Hi,

Thanks for your patience as I took the summer off to regroup and re-rest. The time has now come to get off our screens together again in my living room.

Quick heads up: I’m using a new-ish platform called Buttondown in an attempt to de-Google myself.

Before I get too in the weeds, here’s a quick refresher/explainer about the event.

phone free adelphi is a night of screen-free creativity where you come to my brownstone (that I rent, relax) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn at 7pm, we collectively turn off our devices, then do whatever activity you’d like. Wanna write? Go ahead. Wanna collage or paint? By all means! Wanna just stare into the abyss and contemplate the meaning of life? I’ve got a great couch just waiting for you.

Sign up for Wednesday, September 16th here.

Note: the event runs from 7pm - 10pm; please only RSVP if you can make the whole evening.

Share this link to have your friends sign up for future events.

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Here’s the part where I update you on my so-called Luddite life…

I’m writing this email from a covered outdoor dining structure at Dieu du Ciel in Montreal, QC. The sun still shines brightly during this late summer afternoon and the bees (or are they wasps?) act like they know they have limited time left. They fly around, dipping into everyone’s beer and poutine, but oddly do not sting.

Today, I roam around this lovely Canadian city solo; I climb Mont Royal through dappled sunlight, dip in and out of random bookstores and shops, and observe strangers here – a bit slower, more relaxed, and definitely more French than my sweet New Yorkers. My ear gradually attunes to the language, and though my French is limited, people speak to me in French to which I generally respond, “Merci.” We smile, and I kinda get what they mean. With fewer interactions here, I’ve had ample time to reflect.

This New York summer started with an absolute BANG. The Knicks captivated the whole world with an incredible win. We held a screening outside of my house next to the Adelphi Free Store (another excellent project I’m part of) and ~200 of our neighbors showed up.

Then came the Summer of Ludd, a weeklong, completely offline festival mostly in Tompkins Square Park where I organized a few events, including a phone free adelphi in Fort Greene park. I acted in the opening play, a retelling of the history of the original Luddites in the early 19th century, where I was cast as a dirty hyper-capitalist. I wonder why?

Perhaps most importantly, I announced my intention to run for President of the United States of America. That’s all I’ll say about it online, for this candidacy will happen completely offline.

Other summer highlights: I traveled to Wisconsin at the absolute height of the Canadian wildfire season; I drank Del’s Lemonade on a beach in Narragansett with my family then ate a delicious lobster roll at Champlin’s nearby; I ate Montreal-style bagels (which are quite tasty indeed, but they ain’t New York bagels); I also deleted LinkedIn, the last social media platform I held onto. Friends, I feel cleansed.

Please delete your social media accounts ASAP. YOU WILL FEEL BETTER (most likely, can’t necessarily guarantee it).

Liberating myself from the shackles of these manipulative algorithms has been more impactful that I could have imagined. And so can you…

All’s that to say, I’m very excited for the fall and I truly cannot wait to see what happens next. Thanks for coming along the ride avec moi. See you at a phone free adelphi soon…