Sheryl and I spent the weekend in Toronto, flying up early Saturday morning and returning early this morning. This was, I believe, the first time we had flown anywhere together without the kids in 21 years, and it was long overdue.

We flew up to attend the Podcast Power Up Summit, which is part of the Radiodays North America & CMW Music Conference. I don’t generally see much value in attending conferences, especially since most occur in the States, and the cost of flying down there from the Island is usually exorbitant. This one eschewed the common “this is how you create a podcast-type fare” for more interesting discussions.

Walking into a room full of strangers who seem to know each other is a source of discomfort for Sheryl and me. At any social gathering, I would be that weirdo standing in the corner drinking coffee while everyone else is on the dance floor. I was better this time and managed to chat with people I have connected with over email. We had our picture taken, listened to some interesting people talk about podcasting, and generally enjoyed the whole experience.

The highlight of the weekend was the box of pastries we ate outside at Blackbird Baking in the Kensington Market. There is nothing like getting a sugar and caffeine high while people-watching. Delicious pastries.

The other was going to hear Barry Elmes with Brian OKane on Trumpet. Brian attended Humber while I was there, and as it turned out, I hadn’t heard him play in 37 years—a number I doubt, but it appears to be true. He sounded great.

We did a lot of walking on Saturday, about 33km. And it felt like we were being constantly gassed. I have never smelled so much cannabis in my life, and there are cannabis stores everywhere. I have nothing against cannabis, alcohol, sugar, or whatever substance you need to bring about temporary happiness, but the amount seems problematic.

There is one constant in travelling out of Charlottetown – inconvenient flight times and delays. I’ve always flown light, but this weekend, flying with just a tiny backpack greatly alleviates the stress of boarding and onboarding. I am off to Calgary at the end of the month, and I think I’ll try to fly with just a tiny backpack again. It’s worth it.