The Journey Inward

Back in April 2020, it became apparent that we weren't heading back to work and school, and that staying home and quarantining was here to stay for awhile.  I was looking for a way to stay connected to friends and keep my mind stimulated, and so I dreamt up a take on the traditional book club.  Wanting more than a monthly meeting, I decided to create a group around podcasts...they could be listened to in one sitting...and so we could meet every week.

I asked three friends to each invite one friend of theirs to join, looking for diverse voices and thinking.  (Turns out we're not that diverse!).  Anyway, the Pod Squad was born!  We met weekly on Zoom and took turns choosing and sharing the podcast of the week, listening to it and coming together to discuss.

Once the world began to reopen and we got busier again, somewhere around the fall of 2021, we moved to every other week, which is what we do now.  We have become a close group of friends and in addition to sharing our thoughts on the podcast, we discuss parenting, relationships, menopause, nutrition, shopping deals, shows to binge, and more.

Every Spring, our group gets together for a weekend at the beach (down the shore, if you're from NJ) at one of the lady's houses.  It's a weekend of food, games, dinner out and time face to face.

Each Summer, we gather to have a bbq and pool party.  Sometimes significant others join.  It is once again a time for in person connection and it really keeps our group close.

We are going on 5.5 years at this point, and I am grateful on a daily basis for these women in my life.

Photo:  Branchburg, NJ.  7.19.25 by PA