Well, I'm wending my way forward through Madrid, not doing too badly fending off the attacks of vicious, empty time that seem especially thick on the ground during the long hot Spanish afternoon. I've come to appreciate a few things. Namely, Euroshirts with English slogans. Many of them are simply dull -- "Rhode Island Athletic Department" was one (go Coach Carcieri, I thought) -- but some of them are sublimely absurd. One read, "Do you dress to impress BOYS?" which is sensical I suppose but at the same time utterly vacant of meaning. Perfect. I know I'd thought of yet more small joys, but the career-spanning Madonna best-of album that is playing in this internet cafe is draining my memory fluid and by this point I've lost almost all ability to think.

I suppose there are worse things that could happen.