Et Tu, Brute?

Captain's blog, supplemental:

I like to ponder. That probably doesn't surprise most of you, especially those of you that have had to wait for me to exit the shower. That's a good place to attempt to solve the mysteries of the universe, by the way.

Today being the Ides of March, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar has been kind of floating through my mind. For some reason, Julius Caesar has always been my favorite of the Bard's works. I'm not really sure why that is. Maybe that's because it really has some awesome quotes. It was written in 1599 (the same time as Hamlet), when Shakespeare was at the height of his writing powers. It's a great read.

You're probably asking yourselves why I'm boring you with the literary details. I'm writing this today because today I feel a little like Julius Caesar. Not long ago, I felt like a conqueror. I was on top of the world, and I didn't think anything could bring me back down. How naïve.

Little did I know that malevolent forces were conspiring for my downfall behind my back. Others saw the danger, and tried to warn me. I ignored signs and warnings, because "I [was] constant as the northern star," and could not be moved from my lofty place.

Of course, like Caesar, I was wrong. And today, the Ides of March, I have felt like I was actually stabbed 23 times. Like with Caesar, the killing blow was not to the back from a cowardly hired assassin like many would expect. Instead, it was delivered straight to the heart by someone I loved. Someone I trusted and never expected to turn on me.

This may seem melodramatic, but I couldn't really think of another way to describe everything. Plus, it's just the way I write. But don't worry everyone, because my story, unlike Caesar's, already has a happy ending. See, my wounds aren't life-threatening, though the pain is very real. I've fallen from great heights, but I remember that the reason we as humans fall is so that we can learn to pick ourselves up. Things will turn out just fine; all wounds heal. And one day, I'll be back on top again.

So, reading over this post, I realize this is fully of some pretty heavy, personal stuff. And it's kind of long. Sorry, everyone. I just needed to let some of it out, and it's my blog. Deal with it. Anyway, I'll get back to the light-hearted stuff next time. In fact, I've got some more Caesar-related stuff. Next time, we'll talk about how Roman history and Julius Caesar tie to my favorite movie! Peace, everyone.