My "easy" novels were Scalzi haha, very grateful to the Kaiju Preservation Society for getting me back into reading something long without it feeling like a chore. And Starter Villain was similar. I like the shorter Brandon Sanderson books for easy-ish reads, too! I didn't think of children's books, but I'll have to add that to my toolbox for the next time I take a cognitive hit of this kind. Would RL Stine live up to my fond childhood memories, though... XD

"Gunpowder in the air" is a good description of the environment, unfortunately. Dreamwidth isn't exempt, but I still find it a lot easier to manage here. I think maybe a bit part of it is that it's okay/part of the culture to step away and come back/reply later when you're up for it, and also easier not to see what you don't want to with no "Suggested for you" additions shoved into your face. So I take a lot of breaks ;)

Thanks A LOT for the unexpected kind words, and thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights on what you see happening from your perspective, too! You always give me a lot to chew on.