Every time I wake up lately there is a glorious interval, lasting from one second to maybe an hour on a good day, when I do not think about politics at all. Then something happens to remind me that I am living in America in 2024, where somehow the hateful buffoon who tried to overthrow the government four years ago — and has in a thousand ways demonstrated himself manifestly unfit, not just to lead, but to walk around as a free man in a civilized society — is an even-money bet to become our next president.

I just can’t compute it. I keep feeding the data into my brain box and every time it comes back “REJECTED – illogical – recheck sources.”

And I keep asking myself what to do about it. I don’t know that there are good answers. I just spent a few days in Wisconsin knocking on doors, which mostly went unanswered. I doubt much was accomplished other than making me feel a bit better… which is not nothing. And maybe that one old lady will tip her ward, which will tip the state, which will win the election. Who knows.

There are still four weeks between now and Election Day. What to do in the meantime?

One smart thing might to be start developing contingency plans for dealing with a loss. But I refuse to spend one iota of mental energy on that. It simply cannot be allowed to happen.

Instead, I’m going to try to write something every day. Hopefully something hopeful. And there is every reason to be hopeful! I could cite you a whole litany of things. But none of them have been able to quite eradicate the slight chill that’s been creeping down the back of my neck as ghost and demon season approaches.

So if any of you have words of hopeful wisdom, I’d love to hear them. I don’t like to beg for comments but I do enjoy hearing from each and every one of you. Over and out for now.