Whenever I come home from lecturing, I usually have a martini. But since that was my dad’s drink, I have not really been in the mood for one the last few months. On this particular night, I poured myself a Napa River Merlot. Nothing fancy. I’m not much of a wine guy (horrible Italian, I know), but I’ve been drinking more of it lately. It hits the spot after a two-hour talk on the Civil War. And oh look, my cat Lawrence is lurking in the background.