Buon Compleanno, America!

It's a little hard being six thousand miles from home on such a momentous day. Though we won't miss the Oakland Hills' cavalcade of sound that was every July 4th from sundown to the early hours of the morning. Like a war zone. Tormo hated it.

From Rome, it's admittedly difficult to get too worked up about a 250th birthday. Rome celebrated its 2,779th in April, right after I arrived. There are roads here older than America — and in better shape than Park Blvd.

Tonight we're heading to the Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus), built between the first century BCE and the first century CE, to watch Gladiator on a giant screen while a live orchestra plays in sync with the score. Rome meets Hollywood, with an English director.

Happy birthday, America. We still love you.