Oh it's a big, big weekend around these parts. The Derby, the Celtics in Game 7, the Sounds, and oh, wait...THE BLOGAVERSARY!

This weekend it's really simple: go see some live music.
There's pretty much something on tap for just about everyone over the next few days, including CD releases, hip-hop showcases, and oh yeah, Record Store Day.

Since things have been so fluid on the NXT Desk this week, I thought I'd shift the Weekend Blog into Express mode. All the highlights, all the frills, none of the stuff you don't want (annoying commercials, excess fat, pledge drives...). So let's see what's on the radar for this weekend.

How am I going to spend my weekend? More than likely dedicating more hours to a TV somewhere watching college basketball. Especially since Mizzou keeps advancing. But for everyone else, there's plenty of action...minus that Digable Planets show. Looks like that's dead. But I do have some details...

It's a busy day here on the NXT Desk, and as you already know, my weekend plans are in flux.

So here's the Weekend Blog - Express version. But don't worry, it's worth it. (It's got some Jon Hamm.)

Never, ever forget that holiday weekends have two benefits: You get an extra day off, and the weekend comes a lot sooner.

A classic hip-hop battle, a Portland music jumble and the rise and fall (and rise?) of America with Alyssa Milano and a skinny guy in a rented star-spangled hat? It's all possible this weekend.

Putting Valentine's Day on a weekend...on a three-day weekend? Oh. Wow.
It's best to prepare yourself for some sweet, angry and funky invitations over the next few days.
Also, do yourself a favor and skip the Roses. If everyone's buying them, they're not special anymore.

It's the end of another week, so let's run down some of the possibilities for this weekend, which include, but are not limited to, staying in with a warm Snuggie.

You were warned.

Before we jump into all the crazy shenanigans you can get yourself into this weekend, I have to make one quick programming note.

Some of you may already know, but here's the headline: I'm going to DC next week on the Press Herald's Inauguration Squad. I'll be in the district from Sunday through Wednesday and blogging the bejeebus out of it.

So logistically speaking, things will be a little quiet around here for a few days. You will be able to find me over on Political Extra, where I will be live-blogging throughout Tuesday.

But in the meantime, there are things to get into this weekend.

We've made it another week and fortunately it's not hazardous just to walk out your front door.

That sounds like reason to celebrate by heading out for a show and a beer to me.

We like to appreciate the small things around the NXT Desk.

When I started writing the weekend blog I didn't intend for it to turn into a listing of non-stop holiday parties...but it just kind of happened. There's a lot of people celebrating the season this weekend, and chances are your favorite local band is in the mix.

Nicki Hicks is a Search Engine Marketer at a local Web Design/Internet Marketing firm, flyte new media, and writes for their Maine SEO blog. She's also practicing yogini, a wannabe artist, and has recently acquired a taste for the Twilight series.

As Justin is out for a few weeks, I figured I would throw a little female intuition into the mix, as well as add to the movie theme Videoport Jones has going.

With $70 million in its first weekend at the box office, the much-anticipated Twilight rivaled other romantic films of its kind (Sex and the City coming in the closest at about $60 million).

So first: how's the movie? It lived up to the hype. It follows Stephanie Meyer's story, as best it can for a 500-page novel anyway, including all of the major points you'd expect. There were a few interesting twists, keeping even the most avid (read: obsessed) fan on the edge of their cushioned theater seat.

The real story though? The Harry Potter-esque hysteria and fan base. (Speaking of Harry Potter, did you know Robert Pattinson played Cedric Diggory in the 'Order of the Phoenix'?) While the series and movie have not gotten quite the same reaction from the male population, women have been flocking to the theaters. What's more: the film seems to have closed the generation gap.

In my movie-going group alone, we had women who were 20-somethings, 30-somethings, and 40-somethings; along with a few teens (maybe even preteens) that dotted the theater in an effort to ditch school on the first Friday it was out. This reaction has caused Pattison to share in interviews that, to paraphrase, the fans flocking to him have been both teen girls and their mothers alike.

So ladies, this is the perfect female bonding flick - a love story to bridge the years between you and your Mom or daughter. And good news - 'New Moon' is officially in the works!

Editor's note: Justin is on vacation hiatus, so in his stead, we bring guest bloggers to the NXT desk.

Well, with Justin out on a well-deserved and desperately-necessary vacation after the rigors of the election season (and go Obama, by the way), I, Videoport Jones, am left to thrash about in the high grass of this week's new releases without his steadying voice of reason to guide me. God help us all...

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army: "He's big, red, mean, has horns growing out of his head, and was born in Hell. And he's the good guy. I love comics. Mike Mignola's favorite funnybook son makes his return foray to the silver screen in this largely successful sequel. Perhaps Hellboy's second biggest fan, director Guillermo Del Toro is back too, and that's good news for the likes of us, as the fanciful-yet-disciplined mythmaker (are you taking notes Tim Burton?) of 'Pan's Labryinth' and 'The Devil's Backbone' brings his a-game, along with his fanboy cred to the party. Also thankfully back is Ron Perlman, who inhabits the character with a gruff, no-nonsense, working-class demeanor that seems just right for the character. Selma Blair is back, too, rather regretfully, as H-Boy's requisite love interest, but it's not a huge handicap. Weirder than the current spate of comics adaptations by about 45%, and full of neat, witty effects and clever touches along with the smash 'n' bash, this one's a winner."

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: "George Lucas continues to whizz all over my childhood, and now he's shaken the last drops with this indifferently-CGI'ed prequel to something, or sequel to something else, or, hell, I don't know. There's bland voice acting, mediocre storytelling, and long, long, LONG dull stretches punctuated by slightly above average computer animation during the too-infrequent battles. Someone just needs to take Georgie's toys away at this point."

What We Do Is Secret: "Ever hear of Darby Crash and the Germs? No? Well then you're probably neither cool, hip, nor with it. Either that or you aren't an historian of the California punk scene in the late 70s-early 80s. In eaither case, you are forgiven. Crash has gained a minor cult following over the years (aided by his early suicide, coincidentally on the day John Lennon was shot, and the Germs' appearance in Penelope Spheeris' documentary 'The Decline of Western Civilization'), and this rambling, scruffy little biopic is the result."

When Did You Last See Your Father?: "The second of this week's oddly prosaic film titles comes along with this British drama about a successful writer (Colin Firth) who, on the brink of his greatest triumph, finds himself reliving his troubled relationship with his incorrigiable rapscallion of a father (Jim Broadbent). Based on a memoir by Brit writer Blake Morrison, this is the sort of intense chamber piece that guarantees an audience not at all, but offers its leads the opportunity to strut their stuff, and Firth (rescued from Bridget Jones-land) and Broadbent (never better) take full advantage. "

The Perfect Holiday and This Christmas: "One hates to lump two otherwise unrelated films together, since no doubt the people involved worked on them really hard and their moms must be so proud of them, but, well.... It's Holiday film season again, and in addition to the big screen's destined-to-be-insufferable offerings (Four Christmases, anyone? Anyone...?), we here at Videoport are flooded with last years holiday movie detritus right about now. These two African-American-themed Christmas would-be heartwarmers can boast some decent actors (Delroy Lindo, 'The Wire''s Idris Elba, Morris Chestnut), but I'll be damned if I can tell them apart. So, if you're desperate for some holiday cheer, or just something your mom will pronounce 'nice', then, by all means..."

Love Songs: "From the director of 'Dans Paris' comes this French New Wave-ian love triangle where the leads occasionally break into song. Yup, it's a postmodern French musical, kids! Be the first on your block! Only at Videoport!"

Beer for My Horses: "Oh, hell no... Country music flag-fan Toby Keith stars in this action comedy about a pair of bumbling redneck deputies who do...I dunno, something. I'd give a more complete summary, but even with one of co-star, rock legend, and trigger-happy nutbar Ted Nugent's loaded crossbows to my head, I would not, ever, watch this movie. You have fun, though..."

Typically the only Mainers who get national exposure for their viral videos are the guys over at Eepybird.com whenever they roll out a wacky new experiment.

But over this last weekend, it wasn't a couple of guys in lab coats and some exploding Diet Coke - it was a local TV anchor and a presidential candidate.

I got back behind the camera last week after spending some time with the kids at Hip-Hop Summer Camp.

Here's a brief glimpse of a day at camp: laying down vocal tracks, matching beats...and a little frustration.

For more info: Hip-Hop Summer Camp's Myspace page.

It was a pretty busy couple of days last weekend on the NXT Desk. You've already seen Zombie Kickball (Z-ball as the kids call it) but a day before, on Saturday, we went down to Saco for a pinball tournament.

If this keeps up we'll be jump starting "The Wide World of Sports."

"Spanning Southern Maine to bring you the constant variety of sport! The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The human drama of athletic competition! This is NXT's Wide World of Sports!