Conversation

Come enjoy breakfast and conversation with us at The Kosher Pastry Oven in Silver Spring. This is a great away to break with your old routine and make new friends. Questions? Click on my picture below to contact me. Hope to see you there! Ross A.

**Tired of surface-level conversations?** Join us for *Skip The Small Talk*—an evening of deep, real connection with strangers who are down to go there. We’ll meet at the church (we are a secular group), break into small groups, and draw questions from a deck of cards designed to spark vulnerable, honest conversations. ***Rules:*** 1. Don't debate politics. 2. Keep what is shared in the group within the group. 3. If you need to use your phone, step away from your group first. \*\*If you show up late, please hop into a group and don't interrupt the speaker. Just sit down in a group of your choice, and they'll bring you up to speed when whoever is talking finishes. Community of Christ church: 3526 Massachusetts Ave. PS—If you want to support the group (Meetup organizer fees, new card games, misc. materials) then you can buy me a coffee here: https://buymeacoffee.com/dillantaylor ^^This is 100% optional, and can be done on a one-time or monthly basis. But the meetup will always be free. Thanks! 🙏

This group was originally started by Chad Keith who created and hosts a podcast by the same name in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping to continue his legacy here in NoVa as I recently moved to this area. This group is all about finding community around self-improvement and exchanging ideas on how to be your best self and get the most out of life. This group is for anyone who is interested in overcoming average in all areas - career, ambitions, relationships, hobbies, health, everything. I am so excited to meet driven individuals in the NoVa area so please reach out if you have any questions at all. EVERYONE is welcome so please sign up for an upcoming meetup!

Please join Robert Brandau, our Founding Director, for coffee, conversation, job search assistance and just the ability to get out of the house and be with others as we look for **QUALITY** Employment. Bring your laptop, (if you need a new one, please let [Career-Confidence.org](http://career-confidence.org/) know.) there will be plenty of time for us to work seperately. Occassionally we have "on the spot" interviews with others at Fairfax Coffee. Often times some of us will go out to lunch or a simple dinner afterwards.

The temperature is supposed to be in the 50s next Wednesday. Let’s take advantage and go on at walk at Brookside Gardens. It is half price burger day at Stained Glass Pub if anyone wants to go to lunch afterwards. We will meet to the right facing the visitors center.

Let's visit the Museum of the American Indian together and check out the diverse and fascinating art, artifacts and history exhibits, including exhibitions [like this one by the Plains nations.](https://americanindian.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/item?id=1005) Then if you have time, let's enjoy a unique lunch at their [Mitsitam Cafe](https://share.google/h3llKmNOh6qVSjkkR), which offers a food-court-like array of Native-inspired dishes. [According to the museum website](https://americanindian.si.edu/visit/dc/dining), "stations reflect the bounties of the various regions throughout the Western Hemisphere, from the Four Corners to coastlines and woodlands. “Mitsitam” means “Let’s eat!” in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples." Admission is free, and we will meet near the entrance at 10 am, or at the cafe about 11:30. I'll have a FFF>50 sign, and I'll also text you to make sure we find each other (please include your cell # with your RSVP, thanks!) Hope to see you! Meetup has brought us together, but please also join Finding Female Friends >50 on Mighty Networks! Any member can create an event there (even a super-simple one like coffee or a walk), and great women will join you! Plus there's no pressure to pay or upgrade. [Join here,](https://community.fff50.org/share/dbWb9iJu5XwSN2TR?utm_source=manual) hope to see you! Here's to more in-person events and more friendships in 2026!

Come the whole time or if you just spend 30 minutes. All are welcome. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own coloring supplies but, if you don't have any, I will have plenty and am happy to share! (coloring books, colored pencils, and markers). Part of the mission of this group is to provide us an opportunity to check out AND SUPPORT local businesses. So, please don't bring any outside food/drinks and, while purchasing something isn't at all a REQUIREMENT to participate in the event, I do strongly encourage you to try something from the vendor :) I look forward to seeing and meeting you there! ***\*\*DISCLAIMER*\*\*** Photos may be taken during the event to be shared here on Meetup so feel free to let me know if you'd like to be excluded from them.

This month we'll discuss hobbies and curiosity. As usual, we'll socialize for about an hour before the discussion starts at the local spacetime of 8:30pm. I encourage everyone to bring something yummy to share! **Thoughts:** In a capitalistic society, we often feel guilty if our hobbies aren't "productive" or monetized. **Question:** Is a hobby only valuable if it produces a result (a painting, a garden, a fitness goal), or is the value entirely in the *doing*? Does "turning a hobby into a side hustle" destroy its philosophical essence? * **The "Side Hustle" Trap:** "A hobby is only truly 'restful' if it is economically useless. Once a hobbyist begins selling their work or monetizing their craft, the activity ceases to be a hobby and becomes labor, regardless of how much they enjoy it." **Question:** Has our modern obsession with "expert status" ruined the joy of being "bad" at something? Is there a specific type of wisdom that only an amateur can possess? * **The Amateur's Liberty:** "The expert is a prisoner of their own knowledge, bound by 'the right way' to do things. The amateur is the only one truly free to innovate because they are not afraid of 'doing it wrong.' Discuss: Is the amateur's perspective more valuable than the expert's?" * **The Participation Trophy:** "The modern 'joy of being bad' is actually a cope for a lack of discipline. We should strive for excellence in our hobbies; to intentionally remain an amateur is to disrespect the potential of the craft." * **Cognitive Humility:** "The most important philosophical benefit of a hobby is the 'Beginner’s Mind.' If you aren't regularly doing something you are bad at, your ego becomes rigid and your ability to learn new things atrophies." Philosophers like Heidegger distinguished between "curiosity" (a restless desire for the new) and "wonder" (a deep, still appreciation of what is). * **The Question:** Does modern curiosity—fueled by endless scrolling and "fun facts"—actually destroy our ability to experience true wonder? Is curiosity just a superficial version of awe? Can we be "greedy" with knowledge just as we are with money? * **The Question:** Is there a point where seeking knowledge becomes a vice—a way to collect "intellectual trophies" to feel superior—rather than a virtuous pursuit of truth? * [https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025/12/24/gen-z-says-hotties-need-hobbies](https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025/12/24/gen-z-says-hotties-need-hobbies) [https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/does_curiosity_have_a_dark_side](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/does_curiosity_have_a_dark_side) [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201608/curiosity-the-good-the-bad-and-the-double-edged-sword](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201608/curiosity-the-good-the-bad-and-the-double-edged-sword)

Hello beautiful people! Are you worried that your online dating profile pictures aren’t great? Or just want a new LinkedIn profile picture? Well, here’s your chance to come meet new people, have a cup of coffee with other singles like yourself, and get your photos taken by a real professional. Christine normally charges $350 and up for head shots and photos. Here’s your chance to get 1-2 photos in an "ultra mini" session. By attending this, you will get 5 to 10 minutes personally with Christine to take your best real life photo showing off your best self. What better way to kick off 2026 with brand new photos. Photos will be taken inside and outside the cafe, for a "natural" setting look and feel. You can pre-pay in advance by Venmo to Christine (https://venmo.com/u/Christine-Lau-13) for $77. Or pay at the door for $88. Check out her work here: https://www.tinkerlightphotography.com/headshots For any questions, you can DM Christine on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tinkerlightphotography/

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good discourse and deeper community, join us for lunch and a conversation on ***Discipline vs. Self-Compassion: What Actually Makes Growth Possible?*** Here’s how it works: For just two hours, a table of people set aside the need to "convince" or "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by an experienced table host, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. In a world of disconnection and surface-level interaction, we'll carve out some time just to be humans together and have a meaningful conversation. **As mentioned above, our topic for this lunch will be, "Discipline vs. Self-Compassion: What Actually Makes Growth Possible?"** At this universal time of taking stock and making resolutions, we'll explore how we can be our best selves in 2026. We hope you'll join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another. We'll be meeting in The Edmund, the condominium adjacent to Wegmans. You can park in the Wegmans lot and walk outside and then around the store to the front of The Edmund, or park in any of the many nearby surface lots. We’ll meet in the Lobby and walk to the conference room together. Look for your host, Heidi Clark! This will be a "bring your own lunch" gathering. If you need somewhere convenient to get food, the Wegmans has a great self-serve cafe. BreadBreakers, an initiative by Restoration United Methodist Church in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community where all beliefs, faiths, and stripes are welcomed. Our leadership and volunteer team includes people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

**What’s Your Spiritual New Year’s Resolution (Free Event)** **This is the time of year when many of us ask ourselves the big questions — Am I happy? What's my purpose? Is my life working for me? How can I make this year better than the last? We have New Year's goals and aspirations for our careers, families, relationships, health, wealth and more, believing these will make us happy. But what makes us truly happy? Can living our lives with a more spiritual orientation help us to fully achieve our goals and bring us authentic happiness? Do we really have to choose to focus on one or a few areas or can we fully integrate all aspects of our lives and find true happiness?** **Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on the meaning of true happiness. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore our own spiritual growth and the building of diverse, spiritual communities around us.** **“Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy.” – Bahá’í Teachings** **\*\*\*This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.**

Bonsoir ! We will be meeting on Wednesday 1/7/25 at Locavino in downtown Silver Spring (in the town square). There is free parking in the Whole Foods lot, or paid parking in the garage across the street. It is a short walk from the Silver Spring stop on the red line. Please note that this is a 21+ group. All levels of French welcome!

**Join us in Falls Church for conversations that go beyond small talk.** Higher Grounds – Falls Church is where this growing network of gatherings began: a space for thoughtful, authentic dialogue about what matters most. Whether we’re exploring the nature of happiness, the challenges and possibilities of midlife, spirituality, culture, capitalism, parenting, or the role of art and travel in a meaningful life, every conversation is shaped by the people in the room. There’s no set leader or rigid agenda—just a shared commitment to listen as much as we speak. We start with brief introductions focused on what makes you *you* (not your LinkedIn bio), then dive straight into whatever is on people’s minds. The direction of each meetup emerges organically, making every event unique. MANDATORY: PLEASE REVIEW OUR COMMUNITY GUIDELINES IN THE GROUP DESCRIPTION. Everyone is expected to engage in respectful conversations and listen deeply as well as share. We have a zero tolerance policy of sexual harassment and hate speech. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others in Falls Church who are also seeking deeper conversations. **Suggested Questions: Life Stages & Transitions** 1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging? 2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists? 3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about? **Suggested Questions: Identity After the Roles** 1. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you? 2. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed? 3. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted? **Suggested Questions: AI & Being Human** 1. What human experiences will AI never truly understand? 2. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do? 3. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated? **Suggested Questions: Belief & Meaning** 1. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space? 2. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live? 3. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self? **Suggested Questions: The Modern Psyche** 1. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have? 2. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire? 3. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept? **Suggested Questions: Work & Purpose** 1. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you? 2. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors? 3. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years? **Suggested Questions: Relationships & Connection** 1. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why? 2. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best? 3. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others? **Suggested Questions: Time & Mortality** 1. What are you running out of time to say or do? 2. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite? 3. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail? **Suggested Questions: Society & Culture** 1. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense? 2. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing? 3. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years? **Suggested Questions: Personal Philosophy** 1. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way? 2. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out 3. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Java Central Café and Roaster](https://javacentral.coffee/)**!**

Coffee and conversation at [Fox in the Snow Cafe](https://www.foxinthesnow.com/) in Dublin.

**Start the new year with a Braver Angels gathering focused on speaking openly and listening deeply.** **In small, structured groups, each person will have five minutes to share a political or social issue that matters to them and why- no debate, no interruption, just genuine curiosity.** **Participants will practice curiosity, reflecting back values and emotions they hear, asking thoughtful questions, and- only with permission- offering their perspective.** **It’s a simple and powerful way to connect with one another and begin the year with a respectful and courageous conversation.** **Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026** **Time: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm** **Place: Columbus Metropolitan Library, Southeast Branch, 3980 Hamilton Rd, Groveport, Ohio** **All are welcome- bring a friend!** For additional information contact: Lee Evans at [LEvans@BraverAngels.org](mailto:LEvans@BraverAngels.org)

Hey Everyone! Let's meet at Paris Baguette on Lane Avenue. There is lots of free parking and easy access to the cafe and many shops and restaurants as well. This is a great way to meet new and old friends while chatting about life and practicing English language speaking skills. All are welcome and encouraged to join us anytime between 11am and 1pm. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Bienvenue! Columbus French Conversation group invites you to our Saturday morning French conversation club. Expect a casual and welcoming atmosphere in which to learn french! I will bring my laptop so we can look up new vocabulary as needed! The venue is a beautiful French restaurant so you can really get into the zone :)