From the files of 2025, a series of unanswered questions.

Watching your screens, computer, TV, and phone these days, do you ever get the feeling there’s just too much happening in your mind and your life? 

There’s the stress at work and school and home and community

Five years after the start of the Pandemic, I'm still wary of being on a plane with the crazies, 

there's the arguing about everything Trump and his MAGA nutjobs call out 

(did we finally stop about Critical Race Theory?) 

vaccination denial, 
death threats against politicians, 
tariffs, 
hell, I can't even trust government data anymore

There’s the social media hysteria

And the Democrats can’t get their act together
They’re practically handing 2026 
and 2028  over to you know who

What the hell ever happened about January 6, 2021? Is that over? 

And now, I hear they're going to convene grand juries over President Obama, the former heads of the CIA, The FBI, and Jack Smith 

(what took them so long?)

I have a severe headache
We all seem to have a really big headache

Months ago I began refusing to watch the evening opinion shows on CNN and MsNow

Not because I was in denial

It was just the constant drone of lousy news hysteria
and throwing shade, 
and it was just the same horrible bullshit night after night

There just didn’t seem to be any good news on the horizon

The bad guys were still the bad guys, 
and I couldn’t figure out who the good guys were

That was the sad part

Everyone points fingers 
and screams at each other

They accuse each other of the worst things imaginable, 
and no one wants to take the blame for anything

It was just easier to blame the other person

Rent, Gas prices in general are headed up 

The supply lines are threatened
And you just can’t help but feel 
like nothing is happening 
and nothing good will come out of this

Wow, this is a good time as any 
to take a deep breath 
and step out of the vortex 
of negativity, misinformation, 
and selfishness

(me first)

You see and read examples every day 
where people would rather satisfy 
their little selfish needs 
than take the time 
to see how their actions 
might impact their family 
or friends, 
or neighbors

Whether it’s speeding through someone’s neighborhood 
or shouting death to your neighbor 
every time you disagree with them

Knocking out the teeth 
of a fellow passenger 
on an airplane 35-thousand feet in the air 
just doesn’t seem like a good idea

Arguing with the Uber or Lyft driver 
while they’re trying to take you 
to your destination 
by keeping their eyes on the road 
instead of your shouting mouth 
is just not the most brilliant move

Whatever happened to 
We’re all in this together? 

Yeah, I guess that was 
just a marketing slogan, 
not a sincere thought

And that’s the problem, isn’t it? 

We just can’t seem to muster enough 
empathy, 
sympathy, 
heartwarming feelings 
for our fellow human beings

Half of us are still angry
their candidate didn’t win 

(and scared shitless about it), 

and the other half of us are still scared 
but trying to move forward 
with an eye on our rear 
to make sure someone 
doesn’t run up on us 
and spray bear urine on us

Don’t grin.

Some of that second half 

(me included, even at my age) 

is spoiling for a fight 
and just can’t wait for the winning side, 
nominally called Karen and Ken, 
to bounce out 
from their camouflaged hideaways 
and pick-up trucks 
and whatever hole 
they need to hide in 
to ambush us 
because we're pissed 
and aren't afraid to show it

Anger and threats 
fill the air between us, 
guns 

(I wish my partner would allow me to have one. She's probably right, I'd probably shoot myself in my groin) 

come out, 
and cheers 
and threats go up 
as we sadly watch our Democracy die

In the meantime, 
we’re all just trying to survive

Carry on with life 
as if the past nearly ten years didn’t happen

I hate to tell you, 
but it’s still happening 
whether you want to believe it or not

Denial, 
isn’t that a bitch? 

I just don’t get it
What’s the end game? 

There’s a whole network 

(actually more than one) 

devoted to fanning the flames 
of denial 
and hate 
and ignorance, 
and I’m trying to figure out 
what’s in it for them? 

It would be too easy just to say 
it’s all about money and power

But, maybe that's all there is to it

Look, I'm not interested in 
aiding and abetting 
the next American revolution 
to overthrow the Theocracy 
or a United States of Republicanism 
or Trumpism

(although I dream of it often)

I can count

They have more guns 
and I can see clearly
the deep state of law enforcement 
and military 
and ex-law enforcement 
and ex-military

What do we have? 

The stereotypical answer would be 
We have the truth on our side

But, no one cares anymore 
about the truth or facts

All that matters 
is which conspiracy theory, 
what crazy ass story, 
is the worst

How many times can you call 
something, 
anything, 
a False Flag

I wish I could say 
that it’s only one side 
screaming crazy

The internet is full of people 
screaming equally crazy shit 
about the other side

Say something 
that breaks some invisible rule 
or crosses some imaginary red line, 
and you are fucked for life

All sense of perspective 
and proportion 
no longer exists

Everyone has anointed themselves 
enforcer, 
judge, 
and jury

All you need is a social media account, 
and you are suddenly that 
enforcer, 
judge, 
and jury

(hey, I'm not crying innocent here)

Whatever happened to sticks 
and stones will break my bones, 
but words will never hurt me

Now, it’s we’re going to beat t
he shit out of you 
for your words
 with a stick, 
stones, 
more words, 
lawsuits, 
harassment, 
and threats against you, 
your family, 
and anyone else we can find

I’m just curious Who died and made you King and Queen?

I get into discussions 
with my wife 
and friends 
who have a more optimistic passion 
for the future

They believe in hope

In the long run, 
we all want happiness 
and a good life 
and community 
where we can all live as neighbors 
in peace

(does that sound too gushy)

All the noise we hear 
and see in internet videos 
is not an accurate picture 
of this country

They try to convince me 
that there are more good people 
than bad people 
and that it’s all our responsibility 
to find each other 
and look out for each other

To celebrate together what we have and what we need

That without each other, we will surrender 
to all the noise 
that we just can’t seem 
to get out of our heads 

Come on, Antonio, they say, change the channel and discover the other 500 channels of hope and love

Okay, I’ll try

Except my channel seems to be stuck, 
and I have to change the batteries on my remote

I guess I could just unplug the TV 
and turn off my phone.