An oil painting of a lit candle.

Sight Unseen

A blind expat's musings on life, death and the Trump era

April 23, 2026 | Rome, Italy

Behind the mask

Masks have been the undisputed protagonists of the coronavirus pandemic. We have moved from early warnings that their use served [...]

Seventeen, and other perils

In Italy, writes columnist Kristine Crane, the number 17 invites bad tidings, a nefarious twist on what the Roman lettering XVII can be rearranged to mean.