An oil painting of a lit candle.

Sight Unseen

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

April 25, 2026 | Rome, Italy
It all started with shoulder ribbons in the 17th century.

Kid Napoleon

Once, military rank — the be-all of social class — was all about the frills on your uniform.

They were celibate and the sexes lived separately but ate together.

Simple gifts

Little mentioned today, the Shakers may have something valuable to offer a busy, distracted world.

Any unexpected embarrassment was labeled "a Korea."

Una corea

Forty-eight years ago, Italy suffered its own World Cup fiasco: a loss to North Korean.