Influence

Influence ©

By Michael Casey

Under the influence, is when you have had too much booze and you do something bad or stupid. But having influence is even better, especially if you don’t have responsibility, you can get the good result without having to pay for it. Grandparents can enjoy their grandkids but hand them back afterwards, they don’t have to tidy up their mess. Because of my age I’m mistaken for my kids’ granddad, so do I have influence or responsibility?

I try to influence my kids by sharing the films we watch together, be it a Jane Eyre or a Sandra Bullock film, or I try to introduce them to quality music, my 12 year old has developed a liking for Sinatra. So at every stage of their early life I’m encouraging and influencing them. My 14 year old wants to be a Dr, 2 years ago it was Vet, now its Dr, and judging from her test results, Dr it will be. So how did that happen? My dad was a blacksmith and then spent 40 years in a steelworks. Her  Shanghai granddad was an estate agent, this is the closest translation I ever got. Her Shanghai granny was an accountant for the bus company, my mum was a full time housewife.

Did seeing my health suddenly nosedive, first with arthritis which I inherited from my mum, and then heart problem which I inherited from my dad, did this influence my daughter’s life choice. I have joked to Ken when we were waiting in Argos if I were adopted maybe I’d never have gotten these diseases. I am very lucky though, a neighbour died the other week who was of similar age as me, his heart gave out, his daughters are in the same school as ours.

In other areas of life influence can help you, or hinder you. I have sent the usual letters to publishers and media about my writing, and have had great replies. The trick is finding that needle in the haystack and then getting published or on the radio. Though I did have a theatre say they would produce my play Shoplife back in 1989. And I did have a producer look at my novel with a view to filming it. The thing is though is finding somebody with influence, to take a look.

There are always smart Alecs who just want to appear smart and never help, discouraging is their game, a clique which is by invite only, and they will never help anybody. They boast they are published authors, the American terminology. The History of the American Porn Star is their only book, it sold 30 million, only because it had pictures in it. Though scientific writers do make lots of money as its hard work, and only a very few dedicated people are capable of writing them.

So nowadays I am only ½ hearted in my attempts at being published, so I contact people with influence  in the vain hope that they may help get exposure for my writing. Or I tell people I meet to google michaelgcasey to find me and my words, that’s the only influence I have.