I have shunned the news for a week now

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Set boundaries. When I go out with my friends we have a no news rule. If it gets broken then you put a $x toward the bill before it is split. Pets, family, travel, work, health, etc are fair game. Politics, the latest shooting, stolen cars, fire across town, plane crash, unless they have personal knowledge. Off limits.

I know that with many friends with whom I don't share political allegiances we have an iron clad "no politics" rule. It works well