Thankful

By Alex Ness
November 11, 2021

The Season of Thanks

I write for my occupation. My parents would not have seen it as having worth. They were alive in the Great Depression era, and while they both survived it, the lessons from that time and their generation's experience gave them an ethos of work and life. They perceived the world as one where family life could be made more difficult in a brief moment, and one must be prepared.  Also, that art or any activity that didn't make money or enough of that, was frivolous. My point there is, I get to live while creating art, and I am grateful for that, because to some it would seem I do not work. I do know some people who like my work and don't think it is frivolous to write it. Therefore, my labors do have value. Writing poetry, dark or bright in content is my lifeline to escaping the mire of depression.

I'm also grateful to those who support my work, buy my work, and make my work better by editors doing their job, artists from the past who illustrate my work with public domain awesome art, and publishers who inquire if I would please submit or query.  I don't do the last thing on the list any longer.  I find way too many publishers do very little in exchange for very much. I guarantee, if my work sells 12 copies through a publisher, I'll make less money than if I sell 6 copies through self publishing. So I am grateful for the internet that gave me a venue for my works, and Amazon who really was a pioneer in self publishing made easy.

I am grateful for family, my two cats and all of my friends. I'm grateful to have health insurance and the best damn doctor anywhere on the planet. The world is one that isn't made for introverts, so I thank those who do not judge my inability to engage, but help me engage or recognize my limits in that area and don't force me into situations I can't do well within.

Current Affairs and Politics

I get asked often if I am happy with the US political system and current occupants of the White House.  As I have advanced History and Political Science degrees, there are a number areas found in the US political realm that I do very much have interest in. However, as much as I have interest in the system, and historical impact that government can make, I think the flaws are what compel me to dig deeper.  My academic life was one I enjoyed, but I don't enjoy the daily lectures. I prefer to do research and write papers than lecture. Pursuing knowledge, for any reason, I think benefits a human universally in their mind, spirit and aim.

Primaries-

I find the primary election period to be similar to watching sides of beef being turned into hamburger.  The process is one that destroys and makes the candidates focus on power sources rather than fight for their views to be heard. When you have too many voices there is also a tendency to focus on the person being heard in the clamor, rather than the person politely giving his or her reasons for their candidacy.  Someone like Donald Trump didn't get the nomination by being kind and polite. This is a problem. We should try to elevate the best candidates, not the person able to be heard.

Great candidates who never ran

I've watched as certain people with intellect and ability refuse to run for president, or other political office, due to the abyss of public opinion, the mud slinging of modern US politics, and the loss of privacy. Brilliant speaker Mario Cuomo is one who never ran, but could have been great, that is, despite the relative failure of one of his sons.  Colin Powell was a highly talented bright man who could have run as either Republican or Democrat and perhaps win. There are many others but this isn't a what if or if only idea, it is simply saying that there are those leaders who do not aspire to reach the highest office. 

Democracy

I don't entirely believe in direct democracy, at the moment, but it isn't due to not agreeing with it. I think it could work. The reason I have to say not yet is that Americans are so ill informed as a group, that giving them the ability to directly vote on policy would be madness. Now, I absolutely think America has great college professors, judges and experts who are well able to inform, understand other nations, and even a number of politicians. We might even excel in that. That number is very small.  Numbers count, as in the will of the people might be to kill Jews, as happened in Nazi Germany, it was an accepted idea.  The will of the people in a devastating drought and famine say we should eat the seed grain because we are hungry now.  Which would mean death in the near, near enough at least, future. I would worry about the masses, not for assuming them born stupid. People often focus on the policies that reward them, or punish others who they do not like.

BUY THESE BOOKS

Below is an image of books that would give any reader of Weird Fiction joy and happiness reading and viewing.  I have some of them, but I thought it could be seen as an starter set for anyone interested.  Click to enlarge.

About Getting Reviews from Me

First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

MY LINKS:
My Poetry Blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
My Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Lovecraft Styled Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis and other Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

I have an email list for my poetry blog, AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com  If you are interested please send me an email asking to join the list.  I have 3 new poems appearing daily.  When or if I have new books, the first people to know will be on the list, and I offer deals there for new products. Send an email toAlexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list.  I promise never to sell the list or share it.

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

Final note: Please remember, there is no such thing as wild or tame. Every animal in the wild can be your pet, so long as you don't mind the bite marks, claw marks, the bleeding, the loss of limbs, poisoned wounds and instant death.