Friendship!

People, this past weekend was one that I will NEVER forget....

I spent time with so many people whom I have known for years and years...

I laughed until I could not laugh anymore.....

You know how I love to be out and about, and I have been out and about since Thursday....

I love sisterhood and friendship so very much.........

I won't take nothing at all for this life..... It Is GOOD!

I really hope that your weekend was full of love like mine!!!!

Quiet as it is kept, I'm telling the WHOLE story about my Sorority's Centennial Weekend real soon.

Have A Good One!

Thankful Thursday: People, People, People...

Kelly and Me

Around mile 6 of the Rock and Roll half marathon, I ran up on this guy named Kelly, who is in the picture above. I did not know him, but I knew that I needed someone to run with in order to finish this race. So, I saw him running my same pace, and I started running next to him. At first he had on his headset and was paying me no attention, but I wouldn't go away. I said to him "I like your pace," he said "Thanks." Then I said "You look like a strong runner." This caught his attention, and he took off his headset, and we were a team.

I asked him if he had ever seen the movie or read the book The Hunger Games, and he said no. I told him that in the movie, the main character was able to work with a partner in order to try and win the games, and I knew that once they partnered up, they would surely win. I told him that now that we were partnered in this race, we would surely win, and we did. We finished the race strong and together. It's amazing what two or three people can do when they combine their efforts.

I know for sure, for my life, that people make the world go round. As stated by Paulo Coelho in the novel Eleven Minutes:

"Humans can withstand a week without water, two weeks without food, many years of homelessness but not loneliness. It is the worst of all tortures, the worst of all sufferings."

Now, there are many ways to cure loneliness: read a book, think, watch TV, play a game on your phone, talk on the phone or spend time with people who want to spend time with you and that you want to spend time with in return.

Nothing brings me more joy than being with people, and today, I am so Thankful for people who definitely make my world go round.

I've been out of town quite a bit, but thank God for text and email, I have still been able to stay in contact with quite a few people. While away, a co-worker texted me to check on me, and we spent a wonderful day together at the pool on Tuesday. Wednesday, I met some ladies to bike ride. I did not know them before the ride, but they sure did fill my desire to be with people and workout. (I killed two birds with one stone.) There is not a lot of talking on a bike ride, but there is enough talking to create a bond. Thursday, I am meeting a friend in DC for lunch which is what we love to do since I'm not working and can actually meet someone for lunch. I spend quite a bit of time alone, but I need "my people" from time to time for sure.

I do this often, try it, and see don't you feel happier. I think pleasant thoughts about as many people as I can each day. There is no way that I can be in touch with all of the people whom I love daily, but I can think pleasant thoughts of them, and it makes me so happy. I think about someone having a great time on their vacation, or someone having a really great day at work, or someone meeting the guy or girl of their dreams and  the pleasant thoughts come back to me a 1000 folds over. Try it right now..... Thoughts are FREE!

I try and image my life without people, and I can't image it because it makes my heart sad. I want and need an abundance of good people in life.



On that note, today, Thankful Thursday, I am sooooo Thankful for people.......

Call or text and connect or reconnect with someone whom you think is great today; It's medicine for the heart.

Happy Thankful Thursday!!!!

If you are in my life, just know that I totally appreciate you!!!!!

Super Bowl Sunday may be America's best holiday!

Yesterday, The Super Bowl was played in Indianapolis, and millions of people watched the game from home, bars, or at the actual game. I was invited to three parties, and when I contemplated which party to attend, ( I did contemplate, because who you watch the Super Bowl with is very important.) I thought about location, who would likely be there, and I slightly thought about the food. (The food is least important to me.)

One of the parties was about thirty minutes away and the other two were closer to my house. However, all three of the parties would have people that I love and love spending time with, and of course, all three would have great food, for heaven sakes, it's The Super Bowl.

So, I selected the party that I would attend, and boy did I have a good time. We laughed a lot, talked a lot, ate a lot, (The hosts had salmon and beans with no meat. I love my friends.) and watched the game just a little.

The morning before the game, I couldn't help hearing people in the grocery store asking each other if they were going to a Super Bowl Party. Almost everyone said "Yes" with excitement. There is something that millions of people and I love about Super Bowl Sunday, and here is why I think that it just might be America's Best Holiday:

1. People get to decide who they want to spend time with. We don't have to be with our Aunts that really get on our nerves, siblings who just can't stay out of each other's business, cousins that you really don't know etc. You can spend the day with whomever you like.
2. Nobody has to slave over the food. No turkey that takes ten hours to cook, no ham that may take even longer. Nobody, and I mean nobody, has to stay up all night to cook. Chicken wings, potato salad, chips and dip, and desserts that were prepared by the grocery store work just fine.
3. Nobody has to travel far. You can just leave your house and drive to someone's house and have a good time and go home. No crowd airports, expensive airline tickets, and stays that can really end up being too long.
4. Overall, people are normally happy and the conversations are light and whimsical. The commercials and halftime really make for great conversations.

Man, I love Super Bowl Sunday.

Do you agree that Super Bowl Sunday may be America's Best Holiday!!!

You must have punch with... you know what!

Book Club Babes



Book Club Member and me at a book signing. The book was about
Madame CJ Walker



Make no mistake about it, I am a sucker for groups. I love my running groups, hiking groups, biking groups, but my favorite group is my Book Club Group.

When I first moved to the DC area, I was in one of my favorite places at the time: Barnes and Nobel. I discovered that B&N had lots of book clubs: Mystery, Science Fiction, African American etc. When I read about the African American book club group that met the third Tuesday of each month, I decided that I would read the book and attend the meeting. Little did I know at the time, but this book club has become a huge part of life.

Eight, nine, or ten years ago, I arrived at the meeting, and I met such a lively group. I think that the group had been meeting for about a year or more before I came aboard. What surprised me the most was, there were African American men at the meeting. Now, I know that African American men read books, but I never expected to see them at a book club meeting. This is not one of the most masculine places for a man to be. So, with this diversity, I knew that this was the group for me.

Every third Tuesday at 8 o'clock, we met at B&N for years. We had different people to come each month, thanks to the advertisement in the B&N newsletter. When we read Black, White and Jewish by Rebecca Walker, the daughter of the great author Alice Walker, we had a Black, White and Jewish guy from New York to add to this great discussion on the experiences that Rebecca wrote about in her novel. We have also had different authors to meet and discuss their books with us.

Overtime, B&N stopped having their book clubs meet in the store; the book clubs were converted to virtual. Not sure how they do this, but they do it. Even though B&N disbanded their group, we continued to meet. For the last eight, nine or ten years we have met the third Tuesday of each month religiously, except when something major happens like the death of loved ones, travel plans, school etc. But for the most part, we meet regularly. The location has changed, but the group has not.

For the first five or six years, I did not know these ladies names or how to contact them outside of the group. We just faithfully showed up at B&N to discuss books, our lives, our careers etc. We really got to know each other real well, and  after the meetings, we would go our separate ways. We experienced a member being a foster mother, the lost of a husband and daddy, someone trying to quit smoking, and me changing jobs ALOT until I found the one that was perfect for me.

All of the women in this group are so awesome; they make me want to live my best life. One member has run about 35 marathons, maybe not quite that many, but quite a few. This same member is always ready for a trip. One member is my true hangout buddy. We meet at day parties, jazz set, and concerts at the blink of an eye. Our oldest in age, but not at heart, offers us culture. She does everything cultural in the city. She even had season tickets to the opera this past year. She is constantly telling us that we need season tickets to something. Another member is our City of Alexandria activity girl. She informs us of all of the activities in City of Alexandria. She is famous for bringing a newspaper clipping about an event that we really need to attend. So, you can see that this book club rocks.

We've never formally given ourselves a name, but we often refer to ourselves as "Book Club Babes." If you are ever in our neck of the woods, give us a heads up, and I'm sure that you will be warmly welcomed and pleasantly surprised.

Repeat Picture: Book Club member and me on a trip



Both Members of the Book Club: Mother and Daughter

Book Club Member and me hanging out