The Longest Happy Hour Ever.

So Friday around four I was looking forward to an open empty weekend when I got an email from Gwen Bell, a fantastic sk*rty sk*rt whom I met in July in Chicago. She said she was going to be in town for a Startup Weekend and that they were kicking it off in an hour at a happy hour, which just so happened to be taking place in a pub across the street from my office.

Sprawling city of 3 million, and they were literally right across the street. Go figure. And go I went.

I thought I'd pop in, stay for a tiny bit, go home, get on with my life. But what I walked into was not what I expected. Because I walked into a business meeting. A three day business meeting.

It's a long story, but to get free beer, you had to pitch a business idea. I pitched. And they voted for my idea. So I spent the weekend meeting some truly talented, fascinating people.

This bloggity blog blog world takes you places you never expected. Places like business meetings. Really fun ones. No, really.

How I Spent My Weekend.*
(From the Eschipul Flickr File.)

Even the Hurricane Showed Up.

(From the Gwen Bell Flickr File.)

I didn't really stay for the whole thing, but enough to get really excited about the product.

Lots of people talked about it.

Someone even wrote a song about it. (And it's true, there was plenty of yoga.)

It was completely bizarre and really cool.

I have to say, if they are holding a Startup Weekend in a city (or pub) near you, you should give some serious thought about showing up. At least for the free beer.

*Oh, also, I got bangs. But that's an entirely different post.