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
I'm not at all religious, therefore I have the feeling that one life is enough.
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
I'm not at all religious, therefore I have the feeling that one life is enough.
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
I'm not at all religious, therefore I have the feeling that one life is enough.
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I'm not at all religious, therefore I have the feeling that one life is enough.
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
If I died and lived on somewhere "up there" I'm sure I would tire of it after an eon or two, much less forever.
😯
jimostby.com
Sitting up here on the isolating NE Montana winter plain, I wonder how many others feel the common intellectual pain of humanity. Not physical loneliness, but rational isolation.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Sitting up here on the isolating NE Montana winter plain, I wonder how many others feel the common intellectual pain of humanity. Not physical loneliness, but rational isolation.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
Our political "system" is so defunct and outdated "back to normal" would be catastrophic.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Our political "system" is so defunct and outdated "back to normal" would be catastrophic.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
Our political "system" is so defunct and outdated "back to normal" would be catastrophic.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Our political "system" is so defunct and outdated "back to normal" would be catastrophic.
jimostby.com
jimostby.com
There's an old saying up here in extreme NE Montana: The cold, snow, and isolation keep out the riff-raff.
They also keep riff-raff like me in.
jimostby.com
They also keep riff-raff like me in.
jimostby.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
There's an old saying up here in extreme NE Montana: The cold, snow, and isolation keep out the riff-raff.
They also keep riff-raff like me in.
jimostby.com
They also keep riff-raff like me in.
jimostby.com
I may have missed my calling(s). Perhaps I should have been a joke writer.
"Have you heard the one about Trump and the brain surgeon? It so happened that one day ...."
jimostby.com
"Have you heard the one about Trump and the brain surgeon? It so happened that one day ...."
jimostby.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I may have missed my calling(s). Perhaps I should have been a joke writer.
"Have you heard the one about Trump and the brain surgeon? It so happened that one day ...."
jimostby.com
"Have you heard the one about Trump and the brain surgeon? It so happened that one day ...."
jimostby.com
It's getting rough out in farm/ranch country.
I don't know if many of you city dudes know what a combine is, but I saw one in some fish-wrapper paper we get. $1,000,000!
😯😯😯😯😯
I had to catch my breath.
jimostby.com
I don't know if many of you city dudes know what a combine is, but I saw one in some fish-wrapper paper we get. $1,000,000!
😯😯😯😯😯
I had to catch my breath.
jimostby.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:41 PM
It's getting rough out in farm/ranch country.
I don't know if many of you city dudes know what a combine is, but I saw one in some fish-wrapper paper we get. $1,000,000!
😯😯😯😯😯
I had to catch my breath.
jimostby.com
I don't know if many of you city dudes know what a combine is, but I saw one in some fish-wrapper paper we get. $1,000,000!
😯😯😯😯😯
I had to catch my breath.
jimostby.com
Long ago people were fond of sayings, axioms, mots, etc. Alexander Hamilton said, "Clever men are never intelligent." Nowadays of course, clever men and women.
Alas, here in the U.S., clever men and women (and outright dunces) vote for clever political candidates (and dunces).
jimostby.com
Alas, here in the U.S., clever men and women (and outright dunces) vote for clever political candidates (and dunces).
jimostby.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Long ago people were fond of sayings, axioms, mots, etc. Alexander Hamilton said, "Clever men are never intelligent." Nowadays of course, clever men and women.
Alas, here in the U.S., clever men and women (and outright dunces) vote for clever political candidates (and dunces).
jimostby.com
Alas, here in the U.S., clever men and women (and outright dunces) vote for clever political candidates (and dunces).
jimostby.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
December 20, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I'm not to be trifled with politically.
"Oh? How do you respond?"
I respond with severe whining, complaining, and pouting.
jimostby.com
"Oh? How do you respond?"
I respond with severe whining, complaining, and pouting.
jimostby.com
James Ostby ~ Author
Literary Writing
jimostby.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I'm not to be trifled with politically.
"Oh? How do you respond?"
I respond with severe whining, complaining, and pouting.
jimostby.com
"Oh? How do you respond?"
I respond with severe whining, complaining, and pouting.
jimostby.com
We survived the Montana blizzard of '25.
It doesn't look so bad this morning, but it was a piss-fizzler. Bitter cold, wind gusts to 70 mph, etc.
Cheers!
jimostby.com
It doesn't look so bad this morning, but it was a piss-fizzler. Bitter cold, wind gusts to 70 mph, etc.
Cheers!
jimostby.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
We survived the Montana blizzard of '25.
It doesn't look so bad this morning, but it was a piss-fizzler. Bitter cold, wind gusts to 70 mph, etc.
Cheers!
jimostby.com
It doesn't look so bad this morning, but it was a piss-fizzler. Bitter cold, wind gusts to 70 mph, etc.
Cheers!
jimostby.com
.
Would it be too much to say we are undergoing national self-destruction?
In addition to the vileness and stupidity, there are specifics. For one, the national debt is horrendous, and it alone will crush us.
"What a pessimist!"
No, what a realist.
🤔
jimostby.com
Would it be too much to say we are undergoing national self-destruction?
In addition to the vileness and stupidity, there are specifics. For one, the national debt is horrendous, and it alone will crush us.
"What a pessimist!"
No, what a realist.
🤔
jimostby.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
.
Would it be too much to say we are undergoing national self-destruction?
In addition to the vileness and stupidity, there are specifics. For one, the national debt is horrendous, and it alone will crush us.
"What a pessimist!"
No, what a realist.
🤔
jimostby.com
Would it be too much to say we are undergoing national self-destruction?
In addition to the vileness and stupidity, there are specifics. For one, the national debt is horrendous, and it alone will crush us.
"What a pessimist!"
No, what a realist.
🤔
jimostby.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The only good to come of Trump's presidency is, he vividly exposes the weaknesses of our political system.
(It wasn't so good in the first place--the politically blind leading the blind--but that's another matter. A very crucial one if we are to survive.)
jimostby.com
(It wasn't so good in the first place--the politically blind leading the blind--but that's another matter. A very crucial one if we are to survive.)
jimostby.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
The only good to come of Trump's presidency is, he vividly exposes the weaknesses of our political system.
(It wasn't so good in the first place--the politically blind leading the blind--but that's another matter. A very crucial one if we are to survive.)
jimostby.com
(It wasn't so good in the first place--the politically blind leading the blind--but that's another matter. A very crucial one if we are to survive.)
jimostby.com
December 13, 2025 at 8:21 PM
December 13, 2025 at 8:03 PM
December 13, 2025 at 5:06 PM
As we struggle through the Trump catastrophes, and worsening worldwide conditions, it seems to me it's more than difficult to convince people of the obvious.
😕
jimostby.com
😕
jimostby.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM
As we struggle through the Trump catastrophes, and worsening worldwide conditions, it seems to me it's more than difficult to convince people of the obvious.
😕
jimostby.com
😕
jimostby.com
Has ever in human history a country been lead by the most intelligent, realistic, practical, and benevolent of its citizens?
Here's a hint: No. And that's the main reason for the terrible, horrendous mess we're in now.
I write about it, but . . . .
jimostby.com
Here's a hint: No. And that's the main reason for the terrible, horrendous mess we're in now.
I write about it, but . . . .
jimostby.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Has ever in human history a country been lead by the most intelligent, realistic, practical, and benevolent of its citizens?
Here's a hint: No. And that's the main reason for the terrible, horrendous mess we're in now.
I write about it, but . . . .
jimostby.com
Here's a hint: No. And that's the main reason for the terrible, horrendous mess we're in now.
I write about it, but . . . .
jimostby.com
Trump and his villains, and many voters, have brought us down. Might as well say it. And we will never be the same again, as politically flawed as we were. I don't think going back will work unless we improve the system.
"Improve the system? How?'
Well, we could start by . . . .
jimostby.com
"Improve the system? How?'
Well, we could start by . . . .
jimostby.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Trump and his villains, and many voters, have brought us down. Might as well say it. And we will never be the same again, as politically flawed as we were. I don't think going back will work unless we improve the system.
"Improve the system? How?'
Well, we could start by . . . .
jimostby.com
"Improve the system? How?'
Well, we could start by . . . .
jimostby.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:10 PM
AI for president. (As long as I can choose the version.)
The old English Luddites are attempting to come back to life.
jimostby.com
The old English Luddites are attempting to come back to life.
jimostby.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:44 PM
AI for president. (As long as I can choose the version.)
The old English Luddites are attempting to come back to life.
jimostby.com
The old English Luddites are attempting to come back to life.
jimostby.com
Isolated in the country on the NE Montana prairie. Bitter cold, snowing, and snowed in. Nearest neighbors miles away.
Not a good time to get appendicitis.
jimostby.com
Not a good time to get appendicitis.
jimostby.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Isolated in the country on the NE Montana prairie. Bitter cold, snowing, and snowed in. Nearest neighbors miles away.
Not a good time to get appendicitis.
jimostby.com
Not a good time to get appendicitis.
jimostby.com