I just realized that one reason our house doesn't feel like home is that we don't have any pictures hanging. And why's that? Because we haven't painted the walls yet. Right now we are living with walls the color of an assorted Whitman's mint sampler. Aside from the pool-table-felt green of the bedroom wall, that is.

Weather has been simply marvy here in Oak Park the past couple of days: sun's out, temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and plants are beginning to bloom again. I'm given to understand, though, that this is unusual for April in Chicago. Normally, it seems, this month is a 30-day drearfest. Here's hoping...

So my article on international comics for Paste has appeared on their website, along with a couple of the Blacksad pictures. I guess that's my first time to appear on a website outside of a blog.

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate CH on his getting a faculty position in the UT system. Way to go, bro. Where are they moving? It's a small Tennessee town not far from Kentucky, but cozy and neighborly, by all accounts, and a great place for the young'un to spend his early years. Now, if they can land a sweet house, they'll be set.

I'm training for the North Shore Half Marathon on June 12, and using Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1/2 Marathon training schedule. Right now I'm in Week 3 of the training -- finally I get to do speedwork!