John Pavlovitz

In today's positive news, I would like to introduce you to John Pavlovitz.  John is a pastor I met online and he is an ardent Trump protester.  Like me, he is shocked and dismayed by the weird acceptance and idolization of Trump by Christians in this country.  Here's what John had to say yesterday, following the Supreme Court's most recent decision:

"Today’s Supreme Court ruling on the Masterpiece Cakeshop will be billed by Evangelicals as a victory for “religious liberty.”

It isn’t—at least not for these people. For them it’s license to be a jerk in Jesus’ name.

It’s about people professing to follow Jesus, who don’t have the slightest concern about emulating him.

It’s about people who wouldn’t know Jesus if he showed up as the least of these, across the counter from them looking for their kindness during one of the most important moments of their lives.

 To read the rest of John's article, go here:  https://johnpavlovitz.com/2018/06/04/let-them-eat-cake/

To read other essays by John:  https://johnpavlovitz.com/

In other news, I am thrilled to be a Philadelphian today.  Here's what our Mayor had to say about the asshat in the White House, following his six year old toddler tantrum about our Super Bowl Champion Eagles:

Fragile egomaniac?  Trump?  Should we be even slightly concerned that an imbecile with a fragile ego is running our country?  D'OH!  YA THINK?!

The fact that Cadet Bone Spurs is threatening football owners and trying to control, let's face it, African American football players, is outrageous and I really hope people take to the streets soon.  And hell, I'm going to boycott football next year IF THEY DON'T ALL PROTEST AND STAY IN THE LOCKER ROOM.

F*CK YOU, TRUMP.

Ah, I feel better now.

Have a great day, fellow resisters.  xoxoxo

Natalie Prass is the ruler of all women and...

...this ("Sisters") is the song that brought down the house on Saturday night at Johnny Brenda's​.   Natalie Prass​ is a superstar.  Remember that you heard it here.  She held her arm up over her head in a powerful gesture as she sung this tune and she freaking owned the room.  Hundreds of drunk dudes suddenly went quiet and started swaying to the music.  Natalie isn't just an amazing singer, she's a brilliant song writer and lyricist, too.   And if you are near Philly, she's returning to our fair city and doing a Free at Noon concert this coming Friday at WXPN,​ and, also playing their festival on July 28.   So yeah, if you pay attention, good things are still happening in this country and people are making art in the dark and depressing era of Trump.  So there's that.  Anyway, since all I could do is post the snippet we filmed Saturday night, here's the official audio of Sisters.

Natalie Prass - Sisters (Official Audio) https://youtu.be/9T0wYQpAlzo via @YouTube

We're heading to New York City this weekend for the next chapter of music in June - Julie has a series of gigs at the Iridium with the Adrian Belew Power Trio.  Then we all head to Festival Pier in Philly on June 23 to see Eric with Dr. Dog.  Lots of music and family and, as always, great vegetarian food.  Now if Mr. Mueller and company would just slap some cuffs on a few dozen people in the White House including our dear leader and his degenerate pseudo-Christian VP, all will be well with the world.

Natalie Prass

Okay, it's time to post something positive.  Have you met Natalie Prass? 

In case you haven't stumbled on one of my many billboards posted all over the internet, Natalie is my son's significant other, and she has a new record out today.  Natalie is a superstar and this morning, she has spreads in Entertainment Weekly, GQ, and the Guardian.  I'll post links to everything, but I have to cut and paste the part of the EW article that has me sitting in my office right now, bawling.  To read the whole article, go here:  http://ew.com/music/2018/06/01/natalie-prass-the-future-and-the-past-interview/

"It really feels like people — regardless of their political views — will look back on the night Trump got elected and remember exactly where they were. What were you doing that night?

[My boyfriend, Dr. Dog drummer] Eric [Slick] and I went to an election party. The local comedy troupe had these stand-up shows, and it was just a big party and a lot of good people. Everybody was decked out in Hillary gear, and it slowly just got darker and darker and people started to cry, and leave. Oh yeah, I’ll never forget it. It was horrible.

Is it fair to call “Short Court Style” a love song about someone new?

It’s a song about Eric. I really feel like I’ve met my person in Eric. I’ve never felt so comfortable, and we can get through anything together. But we had to do so much work to get to where we are now. And it doesn’t stop; it doesn’t mean that we are in this blissful love relationship. Which we are, but then we also have problems that we have to face. It’s more about the hard work and the rewarding payoff of real love.

Here's a link to the Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/may/31/natalie-prass-the-future-and-the-past-review-musical-magpie-channels-karen-and-janet

And one more, to GQ:  https://www.gq.com/story/the-throwback-grooves-of-natalie-prass

And here's her new hit song:  https://youtu.be/0pv7rN-_IWU

So yeah, we're all pretty excited at Casa Slick.  Natalie is on tour right now, and not only will she be in Philadelphia Saturday night for a sold out show at Johnny Brenda's, she'll be back in town for the WXPN Festival on July 28.  She also has a bunch of gigs in Europe this fall, and Eric,who will be off tour with Dr. Dog by then, will sit in on drums.  Not a bad life, huh.

While I'm here bragging, Julie's been home for a couple of weeks - she lives in Spain now, or tries to when she's not touring - and she's got a bunch of gigs in New York City next week with the Adrian Belew Power Trio at the Iridium.  So we're pretty stoked about that, too.  And we're all headed to the beach this weekend, rain or not, we do not care, we're going solely for the purpose of eating Manco & Manco pizza and hitting some air hockey arcades.  We know how to live in the era of Trump, huh.  Music and food and hanging with people you love is everything.

But hey, if Julie gets permanent residency in Spain, and if Eric and Natalie decide to leave the country as well, and if there isn't serious flippage in the midterm elections, Gary and I are out of here in about five minutes.  I've been checking out property in Malaga :)  We're dead serious.  

Listen, we all have to do what we have to do.

Sorry, but...

...Ivanka Trump is a c*nt.  And so is Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway.  And so are you if you voted for him and still support him.

Ah....I feel better now.

By the way, if you are feeling this post is too harsh, take a look at these beauties.  Too funny.  You really can stereotype a group of people.  Most Trumpers, along with not knowing the difference between "your" and "you're" are either morbidly obese, missing teeth, and, if they aren't skin heads, have mullets.

A little more to get off my chest...I f*cking hate the Food Network

So apparently reading Trump tweets first thing in the morning triggers my anger gene and I figured I'd come here and spout a little more of what's been bugging me in America since the election.

Okay, here it is:  The Food Network.  Wtf has happened to their programming?  No, I don't even want to watch Guy Fieri one night a week let alone four nights.  Ugh.

As an east coaster, I do not want to be subjected to two hours a day of the god awful Pioneer Woman, a multi-millionaire with a voice like chalk on a blackboard, chopping processed cheese into little cubes and gushing God Bless America.

I don't want to see an aging, anorexic Giada's boobies as she pretends that she eats but really spits in an off-camera bucket.

Why is Jason Smith, a home baker, judging internationally acclaimed famous professional bakers?  Why is Scott Conant, clearly uncomfortable in his role of baking host, even on that show in his too tight suit?  Give the guy his own show cooking Italian food.  And why is Marcella made up and dressed like Barbie?

What happened to shows on actually cooking?  All we get are competition shows and ten year old reruns of competition shows.

Finally, are you owned by the pork industry?  Why is everything better with bacon?  As a vegetarian for close to ten years, your shows are all pork-centric and I really wonder, in light of all of the above, why I still continue to watch.

Oh yeah,  Trump is President.

I’m celebrating...

...because that racist asshat Roseanne is canceled.  Now.  Using that same logic, can we cancel Trump’s presidency? 😎

I Hate Him and if You Like Him, I Hate You More

So here it is.  For a year and a half I've thought about what to say here.  I wanted to go about it in a thoughtful, philosophical way.  But in light of recent events, the latest of which are children, torn from their mothers' arms, let me just say this.  The President of the United States is a racist, homophobic, lying sack of shit.  And if you support him, so are you, and I will never be your friend.  I literally and figuratively spit in your face.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I intend to return here in a positive way.  I have two new books on the horizon and I have friends and family who have made great art.

Stay tuned.

The day before....

I know how horribly I've neglected you, blog, but I am so happy you are here for me, especially when I feel like I am losing my mind. This country cannot elect the orange Nazi tomorrow. I'm so anxiety ridden I didn't know where to turn - Facebook is scaring me to death with its dire links and news blurbs - but here you are blog, my nice warm blanket. Anyway, this will not be a political post, it's more of a novel writing warm up. I did something really insane - I decided to retire so that I can write full time again. Working 8:30 to 5:00 was crushing my soul and took all the joy out of my life. Can I afford to do this? Hell, no, but I am taking it a day at a time. So for those of you who miss my daily Julie and Eric updates, what can I say? When I first started this blog, they were teenagers living home and I did't feel it was intrusive talking about their every move. It was a lot of fun, especially since I got to do a lot of touring with them. Ah, that could be a book and maybe someday, it will :). Anyway, now they are both adults living in different states and their stories are not mine to tell. But what the hell, they are both up to all kinds of cool things. Both have all kinds of excitement so hit those links and follow them on Facebook. okay, that's my public service announcement for today. I am really nervous. More tomorrow. i

My new book

So I wrote a new book, it's called Suicide Blonde.

Here's the elevator pitch: "A writer's offbeat, honest look at decades of living hard and her desire to delay senility long enough to bitch about it." Anyway, today Moon Magazine was kind enough to publish the only serious chapter in the book, though I hope you still have some laugh out loud moments, and you can read it right here. Let me know how you like it. xo.

No, I am not single. But this post is one...

....in which I find out I am no good on my own….

So sorry to mislead people on Facebook about my single life – I thought I’d announced it everywhere that Gary was going to rock and roll camp to see our daughter perform and too funny, I hear it was Gary who ended up being the performer one night when the whole group of campers gathered around a bonfire and sang Beatle songs, the setlist for which was put together by Adrian and Gary. As for me, I had all sorts of things planned, none of which came to fruition except lots of meditation so I cannot call the week a total loss. Plus, I learned something interesting about myself. I am now completely helpless. Dinner Wednesday night was a ¼ container of leftover hummus which I ate with a spoon. The next night I ate a Ritter Sport bar and a glass of wine. Friday I did not even bother because I knew they were coming home and I was too excited. So what if they did not arrive until 7:30 a.m. on Saturday? I was wide awake and not even a little bit hungry. I am in a strange place these days. I have an awesome job; I am thrilled at how my kids’ lives have turned out, but I am plagued with niggling medical issues that are driving me nuts. I am down to about two food groups I can eat without feeling awful. The good news is, I am now a size six. The bad news is, I miss enjoying food. But I have had every test there is to have; I know I have a tiny gallstone in my bile duct, but I also know my teeth are the evil force behind everything and I have a whole lot of surgery planned. Feh. I would much rather be telling you about my new book. Or what amounts to the five unfinished books I have been working on for over four years. In fact, book five just started because I took the best lines out of the other four, illustrated them, and was going to call it “Unfinished Business” but then Eric gave me the idea to name is “Fractured Fragments” so I have a title but now I am unsure I should proceed with yet another project, especially one which might mess up the previous four. Oh, I am not myself at all. The good news is, Julie and Eric are in town this week. I actually got to spend my birthday with them Sunday, a birthday in which I reached an unspeakable age. We went to this amazing restaurant called Gojjo where I had this truly remarkable vegetarian combo. Cannot recommend it enough. Presents? Oh man, did I get presents. A Kindle and leather Kindle cover from Eric and Rachel, a handbag and beautiful turquoise earrings from Julie, and an unbelievable necklace and earrings from Gary. Yeah, it made my descent into senility a lot easier to take :) It has been great having the "kids" home. Jake the dog has been loving visitors during the day.

Both Julie and Eric have so much going on tour/music wise that it will probably require a second post, which is kind of what I am aiming for. I really need to get back to daily writing. Blogging would always lead me to my novels, but I stopped morning blogging in favor of meditation, and got a job offer last year I could not turn down - best job ever - so I no longer have lots of free time. But again, I have not been this happy in a very long time. Julie leaves tonight for Italy, where she has spent a good part of this year. I was supposed to meet up with her there but again, life got in the way and I am hoping to travel to see her in Europe in 2015 since she might actually be living in Berlin. And I cried when she moved to LA! But now that Eric moved to Asheville, I am over being shell shocked and again, keep asking myself, Why stay here? Well, because I have a great job, and because my house continues to climb in value even though I loathe my new wealthy neighbors. So I guess I will just stick it out until I can't stand it no more. (trying to quote Popeye here but the grammar is just too awful.) Eric has all kinds of things in the works but one of the funniest is that he is playing Jay Z's Philadelphia festival in Los Angeles at the end of this month. Why? Because his band has a show in Philly on September 13 so they would have canceled each other out. Are you going to the show at the Mann on the 13th? You'd better! It is going to be amazing. Get your tickets here. I have a ticket to see King Crimson the night before. Tell me how amazing that is going to be. Got your ticket for that yet? They are in Philadelphia for two nights and you still may be able to score one right here. I have this fantasy that Julie opens for them someday. I know, I know. But stranger things have happened. Meanwhile, she goes on a 40 city tour with Mr. Belew this fall and I will have much to say about that. Oh, I really hope I go back to my "reporting days". Let's see. What else. I am reading a spectacular book called A Life in Men by Gina Frangello. Just buy it. I promised Gina a review of her last book but it was during a time when my life was being turned upside down by all kinds of death and destruction so I never got around to it. I intend to make it up to her with this novel - it is truly rocking my world. In music news, just buy everything by Markus Reuter, Marco Machera, Tony Levin,Steve Lawson, Field Mouse, and of course, Julie and Eric. You cannot go wrong with any of these and you will be supporting indie music. My fantasy is to turn this blog into a haven for indie artists altogether. I need more confidence in my review writing but yes, I would love to review indie records and books every single day. It's how I get through life - words and music. And a healthy dose of family and Jake, who is, of course, the last child home. Later, xo