Go Touch Grass | May 13, 2026

<p>In this open discussion episode, host Jen Van Horn leads a conversation about unplugging from screens, summer hobbies, and creative projects that get you off the computer.</p><p>This episode covers:</p><ul><li><strong>Boulder Startup Week recap</strong>: Highlights from the AI-heavy conference, an unexpected standout workshop using LEGO to surface abstract ideas, and why networking leads from startup events tend to pay off on a longer timeline than you&#39;d expect.</li><li><strong>Explaining motion design to non-designers</strong>: Why pitching at conferences and local meetups sharpens how you describe your work in ways your website never will.</li><li><strong>Automation as a way off the screen</strong>: How vibe coding and AI tools can actually free up time for hiking and other things—and the trap of getting pulled back in to build &quot;just one more&quot; automation.</li><li><strong>Tactile creative projects for summer</strong>: Laser cutters, zoetropes, flip books, stop-motion experiments, and physical design work that keeps the creative muscles moving without a monitor.</li><li><strong>In-camera experimentation over Photoshop</strong>: Playing with prisms, plexiglass, LED wands, and actual cameras to make weird abstract imagery and try unfamiliar genres.</li><li><strong>Rituals that reset the brain</strong>: A grab bag of what the team actually does to unplug—biking, hammocks, gardening, running programs, and small bookend habits that separate work from life.</li><li><strong>Visiting Colorado pre-camp</strong>: Recommendations for anyone arriving early for Camp Mograph, plus a heads-up about altitude.</li></ul><p><strong>Upcoming Events/Schedule:</strong></p><ul><li>**Monday Meeting is moving to a monthly format—every second Monday going forward!</li><li>Next podcast: Open Discussion on June 8th</li><li>Game Night: Wednesday, May 27th</li><li>Join the Discord for announcements, office hours, and topic suggestions</li></ul><p>Visit <a href="MondayMeeting.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">MondayMeeting.org</a> for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!</p><p>SHOW NOTES:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.patreon.com/Monday_Meeting">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://discord.com/invite/2zDcj7PyB7">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monday Meeting Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/monday-meeting-podcast/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mondaymeetingpodcast/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mondaymeeting.bsky.social">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></li><li><a href="https://mondaymeeting.substack.com/%E2%81%A0">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MondayMeeting Newsletter</a></li></ul>