Idea Cafe

Hi all! 🙂 On Wednesdays we welcome you to practice languages! If you want to practice a specific (uncommon) language, please send us a message so we can find some conversation partners for you on our mailing list! We hope to see you in Café Marktzicht! In the last year we had tables for the following languages: * Dutch * English * French * Italian * Spanish * Turkish\* * German\* * Portuguese\* * Danish\* * Norwegian\* * Russian\* * Arabic\* * Chinese\*\* * Japanese\*\* * Indonesian\*\* * * Most likely, but not every week present. \*\* - Rather rare ;-) If your language is not in this list, please let us know! We have a large database of Language Cafe visitors speaking 56 different languages! We might be able to connect you with a person that does speak the language you want to practice. In case you are not in our database yet, please use this form: http://goo.gl/forms/oSCn9Dn8m8

It's time for a new Dutch PowerShell User Group in-person edition. This continues our community events, bringing people together around DevOps, PowerShell scripting, and automation in the Netherlands. Hosted at Rubicon in Leusden, the evening will be a chance not only to learn but also to reconnect with fellow community members. **Speakers** As part of this restart, we have opened a [Call for Papers](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) to give both new and experienced speakers the opportunity to contribute. The full program will be announced soon. **Agenda** The event will take place on the 8th of April, 2026. All times are listed in CET. * 17:30 – 18:00 Arrival * 18:00 – 18:45 Dinner * 18:45 – 19:00 Welcome from Rubicon / Organizers * 19:00 – 19:45 First Session * 19:45 – 20:15 Break * 20:15 – 21:00 Second Session * 21:00 – 21:30 Networking **Speaker Information** With the restart of DuPSUG, we are opening the stage for both familiar names and new voices. The [CFP](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) is currently live, and speakers will be announced shortly. **Sessions** As we restart our events, sessions will continue to focus on advanced topics in automation, scripting, and DevOps. ### 1\. Keep secrets away from AI Assistants: Secure Secrets Management with PowerShell \- Jev Suchoi *More often than not, today’s engineering happens inside AI-assisted development environments (IDE's). While this boosts productivity, it also introduces a new risk: secrets leaking into prompts, suggestions, logs, or chat history. This session shows how to set up a local engineering environment using PowerShell so secrets never end up in code, source control, or an IDE’s AI assistant.* *The session starts with pragmatic local engineering patterns: separating configuration from code, structuring local secret files, and using .gitignore correctly to prevent accidental exposure. From there, it moves to a secure-by-default approach using the PowerShell SecretManagement and SecretStore modules. Encrypted vault registration, safe unlocking, and runtime secret consumption are covered without leaking sensitive values into scripts, terminals, AI prompts or sharing them with AI Assistants lurking in your development environment.* *As a demo, secure authentication to Azure and Azure DevOps is demonstrated using PowerShell without exposing credentials to environment variables, clipboard history, or AI tooling. The focus remains on habits and patterns that scale from solo engineers to professional engineering teams.* ### 2\. Modern Powershell module development \- Marko Stanojevic *Demonstrate powershell module template with built in versioning, labeling, CI/CD, devcontainer, VS code settings, built in tasks, Github Copilot and agents instructions, pull request labeling and release notes automatic generation.* *[https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule](https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule)* **Location** We are in-person at: Rubicon Leusderend 36 3832 RC Leusden Participation is free, and you are encouraged to attend in person. **Tickets** We kindly ask you to register your attendance through Meetup. Our events are made possible through sponsorship, and accurate attendance numbers help us secure continued support. Please make sure to register if you plan to attend, and update your RSVP if your plans change.

This is a new edition of the Socrates cafe with a new format. In this edition, the moderator will pick a specific quote, topic or question from a known philosophers (example; Voltaire, Kant, Marcus Aurelius, Hypatia of Alexandria, Rousseau, Machiavelli, Descartes, Plato and others). A summary around a page will be provided in the event *(**See below - The topic of this Session)*** Please take the time to read. The Moderator will read the summary and give an introduction of the topic. Then, we will have an open discussion, and a final round when everyone will give their conclusions. **The topic of this Session** Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was an English lawyer, statesman, philosopher, and master of the English language. Francis Bacon’s quote - "**Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible."** This quote suggests that **raw, unadorned truth can be difficult for people to accept or understand**. Bacon implies that **truth often requires storytelling, metaphor, or embellishment** to make it **accessible, convincing, or engaging** to others. In other words: * **Truth alone** can be harsh, abstract, or counterintuitive, making it hard for people to grasp or believe. * **Fiction (or narrative)**—whether through parables, metaphors, or creative framing—can act as a **bridge**, helping people relate to or accept the truth. Bacon’s insight reflects his understanding of **human nature and communication**: sometimes, the most profound truths are best conveyed through **stories, analogies, or even artistic license** rather than cold facts. This idea is especially relevant in **teaching, rhetoric, and even science**, where complex truths often need to be simplified or framed in relatable ways. **About the Philosopher** https://www.britannica.com/biography/Francis-Bacon-Viscount-Saint-Alban **RULES** 1. Please be on time! We will start at 19:00 so if you arrive late, please join quietly. If you are a first timer, make sure you take extra time for finding the location. 2. If something unexpected happens, please cancel as soon as possible. There's lovely people on the waiting list 3. If you repeatedly sign up and don’t show up, you can expect to be moved to the waitlist next time. 4. You may disagree with others, but please do so respectfully without personal attacks. 5. Please keep your attendance to one event per week to ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend. 6. Just to meet expectations, this is a Philosophy event to discuss Philosophy and this event's **PRIMARY** function is **NOT** focused on Self Help/Psychology or Theology. Though those topics can be a point of discussion from time to time. Please take that into consideration when signing up! See you soon!

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Focus Filmtheater): you can either purchase your ticket online or right before the session# **Title**: A Family **Language**: Dutch **Subtitles**: English **Length**: 90 min **Director**: Mees Peijnenburg **More info**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/agenda/english-subs-a-family/ **Ticket link**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/tickets/143039/ **Synopsis**: An emotional family drama by Mees Peijnenburg (*Paradise Drifters*), about the impact of their parents’ divorce on two teenagers, seen from their own perspectives. With Carice van Houten. Fourteen-year-old Eli and sixteen-year-old Nina are both suffering from the breakdown of their parents’ once-loving marriage. In the custody battle, the siblings must express their wishes, fears, and feelings to a judge. While Nina wants to leave the family as quickly as possible, Eli longs for everything to return to the way it was. Their desires are miles apart. *A Family* is told in two chapters that follow the same three-week period: first from Nina’s perspective, then from Eli’s. These mirrored timelines show how the same moments can be experienced, felt, and understood in completely different ways. Eli and Nina retreat into their own worlds until they realize they are both searching for the same love, recognition, and comfort. The film had it’s world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February. The film was shown in the Generation 14plus program section, dedicated to films with mature themes that are also suitable for a teenage audience. **How it works**: I will be at Focus around 18:30, where we can meet before the movie starts. You can message me to find us. Screening starts at 19:00. After the movie, we can have a drink together. Hope to see you soon!

Dear English Language lovers, Do you feel like meeting new people, having fun while practicing your English or helping others to practice English in a relaxed and cosy environment? If so, we’d love to have you join our English workshop and language café! 😀 **Programme:** Please start arriving from 19:15 onwards at Koentact Dutch Language School. We'll run the first English workshop between 19:30 to 20:30. Then we'll have a 15 minute break to chat and have a drink with your new English speaking friends. At 20:45, we’ll continue on with the second workshop until 21:30. **Level:** From A1+ onwards (including native English speakers) This event is not for complete beginners but for beginners+, intermediate, and advanced speakers since we’ll be focusing on having conversations in English. English native speakers are also more than welcome to help practice English with non natives (and will even get a free drink for their help)! **Photography:** Please note that we will be taking photos at the event which may be used on our social media. If you don’t want to have your photo taken, please let us know at the event. **Donations welcome:** Our event is completely free, however, we really like to support disadvantaged children with their studies at school. If you would like to donate 2 to 5 euros to Studiezalen, we would highly appreciate this. See here for the link: https://studiezalen.com/doneer/. Select: ‘eenmalige donatie’ and ‘Studiezalen’ and you can pay through IDeal or with credit card. (We also have a QR code available at our welcome desk). See you then, Mark (workshop leader) and the Amsterdam Language Cafe volunteers

Do you love books, or have you been wanting to get into reading more? Then this might just be the event for you! At this book swap everyone brings one or a few books they no longer need. We put them all out on the table and from there it's up to you, see if something catches your eye and take home whatever you'd like to read next. Any language is welcome, so bring whatever is sitting on your shelf! At the end of the evening you can take back the books you brought that weren't picked up, or leave them with the organiser who will donate them to a local secondhand shop. This event is organised on a weekday evening as a nice little break in the middle of the week to meet fellow book lovers over a good drink. **Bonus for the walkers 🚶‍♀️** After the event the organiser will walk back to Utrecht Centraal for anyone who wants to join. It's a relaxed 25 to 30 minute walk alongside the water for some extra movement and a calm way to end the evening. ⚠️ If you're unsure whether you can make it, please free up your spot for someone else.

Philosophical discussions about fundamental human questions. It’s not a lecture! It’s participants like you who make the discussion a success, organizers just facilitate it. We bring our most puzzling questions - along with creativity, curiosity and genuine interest to enrich ourselves with perspectives of others. This usually makes Socrates Café event a truly inspiring one for people with very different backgrounds. We discuss, we inquire, we think aloud - respect is the main rule. Here is a list of questions we have previously discussed: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/133sfywQ81G2jcQ4acXESK2-BCosHipvMNQ7w1pj1WL8/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/133sfywQ81G2jcQ4acXESK2-BCosHipvMNQ7w1pj1WL8/edit?usp=sharing) Some practical stuff: 1. Please try to arrive on time so that you can participate in the whole discussion. For those on the waitlist, an overflow group is possible at a nearby cafe. Please let us know if you're on the waitlist when you arrive so that we can make the arrangements. 2. The cafe has reserved 16 seats for us because we have a good relationship with the owner. We would appreciate it if you help us maintain that and treat the space with the same respect you would when you use other cafes. 3. Please note that the purpose of Socrates Cafe is first and foremost for collaborative philosophical discussion. It is not meant to be used as a pulpit, a dating app, or a self-help group. Participants who consistently push their own agendas to the detriment of the discussion and of other participants' comfort will be asked to take a break from the group. 4. It is sometimes necessary to challenge others' ideas in the process - you are welcome to challenge ideas as long as it does not turn into something personal with the person who presented the idea. You can read more background about Socrates Café in the Meetup group description, and if you have any questions - feel free to ask. \- Jim and Nora

'KAFKA ON THE SHORE' by Haruki Murakami 'The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.' ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Lux Nijmegen): you need to purchase your ticket online before # Curious about the best short films of the moment? Go Short is back at LUX Nijmegen! **The Global South Futurisms block will be screened on Friday.** Long dominated by Eurocentric cinematic traditions, science fiction has often served as a fantasy of conquest for the white man. Yet, in the hands of filmmakers from the Global Majority, the genre shifts register. Drawing on currents such as Arabfuturism, the films in this programme use speculative fiction as a way of thinking through generational and environmental wounds in ways realism cannot hold. In effect, the “fiction” of science-fiction becomes a powerful means of comprehension, where fabulation helps offer new political imaginaries. Other Skies invites audiences to witness speculative fiction in new hands—restless, incisive, and unmistakably its own. **Information:** I will be at the LUX entrance from 21:00. Following the screening, there is the option to join the Go Short free after-party at Cafe de Plak! **Link:** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2821&viewingId=5092 **Ticket Info:** Tickets must be purchased online in advance. **Tickets:** https://ticket.goshort.nl/nl-NL/Show/Details/GS-Other-Skies-Global-South-Futurisms-10-apr-837434 **More info**: [https://www.goshort.nl/en/go-short-festival-2026](https://www.goshort.nl/en/go-short-festival-2026) Hope to see you soon!

Stuck behind a desk all week? Time to climb some walls instead! No skills needed, just good vibes. Join us at **RijnBoulder (Arnhem)** for a fun and relaxed bouldering session! Whether you're a seasoned climber or wanna try it for the first time, everyone is welcome. We’ll meet outside at the entrance, warm up a bit, and then hit the walls. Afterward, there’s always the option to grab a drink and chat. * **Where:** [Bouldercentrum RijnBoulder, Olympus 3, 6832 EL Arnhem](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fPR4qg7wdRTJHcYU6). We will be waiting inside, in/near the café. * **Experience needed:** None! (Bring your own climbing shoes if you have them. Rentals are also available.) * **Vibe:** Casual, fun, supportive Let’s climb, laugh, and maybe even impress ourselves a little! For more information on pricing of day passes and gear rentals, [check out this page](https://mountain-network.nl/klimcentra/locaties/bouldercentrum-arnhem/tarieven-rijnboulder-2025/) on the RijnBoulder website. First time? No problem! [Some information here](https://mountain-network.nl/klimcentra/sporter/eerste-keer-boulderen/). Their website is only in Dutch, but Google Translate to the rescue: [prices](https://mountain--network-nl.translate.goog/klimcentra/locaties/bouldercentrum-arnhem/tarieven-rijnboulder-2025/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp) and [instructions](https://mountain--network-nl.translate.goog/klimcentra/sporter/eerste-keer-boulderen/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl&_x_tr_pto=wapp). And if you have any questions, just let us know. ⚠️ Disclaimer: Participants are responsible for their own safety.

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Lux Nijmegen): you need to purchase your ticket online before # **Curious about the best short films of the moment? Go Short is back at LUX Nijmegen!** Since the festival schedule is huge, I picked out two blocks from the European Competition for the meetup. **Here is the plan:** * **19:15 – 20:45 \| Block 1: EU Comp 3** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2982&viewingId=5093 * **21:15 – 22:45 \| Block 2: EU Comp 4** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2983&viewingId=5102 Feel free to drop in for just one of the blocks, or stay for the double feature. **Ticket Info:** Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Be aware that the EU Competition blocks tend to be popular and might sell faster! If you want to join for both blocks, I highly recommend getting a **Day Ticket**. Otherwise, you can just book a single ticket for the specific block you want to see. **Tickets: https://www.goshort.nl/en/tickets** **Meeting point:** I will be at LUX right by the entrance, from 18:30 and during the break between the two screenings so we can meet before each block starts. **More info**: https://www.goshort.nl/en/go-short-festival-2026 Hope to see you soon!

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

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

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

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)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg Instructor - Crow, HPS Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642. Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online. Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only Please come prepared for ritual. Blessings ~ Crow

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)