Émergence

Ever feel like your thoughts make sense in your head, but don’t land the way you want out loud? This session is built for that. Join us for a practical, relaxed workshop with **Stephen Lakey**, a communication coach and keynote speaker who has helped leaders and teams communicate with clarity and impact. This is not theory heavy. You will learn simple, usable ways to organise your thoughts, speak more clearly, and feel more confident in real conversations. **What You’ll Get Out of It** • Understand why communication can feel chaotic and how to simplify it • Learn how to express your ideas clearly without overthinking • Build confidence in social and professional conversations • Practice structured communication that feels natural and usable. **What to Expect** A relaxed, neurodivergent friendly space with no pressure to perform. You can participate at your own pace. **Meet Your Hosts** Stephen Lakey Communication coach, mentor, and Board Chair at ASCLA. Stephen helps people turn complex thinking into clear, structured communication that actually lands. Nick Watkins Founder of NeuroSparks, co-leading workshops and events that help neurodivergent adults build confidence, communicate clearly, and form meaningful connections. **Note** This workshop is for educational and coaching purposes only and is not medical or psychological advice. Spots are limited. Lock in your place early. Payment: Bring $20 cash or contact us for payment.

**Welcome to 'GENESIS' - The Generative AI Filmmaking Networking Event!** ***THIS MAY BE A LIMITED EVENT - PLEASE MAKE SURE TO RSVP.*** This group is for individuals interested in exploring the intersection of generative AI technology and movie making. Whether you're a filmmaker eager to discuss movie production, a technician looking to collaborate, or simply wishing to learn more and discuss AI in film, this group is for you! Join us at the Emporium food court (located behind Grill’d Burger Restaurant in the CBD, not near Melbourne Station) to discuss AI technologies, workflows, productions, AI ethics, government responsibility and more. After 7pm, we continue the evening with Happy Hour drinks at a nearby bar and a chance to grab dinner together. Feel free to bring friends interested in AI filmmaking; it’s a great way to introduce new faces to our expanding network. RSVP to help us gauge attendance and become part of a growing network of film professionals and enthusiasts. Though the event begins in the afternoon, the relationships you build here can last well into the night and beyond. At 7 PM, we move to The Carlton Club, a five-minute walk away, where we continue networking in a more formal rooftop setting over drinks and food. This change of venue offers an ideal environment to keep conversations flowing. We want to foster a supportive network for creativity, film and television production, and collaboration between the world of cinema and AI. Connect with like-minded individuals and explore the exciting world of generative AI filmmaking together at GENESIS.

Whether you're looking for a short, light game or a longer strategy-heavy game, come join the Melbourne Asian Board Gamers on Tuesday night at Marché Board Game Cafe for some fun! To **check in**, please head to the front counter and show your RSVP for the Meetup event to a Marché staff member. They will then point you towards the event host for the evening to take down your attendance. **⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ Cost ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆** Attendees who have registered for the event on Meetup can play at discounted rates, with the following payments to be made: * **$7 in total per session” to cover Meetup subscription and cafe costs. Payment of $7 should be made to Marche at the front counter upon notification to the staff member that you are here for the scheduled meetup. There is now no minimum spend on items at the cafe as there were before. The cafes menu can be found here https://mbgcafe.com.au/menu.pdf . Only attendees on the "going" list are entitled to the discount. attendees that are on the waitlist or didn't register on Meetup are still welcome to come, but will need to pay the regular Marche rate of $22 for three hours of board games (includes one free drink). **Attendance** As our events are highly popular, if you have RSVP as going but can no longer attend, please amend your RSVP to allow others a chance to attend. If we notice people are not showing up when they have RSVP, you will be moved to the waitlist the following week and give priority to those who actually turn up. We appreciate everyone's understanding and co-operation. We really appreciate your support and look forward to playing with you.

**Event Info:** The purpose of this gathering is to get together as an inclusive Spiritual Playgroup without any set agenda. We will talk and discuss spiritual topics as well as exchange knowledge, skills, abilities, gifts and healing modalities to help each other unlock our highest potential. The evening is broken up into parts, starting with a group meditation, followed by an activity, then a tea break, finishing with group discussion Every level of experience and background is welcomed, whether you are just starting out with spirituality and want to explore more, or you are a veteran and want to share your wisdom with others. If you are new and don't know anyone, please come talk to me, I can introduce you to regulars. **Topics can include:** Spirituality, esotericism, metaphysics, philosophy, psychic abilities/gifts/intuition, mediumship, working with energy, working with spiritual guides/beings, healing/energy healing, health, wellbeing, mysticism, theosophy, shamanism, starseeds and many others. Whatever comes up during our gatherings, everyone is encouraged to suggest topics and participate. You are welcome to share any spiritual/healing/metaphysical knowledge, experiences, talents that you have with the group or simply enjoy the company of like-minded people & learn from each other through these sessions. **This group is for you if:** -You want to explore spirituality in a fun, laid back setting. -You are looking to unlock deeper aspects of yourself. -You are looking to unlock your intuition/gifts. -You are looking for your calling/purpose/how to be of service. -You want to reach a higher level of self-awareness and apply it to your everyday life. -You are looking to meet and make friends with other like-minded people. -You want to help anchor the spiritual energies. -You enjoy spiritual discussions. -You want to help others. This group is open and accepting of everyone looking to learn or help others, any disrespect will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave. Keep in mind that this group is not religion based. **What to bring:** -A bottle of water -Optionally feel free to bring a snack but we do ask that you keep the place clean. -$5 contribution which helps cover the cost of the facility **Amenities provided:** -Chairs -Kitchen for tea/coffee/snacks -Toilets **Location:** Level 1/234 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000 **Getting there:** It is a short 3 minute walk from Flinders Street Station, with nearby tram stops as well. There is a parking lot on Flinders Lane as well if you are coming by car, which is 20$ flat rate for the night if you book online (otherwise it is 25$). **Important note:** The event has a capped attendance, and as such we ask that you only RSVP as attending if you know you are able to make it. If you can no longer attend, please change your RSVP to not attending, to allow others to attend. This meetup is also posted on another meetup group, so numbers here do not reflect complete attendance. Kind Regards, Emile and Gunnel Facilitators / your hosts: Gunnel Watkins is a board member of The Melbourne Theosophical Society, she has a background in Transpersonal Art Therapy and is a practicing artist. Emile has been hosting this group via Meetup Group [https://www.meetup.com/melbourne-spirituality-personal-growth-meditation-meetup/events/260755046/](https://www.meetup.com/melbourne-spirituality-personal-growth-meditation-meetup/events/260755046/)

We are a multi-disciplinary group of PhDs and academic staff who write together regularly and help one another to achieve our writing goals through supportive community, focus and a structure that works. We welcome anyone who wants to get some writing done in a collegial, supportive, encouraging environment. You don’t have to be from University of Melbourne (you don’t have to be from university at all!). We use the Pomodoro method, which means we write in timed intervals of silence, then chat and catch up for 5 mins and repeat the cycle. Arrive when you like, leave when you like. The goal is to keep our writing projects progressing and reduce the isolation that can be part of the academic and/or writing life. **Session Outline:** Welcome: 9.00-9.05 (5 mins) Pomodoro 1: 9.05-9.30 (25 mins). Break: 9.30-9.35 (5 mins) Pomodoro 2: 9.35-10.00 (25 mins) Break: 10.00-10.05 (25 mins) Pomodoro 3: 10.05-10.55 (50 mins) Break: 10.55-11.05 (10 mins) Pomodoro 4: 11.05-11.30 (25 mins) **A note about the format** We don’t host critiques or readings. These events are a safe space for writers of all skill levels and genres to work on their craft, so no one will read or critique your writing. For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://www.shutupwrite.com). **Other Important Details:** WiFi name/password: There is free public wifi available at the Melbourne Connect Superfloor (speak to the concierge for details). University of Melbourne staff and students can connect to the university wifi; staff and students from other universities can join Eduroam using their home institution's log in credentials. Travel / Parking info: Public bike parking along Swanston and Grattan Streets. Tram routes 1, 3, 3a, 5, 16. 16, 64, 67, 72 along Swanston Street (Stop 1) and 19 along Royal Parade (Stop 10). The nearest train station is Parkville Metro Station. Bus routes include 200, 207, 250, 251, 401, 402, 403, 505, 546. There is no public parking available at Melbourne Connect, however the area is well serviced by nearby public carparks, including Cardigan House Parking at 96 Grattan Street and the University of Melbourne Eastern Precinct Car Park at 375 Grattan Street. A taxi rank is located on Grattan Street.

Join us for a relaxed outdoor meetup at **Fairfield Boathouse Café** 🌿 This is a collaboration between **NeuroSparks** and **Pawshare Club**, bringing together people who value genuine connection, community, and time outdoors. You’re welcome to bring your pet along 🐶 Expect a casual, friendly space to meet others, have conversations that actually feel real, and enjoy a low pressure environment by the river. No structure, no pressure. Just good people, fresh air, and a chance to connect. **Date:** April 11, 2:30 to 4:30 PM **Location:** Fairfield Park Boathouse & Tea Gardens 🐶 **Giving Back** 100% of profits from ticket sales ($5 per entry) will be donated to a local shelter to support pets in need Free entry for Pawshare Club or NeuroSparks members Come as you are. *** **Important Event Notes** 🐕 **Leash Policy** All dogs must remain leashed at all times 🚫 **Aggressive Dogs** Do not bring dogs that show aggressive behaviour 🌧️ **Weather Updates** In case of extreme weather, the event will be rescheduled. Updates will be posted on the event page ⚠️ **Liability** Participation is at your own risk. You are responsible for yourself and your pet at all times *** **About Co Hosts** **Pawshare Club** A community driven pet care platform connecting Melbourne pet lovers to share pet sitting, organise walks, and create social meetups [https://pawshareclub.com](https://pawshareclub.com) **NeuroSparks** A Melbourne based community for neurodivergent adults, including autism, ADHD, AuDHD, and other forms of cognitive diversity [https://www.meetup.com/neurodivergent-sparks/](https://www.meetup.com/neurodivergent-sparks/) *** **Disclaimer & Safety Notice** By attending this event, you agree: • Participation is voluntary and at your own risk • Organisers are community volunteers, not medical or professional providers • You are responsible for your own safety, choices, behaviour, and belongings • You are responsible for the supervision and behaviour of any pets you bring • Organisers are not liable for injury, loss, or damage at any time • If you have health or access needs, you are responsible for arranging appropriate supports • In an emergency, call 000 immediately By attending, you accept full responsibility for your actions and well being.

Hello everyone! Join us for an Apache Kafka® x Apache Flink® meetup on **Apr 9th from 5:30pm**, in Melbourne! The address, agenda, and speaker information can be found below. See you there! **📍Venue**: 394 High Street Northcote, Victoria 3070 \*\*\* **🗓 Agenda:** * 5:30pm: Doors open * 5:30pm - 6:00pm: Pizza, Drinks, and Networking * 6:00pm - 6:30pm: Chad Harris, Solutions Architect, Factor House * 6:30pm - 7:00pm: Stephen Ermann, Senior Customer Success Technical Architect * 7:00pm - 7:30pm: Additional Networking \*\*\* **💡 Speaker:** Chad Harris, Solutions Architect, Factor House **Talk:** Things that go bump in the night: Kafka Operational Issues and How to Survive Them **Abstract:** Most Kafka talks focus on how things should work—this one is about what actually happens in production. We’ll walk through real-world operational issues encountered with Apache Kafka and its clients, from subtle misconfigurations to full “why is everything on fire?” moments. Along the way, we’ll break down how to identify what’s going wrong, which signals actually matter, and how to approach debugging when the system doesn’t behave the way you expect. This talk will also touch on observability, common failure patterns, and practical mitigation strategies you can apply immediately. Expect a mix of technical deep dives, debugging workflows, and a few war stories (including some questionable decisions and log-staring sessions). If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s just you? It's not! **Bio:** Chad Harris is a streaming data specialist and Solutions Architect at Factor House, where he helps organisations design, scale, and operate Apache Kafka platforms using industry-leading tooling. With experience scaling Kafka across organisations ranging from small startups to some of Silicon Valley's largest companies, Chad has been working with Kafka since its early days. He brings deep expertise across both real-time streaming and data-at-rest systems, with a strong focus on practical, production-ready architectures. \-\-\-\-\- **💡 Speaker:** Stephen Ermann, Senior Customer Success Technical Architect **Talk:** From Lag to Smooth Sailing: How Queues for Kafka (KIP-932) Fix Slow Consumers **Abstract:** Slow or bursty consumers are one of the most common reasons Kafka applications end up fighting lag, over-provisioning, and operational fire drills. Traditional Kafka consumer groups work brilliantly for high-throughput stream processing, but they can make it hard to serve heterogeneous consumers, apply backpressure cleanly, or guarantee fair access when some consumers fall behind. In this talk, we’ll explore **Queues for Kafka**, the new KIP-932 feature that introduces native queue semantics on top of Kafka’s battle-tested log foundation. We’ll look at how queues decouple producer and consumer throughput, isolate slow consumers without penalising fast ones, and provide more predictable delivery and scaling behaviour for “task” and “work queue” style workloads. You’ll walk away with: * A clear mental model of how Kafka queues differ from topics and consumer groups * Concrete design patterns for handling slow and spiky consumers * Migration tips for evolving existing Kafka-based services to use queues safely If you’ve ever stared at a lag graph wondering whether to add more consumers, more partitions, or more coffee, this session will show you a cleaner path to smooth sailing with Kafka. **Bio:** Stephen Ermann is a **Senior Customer Success Technical Architect at Confluent**, working with leading financial institutions across APAC to design and operate mission-critical, real-time data platforms. With deep experience in **Apache Kafka**, **Confluent Cloud and Platform**, and surrounding ecosystems like **Kafka Connect** and **Apache Flink**, Stephen helps customers solve hard problems around scalability, reliability, and security in production. They are particularly focused on **RBAC, OAuth, mTLS, and container image security**, as well as emerging **agentic AI** patterns built on streaming data. Outside day-to-day architecture work, Stephen regularly shares practical patterns and lessons learned at meetups and user groups across the region. \*\*\* If you would like to speak or host our next event please let us know! community@[confluent.io](http://confluent.io/)

A midweek recce ride for Intermediates. A mixture of roads and paths. Includes plenty of climbing (\~10% gradient max). Most roads have a cycle lane or sealed shoulder. Paths are sealed. **Ride**: Meet at Ringwood Station (Station St / Bedford Rd side) and ride via Lilydale to Coldstream, Yellingbo, Emerald, Upper Ferntree Gully, Scoresby and back to Ringwood. Actual route likely to vary on the day. Finish time is a guesstimate. You could exit earlier, eg Upper FTG, if needed **Getting there:** I'm intending to take the Flinders St 9:16 Belgrave train arriving Ringwood 9:50 **Total distance**: 106 Km. Please travel light (No heavy backpacks or panniers, please) **Speed**: \~25 kmh typically on the flat. Note: See the hilly parts in the profile under the map on the link further down **Forecast:** Melbourne area - 20°C Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming southeast to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day. http://reg.bom.gov.au/places/vic/ringwood/forecast/detailed/#d2026-04-08 **Bike to bring:** Conventional lightweight roadbikes recommended. Gravel bike if it isn't too heavy **Map, Profile and GPX**:[ ](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/10729905) [Click here](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53904305?privacy_code=Xli3iUjH08PPphuPDzQnlY2aWJZAgwfe) \* \*Actual route may vary on the day **Brunch / Lunch / Coffee breaks:** Possibly Wandin and/or Emerald plus various breaks as needed **Bring**: -Water, spare tube & tools, snacks, sunscreen, your phone with my number. -Please carry your emergency contact details on you, just in case. **Contact**: Neil Griffiths - 0419 560 409 "All riders are riding at their own risk and Melbourne Cycling does not take any responsibility for any injuries or accidents you may have on any of our rides"

**🚂 Bendigo Day Trip** *(2nd Saturday of the month)* Board the V/Line at Southern Cross at 10:06am and roll into Bendigo at \~11:57am. We co-work on the train, grab lunch in Bendigo, then catch the **13:26 return** back to Southern Cross (arriving \~14:24). A full day of building, banter, and beautiful Victorian countryside.

**Dying Consciously** \- it's not something most of us think about very much\. But some ancient teachings tell us that our state of consciousness at the time of death will determine the conditions of *our next destination*. And this idea is indeed supported by *some parapsychological evidence*. **In this unique interactive session,** Candace Ohanessian will walk us through the many considerations and questions one needs to align this most important life-event with our innermost values and wishes. **Candace will introduce us** to the key foundational concepts, parapsychological aspects of dying, and then the practical foundations of a preferred (conscious) death. She'll then cover in depth what conscious dying is all about, how to be in a supporting role with others who may be dying, and then finishing with some closing reflections and discussion. Certainly **a thought-provoking and eye-opening** discussion, and one you rarely get the opportunity to explore in a safe space with an experienced expert in the field. When we face up to our greatest fears, we become empowered. **About Candace:** * End-of-life doula, funeral celebrant, and registered funeral provider * Believes that preparing for death is a most life-affirming achievement * 20+ years’ experience with people in transition - addiction recovery, end-of-life planning and care, and families in grief. * Helps people plan for and have their preferred death * Helps families embrace and support the dying person and each other, optimally * Cert IV in Doula Studies, BA in Human Development, MSc in Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. * Member of [Dying With Dignity Victoria ](https://www.dwdv.org.au/)and [Palliative Care ](https://www.pallcarevic.asn.au/)Australia, * Committee member of [Natural Death Advocacy Network](http://ndan.com.au/) * Board of Directors for the end-of-life doula peak body “HELD” **Post-Event Social Lunch Hangout (12.45 - 1.45pm)** Afterwards, you are invited to lunch with everyone at Flora Restaurant (5min walk from the venue) **PLEASE NOTE:** * **11AM Start -** Please be considerate and arrive early. * **$10 Cover Charge:** Room hire, facilities, and running costs.

**Why are some people unwell in all so many ways more often than others?** **Why are some accident-prone? Why are people struggling?** Why are people suppressed and how can this be lifted? And is there a reason others live their lives on an emotional seesaw, doing well one day and badly the next? What is behind failed businesses and broken families? What is the cause behind your own unexplained failures and misfortunes and unhappiness. When someone suddenly starts making mistakes or doing or thinking about stupid things, it is caused by something. Or when one feels happy and well and, for no apparent reason, suddenly starts feeling down. Someone or something made this happen. There is an explanation, and it has nothing to do with the gods, fate or the position of the stars. In fact the actual reason behind these phenomena - and their resolution - will be detailed at our meetup. L. Ron Hubbard was able to see through the complexities of human behavior and discover the underlying factors which explain the phenomenon of suppression in people - for it is suppression by others that causes these seemingly haphazard events. Suppression definition: The actions or activities of squashing, sitting on, making smaller, refusing to let reach, making uncertain about reaching, rendering or lessening in any way possible to the harm of the individual; a harmful intention or action against which one cannot fight back. You will learn the basic understanding on how to recognis people who wish you ill and those who should be your friends . You will learn about the mechanics behind destructive yet commonplace situations and ways to counteract it. It is data that could actually change your life tangibly and instantly, just as it has changed the lives of others. You will also learn why some people you know do poorly in life and how you can help them regain their well-being. Change your life for the better. Attend this meetup Know Yourself, Know Life! This free class is open to all people of goodwill. Our meetup free classes contain universal knowledge that is applicable to all of us and can be used by anyone of any faith as well as by those with no faith. It consist of practical tools that can be used straight away. They contain practical TOOLS for better living and will assist you in achieving your goals! If today's date or time is not suited to you than let us know.

Our regular monthly presentation night on the second Thursday of the month from 6:30pm! Thanks to Mantel Group for hosting us again this month. If you're coming in person we're there with food and drinks from 6pm. We will be live streaming the presentations as usual from 6:30pm at [http://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/live](http://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/live) \-\-\- **Agenda** \| 6:00pm \| Food \+ Networking \| \| 6:30pm \| Event begins\. Introductions \| \| 6:40pm \| Chris Hocking — Pretending to be a coder \- Version 3: The world has changed since we last saw Chris… Codex\, Claude and burnout\. \| \| 7:15pm \| TBC \| \| 7:55pm \| Wrap up \+ social time at a nearby venue \| \* All times are approximate. Presentation order will be confirmed on the night. \-\-\-\- We are always looking for speakers and believe everyone has an interesting talk hiding inside themselves. If you are interested in letting that talk out at a future event you can get in touch on the website [https://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/talks](https://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/talks) or on Slack.

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

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

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

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)

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!

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!