Just got back from a trip to Spain, Barcelona and Sevilla specifically. The amount of gorgeous buildings crammed into those two cities is unbelievable. By the second half of the trip I experienced that same art museum feeling I mentioned in my last journal; I reached a saturation point and just couldn‘t look at any more beautiful buildings. My brain was full and needed a head-cleaner or something. So, putting our cameras away, we (Melanie and I) just relaxed, strolled, and enjoyed the Spanish sun.

Of course, it couldn’t last. We were crammed into a 767 with a bunch of sweatpants-wearing boors, and, as we cruised West over the Atlantic, the visions of gardens and palaces faded away. Were we ever there? Does beauty even exist? What? Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over that jerk shouting for more peanuts.

Real quick: gotta love a country where you can just order a “beer” (well, a cerveza) and the bartender will just give you one. Try doing that here. Was at Doc Watson’s a couple weeks ago (hey, they got a nice happy hour) and I saw a guy, a tourist that couldn’t speak much English, approach the bar and say, “Beer.” The bartender was stone-faced. The tourist said again, “Beer.” Now the attitude comes. The bartender wipes the bar with his rag and goes, “What KIND of BEER do you want?” Geezus, such hospitality. The guy probably came a thousand miles to spend money at your bar. Just give him a Yuengling or a Bud or whatever the happy hour special is. What’s he gonna say, “Hey, man, this ain’t no beer!” (Personally there are times when I think Yuengling is more piss than beer, but I digress.)

Anyway, plugs:

Boom! Studios put out Poe #3 last week. Go snag a copy if you can.

The Black Coat: Or Give Me Death #3 is available for preorder in the latest Previews. Tell your neighborhood retailer before the month's over. It's in the Ape Entertainment section.