Finally! 30 out of 30. Four years ago, I flew to New York for the sake of seeing the NY Mets baseball team. Since I had already been to New York, I didn’t have much other reason to be there. The game was rained out, and my trip wasn’t padded to go another day. Grrr. Four years later, I finally finished seeing all of the Major League Baseball parks. How long did it take me to see all 30? Let’s just say I was born before the Nixon administration.
On my way to and from Boston, I traveled through Connecticut, stopping in Mystic, Groton, and New Haven. My unimpressive hotel in an unimpressive part of Stamford, Connecticut, was connected to an unimpressive restaurant. Well, celebrity chef Guy Fieri thought otherwise. I saw him outside of The Stamford Diner taping an episode of his show.
I ended my New England trip with another Serial Good Samaritan act. When I was about to board the plane at Logan Airport, I heard THUMP. I looked behind me and saw that an old lady walking by my gate took a nose dive, landing on both knees. After I determined that she didn’t break a bone, I performed Reiki to eliminate the pain and assess soft tissue damage. I told her that she was OK and then I lifted her to her feet; we walked to a chair. “You’re OK,” I assured her. While I was helping the old lady, I kept looking back at my gate. They better keep the door open for me. I want a free upgrade, too. Yes on the former. Fat chance on the latter.

Reading a sign—“pre-season sale”—as I walked into a store, I coined a new term: pre-season traveler. Avoiding crowds, I am afforded sites all to myself (truly or seemingly).
I love Boston! What a great city, and now my favorite US big city.
The Freedom Trail led me to a piano, which I played. People gathered and recorded videos. One lady sheepishly asked me if she could give me a tip. She handed me a dollar. I said, “That’s all?!” Just kidding. The dollar was my first payment for playing music. I am now officially a professional musician. Although, a year ago I was hired to teach piano. Does that make me a professional musician?
The beautiful lady who took my photo was down on her luck. So, I had her sit next to me on the bench while I performed Reiki. Channeling Spirit is extraordinary. Afterward, the lady floated off with a smile on her face. While I was in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I diagnosed a tumor in a couple’s dog. The couple already new about it. The couple and the beautiful lady encouraged me to move to New England. No, thanks, but I am definitely for hire.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

Although it’s been five years since I finished seeing all of the states, I’m just now ranking the best sense of humor—the residents of Massachusetts. It must be because of the large Irish population. I found my tribe outside of Ireland. It seemed like every conversation I overheard was hilarious. So far, my favorite was watching two guys talk with a stranger who was in the middle of a sneeze attack. The guys were watching the stranger as though the stranger were an athlete about to score the final point for the championship.
Martha’s Vineyard is considered, by mainlanders, as commercialized, but I found it to be quite lovely.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

If only I could see a Cape Cod house in person. Where should I go? Boston, Massachusetts! No, farther. Cape Cod. No, farther. Nantucket. I took a ferry from Hyannis to the island. The day before, I drove on the cape until I couldn’t go any farther—Provincetown. For you Californians, “P-Town” reminded me of a cross between Los Osos/Montaña de Oro and Balboa Island. Add Hillcrest (San Diego), and you have a gay community in a charming town built on a sand dune.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

What do you get when Mother Nature looks at a forest and says, “Fit one more tree, one more tree, one more?” West Virginia. The hills are lined in dense forest, shoulder to shoulder. If only humans could live that harmoniously.
While driving on the freeway to New River Gorge National Park, I added another item to my to-do list. I would like to drive on a runaway truck ramp.
While hiking in the park I heard banjos a.k.a. hillbilly dental floss.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

When I visited Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, I brought my laundry and a menu of what I wanted for dinner. When I was in the gift shop picking out a t-shirt, I asked the worker what the material was. She said, “100% cotton.” Of course! Duh!! In the slaves’ quarters I saw Chinese children who recognized the work they had performed on the shoes I was wearing.
The photo of me: What do you get when you combine 1) my having packed only for hiking, 2) wealthy seniors, 3) and an R & B band. I crashed a Parkinson’s fundraiser in Habersham Marketplace, Beaufort, SC. I should have received a kickback for making it a real party. The organizers raised $60,000, and I raised my shirt.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

IIIIIIIt’s travel season! I have ten of the 63 US national parks left to see. No, I just visited Congaree National Park. Now, I have nine left to see. Congaree is in northern South Carolina near Columbia. The park is a swamp with Congaree River at it’s southern border. I hiked five miles to the river and then turned around and went back to the visitor center. I kept my shoes dry while on the boardwalk and then tredged through mud and creeks. My rear was baptized in one of the creeks. I thought about kayaking; each mosquito was big enough to use as a paddle. I made it out of the park with only one mosquito bite—lavender spray is my friend.
Contact me to order a print on archival paper or canvas.

Alas! Thirty-one years after living in Hawaii and fantasizing, romanticizing the island of Ni’ihau I would finally see it up close. The island’s natives don’t allow visitors to set foot, but helicopter and boat tours give the curious a peek at Hawaii’s mystery spot. I booked a boat tour, padding my trip so that I could go a different day if inclement weather. Unfortunately, Hawaii was on Mother Nature’s list of unusual winter weather. Day after day, the boat tours were cancelled due to high winds. Aah! I flew all the way there to see Ni’ihau! Bummer. My consolation prize was driving to the west side of Kauai and watching the sunset (see photo) over Ni’ihau. Can you see the island’s faint outline? Although I had already toured Kauai when I lived in Hawaii, I drove the whole island anyway. It was fun to see it through a different lens. Contact me to order a print.

Hippie Emporium in Cottonwood, Arizona, is now selling Memorable Greetings and Serial Good Samaritan. Check out their jewelry, jewels, and jewel of a book.
Hippie Emporium

I was interviewed by Matt Santos at the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce in Arizona. Listen to our fun chat, episode 114: Interview

Saturday, November 19, Cottonwood Public Library will host Verde Valley Author Expo from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Meet your local authors, including comedy and biography writer Jeanne “Bean” Murdock, who will offer their books for sale. Learn the process of writing a book and network with editors. All ages welcome. Free.
Cottonwood Public Library is located at 150 South Sixth St. in Cottonwood, Arizona. Call 928-634-7559 for more information.
Note: Within the next few weeks, all of my books will be in the Yavapai County Library system.

Stardust Books inside Copper Cactus in Clarkdale, Arizona, is now selling Memorable Greetings, my newest book, and The Every Excuse in the Book Book. Get a treat, peruse a book, buy a gift, and then laugh your way out the door with my humorous books.
https://www.stardustbookseller.com

Saturday, November 12, 12:30-1:30 p.m. I will be in Cottonwood, Arizona, attending Walkin’ on Main. https://azwom.com
The event is 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. I will be with Pets Return Home, which will be offering dogs for adoption. I will be giving free dog massages to their dogs and yours–bring them to meet Auntie Bean.

Savage Spirits & Deli in Paso Robles, California, is now offering “Memorable Greetings,” my newest book, for sale. Visit owner Pam, say hello, get a bite to eat, and laugh your way out the door with my new publication. Savage Spirits is at 2050 Spring St.

Welcome to Cottonwood, Arizona. Now go home. Uh. I am home! Pictured is Tuzigoot National Monument in the foreground and Cottonwood afar. I am happy to be living in such a beautiful community with like-minded people. Within 24 hours of arriving, I was already cutting a rug, bar hopping to dance to great bands.

Serial Good Samaritan or snake strikes again?
Rattlesnake #1: It happened again. Someone took pictures of me.
Rattlesnake #2: Me, too. Was it a woman whose hair looks like a rat’s nest? Speaking of rats, I’m hungry.
Rattlesnake #1: Yep. That’s the one.
Rattlesnake #2: She ran up to me. What a moron. Humans are in the desert for a few hours and they think they can take over.
Rattlesnake #1: I want to bite them, just for posterity, but then they’ll probably kill me. You know how humans are.
Rattlesnake #2: I know. Every time humans are bitten by animals they think the animals are at fault. Well, I have to give this woman credit, though. She’s stopping traffic for me.
Rattlesnake #1: Oh, you’re still moving slowly? Your back is acting up again?
Rattlesnake #2: My chiropractor is at one of those lame spiritual retreats.

Happy Anniversary to me! Thirty years ago today I started BeanFit Health and Fitness Services in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although I no longer offer health and fitness services, BeanFit is still my brand of books–BeanFit Publishing. I have evolved from health and fitness consulting to storytelling.
My current services include writing, editing, and photography. My products include books (https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=jeanne%20murdock…) and photos (www.JeanneMurdock.com). One way or another I continue to dabble in performing comedy.
I am hoping to publish two more of my own books this year and three next year. Also on the to-do list is to produce a song parody album–I have already written the songs–and create a humorous radio show.