On a fundamental level, I do not understand what has happened in this country in the last two years. The reaction to COVID has disturbed me more profoundly than any major event in my life. September 11 was a terrible day, but it was an act of terrorism, and terror is easy to understand. This, the federal government's initial reluctance to respond to COVID, then the willful ignorance of its severity from my fellow Americans, the mass refusal to mask up, the conspiracy theories, the deepening divide between those who will get vaccinated and those who will not, is beyond my understanding.
Rambling about Rome, and other things
My interest in Ancient Rome is by no means unique. It seems that once a man settles into middle age, he's apt to develop an obsessive interest in either Rome or World War II. I believe there's a literary aspect to this, too. My pet theory is that those who lean towards WWII are sci-fi fans, while those who go for Rome prefer fantasy. This is certainly the case for myself.