Restoring the US Constitution in Government

We’re bringing together a small group of fitness instructors and aspiring instructors for a casual brunch to connect and build within the fitness community. Sunday, May 17 1:30 PM Ted’s Bulletin – Capitol Hill Limited to 6 seats. **RSVP to save your seat:** www.instructorconnect.org **Join the mailing list on the site for future events.** (RSVP does not subscribe you.)

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/b/3/8/event_83263832.jpeg (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZA8SWMLWS7WHA) NOTES : 1.Les cours de conversation sont une éducation continue qui a pour but d'améliorer les compétences oral en français des étudiants. 2.Le cursus des cours est d'une durée de douze semaines. 3.L'annulation d'un cours en cas de force majeure sera rétabli à la fin du cursus. 4.Aucune nourriture et boissons n'est autorisées en classe de cours. Merci de s'y accommoder. 5.Accès par le métro: Les stations de métro les plus proches sont Farragut West and Farragut North. 6. 7. Le parking métrique est également une option. Il coûte environ $ 0.25 pour 8 minutes. 8. Le paiement pour chaque cours est de 15.00 $, de l'heure par personnes. Il sera de 20.00 $ de l'heure, par personne pour les visiteurs. Cependant cela dépendra de la disponibilité des places. 9. Les étudiants peuvent solliciter des amis à venir assister aux cours pour 20 $ de l'heure pour deux personnes. Mais le règlement doit se faire en avance. Svp, n'hésitez pas à contacter les organisateurs, si vous avez des questions.

We'll walk about 3 miles around Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, visiting preparations for the nation's 250th anniversary, memorials to U.S. leaders, the grotto-like Summer House, the National Botanical Gardens, the Disabled Veterans Memorial, and of course the government buildings where things happen -- or not. The meeting place/start is in front the office building that houses the Sierra Club's DC Chapter, where Potomac Region Outings (PRO) leaders will meet after the hike. **Those planning to attend the potluck lunch and meeting (See separate entry for that meeting) may leave their food, papers and other things in the office.** Sunday parking is available in the area, and the Union Station Metro stop (Red Line) is nearby. Dress for the weather; boots, trekking poles, and survival gear not needed. This guided walk is free, but participants may enjoy the opportunity to donate a modest amount ($2 or so) to defray the costs of training, communications and other elements of the outings program. All hikers, including the leaders, are required to sign the Sierra Club's participation agreement.

Join us for conversations that go beyond small talk, diving into topics like the shifting nature of spirituality, the challenges and joys of midlife transitions, the impact of culture and capitalism, and the search for meaning in art, travel, and daily life. Our gatherings are about genuine, thought-provoking dialogue, with no set leader or strict agenda—just an open space to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences that matter to us. The direction of the discussion is shaped by everyone who shows up, making each event unique and enriching. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others who are also seeking deeper conversations. Let the conversation flow from topic to topic. Optional questions are listed below.

Optional 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?

Optional Questions: Identity After the Roles

4. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
5. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
6. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?

Optional Questions: AI & Being Human

7. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
8. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
9. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?

Optional Questions: Belief & Meaning

10. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
11. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
12. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?

Optional Questions: The Modern Psyche

13. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
14. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
15. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?

Optional Questions: Work & Purpose

16. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
17. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
18. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?

Optional Questions: Relationships & Connection

19. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
20. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
21. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?

Optional Questions: Time & Mortality

22. What are you running out of time to say or do?
23. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
24. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?

Optional Questions: Society & Culture

25. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
26. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
27. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?

Optional Questions: Personal Philosophy

28. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
29. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
30. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no additional tickets will be sold at the door. A repeat of the talk at Penn Social in DC on Monday, May 18 still has tickets available.** [Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“How AI Alters Thinking,”** on dealing with artificial intelligence’s capacity to change and undermine our thought processes, with Eli Alshanetsky, assistant professor of philosophy at Temple University, principal investigator at its Cognitive Integrity Lab, and author of an upcoming book on AI and freedom of thought. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-how-ai-alters](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-how-ai-alters) .] Doctors who give bad advice can be sued for malpractice. Teachers belong to a profession with set standards. When artificial intelligence guides you, however, that guidance comes with a disclaimer: Use at your own risk. Every day millions of people take that risk, and usually AI seems genuinely helpful. But even if AI gives us good answers, might its use over time do bad things to how we think? Explore the relationship between AI and our own minds with Eli Alshanetsky, whose Cognitive Integrity Lab studies how artificial intelligence changes how we think, learn, and build trust. Author of *Articulating a Thought* and the upcoming book F*reedom of Thought in the Age of AI*, he’s on the cutting edge of efforts to answer AI-related questions such as: How can we tell when work is truly our own? How can technology support rather than replace authorship and reflection? What does trust mean when AI mediates our relationships with others and with our own thoughts? To set up his discussion of potential consequences of AI, he’ll describe how social media’s impact on society serves as a preview. Social media didn’t just give people what they wanted to click on, it actually changed what they regarded as click-worthy. It broke attention spans and fueled radicalization across millions of very different people. It left us with people who doom-scroll for hours, who can’t focus, who don’t know what to trust anymore. If you’d shown people this version of themselves ten years ago, would they have chosen it? Artificial intelligence is making a similar deal with us, but the stakes are higher. It isn’t chasing clicks. It’s optimized for giving you the most satisfying response to whatever is on your mind right now. The risk over time isn’t just that you’ll get lazy. More profoundly, even when you think hard, your sense of what counts as good thinking—as well as what sounds like you—will shift to match what AI has been feeding you. We’ll consider what kind of person this produces and whether this is someone we want to be or want children to become. Professor Alshanetsky will lay out a practical framework, which he calls “the interaction layer,” for using AI without letting it replace the thinking it’s supposed to support. He’ll also talk about what AI-related concerns should be the focus of parents and educators. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Illustration by David S. Soriano / Creative Commons.

**MLK Library - Room 401F** In a world often marked by division, uncertainty, and conflict, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or powerless. But what if, instead of despair, we saw these challenges as an invitation to create spiritually vibrant communities where unity, trust, and hope are not just utopian ideals, but actually shape our lived reality? Amidst the chaos around us, the increasing fractures apparent in our society, many of us find ourselves asking: What can I do to make a difference, to contribute something better? But the answers so often presented to us don’t seem to be enough. Perhaps what is needed is a new, positive vision of humanity’s future, one centered around and reflecting the spiritual reality of humanity’s oneness – and filled with people working together to bring that vision to fruition. What would this world look like? How can we create communities where every individual feels they have a role to play in the betterment of society? How can we work together to build a society defined not merely by shared geography or common interests, but by a shared commitment to principles such as unity, justice, mutual support, and spiritual growth? 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 how we can each contribute to creating communities of hope. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore how we as individuals and as neighbors can come together to create a more just, compassionate, and spiritually vibrant society where everyone can thrive not just materially, but spiritually as well. *“...the purpose for which mortal men have, from utter nothingness, stepped into the realm of being, is that they may work for the betterment of the world and live together in concord and harmony.” – Bahá’í Teachings* **\*\*\* This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.**

The Silver Spring D&D Group is BACK! They are reforged and ready for adventure! Join our Maryland partners for their very special return event D&D Meet-Up: Reforged Realms on Sunday, May 17 from 1pm-6pm at our brand new home base: Third Hill Brewing Company in downtown Silver Spring. After a short hiatus, we’re kicking off D&D 2.0 with a fresh venue, new energy, and an expanded volunteer team🤩 ready to bring even more stories to life. (And also the first event since our group’s founders tied the knot! ❤️) What better way to celebrate this amazingness by raising toasts to all of this, then rolling dice together again? [Join the Silver Spring D&D Group Here](https://www.facebook.com/events/s/dd-meet-up-reforged-realms/939505765504076/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=Hq5d5utG0YMRYA0q&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F17KSztGiRp%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#) **Can't make any of the events? Want to stay in the loop? No worries! Join the [DMV D&D Group](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR) to stay aware of all future events!**

Join us on the potluck with fellow SCPRO leaders, followed by the presentation by Didi Bild from Beyond Plastics MoCoMD. The Spring general meeting will start following the conclusion of the presentation, **Cost:** Free, but we encourage everyone to become members of the Sierra Club, the nations largest environmental organization. **Bring:** If attending the potluck (noon to 1PM), please bring a food item to share and eating & drinking utensils to minimize waste. But if you're not able to bring these, come anyway. **Additional Directions:** If there is no one to greet you at the entrance, call 240-370-7011 or 703-946-8111. **Carpool:** There are no organized carpools, but the meeting location is within walking distance of the Union Station Metro station, or you may organize your own carpool. Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.

We will meet outside as long as the weather is nice. If not, we will move inside. Look out for a comment the morning of each meeting with our exact location. As we are meeting in person, please remember to bring something to read as we usually spend some time sharing our current reads and/or reading when meeting in person. As a reminder, there is no assigned reading; please bring whatever you are currently working on. This group is super casual, sometimes we read and sometimes we talk the whole time. **** NO SHOW POLICY: Due to the high number of members on the waitlist recently we are having to reinstate our no-show policy. If you sign up and no-show to 2 events you will be removed from the group. Reminders are provided weekly to change your RSVP to allow those on the waitlist a chance to come to the meet-up, no 3rd chances with be given. Please be considerate to your fellow members. Thank you! I look forward to reading you!

**Important: you must go to the Poplar Spring website to [register](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) for the race and [join Team VSDC.](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) (It is very helpful to RSVP here on Meetup as well, for communication purposes.)** Join [Team VSDC](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) as we support the [Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary Annual 5K Run for the Animals and 1-Mile Fun Walk ](https://www.animalsanctuary.org/events/)on Sunday, May 17th. All funds raised will go towards [Poplar Spring's](https://www.animalsanctuary.org/) lifesaving work every day. The funds will care for and feed the farm animals who live at Poplar Spring and educate the public about compassion towards all animals. The VSDC has been a participant in this event for many years. Registration Fee for both the Run and Walk by April 5, 2026: $28.00 April 5 – May 16, 2025: $30.00 Race Day: $35 To join the Team VSDC register [here.](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) More[ info on the 5k run and fun walk is here.](https://www.classy.org/event/poplar-spring-animal-sanctuarys-run-for-the-animals-2026/e766174) If you register on this page, be sure to select "Join a Team" and [choose Team VSDC](https://www.classy.org/team/811995)! There is also a virtual race option that takes place anytime during the week of May 17th. For important updates regularly monitor the "comments" section below. Don't be a no show! If your plans change, update your RSVP. **VSDC: More Than A Meetup** We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits? With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)! **Ways to Stay In Touch with Us** Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to: * Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. * Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities. * Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us. **Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?** VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/). **Only Vegan Food, Please** While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/). **Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct** When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/). **VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**

PLEASE CHECK THE ONLINE MEDITATION CALENDAR FOR DETAILS OF THESE MORE THAN 50 SERVICES A WEEK- https://onlinemeditation.yogananda.org/calendar/

Join us for an hour of relaxing Yoga which. Cost: Free Level: Beginners What we will be doing: 1. This will be an hour long beginners flow yoga class. You are welcome to join if you are experienced or absolute beginner, just being interested is enough. Yoga is for everyone! 2. Through this meetup we will learn some yoga poses, breathing techniques, stretch our body, build strength. More importantly, we will try to learn about our body and find inner peace. Please: 1. don't get too full before practice but you can always bring snacks. 2. Please be on time, class will start on time. 3. Wear comfy clothes. 4. Bring your own mat or towel, water and YOURSELF. 5. UnRSVP if you can't make it. Disclaimer: Please consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any exercise program, including yoga. Yoga involves physical movement and may not be suitable for everyone. It is important to listen to your body and modify poses as needed to accommodate your individual needs and abilities. By participating in this yoga class, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own safety and well-being, and agree to release the instructor from any liability for injuries or damages that may occur during or after the class

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

This is an in-person meeting. Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance. Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues. So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them? That is what this meeting will be all about. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “create a better world” by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event: FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. For this event, our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces. PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for BRUNCH from 10:30am to 12:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 10:20am and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1 (in the back of the building), indicated in the attached map. On-site parking in the adjacent lot and street parking is available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details: IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please try to update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. Our Partner Agency for this event is Lutheran Social Services! A huge THANK YOU to all of YOU for volunteering at this (and any of our previous) CMG Gives Back events! Should be another good/fun/meaningful time together, Dan

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

Come assist Van Buren Shelter (https://ymcacolumbus.org/locations/vanburen) staff in serving dinners and cleaning up on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Dinner for the women is 5-6 pm and for the families is 6:15-7:15 pm. There is ample free parking available in the shelter's lot. The recommended area to park is in green in the image above. There will be a new entrance for the time being. We are asking all volunteers to enter through the Donation Dock door, the orange mark on the image above. This door is located between the Single Adults and Family Shelter. You will see 2 large garage doors with a large green trash compactor in the center. Please head to the closest garage door to the building wall, with a ramp leading up. There, you will see a door with a sign stating instructions on how to enter the building. Please ring the doorbell, and a staff member will come and escort you into the building. If a staff member takes longer than 5 minutes, please call the front desk at 614-689-2020. This is a new process for us, and we do not want to keep you waiting! We appreciate your patience as we navigate this temporary change. The shelter needs a volunteer count the day before the event so sign-up ends Monday at 4:50 PM. Afterwards some of us go to the Omnipresent Atheists Weekly Meetup in progress to have a bit to eat or drink (http://www.meetup.com/omnipresentatheists/). Volunteers must be 14 or older. Since we will be working around families, the YMCA does not permit volunteering by individuals with convictions for violent or sexual crimes. The YMCA reserves the right to run background checks on volunteers. For questions, comment on this page or contact: Andrew, awhit12@yahoo.com, (614)937-5802 (cell). Please let Andrew know if you volunteer anytime other than our COUNT events so that he can count your hours toward our service record.