Well, it is Thursday, March 5th, 2026, and it is 9:20pm. I just got back from going out with my husband Bill and our friends. We hadn’t seen each other since last year. It was so nice to connect with them again. We had dinner together at the Saffron Kitchen, a Persian restaurant on Main Street. Not all of us could make it. But it was great to see them. We have known each other for decades. We started hanging out in our 30s and we are all in our 50s now. We are planning to get together again soon. Two of my friends are a married couple and they are going to make pierogies for us. I sort of volunteered my friend to do it. He didn’t seem to mind though. I was talking about boundaries. I am thinking that maybe I should not have volunteered my friend. Actually, I volunteered my friend and his wife said that he better help her with them. So, I am thinking that I had volunteered him, but that his wife usually makes them.
I had a great day at work today. It was very productive. I had my virtual open mic, and it was fun. We had a new person join and some of my regulars came. I did chant to have an enjoyable group today. And it was fun. It was nice having one of my coworkers there. I wonder if maybe she wasn’t really supposed to join. She said that she had only intended to stay for a few minutes. She did stay for the whole group. I need to get better at monitoring the chats. I am not good at that. I need to do a better job with my group. I hope I can remember how to do the sound thing. We had trouble with sound, and my coworker showed me how to fix it. We have two people sing during the group and they both have beautiful voices. It’s always a pleasure to hear them sing.
I did something annoying yesterday. I left my cell phone on my kitchen table and then went to work without it. I was so certain that I had brought it to work and I was wrong. I thought that someone had taken my cell phone. It’s a relief to know that no one had. But the unfortunate thing was that I had an appointment with my therapist at 11am and could not make it because the link to meet with her was on my phone, which I had unknowing left at home. I was very disappointed. I had been really looking forward to seeing her. However, I will see her tomorrow at 10am for ½ an hour. She was able to squeeze me in this week. I am really looking forward to seeing her. I need to remind myself to be impeccable with my word, to not take things personally, to not make assumptions and to always do my best. If I do my best, I will not have regrets.
I am excited about going to the Florida Nature and Culture Center this year. I have three visits planned this year, which is the most often I had ever done. I usually go once or twice a year. But this year I will attend three times. I am going to the Spanish Language, The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple and the Women’s Division Conferences. They are in May, August and December respectively. One of my friends is going to the Spanish Language Conference and we are going to be roommates. I also have another friend who is going to the Oneness of Mentor and Disciple. I had asked three other friends to go. It would be nice for us to have a Buffalo contingent I remember one year when a few of us went to the Soka Spirit Conference together. That was a lot of fun!
When I was chanting this morning, I chanted for the happiness of my family, to believe in my Buddha nature, and that I am nam myoho renge kyo. I experienced a chanting session full of joy. Chanting has always come easier for me. It’s funny I have a good friend who practices with the SGI-USA too, and she said that chanting is a challenge for her and that she loves studying. I am the other way around. I am trying to be better about meeting my study goals. I really should study every day. But I can always redetermine. We may have a goal that is difficult to reach, we may stumble and fall, but we can always pick ourselves make and make a vow to do better. When we win in the end that is all that really matters!