I’m a really anxious person, panic attacks and all. Our new roof leaked, I had it fixed, the explanation of what was wrong was exactly the kind of thing that was an easy fix, and yet I stress out every time it it’s rainy and windy.

As I get older, I worry about my health and my husband’s health, especially as we have both had a major medical emergency, and even though both of us have made serious diet and exercise changes which have resulted in real improvements to our health.

I worry about the growth of fascism around the world. I worry about global warming and how many people it’s going to kill. I still worry about covid and also about whatever new diseases that the melting permafrost will threaten us (and I blame that on reading Chuck Wendig’s fabulous book Wanderers.)

I try and keep a positive—or at least realistic—perspective about the world. But it just seems awfulness is piled upon awfulness and while liberals keep reacting to horrifying stories with disgust, right wing extremists react with joy.

Green Day can sing me out: