True Crime

**Single? 💔** **Over Dating Apps?** **Instantly Get The Dates!** **Meet Someone Today** ❤ . . **Book Through Link to Participate** 👇 [https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/](https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/) . . **Want To Meet Someone?** All your friends in relationships? Are you better at talking in person? . . **Get 10 Fun Dates in 1 Night** Easily Meet New People Find someone to share your life ♥ Popular with professionals & everyday people . . **In Person Meetup🔥** Easily chat one on one See what they're like Be introduced up to 12 singles . . **Simply Book & Turn Up** Our Host Introduces You And pairs you on a new date every 6mins No pressure simply say hi 👋 . . **Click below to Be Matched (limited places)** [https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/](https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/) . . **Host Rotates the Guys** 🧊 Not approaching strangers Get paired & meet each other So there's no fear of rejection . . **Be Automatically Matched** With a new date every 6mins No swiping, no messing around Instantly meet, chat in person, repeat ✅ . . **Just Fun 6min Dates** So there's no pressure Message your favorites after the event Find friends, connection & romance . . **Equally Booked Ratios 50:50** (we advertise everywhere not just on Meetup) There's plenty of people to meet 50-80 attendees at each event! Most book early, so don't miss out . . **If It's Your First Time?** We're all in the same boat ⛵ Simply book & turn up, it's easy Most come alone, or bring a friend . . **Must click below to Attend (limited places)** [https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/](https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/event-40-65yrs-18-april-2026/) . . **Still Unsure? 😕** We Get It... Why not take a chance? You meet around 12 singles Eventually you'll find someone . . **It's Okay to Feel Nervous** It's easy once the first chat starts Worst case, you'll make new friends . . **You Enjoy Fun Chats 🔥** Builds Confidence Meeting People They're only one 6min chat away... Book now & find your someone today . . **Find Real Connections** Have Plans for Your Weekends Actually meet without 1 million DMs Makes friends & builds your social circle ♥ . . **Most Book Early, Don't Miss Out** Balanced ratios means limited places Venues have fixed capacity - not endless . . **What Are You Waiting For?** Most book early, so don't miss out Must book through Link to attend Book now and find your someone today . . **View all Melbourne events below** 👇 [https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/](https://speeddatingsocial.au/speed-dating-melbourne/)

**Social Pickleball - All Levels Welcome!** ** [Instagram: @rmit_pickleball](https://www.instagram.com/rmit_pickleball/) [WhatsApp: RMIT Pickleball Club](https://chat.whatsapp.com/G7VE0NcThWWIgLnnJBVQBq)** ** Paddles and balls provided! Beginner friendly - simply show up and we’ll teach you the basics ** Grab a paddle, play pickleball, and meet new people! ** Who is it for?** * Members of public and RMIT students * Complete beginners * Intermediate players * Advanced players (up to DUPR 4.5 expected) **✅ How to join?** 1. **Become a club member** [at the RMIT Store](https://store.rmit.edu.au/pages/club/pickleball) (one-off payment) 2. **RSVP** on Meetup to join the session 3. When marked as **“Going”**, pay for the session: **\- Payment link** is in the **comment section below** (posted 1-3 days before) \- Use your RMIT Store account with a club membership \(from step 1\) 4. Can’t attend? Update your RSVP to “Not Going” **⏳ Priority on waitlist** 1. Clear Meetup profile with name and photo 2. RMIT students 3. Regular attendees ** On the day** * New players, please **introduce yourself to the host** * New players wanting a **rules intro**, please arrive on-time and ask a host * Have your **emailed ticket receipt ready** \- it will be checked on the day ** Cancellations and Refunds** * No refunds for change of mind, non-attendance, or no-shows * Refunds only if the event is cancelled (weather or court availability) * Credit for a later session may be offered by agreement in case of event cancellation * Pay only when we share the payment link in Meetup - using old links is at your own risk Whether you are new to pickleball or a regular player, this is a great way to get some games in and connect with the community. Come solo or bring a friend - everyone is welcome! ** Spots are limited, so RSVP early! **

**🔥 MELBOURNE'S NO.1 BAR CRAWL! 🔥** Want an epic night out for just **$15**? Here’s what you need to do: 1\. Click "**Attending**" on the Meetup event 2\. Pre\-book your ticket at [ontherocksbarcrawl.com](ontherocksbarcrawl.com/melbourne/book-now) – Use promo code “**MEETUP26**” on an '**Online Saver**' ticket for $10 off your ticket price! 3\. ARRIVE **BEFORE 18:30** (strict cutoff – no exceptions!) ⏳ Miss any of these steps? It’s **more expensive** on the door! If you're late, your discounted ticket won’t be valid. **WHATS INCLUDED?** 🍹 **5** **Free Shots** 🚀 **VIP** fast-track entry to **5 top** **venues** 🕺 **Free** pass to the best **nightclubs** at the end of the night 👫 **Fun games** and **friendly** **guides** throughout the night We’re officially TripAdvisor’s #1 nightlife experience in Brighton (UK), Barcelona, and now Melbourne! **ARRIVAL INFORMATION:** 📍The Back Room, 24 Grey St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia 🕢 Arrive BEFORE start time (18:30) **💡 IMPORTANT INFO:** 🔞 18+ only – bring a valid Driving Licence or Passport (other IDs may not be accepted) 💬 Contact +61 436 399 434 if you have any issues! 🚫 Due to previous negative experiences, we do not allow stag/hen dos or same-sex groups of 9+ on our public crawls. (Private bookings available – email enquiries to info@ontherocksbarcrawl.com) **🔥 DON’T MISS OUT – BOOK YOUR $15 TICKET [HERE](ontherocksbarcrawl.com/melbourne/book-now) NOW! 🎉**

We'll meet at the spot where Fed Square meets the Princes Bridge over the Yarra (near the pedestrian crossing closest to the river from Flinders St, on the Fed Square side). We'll walk for about 6km along the Yarra River, through the Botanic Gardens and back along the river to Federation Square for a coffee after the walk. This month, we're reading and talking about 'I'd Rather Not' by Robert Skinner. The blurb: 'From one of Australia’s most wryly funny writers comes an original and utterly hilarious memoir of reaching for the stars while lying in a ditch *I was sleeping in what might reasonably be described as a ditch, though I tried not to think of it in those terms for morale reasons . . .* Robert Skinner arrives in the city, searching for a richer life. Things begin badly and then, surprisingly, get slightly worse. Pretty soon he's sleeping rough and trying to run a literary magazine out of a dog park. His quest for meaning keeps being thwarted, by endless jobs, beagles, house parties, ill-advised love affairs, camel trips and bureaucratic entanglements. Sometimes a book catches the spirit of the times. *I'd Rather Not* is about work, escape and that something more we all need. 'I was told this man came from the Adelaide Plains and so commenced to read his work. By the time I realised I'd been viciously misled and he actually grew up in Magill, it was too late. I was already completely in love with the book. It's an absolute bag of lollies.' —Annabel Crabb 'Robert Skinner writes with humour, intelligence and heart. Pick up this book and you may never put it down.' —Tony Birch 'This book is like a big, properly made gin and tonic drunk outside in a garden on a perfect Saturday afternoon.' —Cate Kennedy '…no other book brought me as much joy as this hilarious and deceptively artful collection, and in these uncertain times that is worth plenty.' —Michael Winkler 'No one writes better when the stakes are lower.' —Sam Vincent 'My heart leaps whenever I see Robert Skinner's by-line; I know I am in for a hilarious literary treat complete with wry pearlers, gallows truths and wicked timing. People will say he is Australia's Sedaris, but he's not. He's Robert Skinner and he's a bloody marvel.' —Anna Krien 'Brevity may be the soul of wit, but the nimble economy of this slim volume will make readers pine for more. A decidedly skewed, hilarious collection of life reflections and colorful storytelling.' —*Kirkus* 'Seriously the funniest book I've read all year. I can't stop thinking about Robert Skinner's forays into the most mundane and frustrating aspects of life - Centrelink, being a tour guide, applying for arts funding - and the shameless truths he not only reveals about himself but about us as a society. Read this book with a bottle of wine, and be alarmed and enlightened!' —Alice Pung 'If only all books were as funny, human and true as *I'd Rather Not*. I raced through it, marvelling and envious all the way.' —Michelle de Kretser 'Skinner has been compared to Oscar Wilde, but his book is as self-effacing as it is quip-witted.' —Beejay Silcox, *The Guardian* 'The best Australian books of 2023' 'Skinner has been called the Australian David Sedaris and it's easy to see why. Both have the same droll, self-deprecating humour and both mine their own lives for maximum mirth-making potential. [...] a book with a several-laughs-a-page quotient.' –Thuy On, *Arts Hub* 'The funniest book I have read for a long time' —Andy Griffiths, author of *The Treehouse* series" Goodreads rating: 3.71 How does a walking bookclub work? Like a normal bookclub, we talk about the book, what else we're reading, have read, or want to read (as well as a few tangents into life outside literature!) but we do it while walking around Melbourne and then over a coffee. We often split into smaller groups as we walk, but we also regroup through the walk. Should I read the book beforehand? The conversation will be more interesting if you do, but you can still come along if you haven't finished it yet! Do I need to bring anything? **Comfy** walking shoes, drinking water, some money for coffee or a bite to eat after if you wish. No need to bring the book unless you want to. No shows No shows (RSVPing yes and not attending) mean the group waits unnecessarily for those who are not coming, thinking you are running a little late. It’s absolutely fine to change your rsvp for any reason up until the walk begins, and you don’t need to leave a comment, send a message or give a reason, but if you don't click that 'change rsvp' button, you may be removed from the group. Membership Fee Did you know that while it is free to attend most events, Meetup charges organisers about $600 a year to organise a group? Members of the Walking Book Club are asked to pay a membership fee of $10 per year (not per event) to help cover this cost. When you join the group, you'll be automatically given a three month trial so you can see what the group is like, without needing to make any payment. If you would like to continue attending events after this, please follow Meetup's instructions to pay the $6.50US/approx $10AUD fee once per year (or contact group organisers if you would prefer to make payment using paypal, payID, cash or bank transfer).

**What's going to happen?** There are 4 activities to choose from: **Connection Carousel** (structured conversations), a **Board Game Table**, a **Choose Your Own Adventure** hangout area, and a **Quiet Retreat Space**. Refer to the [detailed plan here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nVbe9zl_dzniTTEavz97LWCWiHfefDZZILYXjVxrAMs/edit?usp=sharing). **Where is it?** It's in the Sandringham Library event space, a short walk from Sandringham railway station. Refer to the [visual directions here to find it](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nVbe9zl_dzniTTEavz97LWCWiHfefDZZILYXjVxrAMs/edit?usp=sharing). **Who's it for?** Whether you have Adult ADD/ADHD, ADHD, Autism, or identify with any other neurodivergent traits, this event is a safe space for open discussions and support. Connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and learn from each other's unique perspectives on living with neurodivergence. Our goal is to foster a community where everyone feels accepted, understood, and empowered. Come spice up your neurodivergent journey with us!

**🫶 East Melbourne Virtual Speed Dating – Hosted, Curated & on Zoom** Meet East Melbourne singles from home. We sort the matching, you just turn up. It's simple: complete a short personality quiz, jump on Zoom, and meet East Melbourne singles in guided one-on-one rounds. Matches shared afterwards. **Choose your age range to register:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=421.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=East%20Melbourne&groupurlname=join-the-local-singles-dating-scene&ar=18-32&face_v=14.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=421.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=East%20Melbourne&groupurlname=join-the-local-singles-dating-scene&ar=30-46&face_v=14.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=421.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=East%20Melbourne&groupurlname=join-the-local-singles-dating-scene&ar=40-58&face_v=14.0) - **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=421.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=East%20Melbourne&groupurlname=join-the-local-singles-dating-scene&ar=55+&face_v=14.0) **⚠️ RSVP alone won't secure your spot.** You need to register through your age group link below and complete the personality quiz. Places are limited. --- 🎯 **Perfect for:** - Singles who prefer a hosted, structured experience - First-timers new to speed dating - People fed up with swiping who want actual conversation - East Melbourne locals after personality-matched dates **How It Works** 1. **Sign up** – Tap the link for your age range above. 2. **Fill in the matching quiz** – Helps us find your ideal matches for the evening. 3. **Join on Zoom** – Click the link, jump on, and the host handles the rest. 4. **Chat** – Quick timed rounds with East Melbourne singles paired to you. 5. **See your matches** – Discover who you clicked with after the event. **Event Details** - **Format:** Virtual on Zoom – hosted and well-structured - **Location:** Wherever you're comfortable – no venue, no travel - **Host:** Friendly host guiding every round - **Vibe:** Great energy, real people, authentic conversation - **Matching:** Driven by personality quiz results - **Matches:** Mutual matches sent out after the event - **Tech:** Zoom, webcam, and a stable connection - **Rounds:** Multiple short one-on-one rounds 💡 **Tip:** Prepare a couple of questions — it keeps the conversation moving. --- ✨ Real people, real conversations — all from your home. � ✨

This month's prompt concerns the idea of the “warrior philosopher” (seemed appropriate in these times)--that is someone whose understanding of violence, power, and justice is forged through direct experience of war. We are looking at Major General Smedley D. Butler, a highly decorated U.S. Marine raised in a Quaker (pacifist) tradition who later became a prominent critic of American militarism (there is a wonderful biography of Gen. Butler called "Gangsters of Capitalism") Butler's argument in *War Is a Racket* (1935): that many U.S. interventions were driven less by national defense than by corporate and financial interests, with Butler portraying himself as an enforcer for business and Wall Street. We can consider the moral ambiguity of his insider critique—whether complicity strengthens or undermines credibility and also consider some of the concrete reforms he proposed (e.g., “conscript” capital before soldiers, restrict the military to coastal defense, and have only those who fight decide on war). Butler’s life arc clearly changed from pacifist upbringing to warrior to antiwar crusader—and asks whether true understanding of peace requires firsthand knowledge of war, and what that implies about the cost of suffering. So do we need to suffer to understand suffering? Do we have to experience war to appreciate peace? As one more question: in the movie "A Few Good Men" Jack Nicholson's character says that "you have the luxury of not knowing what I know" so do most of us go through life oblivious to real violence and suffering? See you at Drunken Philosophy!

Join Neurospicy Columbus at the Stauff's for coffee and then a stroll through the Book Loft nearby! This will be a friendly chat for like minded individuals with Autism and/or ADHD (or somewhere on the Neurodiverse Spectra).

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! 📖

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!

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.