The (political) pause that refreshes

Like everyone I know, I am spending hours watching the presidential-campaign tangos on TV, stopping only when my eyes roll back in my head. But now, when I'm getting too tired, too worried, or too angry, I know it's time to take a break and click on the one campaign ad that anyone, of any party, can appreciate.

It's posted far and wide, but it started out on the Web site for Steve Novick, the Oregon Democrat running for the Senate. After viewing Novick's latest commercial a couple of times, I'm refreshed and ready to listen to more promises. This technique will work regardless of your feelings about democratic process, I promise.

• Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett is Crosscut's Oregon editor, based in Portland. You can e-mail her at kimberly.marlowe.hartnett@crosscut.com.