I Wrote a New BOOK!!!!

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I’ve been working on this secret project for more than a year just after I bought my laptop computer back in December 2015.  The new book is called:

The Outside In View of Uncommon Bostonian: 

What a Autistic Black Woman Sees

I went to the publisher called BookBaby to create both a paperback book and an ebook.  It includes the blog posts I made when the orignal Uncommon Bostonian blog was connected to The Boston Now dailey newspaper back in 2007 to 2008.  It also has some of the essays I’ve written in recent years and some of my black and white paintings that I made in the last couple of years.  I write about the Beatles, the soap One Live to Live, the Dave Clark Five, the Monkees, and other things.  I created the artwork on the cover.  It’s my Purple Haze painting.

Go to this link to purchase your copy:

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Outside-in-View-of-Uncommon-Bostonian1

Here’s a picture of both the front and back cover of the paperback.

AJM0109 Digest-Soft-Cover

Or: You can click on this picture to gain access to the book.

February 3, 1959 – The Day The Music Died!

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Just shortly after 12:55 am on February 2, 1959, a small plane crashed down in a cornfield in Clear Lake, Iowa, ending the lives of 3 rock stars: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper (Jiles Perry Richardson). The pilot was also killed in the crash. It was a great tragedy for the rock and roll community.

The tragedy has been known as the day the music died.

January 2021 Was Depressing! Losing Icons!

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Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers (September 24, 1942 – January 3, 2021)

Mira Furlan (September 7, 1955 – January 20, 2021)

Hank Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021)

Larry King (November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021)

Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021)

Cicely Tyson (December 19, 1924 – January 28, 2021)

Hilton Valentine of the Animals (May 21, 1943 – January 29, 2021)

Sad to see these entertainers die. What a depressing way to start the new year! February is almost here!

Hilton is the guitarist doing the opening riff of this song.

A Birthday For Hire!

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Happy Birthday in Heaven, Robert Urich! (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002)

Robert Urich, who starred in 16 TV shows during his short life, would have been 74 years old today. Cancer took him away from us. Mostly remembered for “Vega$” and “Spenser For Hire”, Robert was a delight to watch on TV. Also, he appeared in many movies, TV movies, and TV mini-series (Lonesome Dove).

Last year, former Boston DJ Joe Martelle, an old friend of Robert’s when he was filming Spenser in Boston, wrote a book of Bob’s life, career, and his battle with cancer. It’s called An Extraordinary Life: The Robert Urich Story.

It’s a good read.

Robert Urich on “Tabitha” a spin-off of “Bewitched”

Today (December 17) Is My Birthday!

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I spent my day indoors, thanks to the winter snow storm in Boston. I went outside only once to dig out my car. I was totally unable to travel to Key West or anywhere warmer because of the pandemic. Much safer to stay home for my birthday vacation.

Hope this doesn’t happen again in 2021!

40 Years After John Lennon’s Death!

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It was a terrible shock to me and the rest of the world when the news came out 40 years ago that John Lennon of the Beatles had been gunned down senselessly by a lunatic. My father was watching Monday Night Football when it was announced that John was dead. He promptly told me who was a teenager getting ready to go to the bed because I had to go to school the next day (I was in 11th grade at the time). I was very upset and just couldn’t believe it.

I have been a Beatles fan since I was a little child. My earliest memories of them was around the time their Abby Road album came out and Paul McCartney was dead (that was just a hoax). This was back in 1969.

The last few months of 1980 were not good for me. My older brother Alfred had died back in June, due to the injuries he suffered from a car accident. I was still getting bullied at school. At the time, no one had no idea that I was really autistic (my Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis came in 2002). I had been bullied for years growing up in suburban Maryland just outside of Washington, DC.

The music of the Beatles was and still is a comfort for me. Today, I am keeping myself safe with wearing a face mask and social distancing. I still listen to their music and their solo work.

Thanks for the great music, John Lennon.

Happy Birthday to This Veteran on Veteran’s Day!

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Happy 98th Birthday in Heaven, Kurt Vonnegut! (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007)

Kurt Vonnegut was my inspiration on becoming a writer and artist! I’ll recommend one of his books if you are not familiar with his books. It’s called Breakfast of Champions. You will not be dissapointed.

Back in 1995 at a writers festival in Boston, I was able to meet and shake hands with Kurt. A very memorable moment for me. I have met his son, Dr. Mark Vonnegut, at a couple of events in the years since Kurt’s passing in 2007.

Kurt was a soldier in World War 2 who was captured and held in Dresden, Germany. He was there when it was fire-bombed and destroyed by the Allies just before the end of the war. This prompted Kurt to write another classic book, Slaughter House Five.

One of Kurt’s best books
Another classic book by Kurt

Happy 78th, Gary Puckett!

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A Very Happy 78th Birthday, Gary Puckett, lead singer of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap!

Gary is celebrating at home with his family this year, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are hoping this pandemic to end soon so that Gary and his band can go back on the road and do some concerts.

Ray Stevens interviews Gary Puckett last year (10/17/19)