The ignorant among us fear the unknown, desperately clinging to the status quo or, even worse, to the fantasies of a mythical past. The better informed among us understand and appreciate the progress that accompanies the forward arrow of time.

If you've been donating fresh fruit, yogurt, and other nutritionally meaningful foods to homeless shelters/services, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're a life-saver, seriously. Food stamps only go so far with current grocery prices. Especially shopping for meals that don't require access to a kitchen, cooking gear or storage. Many of us receiving services are exposed to a lot of hazards, and/or experience medical challenges. Being able to eat food that supports the immune system is such a blessing. Truly, sincerely, thank you so much. And thanks to everyone else who is generous to those in need too, you are all so deeply appreciated.

I wish I could explain to you what it means to live a sacred mystery, something no theology can begin to approximate, something dirtied by such approximations. You will not understand when I say I dream being the universe, or when I awaken feeling banished from eternity. You can only pathologize my differences, drug me up to shut me up. It doesn’t matter that I’m no danger. It only matters how I struggle to obey. Each day I pray to lamotragine for the wisdom to properly intone, “Yes sir, how high, sir?” because my next meal will always depend on it.

Hey! Remember when we were all holed up watching Netflix and beating pots and pans for "essential workers"? Well, guess who was out there making $12/hr to literally feed all of us? It was the people that work at grocery stores. And now they're on strike. And guess what? I'd rather vote for Trump than break that strike. God bless you essential workers. I don't care about politics or the economy or the country. But if the folks working at the grocery store are starting a movement, I support you.

Hate to break the news, kid, but your lemonade stand sucks. The shit was warm, and your hair was a bit unkempt. Also, I don't think you have ever washed your hands thoroughly. You were missing a few teeth too, but I'll let that slide. The sign said it was organic, so I asked you if the lemonade was certified organic. You shrugged your shoulders. No reply, just shrugged. What the fuck kind of business plan do you have here? I saw your empties—Organic Valley and Western Family commingling??? Maybe put some lemons on your table instead of some dumbass dirty doll with glasses. Is this fucking funny to you? Serving warm lemonade, high up on Mt. Tabor, that is "sort of" half organic?? Shit lady, the goddamn "a" on your sign was backward to boot. I tried telling you this and you said, "I dunno." I've reported you to the health department. You've been warned!

Thank you for your formal objection to PGE's rate increase request. You are correct, these rate increases place a disproportionate burden on our city's most vulnerable. Now perhaps you might have a conversation with the water bureau? I am certain you know that water, unlike electricity, is essential to life itself. And these rate increases place a disproportionate burden on our city's most vulnerable.

Hey friend, I get it. Times are hard. And the internet brings all this suffering right into your hands. It's tough to watch. You feel like you need to do something. I'm not trying to change your mind. I'm just going to politely ask that you stop posting about it on social media ten times a day. I get that you are angered by injustice. I just want to point out that you're outraged about what's happening in a country you couldn't find on a map like ten months ago. Maybe go outside and get some fresh air. Write a letter to your congressman or whatever. I'm just trying to look at my friends vacation pictures while I take a shit, I really don't need to hear your in-depth analysis of global politics ten times a day. Thanks! - your anonymous social media friend

Hey, I just found out the cops who killed Brianna Taylor had their case dismissed. Remember when we were all marching in the streets to protest that? Remember that one friend that posted about it on Instagram everyday? Well, now there's been a miscarriage of justice! So what are we going to do about it! Protest? Oh right, we're busy protesting about Palestine now. Politics? Oh, now we're using politics to keep abortion legal. Local police reform? Wait what, we're actually increasing the police presence? Okay, so I guess we'll just move on with our lives and forget this ever happened then?

It may be tempting to subject creatives to the Torment Nexus, but this is strictly against the terms of service. While creatives are known to produce art of immense note while under adverse conditions such as feudalism, capitalism, colonialism, or rancid vibes, we here at Torment Industries have concluded in legal consultation that suffering does not cause art but only contextualizes expression within the abhorrent. However evocative the results, we maintain that the only correct use of the Torment Nexus, as stipulated in the EULA, is on landlords and cops.

Thank you - Sylvia Plath, Antonin Artaud, Vincent Van Gogh, Syd Barrett, Daniel Johnston, Kurt Cobain, Zazie Productions, Henry Darger, and all of the visionaries who fought/are fighting demons to create great art.

I’m frequently reminded that I made it further than expected. I did a lot of work and made a lot of progress. It just doesn’t look like much because I started at negative numbers. A normal person would not be impressed simply by the fact that I have an address and a bank account. Fuck that. I have a wife and kids. I may even make enough money for once to be considered lower-lower-middle class. Bills paid motherfucker. Vacations booked. Thoughts of the harder times and my own actions which put me there come up on a daily basis. People that I might know from before. Situations that make me nervous. Subtle reminders that I might not be totally welcome no matter how much time and work I put in. Fears I need to keep to myself. We all got normal shit to deal with. Besides there’s also some current chaos happening around us. I basically had to win the lottery to get here. The real challenge is keeping it. Or at least using it correctly

It's been 2 years and I am still thinking about you. You were my sleep tech, then I literally ran into you buying apples at Trader Joe's!! I know you felt too... Please reach out, you have my number and if you lost it you know how to reach me at work :)

I realize you are very worried about the war/climate/economy/election you read about on your phone. I realize you feel powerless to do anything about it. I realize that can be emotionally destabilizing to the point of making you feel physically ill. Well, good news...I have the solution to your problems! It's pretty simple. Just turn off your phone. Go for a walk. Breathe the fresh air. Maybe hug a tree or something. Enjoy the real world that is all around you. Ignore the digital world that is making you miserable. Thank me later. - I Anonymous

Oh, wait. You’re not yelling at me, you’re sitting in your back yard yelling into the phone. Take it inside already! The whole block doesn’t want to hear you shouting about gender equity to your hapless mother. I’m looking at you, SE Sherman St. (As if you have the self awareness to recognize your own selfish behavior.)