No crying, but there might be some laughing in baseball

There is a lot serious news to read about and explore. If you believe social media, most EVERYTHING is serious and we are awash in "what if x happens" stories, written in breathless prose but with only slender wisps of actual data to support the fears explored.

I have begun simply skipping all stories I encounter that are based on polls asking people about future elections as a way to counter some of the clutter. You may have your own list of stories in the printed and broadcast news that cause you to skip ahead. 

That seems like a smart way to maintain our mental health.

The stories that grab me are like the report in the Washington Post today about last night's Nationals vs. Reds game. Several oddities were featured.

First, the game was suspended due to looming rain storms after just 3 and one-half innings. The game will be resumed today from where it left off, and will be followed by a second game of 7 innings. Welcome to Covid baseball, though the virus has nothing to do with this game.

It took over three hours for the officials to suspend the game, and fans remaining were treated to a streaker splashing across the tarp, running from cops, hiding in the tarp roller for a few minutes, and eventually being cuffed and taken away. It's nice to know that some traditions -- streaking become popular on college campuses in the 1970s -- still retain the power to amuse. 

A more modern issue arose in the third inning, when the closed captioning board above each bullpen read: “Right Fielder North Korea Castellanos.” It was supposed to say, “Right Fielder Nicholas Castellanos.”

North Korean hackers at work? Autocorrect messing with us? Who knows? 

My point is that I need more news like this, full of the weird, the unexplained, and the amusing. I am grateful for journalists who are reporting in-person and who can share what they see and hear and taste and smell... and wonder about.

It doesn't make me smarter or better-equipped to handle the challenges of life. 

But neither did the new Peacock comedy "Girls5Eva." You should check it out. No news. Just some fun.