Jim Ostby
@jostby.bsky.social
B.S. Psychology--B.S. Film & TV--Minor History
Retired to the family farm on the prairie of extreme NE Montana where I grew up. Literary writer as an avocation.
5th-generation Norwegian/American
Former student of Robert Pirsig (Zen ...)
jimostby.com
Retired to the family farm on the prairie of extreme NE Montana where I grew up. Literary writer as an avocation.
5th-generation Norwegian/American
Former student of Robert Pirsig (Zen ...)
jimostby.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:55 PM
November 18, 2025 at 4:57 PM
November 16, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Sunrise on our part of the Montana high plain.
We appreciate our almost-total isolation nowadays.
jimostby.com
We appreciate our almost-total isolation nowadays.
jimostby.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Sunrise on our part of the Montana high plain.
We appreciate our almost-total isolation nowadays.
jimostby.com
We appreciate our almost-total isolation nowadays.
jimostby.com
What's up? What's on my mind? Perhaps emphasizing more reality in this world of increasing madness?
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:44 PM
What's up? What's on my mind? Perhaps emphasizing more reality in this world of increasing madness?
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
I've turned over a new leaf. I'll stop chipping away at Trump, our political system, humanity's dire straits, etc.
(Well, except for . . . .) 😯
jimostby.com
(Well, except for . . . .) 😯
jimostby.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I've turned over a new leaf. I'll stop chipping away at Trump, our political system, humanity's dire straits, etc.
(Well, except for . . . .) 😯
jimostby.com
(Well, except for . . . .) 😯
jimostby.com
I'm still working to have my latest published.
Over the years I have found it difficult to compete with the mass markets of thrillers, crime novels, bodice rippers, etc., but this one is too important to be ignored.
jimostby.com
Over the years I have found it difficult to compete with the mass markets of thrillers, crime novels, bodice rippers, etc., but this one is too important to be ignored.
jimostby.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I'm still working to have my latest published.
Over the years I have found it difficult to compete with the mass markets of thrillers, crime novels, bodice rippers, etc., but this one is too important to be ignored.
jimostby.com
Over the years I have found it difficult to compete with the mass markets of thrillers, crime novels, bodice rippers, etc., but this one is too important to be ignored.
jimostby.com
In my not-very-humble opinion (that most people probably don't care about anyway) all we can do in our new, crazy world is, is, well, um, hell if I know.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:25 PM
In my not-very-humble opinion (that most people probably don't care about anyway) all we can do in our new, crazy world is, is, well, um, hell if I know.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Maybe Donald J. isn't as moronic as I had thought. It just came to me that he is forcing his chaos theory of humanity on us! How could I have missed that?
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
October 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Maybe Donald J. isn't as moronic as I had thought. It just came to me that he is forcing his chaos theory of humanity on us! How could I have missed that?
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
I feel somewhat like a secular monk, sitting up here on the lone NE Montana prairie.
There are advantages and solaces however. 🙂
jimostby.com
There are advantages and solaces however. 🙂
jimostby.com
October 18, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I feel somewhat like a secular monk, sitting up here on the lone NE Montana prairie.
There are advantages and solaces however. 🙂
jimostby.com
There are advantages and solaces however. 🙂
jimostby.com
In a recent conversation with someone, he/she said, "You're so hard on people!"
I replied that it's because most of them, politically, are so hard on me, and others. And, that I have a great sense of humor when I'm not set upon! 😉🙂😀
jimostby.com
I replied that it's because most of them, politically, are so hard on me, and others. And, that I have a great sense of humor when I'm not set upon! 😉🙂😀
jimostby.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
In a recent conversation with someone, he/she said, "You're so hard on people!"
I replied that it's because most of them, politically, are so hard on me, and others. And, that I have a great sense of humor when I'm not set upon! 😉🙂😀
jimostby.com
I replied that it's because most of them, politically, are so hard on me, and others. And, that I have a great sense of humor when I'm not set upon! 😉🙂😀
jimostby.com
The national debt. If we survive Trump we will find surviving the national debt leads to horrendous challenges.
First, we eliminate the penny, then the nickel, then the dollar. Then ....
The poor, shallow masses don't "get it," and I don't believe there is much common human wisdom.
jimostby.com
First, we eliminate the penny, then the nickel, then the dollar. Then ....
The poor, shallow masses don't "get it," and I don't believe there is much common human wisdom.
jimostby.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:25 PM
The national debt. If we survive Trump we will find surviving the national debt leads to horrendous challenges.
First, we eliminate the penny, then the nickel, then the dollar. Then ....
The poor, shallow masses don't "get it," and I don't believe there is much common human wisdom.
jimostby.com
First, we eliminate the penny, then the nickel, then the dollar. Then ....
The poor, shallow masses don't "get it," and I don't believe there is much common human wisdom.
jimostby.com
And finally (I can hear all of the "Whew"s. 😉) my books are available worldwide, and if you search my name that may be surprising too.)
Again, I'm old (dammit), and I write as an avocation. Any book money would only mean my wife could drink better whiskey.
jimostby.com
Again, I'm old (dammit), and I write as an avocation. Any book money would only mean my wife could drink better whiskey.
jimostby.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
And finally (I can hear all of the "Whew"s. 😉) my books are available worldwide, and if you search my name that may be surprising too.)
Again, I'm old (dammit), and I write as an avocation. Any book money would only mean my wife could drink better whiskey.
jimostby.com
Again, I'm old (dammit), and I write as an avocation. Any book money would only mean my wife could drink better whiskey.
jimostby.com
I was just thinking of how refreshing it would be when/if Trump and his thugs disappeared and we returned to normal political nitwittery.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I was just thinking of how refreshing it would be when/if Trump and his thugs disappeared and we returned to normal political nitwittery.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
There's the old saying that (clinical) depression is often a genius' affliction.
How about depression as a realist's affliction?
jimostby.com
How about depression as a realist's affliction?
jimostby.com
September 30, 2025 at 4:17 PM
There's the old saying that (clinical) depression is often a genius' affliction.
How about depression as a realist's affliction?
jimostby.com
How about depression as a realist's affliction?
jimostby.com
Not many giggles up here in the farm country of NE Montana. 😕
As with everything he does, Trump and and his goons are destroyers.
jimostby.com
As with everything he does, Trump and and his goons are destroyers.
jimostby.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Not many giggles up here in the farm country of NE Montana. 😕
As with everything he does, Trump and and his goons are destroyers.
jimostby.com
As with everything he does, Trump and and his goons are destroyers.
jimostby.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:11 PM
As to governing, we poor humans have endured the strong, the ruthless, the stupid, the brutal, the clever, . . . . How about giving the most very intelligent, decent, and humane a try?
"Impossible!!"
Then we are lost.
jimostby.com
"Impossible!!"
Then we are lost.
jimostby.com
September 28, 2025 at 4:21 PM
As to governing, we poor humans have endured the strong, the ruthless, the stupid, the brutal, the clever, . . . . How about giving the most very intelligent, decent, and humane a try?
"Impossible!!"
Then we are lost.
jimostby.com
"Impossible!!"
Then we are lost.
jimostby.com
My world view is like that of a cheap, poorly-written, dystopian novel. Except it's real.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
September 28, 2025 at 3:39 PM
My world view is like that of a cheap, poorly-written, dystopian novel. Except it's real.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
Uff. Wheat tariff. Not much joy up here in (NE Montana, Republican state) wheat country.
One could ask what the hell voters expected from a second Trump term, but I don't go around doing that. Friends, family, etc.
Damn.
jimostby.com
One could ask what the hell voters expected from a second Trump term, but I don't go around doing that. Friends, family, etc.
Damn.
jimostby.com
September 27, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Uff. Wheat tariff. Not much joy up here in (NE Montana, Republican state) wheat country.
One could ask what the hell voters expected from a second Trump term, but I don't go around doing that. Friends, family, etc.
Damn.
jimostby.com
One could ask what the hell voters expected from a second Trump term, but I don't go around doing that. Friends, family, etc.
Damn.
jimostby.com
Most of our remediable world problems result from not only lack of intelligence, but ignorance of, denial of, and outright repudiation of, reality.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
September 26, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Most of our remediable world problems result from not only lack of intelligence, but ignorance of, denial of, and outright repudiation of, reality.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
Economic pain is the only political consequence of governments that many (most?) people understand.
And oh how much understanding is yet to come.
jimostby.com
And oh how much understanding is yet to come.
jimostby.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Economic pain is the only political consequence of governments that many (most?) people understand.
And oh how much understanding is yet to come.
jimostby.com
And oh how much understanding is yet to come.
jimostby.com
If Trump can demand that no one can criticize him, so can I.
Henceforth, no criticism of me, and mostly, of my writing!
jimostby.com
Henceforth, no criticism of me, and mostly, of my writing!
jimostby.com
September 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM
If Trump can demand that no one can criticize him, so can I.
Henceforth, no criticism of me, and mostly, of my writing!
jimostby.com
Henceforth, no criticism of me, and mostly, of my writing!
jimostby.com
September 20, 2025 at 6:42 PM