But really?

San Francisco

I wonder about Donald Trump, sort of the same way I wonder about very religious people. Like, they can't actually -- really, truly, deep down -- believe this crap, can they? There has to be some level on which they know that a lot of it is just helpful trappings, where they choose to follow the rules and walk the walk because it works for their lives, not because any of it is literally true. Right?

Right?

I mean the guy can't be serious. He must know the New York Times isn't lying. He must know his inauguration was empty. He must know that probably a lot of those people who showed up to march against him did, in fact, vote against him as well. He must know there is opposition to the pipeline.

...He must know he's crafting an alternate narrative.

My rule on religion, of course, is that: If it makes you a better, happier person, go for it. Live and let live, as they say. But the minute your first hits my face or my door, we've got a problem.

Trump... is shitting on my stoop and slamming my head in the door. Line crossed. He's using an alternate narrative not to make himself a kinder person or experience some sort of fulfilment, but to control and destroy. So. Is he doing it consciously, or is it all just knee-jerk arrogant insanity? I almost hope it's the former, because that implies a consistent worldview and an... integrity of purpose. But I fear, more every day, that it is the latter.

Much of my justification for that comes from direct experience of the man through Twitter. He is not consciously building anything. He's raving.

I had been ignoring his Twitter as much as possible. There's still plenty that filters through, after all. But now I have a new rule: Glance at Trump's Twitter, respond to one thing, move on. Do not follow him, do not spend hours thinking about responses; just choose, reply, go about with my day being a better person and living a better life. And try not to use language incendiary enough to result in an FBI file.

RECIPE: Lemon Polenta Cake, though of course you could use any citrus.