Cleaning House and Walking around the Mall!

The first week off of 2026 is going by quickly. I’ve visited Toastmasters clubs, gone swimming, and went to the gym. Compared to my Fall 2025 vacation, it feels a little bit lacking. 

However, I’m not labeling this vacation week a bust even though things could have been better. I made a trip to a new coffee shop (Latte Lane) and tried too hard to visit a few others. It looks like that’s not going to happen and it cheated me of staying local and attending a grand opening. The Fall 2025 vacation was a nice mix of activities that included Slippery Rock Homecoming and a visit to the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent University.

One of the top stories of Summer Vacation 2026 saw me cleaning house. I got three garbage bags full of clothes I don’t wear anymore or wore a few times. The bags went into my trunk and I took them to Goodwill. Another purge is coming in September. I’m all set for the summer (and probably the rest of 2026) and I have reading lined up into the Fall months. I’m beginning the process of being full by having less, and that’s all right with me. 

I turned the white dresser into a space for books, journals, and art supplies. Today, my infinity scarves went up on the hooks. Time will tell if they stick around for the Fall. I’m going to go through books this summer to get them ready for the Fall donation pile. My closet is a lot lighter this week, but the leopard print jacket is staying. My dressers can breathe a little easier, and the cheetah sweaters and tops will stick around. It’s my trademark, what can I say? As this week ends, I feel like less of a hoarder. 

I finished two reads this week, and one of them was the Josh Shapiro memoir. This book was a nice write up about Shapiro’s life, covering his journey into politics. It also talked about a young man who was raised to serve others. Some of the stories that get mentioned included the Catholic Church scandal, the Tree of Life shooting, and the tragic events at the Trump rally in Butler. 

As I have finished this and Matthew West’s “The God Who Stays”, I’m putting more focus on reading The Jazzmen now. I’ll also starting a Tony Evans book early this week talking about the names of God. At the end of August, I’ll start Steven Curtis Chapman’s book he wrote with his wife on marriage. That will coincide with the new romance novel I’ll be starting just after Labor Day from Julie Olivia. I enjoyed her previous book, “If It Makes You Happy”, last Fall. 

October is when my next week off takes place, during the middle of the month. There’s a possibility I’ll get to take a trip to the beach. My aunt and I are thinking about a short Cape May visit. My plan for one of my vacations in 2027 is to take that longer trip to the beach (either Bethany Beach or Cape May). More on that to come as we go through the Summer.

Finally, I got my exercise and move goals met yesterday in the most simplest way, by doing an indoor walk at Westmoreland Mall. You may see the mall walkers early in the morning sometimes. I did it myself and got almost a half an hour in. Not bad. 

I had to pause for a time as I walked into the various shoe stores (Famous Footwear and Shoe Dept.). I needed a new pair for walking and when I go to the gym. Having not been inside Westmoreland Mall for a hot minute, I’m pleased that my hometown mall continues to hold its own. The casino is thriving and the new Dick’s House of Sport is really coming together. I’ve seen the construction as I walk around the annex before and after my workout. The new anchor will be opening this summer (around the beginning of August). Unlike Ross Park Mall’s location, this one doesn’t have an outdoor field. 

I had lunch at the old Famous Wok (now called StirFry 88) and am impressed with how many eating establishments there are at the mall. Compared to the dead and dying malls (Beaver Valley, Clearview, Monroeville, and Robinson), Westmoreland Mall is doing well. Next to South Hills Village, these are my top two malls to go to. Ross Park, Mall at Robinson, and Monroeville fall next on the rankings.

First Toastmasters Meeting in a High School Classroom!

It was the night… that almost wasn’t. The plans on this Tuesday of my vacation week included a visit to the South Hills Toastmasters Club. Before I decided to head to Canonsburg, I almost made the decision to stay at home and attend online. 

I’m glad I made the effort to drive to Canon-McMillan High School and attend the meeting, though. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. As the title states, this was my first time attending a Toastmasters meeting at a high school. I’ve attended meetings at courthouses, churches, restaurants, and even hospitals. But never at a high school. 

The energy that I built up at Tuesday night’s meeting took a while to get going. I’m used to moving around at work overnight and closing my move ring. I didn’t go to the gym like I usually do nor did I go for a morning walk. I have all the time in the world this week. Seriously, why don’t I take 30 minutes to walk around Lincoln Heights? Boom. Exercise ring closed. 

Once I took my afternoon nap and got myself ready, I was off on my adventure. I arrived early after treating myself to Sheetz five minutes up the road on Washington Road. That’s the main road between Washington and Mount Lebanon. With some time to kill, I walked around the Canon McMillan campus and noticed the parking spots decorated for those seniors who were graduating. A kind gesture for those who are moving on to their next endeavor. 

I walked into the room around 6:45pm, just as the sergeant at arms was setting up. The Vice President of Education (also the District Club Growth Director) came up with a Word of the Day (Catalyst) and an anti-word (Leadership). There was going to be a backwards meeting, but that may have created confusion for guests. 

We had a full agenda, and it was fun working around that anti-word. Some speakers had to use it though. That practice of not using the anti-word can come in handy in the real world. I stepped in as a speech evaluator and gave feedback on a speech centered around body language. I picked up some power moves along the way and practiced a few of those today as I left the gym. Thus, I made up for Tuesday’s lack of moving around. We also heard an ice breaker from one of our guests, and an amazing presentation from the past president of the club. 

A lot of good humor went around at the meeting last night. It was kind of neat to see the DTMs all sitting close to each other too. 

I’ll be returning to Laurel Highlands on the 23rd for their final meeting of the Toastmasters year. I’ll plan the agenda for the July 14th meeting soon after. That Thursday (June 25th), I’ll pay an online visit to the Western Maryland Toastmasters club as they wrap up their Smedley Distinguished year. 

Congrats to South Hills Toastmasters on achieving Smedley Distinguished as well.

My First Visit to Latte Lane!

It’s Day 2 of my 2026 Summer Vacation. As originally planned, I’m on my way to Cranberry for one of my two Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club visits. On either end of Cranberry High Noon are coffee and gym visits. 

First was a trip to Latte Lane in Cheswick. I’d been wanting to check this place out for a hot minute. I ordered the Bakecation, which is an Oreo Cheesecake Latte. It came with a chocolate  espresso bean. This place was very busy when I stopped in. It has a decent amount of indoor seating plus a few outdoor tables. There’s also a drive-thru in the front. Latte Lane has a decent amount of merchandise, including sweatshirts and tumblers. The cafe is located in the Cheswick Plaza near a Goodwill and an AHN family practice.

At Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters, I was picked to serve as the emcee for the meeting. There were eight attending in person with three online. We had two speakers and good table topics. I’ll return in October or December for another visit but will confirm just in case. I don’t want to show up and find out that the meeting is online.

After the Cranberry High Noon meeting, I stopped at the big Planet Fitness. Let me tell you, this is one of the biggest I’ve been to so far.  They have a second floor and stuff that Greensburg doesn’t have. The medicine balls are something I haven’t seen. Also, the turf exercise is new. I’m thinking it’s like a tackling dummy. 

BTerry TV recently filmed this location on his various social media channels. Not far from Planet Fitness is the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. This is the perfect size for the area though. I stopped at Chick Fil A for lunch before heading home and taking a dip in the pool.

It’s one of those “air you can wear” weeks meaning a lot of humidity is in the air. While my family was at Kennywood, I stayed cool.

Summer Vacation 2026: A Much-Needed Reset Coming!

Today marked the first day of my Summer Vacation 2026. The weather this week is trending warm and humid, with chances for showers and thunderstorms likely. That’s what happens when you get those summer-like temperatures. Not every day will be a washout though and there will be plenty of opportunities to be poolside. 

The start of my week off sees me visiting a few Toastmasters clubs. Monday it’s up to Cranberry High Noon for one of two visits this year. The next one will come in either October or December. Tuesday takes me to Canonsburg to visit the South Hills Toastmasters club, one of two to achieve highest honors. While I’m not making an official visit, I want to see what makes the club so successful. 

This week isn’t going to be all fun and games. One of the things I’m going to be doing is a reset, getting rid of some clothes as well as some books. My goal is to consolidate everything into a few drawers. 

I’m all set for early in the week. Later in the week, not so much as things can change. 

I took a few days off from exercise, though it did leave room for missed opportunities once again on Saturday. I made up for it on Sunday by going to the gym in the afternoon. 

While walking the annex part of the mall as I usually do pre-gym, I spotted a Kings food truck near the Michaels and TJ Maxx. They were there until 4pm. For me that brought back nostalgia and reminded me of my days working for the restaurant chain. The truck’s presence also reminded me of past community events and corporate functions.  

While I’m glad to see that it’s still being used, it makes me sad to see that the once proud chain is down to two stores. Nostalgia aside, I did my usual mix of strength and cardio exercises. I did ten minutes on the stairstepper, so I’m getting more used to that now. 

Monday’s plan is to go to the Cranberry Township location after the meeting. En route to Cranberry, I plan to stop at Latte Lane in Cheswick. 

The weather has been warm enough for me to enjoy a couple of swims this weekend. We opened the pool the weekend I was at the Spring Conference (it was a nice surprise when I came home that Sunday morning). Friday night was my first dip of the year, but Sunday I had the opportunity for a more prolonged experience. 

Our pool has a nice pop of Pittsburgh with the duck inner tube. You know, the one that looks like the rubber duck which floated down the Mon in the past. We also have an avocado raft. 

Here’s to the beginning of my week off and that it may provide relaxation and not distraction. In tomorrow’s blog, look for my reviews on Latte Lane and the Cranberry Planet Fitness location.

Preparing a Speech in Five Minutes at Greensburg Toastmasters!

Our agenda was small at Greensburg Wednesday night as we only had one speaker. But, it was a project that could really help when preparing speeches (especially last minute). 

You can have an hour long speech ready to go in just five minutes if you looked at the handout given to us by our speaker. She put a lot of planning into the presentation. The audience even got to participate and I used the worksheet to recap my activities on Monday night. If you asked me what kind of blogs I write and post, a majority of them would be ‘Day in the Life’ posts. 

Some projects, like persuasive speeches, will require additional information such as evidence to support the main points. 

At the end of the meeting, we went over our new slate of officers and accepted it as we begin the new Toastmasters year. As predicted, I am going to serve as Vice President Education at both of my clubs. There’s a lot to learn as I keep track of awards at Greensburg and at Laurel Highlands. In addition, I’ll need to stay abreast of changes in the education program. Canned speech projects that were big in the manuals have made their way into Pathways. 

It’s going to be challenging, but I will rise to the occasion. Summer TLI will be held on June 20. Unlike the past few years, this will be a virtual club officer training (as we transition into the new District 219). Our final meeting of the Toastmasters year will be held on June 17. The first meeting of the new 2026-27 year will be held on July 1, thus leading into the Fourth of July weekend.

Table Topics centered around the theme of Toastmasters Leadership. For my question, I talked about my experience serving in various officer roles and being a District Leader for three years straight. 

Our next meeting is up in the air as to where we’ll meet. It will either be in our usual meeting room in the courthouse. But there’s a possibility we will also be remote. I will plan the meeting for July 1 at the end of the next one. This could be a segway into the new Toastmasters year as I enter my VPE Era, and my 45 era.

It’s been a gorgeous week weatherwise. Monday night was perfect for Bible Study. The day before was just as splendid as walked around Downtown Greensburg. This coming on the heels of a damp, cool May. Saturday brings with it the threat of strong to severe thunderstorms so that will need attention. My vacation week is shaping up to be warm and humid, so that means pool time as my schedule allows.

Thursday was my night off so I took advantage of the nice weather and drove out to Mammoth Park.

I planned it well, leaving after dinner. Eating early helped as I headed out to Mount Pleasant a little bit after 5. The ride there is fun but there are plenty of turns along the way. I parked at one of the pavilions where we had Annabelle’s birthday parties.

The sun shining off of the lake gave it a nice vibe. Very relaxing and therapeutic. This was around 6pm as the sun was still at the perfect angle.

The giant slide isn’t far from where I was walking as is the pavilion where we had the Harry Potter birthday party for Annabelle in 2023. Maybe next time I’ll park there. I read a little bit and prepared Thursday‘s blog. It was a beautiful night to be out fishing and there were plenty of people out there with their poles. I got home around 8 and watched the Pitt and its rewatch podcast.

With my black card in hand, I can go to any Planet Fitness and also have the opportunity to use their amenities. One of these days or nights I might go to Latrobe and turn that into a stop in Ligonier. I’m due for a trip to my little Stars Hollow. En route, I might stop at the Sheetz and make it a picnic in the Diamond.

The plaza is big enough that I can walk around it and maybe even close my Exercise ring. Afterwards, I can relax in the Diamond and watch the world go by.

3 for 3 at Cutie’s Bible Study!

The weather has been working in our favor this year when it comes to outdoor Bible Study. Monday night brought pleasant weather and an amazing turnout of people to Cutie’s for the event. A few passing clouds but not too hot or humid. I got there around 5:15 and went inside to order my PB&J Latte. I’d been craving this for some time now since Cutie’s began promoting their summer menu and enjoyed it during the event. It ranks up there with the Ocean Breeze Latte that I got from Caleese a few weeks ago. 

The night began with a song by popular American contemporary worship band Elevation Worship titled, “Trust in God”. I didn’t know the words, but I listened to the song as I made my way downtown. It was one of the top songs from Amazon Music for the band. ‘Can You Imagine?’ was released in the Spring of 2023 and “Trust in God” peaked at number two on the Hot Christian Songs chart. Victoria led the study and spoke a powerful message that was about Trust. We spent most of our time in Genesis and I took plenty of notes. This was one of the best programs so far in the 2026 Cutie’s Bible Study season. 

The study wrapped up around 7 and everyone made their way home. The additions are coming in nicely at Cutie’s. The stairs leading up to the second floor are in and soon, I’ll be able to enjoy a drink upstairs while looking down at Otterman Street and the new Otterman Square. At some point this summer, I’ll have to visit Caleese on the Trail in Export. Their grand opening is June 10, but I’ll be focused on vacation and some other projects.

15 Years of Toastmasters!

As I celebrate a big Toastmasters anniversary this week at my meeting, it’s time to look back.  Here are some of the highlights from my journey since I joined. 

It was the night of June 1, 2011 and I was officially in the last month of my 20’s. Fresh off of a quarter-life crisis that began just after I graduated from Slippery Rock, I still had aspirations of going post-bac. I attended this thing called “Greensburg Toastmasters” and from the beginning, I was hooked. 

Filling out the application and paying by check, I was officially a member. At the next meeting two weeks later, I gave my ice breaker speech. I even became an officer one month into my Toastmasters journey. It would still be a while before I signed up for other roles like Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, and General Evaluator. Those would come with time. 

I completed ten speeches within a year and achieved my Competent Communicator award. How much things have changed since that first night. 

Toastmasters has gone from designations like CC and ACB to paths and levels. It took me some time to get used to the new way of doing speeches after I earned my Distinguished Toastmaster award in 2019. Fitting that just a few months later, we would be getting used to another new normal. 

The COVID-19 pandemic definitely changed things for the entire world, and Toastmasters was no exception to the rule. For me, it also put things into perspective as I would soon transition in other parts of my life. It took me time to get used to Pathways, as well as attending meetings on this online platform called Zoom. Having a laptop and a webcam has made life easier for me while I’m online. There’s no substitute for in-person meetings and fellowship, though. 

My previous work experience at WIS involved a lot of travel to other parts of the area. It also gave me leverage when it came to visiting other clubs. One of those clubs is on my radar next week when I will be enjoying my week off. It’s a club that I’ve visited many times in the past dating back to 2016. 

My visits to the Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club have taken place at different locations over the years. From Pella Windows to the Cranberry Township Municipal Building and now the Dutilh United Methodist Church, each experience has been memorable. One of those experiences was the multiple Tastemasters meetings during the holidays when I sampled different foods. I was also in attendance for the club’s tenth anniversary celebration in June 2023.

I’m sure that I’ll make some new memories when I visit next Monday at High Noon.

If Special Occasion speeches were part of my path, I’d have given a good eulogy on Joe Negri,

Mr. Negri was part of a special neighborhood that we saw through the magic of television. He appeared on Mister Rogers Neighborhood for over three decades from 1968 to 2001. He was a jazz musician and taught jazz guitar at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.

He was a little over a week short of turning 100 years old when he passed peacefully on Saturday from natural causes. As a young kid, I always watched Mister Rogers and remember the episodes where Fred would visit the music shop.

One of his trips there was when he met jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. He played a few songs with Negri and the staff at the music shop and entertained Fred and us, his television neighbors.

Kicking Off the Summer (menu) at Cutie’s!

We have finally reached the end of the month, and that calls for celebration. 

I took advantage of amazing Sunday afternoon weather to go to Cutie’s to make a selection off of the new “A Cutie Summer” menu. I’m hyping that PB&J latte like crazy and I will get it tomorrow night at Bible Study. It’s finally happening, and that is the new upstairs being put in at Cutie’s. It’s been a few weeks since I stopped in, and the construction has progressed nicely. Also, the storage containers look like they’ll be going in soon at what will soon be Otterman Square. 

When am I going to learn? Threads is not a remedy to help relax my mind. In fact, the more I scroll on that app the more the opposite of that. When am I ever going to take my own advice? Be careful how you start your day and also, be careful what you view on social media because that does drive the algorithm. 

What’s more productive than 10 minutes of Threads looking at posts that only drive negativity? How about 10 minutes of exercise that can help me close my ring on days when I don’t go to the gym or on an outdoor walk? Maybe 10 minutes of learning new yoga poses or even teaching myself pilates. 10 minutes where I can teach myself new drawing or painting skills. 10 minutes where I can write content for a new blog post? 

The summer menu has a lot to offer and I’ll have to be the judge when it comes down to the best latte. Does the PB&J Latte trump the Ocean Breeze Latte I got a few weeks ago at Caleese Coffee? My answer is coming up this week. 

I want to end May on a positive note, and that means taking advantage of this sunny Sunday. Since I’m enjoying coffee outside at Cutie’s, why not capitalize on my trip into Greensburg and take a walk downtown? 

Update: I charted my path around downtown, walking past the train station and going down Pennsylvania Avenue. To ensure that I’d close my exercise ring, I finished by going through St. Clair Park, where Cutie’s will be hosting their big event Saturday morning. I finished the month having closed my move rings every day, and I even set a record for most calories burned at the gym on the stairstepper.

May going out like a Lamb!

  • We are in the last weekend of May, and I couldn’t ask for more beautiful weather. The month started off cool and damp, the way that May 2025 ended. Some of us even saw snow flurries that first weekend. This month brought many good days yet there were bad days as well. I made the most of good days weather wise by getting outside and walking. I also made my fair share of visits to the gym. Exercise goals were met with some of the outdoor walks that I had taken. I got some good news at my doctor’s appointment as I was down 10 lbs. That’s something to address as June begins and when Summer comes. 
  • Three good takeaways from May:
    • Bible Study is back at Cutie’s! 
    • Spring Conference was a success! 
    • Chloe Grace (my “niece”) has arrived!
  • The unsettled weather patterns we dealt with made it easy to have a few down days. But I was able to pick my battles. We got a taste of summer last week with temperatures approaching 90 early on. My Ocean Breeze Latte that I got at Caleese gave off some serious beach vibes. I attended church online a few times but missed the last two weeks (due to conference and also feeling tired). That led to some missed opportunities last Saturday. 
  • Six things to look forward to in June:
    • Starting my Summer project (studying the Gospels. 
    • My first vacation (June 7-13) which will run through Flag Day. 
    • Summer coffee at Cuties and long-awaited visits to Pittsburgh area cafes like Latte Lane and The Roaming Bean. 
    • Visiting a few Toastmasters clubs on my vacation as well as going to the Strip and the River Rally in Connellsville.
    • Summer TLI (which will be virtual this year)
    • My birthday at the end of the month. I’m making 45 count as I focus on my health with outdoor walks during the summer. Hopefully as the weather attempts to warm up, more time in the pool as we approach Summer.

I’ve been reading Proverbs this month and only have two chapters left. I’ve been reading a chapter every day for 31 days. As we turn the calendar to June, I will be starting in John. While it’s been good to commit to reading the Word, there is always room for improvement.

Taking notes from the passage that I’m studying would help. Why don’t I do that with Duolingo when I learn new words? Also, I think I need to take time to reflect and to pray. Having a big walk in closet like on War Room would be sweet. As I prepare to read the Gospels starting with John, I’ll keep that in mind.

Vacation is a week away and I will be taking it easy this month. The plan is to visit a couple of Toastmasters clubs, check out a few cafes, and hopefully spend a lot of time outside. The last couple of years started off with Summer TLI. That’s not the case as this year it’s online. My first swim last year wasn’t until June 11 but it was one of my better summers in terms of going in the pool. We also shut down early, closing on Labor Day Weekend.

The cafes I want to visit include: Latte Lane in Cheswick. This will be a stop on the way to Cranberry when I visit the Cranberry High Noon club the Monday of my vacation. This has been on my radar for a couple of years now. I learned about Latte Lane when they were still operating out of a camper on Freeport Road in Harmarville.

On my vacation I’d like to discover a few new walking trails, and one of those is the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. Along there I’ll find a couple of cafes that I hope to visit this Summer. One is opening on the 10th of June (Caleese on the Trail in Export) but the other just recently opened and gets a lot of hype on the socials. That would be Groove Coffee Company in Murrysville. That might just be a breakfast stop one of the mornings that I am on vacation.

Later in the week, I may drive down to the Strip District. I may shop but also check out the Terminal as it’s been a while since my last time down there. Another cafe has opened there and I’ve seen them at past night markets in downtown Greensburg. I’m talking about The Roaming Bean.

New Beginnings at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

At Tuesday night’s Laurel Highlands meeting, we had two amazing speakers. One gave her ice breaker speech. We also held nominations for new officers for the 2026-27 Toastmasters year. We took the last half hour installing our new officers. I’ll be serving as Vice President Education for both of my clubs, so that will be a nice challenge for me. It will be rewarding and will keep my focused on the success and health of my clubs.

Greensburg will do the same Wednesday night at their meeting. I may step away from speaking as I need some more time. I may evaluate (if our current Vice President Education gives her presentation from the Better Speaker Series) or take on the role of time or grammarian/ah counter.

June 9 I plan to attend the South Hills meeting as a guest. Thus, I’ll be absent from the Laurel Highlands meeting. I have reached out to their officers about my plans. South Hills is one of two clubs in the District to achieve Smedley Distinguished (10 goals and 25 members). Maybe I’ll get some pointers on how to achieve their success. The other club to achieve highest honors is the Eloquent Speakers and Leaders Club (ESL).

I evaluated Ryan’s speech on ups and downs as he talked about his work in robotics and as President of Laurel Highlands Toastmasters. He began and ended with quotes that really stood out. “Life is like a Rollercoaster” at the beginning, and his famous coined phrase to close out the speech, “R. I. O. T.” The latter stands for “Relax, It’s Only Toastmasters”.

He was able to bounce back after sharing tragic news that derailed the high he was on during his holiday weekend at camp. I liked how he covered in the speech, using good vocal variety.

I have reached out to South Hills Toastmasters about visiting on the Tuesday that I’m on vacation. The club has 28 members and has met all ten goals. Also, the day before, I plan to visit Cranberry High Noon. They’re a few speeches and a couple of members away from Smedley Distinguished too.

A visit to the Johnstown club is in the plans for October.