I am old gay granddaddy. Before I retired (prematurely, at age 51) I was an academic librarian for 25 years. My impact on the world is negligible. My highest aspiration is to be a memorable grandfather.

As far as I can tell at age 67, the world has always been ending for someone, somewhere. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are always with us and world-ending threats -- nuclear annihilation, pollution, climate change -- have existed all of my life. I don't know what my grandchildren will fear when they're old enough (usually around ages 11 or 12) to be fully aware of the world but I know it will be real, whatever it is.

But we go on. We try to make the world better in small ways. Unlike my dad, I was not an emotionally and verbally abusive alcoholic father to my children. I am an out and proud gay man whose husband his delighted to be "Poppy" to my grandchildren. And on social media over the past year I have found a modicum of success amplifying independent voices (yours included) in world where corporate owned legacy media have bent the knee to a penny ante dictator.

It's NEVER enough but it's better than nothing.

Thanks for being a voice of sanity in these trying times.