Tag Archives: The Guitar Hero Goes Home Marilyn Jaye Lewis

Let the countdown begin

July 7, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay, gang.

Including today, I have 10 more caregiving shifts left with the Agency.

TEN.

I turned in my 2 weeks notice yesterday.

My depression and exhaustion had gotten off the charts, especially last week, when the heat & humidity were off the charts and I still had to transport my clients (and their walkers and wheelchairs, etc.) hither and yon, in & out of the car, and I thought I was going to collapse…

And I finally confronted the fact that my life has been inundated with death & dying & deterioration, every single darn day for the last 2 years. With next to no energy leftover for myself and all my various writing projects.

I had no life left but I was not yet ready to die. What to do, what to do…

I could not take it anymore, the constant depression while trying to smile and help everybody.

Plus, my beloved Honda Civic is a leased car, and with a lease, you can only put a certain number of miles on it, otherwise it costs you additional money when the lease is over.

I was already over my mileage because I was doing NOTHING but driving and driving and driving…. (I still have over a year left on the current lease, though, so I can now put the brakes on that, as it were.)

So, I spoke to the Agency yesterday, gave my notice. And now I’m focused strictly on writing. (Freelance as well as my own works-in-progress.)

And on we go…

Plus, it leaves me very flexible for when the jury duty stuff comes up, so I can get that over with, too.

All righty.

Before I forget — I will not be posting here tomorrow because I have a very early shift in the morning.

But at some point, either this evening or tomorrow afternoon, I will finally be catching up with Sandra to see what “page” we’re on regarding our work on the play, and/or our work on the possible TV pilot.

And regarding the M. Christian tribute anthology — I made some great progress with that yesterday. Mostly continuing to locate people that I haven’t worked with in a long time (all of whom also worked with M. Christian).

Had some great email exchanges, and even some pretty amazing phone chats, with writers & publishers living overseas.

It will be a great feeling to just focus on writing/editing again — which is what I did for many years (until the stupid scamdemic).

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

All righty!

Here’s this!

From Ross K. Nichols’ “Sunday School”–

“Scribes changed our Bible. In some cases, they even told us where and why. These are called the Emendations of the Scribes: deliberate alterations, admitted in the fine print of the Masoretic notes by the very scribes credited with preserving the text behind our Bible.”

They Admitted They Changed the Bible! (40 mins):

**********

And in a totally unrelated “here’s this”–

I forgot to post this the other day!!

The Rolling Stones – Speaking In Tongues | The Official Podcast (Episode 2) (22 mins):

The new album comes out in 3 days…. Pre-order here if you haven’t already!!

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

And here’s this!!

Keanu Reeves’ band, Dogstar, is on tour in Europe right now.

Keanu in Berlin!

**********

And here’s this!!! From yesterday–

The anniversary of the death of the great Louis Armstrong:

And while we’re at it– “Dream A Little Dream of Me”!! 1968:

***********

And here’s Tom Petty, on a PR trip in NYC in 1976! Not smoking and with no attitude whatsoever!!

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

And from Castle Fine Art yesterday — more on Johnny Depp’s new print collection, Yesterday’s Flowers:

Buy signed, limited editions HERE.

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

And yesterday, Nick Cave sent out one of those Red Hand Files wherein he answers a great big bunch of questions with very short answers! (Wherein I also discovered that the recent Red Hand File he sent out about the old people & aging that just broke my heart — was actually a made up story…) Anyway.

This one was my favorite:

Q: Why doesn’t Warren play a REAL guitar?

A: I asked him. He said, because when you pick up a real guitar in the Bad Seeds, you end up getting thrown out of the band.

You can read them all, in full — a lot of them are funny — HERE.

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

And here are a bunch of Bad Seeds things from the past couple of nights.

Well, first, this one was from that Facebook page that always pops up first thing in the morning, but I honestly have no idea where the photos are from or when:

Now–

Nick Cave in Poland!

Nick in Montreux!

Nick and the Bad Seeds in Stuttgart, Germany!

And the set list!

The Bad Seeds play Portugal on Thursday. You can buy tickets here!

*********

And I think that is it for today, gang.

I gotta head to town here soon. (And get the countdown to “just writing” and “maybe jury duty” quietly started…)

Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s leave with this!

From the reruns I am currently watching on Prime, after dinner and before studying French!

“The Middle”. It ran for 9 seasons. I loved this show! Enjoy, gang (3 mins):

Back to Normal! At least for 14 seconds…

July 6, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

We shall see, gang.

I’m actually hoping that we can stay “back to normal” around here for the entire day. But you never know.

I will be spending most of today getting stuff organized for the M. Christian tribute anthology: Replying to emails! Sending out more emails! Waiting for emails to return!

And on Thursday, I’ll be catching up with Ralph Greco, Jr. to compare notes, and after that, I will officially send out the call for submissions.

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

I’m also hoping to catch up with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn sometime today.

We texted throughout the almost unbearably hot holiday weekend–

SHE (texting): ARE YOU STAYING HYDRATED?

ME (texting): YES. ORGANIC COCONUT WATER WITH POTASSIUM!

— but we haven’t actually spoken in a while. So here’s hoping we get to chat today.

All I know for sure is that she has recovered really well from her first hand surgery; the next surgery is next week; and she still very much wants to move forward with the launch of our mini artists & writers podcast, “Marilyn’s Room,” so somehow we will get all that figured out later this summer.

We have the logo, now all we need is the rest of the stuff…

***********

And in another “potentially good news” department–

Sandra is back in NY from Atlanta — after shooting a couple more episodes of “The Ms. Pat Show.”

She’s planning on catching up with me either tomorrow evening, or Wednesday afternoon.

I have no clue if we’ll be developing our TV show, or if we’re just going to focus on the play for now (“The Guide To Being Fabulous”), but I will soon find out.

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

Okay.

Oddly, there are not many “here’s this’s” today. But here’s this!

It was actually posted for the 4th of July — Bob Dylan!! (I totally relate to the comment):

*********

And I really appreciated this–

Cigarettes abound!!

Keith smoking with a lit cigarette also in an ashtray — with one of his grandsons!

**********

And I believe this was from Montreux. It was the first thing I saw on Facebook yesterday morning!!

Nick Cave in the blue, blue water!!

And this is the only photo I have from the show in Montreux yesterday, although there were a TON of videos and the show looked absolutely fantastic — and Nick Cave, especially, looked so happy!

And here’s the set list:

Tonight the Bad Seeds play Stuttgart, Germany, however it is sold out. But you can buy tickets for the Portugal show on Thursday, HERE!

And while we’re at it–

Sun Kil Moon – “I Love Portugal”, 2016 (I love this extremely long song!!):

“I Love Portugal”

In my hotel where the band is staying
I’m off desert but what I’d give to not get on that plane
Woke to the sound of birds calling and I wanna water the flowers in the garden
And the maid scooting her tray around the echoey hall
I just want to stay in Portugal today, that’s all
‘Cause when I’m here there’s a sense of calm
People living day to day and enjoying the moment
Last night we found a cozy place and we listened to fado music and we ate steak
And bacalhau and caldo verde
Then we went and got gelato and we drank iced lattes

And the fans have always shown me love (shown me love)
And so have my friends Vasco, Miguel, and Nadia, and Monica (Nadia and Monica)
I can’t complain, I get to visit every year
Last night my driver said my music brought him to tears

I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I love Portugal

Was listening to Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “Liala’s Dance”
As I drifted off into rare afternoon nap
Yesterday, one shot in Minnesota, one in Baton Rouge, and then retaliation in Dallas
Someone shot and killed five cops
And the cops came back and killed that sniper with a robot
But all was peaceful here at the Seculo Hotel in the Bonfim neighborhood of Oporto
Now I’m on my way to Zürich at Gate 35
TAP operator by Swiss Airlines
I miss my quiet day in Oporto, sleeping and listening to the many birds sing
And the shoe store that I wanted to shop in
Was closed and, man, it pissed me off
As we drove by twice on the way to soundcheck and on the way to the hotel that night

I’m gonna return some day, I know it (some day)
I’m gonna buy me a home looking over the river in Oporto (river in Oporto)
Gonna get me a plate of melon and prosciutto and grilled sardines, a cup of coffee, and a bowl of gazpacho (bowl of gazpacho)
The USA can’t pull the guns from the trolls of the country I live in
Can’t get a grip on gun control
If we’re gonna live with a president who’s a huge fucking asshole
Then believe me, baby, I’m gonna buy me a home in Portugal

I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
Where the people don’t walk
I love Portugal
They just stroll
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
Where the people go to bars, relax
I love Portugal
And listen to fado
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
Where I feel at peace from my
I love Portugal
Head to my toe
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
Particularly I love the city of Oporto
I love Portugal

At the Rothaus, Room 301, in Zurich
The Bern show is cancelled tomorrow night due to violence and a bunch of crazy shit
It’s found its way into the venue
I’m not going to sing about it
I’m just gonna read the statement from the promoter to you

“Dear Mark, Dear all at Sun Kil Moon
I have really, really, really bad news. We’re deeply afraid but see ourselves in circumstances that unfortunately urge us to have to cancel. The Sun Kil Moon show at Dachstock Reitschule, Bern, the open space in front of our house Reitschule, Bern is causing increasing troubles with violence and sexes. An organized drug dealer and the [?] we decided to shut the place down and its ongoing activities. For a while, at least ten days, or maybe longer and find a way of how to deal with our society’s problems erupted in front of our house, creating a rather explosive atmosphere at times in front of our house. We’re very sorry that due to this reaction the show with Sun Kil Moon will have to be cancelled. As we’re in general enforcing this temporary shutdown, apologies for any inconveniences to you, I know your band just got into town. Of course we’re gonna pay full agreed guaranteed fee as well as covering your hotel for 12/7/16. Also tickets will be reimbursed, it can be used to see your show tonight in Zürich. We strongly hope you reschedule your concert in Bern next time your band is touring in Europe. Reitschule remains closed until further notice. Again, my deepest apologies, but it’s totally out of my control. Let me know if you need any more info
Sincerely, your promoter at Breathing Hope.”

I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
And the sparkling Douro River estuary
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
And when I die I want some of my ashes spread there
I love Portugal
And skip the Hail Mary
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I’m gonna back next year and I’m gonna find that same shoe store
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
It’s gotta be somewhere between the venue and the Fnac bookstore
I love Portugal
I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
And it doesn’t have a goddamned thing to do with football
I love Portugal

I love Portugal, I love Portugal, oh, oh
I love Portugal
I love Portugal

c – 2016 – Mark Kozelek

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

And I think that’s it!

The laundry is finished. And I am NOT planning to vacuum today because for some inexplicable reason I found time to vacuum the entire fucking downstairs yesterday before I left for my shift!! (WTF is my deal, anyway??? I’m always fucking doing stuff!!)

Anyway…

Enjoy your Monday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this!

Driving-home-last-night-listening music!!

I know I’ve posted this song here a million times, but it’s always so great when it comes up on the playlist in the car! Such a great “driving” song.

France Gall, “Laisse tomber les filles”, 1964!! Enjoy, gang!!! I always do.

“Laisse Tomber Les Filles”

Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Un jour c’est toi qu’on laissera
Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Un jour c’est toi qui pleureras

Oui, j’ai pleuré mais ce jour-là
Non, je ne pleurerai pas
Non, je ne pleurerai pas
Je dirai c’est bien fait pour toi
Je dirai ça t’apprendra
Je dirai ça t’apprendra

Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Ça te jouera un mauvais tour
Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Tu le paieras un de ces jours
On ne joue pas impunément
Avec un cœur innocent
Avec un cœur innocent

Tu verras ce que je ressens
Avant qu’il ne soit longtemps
Avant qu’il ne soit longtemps
La chance abandonne
Celui qui ne sait
Que laisser les cœurs blessés
Tu n’auras personne pour te consoler
Tu ne l’auras pas volé

Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Un jour c’est toi qu’on laissera
Laisse tomber les filles
Laisse tomber les filles
Un jour c’est toi qui pleureras
Non, pour te plaindre il n’y aura
Personne d’autre que toi
Personne d’autre que toi
Alors tu te rappelleras
Tout ce que je te dis là
Tout ce que je te dis là
Alors tu te rappelleras
Tout ce que je te dis là
Tout ce que je te dis là
Alors tu te rappelleras
Tout ce que je te dis là
Tout ce que je te dis là

c – 1964 – Serge Gainsbourg

Horrible heatwave gone for now!

July 5, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

The high heat broke last evening, finally.

Starting this evening, we’ll have rain for the rest of the week, but right at this very moment— it is a really nice morning here.

*********

In case you missed it (or didn’t feel like watching massive fireworks on your tiny phone because you no longer have regular TV):

***********

It turns out that yesterday we also celebrated this!!

And while we’re at it! (And, yes, this song eerily captures my whole fucking life. I had no clue it was going to do that, though, 50 years ago…):

“American Girl”

Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn’t help thinkin’ that there
Was a little more to life somewhere else
After all, it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin’
She had one little promise she was gonna keep

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl

Well, it was kind of cold that night
She stood alone on her balcony (Ooh)
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441 like waves crashin’ on the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God, it’s so painful when something that is so close
Is still so far out of reach

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl (Ooh)

c – 1976 Tom Petty

**********

Before we travel to Poland for those Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds photos I didn’t have yesterday–

I hit this weird “Keith Richards paydirt” on Instagram this morning. I stumbled upon a site that has been inactive for 6 years. And they had GREAT photos of Keith!! (Meaning, I had never seen any of the photos before.) Yay!!

Keith draining the Kahlúa?! (Not smoking.)

Keith and Mick, pool, LA, guitar, reading, not smoking:

Keith, Bill, Brian, boarding a TWA or de-boarding, not sure, but not smoking!

Keith looking weirdly clean-cut but SMOIKING!! (Also called “smoking”):

**********

And I think that these are all from Poland. And I also think it rained during the show (?).

It was one of those shows where there were tons of videos, and then most of the photos that people posted were really small. But here we go!!

Of course, I loved this!

Nick Cave looking really tiny next to a huge window, while reading and drinking something (and not smoking):

Then later… (or maybe on a whole different day, I actually have no idea):

And then also this (much, much larger than the window now):

And this happened:

I love this tie!!

And that’s it for Poland!!

Tonight the Bad Seeds play Montreux. Followed by another show back in Germany tomorrow, but that one is sold out. You can still buy tickets here for Montreux , though!

***********

I think I forgot to post this the other day.

It’s an edited version of one of our recent zoom calls for Tabor Research Group.

John the Baptist and Jesus: Separating History from Myth (1 hr 18 mins):

**********

And I just wanted to mention how happy I am that these 2 novels that I recently re-published as Kindle eBooks continue to be my most popular titles now. This makes me so happy, gang. Thank you so much!!

Twilight of the Immortal (my novel about gays, lesbians and bisexuals in Hollywood during the Silent Film Era, told against the backdrop of the short life of the legendary movie star, Rudolph Valentino):

The Guitar Hero Goes Home (“Experimental adult literary fiction. An American rock & roll legend, in the final year of his life, finally comes clean about sex, drugs, and rock & roll.”):

Thank you so, so much, gang!!

And over at the Internet Archive, where you can read a large selection of my out-of-print books for free:

Lust: Bisexual Erotica

And the Blue Moon edition of Neptune & Surf are my top out-of-print titles being checked out for free!!

So, thank you for all that, gang!

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

Tomorrow is my day off and I will be getting back to work on the call for submissions for the M. Christian tribute anthology.

So far, it has been great hearing from people I haven’t worked with in years, and getting such a positive response about it. I will keep everyone updated later in the week, in the event you want to contribute something, too.

Meanwhile, that’s it for now.

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting!

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

Let’s close with this.

My first encounter with this song was reading the lyrics to it, which were printed on the back of the album I had just bought (The First Born is Dead) while on the subway in NYC, and I could not wait to get home and play that record!! Enjoy, gang.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Train Long Suffering”, live at Metronome Prague, June 20th, 2026:

Happy 250th, America!

July 4, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

And that said, of course — it’s still nothing like how the Bicentennial was.

But back then, there were only 3 network TV stations, 2 or 3 UHF TV stations per State. A bunch of radio stations, but we listened to them all the time. National magazines, daily newspapers — we were all reading them.

Everybody, regardless of politics, was on the same page regarding the Bicentennial 4th of July. It was exciting and really FUN.

Now everything is too spread out and watered down and hard to keep track of. Not to mention, no one having their fireworks on the actual 4th…

But here’s this, regardless:

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

Okay!

Wow, yesterday wound up being a really nice day. That new client I have on Fridays is just such a treasure. Plus, she has 2 huge white German Shepherd dogs that are just adorable and they want to be wherever you are at all times:

THEM (at all times); “Hi! It’s me!!”

And today, I’m spending 7 hours with the retired Chaplain — and some of her kids and grandkids will be coming over later to celebrate the 4th of July. So it should be another really good shift.

***********

And since I didn’t post yesterday, I have a TON of “here’s this’s” so let’s get started!!

Here’s this!!

On July 2nd, it was the heavenly birthday of another one of my favorite writers:

Hermann Hesse!

**********

And yesterday, was Kafka’s heavenly birthday!!

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

And yesterday was the anniversary of the death of Brian Jones.

I tell you, it really moves me that so many people still adore Brian Jones. He has tribute sites all over Instagram. He has been dead since July 3rd, 1969. (If you’re too young to know who he was, he was the founder of the Rolling Stones.)

Brian’s gravesite yesterday, in Cheltenham, Wales:

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

And here’s this!

From Steve Vai — onstage with a full moon. Photo by his wife!

**********

And here’s this!

Tom Petty and Prince, onstage honoring the induction of the late George Harrison in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame–

And in case you were doing something else that night back in 2004– it really was incredible —

Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, & More “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” | Rock Hall 2004 Induction:

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

And speaking of great nights–

Here’s this!!

Keith, tuning up backstage at Madison Square Garden in NYC, on July 26th, 1972. That night was Mick Jagger’s 29th (!!) birthday:

***********

This poem by the late poet Jack Gilbert, was posted on the Poetic Outlaws substack page the other day. I just loved it:

The Lost Hotels of Paris
Jack Gilbert

The Lord gives everything and charges
by taking it back. What a bargain.
Like being young for a while. We are
allowed to visit hearts of women,
to go into their bodies so we feel
no longer alone. We are permitted
romantic love with its bounty and half-life
of two years. It is right to mourn
for the small hotels of Paris that used to be
when we used to be. My mansard looking
down on Notre Dame every morning is gone,
and me listening to the bell at night.
Venice is no more. The best Greek Islands
have drowned in acceleration. But it’s the having
not the keeping that is the treasure.
Ginsberg came to my house one afternoon
and said he was giving up poetry
because it told lies, that language distorts.
I agreed, but asked what we have
that gets it right even that much.
We look up at the stars and they are
not there. We see the memory
of when they were, once upon a time.
And that too is more than enough.

***********
And here’s this!

Flannery O’Connor at home, sitting under a self-portrait:

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

And here’s a re-enactment of something that blew my mind. Truly, gang.

Yesterday, for some reason my attention was drawn to these books on a shelf in my family room:

Bob Dylan’s Chronicles, Volume One, jumped out at me.

I loved that book! But he never wrote Volume Two!!

I know the book has been out a long time now, and I clearly remember reading it when I lived, briefly, in Easton, Pennsylvania. Was the book really published that long ago?

I pulled it off the shelf. I’d forgotten it had that cool vintage photo of Times Square on the cover!! (My old stomping ground in my early days as a folksinger in NYC, when I was married to Chong and we lived one block from Times Square.)

When I opened the book, to see when it was published, I found this written on the title page and I was absolutely astounded.

The book had been a gift to me back in 2004 from Patrick Thomas, a journalist who occasionally wrote for Rolling Stone.

I had totally forgotten this.

Wow, gang. What a thing to discover in one of my favorite books. I hadn’t opened that book in 22 years…

***********

Okay.

Here’s this!

From Nick Cave Official!! Get ready for Brighton, gang!

Gates will open at 13:00 at Preston Park on 31st July.

SET TIMES
13:00 Gates
13:30 – 14:15 Warmduscher
14:45 – 15:30 Cate Le Bon
16:00 – 16:45 English Teacher
17:30 – 18:30 The Flaming Lips
19:30 – 22:00 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Please allow plenty of time to enter the site.

13:00 – 15:00 Best time to arrive

15:00 – 17:00 Expect the gates to be busy and short queue times

17:00 – 19:00 Expect gates to be very busy with longer queue times

Outside of the official lineup, there is lots going on at Preston Park from 1pm including; food and drink with over 15 bars and 50 stalls, DJs throughout the day, exclusive Brighton merchandise, an Arcade Treasure Hunt with a range of prizes, chillout zones, a Bad Seeds Fish & Chips van and more.

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

And here’s more Bad Seeds stuff!

Blixa looking happy backstage, Nick Cave — not so much!!

Spring forward a thousand years!!

Warren Ellis, looking really peppy!! (The Bad Seeds play Montreux tomorrow!! Buy tickets HERE!!)

I don’t have any photos yet from the show in Poland, because I haven’t had time to scroll through them yet but here’s the set list from the show!!

After Montreux, the Bad Seeds play Germany but it is sold out! But tickets are available for the show in Portugal on July 9th!

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

And I believe that is it for today.

Enjoy your holiday if you live state-side!!

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

Thanks for visiting!!

I love you guys. See ya!

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

Let’s close with this today!

Ray Charles, “America the Beautiful” 1972. Enjoy, gang.

Holiday Weekend Sort of Begins!

July 2, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

But obviously not for me, since I will be working the ENTIRE weekend!! Yay!!

(And I just this moment received a text from the Agency: “If you have ANY availability left this weekend, please let us know!!”)

Jeepers.

Anyway.

Yes, today is my only day off heading into the holiday. I had an exhausting week so far, and most of the exhaustion came from the added high heat and humidity everywhere I went.

But I made myself promise today that I won’t do ANY housecleaning. I won’t run ANY errands. I won’t do ANY stressing about anything. I will be getting my notes together for the M. Christian tribute anthology, and then I’ll do some more reading, (oh, and study French!!), but that’s it. I’m just gonna try to get my energy back before everybody needs me again.

And thank you, once again, God, for this amazing Air Conditioning!!

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

Okay!

This is what I’m watching right now on Metrograph and I absolutely LOVE IT!!

From writer/director Gregg Araki, the first in his Teen Apocalypse Trilogy, “Totally F**ked Up”, from 1993:

**********

And in addition to the TON of reading James Tabor gave us for what he jokingly calls “summer school” — a bunch of essays and articles connected to the primary book we are also reading right now, which is very interesting:

— in addition to all that, I am also reading a really sweet children’s novel, Palace Beautiful.

“Three girls discover a hidden journal in their attic detailing a girl’s life during the 1918 flu epidemic, leading them to investigate her mysterious fate.”

That new client I have on Friday mornings, gave me a copy of the book.

She didn’t say, “Oh, look at this book, it was really sweet.”

She literally handed it to me and said, ‘Here, take this home and read it. It’s really good.”

We were in the spare bedroom where she has a huge collection of children’s books for her grandchildren.

None of my clients has ever done that — handed me a children’s book and told me to take it home and read it — so I did! And, honestly, it is very well written and a refreshing break from everything else under the sun that is crammed into my brain these days.

********

And this came in from Ronnie Wood yesterday– all his Summer Set lists are on sale!

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

And on a sort of similar topic, here’s this!

Keith smoking!! Up close!!

***********

And another great one from Phyllis Stein– Richard Hell! In NYC in 1977!

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

And Joe Satriani had an art exhibit in DC ! (And he also gave away some guitars!!)

And he had this song accompanying his post. I listened to a mere few seconds of it and, wow, did it bring back memories!! I played this song a lot while I lived on E. 12th Street! “Always With Me, Always With You”, 1987:

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

I thought these were very interesting.

My great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded Black Foot Indian from Montana. These are current photos from the Black Foot Reservation. “It’s all about Jesus”…and pizza:

And here’s an idea of what it looked like when my great-great-grandmother lived there:

***********

And, as expected, the Bad Seeds show in Berlin looked astounding.

First, the size of the audience was jaw-dropping:

Berlin, in no particular order:

From George Vjestica, photo by Colin Greenwood:

These next 2 photos were so strange!!

And Nick Cave Official just announced that right after the upcoming Brighton show, there will also be a film festival, with films curated by Nick Cave. (I would STRONGLY suggest that if you’ve never seen “Irreversible” — Jesus, don’t go see it on a first date!!) (Probably wouldn’t see any of these on a first date, except maybe “Pinocchio”…) Anyway!

And tonight the Bad Seeds play Poland!! I guess if you hurry, you can still BUY TICKETS HERE!

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

And that is it.

I am going to get this day-off underway. I seriously HOPE it involves relaxing. We shall soon see!

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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

And more breakfast-listening music from the “Rockin’ Down the Block” CD collection (1987)!

The Contours, “Do You Love Me”, 1962. Enjoy, gang!!

Welcome, Heat Wave!!

June 30, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Yes, it is officially here. It started yesterday — temperatures in the mid-90s Fahrenheit.

I am just so happy with my Central AC, gang. And so are all the many cats! (Except that Rasha, the cat I’m cat-sitting, and Kon Tiki both seem to prefer to be outdoors in all the heat and sunshine.)

And, interestingly enough, very high heat and thunderstorms are expected for the entire 4th of July “250th celebration” weekend. Since they can change the weather on a dime now, I wonder what’s up with that? Methinks we’re probably gonna find out…

*********

Okay!

I absolutely loved the new optometry place I went to yesterday to get the new glasses. Sort of a complete compound– optometrists & new glasses in one building. Eye surgeons, etc., in the next buildings over.

It was absolutely incredible — the level of care, the skills, the eye-test-machines from the future that I had never seen before.

Nothing at all like the place I went to last summer — which is a sort of chain eye-glass store that is all over the country.

The staff was so nice, and I loved the eye doctor they assigned me. She went over all the instantaneous “charts & graphs” in detail, explaining everything that’s going on with my eyes.

And I love the new glasses I ordered — they are very similar to the pair I had before these current ones I got last summer, which I hate.

It was a great experience from start to finish, because, to get to the eye place, I took that really beautiful country road that goes deeper into Muskingum County — in the opposite direction of the roads I take every day, that go to the next county over.

Just a beautiful drive — farms, trees, hills. And in under 20 minutes, I was at the eyeglass place.

Yesterday morning also brought some other news, though– the Agency called the courthouse yesterday and I cannot be excused from jury duty.

After I texted my Q-following girlfriend about it, she assured me that, out in these parts, 3 months of jury duty is standard, because the population is smaller.

So, once I learned that, I decided that having to be available all summer is better than getting summoned to be available from October through December, which is my favorite time of year.

And I can get to the courthouse by taking that same back road– it will only take about 10 minutes longer than the way I usually take to that whole courthouse area of town, that’s all.

So I’ve decided to just put the best possible spin on the whole jury duty thing all summer: it’ll be a beautiful drive and it’s better than having to serve all through the Fall and into Christmas.

So on we go…

And the other nice thing to look forward to this summer, whether or not I get called to be on a jury —

I am definitely going to be overseeing the editing of the M. Christian tribute anthology for the new publisher. I’m really happy about this. I’ll be sending out a call for submissions in the very near future.

I will probably use the Internet, not a radio… we shall see.

**********

Okay!

Also!!

I want to thank whoever is suddenly buying the eBook from 2012, After Hours: The Best of Marilyn Jaye Lewis

The stats have suddenly jumped up in the Amazon rankings for erotic literature & fiction. Since the book is 14 years old, any jump in the ranks is nice to see! So, thank you!!

The eBook, edited by Maxim Jakubowski, was originally published by Constable Robison in the UK, but Hachette UK owns the rights to it now. It is a selection of 5 erotic short stories that were published over the course of my career from 1994 to 2010. Thanks everybody!!

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

All right, before I forget, tomorrow morning I have a very early shift and won’t be posting to the blog. The same thing will happen the following Wednesday morning (July 8th.)

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

And in other news!!

Here’s this! From the Oldies Radio Station on the retro boombox next to my bed yesterday morning!! Such a great song for summer…

“The Boys Of Summer”

Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer’s out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I’m driving by your house
Though I know you’re not home

But I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy?
Remember how I made you scream
Now I don’t understand what happened to our love
But babe, I’m gonna get you back
I’m gonna show you what I’m made of

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
I see you walking real slow and you’re smilin’ at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, “Don’t look back. You can never look back”
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but-

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun
You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

c- 1984 Don Henley, Mike Campbell

***********

Here’s this, from Sunday– photo by Michael Putland:

***********

And all the other “here’s this’s” today are from the Bad Seeds!!

Here’s this! George Vjestica goes shopping!! From yesterday — but the Bad Seeds play Berlin tonight!

And Warren Ellis headed to Berlin with Cookie for schnitzel —

And here’s the set list from the Antwerp show, which was another show, based on all the videos I saw, that appeared to be completely fantastic:

I loved this photo!!! Posted by radiowilly. I think it was from Antwerp, but I’m not certain:

And this was on facebook — again, I think it was Antwerp, but it didn’t specifically say:

And this is definitely from Antwerp! Posted by Jim Sclavunos this morning:

And I absolutely LOVED this!!! Definitely from Antwerp:

As everyone above has already said, the Bad Seeds play Berlin tonight. And then they play Poland on Thursday. Buy tickets here!!

***********

And speaking of Nick Cave–

WOW, gang.

Nick Cave sent out an amazing Red Hand File yesterday!! I absolutely loved it!! He spoke about his early beliefs about his art and how they changed over time, including:

“…There may be nothing new under the sun, but it is our distinctiveness that matters, our specialness. I deal exclusively in old, well-worn ideas, but there is still no song like a Nick Cave song, or a Morrissey song, or a Prince song, or a Lana Del Ray song, a Wu-Tang song, a Cure song, a Pixies song, a Kate Bush song, a Kneecap song, or the work of infinite other artists who have found their characteristic voice. Perhaps that is the purpose of art, and indeed life – to enchant and reinvigorate the world using those timeless ideas interpreted through our own inimitable strangeness….”

You can read it in full HERE.

********

And I think that’s it for today, gang.

I can at least say that I am hanging in there, finding reasons to keep on keeping on. It sometimes feels like it’s a 24/7 task these days — looking for ways to stay focused on flowing joy and staying creative. But so far, I am still here!

So, have a Terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

********

And let’s close with this!!

More breakfast-listening music from the Rockin’ Down the Block CD collection (1987)!!

The Swingin’ Medallions, “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” !! 1966!! Enjoy, gang!! We sure did!!

I can dream, can’t I??

June 28, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

It’s funny to think that, even though I live way out in the middle of fucking nowhere, my “big dream” is to go even deeper into the middle of fucking nowhere and spend the night sleeping under the stars!!

My neighbors just bought a new tent and, for now, they have it set up in their backyard.

I can see it from my kitchen window.

I have a tent, a sleeping bag, a couple of camping chairs, a ton of camping dishes & cookware — all of it stored in my storage closet. Because, apparently, going camping again is just some weird sort of pipe dream I have. But I hope that the 2 little girls who live next door get a lot of use out of that new tent and have the time of their lives this summer… (heck, even if they only stay in the tent while it’s in the backyard!!)

Okay!!

Yesterday brought some really great news.

I can’t go into the details yet on the blog because we have only begun discussing it, but the publisher I am currently working with asked me yesterday if I’d like to undertake the M. Christian tribute anthology — meaning, be the Editor of it.

It was an absolutely unqualified, “YES!” (M. Christian was a long-time and very dear colleague of mine and he passed away in January.)

I will keep you posted with the details.

**********

Okay!!

Yesterday also brought some really FUCKED UP news.

A couple of weeks back, I got notified by the Muskingum County Courthouse that I was up for jury duty, and to keep myself available from July 1st through September 30th to potentially serve on a jury.

Okay, so, in what world does that kind of commitment make sense??

The Agency sent a letter saying that I needed to be excused from that because I have clients booked all summer long who count on me.

But yesterday, the courthouse sent me a letter back, saying that my request to be excused was denied.

I was unbelievably furious (plus, I have already done jury duty several times in NYC and also in Columbus, Ohio — why am I always being called upon? It absolutely makes me want to stop registering to VOTE (they pull jurors from the voting registry)…but then I can hear my ancestors, who fought in the Revolutionary War and helped to create the glorious US Constitution, shouting: “Are you out of your fucking mind??? You can’t give up your right to VOTE!!”)

Anyway. I am really pissed off. I left word with the Agency that they need to call the courthouse Monday morning and try to fix that.

Not only can I in no way afford jury duty, I was just getting my mind/life back together by finally having a schedule I can work with all summer long.

Someone’s Revolutionary War ancestor, saying: “You can’t give up your right to VOTE!”

And the letter arrived just as I was getting ready to head out to my shift.

And I can’t take a bunch of rage and depression and frustration and hopelessness, into a client’s home. So that was a real challenge– clearing my vibrational air and finding a better emotional place for myself in a sort of nano second.

But I did. And I had a great shift with the retired Chaplain. As usual, she and I talked about some very, very interesting things. She is almost 89 and has had a harrowing life. I always learn so much from her.

Also–

Oddly enough, in yesterday’s mail, right alongside the letter from the Courthouse, was a card from one of my supervisors at the Agency. (Depending on which town a client is in will determine who my supervisor is for that client.)

Anyway. As of now, all 5 of my clients are with the same supervisor, and that supervisor sent me a “Thank You” card, saying how much she appreciated the quality of care I give my clients and how she never has to worry when she sees that my name is assigned to one of the clients on her list.

That made me feel really appreciated, but also really determined to not have to waste my gifts serving on a jury. Again.

***********

Before I forget, tomorrow morning, I have an appointment to get a new pair of glasses. I absolutely hate the glasses I currently have and I want a new pair. But this could mean that I won’t get a chance to post to the blog tomorrow.

Marilyn does glasses and coffee! I don’t usually dress like that in the kitchen, but the rest of it is, like, totally me.

***********

Okay!

Here’s this!!

The B52s, perpetually celebrating National Sunglasses Day!!

And while we’re at it!! This was on the Oldies Radio Station on my retro boombox next to my bed the other evening!! Yay!! Yes, I knew every word and sang along quite loudly!! “Love Shack”, by the B52s, 1989:

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

And here’s this.

From Phyllis Stein — David Jo, and Keith, smoking (and Delbert McClinton) at Tramps, NYC, 1985!!

***********

Here’s this!

A lovely photo of Dwight!! He’s currently on tour in the U.S. of A.!

And here’s this — his fantastic duet with Buck Owens, back in 1988. “Streets of Bakersfield.” The first time I heard this song was on the radio in my birth dad’s kitchen, out in Nevada. And my dad then regaled me with the story about how he smoked a joint with Dwight, outside a gig in Los Angeles. (My dad had been a roadie for my Uncle Ralph, who was a Country music singer back then. At that time, my Uncle Ralph had songs on the Country charts and Dwight was just starting out — he’d been the opening act for my Uncle that night.)

*********

I loved these!!!

Early photos of Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart! Be still my heart–

And here they are with The Faces:

And here’s this — 1971, The Faces, “Had Me A Real Good Time” !! Classic!! (“I was glad to come, I’ll be sad to go, so while I’m here I’ll have me a real good time!”)

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

And here’s this!

From George Vjestica. The Bad Seeds play Antwerp tonight!

And here’s a great photo of Nick Cave! Since he was onstage in Italy, I guess he wanted to point out his Gucci shoes?? Not sure!!

The Bad Seeds play Berlin on Tuesday!! And you can buy tickets here!

And here’s this–

Nick Cave &The Bad Seeds / “Papa Won’t Leave You , Henry” Live Lingen June 16, 2026:

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

And that is it for today. And as I said, I might not be posting tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes.

Meanwhile, I’m gonna do a little yoga, then do a little thinking (I’m finally coming to a good-feeling place regarding the almost-in-progress new memoir), then head out to see the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat.

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

More breakfast-listening music from the “Rockin” Down the Block” CD collection (1987)!!

The Vogues!! “Five O’clock World,” 1965!! Enjoy, gang!!

“Five O’Clock World”

Up every morning just to keep a job
I gotta fight my way through the hustling mob
Sounds of the city poundin’ in my brain
While another day goes down the drain
Yeah, yeah, yeah

But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows
No one owns a piece of my time
And there’s a five o’clock me inside my clothes
Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah
Oh my lady, yeah

Tradin’ my time for the pay I get
Livin’ on money that I ain’t made yet
I’ve been goin’ tryin’ to make my way
But I live for the end of the day
Yeah, yeah, yeah

‘Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows
No one owns a piece of my time
And there’s a long-haired girl who waits, I know
To ease my troubled mind, yeah
Oh my lady, yeah

In the shelter of her arms everything’s OK
When she talks, then the world goes slippin’ away
And I know the reason I can still go on
When every other reason is gone
Yeah, yeah, yeah

In my five o’clock world, she waits for me
Nothing else matters at all
‘Cause every time my baby smiles at me
I know that’s it’s all worthwhile, yeah
Oh my lady, yeah
Oh my lady, yeah
Oh my lady, yeah

c – 1965 Allen Reynolds

Misleading, but let’s run with it anyway!

June 27, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Let’s pretend a lovely summer is underway!!

It’ll be raining all day again today, though, and then here in Ohio, we will be gearing up for our heatwave.

The 4th of July is supposed to be not only rain, but thunderstorms, and for the whole upcoming week, the temperatures will be in the mid-90s Fahrenheit.

Each day now I just feel so blessed to have this Central AC, gang. It’s incredible, to think that This Old House is 125 years old and this is the first time it ever had air conditioning.

And when I think they gave it to me for FREE. Wow.

Okay.

Even though it was raining off & on all evening, we did indeed have our fireworks here last night in Crazeysburg.

They did a beautiful job. Although I didn’t go over to the actual ball park, where they were doing a bunch of festive stuff before the fireworks. I was exhausted from the humidity, and working my shift, doing all the grocery shopping in town, putting everything away when I got home, then making dinner, etc.

And I didn’t want to walk all the way over to the park just to find out it had been postponed because of the rain.

But, anyway. I have a perfectly clear view of the fireworks from my house. Still, it does sort of lose a little something when the fireworks go off before it’s really the 4th of July…

***********

So, Valerie had great news regarding her hand!

She got the stitches out and the doctor was really happy with her progress. So they’ve scheduled the surgery for her other hand on July 13th. Yay!

So it is almost over, and she will be able to get back to painting and drawing reasonably soon.

*********

The Rolling Stones released another track from the upcoming album, Foreign Tongues.

I not only like this track a lot, but I like that this is only an audio track. I haven’t been a fan of the Stones’ videos for many years. (Those videos target a much younger audience than me, and I’m guessing it’s working. But I just don’t like watching them.) (I also can’t stand the cover image on the new album. But, you know, they probably figure they won me over 54 years ago, let’s target someone else now.)

Anyway. Here’s “Divine Intervention”:

***********

So that workshop on Thursday from the Indie Authors Alliance, regarding book promotion for authors —

Wow, was it depressing. Totally stressful. I finally felt some relief when another writer posted in the chat that the workshop was really depressing…

Anyway. It was worth taking it, I learned a lot. But, wow, gang, publishing and everything that went along with it, has changed so drastically since the Internet and self-publishing kind of wiped out the traditional small presses.

In the not-so-long-ago old days, the publisher, even the small presses, did everything for you once the book was ready to come out. They arranged your readings and book signings– they simply told you where to show up and when (even if you had to go out of town, or overseas, for it). They took care of your PR, arranged your interviews — either Internet radio or they’d send you a Q &A to fill out, and then arrange for an interview for you “in print” (online) drawn from the Q & A.

Now, it seems like only the major houses do that stuff. So even if you’re not self-publishing, if you’re with an Indie press, you have to do a ton of stuff on your own just in hopes that your book will even get noticed.

Since my first book came out in 1999, I must have sold, all titles totaled, close to 200,000 print books worldwide — not including eBooks or my self-published books. Which were incredible numbers for a literary erotica writer/editor. But now I am starting back at square one. ( And I tell you, I am so grateful that the publisher I am currently with put together such an outstanding cover. It definitely gets people’s attention.)

But there is SO MUCH online AI scamming that you have to watch out for if you’re releasing a new book. I must delete at least 10 of those fake AI inquiries every single day.

In the event you’re new to the blog– my new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, is coming from Parisian Phoenix Publishing in September!! You can pre-order it HERE.

***********

However!! That said–

On Thursday evening, I also listened to a live talk with Eileen McKusick, sponsored by Simon Parkes’ Connecting Consciousness group.

Wow, that was really interesting and very uplifting. Although it had nothing to do with publishing:

“For 30 years, Eileen has been exploring the human biofield – the electromagnetic field that surrounds and animates the body – and how sound can bring it into harmony. Her work bridges the gap between traditional healing arts and contemporary science, offering a grounded, evidence-informed approach to health and human potential.”

Here’s a sample of one of the many things she does:

Nervous System Reset (7 mins):

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

Okay.

Since I didn’t post anything yesterday, here’s this from Friday.

More about Johnny Depp’s new art offering– “3AM BLOOM”

**********

And the rest of the “here’s this’s” are basically all connected to the Bad Seeds tour.

From George Vjestica, heading to the show in Italy, which was last night, and which appeared to be another one of those off-the-charts shows:

Here’s Warren Ellis. He appears to be at the airport? Leaving Greece (in the heatwave) and heading to Italy? Not sure, really — but he is wearing a Harbor Freight hat!!

And here’s this, too — to underscore how hot it was??

I found this photo on Facebook, but I don’t know which show it actually came from:

And here’s the set list from the show in Italy last night:

Here’s Nick Cave in Italy:

Photo by Guiseppe Craca, Rolling Stone Italia

Here’s a shot from the jumbo screen last night — but a number of people posted videos of this — where a very happy young boy was onstage with Nick:

And here’s this!

The Bad Seeds will be in Belgium tomorrow. You can buy tickets here!

*********

And that is it for today.

And I still have 3 and 1/2 hours before I have to head to town for my shift! I’ll be with the retired Chaplain, so it should be a very thought-provoking evening. She usually has so many interesting things to talk about, and the time flies.

But I also want to add that yesterday morning, that new client of mine — the one who lives on that beautiful property surrounded by all those incredibly tall trees– wow, did we have a nice time. She has had quite a life. So very different from mine, and yet we have so much in common. (She’s only about 6 years older than me.)

Anyway, okay!

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

**********

And since I’m determined to behave as if we’re finally having a wonderful, FUN summer around here–

Here’s this again!!!

Breakfast-listening music!!

From the CD collection, Rockin’ Down the Block (1987) which I always start listening to when it’s summertime —

The Rivingtons, “Papa Oom Mow Mow,” from 1962!! Enjoy, gang.

That time of the month!

June 25, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

No, not THAT time of the month — I’m 65.9 years old…

It is, instead, that time of the month wherein my illustrious Social Security check arrives (you know, that retirement check that I can’t retire on…)

Anyway!

Today, I pay bills!! Yay.

But speaking of my lofty age–

Yesterday evening, I got a text from my beloved friend Kara:

She wanted to make a date for taking me out for my birthday!! Yay! So nice!!

In the event you are one of the few and the proud who are not glued to my Wikipedia page — I was born on July 22, 1960. So my birthday is coming up in a few weeks.

I’d been a wee bit disappointed to see that I was scheduled to work on my birthday, but since I hadn’t asked for it off, why would they give it to me??

But it’s one of those unique Wednesdays wherein I’ll be working with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat — usually they are my Sunday clients. So I decided to tell myself that it will be a nice way to celebrate my birthday, since I like them a whole lot.

However!! Going out to dinner with Kara after my shift is over is actually something I will like a WHOLE lot!!! So I am really looking forward to that. I have not seen Kara in months.

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

Today is Day One of the new Rolling Stones podcast, Speaking In Tongues, to promote they’re upcoming new album, Foreign Tongues.

I have it cued up on Amazon, but you can choose your platform HERE.

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

If you’re a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, this afternoon, they are having what should be a very informative livestream: Sell More Books — Book Promotion Workshop

It will be about the current trends in independent book promotion. You have to be a member to log on, but the livestream is free if you’re a member.

***********

And also sometime today– I should hear from Valerie about the follow-up on her recent hand surgery (she’s getting the stitches removed this morning) and find out when she can schedule the next surgery. So far, she said the first surgery has given her full use of her hand again without any pain!! Yay!

So, here’s hoping she can get the surgery for her other hand scheduled right away. She says she still wants to aim for getting our mini-podcast launched sometime later this summer.

**********

I don’t know, but with all the above, plus yoga and washing my hair– seems like my day off today is fully booked.

I did stop in at the bookstore in Granville yesterday, but the woman I needed to speak to had the day off. So I still don’t know anything about whether or not I’m gonna do a book launch in town this September or not…

**********

Okay.

To all my readers in Europe, enduring the horrible heatwave, hang in there!! Stay hydrated and don’t forget to protect your pets from the heat, too.

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

Here in the Hinterlands, we are supposed to have our July 4th fireworks celebration tomorrow night. (They don’t want to compete with the huge Red, White & Boom celebration that’s held in Columbus on the actual 4th.)

Our temperatures are actually great right now, but it is supposed to rain tomorrow. So I have no clue if tomorrow we will be celebrating “the 4th” or not.

**********

Okay.

Here’s this.

Another photo of Sid that I liked:

***********

And here are a couple of photos of Keith taken by Ken Regan:

Keith and Patti (and ponies):

Keith and Patti and Theodora, in NYC, 1985:

And I don’t know who took this photo, but it is classic Keith:

***********

And I’m guessing the heatwave in Europe is affecting all these outdoor music festivals. But everyone seems to be surviving.

Here’s a photo of Nick Cave at the Athens show:

Most of the stuff from the Athens show was either videos or really small images. So that’s my only “here’s this” for the Athens show.

Here’s the set list, though:

And tomorrow, they play Italy. You can buy tickets here!

**********

I think that’s actually it for now.

Gonna get the bills paid and then try to focus on writing something here today.

Have a merciful Thursday, wherever you are in this weather-warfare world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

***********

Let’s close with this.

If you saw my post from yesterday, I mentioned Miss Collins, our music teacher when I was in elementary school in Cleveland in 1970, when I was 10 years old, and how cool she was!( Even though they fired her… she was a wee bit too radical for the tastes of the PTA.)

Anyway.

In addition to “Lola,” by the Kinks, here is another song that she played for us in class that I absolutely loved! (Talk about a teacher who made a lasting impression.)

From 1970, “If You Could Read My Mind,” by Gordon Lightfoot. Enjoy, gang.

“If You Could Read My Mind”

If I could read your mind, love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind the drugstores sell
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
But heroes often fail
And you won’t read that book again
Because the ending’s just too hard to take

I’d walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three-way script
Enter number two
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let’s be real
I never thought I could act this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone and I just can’t get it back

If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
But stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You’ll know that I’m just tryin’ to understand
The feelings that you lack
I never thought I could feel this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone and I just can’t get it back

c – 1970 Gordon Lightfoot

I guess it’s officially summer!

June 24, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay!

The Agency has given me my new schedule at least until the end of July and I will have no shortage of money or hours.

And most of my shifts will be in the afternoons/evenings. And I’m even picking up some Wednesday afternoons with the retired Minister and his lovely wife and cat!!

So as much as it broke my heart to have to part with my favorite 95-year-old Japanese man (entirely because of extreme changes brought on by his family), it has all worked out for the very much better.

Honestly, it is like having a whole new life. (Waking up when I want to and going to sleep when I want to…which also means more time to write.)

Today, I sort of have the day off, except that I’m going in to the Agency for the Hospice training this afternoon. And then stopping in at the bookstore in Granville that has agreed to carry my new novel when it comes out in September — The Curse of Our Profound Disorder — pre-order here!!

I’m going to the bookstore with more than a little trepidation, because I want to see if that staff member has read the review copy yet that I dropped off for her. If she has read it already, depending on her reaction to the book, that will make up my mind about whether or not I will do a book launch party for it in Granville when the book comes out.

If she responds in a similar way to how my dear pal Wendy responded (Wendy had a lot of trouble with some of the subject matter, and really only finished reading it because she’s my friend; and Valerie still hasn’t finished reading it and probably never will, because she was worried it was going to give her nightmares). Anyway, if she responds along those lines, I will forego a book launch entirely and just let the book come out.

If I were still living in NYC, I wouldn’t hesitate to promote it, but life and people can be so different around here.

*********

Okay!

Before I forget–

Wow, did Simon Parkes have a VERY interesting update this morning! All INTEL.

You can only view it if you are a member of Connecting Consciousness, but it is free to join and you can join HERE.

However, what Simon had to say was very, very encouraging! Especially about the 4th of July.

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

Since I worked a long double yesterday and didn’t post here, my “here’s this’s” are mostly from Monday.

I thought this was really interesting. The difference in the music business nowadays and what it was like in the not-so-old days. It’s safe to say that the Internet, with its trickle-down effect, basically ruined everything…

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

And a couple of days ago, it was Ray Davies birthday!(He turned 82!)

From his brother, Dave:

And how about this, while we’re at it??

I was almost 10 years old the first time I heard this song — it was in music class at my elementary school in Cleveland. We had such a cool music teacher that year, Miss Collins!! (And, yes, she eventually got fired… but not just because of the records she played for us, but because she was white and living in sin with a black guy.)

The song really just fascinated me. I never forgot it!!

Anyway. Thank you, Miss Collins!! I never forget you, either!! You turned me on to such great music. From 1970 — the incredible “Lola” by Ray & Dave Davies and The Kinks!!

“Lola”

I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like cherry-cola
C O L A cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said Lola
L O L A Lola la-la-la-la Lola

Well I’m not the world’s most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine
Oh my Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Well I’m not dumb but I can’t understand
Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man
Oh my Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola

Well we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said little boy won’t you come home with me
Well I’m not the world’s most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes well I almost fell for my Lola
La-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her and she at me

Well that’s the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way for my Lola
La-la-la-la Lola
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world except for Lola
La-la-la-la Lola

Well I left home just a week before
And I’d never ever kissed a woman before
But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
And said dear boy I’m gonna make you a man

Well I’m not the world’s most masculine man
But I know what I am and I’m glad I’m a man
And so is Lola
La-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola
Lola la-la-la-la Lola la-la-la-la Lola

c – 1970 Raymond Douglas Davies

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

And here’s this from Father’s Day!!

From Tom Petty’s eldest daughter, Adria:

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

And here’s this.

Just a photo I liked from the Sid Vicious account:

*********

And Joe Satriani did a photo dump from the recent tour with Steve Vai, and he included a photo from Cleveland!!

*********

And here’s yet another intense photo from the Bad Seeds show the other night in Austria:

Tonight, they play Athens, Greece. You can buy tickets here!

***********

And someone I occasionally text with on Instagram who also loves music sent me this link yesterday and I really loved it:

From 1969, “Superman,” by The Clique:

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

And I think that’s it for now.

I will still wait awhile before posting about my friend Jeffrey who died. I am in a better place about it today, though. Meaning, I’m focused more on how great our friendship had been and not on the fact that he’s dead now.

I’m hoping to have a great day, even considering the upcoming bookstore visit. And tomorrow, I have the day off!

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

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

*********

Let’s close with this!!

From that wonderful yesteryear before the Internet!!

Backstage Rolling Stones 1976 Mick Jagger Keith Richards Ronnie Wood Charlie Watts Bill Wyman (6 mins):