Camping, Traveling, Volunteering, and Meeting in 2026

Hi friends,

You all are busy...but I want to check in with you everyone...

...especially because Meetup might cull & purge many group members soon.

Ergo, this might be my last chance to say "good bye" to several of you.

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Before doing so, I want to quickly mention my hope for this new year is to plan a few in-person meetings, and possibly an online/virtual meeting if others are interested.

For example:

I might want to volunteer this upcoming Saturday.

Some options include:

Saturday, Jan 17 @ Irvine for Days for Girls - they make washable, feminine hygiene items for girls in developing countries

Saturday, Jan 17 @ Anaheim for The Mission Continues - they (mostly veterans) are doing a children's playground improvement project

or

Saturday, Jan 17 @ West LA (near Century City & Westwood) for Days for Girls - they make washable, feminine hygiene items for girls in developing countries

If anyone is interested in any of the aforementioned, feel free to lmk and I'll post more details (time, address, etc.).

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Monday, Jan 19, I plan on going to LA (north of Downtown & Dodger Stadium and south of Glendale) in the afternoon. Traffic back to Orange County will probably be bad, so if anyone near DTLA, Pasadena, Glendale, San Gabriel Valley, East LA, or South LA wants to do a small group meetup for dinner, feel free to lmk.

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Saturday, Jan 31 @ Santa Ana (east of Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley and north of IKEA in Costa Mesa), a group, Sabil USA, is having a volunteer even to make food boxes for Ramadan. I've joined them in the past and I feel they are friendly and welcoming (being Muslim / Middle Eastern isn't required imo).

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Okay...so in bidding farewell & adieu to some of you, I want to say "thank you" to all those I've meet through volunteering, camping, etc.

Meeting strangers online can be daunting and intimidating -- but we've been pleasantly surprised from numerous, positive experiences.

We realize the world (and country) feels chaotic, divisive, uncertain, and negative.

Sometimes news stories or viral videos on social media show us the angry, hateful, cruel, selfish, corrupt, and evil that exists--but we've also seen the kindness, compassion, generosity, and love from individuals in this group.

So if we never see or talk again, as Meetup deletes or removes many of you--please know we treasure and cherish the good experiences & memories from our time(s) together.

Since 2010, I volunteered for Comfort Zone Camp, an organization for children who lost a parent, sibling, or other loved one.

I've helped at over 64 children's camps in California and throughout the country (Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North & South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Meeting hundreds of kids and listening to their heart-breaking stories about the death of their family member has left an indelible impression on me...

...which often reminds me of life being short, our time being limited, and why life is a gift.

The past two years, I attended a camp in Michigan and heard several kids share about losing a loved one to suicide.

Sadly, some people struggle with mental health, anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc.

Compounded with today's economic challenges (e.g. wages not keeping up with inflation, increasing costs for food, housing, health insurance, car insurance, etc).

In this group, a myriad of group members have moved to other states (maybe not all, but some probably were affected by the high cost of living).

With all the issues / hurdles facing us -- hopefully you all know you aren't alone.

One of the many things I admire & appreciate about the children's camp, is they showed thousands of kids, in the midst of their grief & mourning -- they weren't alone in their struggles.

Suffering and hardships are inevitable realities for many -- and together, we are encouraged and strengthened in solidarity and unity.

Regardless if any of you return to Meetup or rejoin this group (assuming Meetup deactivates your account for being inactive), I sincerely, genuinely, and honestly wish the best of happiness, health, and pride to you all.

Cheers!

Sincerely your friend,

wiseman

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For everyone else who sticks around...

...I know I've been busy the past two years.

I anticipate traveling less this year for volunteering, so I should be in SoCal more.

Especially with all the crazy stuff going on in the country, I'll need some self-care and mental health breaks -- so I hope to plan a camping trip this year (or next year).

I also hope to volunteer more locally (Orange County & Los Angeles)...so hopefully we can do more group events.

People who volunteer tend to be kind, caring, friendly, positive, and loving -- so I unequivocally love being surrounded by such stellar, exemplary, and exceptional individuals.

I also will try to plan an online thing...especially for those who have moved away.

Oh, and I want to play more board games, so if any others know of some groups that are fun, please lmk.

If anyone wants to do a monthly get-together, like for dinner & conversation, also lmk.

btw, if anyone loves to travel -- I'm open to going to Hawaii & Japan.

I also told a friend I'll try to visit Charlotte or Raleigh (North Carolina) this year.

And if anyone is interested in

the Caribbean (Aruba; Grand Cayman; Havana, Cuba; Montego Bay; Nassau, Bahamas; Punta Cana; Turks & Caicos; San Juan; or St. Thomas)

or

Mexico (Cabo San Lucas / Los Cabos; Cancun; or Puerto Vallarta)

or

Central America (Belize; Liberia, Costa Rica; or San Jose, Costa Rica)

If any of you want to find your own travel buddy for domestic or international destinations, feel free to lmk and maybe others in our group can join you.

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For camping & hiking, I hope to return one day to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier (Montana), Banff & Jasper (Canada), and...

maybe next year, visit the NPs in the PNW - Washington & Oregon.

Oh, and again, if any of you want to plan your own group get-together, feel free to lmk.

Okay...let's have an amazing 2026 year. Cheers!