What are the Best Books for Ruby on Rails

We are going to talk about the books we read—any books, from any genre. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or something modern, everyone is welcome to share their thoughts, impressions, and favorite passages. It’s a relaxed and friendly conversation where we can discover new ideas and enjoy each other’s perspectives.

Join us on the Spirit of Washington for their Signature Bottomless Mimosa Brunch Cruise! Let's set sail and relax! **About the Cruise:** "Set sail for a memorable experience on the Potomac River with a Washington, DC Signature Bottomless Mimosa Brunch Cruise that is as scenic as it is delicious! You'll savor a chef-prepared buffet and bottomless mimosas while staying cozy and warm in our comfortable indoor areas. Marvel at unparalleled views of Washington, DC's iconic landmarks, such as the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial from inside or enjoy fresh breezes on the open-air decks. This fun-filled dining experience for all ages is complete with lively DJ entertainment, dancing, games, and a fully stocked cash bar. Elevate your weekend plans with a one-of-a-kind brunch cruise on the water!" **What to Expect:** * 2 Hour Cruise * Brunch Buffet * Unlimited mimosas * Live DJ entertainment * Scenic Potomac River views * Lively Book Discussions and Activities * Dress code: Casual Attire **How to Attend:** **Cost: $107 per person** ***Payment is due at the time of registration in full, NON-REFUNDABLE.*** Space available for 20 members. Must have at least 10 members for event to occur. **Meeting Location:** Pier 4 580 Water Street SW Boarding Time: 10:30am Cruising Time: 11:30am-1:30pm Parking is located at The Wharf Parking Garage This is an excellent opportunity to dance, relax, and eat with good company! Great views of the monuments, free-flowing champagne, mimosas and sparkling cider, freshly prepared entrees, salads, and desserts, Unlimited coffee, hot tea, iced tea and water- all with your book girlfriends! Join us for a fun-filled time!

Note: RSVPs for this meetup opens when our previous one ends. For April, we will be reading Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. The Hardcover runs 165 pages. It was published in 2025. The GoodReads blurb is **A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter's wedding.** Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit. But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past. Told with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, *Three Days in June* is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers

THE YEAR'S BREAKOUT NOVEL AND WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT—A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND READ WITH JENNA PICK “Dazzling. . . Knapp tirelessly and beautifully replicates not just loss and grief but endless rebirth and delight.” —The Washington Post “Elegant. . . this is a wholly original work.” —People Magazine “A magnificent novel.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Horse The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a name change the course of a life? In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son's birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she'd like to call the child, Cora hesitates... Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora's and her young son's lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly layered prose, The Names explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family, and the possibilities of autonomy and healing. With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one . . . precious life" we are given. The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic. LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL

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!

**10 miles, 500" elevation on a paved road closed to cars with a few manageable hills. For Beginner Riders who want to ride with a group and begin to increase their riding distance. Leisurely pace (8 - 10 miles per hour).** **Register here:** **[Beginner Rock Creek Bicycle Ride](https://washingtonwomenoutdoors.wildapricot.org/event-6644529)** $15.00 for non-members, free for members. Have you wanted to ride with a group but you weren't sure you were ready or that you could ride far enough? This is the ride for you! On this social-paced ride, you'll enjoy the beauty of Rock Creek Park as we ride an easy five miles out and five miles back on Beach Drive (approximately 1.25 hours of riding), which is now closed to traffic. Before we start, we'll go over guidance for riding in a group, basic bicycle maintenance and safety tips. (Note: this is not a "how-to-ride class.") This is a no- drop ride, with a leader and a sweep and no one will be left behind. Suitable for all bicycle types. 1. **You must register and pay for this event on our website at this link:** **[Beginner Bicycle Ride in Rock Creek Park](https://washingtonwomenoutdoors.wildapricot.org/event-6644529)** Register early on our website to reserve your spot! 2. ***No further trip details will be provided on Meetup.* Upon completion of registration, trip information will be forwarded by email**. If you do not see confirmation email from Washington Women Outdoors in your in-box, immediately check your spam folder. If you're not ready to register for this event and would like more information, please email: **[bike@washingtonwomenoutdoors.org](bike@washintonwomenoutdoors.org)** **Find out about WWO Member benefits [here.](https://washingtonwomenoutdoors.wildapricot.org/Membership)**

Sol Roots Band blends raw funk, deep blues, rock, soul, and hypnotic grooves. With a unique voice and top-tier musicians, Sol honors musical legends while forging his own powerful sound. Bring a chair. We will sit near the front to the right facing the stage.

Open gaming at Panera! New players welcome. We have many games on hand or you can bring your own. We are happy to teach or learn one of yours.

**Real connection with fellow Catholics who are eager to grow in Faith and friendship!** This 3 year--- 45min deep dive into the Catholic faith is a great way to spend your Sunday rest day. When you are ready to dig deeper and live the faith more fully this is an optimal opportunity. Talk yourself into this! You may start whenever and can come as often or as little as you desire. Coffee is served w/ small donation. It is taught by the priest and/or OCIA director at St Louis Parish who are ALL fabulous- faithful educators filled with theologically inspired knowledge. You can ask questions at the end, which I love. It is just a wonderful experience to grow. Afterwards if you wish, you can also find your way over to the Little Way Cafe Coffee shop across the parking lot to stay for more community time or read some of the excellent books that line the shelves throughout. If you are new to the community of Alexandria and want to meet like minded folks or a veteran of it, this is a special and unique opportunity and did I mention it is free? :) Hard to believe! Please join me every Sunday at 945 am.

The Alexandria Brunch Club is a long running brunch event. We're a friendly bunch of people of different backgrounds, who enjoy a nice morning brunch and fun conversations. As has been the tradition, La Madeleine's in Old Town Alexandria is our place for brunching on a Sunday of every month. I find that a Sunday brunch is nice way to socialize and to just get myself out of the house. Afterward, Old Town, the Potomac and the myriad of parks are nice places for strolling after breakfast. BEST PARKING IN OLD TOWN Courthouse Square Parking lot 111 S Pitt St - Same side as La Madeliene, Two Doors Down Usually $1/hour Weekends and after 5pm, Weekdays For any questions and such feel free to message me. I am the main organizer. My best to all! Phil Matera

In this monthly workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of proper vocal technique and practice singing in harmony with others. Each class will focus on different vocal exercises and aspects of vocal technique, including breath control, diaphragmatic support, upper and lower register, vocal placement and blending, vocal agility, engaging vocal performance, and more. Additionally, in each class you will learn a folk song to practice singing harmony together. Whether you are new to singing or a seasoned chorister, there is something for you to learn from this class! Register Here: https://square.link/u/FQbwT3kF

**\*\*\* We've Moved! Bold Penguin - 6555 Longshore St, Dublin, OH 43017 \*\*\*** Talk by Guy Royse [You've Probably Never Heard of the Reticulum Network](https://sessionize.com/s/guyroyse/youve-probably-never-heard-of-the-reticulum-networ/146919) **AGENDA:** * See updates to parking below * Doors open at 5:30, feel free to come and hang out before! * Official start of the meeting is at 6:30pm * After the meeting is done, we will go hang out at a nearby space in Bridge Park! If you can, please sign up via meetup by noon the day of the meeting so we can have an estimate headcount for food :) We always order extra, so feel free to join us even if you don't get signed up! Thank you to Bold Penguin for providing the food and location! **Parking & Arrival:** **Parking:** Parking in Bridge Park is free. The closest lots are the Mooney Garage and the Hotel/Endres Garage. **Entry:** The doors to the office are to the right of PINS. The street level door and elevators lock at 6pm. If you arrive after that, someone should be there to let you in, else call the number posted. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor. Once you exit the elevator, turn right. \*\*\* We are a bunch of professionals, students, and geeks who are excited about Ruby programming language ([http://ruby-lang.org/](http://ruby-lang.org/)) and Rails framework ([http://rubyonrails.com/](http://rubyonrails.com/)) and the joy they have brought back to web development. Our main goal is to share the love of the Ruby and Rails ecosystems with anyone that is interested. We cater to everyone, whether a non-programmer through advanced Rubyists. * We give lectures on programming topics * We freely provide decades worth of experience * For full details of this month's meeting please visit [http://columbusrb.com](http://columbusrb.com)

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

Let's catch up and have a relaxed chat, including chat about the book Disability Visibility. This collection of essays is available at the library. You'll be invited to share the essay that you related to the most, and the essay that did the most to grow your awareness of something new. It's OK if you don't read the whole book!

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

Posting this early because seemingly all Sundays in May are holidays or busy! I picked a shorter thriller that's hopefully a fast read/listen. [Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3458940) Location: Grandview Cafe, *1455 W. 3rd Ave*, Columbus, OH 43212 [Menu](https://www.grandviewcafe.com/menu) Book summary: Daniel leads a rich life in the university town of Athens, Georgia. He's got a couple close friends, a steady paycheck working for a regional airline, and of course, for a few glorious days each Fall, college football tailgates. He considers himself to be a mostly lucky guy -- despite the fact that he's suffered from a debilitating disease since he was a small child, one that has left him unable to speak or to move without a wheelchair. Largely confined to his home, Daniel spends the hours he's not online communicating with irate air travelers observing his neighborhood from his front porch. One young woman passes by so frequently that spotting her out the window has almost become part of his daily routine. Until the day he's almost sure he sees her being kidnapped.