If you love him, accept his apology. We all say things that may hurt someone and didn't really mean it. If this wasn't directed at you, then you are being way too sensitive about it.
By the way, I'd rather be scrawny and gangly than the opposite.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.