I just added 3 poems, meant as a complete set, here on this web site, on the Books & Other Media menu, on the "Poetry Looks At Itself" page. I invite you to have a look and by all means, let me know what you think in the comments section for this blog post (there not being a comment option on that page itself.
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Last weekend, I created the Food Insecurity Network, which I later changed to the Food Security Network. The idea is that people of means schedule a time at a local breakfast & lunch place (or other restaurant) and invite people struggling with food insecurity to show up and get their meal paid for.
Friends have pointed out to me that my money would be better spent by giving it to food pantries, where they can buy food at bulk prices. But this is more than just about a free breakfast for someone in need. It's an effort to build community; to get people together who would have otherwise not known each other, or if they did, understand better their unique circumstances and challenges. Most of us who are not on disability benefits or SNAP often have very little knowledge of what it's like to have to apply (and re-apply) for assistance via today's complex bureaucracies. And, of course, there's the shame of asking for help while living in a culture that prizes self reliance, individual initiative, and competition. I think the best way to build a new culture that emphasizes generosity, sharing, and mutual support is to just start doing exactly that, in whatever way seems possible. Please see my post under "Events ---> Upcoming Events" here on this web site for details. I have a long history of offering free hugs in public, extending back decades. Now, I'm back! I've already successfully offered free hugs at a breakfast event for senior citizens in Maynard, where I live, and at my big birthday party, back on September 6th.
Now I'm ready to do it again, this time at Maynardfest, on October 4th. For details, see the post on my Upcoming Events page, here on this web site. I began posting to my Substack account in earnest on July 4th 2025. Since then, I have published new work every few weeks. The link is: https://glennckoenig.substack.com/ If you click on the above link, you may see an invitation to create an account on Substack. You have two options: • You may create an account by entering your e-mail address. There is no fee or obligation if you do this, but it will enable you to click "like" or add comments to any posts on Substack, mine included. • You can click on the words "No Thanks" (in light gray text) below the subscription box. You will still be able to read everything I've posted, but you won't be able to click "like" or add comments. NOTE: I intend to post all my content for free (no paywall) on Substack, but if you wish to support my work with a financial contribution, I would appreciate it. Substack will take a percentage, and I will have to pay income tax on what you give, but I'm willing to live with that. Why am I doing this? A few reasons:
1. I have been publishing news stories on my site Town Wide Mall (see the Sister Sites page here for a link) since April of 2023. I created this content specifically for residents of Maynard, Massachusetts, where I live. I started because the only weekly local newspaper, the Beacon-Villager, ceased publication in May of 2022, leaving no local news source. 2. Starting in mid 2024, I began to yearn to write commentary for a wider audience. I was concerned that people in general were disturbed by the rapid, deep, and profound changes going on in the world today. In reading news reports, commentary, and even some books, I noticed that many perspectives that occurred to me were missing from the conversation. 3. I observed that many friends of mine were disturbed or even in despair after reading the news, yet I was often better able to take a step back, look at the big picture, and remain a bit more optimistic. I thought that if I could describe where I was coming from, it might help them find calm and empowerment. If you have had problems accessing this web site in the past few weeks, the technical problem that was the cause has now been resolved (it seems). Some users saw a message "Not Secure" in their web browsers.
For the technical minded, although everything was in order with my domain registrar (the DNS tables), there was a glitch in the "back end" of my web site builder and host, Weebly. After a few hours of work on my part (authentication verification, then digging through help screens, engaging with online chat bots, and phone calls to agents with various amounts of time on hold), it's all been resolved. As of September 2022, I have reduced the price for a copy of my book Still Life (without the vase) from $36.00 per copy to $24.00 per copy. Click here, to see my web page about the book and how to place an order.
I have recently written an essay entitled "Reflections on Media" for the Goddard College 3rd Alternative Media Conference. The conference is being held "virtually" this year and I'll be hosting a discussion based on this essay on Thursday, 13 October 2022, at 1:00 PM. See the Books & Essays / Essays & Commentary section of this web site for a link & details.
History & Analysis:
Earlier this year, our one local newspaper ceased producing it's print edition. From now, on, it will provide online only access. But in a way, it was dying for a long time, as many local papers have been. Large publishing companies have bought up numerous local newspapers, then struggled with the economics of decline. Why? Well, as many of you know, paid subscriptions and newsstand sales have never sustained newspaper publishing. Newspapers needed both display and classified advertising revenue to make up the difference. Display advertising has mostly dried up because we shifted our shopping habits to buy from online vendors instead of local "brick & mortar" stores. Those stores, many now out of business, no longer pay to run ads in local newspapers. Instead, their empty hulks and vast expanses of asphalt parking lots, with weeds sprouting up in the cracks, are all that's left. Meanwhile, online classified ad sources, such as Craigslist, Facebook "for sale" pages, and others have become the "go to" places to buy and sell odd items posted by other individuals or small businesses. The world has changed. In light of all this, a friend of mine, David Mark, suggested that we need a kind of non-profit yellow pages guide to the various non-profit organizations and groups in town. This might be a list, either published on paper, or somewhere online, for both newcomers and long time residents who haven't kept up with what's going on. If we don't have local news reporters, perhaps these organizations may provide "news" of their activities on their own web sites, at least. After all, they are part of the life blood of any town, in addition to local government and small shops and businesses. There is The Action Paper to carry much of the display and business service classified ads for those that remain. Thus I'm embarking on a mission to gather as much data as I can, get permission from each and every organization as to whether to be included and if so, what data to provide, and publish something. At the moment, the cost of an online searchable database or printed paper publication seems out of reach for me, as I'm just starting out spending my own time and money to get things going. So, my approach is, get started, put up a PDF file here on this web site (see the "Guide" menu), then see how people react. Does the community see the value of doing this? If so, I'll make refinements in the process, gather the help of others, and raise funds as I go. At the moment, it's only for Maynard, Massachusetts, where I now reside. But if it seems successful, I'll share how we did it here for folks in other towns to create their own versions.
In early April, I was finally able to take it in for them to have a look at it. As it turned out, the damage was deeper than I had anticipated, so the insurance company declared it totaled.
So, now, I've had to say goodbye to it (snif!). I saved the plates and removed all my belongings, so they can tow it away for used parts and eventually for scrap. I am hoping to get an electric car next, so my days of driving a stick shift are finally over (all the cars I've owned since my first one have been standard transmission). My left foot won't know what to do! It's all for the good. I'm turning my attention to work on more videos, poems, and essays devoted to promoting LOVE, the theme I established on the first page of my book "a man wearing a dress." As I see it, there are three main ways to express love in today's world. They are: • Love of ourselves, deeply • Love of all other people, no matter whom or from what ancestry • Love of all of nature, which surrounds us, and of which we're all an integral part. I'm going to post videos on YouTube and Vimeo, as I have been for the past several years. I'm putting links to those on my other web sites, Open Eyes Video (openeyesvideo.com) and Energy Stories (energystories.org). There are also links to these two web sites here at Message Rain, under the "Sister Sites" menu. The theme is to move away from exploitation and fighting and turn toward nurture and collaboration, as much as possible, from now, on. That doesn't mean that I'm forgetting about Message Rain and gender identity! The issues I've presented here with regard to gender identity and sexuality are still quite relevant these days. I don't know what brand or model of electric car I will buy (perhaps another used one?), but it's going to take some work to find something suitable, considering the demand for any kind of car these days is still very high. Stay tuned! |
Glenn KoenigI'm a social activist who still needs to pay the mortgage, eat, and do the laundry. But, more than that, I'm a love activist. I want to make life better without having to say there's anything wrong with it now. Archives
February 2026
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