2022, hello.

Happy New Year! Fingers crossed for 2022.

I'm not really into resolutions per se, but I do like to target bad habits and minimize them if I can't eliminate them.

Here and there, I've been able to evolve bad habits into a ritual. In this way, coffee is a victory.

I don't think I even had my first cup of coffee until I was 23. I somehow survived university without it, but I couldn't escape it in Saint Louis. Even still, it was a social drink for me. It took me another six years to actually buy a coffee-maker for my apartment.

From there, a few cups turned into a pot, with extra fill-ups within an hour or two after I arrived at the office.

At some point I was given a single-cup maker, and though fresher, it didn't make a good cup of coffee. I avoided the packaged K-cups, using the refillable thingie. At least I wasn't adding to landfills.

I tried a French press, but never really took to it.

Enter the mocha pot.

I was in Glasgow with my French friend Xavier Lancel, editor of Scarce Magazine and two American comic creators--Greg Lockard, living in Spain at the time, and Monica Gallagher. And in our AirBnB was a mocha pot, a stove-top espresso maker. I fell in love!

On my return home, in my building's free room was a used mocha pot. I grabbed it. I was a full convert, and when the handle broke off, I broke down and bought a new pot. 

It takes enough effort that I never make a second pot. So I've made a ritual of preparing the coffee, as well as boiling some hot water for a tiny teapot I picked up somewhere, so I can make myself Americanos.

Perhaps I should have converted from a trip to Italy rather than Scotland, but one can't choose these things.

Voici Angouleme

 

After many attempts, we finally persuaded Monica to go to Angouleme! Jeff hadn't been in some time, and it was a fun trip overall. A mix of retreading familiar grounds, but with a fresh and wide-eyed perspective. 

For the first time, we stayed Sunday night. On Monday, the village was a charming ghost town. That afternoon, Marie Claude brought us to her hometown for a walkabout. That evening, Monica and I were planted at the CDG Ibis for early flights the next morning.

Arrival Dublin

A rocky start to our stop in Dublin, from the flight and a forgotten passport.

I spent most of my time writing a term paper for my first graduate school class, "Borders and Boundaries." And on Zoom calls with my office. Badly timed trip perhaps, but that's the way it was.

I did make it to the Library Bar though, while walking about with Monica; Greg, too, joined us. 

I did write a good paper though, and I did well in the class. I was terrified though...it had been so long since I was in a classroom!
 

Christophe's observations

 A fine welcome back to the UK.

Harrogate

This was a fun jaunt!

Greg and I had finished Liebestrasse some time back, and comiXology Originals chose Thought Bubble to release the book. 

They lined up several interviews for us, and a panel. 

Sadly, the panel was poorly advertised... "What's new from comiXology" rather than what the book is about.I think we agreed it would have been better that way. 

I love Leeds, so it was a little sad that the show moved to Harrogate (no offense, Harrogate). But it was nice that Dom trekked over to the show, as did Christophe.

I also had a great chat with a comics pal, Sean, an English guy I met at Angouleme in 2010. In the back pages of one of his books, he mentioned drawing comics in his 50s. As I was about to turn 50, I asked him further about his experiences and feelings. That was great, because it's certainly had been a challenging experience for me, to re-enter the world of exhibiting at shows into my late 40s.

More Mexico

Jeff's quest for artisan goods took us further afield to Puebla and Cholula, courtesy of our hired driver and guide. I don't like to buy much when I travel, and have very particular tastes. Unlike Jeff who travels with an empty suitcase to fill!

Hola, CDMX

I was wrapping up 18 years at MIT in May 2018, coinciding with Jeff's annual birthday trip. I agreed to meet him in Mexico City! It was such a wonderful trip, so much to enjoy. The big mistake, I accidentally took Advil PM instead of Advil in effort to combat altitude headaches. Toward the end of the trip did I realize why I was so exhausted. At first I attributed it to unwinding from the last days of work. But clearly mixing meds + alcohol was a big contributor.

Cardiff, I love you

 

 

Greg and I went to Cardiff for out post-festival working session.  We stayed in a fun hipster neighborhood with good restaurants and pubs. Writing and drawing by day, and going out at night.

The highlight for me was hitting the Golden Cross a few times, once for karaoke night. I was used to the Courtside in Cambridge, where you were lucky to get called up once. But at the Golden Cross, they had to ply people to sing with free shots! I happily took three turns, and gave my shots to Greg. At the end of the night, they called me out for my verve (not my signing!).

Between the Viaduct and the Golden Cross, I'm not sure I've had so much concentrated fun at gay bars before!

I took many walks in Cardiff and toured the castle in the city center as well. I would love to go back!

Oh--strange experience at the barber... it hit me that all the barbers and all the patrons but one I observed had my coloring: pale, blue eyes, mild gingers. I felt like Superman in Jimmy Olsen #138!
 

Last time in Leeds

It probably won't be my last time in Leeds, but it was Thought Bubble's. Actually, I'm not sure about that... but by the time I returned to the festival in 2019, it moved to Harrogate. But what a way to go! We had so much fun in Leeds on this trip!  

I seemed to make the sales woman's day at the Doc Marten store with my insecurities, or defying the stereotype of an American abroad. But after the festival, Greg, Christophe, Dom and I all had a night of hilarity at the Viaduct Show bar. 

To provide some contrast between the fun time in Leeds and the fun time we had in Cardiff, the train ride provided some perspective. Due to it being the end of term for universities, and a few cancellations, the trains were standing room only, despite the fact we had reserved seats.

Winding down the trip

The first sketch is a bit non-sequential, all the misc stuff I wanted to capture on  paper but hadn't yet. Our last afternoon was the most "urban" on the islands, touring the science center and then the small city of Puerto Ayora. One of our tour guides also owned a little coffee house OMG! Coffee. I brought a bag of Kona coffee home, yum. 

Then, back to Quito. By then, I had a lot of travel voices in my head (and a headache jumping back to elevation 9K from 0.  
 

The worst

I passed on the snorkeling, since my only experience prior hadn't gone well. I figured, I shouldn't be incapacitated on a business trip. I overheard, with horror, a private pilot trying to hit on this woman in my group. It was revolting. So entitled.

Things I saw

 I enjoyed reading Darwin's description of the Galapagos in Voyage of the Beagle, but probably like most tourists, the reality that you are a tourist and not an explorer or scientist is terribly evident and in stark contrast. That said, it was an amazing trip, and shocking to consult a map of the islands toward the end of our stay... for all we saw, we saw so little!

Quito

I fell in love with Quito. I'm no foodie... I cook blandly, though I am an adventurous eater when I travel (cow brain, guinea pig, grasshoppers, check)... but the food in Quito was so good. Fun fact, Ecuador uses the US dollar as its currency, making it a pretty easy destination for US travelers.   

I was in Quito four days... two prior to the Galapagos, and two post. The first day back was a little rough, jumping back and forth from sea level to 9,350' above.

 

Elevation 11,152'

Just a month prior, I was in Colorado Springs, elevation 6,035' and a few days earlier, I was at Machu Picchu, elevation 7,972'. Then I arrived at Cuzco, former capital of the Incan Empire, hiiiiigh in the Peruvian Andes.

I had a lovely day here, touring some colonial churches and sites. I followed some crowds, and hiked up the hillside away from them, passing through a hipster neighborhood with some offbeat galleries.

We met a charming family, and with them, I ate the local delicacy, guinea pig. Though I had a guinea pig as a pet as a kid, and was generally sadenned by the idea, "when in Rome..." It was enjoyable, though I wouldn't bolt back down to Peru just to eat it again.

 

I want to go home

I have a few quick sketches from Machu Picchu, but nothing will really capture it. Instead, here's a sad moment. As I hired the Inca trail around Machu Picchu, I crossed paths with many hikers, who had been hiking for days, and through the rainy zone. One woman was absolutely miserable. 

Part of me wanted to follow her to back to Machu Picchu, in hopes that she would be awestruck at the site and the sights. And that she'd dry off quickly. 

The only downside of the time here was one of our party wasn't prepared for the hike and had a few issues themselves. Another group member took it upon herself to care for and entertain said co-traveler. She was very angry at our guide.

Definitely created a sour vibe for a bit.

Just to underscore the sketch, it wasn't me who wanted to go home, it was the hiker.

 

Oof

I captured three terrifically attractive men in my sketchbook. The first was a real stunner. More salt than pepper American with his lady friend. The second, a Latin hiker who I forced my assistance on as he struggled to get the selfie he was aiming for. The third, much later, at our hotel in Quito. Like many very tall men, someone felt at liberty to ask in astonishment how tall he was, which I overheard. That's how I know.

Sacred Valley

Two really special days in the Sacred Valley. Beautiful scenery, customs. I could easily see myself touring and exploring by Vespa for months and months. The first spread is a nice summary of my time there. The second drawing my imagining of the Shaman's tale of the condor, the puma, and the snake. The last is the view from the courtyard of where I was staying. The blue line is on a train en route to Machu Picchu.

     

One day in Lima

 I'd spent very little time in the Spanish-speaking world... more in Portuguese-speaking, and French-speaking, where my foreign language studies have been focused (please note my speaking skills are horrible).

So my attempts to communicate kept, by reflex, defaulting to French. And a little Portuguese. I really had to focus to say a few things in Spanish. 

Our day in Lima was quick. And, given the traffic and time spent getting from point A to B, not very eventful. 

And, no offense to Lima, it was not bound to be the highlight of this trip, as stacked against Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and the Galapagos.

More soon.

Colorado Springs revisited

 Oddly enough, this was my second trip to Colorado Springs, both for job interviews, and this one about a year after the last. My first trip was really short, and I didn't see much of the area or the town. But this time, I got to stay a bit longer and see a little more. I thought the downtown was really charming... a very nice blend of old fashioned and lively. Like you could imagine how life used to be.

I fared alright with the altitude, but it was just a prelude to what was to come the next month!

Friendliness Ok!

 

 

I was so excited when this joint pair of conferences I used to attend was to be hosted by Washington University in Saint Louis--my old employer and my old hometown.

Not real hometown, of course. I was born in NH. But I hold a strong affection for the place. Matt was also to attend, and we agreed to rent an AirBnB in the historic neighborhood of Soulard, where I had once lived, rather than the hotel suggested by the conference.

Matt joined me on a long walk around the neighborhood, and I pointed out all the things and places I'd loved--mostly still there. At one point, he noted, "I've never seen you happy before."