My New Favorite Emperor

Still listening to the History of Rome podcast. Julian the Apostate! My new favorite emperor! Bookworm...but when his brother emperor put him up to what amounted to almost a fool's errand to fix the Gaul problem, he got himself some military training and pushed the Germans back across the Danube!

He totally reminded me of Aurelius -- also another favorite emperor. Wore a beard (usually a plus for me, lol) -- tried to turn the clock back on the empire so that paganism was ok...but did not persecute Christians -- only took away their special status in the empire.

He didn't live long enough to see his reforms through, and he is known as the 'last pagan emperor'.

http://thechristianmysteries.com/2015/04/01/reevaluating-julian-the-apostate/

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Productive today -- made a crockpot of vegetable soup (to prevent wasting veggies, which were near to having to be composted), straightened up a bit, filed my taxes, etc.


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Also watched another horror movie (something that seems to suit me on cold, dark, rainy days!)....except it was not a horror movie. Yes, vampire, but more of a love and compassion story, and an examination of how cruel people can be and how people cope with the 'existential dread'. Swedish movie -- Let the Right One In.





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Flocks of birds out back today inspired this horror dream photo --