Weekends Off the Grid

Since we wrapped the fourth season of Something to Be Desired a few weeks ago, I haven't had to spend my weekends in front of the computer, editing.

So I haven't been spending them in front of the computer, PERIOD.

Instead, I'm reading books or magazines... or hanging out with friends and family... or going out for Sunday morning pancakes at Affogato.

Last weekend, Ann and I visited Philadelphia for a Voxtrot show at Transit. We took our time getting there, so by the time we arrived in the historic district, everything interesting was shut down. Still, we had a great time, relaxing over dinner and then dancing well into the morning.

<-- Ann, disappointed that the Liberty Bell was locked for the night, and contemplating a way to outwit the security guard.

Afterwards, we spent Sunday at the King of Prussia Mall.

Window shopping gave way to some galvanizing observations about marketing, branding and the power of community -- unlikely realizations, considering I was expecting to spend a few hours people-watching and comic book reading instead. Had I not taken to the time to unplug and LOOK at the world around me, I doubt I would have started this thought train.

Kelly Andresen, Rachel Arnold, Josh Sager and Marc Granberg, wedding style.
This past weekend, we attended the wedding of our good friends Josh Sager and Rachel Arnold. I've known them since we attended The Art Institute of Pittsburgh together 10 years ago, and seeing them take their next steps together was fantastic. They decided to celebrate in an unusual fashion -- an unconventional, informal ceremony at the North Park Lodge, part of which they'd converted into a gallery for their own original artwork. (And any wedding that includes a volleyball net AND a cookie table is a success in my book...)

There will be hiccups in my Luddite weekend ways -- for example, I'm traveling to Israel this weekend to speak at the Blogference there -- but I expect those hiccups to be the exceptions, not the rule. If I don't retrain myself to see weekends as MY time, apart from the duties of the web, I'll be back to the same old grind of Sunday night all-nighters when STBD returns for Season Five in September -- and that just won't do.