Americans Meeting Americans

**Leave behind the rushed pace of traditional speed dating and embrace a more relaxed approach to meeting new people, facilitated by a [Dating Coach](https://lovedandfulfilled.com/) with prepared Conversation Icebreakers.** **💕 All ages!** **💕Different sections for different age groups.** Must[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1657502206719?aff=oddtdtcreator)**[RSVP HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1972845805913?aff=oddtdtcreator)** (Event is posted on multiple platforms, attendees displayed here doesn't reflect the actual number) * Easy going greet and meet to socially warm up * Prepared questions to facilitate meaningful conversations and assess compatibility * Engaging discussions in small groups * Opportunity to talk to every single person present * Stress free matchmaking by the coach after the event (no need to ask for contact info on the spot, you will get it after the event) * Fun games to play together Whether you are an introvert or an extravert, welcoming and easy-going environment is guaranteed. You won't have to sweat the small talk, and event will be structured and organized to make connecting effortless. **Cost:** $35 (Pay through[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1299434316019?aff=oddtdtcreator)**[E](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1815006977729?aff=oddtdtcreator)[ventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1972845805913?aff=oddtdtcreator)**[ ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1972845805913?aff=oddtdtcreator)or **Venmo** to @Irena-Polyakova (1469)) **Location**: Uncle Jalapeno Restaurant in Herndon, VA **Time**: 3:00 pm \~ Irena

*\*\* This is a courtesy informational post about a local gaming event. \*\** Convention website: [http://emsps.com/cog/winter/](http://emsps.com/cog/winter/) Congress of Gamers is a 2-day convention held three times a year in Rockville, Maryland. The convention features: * game library * large open gaming rooms * Play-2-Win games (play and be entered to win a copy) * tournament play * scheduled social deduction games like Werewolf and Avalon * and more Single day badges for Sunday are $10 at the door. There is plenty of free parking at the Senior Center where the event is held. Convention website: [http://emsps.com/cog/winter/](http://emsps.com/cog/winter/)

Event Starts @ 1 pm $5 entry Prize support based on attendance

Join us for a laid-back Sunday Brunch. The Brunch is All-You-Can-Eat buffet and a bottle of Champagne (750 ml) with Orange Juice. You make your own mimosa. Just only for $ 35.00 per person without tax & gratuity! It includes French toast, pancakes, waffles, omelettes made to order, Pasta, Salads, Roast Beef, Pork Ribs, oyster bar, cheese bar and Salmon, plenty of fresh fruit, yogurt, cakes, cookies, and pudding....mmmm! After brunch, we have a Happy Hour, where lots of people join us to mingle and socialize. Closest Metro Station is Clarendon. Please take into account Metro's Weekend Track Work & Service Adjustments. Check it on http://www.wmata.com/ and plan accordingly. http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/a/8/2/600_400351362.jpeg http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/a/2/8/600_405471752.jpeg

We are back for our exciting ethnic dining. I have been to Chosun Hwaro once and was impressed with its good vibes and delicious food. Besides Korean bbq they also have many simple traditional non-bbq Korean entrees in the menu that are not pricey. We understand your schedules can change. Please be courteous and update your RSVP 48 hours prior to the event so the next person on wait list can attend. Thanks and look forward to the dinner!! https://www.chosunhwaro.com/

**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no door tickets will be available.** [Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Life of Frankenstein,”** on the birth, evolution and impact of a tale of man-made monstrosity, with Bernard Welt, an emeritus professor of arts and humanities at George Washington University who frequently lectures on Frankenstein in literature, cinema, and culture. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-life-of-frankenstein](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-life-of-frankenstein) .] Guillermo del Toro’s lush and lovingly produced film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel *Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus* is just the latest of many iterations of the story to capture the public’s imagination. People have watched Victor Frankenstein give life to his monster in numerous films, on television, and on stage, and even perform “Putting on the Ritz” with him thanks to the comic genius of Mel Brooks. Mary Shelley did not just tell a tale. She spawned the modern genre of speculative fiction and gave rise to a myth that would crop up in debates over nature versus nurture and other matters. Even today it stokes anxieties over the potential impacts of robotics, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering, by evoking the image of a monster turning on its progenitor. Come gain a new appreciation of Mary Shelley’s creation with the help of Dr. Bernard Welt, who has studied the relationship between nightmares and the horror genre and is the author of *Mythomania: Fantasies, Fables, and Sheer Lies in Contemporary American Popular Art.* Dr. Welt will start by telling a literary origin story almost as famous as Frankenstein itself, of how an 18-year-old Shelley started writing *Frankenstein* in 1816 while staying in a villa on Lake Geneva with two of her era’s leading poets, Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, her lover. Housebound by foul weather, the three read Gothic tales of ghosts and monsters and challenged each other to produce something even more terrifying. Mary dreamed up a story of a man who defied death by creating a living being out of scraps of deceased men harvested from graveyards and anatomy labs. The resulting novel, *Frankenstein*, published anonymously in 1818, would by that century’s end become a touchstone in philosophical discourse on the nature of humanity and in political discussions of imperialism and populism. By the 21st century, Mary Shelley (as she became) had earned a more significant place in the literary canon than Byron and her husband Shelley. We will examine how this grisly tale became a landmark of modern thought and look at the part played by numerous film adaptations from the first years of cinema to the present day. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From a Theodor von Holst engraving in an 1831 edition of *Frankenstein* published by Colburn and Bentley of London.

\*\*\*This event is cross-posted with the DMV Childfree Meetup and the Northern Virginia Childfree Couples and Individuals Meetup; if attending, please RSVP on only one group or the other. The event will be at a private home in Nokesville, VA, hosted by Kristina and Tom! The address will be provided to attendees shortly before the event date. Please bring something to share. Ideas include a meat, egg, potato, pasta, vegetable, grain, legume, sweet, or fruit dish; a salad; or cheese/charcuterie. Bring whatever you feel comfortable with -- and it can be either homemade or from a grocery store or restaurant. As the event date draws near, attendees can post in the chat the type of item they plan to bring. [https://www.facebook.com/groups/nokidsinnovadcmd](https://www.facebook.com/groups/nokidsinnovadcmd) ***

Let's meet up and have an acoustic gypsy jazz jam! There is a nice quiet studio space on the third floor of Photoworks and the owner of Photoworks (Neil) will let us use the space. He has folding chairs there. There is a a parking garage that is free on weekends almost right next to the store, so parking is way easy. I am hoping that an early evening on a Sunday will work well for a number of folks. I am open to doing a Wednesday evening or other times that might work well for folks in upcoming events. We can also explore other venues and locations. A local bar also said I could use their restaurant on a Sunday afternoon or evening or a mid week evening for a possible future jam session. Step one is meeting up and getting to talk and play some music and then we can discuss what works for folks best etc after we see each other. Hope lots of y'all can make it. My personal email address is Taraworlds@gmail.com. I am not awesome at using the meetup platform for communicating quite yet. If you want my cell phone number and plan to come and want it in case of questions email me ahead of time and I can give it to you. I will not be checking emails that day. Looking forward to lots of friend making and music making. :) Tara Linhardt

This is an easy level hike along the Potomac Heritage Trail with views of the Potomac River. We weave in and out of the forest with scenic views of Maryland and Virginia The meeting location for this program is at the parking area of Fort Marcy along the GW Parkway. Directions below. *** WHAT TO WEAR: * Comfortable, well-broken-in, sturdy walking shoes or ankle-high boots. * Protective clothing should include: * Long comfortable loose fitting pants * A cotton blend shirt provides for better perspiration and comfort * Dress in layers for warmth and comfort *** WHAT TO BRING: * Water canteen or bottle filled with water (at least 1 quart, bring what you feel you can carry or need to drink) *** WHERE TO MEET: Meet in the Fort Marcy Parking area onloing the GW Parkway. Please note you can only get there on the northbound side. It is approx. 4 miles from Roosevelt Island and the right turn into the parking lot comes up very quickly once you see the sign for Fort Marcy from the GW Pkwy. Marcia, 301-352-5272 IMPORTANT: Your RSVP to this hike assumes the following Acknowledgement of Risks, Responsibility, and Release of Liability. Fresco Adventures, a program of Fresco Enterprises, LLC is the sponsor of arrangements for this activity and is not responsible for any damage, loss, injury, or accident due to any act by the participants. Note: There are elements of risk in any activity associated with the outdoors and the use of any related equipment. Although precautions are taken to provide proper organization and suitable equipment so that you have a safe and enjoyable experience, there can be no guarantee of absolute safety against injury and accident. Acknowledgement of Risks, Responsibility and Release: I recognize the apparent risks of this activity which I and any minor children for which I am responsible, will engage in and confirm that I am mentally and physically capable of participating in the activity. I participate willingly and voluntarily, and I assume full responsibility for any personal injury. I hereby release Fresco Enterprises, LLC, its principals, agents, or volunteers from all liability and waive any claim for damage arising from any cause whatsoever.

***Registration required at Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy -*** [Birding Algonkian - Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy](https://loudounwildlife.org/event/birding-algonkian-january/) Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy on a search for birds at the Algonkian Regional Park in eastern Loudoun County. This bird walk takes place each month except December. With extensive frontage along the Potomac River, its rich bottomland forests, extensive wetlands and grassy areas combine to make it Loudoun’s top birding hotspot. Bring binoculars if you have them. We’ll meet at the boat ramp next to the parking lot.

**Daniel Neihoff** is an *emerging singer/songwriter from Paducah, KY*. He has been described as “one of the best storytelling songwriters in Nashville.” Daniel grew up in a family of songwriters, with both his father and grandmother crafting melodies and lyrics. He wrote his first song at 8 years old, surrounded by a family fit for country songs – the old kind about struggle and lonesomeness, mistakes among enduring love. The melodies and legends were all around him in his family, and it all seeped in. His accolades are impressive: he won the Kerrville New Folk Competition in 2019, was a 3-time finalist of Songwriter Serenade, placed 3rd in the Woody Guthrie songwriter contest, and won the Rocky Mountain Songwriters Contest in 2023. Neihoff has also been featured on PBS and received praise from Lori Walsh, host of In The Moment on SDPB, who said, “Daniel Neihoff, you are just what we need.” **Eryn Michel**’s songwriting walks the tightrope between real-life mess and wild imaginings—like her life, you’ll never be quite sure whether she’s singing truth, fiction, or a generous splash of both, drawn from a résumé that almost sounds made up: convoy gunner in Iraq, staffer in the Obama White House, phlebotomist, janitor, wedding planner, voice actor, and private security for a king’s granddaughter. Her songs have earned her the 2024 Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Grand Prize and a two American Songwriter lyric contest wins. **Reserve your seat by paying Scott Moore at [Moore Music in the House](https://www.mooremusic.org/). Suggested in-person contribution is $30.00. All proceeds go to the artists.** **At 6:00 pm**, I will be seated at the [Outta the Way](https://www.outta.com/) Cafe in Derwood. I'll bring a Meetup sign. Consider joining me before going to Scott and Paula's house. The cafe is 8 minutes away from our music venue. At Scott and Paula's house, I will be the tall woman with grey hair and a dark mask. I will ask Scott to reserve our seats together. **Please,** either let me know that you have not reserved a seat or you intend to not show up.

Please go to your Meetup account and elect to receive "EVENT UPDATES FROM ORGANIZERS" to help us keep you updated. Here's how... Go to "Settings" Then go to "Email updates" Scroll down to "Updates about your groups" Then go to the name of the group and click "Edit" Then select "Event updates from organizers"

Meet for coffee and let’s discuss fun travel ideas and past trips.

Please go to your Meetup account and elect to receive "EVENT UPDATES FROM ORGANIZERS" to help us keep you updated. Here's how... Go to "Settings" Then go to "Email updates" Scroll down to "Updates about your groups" Then go to the name of the group and click "Edit" Then select "Event updates from organizers"

Regular coffee meetup for people to meet, make new friends, or enjoy general conversations with coffee. Great for those who are new in town or looking for new activities to do! This will be held at Ridgetop Coffee and Tea in Sterling. Additional Note: If you are on the Wait List, you can still feel free to attend if you wish.