I’m seriously hoping, gang, that nothing went wrong at the dentist and that my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man has teeth again!!
I’m planning to FINALLY take him back here for sashimi and sake today, if all went well!
We shall soon see! (And it also means a trip back to the incredible restaurant at the golf club will be right around the corner!!)
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Okay, I am officially extremely tired here but I am so excited about developments with the TV Pilot package, and I’m over the moon with what’s happening with “The Guide to Being Fabulous” and the women who are working with us, helping to get the staged reading to the Off-Broadway stage.
It is such a thrill for me, gang. Not just to be finally taking it to NYC, but the fact that this will be the version of the play that is true to Sandra’s life. The professional caliber of the people getting onboard makes me feel pretty confident that people will finally get to see the play as Sandra and I have been envisioning it for so many years.
I can’t tell you how much this means to me. After 11 years.
A rarely seen photo!! Back when Sandra and I first started working on the play!
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The kittens this morning!!!
And way in the back, there (a close-up of Wee Bonny Billy’s eye!) —
They no longer hang out in their playpen at all. And they scamper all over the room — even Wee Bonny Billy, with his 2 lame legs. I now have to look down at my feet at all times, so as not to step on anybody.
They are too cute, gang.
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I started watching this show on Netflix last night and I love it!! From 2019, in Japanese with English subtitles: “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories”. Here’s the official trailer:
I also started watching this film on Metrograph, but I am only halfway through: “Leonor Will Never Die”.
So far, I love it. The plot is incredible. As an aging woman writer, it really gives me something to think about.
It’s a dramedy. From the Philippines. This is the plot:
“Leonor Reyes was once a groundbreaking figure in the Filipino film industry during its ragtag action cinema glory days, but now she struggles with old age, mounting bills, and the untimely death of her son. While revisiting an unfinished script about a fearless protagonist trying to avenge his brother’s murder, Leonor is struck on the head by a falling television set and knocked into a coma. As she lies unconscious in the hospital, fantasy and reality begin to blur when Leonor finds herself awake inside her script, becoming the hero of her own story.”
Here’s the trailer:
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Here’s another photo of Nick Cave in Kansas City the other night!
And Nick Cave sent out a really beautiful Red Hand File yesterday morning, giving spiritual advice to a young woman whose father recently died. He said, in part:
“I suspect your father will hear your words, but I do not know. At the very least, by acknowledging the sacred and mysterious nature of things, these words will impact the general condition of the world, not to mention your own injured heart. I believe we must take our subtle spiritual intuitions seriously and view them as the quintessence that underlies the ordinary world. The rejection of the sacred is the fundamental reason for our existential discontent. “I love you” and “I am sorry” spoken into the universe are two sentiments forever worth declaring….”
Enjoy your Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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I never play music when I have a client in the car, because I need to pay 125% to my driving.
But if I were going to play music today, while heading out for sashimi, it would be this!! A great song for driving on a sunny day!
I’ve posted this song here many times, but it is such a classic!! France Gall, 1964, “Laisse tomber les filles” !!! Play it loud and try really hard to stick to the speed limit. Okay! Enjoy, gang. (Remember: No dancing while the car is in motion.)
This will be a quick post today because I not only have my usual shift to get to this morning, but I have a couple of new files from Peitor to read before I leave — and then another Zoom call with Sandra the minute I get home this afternoon!
I’m extremely excited, gang. It is official!
This will be my schedule for NYC between now and October:
One week in mid-July
5 days in late August/Labor Day
One week in mid-October
The reading will be one night — possibly two nights– October 13th and/or 14th. Yay!!!!!!
It has only taken 11 years to get to this point!! (Meaning, Off-Broadway. Not counting the world premiere we had in Toronto in October 2023.)
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Two videos from James Tabor:
Go with Me into the 1st century Jerusalem Tomb of the Shroud! (16 mins):
Do Mainstream Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Reflect Abrahamic Faith? (25 mins):
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If you’re a member of Simon Parkes’ Connecting Consciousness group, there will be a live ZOOM tonight at 7PM Eastern time, with Matt Roeske, of Cultivate Elevate.
You have to be a member to watch,. You can join here, but you might not get approved for membership before tonight.
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Phil is planning to go live tonight, too. Check here later to confirm. No time announced yet.
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Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds played to a sold out audience last night in Kansas City. Most of the posts to Instagram were videos, though (so far). But here’s a photo!
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visting!
I love you guys. See ya!
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Another one from the new Willie Nelson album, Oh What A Beautiful World. The song was written by Rodney Crowell & Guy Clarke — “Stuff That Works”. Enjoy, gang!
“Stuff That Works”
I’ve got an old blue shirt and it suits me just fine I like the way it feels so I wear it all the time I’ve got an old guitar that won’t ever stay in tune But I like the way it sounds in a dark and empty room
I’ve got an old pair of boots that fit my feet just right I can work all day and go out and dance all night I’ve got a new used car that runs just like a top Yeah I get the feeling it ain’t ever gonna stop
Stuff that works stuff that holds up Is the kind of stuff you don’t hang on the wall Stuff that’s real that stuff you feel Is the stuff you always reach for when you fall
I’ve got a pretty good friend who’s seen me at my worst He don’t care if I’m a blessing or a curse But he always shows up when the chips are down That’s the kind of friend I like to be around Stuff that works
There’s a woman I love she’s crazy and she paints like God She’s got a playground sense of justice she don’t give odds I’ve got a tattoo with her name right through my soul And I think everything she touches turns to gold Stuff that works Stuff that works
Well, I mean, aside from the fact that I’m semi-retired and already on Social Security.
And in about 56 days, I start Medicare. And Long-Term Care insurance. And my cremation/burial insurance kicks in…
Aside from those seemingly huge red flags that I choose to ignore —
These last 48 hours have just about killed me.
Yes, I often — well, sometimes — NO, wait, I NEVER dress like this!
I know I would have fared better had I simply taken Friday and Saturday off, and just focused on having a great time with Kara at the hotel and seeing Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. And doing all that driving at a more leisurely pace.
But I just didn’t have it in my heart to put my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man through all that. He really suffers noticeably when he has an unfamiliar substitute caregiver even for one day. And so two days would have been really hard on him.
So I just decided to cram everything in to 24 hours. And it wiped me out.
When Kara and I were finally on the freeway yesterday, heading for Columbus, I decided to use the Google GPS, so that I could just chat with Kara and not make her have to pay attention to the Google map I had printed out.
That was my first mistake, of course, because as soon as we got even remotely near downtown Columbus, the traffic kicked in. And the GPS would just suddenly say what I needed to do — 2 or 3 lanes over. Which was close to impossible to maneuver because of the traffic.
Especially since Columbus drivers tend to be really aggressive and rude. So within basically spitting distance from downtown, I was forced to make 3 wrong turns, to try to somehow get back to where I needed to be.
In all that traffic.
And then when we finally got to the hotel, we had trouble seeing the valet parking, so we drove right past it. (There was scaffolding on the front of the hotel and it sort of masked the valet parking area.)
But I do have to say that the staff at that hotel were the friendliest, most helpful staff I have encountered in a really, really long time, gang. And the hotel was really beautiful. And the room was great.
Oh, and in case you’re curious — Kara even looks pretty in the dark!
Around 8am yesterday morning, the room was pitch dark except for a hint of daylight coming in through the bathroom window. I went over to gently wake Kara. She was snuggled way down in the comforter and all those puffy pillows. But when her head popped up, with her long brown hair hanging down over her bare shoulders —
ME (whispering): “Oh my god, Kara, you’re even pretty in the dark!”
ANYWAY!!
When we first got to our room, I was worn out from the crazy driving. And I needed a shower. So, while beautiful, non-exhausted, 7-years-younger Kara was down in the mezzanine, having free champagne and listening to gentle acoustic music, and Nick Cave-spotting (!!), I was up in the room, in the shower– UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE FUCKING THING WORKED!
ME: “Jesus Christ! Don’t tell me I’m too old to figure out how to work the shower??”
This trickle of ice cold water was spraying out at me, and I was turning the knob and trying to read (without my glasses, of course) which way was hot, which way was cold, I finally gave up and pressed the button for the handheld thingie and SUDDENLY there was a massive happy spraying of hot water ALL OVER my face and perfectly coiffed HAIR.
At that point, I gave up that idea that I would look good for the remainder of the trip. And I hoped that my (usually) pleasing personality would just, you know, wildly overcompensate for the waterfall damage done to me in the shower.
However…
The food at the brasserie was really good, gang. We had an early dinner there (and also breakfast the next morning — AND the guitar and bass players for the Bad Seeds were having breakfast there, too!)
And, as I had kind of suspected — once Kara found out what I’d paid for the room, she cheerfully picked up the tab for absolutely everything else.
Honestly, we had such a great time.
But then, during the actual concert, I got REALLY old!
But, thankfully, the God of rock-&-roll (no, not Nick Cave, the actual GOD of rock-&-roll), had whispered in my ear just as we were finding our seats and he told me to switch seats with Kara. We were sitting one in front of the other, not side by side. So I said, “Kara, switch seats with me”, and she did.
And it turned out that my God-given seat was back far enough from the stage and set a little higher up than the seating on the main floor, that while Kara had to stand (along with everyone else in my entire vicinity) in order to see anything throughout the entire show, I was able to remain seated for about 2 hours (up until the encore), and not collapse from absolute exhaustion. I had the most perfect view the entire time and I got to remain seated!
And another thing that made me realize I was old — well, 2 things. One was that the young, pretty and really excited woman next to Kara exclaimed that she had been a fan of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds for four years already. And she also made a comment about the current Bad Seeds being the original musicians except for “a piano player who died a few years ago…” (Conway Savage.)
Conway, RIP
Whereas I remember the real original Bad Seeds from when they actually were the original Bad Seeds, before Conway, 40 years ago…
I didn’t say anything, because I thought her excitement was really sweet.
But the other thing — since they’re promoting the Wild God album, they didn’t play a song that I was emotionally connected to until they played “Tupelo”, and then I was just swept away, emotionally.
But I found myself sitting there, rocking to the music, with my eyes closed. I was completely transported back to my old room on East 12th Street, in NYC’s East Village. I was on my bed in the old room, listening to “Tupelo” for the fist time and being completely blown away by Nick Cave…
And in the here & now, I had to shake myself out of it because, I was sort of worried that I’d fall asleep in that little swoon, but ALSO because I told myself —
ME: “Look at what’s fucking in FRONT of you, Marilyn!! Nick Cave!! Don’t get sucked down into the PAST.”
And yet, the lure of the past is so fucking appealing!! (That equals being old, in case you’re trying to keep track of all this.)
And, I have to say, gang, during the encore, they played “Shivers” and as always, that song still blew me away. (And that song is going on 50 years…) But what a great song.
Anyway, between the exhaustion from all the wrong turns while driving in a town I’ve been to a million times, and from not knowing how a shower works, and needing to sit not stand through an entire concert, and going deaf from how loud it was even though I had ear plugs in… and loving the really old songs — it became clear to me that not only had I gotten old, but also that it would likely be the last rock concert I was going to have the energy to attend.
This morning, as I was still trying to recover from everything since Friday (plus, keep in mind, just doing the caregiving wears me out), I thought back to the first rock concert I attended, in the summer of ’73, when I was still technically 12, and I thought to myself that a 52-year run of concert-going was a pretty good haul. I have seen some amazing bands and had so much fun.
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Okay!!
Just so you are forewarned, everything is picking up speed here and I will be really crazy-busy for probably the rest of the year.
SUCH GREAT stuff is happening with the TV pilot proposal. I cannot wait until I can tell you about it, but Peitor & I are already hitting the ground running, getting episode 2 nailed down.
And work on the staged reading for “The Guide to Being Fabulous” officially begins tomorrow on a Zoom call — with our new Musical Director, Jo Lyn Burks (!!). Sandra and I are both so excited!!
But I will have to balance both those projects, along with traveling to & from NYC, and still being a caregiver (until I can afford to stop doing that). And I am determined to do all of it. I don’t want to get old, just for the sake of being old. I want to have a terrific OLD AGE!!
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Here’s a kitten photo from this morning!!
And here are 3 photos from the show on Friday night (I didn’t take these) (because I’m old and prefer not to watch a concert through my phone)!
And don’t forget, there are still 8 shows left!! You can buy tickets here!!
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Whew!! And that’s it!
Already the texts from Peitor are pouring in!
Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Wistfully, I listened to these 3 songs early this morning.
This was the line-up from the first rock concert I attended with my older cousin in the Summer of ’73. We shared so many great times over the years — going to more concerts and playing so many records. She went off to college in the Fall of ’73, but we still remained really, really close for many years.
Brewer & Shipley, The Doobie Bothers, and the Beach Boys — and the songs that were big hits for them during that Summer of ’73. Enjoy, gang.
I’m packed and ready to head to Columbus with Kara to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at the Palace Theater!!
And if you will notice outside my window — SUNNY! Absolutely no rain in sight, for now.
And the weather report for today in Columbus has totally changed! The drive there will be sunny the whole way! And it will be warm — in the 70s. Yay!!
This evening, long after we get there, the rains will start and won’t stop until maybe Saturday night, but that part I don’t really care about because the traffic heading east tomorrow is never anywhere near as bad as the traffic that heads west to Columbus, 7 days a week.
So! So far, it’s perfect.
If you’re interested, our room should look exactly like this:
I’m hoping to get first dibs on the bed that’s in the foreground. It seems to be closest to the bathroom and you’ll note that the TV is aimed solely at this first bed! This way, I can hog everything!! Yay!
(Actually, I cannot imagine that we will watch TV…we won’t be in that room for very long.)
We are in the “Lower Box” — row L — over on the left, on the aisle:
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AND–
Sandra confirmed last night that my first trip to NYC to start the actual staging of the staged reading will be July 7th – July 10th.
You know what that means — I’m deliriously happy because I have a trip on the calendar for NYC in only about 8 weeks.
Not only that, but I absolutely CANNOT WAIT until it’s cool to blog about where the staged reading is taking place!!!!!
Honestly, gang, it is a dream come true for me (and Sandra, too, frankly).
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Well, the situation with the TV Pilot proposal just keeps getting better and better and better, gang. Peitor and I are kind of over the moon with the responses we’re getting. Peitor’s meeting yesterday in France was kind of spectacular. I’ll keep you posted when it’s okay to actually blog about the details.
We have Episode 2 mapped out (and most of episode 3, since we actually have all three seasons outlined already). So we have a lot of work to do still, but it’s really just a matter of organizing it into the script format.
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It’s official, I guess. Little Blackie has become a pillow:
And Valerie is making fun of the name I came up with for the little grey kitten (see yesterday’s post); she now refers to him as Wee Bonny Billy Bob Bluebell. (And I’m guessing that as time goes on, any other names that start with ‘B’ will get added to the list.)
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And I think that’s really it for now.
I gotta get moving around here, to make sure everything is organized for the cat sitter before I leave to go to my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man’s house. (BTW, he still does not have his dentures back. It will be about 3 more days.) And then off to get Kara and hit the road!! (In another ironic twist — Kara lives about 2 minutes from the Japanese man, which means they’ve been neighbors for over 20 years.)
Okay. I will probably post here later with photos of the hotel, maybe even the concert, although I really don’t like fooling with my phone when I’m at a concert, but we’ll see.
Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world.
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Some travelin’ music!!
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ “Travelin'” from Nobody’s Children, 1995. Enjoy, gang.
Travelin’
Well I’m travelin’, travelin’ baby, travelin’ on Well it’s good to see you but I can’t stay long No I’ve got a travelin’ fever, baby, got a travelin’ jones No don’t look for me in the mornin’, baby, I’m gonna be travelin’ on
I’ll be good, as good as gold To the next or maybe better Wait for me down the road Keep one eye open for my letter
‘Cause I’m gonna be travelin’, travelin’ baby, travelin’ on Lord it’s good to see you but I can’t stay long Oh I’ve got a travelin’ fever, baby, got a travelin’ jones Well don’t look for me in the mornin’, baby, I’m gonna be travelin’ Gonna be travelin’, gonna be travelin’ on
I’ll be up before the sun Get a big jump on the morning You should have known all along You should have known you’d get no warning And I’m gonna be travelin’, travelin’ baby, travelin’ on But Lord it’s good to see you but I won’t stay long Oh I got a travelin’ fever, baby, I got a travelin’ jones Yeah don’t look for me in the mornin’, baby, I’m gonna be travelin’ Gonna be travelin’, gonna be travelin’ on
Travelin’ on, travelin’ on Travelin’ on, travelin’ on
Well I’m travelin’, travelin’ baby, travelin’ on Yeah it’s good to see you but I can’t stay long Yeah I got a travelin’ fever, baby, a travelin’ jones Well don’t look for me in the mornin’, baby, I’m gonna be travelin’ Gonna be travelin’, gonna be travelin’ on
But what a great couple of days off it’s been around here, gang.
More great feedback yesterday on our pilot script, this time from a European producer. (If I may quote just one line of his email: “I absolutely loved it.”)
AND — great feedback from Wayne! He liked this version better than the first draft he’d read.
Yes, Peitor asked me to give Wayne a copy of the revised script, so I did. He was really busy but when he finally got a chance to read it yesterday morning, he texted back his various thoughts and all of them were good! So, yay!
Wayne texted back last evening that someone owed him some money and when he showed the guy my target practice from the shooting range, the guy said that he’d pay up, pronto — “Thanks, Marilyn.”
I found that so funny.
Anyway!
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The weather report for Columbus on Friday — and now, also on Saturday! — continues to be absolutely lousy, gang.
Obviously, it doesn’t matter what the weather is outside while the Bad Seeds are inside onstage, but I really hate driving to (and from ) Columbus, just in general, but I also really hate driving anywhere in the rain.
Here’s hoping that just being with Kara will be enough fun to make the rain and cold temperatures unnoticeable. But I still think it sucks…
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Yesterday evening, I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, chatting with all the crazy cats who follow, quite exuberantly, every move I make in every room I’m in, when one of the little girls from next door was suddenly on my kitchen porch, tapping on my screen door!
A visitor!! I never have visitors!!
Not only a visitor, but she had a little fistful of “flowers” — mostly bedraggled dandelions, but there was a pretty iris in the bouquet, and a couple of wilting parrot-tulips.
She wanted to know if I would buy the bouquet!
ME: “How much do you want?”
SHE: “$5. I want to buy my mom a cake. But it’s a secret.”
She was so cute. She’s only about 8 years old and she was clearly very proud of her fistful of bedraggled little flowers…
And it’s been a REALLY long time since anyone brought me flowers (although I didn’t ever have to pay for them in the past, but still, beggars can’t be choosers).
And since, for some long-forgotten reason, I knew I had a stack of $5 bills stored up in my room….
So I came back and gave her TWO 5-dollar bills and she was absolutely thrilled. It was so fucking cute!!
And, yes, I put the flowers in a vase full of water, dead dandelions and all.
And, NO — I didn’t do it as a sort of pre-planned bribe to get her to persuade her mom to adopt a kitten come June….
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Okay!!
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds played Chicago last night and it looks like it was just off the charts, gang (even though, rumor has it, that Nick Cave called it Detroit…):
But he also sent out a great Red Hand File yesterday, clearly stating that he knew he was in Chicago last night!
But, seriously, it was a great Red Hand File — basically a love letter to the whole world. You can read it here.
You can buy tickets to tonight’s show in Chicago (and tickets for other shows for the rest of the tour) HERE.
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And that’s it. I gotta scoot!
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world (Chicago, Detroit — you name it; have a terrific day!!).
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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For obvious reasons, I leave you with this gem , performed live in 1972!!
The Rolling Stones, “Dead Flowers”. From their classic album, Sticky Fingers, 1971. Enjoy, Gang!!
Sandra and I had a long phone chat yesterday about the upcoming Off-Broadway staged reading for our play, “The Guide to Being Fabulous”. And her knee-replacement surgery is FINALLY healed now and so we are officially getting back to work!!
And this also means more trips to NYC in my upcoming future!! (As opposed to the “future” that is in the past….?)
Anyway! I am super excited.
And I am thoroughly convinced that I can somehow manage the upcoming insanity of my schedule. (You know how excited I get when I have trips to NYC on my schedule!!)
In all honesty, gang, I have simply decided that I can handle everything! So, onward!!
Me! Handling everything!
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Okay.
Not to toot my own horn, but…
When I got to my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man’s house yesterday, things were not only back to normal, but better than it usually is!
He came out of his bedroom looking really spiffy, in a sport shirt and khaki trousers– and yes, he had his hearing aids in, his glasses on, his hair combed, his wooden leg on!! And he was completely coherent and smiling and he started conversing with me, right off the bat.
It was so heartening, gang. I wish we could keep him off the Boost completely, but his private nurse really likes that stuff and she does the shopping. So I’ve decided that on the days when I’m there, even after he gets his dentures back (on Tuesday) and I’ll be cooking solid food for him again, I’m going to at least bring the other protein drinks with me. (Isn’t that terrible? Trying to secretly keep some 94-year-old guy healthy??) (Of course, it will have to come out of my own pocket, but I just don’t care.)
And he seemed to really like the new stuff. While drinking them, he looked at the bottles and said, “What is this stuff? I really like it.”
So it really made me feel great.
For breakfast, I mixed a tablespoon of this with about a cup of sugar-free Greek yogurt:
Then later, a bottle of this:
And, later, a bottle of this (1 gram of organic coconut sugar in this one – plus caffeine, so this one replaced his cup of instant coffee):
He was in such great spirits yesterday, gang. Really back to being himself. It made me feel so happy.
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All right.
I have the next two days off! Doing laundry right now and also have a little housecleaning to do, but will mostly work with Peitor on the materials for the Pilot package today.
It is sunny today — but it got chilly during the night. So the windows are closed and the furnace is back on, but at least it’s sunny.
And tomorrow, I am planning to go back to the shooting range, so we shall see!
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In the weather-miracle department (see yesterday’s post), Kara and I decided to ignore the official weather report and simply visualize the weather we preferred (for our trip to Columbus this coming Friday, to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at the Palace Theater), and ALREADY the weather report has changed! Cloudy, with mild temperatures, but at least no rain.
We are aiming for SUN, though. Well, not during the concert, because that would be scary, since it’s being held inside, at night, and could cause a panic…
The last time the sun shone indoors at night at the Palace Theater…
The sun would be welcomed during our drive to Columbus in the afternoon.
Meanwhile!
From Philly, last night!!
The first Chicago show is sold out, but tickets are still available for the second show, on Tuesday night April 29th. And you can also buy tickets for other upcoming shows this week.
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Update on the kitten front —
The little grey kitten has indeed lost that tiny, shriveled dead back paw that he was dragging around and he now officially has two stumps for back legs. But he is alert and happy and sweet, and he can manage to “walk” around just fine. So that is a relief, gang.
And what’s really nice — when I kneel down in front of their little playpen now, they look right at me and all start hurrying over to me. Mommy watches me like a hawk (excuse the mixed metaphor), but she lets me pick them up and kiss them and talk to them in that really high-pitched little-girl voice that I guess is de rigueur for talking to kittens…
Yes, in my warped world, I am already thinking that I want to keep ALL of them….
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Okay!
Gotta get ready here to work with Peitor.
Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Can’t help it, gang!
I am SUPER excited about the upcoming trips to NYC (that I don’t have to pay for!! Yay!!) (But I’d still go, even if I had to pay my own way. You know it.)
It turns out that my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man will not have his new dentures until TUEDSDAY.
Meaning : a total of 7 and 1/2 days without teeth.
And for whatever reason, the only liquid “food” that the nurse stocked in his kitchen were V8 juice (640 grams of sodium per glass) and Boost (15 grams of sugar per serving). And I found 4 empty Boost bottles in the kitchen.
I had assumed that there would be better options for him, so I hadn’t stopped at the store on my way over.
When he got out of bed yesterday, he was absolutely loopy and wobbly and practically incoherent. He came out of his room on crutches and in just his underwear — no hearing aids in, no glasses on, obviously no teeth, and he had not put on his wooden leg. He’s usually particular about his grooming, so I was shocked. I had to beg him to get dressed and put his leg on so that we could go get some groceries that would be better than what he had in the kitchen.
I was worried about him, but mostly I was really angry that anyone on Earth could think that it was okay to do this to him. Meaning, leave him on his own with so much SUGAR. And basically nothing else.
But I got him at least 5 days’ worth of green stuff and fruit stuff and protein stuff and yogurt; liquids and powders — organic and without any added sugars. (It can be done, gang, you just have to look at what you’re buying.)
After we got back home, within half an hour, his mind was at least functioning again. He hadn’t completely gotten his strength back yet, though. Still, I knew we were getting back on solid ground when he said, “You took me to that golf course, didn’t you? “
Me: “Yes. On Good Friday.”
He: “That was paradise.”
As for me, though, all that anger and despair wiped me out.
Anyway. I’m hoping that when I get there today, he will be in a little better shape.
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Here’s a happy update (although it’s also part of my nonstop caregiving around here).
Look who’s up and about this morning!
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And if you missed this — it was circulating on social media right after he died — you have to watch it!! It is priceless!!
How David Johansen Started the Punk Movement | Late Night with Conan O’Brien, 1994 (5 minutes):
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And in a decidedly different tone!!
A recent Q & A/ discussion with James Tabor that was sponsored by Bart Ehrman.
The Gospel Texts That All Major Christian Apologists for Jesus’ Resurrection Have Misinterpreted! (45 mins):
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And another reason why I am feeling a little down this morning —
The weather report for Friday, when Kara and I are driving to Columbus to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, is lousy!! Cold and rainy.
Of course, it’s still several days away, so here’s hoping for a weather-miracle. Plus, at least our hotel is right next to the Palace Theater.
Anyway. Here’s this from the other night! (Saint Nick proclaiming a weather-miracle!)
The next 2 shows — tonight in Philly, and then the first show in Chicago — are sold out. But you can buy tickets here for other nights this coming week, including Columbus!
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Other than that, Peitor and I now have a truckload of stuff we need to pull together– sort through, organize, edit — for the TV pilot package. So, on we go, gang.
I hope your Saturday is splendid, though, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visiting!
I love you guys. See ya!
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I’m not a huge fan of Willie Nelson’s, but I am an ENORMOUS lifelong fan of Rodney Crowell. What a wonderful songwriter he is, gang.
Yesterday, Willie’s new album, Oh What A Beautiful World, was released, and all of the songs are written by Rodney Crowell.
Willie Nelson, Oh What A Beautiful World
Country songwriter, Rodney Crowell
Here is the first single off the album, the title song, “Oh What A Beautiful World”. Enjoy, gang.
“Oh What A Beautiful World”
It’s the time and the place Every line on your face It’s the truth and the lie It’s to live and to die Oh, what a beautiful world
It’s the girl and a boy And that first taste of joy And it’s that old photograph Of two hearts torn in half Oh, what a beautiful world
We build our hopes up high Perchance to someday fly Across a clear blue sky To someplace new
It’s the walk in the park Or a shot in the dark It’s the thief in the night Or the first ray of light Oh, what a beautiful world
We live our legends down Wake up in lost and found Become that highway sound And roll on through
It’s the rise and the fall Of the clocks all on the wall And it’s for the first and the last of your days Well, I ain’t past Oh, what a beautiful world
Even though it’s raining this morning, it is one of those really light and gentle rains, with no wind whatsoever.
When I awoke at 4AM, my bed was so comfortable, and the windows were open and it sounded so peaceful outside.
And the birds started singing at 4:20AM…
And Peitor texted at 4:30AM on WhatsApp: “Can you talk for minute?”
Of course, my first instinct was to say, no, I want to just lay here in bliss, in my bed in the dark, and listen to the birds sing and the rain falling on the leaves outside my open windows.
But then I figured there was no way he’d be texting me at that hour (10:30AM, his time), if he didn’t need to talk to me for a minute…
So I called him. And he wanted to discuss the pitch deck for the pilot script, and the price of hiring someone to do it —
And when I was done falling out of bed over the price of hiring someone to do it, I got back in bed and tried to regain my bliss.
So my day got a really early start here . But, honestly, it’s all good.
And yesterday morning, I heard back from the Finnish actor’s agent in Helsinki and she told me to send the script! So I did!
Honestly, gang, it was so nice of her to not only get back to me within 24 hours, but to get back to me at all, since I cold-called her without using our agent. (Well, I cold-emailed her.)
Anyway, that really made my day.
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Okay!
Peitor and I still have materials we want to organize for the pilot package, but other than that, I am actually gearing up to get back to my own fiction writing. I’m trying to figure out a schedule, because I work really well with schedules.
And, really, nothing makes me happier than working on my own writing, and I currently have 3 memoirs, 3 novels, and 2 plays “in progress”.
Long-time readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall those heady days in years past, when I would be working on something and then you know, finish it.
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Okay, here’s this! I found the photo on Instagram last night.
This is Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This is where my very best friend on Earth, Paul Martin, lived. He had a beach house, and he worked in the movie industry — he was a set designer, set decorator, lead man, out of the movie studio there, in Wilmington.
He died 26 years ago. And my life was never the same since then.
It’s hard to see, but if you look at the very top of the island, and count down 4 houses — that was his house. I miss him so much. He was so passionate, so funny, so caring, so honest, and he had a filthy dirty mind. I really, really miss him.
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Three photos from Montreal last night!
Two of Nick Cave and one of Colin Greenwood:
The next 2 shows here in the States are sold out. There are still seats available for the 2nd Chicago show, which is next Tuesday, April 29th. Buy tickets here!
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And that’s it for now! I gotta scoot and head out to see my favorite 94-year-old Japanese client! I am hoping he has something that resembles teeth today. (See yesterday’s post.) We shall soon see!!
Meanwhile, take a quiet moment to thank God that it’s Friday, wherever you are in the world!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!!
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I’ve posted this here before, but here it is again!
I love this song, gang. “Jockey Full of Bourbon,” from Tom Waits’ incredible album, Rain Dogs. 1985. Still one of my favorite albums of all time. Enjoy, gang.
I fully intended to post here yesterday morning before I scurried off, but Peitor was in touch EARLY, needing me to fix some grammar on a new synopsis for the TV pilot.
I was thrilled to do this, because I thought the synopsis we had was perfect…
However. You know. Pick your battles.
So I got out of bed and worked on the new synopsis. Then ran out of time to do everything else.
Plus, I was very stressed about my favorite 94-year-old Japanese man.
On Tuesday, while we were having our much-longed-for veggie sandwiches out on the very sunny back deck, his dentures suddenly broke in two.
So I was worried that he was really hungry by yesterday morning, since he couldn’t chew anything. And I was also worried that he would find something in the fridge and try to eat it and then choke to death…
So I wanted to stop at the store before heading the 30 miles to his house. And I only had to stop at THREE stores before I could find what I wanted (various smoothies and Greek yogurt that weren’t loaded with chemicals.)
However. It all worked out great. When I arrived at his house, he was still alive and in a rather chipper mood, besides.
And his private nurse is taking him to the dentist today. So, on we go.
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So! I can’t go into details on the blog yet, but yesterday afternoon, yet another European production company asked to see our pilot script and this company is sort of a heavy hitter, gang. So exciting!
And I, personally (meaning without the agent), am trying to pitch a very specific Finnish actor that I really, really, want to play the role of the Finnish crime boss (my favorite character in the show, and I actually wrote the part with him in mind). Anyway. I’m trying to do that, so we shall see how that goes!!!
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Okay!
Today’s special feature!!
This little quiz was on Instagram this morning. I scored FOUR points!!!
See if you can pick which 4 things I have never done!! (answers are down below, but don’t cheat!!)
I have never done:
8. Sung karaoke
11. Gone zip lining
13. Taken a cruise
17. Been skydiving
(And a few of those things posted above, as you can guess, I’ve done more times than you can possibly imagine.)
No, I wasn’t BORN glamorous, I had to work really hard at it!!
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Okay!
I finally finished watching Tsai Ming-liang’s film, “Stray Dogs” (2013). It took me, like, 3 days, because I’ve just been so wiped out in the evenings, lately. (But last night, I slept SEVEN hours!!! So I am feeling really good again, finally.)
Overall, I didn’t relate to this film as much as the other three of his films that I’ve watched recently, but it was still definitely worth watching. (It’s probably because I had to keep starting and stopping and starting and stopping.) Anyway. it’s currently on Metrograph.
And if you live in NYC and can actually go to the Metrograph art-house theater, the actor Lee Kang-sheng (who stars in all of Tsai Ming-liang’s films) will be at the theater in person, presenting 4 films, including “The Hole”, which I loved!!
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All righty!
Here’s what I was planning to post yesterday. Another photo of Nick Cave in Detroit last Thursday:
And today, here is a photo from their sold out show last night in Toronto!
And tonight they play Montreal. You can still buy tickets!
And then the next couple of shows back in the States are sold out. And then, ONE WEEK from tomorrow, Kara and I will be seeing them here:
And then spending the night here:
And probably eating dinner here (at the hotel):
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Okay!
I gotta scoot.
Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Driving to town music?? Maybe!!
“Joy,” from 1972, based on Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”.
I’ve posted it here before (it’s my brain’s theme song for my memoir-in-progress about my life in the 1970s – Joy: The Shortest Season), BUT HERE IT IS AGAIN! Enjoy, gang.
For some mysterious reason, I am not scrambling around here this morning, trying to get out the door!
I still have an hour and a half (before I scramble around and try to get out the door…)!!
I have to say, gang, that I am so happy with how the revisions to our TV pilot script have worked out. I like it so much better than the first draft.
I really want to send a copy of this new draft to Wayne — “read my script! read my script!” — but I know he’s busy. (He found the first draft confusing.) And he gave up all obligations to drop everything and read everything of mine when he signed the divorce papers EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO!!
That’s a long time to not be obligated to read every single solitary thing I’ve written…
(Although, in all seriousness, gang, he is usually very happy to read whatever I send him.)
Wayne, reading everything I send him
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It’s a perfect day here, weather-wise. It will be a nice day for driving to town. The backroads are really starting to look so beautiful now.
And after my midday clients, I have to go over and drop in on my favorite 94-year-old Japanese client! His private nurse can’t be there today, so I have to go over and make sure he eats something and then just visit with him for a while.
I think I’m going to stop at Subway and get us both veggie sandwiches!! That way, I can have lunch with him out on his back deck, rather than just stare at him while he eats…
He doesn’t usually get this dressed up when he eats out on the deck…but you never know
Regardless. It will be a beautiful afternoon!
(This is the very Subway I will go to — I used to stop in here for veggie subs all the time, when my adorable patient, Molly, was still alive.):
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Last night, there were TONS of (mostly) videos uploaded from the Bad Seeds show in Washington, DC. But here’ s one photo that jumped out at me!
They play Toronto tomorrow night, but it is sold out. Thursday, they will play Montreal and you can buy tickets here. After that, the next couple of shows back in the States are also sold out.
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Okay!
Peitor just texted me from the beautiful South of France, needing me to re-send the latest synopsis, so I gotta scoot and do that, and then I will have to formally scoot, and get to town.
Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!!
Thanks for visiting.
I love you guys. See ya!
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Driving to town music? Not sure, but probably!!
Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that this is the song playing in the final scene of our TV pilot, when the Finnish crime boss from Helsinki arrives at the Abstract Absurdity Film Productions office in Greenwich, Connecticut!!! (Great big smiley smiles, gang!)
Marilyn's Room 