Third Letter From Karen

Hi again,

I’m filled with dread.  Watching the RFK confirmation hearings gave me polio.  And that was after I got herpes from the Hegseth ones. I’m a terrible flyer under the best of circumstances and an extra five milligrams of klonopin seems like a poor substitute for an Air Traffic Controller or two.  I’m trying to limit social media but sometimes it’s comforting.  A Facebook friend wrote something beautiful about Bishop Budde. It made me feel better until someone commented that Budde hated real Americans and wanted to allow illegals to rule the country.  

Stupid me –yes, stupid me –took the bait.  “I reread the transcript several times,” I wrote. “This wasn’t in it.” She didn’t respond.  At least not there. Two days later I received a message in my inbox. The misinformant called me a cunt, among other words for that same body part. And then she blocked me. I should have just eaten the remaining sticky toffee pudding in our fridge, but instead I spent an hour or so playing Nancy Drew.  I figured out her name, her job, her address and her employer.  

What a colossal waste of time.  I should have thanked her for blocking me.  What was I going to do?  Write her a letter explaining that she got her facts wrong and that if she took a minute, she would learn that the Bishop is the real deal?  This was never going to happen.  I sometimes treat our world as if it’s a debate tournament, and it’s something entirely different. Until we learn how to manage the funnels of misinformation, it’s not going to end. In the meantime, I signed up to help on a local political campaign for someone I truly believe in, gave a small donation to pal’s go fund me, and ate the rest of the pudding.

Distractions:

Snacks: Toast doesn’t get enough credit.  I challenge you not to enjoy a delicious piece of a flavorful bread like Arnold Oatnut toasted medium, spread with a generous portion of butter–buy the Irish stuff  and if you are me, a nice marmalade smear.  Perfection.  

Movies: I loved I Like Movies. It’s a familiar setup. Lawrence, A social reject and cinephile works in a video store during his senior year in high school.  Unlike other movies of this ilk, Lawrence is kind of awful.  Hilariously so.  And yet we root for him. The acting is pitch perfect.

TV: I’m not going to go into it, but this is the best season yet of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. 

After watching Dexter: New Blood several years  ago, all I wanted was for Dexter to die.  The show had run its course. Not so. I am almost done with the first season of Dexter: Original Sin and I’m back to loving  this cold hearted serial killer. His origin story is everything you want.  Young Dexter has channeled Michael C. Hall (it doesn’t hurt that Hall still narrates the show).  We also see younger versions of Battista, LaGuerta and Deb, all fantastic. I know I’m going to regret saying this, but I’m hoping for  more seasons  

Books: If you haven’t done so yet, please read Empire of Pain. We all need to unite behind a villain and the Sacklers fit the bill.  It reads like a novel. You will thank me.

Something I learned: Cottage cheese doesn’t taste terrible if you top it with grated parm, your favorite herbs and spices and bake it for 40 minutes at 350°.