E-Democracy

Join us Tuesday (6/2) at 6:30 pm as we hike the Hundred Acre Woods in Westerville. This is a beautiful trail that is filled of hills and roots but a picturesque wooded landscape to hike. Wear your hiking boots if you have them. We will do 2 loops of the 1 mile trail.

Communication is everything in life! Attend this free lecture about how to be a better communicator. You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

NOTICE CHANGE OF LOCATION. WE WILL BE MEETING AT THE SHARON WOODS METRO PARK - THIS MONTH ONLY. Sharon Woods Metro Park, 6911 Cleveland Ave, Westerville, OH 43081 Enter the park from Cleveland Avenue and stay on the main park drive until it dead-ends into a turn around parking lot. We will meet at the Schrock Lake Shelter just off this parking area to the right. We will be taking a Guided Walk with access very near the shelter, on the Edward S Thomas trail, an ADA flat, hard-packed gravel surface trail. This walk will be led by Carrie Keller, Outdoor Naturalist at the park, and Megan Richley, Inclusion Coordinator for the Metro Parks. Wear sneakers or other shoes covering the entire foot. Sandals or flip-flops are ill advised. Sighted guides will be available. Target audience for this group is persons who are visually impaired, especially those who have experienced recent loss, however, all are welcome, including family members and supports. Light refreshments will be served. There will not be a Conference Call option for this meeting.

This is an in-person meeting. Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance. Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues. So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them? That is what this meeting will be all about. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room. This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us. COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant.

Join us as we get together for a Discount Tuesday / Horror-Thriller Pop-Up event to see the very buzzed-about psychological-horror from A24, BACKROOMS! Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve and Mark Duplass star in this film about a therapist, a missing patient and a strange doorway. Here are details, a trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: After a therapist's patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him. The film is directed by Kane Parsons and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve (who was outstanding in The Worst Person in the World and Sentimental Value), Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell. TRAILER: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z6a6NUFlsU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z6a6NUFlsU) BUZZ & EXCITEMENT: Buzz and expectations are off the charts! And over the past week, box office projections have more than doubled as theaters are left scrambling to add showtimes for a film that keeps selling out! Critics call the film “gripping,” “as mesmerizing as it is terrifying” and say it “casts a surrealist spell that’s unlike anything else in contemporary cinema!” It’s an “intellectual puzzle” filled with “unnerving suspense” that’s earning a Certified Fresh 89% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes! PLAN: Purchase your ticket for the 6:30pm showing and meet in the theater lobby between 6:10 and 6:20pm! Discount Tuesday tickets just $5.00! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

I have been studying the question of "self" online with Prof. Ellie Anderson and so I thought a prompt on the "self" might be interesting. Full confession: I had Claude create this prompt and I like it, so here goes: Imagine a thought experiment that merges two classic puzzles: > You undergo a procedure, performed neuron by neuron, in which every biological component of your brain is replaced with a functionally identical synthetic substitute. At each step, your behavior, memories, and personality remain unchanged. When the last neuron is swapped, is the consciousness experiencing the world still you? And — more pressingly — was there ever a continuous "you" to begin with? ### Questions to Wrestle With * If consciousness is purely physical, does the *gradual* nature of the replacement matter, or is it equivalent to being destroyed and rebuilt? * Could there be a "self" without continuity of experience — even moment to moment, while you sleep? On a more practical level, consider the simpler case first: **hemispherectomy** patients — people who have had an entire cerebral hemisphere surgically removed — often retain a strong sense of personal identity and continuity. This suggests "you" are not rigidly tied to specific physical material. But does that vindicate the synthetic neuron case, or merely show that identity is more *flexible* than we thought — not that it can survive *complete* substrate replacement? I used Claude so I could get this out today and let everyone have some time to consider it. Hope to see you at the Oracle. Sorry about the location change two weeks ago. That's what I get for trusting local weather predictions!

**Get your creative flow going with a Sunday Afternoon Maker Meetup!** Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you. 🧵 **What to Bring** Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think: * **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending. * **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling. * **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design. * *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!* **📍 Where to Find Us** * We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Martin Luther King Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.** **⏱️ Timeline** * **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on. * **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas. **⚠️ A Note on RSVPs** Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel. *** **We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**

**🫶 Miami Online Speed Dating on Zoom** Join from home and meet real Miami singles in guided one-on-one Zoom rounds. Matched by age and personality. **Register below for your age group:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Miami&groupurlname=find-authentic-connections-through-group-outings&ar=18-32&face_v=2.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Miami&groupurlname=find-authentic-connections-through-group-outings&ar=30-46&face_v=2.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Miami&groupurlname=find-authentic-connections-through-group-outings&ar=40-58&face_v=2.0) - **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Miami&groupurlname=find-authentic-connections-through-group-outings&ar=55+&face_v=2.0) **⚠️ Important: RSVP ≠ registration.** To join, pick your age group below and complete the quiz. Capacity is limited. --- **How It Works** 1. **Register** – Pick your age group above and sign up. 2. **Take the quiz** – Short personality quiz so we can match you well. 3. **Join on Zoom** – Your host will guide you through every round. 4. **Get matches** – Mutual matches sent after the event. --- ✨ Your next match is one Zoom call away. 🫶 ✨

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

Feeling down? Sometimes depressed? Can't focus? Negativity & stress? Recent losses? Creativity in career and personal life hindered by mental blocks? Sometimes we never fully recover from traumatic experiences. Whether it was yesterday, last week or a year ago, traumatic experiences - a loss of a loved one, losing a job, a breakup - can leave you scarred. You talk about it and feel a little better, but it never goes away. After you hang up the phone, it's still there; the sadness, the cloud, the over-thinking, the worry, the guilt. You try to focus, but you're blocked. You try to look forward into new experiences, new relationships but a cloud is hanging over you, casting a shadow on what you once considered a bright, cheerful future. What happened to your courage? Your strength of character? You're 'why not' attitude? Whoever said 'time heals' must have had a special time machine, because after weeks, months, years, you're wondering - when exactly does that kick in? Sometimes it seems like drinking or drugs are the way to go. But they wear off, and now the problem is still there with added side effects from the drugs. At this free local Meetup event we will talk about: * What causes grief, anxiety and depression to become chronic. * Is it possible to regain your joy and happiness even after traumatic experiences? * How to break away from negativity and focus on the future * What are the steps to take to get control of your mind and your emotions? Learn about a safe, gentle, do-it-yourself counseling that can be done in the comfort of your own home. Let's explore safe, effective solutions for healing from traumatic experiences. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to the event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center.

Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving." The film continues John Carney’s “long run of success with yet another charmer” and “a sharp, hopeful crowd-pleaser that strikes the right notes!” SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus, this is a perfect early stop on our Summer of Ice Cream! Their menu uses made-from-scratch recipes in an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, crepes, waffle sticks, specialty coffee & espresso, and more! Their specialty shakes are as delicious as they are over-the-top and they offer an extensive vegan menu! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php) PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 6:45pm showing and we’ll meet in the upstairs lobby between 6:25 and 6:35pm! Advance ticket purchase is advised for this opening night showing! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show! Should be a fun one, Dan

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Start your week the right way with Manic Mondays. Giving you an enjoyable Bachata lesson with a push of cool moves. The second hour has Beginner/Intermediate Salsa on 1. You must understand basic Salsa skills to participate. 730pm-830pm Bachata Cool Moves 830pm-930pm Salsa On 1 (Beginner/Intermediate) 15 for One Class 20 for Both Free Parking & Plenty of Dance Space. Viva Dance Columbus 2809 Festival Lane Dublin OH 43017

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. 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)

Couldn't make Knowledge? Or want to debrief the dancing robots or Autonomous Workforce? Join us for a Knowledge '26 recap, insights sharing, a couple rounds of golf, and fun at Topgolf. As always, drinks and food will be provided. More details to come — mark your calendar, RSVP, and save your spot today!

## 🤝 Host Information A co-hosted event by ProductTank Columbus & Women in Product Columbus 💡 About the Workshop AI adoption is stalling across organizations — not because of a lack of motivation or tools, but because it's fundamentally a behavior design challenge. This hands-on workshop applies proven Behavior Design models and methods to help you move from a vague organizational wish to boost AI adoption to 3-5 concrete, testable interventions you can act on starting tomorrow. Whether you're a product manager, on a product team, or just someone trying to get AI to actually stick at work, you'll leave with a clear picture of what's worth focusing on, what to ignore, and how to drive real, sustained adoption — no guesswork required. 🛠️ What to Bring Laptop: Fully charged and ready to go. AI Assistant: Have your favorite AI assistant pulled up. (Dom will be using Claude, but feel free to use whichever assistant you prefer!) 🍕 Logistics & Perks Food & Drink: Pizza and drinks provided! Parking: Plenty of free spaces available on-site. ###