These are brutal days. The oppressiveness of...

These are brutal days. The oppressiveness of the tax man, the barb-tongued spouse, the snub by a friend, the fickle furnace, the leaky roof, the hollow-eyed doubts, the milk gone sour, the wheezy joke, the grumbling stomach and feverish head, the churlish parent and the colicky baby, the heavy knock on the door, the long lines, the longer silences, the empty bottle, the debts, the dirge and the muse that just won’t answer.

And so we seek out comfort. What sets us right today is seeing a bumper sticker that says, “I’m Proud to Be Macedonian.” The gloom lifts, and we can no longer forget the trembling kiss or the helping hand, the smell of a woman, the hot shower (not too long), the well-stocked larder, the sleepy child, the whispered promise, the honest merchant, the turn into the driveway, the love note, the brush stroke, the lyric, the melody and the printed word.

And we can’t miss the L.A. Vegetarian Assn.’s peace and love party at Cinema Cafe in Hollywood at 6 p.m. today. Admission is $10. For information call (213) 964-4FUN.

Or forget about Walter Persegati, former secretary general and treasurer of the Vatican Museums and Art Galleries, who will speak on the restoration of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. The talk will be held at Mount St. Mary’s College Doheny Campus at 8 p.m. Monday. Admission is $25. For reservations and information call (213) 471-9522.

And we’ll keep our date with a production of “Pirates of Penzance” by the Beverly Hills High School Performing Arts Department, beginning Wednesday and running through Saturday. Tickets prices range from $4 to $8. For performance times and information call (213) 201-0884.

And lend our attention at the Santa Monica Public Library discussion of “The Moonlight Man” by Paula Fox at 4 p.m. Thursday, for adults interested in children’s literature. Admission is free. For information call (213) 458-8600.

Finally, Mario Semere will speak on “Van Gogh and Expressionism” at 8 p.m. Friday at Santa Monica College Concert Hall. Admission is $6. For information call (213) 452-9214.