I find that my life is more pleasant here in the Fortress when I don't pay a lot of attention to two closely-related topics: Donald Trump and what this global pandemic is doing to our world. The trick, I think, is to pay just enough attention so you know what to do to help yourself and those around you…but to not dwell on (a) bad news that teaches you nothing and (b) bad news about which you can do nothing. Hearing that Trump said some new stupid thing falls into both categories, especially since today's stupid thing will be forgotten by Sunday and replaced by three others.
(Someone wrote to ask me about "Obamagate." I think it's a reminder that with his attacks on Hillary, Trump learned he can fire up his easily-fired-up base and convince them that his opponents should be thrown in prison without actually pointing to any actual law that has been broken. And I wonder if anyone has said to him, "Uh, Mr. President…is it such a good idea for you to be promoting the concept of prosecuting former Presidents?")
Mostly, I try to focus on things I can accomplish…like getting Volume 7 of The Complete Pogo off to press and finishing my new book on Jack Kirby. They're not as important as saving the world from COVID-19 and POTUS-45 but I can actually do something constructive about them.
For a while on this blog, I ran a running tote on how many friends I'd lost due to their hysterical support of Donald Trump. I'm thinking of starting a new one tracking how many people I've had to cut out of my life because I'm sick of hearing them rant about how horrible he is. They're not trying to convince me. They just want to vent and I don't enjoy being vented at.
You need someone to talk to? Get a mynah bird. Tell it what you just have to tell someone. We'll both be happier…me because I don't have to listen to it; you because it'll listen to you all day and all night and disagree with you a lot less than I will.