∞

At our Q2 #TeamSPS company meeting I was honored to share the stage with Elizabeth Neuville and Christy Sovereign and announce our support of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games — SPS Commerce is the official Bocce sponsor! Why Bocce? It needs the most volunteers and TeamSPS values volunteering!

Three people on a stage with blue curtains, screens showing Special Olympics Minnesota branding for the 2026 USA Games.Seven people posing in front of a Special Olympics USA Games Minnesota 2026 sign, one wearing a gold medal and Special Olympics t-shirt.Seven people pose cheerfully in front of a Special Olympics USA Games Minnesota 2026 sign, one wearing a gold medal.

∞

Pirates of the Spanish Main at Enigma Adventure

We capped off Mother’s Day with a trip to Enigma Adventures in Maple Grove to do their Pirates of the Spanish Main room. This room was the top recommendation of the folks that run Copper Cat Escape Games and it held up to the recommendation. The room has a wonderful mix of puzzles and multiple “reveals” that were very fun surprises. The pacing of the puzzles and challenges was good. With just the four of us we were challenged to keep the pace fast and sadly we didn’t get there in the 60 minute deadline, but we did finish just a minute or two past that.

We had previously done Istanbul Gambit at Enigma’s other location and they should get very high marks on how well these rooms are executed. They are very good, imaginative, and the mechanics are top notch. We gave Pirates a ★★★★★ rating for sure. It is also nice that they don’t make you sign waivers. They could do better with the overall ambiance and it feels like colocating with Whirly Ball isn’t pulling in visitors.

Highly recommend giving this room a go — we had a great time! Room 69!

Four people smiling together inside a rustic log cabin room with stone fireplace and round porthole windows overhead.
∞

We went to a live recording of The Object podcast at the MIA today. Dessa was the special guest discussing Salvador Dalí and the surrealists. She is always engaging and entertaining.

Promotional graphic for The Object Live podcast sponsored by Ameriprise Financial on a teal gradient background
∞

Happy Mother’s Day to the “heart of our family” and most amazing of Mom’s.

Three people smiling together outdoors under a flowering tree, woman in floral shirt flanked by two teenagers in casual summer clothes.
∞

Moms are awesome — especially mine. Happy Mother’s Day! 💛

Two people smiling and posing together under a flowering tree in a garden, the woman wearing glasses and a striped shirt, the man in an orange button-up shirt
∞

Upgraded one of my bikes with these awesome large Crank Brothers Stamps. Old pedals were too small.

Two bicycle flat pedals on a foam mat inside a toolbox, a large Crank Brothers Stamp 1 on the left and a smaller old pedal on the right.
∞

Plant shopping at the Heart to Care Tanzania plant sale! If you are in the Twin Cities and want plants you can support a good cause at the same time. 🇹🇿

Outdoor plant sale with potted sedum on ladders and a pink sign reading 100% of proceeds support our school in TanzaniaDozens of potted plants arranged in rows on a grassy lawn at an outdoor plant sale, with canopy tents and trees in the background.Outdoor plant sale with dozens of potted seedlings on folding tables set up on a sunny lawn with trees and a canopy tent in the background.Potted violet plants with purple flowers on a table at an outdoor plant sale, with more plant-filled tables visible in the background.

∞

Manu recently added an RSS feed of new sites to Blogroll. I popped it into Feedbin to discover new blogs. I explored a few and was delighted at the diversity of sites these bloggers have. If there is an opposite of scrolling an algorithmic feed it is this. Let’s bring surfing the web back. 🏄

∞

Thanks to the recent fix on micro.blog allowing blogs over 5G to export I got my first backup in 2 years and 4 months! My total backup is now 11.58 GB, and it seems in the last couple years I averaged 187.5 MB of additions a month. ☺️

Finder window showing four Micro.blog archive files dated from 2021 to today, ranging in size from 4.68 GB to 11.58 GB.
∞

An incredible day of soccer getting to see Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players to ever play the game, come onto Allianz Field and score the sole Inter Miami goal in a 4-1 loss against MN United. Security and press coverage was way more than usual. PULGA = GOAT! ⚽️🐐

Four fans pose at Allianz Field pitch-side, one child holding a handmade sign reading PULGA GOAT, soccer game in background. Inter Miami players in white and pink warm up on the pitch at Allianz Field as photographers with long lenses line the sideline Soccer players in pink and black kits mid-match on the pitch at Allianz Field before a packed crowd, with Continental and Allianz ads on the boards. Player wearing pink number 10 Messi jersey dribbles the ball on the pitch at Allianz Field as defenders close in, packed stadium in background. Soccer players in pink and black kits compete near the goal at a packed Allianz Field during an MLS match. Man in plaid shirt and blue cap takes a selfie at Allianz Field while a fan behind him holds a handmade sign reading PULGA GOAT.