The new year just started and it’s already showed its hand. Adrastos has posted about the terrible tragedy in his much-loved city, and I extend my sympathy to everyone feeling the horror of that awful action.

There was a small moment of rueful levity when a Tesla cyber truck exploded in front of a Trump-branded hotel, but then we learned that the driver appears to be another ex-service member on a killing spree. VP-elect Trump hasn’t even been inaugurated yet and already people are snapping. I don’t think this is a good start to the year.

And I’m not trying to be funny—I knew this was going to be the start of a rough period here in the US, but I honestly didn’t see it starting before the inauguration. And it doesn’t help that today feels like another Monday.

So now is a good time to start stockpiling the things that make you happy or the things that help you cope. I find doing something to help other people makes me feel that at least I did something.

And don’t be afraid. VP-elect Trump and his minions want us afraid. FOX spread the lie about the Bourbon Street driver being an immigrant to scare everyone. We had MSNBC on for a few minutes last night and their live coverage of the attack was consciously geared to make everyone afraid. People who are afraid are good customers for news organizations and authoritarians.

This seems right for today: