip out west in 1993.

I paused Bart’s podcast to re-listen to Iris Dement’s song, and so many wonderful memories flooded back.

On our road trip, Wayne & I made an overnight stop in Paragould, Arkansas, in order to visit some of his relatives who couldn’t make it to our wedding. And Paragould is where Iris Dement is from.

Anyway, here’s her wonderful song! (If you’ve never heard it, get ready to smile and clap your hands and snap your fingers!!)

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All righty!!

Well, here’s this!

Keith smoking!! In duplicate!! About 20 years ago!

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And here’s this!!

The Rolling Stones not smoking in a Hollywood tailor’s shop in 1964!!

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And here’s another bit of promotion from Johnny Depp’s new “Sauvage” campaign for Dior:

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And here’s this!!

From everybody’s day off in Oslo!!

I’m not actually sure why Warren Ellis feels the need to also play in a band, when he truly excels at just taking selfies!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! The Sex Pistols, 1977, “Holidays in the Sun”!!

And here’s Nick Cave, not smoking in a suit, while roaming around Oslo with his glasses, phone, watch, and a happy girl!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Oslo tomorrow night. Followed by shows in Sweden, and then Finland. You can buy tickets here!!

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And I think that’s it for now, because I want to head to town.

I have to say that I am in such a strange head space, now that I have the spectre of “jury duty” behind me. (I’m hoping I don’t get called up again before September is over, but I guess we shall see. But at least I know for sure it is over for right now.)

While I still have a few time-consuming things left on my To Do List here at my desk, I have made a lot of progress and I am starting to feel my mental space clearing, which means I can get down to work on the new memoir. (Joy: The Shortest Season, about my life in the 1970s.)

If you live in Europe, enjoy that Total Solar Eclipse today!!

Otherwise, have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

You know, when I take my magical walks here in the Hinterlands, I always sing this song to myself! Mostly because there are a lot of Rose of Sharon trees and shrubs in full bloom here in the village.

Iris Dement’s “Mama’s Opry”, 1992. From her album Infamous Angel — but this one has the lovely Emmylou Harris on supporting vocals!! Such a great song. Enjoy gang!!

“Mama’s Opry”

She grew up plain and simple in a farming town
Her daddy played the fiddle and used to do the calling when they had hoe-downs
She says the neighbors would come and they’d move all my grandma’s furniture ’round
And there’d be twenty or more there on the old wooden floor dancin’ to a country sound

The Carters and Jimmy Rodgers played her favorite songs
And on Saturday nights there was a radio show and she would sing along
And I’ll never forget her face when she revealed to me
That she’d dreamed about singing at The Grand Ol’ Opry

Her eyes, oh, how they sparkled when she sang those songs
While she was hanging the clothes on the line, I was a kid just a-hummin’ along
Well, I’d be playing in the grass, to her, what might’ve seemed, obliviously
But there ain’t no doubt about it, she sure made her mark on me

And she played old gospel records on the phonograph
She turned them up loud and we’d sing along, but those days have passed
Just now, that I am older, it occurs to me
That I was singing in the grandest opry

And we sang sweet Rose of Sharon, abide with me
‘Til I ride the gospel ship to heaven’s jubilee
And in that great triumphant morning my soul will be free
And my burdens will be lifted when my savior’s face I see

So I don’t want to get adjusted to this world below
But I know he’ll pilot me ’til it comes time to go
Oh, nothing on this earth is half as dear to me
As the sound of my mama’s opry

c – 1992, Iris Dement

Taking it a moment at a time here

August 10, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Or at least I’m trying to.

Having this jury duty thing hanging over my head for tomorrow has sent me right back into that terrible depression I was struggling with for most of this year before I finally retired from caregiving.

Obviously, I’m hoping that I won’t get assigned to a jury tomorrow and that it will be all over in one day. And even if I do get put on a jury, it’s not like how it was back in NYC, where there were high-profile murder cases that you could get stuck on for months.

Anyway. It’s more of a trigger — this feeling that my time (my life?) isn’t my own.

If I do get put on a jury, I will try to at least post updates to the blog in the evenings.

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Let’s move on to something happier!!

Marlon Richards turns 57 today!!

Keith had a total of 5 children — 2 sons and 3 daughters. But one of his sons with Anita Pallenberg, Tara Jo Jo Gunne, died back in 1976.

Out of all of his children, my guess is that Marlon, his first child, is the most well known, since Marlon famously went through it all with Keith.

Here’s one of my favorite photos of Keith with Marlon:

A more recent photo of them (and Marlon himself recently became a grandfather):

Happy Birthday Marlon Richards!!

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Okay.

Here’s this! The complete tour dates for the Hollywood Vampires (I think the Cardiff show just sold out):

Buy tickets HERE!!

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Yesterday (that lofty day wherein I was NOT depressed) was actually sort of magical.

Regarding yesterday’s choice for the Sealey Challenge— I very suddenly got the impetus to check one of the bookshelves down in my family room for 2 chapbooks I knew I still had of Michael Perkins’ poetry.

Sure enough, I checked and they were still there, however, I was you know, yet again stunned to discover both books are over 20 years old…

And one of them, The Persistence of Desire, still had a handwritten note from Michael stuck to the front of it. The note was written on June 23, 2004. And Michael mentions that he had just spoken to Richard Kasak (!!) and Michael congratulated me that Neptune & Surf had just gotten picked up for a mass market edition by Barney Rosset over at Blue Moon Books!

Crimony! Talk about blast from the absolute past. Richard Kasak had been my primary publisher throughout most of my early career, and had also been my business partner in Marilyn’s Room, Inc. Richard’s been gone now for at least 10 years. And Barney Rosset is of course gone now, too.

And then I thought — uh, oh— and I googled Michael and sure enough, he passed away back in 2022:

“Michael Perkins of Glenford died at Archcare at Ferncliff in Rhinebeck, New York of complications from Parkinson’s Disease on February 10, 2022, at age 79.”

Rhinebeck, of all my favorite places!!

It was just too — I don’t know the right word, it was just a sort of very fragile feeling.

I read the chapbook, I Could Walk All Day, yesterday and will read The Persistence of Desire today. Beautiful poems. (He also wrote amazing erotic fiction, published by Richard Kasak,)

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All right.

From Ross K. Nichols’ Sunday School yesterday–

“According to one Gospel writer, Jesus twice pointed his listeners to the same five words—and on one occasion told them, ‘Go and learn what this means.'”

Jesus Said To Learn These Five Words (49 mins):

(HINT: “lovingkindness” is one of the words!)

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Moving on to Romania!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds played the Summer Well Festival. Here’s the set list from last night’s show!

Here’s Warren Ellis from before the show! Shiny, indeed!!

And a few photos of Nick Cave! (The show looked like a really intense one.)

Starting on Thursday, August 13th, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will play Norway, Sweden, and Finland. You can buy tickets here!!

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And now we have a really intense thunderstorm underway here in Crazeysburg.

Even though thunderstorms and high winds usually trigger my PTSD, it seems that, this time, the thunderstorm has actually sort of done the opposite and dispersed my feeling of intense depression. Interesting.

Well, at some point tomorrow I will check in and let you know if I’ll be posting to the blog or not.

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let us close with this today!!

Jesus. When was the last time you heard THIS song??!!

Well, I heard it while making the bed this morning and listening to the Oldies FM Radio Station on my retro boombox!!

This song was a huge hit back when I was working at the General Electric factory. I was 19, and back in Ohio, living in a rooming house, after having lived briefly out in Ukiah, California… and dreaming of moving to NYC!

The Knack, “My Sharona”, from the album Get the Knack,1979!! Enjoy, gang.