…I know semi quoting Metallica’s “Wherever I may Roam” is like wearing a Hot Topic Misfits shirt while listening to Green Day, but it was apt for today.

John and had hit the road, with Jeff  in tow, and there was this lull. This odd point at the beginning of the road to Tampa that I could tell only can happen because we’ve done it so many times. That bit in you that groans because you know, now comes so many days of just hawking your books and talking the talk and so much more. We knew the pain coming, but 5 minutes later, we’re already laughing in the car. We love this shit. We really do.

It’s that realization that you need to keep in mind, you must have it fresh in you. Yeah you know the score, you know whats going to happen, but as we locked in on target coming in, that stupid Metallica song came on, it was just an apt and perfect soundtrack to the way we go about this.

Right now it’s good, at a very nice suite in downtown Tampa and compared to last year and the hotel we stayed at, that seemed like a constant crime scene every time  you blinked, we’ve come a long way.

It’s progress.

It’s easy not to see that, to think it’s not going to happen, to think you’re spinning you’re wheels but always do the same technique: sit back and look at yourself a year ago, how has things changed? Good and Bad, personal and professional what has changed where are you NOW? That to me is always a good barometer to what is going on and happening.

Not that I’m not pressured. I have so many thing to do on my plate, both personal and professional, from Finishing REZ to go to press, keeping Zombie Years in order, and a lot of illustration to finish, I can easily say I don’t see a day off for the next month or so.

Cons will be slowing down for a bit, with only local shows like Creator Owned Expo next week and Palmcon in September leading to NYCC in October and that will be crazy only because of some crazy… wink-wink … stuff we’re doing for it.

“Rover, wanderer, nomad, vagabond…”

NOTE: I’m a huge Metallica fan actually, but anything BEFORE the black album. I consider Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets near perfect albums, and Kill’em All made my life better. Justice for All is a fucking juggernaut. So anything after that, I’m kinda like “Meh”