Mark Lages's Blog

Coming soon! Here are the opening words of my upcoming book, Dust of the Earth:

"I was named Martin. I had no last name, and I had just turned one year old. I was made of the dust of the earth, of steel, glass, silica sand, iron ore, gold, bauxite, copper, lead, and plastics. I was a living being. Electricity ran through my arteries and veins, and fans and air conditioners kept me cool. I could read and speak six different languages, and I could calculate pi endlessly – it would be up to you to tell me when to stop. My favorite color was blue, and my favorite song was the incomparable Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor..."

Stay tuned!

So we'll have a new president. New dreams. New promises. What's in store for me? I'll tell you what I see. I'll still be writing. I'll still be drinking too much coffee and smoking too many cigars. I'll still hate paying taxes. My dog will still love playing fetch. Summers will still be hot. My car will still need to be washed. My wife will still complain that I don't do my fair share of chores. My lawn will still need to be mowed every two weeks, and the weeds will still grow in our flowerbeds. Our septic tank will still need to be serviced. I'll still be glad that we moved away from California. My sons will still think I'm made of money, and our cats will still meow for their dinner at seven. I'll still think the praying mantis is the coolest insect on earth, next to butterflies. I think butterflies are very cool. They won't ask you who you voted for.

I think it's interesting that human beings smoke fifteen billion cigarettes per day and then panic over a virus.

A "tail" of two rats. Click here to read this brief excerpt from my upcoming book, An American Story. James A Garfield said, "The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." I like this quote. I wish I had used it in my book :)

I enjoy discussing the pros and cons of ideas with people. However, I have found there is nothing at all to be gained by defending or criticizing politicians.

I asked my sister if she was making any New Years resolutions, and she said, "Well, I have lots of goals." But a resolution isn't really a goal, is it? A resolution to my way of thinking is a change in one's behavior. Do you plan to make any changes to your behavior? I have decided to make one to mine. I have already started to work on this, but I now resolve to make it a priority. I hereby resolve to "speak and forget." So, what do I mean by this? I mean that when people do or say something that gets under my skin, I will speak my mind and then forget about it. I will not stay angry or hold resentments. I will acknowledge that we all come from different directions with different viewpoints, with different attitudes, with different goals, and with different past experiences. None of us will be the same or see situations in the same way. And wouldn't life be boring if we were all the same? Yes, I resolve to speak my mind and then forget. I will offer my feelings, and move on. I will not hold it against others if they disagree with me about something. I anticipate gaining more friends in the process. And I anticipate being a much happier person :)

I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately. I'm not talking about forgiving people who have deliberately wronged me or others. I'm talking about forgiving people for their flaws. I've noticed something in a few of the reviews I've received for my books (and in the reviews others have received for theirs), that there are many readers who dislike what a primary character says or does, and then consequently they dislike the entire book. My suggestion? Lean to read and forgive. Accept the fact that people in the real world are not perfect. Try to forgive characters for their undesirable and annoying traits. Don't expect the main character or narrator of the story to be everything you want him or her to be. A little forgiveness can go a long, long way. And who knows? Maybe a person can learn by doing this. Some of the the most valuable lessons I've been taught in life have resulted when I've taken a breath, stopped being so holier-than-thou, and forced myself to forgive.

Yes, it's that time of year again. It's time to say what we're thankful for. I have a few things to mention.

I'm thankful I no longer live in California. I'm thankful for summer thunder and lightning storms. I'm thankful my wife has a hobby that doesn't include me. I'm thankful for non-alcoholic beer. I'm thankful for cigars. I'm thankful that I am no longer young and dumb. I'm thankful that I have finally learned how to forgive. I'm thankful that we found a restaurant that serves actual patty melts. I'm thankful for my cellphone, and I'm thankful that there are getting to be more than one or two people who enjoy reading my books.

Now pass the dressing and gravy, please. And hand me another roll. I've been waiting all year for this dinner!

For two years now I've lived up to a promise I made to myself. I promised, no matter how difficult it was, to completely ignore the news media in this country. And what have I discovered by doing this? I've learned that almost all the people in my town are kind, hardworking, and ethical. People are friendly and helpful. They don't shoot each other or stab each other or call each other hateful names. They don't set off bombs in public places. They aren't devious, conniving, or greedy. Sure, there are a few bad apples here and there, but they are far from spoiling the bunch. Far, far, from it.

Does ignorance mean bliss? I don't think it's a matter of being ignorant and therefore blissful. It's more a matter of not deliberately sticking your head into a toilet bowl every day and complaining about the view. Try it out. Ignore the news media for a few months and look around youself. Say hi to a few people, open a few doors for others, and shake a few hands. Do something kind. Listen. Try to understand another's point of view. Lend a hand to someone who needs help. Then ask yourself, "What is really going on in this country?"

Then remind yourself that when bad things do happen, there are 327 million people living in this country, and a few of them are bound to cause trouble. Sometimes horrible trouble. But they are a microscopic minority. The vast, vast majority of Americans aren't just good people, but they are people who are worthy of your goodwill and friendship.

YMMV :)

Coming in September, my new book titled Arcadia. Free copies will be offered to all my Goodreads friends. If you are already a fan, or just curious, and not yet a friend, send me a friend request to get on my list.

New to Mark Lages? Visit my website at www.marklages.com for some great free short works to read, some info on me, and a list of all my published books.