#PrinceRIP

"Eventually you may have gone down so many paths and learned so much you don't have to come back again." ~ Prince

Sunday Groove: Depeche Mode "Policy of Truth"

Because shoulder pads never really go out of style...

#themesongdujour Grateful Dead "Touch of Grey": I will get by! (Thanks, Book Gorilla.)

Today's theme music, Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey" was inspired by a great blurb about my new memoirella, Love & Other Natural Disasters, a starred title today on BookGorilla.com:

"Think "Molly Ivins meets Anna Quindlen to the tune of 'Touch of Grey'...Not your Mama's Erma Bombeck, but the best of “Earth to Joni”, the syndicated newspaper column chronicling family life, politics and culture, and welcoming readers into the Rodgers household, where life is for living, love conquers all, and pancakes are what’s for dinner."

PS ~ Love & Other Natural Disasters free on Kindle this week!

"There's Always Tomorrow": A final thought on #BloodCancerAwarenessMonth

Wrapping up Blood Cancer Awareness Month with a huge thank you to Ashley Rodgers for her expert answers to reader/survivor FAQs about cancer's emotional roller coaster. (To see the whole Q&A series, click the #BloodCancerAwarenessMonth hash tag below.)

On a personal note: My daughter Jerusha, five years old in the photo here, went with me to many of my chemo treatments, including one on her sixth birthday. Today she is a fabulous 24-year-old freelance editor, and this summer, she donated bone marrow to a six-year-old child with leukemia through a national anonymous bone marrow registry. I can't begin to express how proud of her I am.

(For more information on how you can help someone with a life-threatening blood cancer, visit Be The Match.)

Of all the songs that spoke to me during the journey of my own cancer experience (and the continuing journey of survivorship) is this anthem from Gloria Estefan. The first time I heard it, I was weeping in the ladies room at my oncologist's office, and perhaps it sounds melodramatic, but by the end of the song, I had changed. I had let go of an old life that was not working for me and embraced a new life that has been ridiculously blessed. To this day, I can't hear it without crying.

For me, "Always Tomorrow" captures all the longing and regret I felt with my diagnosis, thinking how differently I would have lived had I known my life might end so soon. It also speaks to the hope and determination to go forward and the acceptance that remission doesn't mean everything is okay, and it definitely doesn't mean "back to normal."

Things will never be the same, the only one sure thing is change. Remission means you have this moment to start over again and steer that change with love.

Peace, love and joy to all my fellow survivors, along with the energy to embrace a beautiful tomorrow.

Sunday Groove: Mike Tompkins' awesome a capella "Rolling in the Deep"

In case you were wondering how it feels to transition from traditional publishing to the plate-spinning, chainsaw-juggling, little red hen "I'll do it all myself" indie life... yeah. It's like this.

Sunday Groove: Nancy Sinatra nutshells the publishing industry with "This Town"

Nancy Sinatra nutshells the publishing industry: "This town is a love you town and a shove you down and push you 'round town... This town is a use you town, and abuse you town until you're found town."

Goodbye to Doors cofounder Ray Manzarek.

Got 5 minutes? Brush up on your music history with Pentatonix!

Bernadette Peters is way too fabulous. That is all.

Ten years ago, when I first started ghostwriting celebrity memoirs, my agent asked me to make a wish list of dream clients. High on the list, then and now, was and is Bernadette Peters. I just love her, and everything I hear about her behind her back is good.

So from my lips to God's ear. You never know.

Chance: "Toy Cows in Africa" (Remember this from Northern Exposure?)

"Solveig's Song" from Peer Gynt

Holy Norskadalen. Hadn't heard this lovely song in a long time, but I stumbled on this great version in my research today. Harps! Big hair! Grieg is in the yurt! The Norwegian lyrics: Kanske vil der gå både Vinter og Vår, og næste Sommer med, og det hele År, men engang vil du komme, det ved jeg visst; og jeg skal nok vente, for det lovte jeg sidst. Gud styrke dig, hvor du i Verden går, Gud glæde dig, hvis du for hans Fodskammel står! Her skal jeg vente till du komme igjen; og venter du hisst oppe, vi træffes der, min Ven. (In essence) Though winter and spring pass and summer days run out, I know you'll return to me, and I'll wait, just as I promised. May God watch over you, wherever you go. May God comfort you and sit beside you. I'll wait for you and see you in Heaven.

Take a moment: Flower duet (Lakmé de Delibes)

Grooving with Astroids Galaxy Tour: "The Sun Ain't Shining No More"

Sunday groove: Florence + the Machine "Cosmic Love"

The fabulous Mavis Staples: "Hard Times Come Again No More" ('Nuff said.)

Vissi d'arte (I have lived for art)

"Hard Headed Woman" Cat Stevens

The harder the head, the bigger the hair.

Nina Simone + Typography Animation = #nerdgasm

"Rock the Casbah" The Clash

It's all about the casbah this week. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that while your work is/should be/really must be personal to you, it's just business to everybody else. Don't let the bastards get you down.

This is the real Django, baby.

Seriously. Django Rheinhardt. Google it.

(I should have mentioned this one when The Hurricane Lover was featured on Undercover Soundrack on Roz Morris' blog.)