It’s an AFC North football night in Pittsburgh. I bet my boss (a Bengals fan) that if Cincinatti won I’d rock a Joe Flacco background photo for the virtual all-hands tomorrow. If the Steelers win, he has to rock an Aaron Rodgers background. Feels like a trap, but I’m feeling good about the odds. 🏈
Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh City Paper is ending its free weekly print edition in favor of publishing four ‘super issues’ throughout the year. This is an end of an era.
Yes, I’ve reached that point in life where I’m drinking a cup of coffee while watching Steelers football.
Happy first day on the road to a non-losing season for all who celebrate here in Pittsburgh! #HereWeGo #Steelers
Kate Oczypok, writing in Public Source about the perceived dichotomy between sports and the arts here in Pittsburgh:
Despite being a football town, we mustn’t forget how much music and the arts can broaden our minds. Exploring your interests at a young age and deciding what you’re passionate about is so crucial to becoming a well-rounded human.
Pittsburgh is most definitely a sports town, but in my experience it’s also a thriving city for arts and culture. I see it as second fiddle to sports from a per capita perspective, but a very close second.
We timed it perfectly and dodged the raindrops to bike into the city for lunch and a visit to the Museum of Illusions. It’s not really a museum, but a photo-op on steroids. Cool nonetheless!
Grippin’ it and rippin’ it.
We had an amazing night at Founder’s Field for Steel City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riveters. The state of women’s soccer here in Pittsburgh is strong! It was a great game — these ladies played with such intensity — and Adeline got the chance to see the action up close as a ball girl.
Teenage me is crushing pretty hard right now. Lisa Loeb at Three Rivers Arts Festival. The rain held off and she sounded great.
All politics is local. Get out there and vote Pittsburgh!
George Pickens traded to the Cowboys in exchange for multiple draft picks. Not sure how I feel about it to be honest.
Part of me wanted to see both GP and DK on the field at the same time for the Steelers, but I realize this next season will likely be a rebuilding year. 🏈
Spring has sprung here in Pittsburgh! With the kids home from school this week for spring break, I needed to get out of the house so I decided to bike commute to the store to work from there today. It was an absolutely glorious ride. Sunny, warm and with a slight breeze to keep it cool.
If that wasn’t enough to put me in a good mood, when I got to the store the team had an official REI name tag for me. It’s really cool to feel like part of the store team, even though I work in headquarters. One of REI’s core values is “We go further together,” and this is absolutely true in my line of work building software to make our stores easier to operate. I guess after nearly four years with the Co-Op, it’s officially official.
The Steelers did Justin Fields dirty. Benched after a 4-2 start and handled it like a champ. Dude deserves to get paid and play for a coach that trusts/believes in him. Now, who’s going to be leading the offense next fall. Options are getting thin.
I’m stoked about the Steelers acquiring DK. He and Pickens have potential to destroy most secondaries. But I’m nervous about the news they’re meeting with Aaron Rodgers today. All-time great for sure, however his off-field stuff gives me pause. Sign Fields already and be done with it.
We finally had the chance last night to check out Novo Asian Food Hall in the Strip District. Very cool spot. Since it was our first time, we grabbed several dishes and shared. Solid Banh Mi, delish dumplings, amazing sushi, exquisite ramen and a great bar with local spirits. Highly recommended.
Let’s Go Pens!
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 →
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council will begin serving AI slop to their patrons via a customer service chatbot and auto-generated events calendar. This is a bad look for an organization whose mission is to grow “a more resourced, connected, and informed arts sector, empowering artists and arts organizations throughout Southwestern PA.”
Walmart buys Pittsburgh-area mall for $34M | Retail Dive
This is an interesting move for the U.S. based mega-retailer. The Monroeville Mall has been struggling for years, but Walmart as a buyer is a surprise. It will be interesting to see how redevelopment shakes out.
Personally, I have many memories cruising this mall back in the day, but haven’t been inside in decades.
If you’re in Pittsburgh or Western Pennsylvania, the Outdoor Inclusion Coalition has some great programming coming up in February.
There’s something about a Western Pennsylvania winter that demands your full attention. For those unfamiliar, our region gets locked in an embrace with sub-zero temperatures for a few months. The wind whips with an unforgiving fury, carrying an icy mist that stings your face. The sun rises late and it struggles to pierce the pewter sky, as if winter itself has drawn heavy curtains across the world.
In these conditions, getting outside becomes a deliberate decision. There’s no casual stepping out, no spontaneous walks. Each journey requires preparation: layers carefully considered, boots properly laced, paths mentally mapped to minimize exposure. People move at a different rhythm—slower, more intentional, more aware.
I used to fight against this slowdown. I tried to maintain my usual pace, pushing through the bitter wind chills and navigating icy sidewalks with determined steps. But gradually, I started to recognize a brutal winter’s insistence as an invitation rather than an impediment.
Just as the frozen ground inspires an eventual renewal beneath its surface, this season has started to offer its own form of awareness for me. The bare trees reveal a sort of architectural beauty in their stark silhouettes. The quiet that follows a heavy snowfall creates space for thoughts that might otherwise be drowned out by a stacked agenda. There’s a clarity that can be found in absence. I’m learning to trust this process, to find value in the stripping away.
When the wind chill drops this low, you quickly learn which journeys are worth making.
Long winters require mindfulness with an edge. Awareness born of necessity. Every footfall on icy pavement becomes a lesson in presence. Every bitter gust reminds me to check in with myself, to notice where I’m holding tension, to consciously relax into the challenge rather than resist it.
Eventually – as all things eventually do – winter will break. The sun will emerge, and Pittsburgh will gradually shed its icy armor. When that happens, I hope to emerge not just having endured, but having grown – resilient, aware, appreciative of both the challenge and the comfort.
Every welcome thaw begins in the heart of winter, just like every renewal starts in a moment of stillness.
Just a little bit chilly out here.
If you would have told me in August that Ben Skowronek and Mycole Pruitt would be making plays for the #Steelers in week 16 against the Ravens for the division title, I’d have called you crazy.
📍 Penn Avenue, Lower Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Krampus nacht in Pittsburgh!
Anyone else reppin' hard on work calls today? #HereWeGo
BIG Steelers win over the Ravens today! Brings the record to 8-2 with a 1.5 game lead in the division. Let’s go!
Pittsburgh City Paper makes the case for a national park in Western Pennsylvania. It really is a travesty we are without one considering the natural beauty of this area. My vote would go to shifting Ohiopyle State Park to the Federal level.
This is awesome for Pittsburgh! Allegheny County has cut the ribbon on a new outdoor bouldering park, offering more than 6,000 square feet of mixed-ability problems and walls up to 15 feet high. I love climbing indoors at Iron City Boulders, but I will definitely be pulling up to this new spot.
It was a chilly bike commute this morning. The temp read 39º F when I set off from the Millvale trailhead. Beanie and gloves were a must at the start. By the time I neared the Hot Metal Bridge, the full sun confronted me. Beanie came off. I unzipped the nano puff and it flowed like a cape.
Facing tremors, insomnia and pain, Pittsburgh-based artist John Peña searched for answers — and came to blame the noxious air in his neighborhood. Read John’s amazing chronicle of his shifting ailments captured through several years of daily sketches. (via PublicSource; support independent media!)