Jazz in the Garden Kickoff

Jazz in the Garden

Every Friday during the summer, Washingtonians are treated to some cool jazz at the National Sculpture Garden by the National Gallery of Art. Tonight is the kickoff to their summer season, so don’t miss out on the Ruthie and the Wranglers. Bonus: drinks are served inside.

Friday, May 24, 5:00 – 8:00 pm
700 Constitution Ave. NW
Closest Metro: Archives, Penn Quarter (Blue/Yellow Lines)
FREE (Plus cost of drinks inside)

Memorial Day Jazz Fest

Alexandria will host its 36th Annual Memorial Day Jazz Festival at Waterfront Park. Festival goers will be treated to The Commodores, Al Williams and Daniel Ori. The park features grass seating, so bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets. Food is available for purchase, but feel free to bring your own munchies to snack on. Bust: no alcohol is allowed at the park.

Monday, May 27, 1:00 – 6:00 pm
Waterfront Park, Between Prince and King streets
Alexandria, VA
Closest Metro: King Street (Blue/Yellow Lines)
FREE (Plus cost of food/drinks inside)

National Memorial Day Concert

Join the likes of Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna and Colin Powell at the U.S. Capitol for the quintessential Memorial Day event: the National Memorial Day Concert. Concert revelers will be treated to the sounds of the National Symphony Orchestra, the U.S. Army Chorus, the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, the U.S. Navy Band, Ed Harris, Candice Glover, Chris Mann, Katherine Jenkins and Alfie Boe.

Sunday, May 26, 8:00 – 9:30 pm
East Capitol and First Streets
Closest Metro: Capitol South (Blue/Orange Lines), Union Station (Red Line)
FREE (Get there early – doors open at 5pm – to grab your seat)

Sunset Celebration at GW’s Home

If you’ve been to George Washington’s homestead you will have likely been mobbed by tourists. This weekend is your chance to visit the historic Mount Vernon long after the crowds have left. Take the lantern-lit tour of the grounds, listen to 18th century music and take a wagon ride on the mansion grounds. Bonus: watching the sun set over the pristine grounds will conjure up images of GW himself enjoying the same view.

May 25 – 26, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy.
$18 – adults, $12 – children 6-11, FREE for 5 and under

Hometown Holiday in Rockville

I’ve never been to Rockville, MD, but this might be my weekend to go – and so should you. The town will host its Annual Hometown Holiday Celebration where revelers can check out a dozen concerts with local bands, delicious fare from some of the city’s best local restaurants, and games for the kiddos. Bonus: at 10:30 am Monday, stop by for the city’s parade.

May 25 – 27
North Washington St. and Middle Lane – Rockville Town Center
Rockville, MD
FREE

Wolf Trap Summer 2012 Kickoff

Wolf Trap has some exciting summer concerts this summer. And this weekend, they’ll kick off the season with “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band. Bonus: you’ll be treated to fireworks at the end of the set.

Sunday, May 26, 8:00 pm
Wolf Trap
1551 Trap Rd.
Vienna, VA
FREE, Capacity is limited – so get there by 6pm

National Memorial Day Parade

I personally can’t think of Memorial Day without thinking of a parade. And DC knows how to do a parade. The National Memorial Day Parade strolls down Constitution Ave., passing the Mall and the U.S. Capitol. So find a spot between Seventh and 17th Streets to camp out and show your support to the veterans who will be participating – you won’t regret it.

Monday, May 27, 2:00 pm
Constitution Ave. between Seventh and 17th Streets NW
Closest Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial (Blue, Yellow Lines)
FREE

National Memorial Day Parade at Arlington National Cemetery

If you’d like to spend your Memorial Day in serious remembrance of our fallen soldiers, then attend the Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The U.S. Air Force Band will play a prelude before the ceremony, the U.S. Army Military District of Washington will conduct the wreath-laying, and the program will be followed by an observance program hosted by the Department of Defense in Arlington’s Memorial Amphitheater.

Monday, May 27, 10:30 am
Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheather
Arlington, VA 22211
Closest Metro: Arlington Cemetery (Blue Line)
Free – seating is first-come, first-served, so arrive by 9:30 am

ViVa! Vienna!

If you’re in the mood for a full-on carnival this weekend, visit historic Vienna, VA for three days of Memorial Weekend festivities, including rides, live music, crafts, food, and a Memorial Day tribute. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Vienna, the event is a celebration of community spirit with a wide range of activities.

Saturday, May 25th – Sunday, May 26th, 10am-10pm
Monday, May 27th, 10am-6pm
245 Maple Ave W
Vienna, VA 22180
Closest Metro: Vienna (Orange Line)
Free

Crab Festival at PolicyDC

Photo courtesy of dcafterfive.com

Policy Restaurant & Lounge will be teaming up with Blue Moon Brewing Company for their third annual Crab Festival as part of Blue Moon’s summer campaign of “Blue Moon, Blue Crab and Old Bay Seasoning.” For $35, enjoy all you can eat crabs with all the fixings and traditional sides like hushpuppies, corn on the cob, cole slaw, hot dogs and Policy wings. Blue Moon will be debuting two special craft brews not available anywhere else in DC: Raspberry Cream Ale and Honey Grand Cru with Ginger.

Sunday, May 26th, 12-5 pm
1904 14th Street NW
Washington, DC, 20009
Closest Metro: U Street (Green & Yellow Lines)
$35 per person, Beer is $5 per glass and $15 per pitcher – recommended to buy tickets in advance

Hinge Memorial Day BBQ Extravaganza

For those of you looking for the true Memorial Day BBQ experience, look no further. Held on the roof terrace of Jack Rose, this BBQ extravaganza features an open bar with beer, wine, champagne and specialty punches, astroturf cornhole, drinking games, a photobooth, and serious BBQ: grilled BBQ oysters, shrimp rolls, Kobe beef sliders, BBQ beef brisket sliders, half-smokes in a blanket, twice-baked potato wedges, cheddar jalapeno biscuits, and more…

Sunday, May 26th, 6:00-10:00 pm
2007 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
Closest Metro: Dupont Circle (Red Line) or U Street (Green & Yellow Lines)
$48 per person in advance, $60 at the door

The post Memorial Day Weekend Events in DC appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

I decided this year that I wanted to share this wonderful taste experience, but my friends kept asking who had forgotten to steam the platter of corn-on-the-cob that was sitting in the middle of the table. They just didn’t get it, so next time I’m making it easy for them.

Spicy Summer Corn Salad

Ingrediants

- 3 cobs of fresh corn
- 1 red bell pepper
- 3 Tab fresh cilantro, chopped
- 5 Tab Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
- 1 Tab olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Sprinkling of fresh ground pepper (optional)

Directions

Remove the husks (outer leaves) from the corn cobs. Stand it on end, and slice the kernels off, rotating the cob after each slice to get all of them. Discard cobs and place kernels in a medium-sized bowl.

Chop the red pepper into small squares (discard the seeds inside the pepper). Add to the bowl with corn.

Add the Sriracha, olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss around. Serve. Delicious. Add more Sriracha if you need more heat. Alternatively, experiment with fresh chopped jalapeño.

The post Spicy Summer Corn Salad appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

According to their website, Peri-Peri dates back to the colonial period when Portuguese explorers were introduced to African Bird’s Eye Chilis in Mozambique. It is properly pronounced Pili-Pili in Swahili, but the word proved to be a shibboleth to the Portuguese explorers who could only get as close as Peri-Peri.

They definitely provide a higher level of service than I have come to expect in most quick service establishments. The staff is super friendly and instead of saying “you’re welcome” they respond to thanks with “my pleasure”. They are quick to help you navigate the menu and once you order at the register they bring the food to your table. The Coca-Cola dispenser has so many drink options it seems as though it is trying to compete with the number of channels on cable TV. There is even a sink in the dining room to wash your hands.

But on to the food.

As you might expect, the chicken was amazing. It is marinated for 24 hours and “grilled to order over an open flame to reduce fat content”. Despite reducing the fat content it still comes out very juicy and tender… no knife required. You can choose from a selection of sauces that range from less spicy all the way to extra hot. I’m a bit of a chili-head so I ordered it as hot as it comes, and I was not disappointed. The heat was deep, slow and addictive. By the time I finished there were beads of sweat on my forehead and my nose was sniffling as I licked the last drops of sauce off my fingers.

The coleslaw was typical, fresh and creamy. The celery seeds gave it a nice flavor and it was a good choice to cool down my mouth after the intense, extra hot Peri-Peri sauce.

I also chose rice as a side order, which had had some nice spice to it and it was well cooked. The grains were not mushy and globed together; instead each grain was separate and firm.

The post Nando’s Peri-Peri Review appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

Here in DC we have not just one, but four teams of badass women who practice the religion of derby almost daily. Titled the DC Rollergirls, the league consists of teams with DC-themed names such as the Cherry Blossom Bombshells, DC Demoncats, Majority Whips and Scare Force One.  Each team holds approximately 14 women, coming from quite a variety of career fields.  You can find anyone from a project manager to an architect – even a librarian – in this league.

Each year the Rollergirls welcome new members, with the stipulation that they first pass through “Derby 101.”  There, rookies are taught the basics of roller derby.  If they find it’s something they’re interested in pursuing, they proceed to “Meat Camp;” a training camp which lasts all summer.

Participants learn skills such as skate stop, proper ways to fall, and how to pick the right equipment. Mid-way through the summer, women with stronger skills will be separated out from the others, where they’ll start doing hitting drills and eventually move on to actual scrimmages. Once through Meat Camp, the survivors enter the real world of derby.

More complicated than you’d expect, roller derby has a huge rule book, which normally takes years of playing to fully understand.  There are a multitude of ways to get penalties, for example, which Rollergirls need to be cognizant of while on the track so that they don’t end up in the penalty box.

Scare Force One

During each of the two 30-minute bouts, there are 5 players on the track per team – 1 jammer and 4 blockers.  The goal of the jammer is to get past the other team’s blockers, and lap the other team’s jammer (thus becoming what’s called the “lead jammer”).  Each time the lead jammer laps a member of the opposing team, she scores a point for her team.  Each “jam” can last for up to 2 minutes.  Play continues until the end of the 30-minute period, with players rotating in from the bench throughout.

Now considered an international event, roller derby can be found in locations as far off as Egypt and Dubai.  Our DC Rollergirls field an annual All-Star team which travels cross-country, challenging teams from Florida, Wisconsin and more.  All teams currently practice and compete at the Armory, however their goal is to raise enough money to have their own warehouse space. For more information on the league, check out their website at www.dcrollergirls.com. And who knows, you might find yourself in Derby 101 this summer!

Special thanks to proud Scare Force One member Cheryl Hanke (otherwise known as “Hanky Spanky”), who helped immensely with this article.

The post Roller Derby, DC Style appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

Prestigious, thriving, international conglomerate involved in some of the hottest issues happening in our world needs a top-notch Administrative Assistant through 2015.  Responsibilities will include providing direct right arm support, managing Outlook calendars, setting up logistics, being a liason to outside offices, researching projects as assigned and much more.  Ideal candidate will be proactive, self directed and have excellent MS Office skills.  Fantastic team oriented environment with an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to this Fortune 100 firm!  Free parking in Northern Virginia. Pay is $18/hour.  For immediate consideration, please submit your resume today to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to the Administrative Assistant Northern Virginia.

Meetings/Events
Exhibits – Trade Show Expos

Outstanding long term opportunity for an experienced Trade Show and Exhibits Coordinator to work part time through the summer and assist this prestigious membership association with their meeting preparation. In this position, you will work with internal clients to develop display materials for their events, and work on planning and coordinating overall participation, including managing logistics, reserve space, assist with booth layout and arrange for all supplies and materials. You will work with vendors and show management to develop budget preparation and logistical needs from beginning to end, including follow up and results reporting. Ideal candidate will have 2-4 years experience directly managing company exhibits, including budget management, maintaining outside vendor relationships, and have very strong project management skills. Excellent MS Office aptitude, especially Excel and PowerPoint and a high energy level is a must. Position will pay up to $25 per hour.

Please send resumes to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to the Trade Show Expo position.

Surveys/Analysis
Healthcare

A fantastic temporary opportunity to work at a non-profit involved in the healthcare industry working on survey result and data analysis.  In this exciting role, you will be involved in assisting in the creation of members surveys and reviewing and summarizing results.  Qualified candidates must have knowledge and experience with survey analysis (Survey Monkey experience greatly preferred).  Pay is $16/hour.  For immediate consideration, please submit your resume today to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to the Healthcare survey analysis position.

PUBLIC RELATIONS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CONSULTING COMMUNICATIONS LOBBYING INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BROADCASTING These are only a few of the many interesting industries our current client base is involved in! TRAK Services has many long and short term assignments lasting up to 6 months! If you are available for day to day or for months at a time, if you are waiting on a security clearance, returning to law school or grad school in the fall, finishing up an internship, waiting to go into the Peace Corps, or just want to try out some industries before making a permanent commitment, TRAK has great opportunities ready for you. If you have the basics to advanced MS Word, Excel and/or PowerPoint, you can earn an income coming while you’re searching for the right position. Contact Sarah Glenn at TRAK for immediate opportunities paying up to $17.00 per hour. Email a copy of your resume to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to Cloture Club temporary opportunities.

Administrative Assistant – Federal Affairs Outstanding opportunity to join an incredibly professional public affairs office of a major corporation. In this exciting role as a Federal Affairs Specialist, you will provide support for directors and team in the federal affairs arena. Some of the best benefits and corporate culture in town. This is the place to feel respected and rewarded in an environment that encourages growth and expansion of duties. Responsibilities will include coordination and scheduling of events, preparation of correspondence, invoice payments, expense reports, and backup coverage for the office coordinator. Qualified candidates should want to work for an organization with interests in free market principles, must have 2+ years of work experience as an administrative assistant, excellent written and oral skills, and be proficient in MS Office. The ability to maintain confidentiality is a must. Great benefits and competitive salary up to $50K+. For immediate consideration, please submit your resume today to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and mention the Cloture Club Federal Affairs Position in the subject line.

Administrator/Project Manager Growing firm in Bethesda! Growing firm with excellent reputation and presence in the metro area is looking for an Administrator/Project Manager. In this exciting role, you will have full responsibility for vendor management, contracts negotiation and contract payments for major contractors and subs. In addition to the contracts and proposals you’ll assist executives with travel planning, calendar management and conference set up. Ideal candidate will have a positive, team-oriented attitude, a high degree of motivation, excellent attention to detail, proficient computer skills and great written and verbal communication skills. For immediate consideration, please submit your resume today to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to Cloture Club Project Administrator in the subject line.

Executive Assistant to President Membership Association Legal Community Outstanding membership association within the legal community is looking for an Executive Assistant to the President. In this busy and exciting role, you will be coordinating and managing the schedules of the Executive Office, developing and monitoring budgets for the Executive Office, taking notes and minutes, reviewing and drafting correspondence, and monitoring calendars and files for upcoming deadlines. Qualified candidates must have experience supporting top level executives, proven time management skills, strong interpersonal skills, ability to handle multiple projects efficiently and effectively, and strong word processing skills. Four year undergraduate degree preferable. This position will start as a temporary and pay $17/hour. Once it goes permanent, the salary will go to 65K. For immediate consideration, please submit your resume today sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to the Cloture Club Legal Community EA.

Financial Analyst/Value Engineer – McLean, VA $70K – 80K + Bonus & Growth! Creative Boutique Consulting Firm in McLean, VA is seeking a talented financial wizard to help craft solid Business Cases for their clients. Use your knowledge of financial modeling (including ROI, TCO, Payback, Break-even) to simplify complex financial data and allow the sales team to prepare compelling presentations with your research results. Position allows super creativity and involvement with client needs from start to finish – if you are a “people person” this is one of those rare Financial Analyst jobs that will let you swim in those waters! $70-80K + bonuses and unlimited growth. Respond now for immediate consideration; a cover letter addressing the requirements is highly preferred! For immediate consideration, please submit your resume  and cover letter explaining your related experience today to sarah.glenn@trakservices.com and refer to Cloture Club McLean Financial Analyst.

The post DC Jobs Sent to Us This Week appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

Too often, I see mistakes being made at networking events and I just shake my head. Some call me a serial networker, one even dubbed me “The Networking Mayor of DC” because I go to multiple events a week and started my own networking business, BeersandCareers.com.

Yes, I have been known to frequent multiple events even in one night but I soon learned that, more often than not, less is more. I’ve been to a wide variety – some with over 500 business professionals and others with only a handful. The question is, what have I learned?

Honestly, I’ve learned that people make a lot of mistakes. Here are my top five networking no-no’s:

1. The Card Collector

One of the more common nuisances I come across is the networker that goes to events to only collect cards. He or she speaks with you for a minute, grabs your card, and runs off to the next victim. What type of relationship can you build off of that?! Solution: SLOW DOWN. Did you ever meet someone you were attracted to at a bar or a social function, grab their number in under a minute, and expect them to be your soul mate? It doesn’t work in networking either.

2. The Serial Schmoozer

Too much fluff, not enough substance. Sure, I like small talk – most extroverted people do – it provides a necessary ice breaker at the onset of a cold conversation. However, your entire discussion shouldn’t be all gossip. Solution: Find a topic that you can both relate to. Sports, politics, unicorns – you name it. After your ice breaker, move on to why you’re both there. Is it because you just moved to the city, or maybe because you’re looking for a new job? Help each other out and find ways to become a valuable resource to each other. Bring substance to the table.

3. The Boozed Businessman

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met people who get too drunk at events. They slur their words, use pickup lines on the opposite sex, and make a complete fool of themselves. If you meet someone and want to carry the business conversation elsewhere after the event, by all means do it. Just don’t be “that guy” at the event. Solution: Know your limit. If you don’t drink, you obviously don’t need to worry about this. If you do, use caution – you don’t want to waste your time and money. Oh yeah, and don’t order shots – you’re not in college anymore, bro.

4. The Snippety Salesman

No, I don’t want to be sold. Imagine a large crowd of 100 people in a room – how many people would raise their hand when you asked them if they want to be sold something? I bet you that not one person would raise their hand. Solution: Cultivate a relationship. Go out to coffee or a drink at happy hour. Chat about ways you can both help each other out, and then go from there.

5. The ‘Me’ Monster

Ever met a person that always wants something but never gives? Unfortunately, there are plenty of these blood-sucking ‘me’ monsters out there. Solution: Instead of always asking for something, GIVE something without expecting anything in return. I promise that it will change you as a businessperson, and hopefully your life in general. Also, don’t keep score – it’s useless. Whether it’s a referral, an invitation to a sold out RSVP-only event that you have an extra ticket to, or simply picking up the tab for coffee when you meet, it truly goes a long way. Again, cultivate a trusting relationship.

Obviously people go to networking events for different reasons. If you want REAL connections and lasting friendships, I hope my advice guides you through the seemingly never ending maze of networking – in life and in business. As Dicky Fox once said in the movie Jerry McGuire, “The key to this business is personal relationships.”

The post Top 5 List of Networking No-No’s appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

Penthouse Pool Club

Atop Vida Fitness: 1612 U St. NW | Website
Fri/Sat: 11am – 1am
Sun: 11am – 7pm

Membership will cost you $159 a month for a access to the pool and gym. If that’s a little steep, your best bet is a social membership that will run you $15.00, and is good for four days. There is a catch though, they only sell a limited amount per month and the hours are limited.

Capitol Skyline Hotel – $20 fee

10 I St. SW | Website
Daily: 11a – 8p

Capital Skyline often throws some Vegas style pool parties. Think great music, day beds, cabanas and a bar, all while wearing your swimsuit.

Embassy Row – $20 fee

2015 Massachusetts (between) 20th and 21st | Website | 202-265-1600

For $20, you get luxury and the pampering without the hassle of the crowded public pools.

Washington Plaza Hotel – $50

10 Thomas Circle NW | Website | 202-842-1300

$50 is steep, but when it’s sweltering out, I may just cough it up for a nice relaxing day by the pool.

The Liaison Capitol Hill – $40

415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington DC | Website | 202-638-1616

Seems like this place can throw a party (More Photos)! Keep checking back here for possible events!

Here are FREE (to DC residents) or small fee public pools.

DC Public Pools

East Potomac Pool

972 Ohio Dr. SW, Washington, DC 20024 | Website | 202-727-6523
Mon – Fri 1:00pm – 7:00pm
Sat, Sun 12:00pm – 6:00pm

Located next to the Hains Point golf course. Golf during the day, cool off at the pool after. Best news, free for D.C. residents; $3-$4 for non-residents.

William Rumsey Aquatic Center

635 North Carolina Avenue, SE | Website | (202) 724-4495
Mon-Fri 6:30–10am, 12–9pm
Sat-Sun 10am–5pm

Next to Eastern Market, this building hides one of the best, and largest pools. If you live on capitol hill like I do (and have a valid DC License or utility bill with your address), you can attend this pool for free! Yes Free! It’s clean and has an adult swim hour.

Francis DC Public Pool

2500 N St NW Washington, DC 20037 | Website | (202) 727-3285
Mon, Wed-Fri 1 pm – 8 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm – 6 pm

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/4716100016/

A small hike up from the foggy bottom metro, this quiet pool is not too far from GW. The pool is well maintained.

The post 8 DC Pools To Cool You Off This Summer appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

This is important to me, as I am ethnically nerd. (Technically I am half nerd on my mother’s side, but my dad was a nerd throughout college before converting to Presbyterianism. Now he’s both.) You  may remember from old films that the frightful 1970’s were little more than geek pograms wherein guys in varsity jackets and terrible haircuts spent most of their days shoving nerds into toilets or kicking their sandcastles over.

Nerds spent thirty years eschewing dates and finagling their way into media, and have been steadily burrowing into pop culture and taking it over from the inside. An excellent example of this is Lost, or Heroes.

A few years ago at a party, I spent several minutes flirting with a girl. I don’t remember where this encounter lines up chronologically, but presumably this was the first girl I ever met, because I recall making quips about Star Trek conventions to impress her (note the plural). She said she did not like Star Trek, or any science fiction, really. I asked her what kind of show she did like, and she said Lost. I’ve never seen an episode, but according to her, it was a show about time travel.

Time travel is, in case you don’t know, a subset of science fiction. Television shows and films about super heroes are a close cousin, from the comic book geek wing of the family. All of these things have come to the fore. What was once the domain of dorkdom has become the wellspring of pop culture.

In fact I have pioneered a mathematical equation which, when applied to geeky concepts like “rocket ships” or “cyborgs,” can be smoothly integrated into mainstream media:

SCIENCE FICTION + PROMISCUOUS HOT PEOPLE = POP CULTURE HIT*

*also works for pornography

It’s hard to remember, but “nerd” used to be a pejorative term. Now it’s a mark of honor, and everyone under thirty in the country describes themselves as some variation of nerd. If you’re in college, feel free to take this premise and write a brilliant dissertation: “Twenty-first century youth culture embraces the outsider identity en masse, enshrining and redefining ‘nerd’ as an aspirational identity.” (As payment, send me three boxes of Ritalin in empty Tic-Tac containers.)

An unforeseen development, which I find irritating, is that “nerd” is now applied to fields which were entirely antagonistic to people with thick glasses. Jocks, our ancestral nemeses, come to mind. A friend of mine once apologized to me for rambling on about football, concluding his speech with, “but I guess I’m a sports nerd.”

No. You’re not. You can like sports, and you can be a nerd, but you cannot be a “sports nerd.” That’s our word! If you wear a Steelers jersey in public nobody thinks about it. If I wear my Star Trek TNG uniform on the bus, I get stabbed. You were dating cheerleaders in high school. I was building one.

That’s a minor linguistic complaint. Overall, I’m very pleased. Nerds took over when no one was watching. We’re running the show now. We won!

The post Triumph of the Nerds appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

I’ve borrowed from the event’s program to introduce her:

Talia began her philanthropic journey at the age of 10 when she became concerned with the devastating effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In response, she spearheaded a Halloween campaign where she mobilized children across the country to collect donations to restore life in the Gulf Coast. She raised more than $10 million. From that experience, Talia founded RandomKid http://www.randomkid.org/, an organization that provides logical support and mentorship to youth wishing to aid in solving local and global issues. 12 million children in twenty countries have used RandomKid’s assistance to help raise funds. At 17 years -old Talia is the author of “A Random Book About The Power of Anyone.”

With permission from Talia and her mother, Dana, I have posted selected parts of her speech for you to read. I am blown away because many of the themes she addresses are ones that you have read in this column including “Synchronicity” and “Be Open To A Different Package.” But she gets it at the age of 17! Be sure to read her words to the end of her talk and you will understand what I mean.

SELECTED PARTS FROM Tali’s SPEECH:
“The mission of RandomKid is to provide youth with every resource and tool they need to power up their ideas for a better world. RandomKid doesn’t invest in change, we invest in the change maker. And the results are astounding. For every dollar we invest in a youth initiative, We deliver a 200%-1000% return for that youth’s cause. Which means: When you give a dollar to Haiti, you give a dollar to Haiti. However, when you give a dollar to a RandomKid youth to benefit Haiti, that youth will turn it into $2-$10 dollars for Haiti. We call this The Big Return, and have developed the idea into a city strategy that links government leaders who endorse it, with business leaders who fund it, with motivated youth who drive it, together generating big change.

This year, we are bringing The Big Return to Washington, D.C., and if you want to be involved, let me know.

My story proves one thing for certain:
Serendipity plays a much bigger role in life than most of us would ever like to admit.
Which leaves one to wonder: How can we be greater than we know how to be and do greater than we know how to do, especially when so much can rely on chance?
In my book, “A Random Book about the Power of Anyone”, I address this question by telling the stories of youth who embarked on accidental journeys no different than mine.

And even though you get to meet them, my book is more about meeting their IDEAS, and the IDEAS that link every story together.

IDEAS that convince us, that luck is everywhere we are, we just have to put ourselves out there,
into the possibilities that belief doesn’t require rhyme or reason, it just requires…
fortitude, that we don’t NEED to line up our ducks, because the best plans actually…..
emerge, that square pegs CAN fit in round holes because ….. flexibility is what makes things happen.
and that the best place for ANY cart is AHEAD of the horse because your dreams should always… lead YOU.

In fact, I’ll tell you a little secret about how FAR ahead of my horse that my cart is:

Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I would be standing here, in front of ALL of you doing what I’m doing right now,

I never planned to BE the founder of a nonprofit.

Truth be told, when I was in Kindergarten, I wanted to be a princess, singer, dog kennel-owner AND President of the United States. All at the VERY same time.

But now when people ask me what I want to BE when I grow up. Knowing OUR POWER to do just about ANYTHING, when we believe in the power we each have—

I tell them this…
I want to BE… a member of a generation that cares more about our success as a planet than our success as individuals;
I want to BE someone who understands that any little problem solved IS a big problem solved—because we are all interconnected;
I want to BE someone who knows that the best reason for doing anything is simply because I can;
I want to BE someone who realizes that our everyday acts matter more than the big outcomes, because there are no big outcomes without them;
AND I want to BE someone who knows that no matter what we do with our lives, that we have to do it with heart.

And I’ll tell you another little secret:
RandomKid’s success happened
Because I made room for my little Brother
because I made room for…(yep)…Darth Vader (!) (Talia’s Brother was Darth Vader in her Halloween campaign)

Think about it.
It was the one step I took that seemed to have nothing to do with my success And it became the very thing that made me successful.

Which leads me back to my question —
How can we do something GREATER than we know how to do?
and become something GREATER than we know how to be?
Especially when chance often plays a role?

I’ll tell you.

It happens precisely when we make room for the plan we DIDN’T have, when we are free enough and brave enough to take a step sideways to a place where unexpected things might happen.

And do you know why that is? Because
the great surprises of life by definition, can ONLY appear in those unexpected places

By making room
For passions that don’t make sense
For playfulness that has no purpose
For ideas that are not your own
For people who are not like you
For a path you didn’t define
For a dream you didn’t dream
For a future you didn’t imagine

You can sometimes…
Follow your heart… to a larger destiny
Be captured by… a grander idea
Dream… that impossible dream
Realize … a power you never knew
Choose a path… that raises you higher
Believe yourself …into a new way of being
And create a future… defined by surprises
and marked with a Greatness
you never thought possible.

We. Don’t. Have. To. Know. How.

We can just head in the direction of whatever pulls us forward and we will get there Because THAT is both the secret and the magicbehind The Power of ANYone.”

If you ever think that you cannot make a difference, read this often and think again. Also the concepts that I bring to you in this column do work. To quote Talia “create a future… defined by surprises and marked with a Greatness. You have the power to transform yourself and change anything .. you just need to think differently!

The post Never Doubt What You Can Do With The Power You Have appeared first on ClotureClub.com.

The report aims to help community groups, small businesses, state and local governments and the public to better understand, monitor and respond to trends in borrowing and indebtedness at the household level.

The population with active student loan debts as a share of the population with a credit record varies substantially. Hawaii is the lowest, with less than 12% of people with a credit report having student debt; in the District of Columbia, over 25% of people with a credit report have student debt.

With the highest education in the country, DC also has the highest average student debt per person ($41,230). Here’s to the 2013 college grads!

The post DC has the Highest Student Loan Debt in America appeared first on ClotureClub.com.