Blogging Groups San Francisco

Take Time to Write at Cafenated Coffee

Spiritualism and its Evidential Theologies

Practical AI for Documentation

​AI and docs — everyone's talking about it, but what does it actually look like in practice? Join Write the Docs Bay Area and GitBook for an evening focused on real, applied workflows: using AI to draft, structure, and maintain documentation, with GitBook demoed live as the publishing platform. ​You'll hear how a real docs team runs AI in production, then roll up your sleeves in a hands-on workshop. **​What to expect** ​🍕 6:30 PM — Doors open: pizza, drinks, and informal networking 👋 7:00 PM — Welcome & intro (plus the Tech Writer Scouting Report) 🎤 7:10 PM — Talk: Ian Alton, Head of Technical Writing at Airbyte — *AutoDoc: How Airbyte self-heals and auto-merges docs for 600+ open source connectors* 💻 7:45 PM — Hands-on workshop: Working on documentation with AI, led by Addison Schultz & Sarah Duggan (GitBook) 🗣️ 8:35 PM — Wrap-up, Q&A, and open networking ​ **Who should come** ​Technical writers, docs engineers, developer advocates, and anyone curious about how AI is changing documentation work. Bring a laptop for the workshop portion. Food and drinks provided. Space is limited — RSVP to save your spot! **Shout out to our sponsors** ​Thank you, GitBook, for your continued support of the technical writing community! GitBook is generously sponsoring the food, beverages, and beautiful event venue. ​Learn more about GitBook and its documentation solutions by visiting:[ ](https://www.gitbook.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[https://www.gitbook.com](https://www.gitbook.com/?utm_source=luma)

Blood on the Clocktower in Berkeley!

Depending on runtime of games, we could be playing 2-4 games. It's beginner-friendly, so we can teach you how to play the game. We're likely to play Trouble Brewing and move to Base 3 and light customs as the group gets comfortable. There's space for one circle. We're playing at Tabletop Library, sign-up link will be provided later and we will be in the back!

Life's Big Questions @ Dolores

**RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/hE7TpsNuitgLiotRHKLe?utm_source=meetup&utm_content=a **Early Bird Discounts | More $ Later** **This event is completely FREE** Hello fellow seekers, Here is the idea, plain and simple: one sunny afternoon in Dolores Park, a circle of thoughtful people, and the kind of conversation about life's big questions most of us almost never get to have. This is for people from all walks of life - devout, doubting, spiritual-but-not-religious, deconstructing, atheist, or just curious. Nobody is here to convert anybody. The only ask is that you come honest and stay curious. Most of us carry big questions we rarely say out loud. What do I actually believe, and how did I land there? What do I do with doubt? What makes a life meaningful? This afternoon is a space to say those things out loud, with people who genuinely want to hear them. How it works: We'll gather right in Dolores Park. For the first stretch of the afternoon, the Gist IRL app pairs you up for short, focused one-on-one conversations on the grass. You always know exactly who you are talking to next, so there is no wandering around wondering who to approach. That takes the pressure off and makes it surprisingly easy to skip the small talk and get straight to the meaningful stuff. Then the best part: When the rounds wrap up, you pick the people you clicked with, form a little group of 4 to 6, and walk from the park to a nearby bakery, coffee, or tea spot together to keep the conversation going. Everything on the list below is a short stroll away. By late afternoon you are sitting around a table with warm drinks, fresh pastries, and thoughtful people, talking openly about life, meaning, and what we each believe. Whether this becomes your monthly coffee and big-questions group or just a deeply refreshing weekend pause, I think you will leave feeling a little more grounded than when you arrived. The Plan: 1:00 PM - Check-in. Follow the link to set up your quick profile on your phone. Bring a blanket or something to sit on if you can - we'll have a few extras. 1:05 - 2:25 PM - One-on-one rounds. The app pairs you for short, focused chats about everyday life, purpose, and how you each see the world. 2:25 PM+ - Form groups of 4 to 6 with the people you clicked with, pick a nearby bakery, coffee, or tea spot, and walk over together - your group leaves together today. Instead of having one brief philosophical chat and trading contact info that never turns into an actual meetup, we grab pastries, coffee, and tea right away. You might just stumble into your new go-to people for bakery hunts, book clubs, and thoughtful Sunday walks. And when the afternoon wraps up, you can easily stay in touch with everyone through the app - no need to trade phone numbers. I can't wait to share a table and hear your stories. A few favorite spots nearby: Dolores Park Cafe - Directly across from the park, a relaxed neighborhood staple with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, fresh juices, organic teas, and light fare. Tartine Bakery - Just a block away, legendary for fresh sourdough, morning buns, and artisan coffee. Dandelion Chocolate - An airy bean-to-bar cafe with rich single-origin sipping chocolates, espresso drinks, and comfortable seating. Craftsman and Wolves - A sleek patisserie with inventive sweet and savory baked goods, specialty coffees, and teas. Stonemill Matcha - A tranquil spot on Valencia serving ceremonial-grade Kyoto matcha, roasted green teas, and Japanese-inspired pastries. **RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/hE7TpsNuitgLiotRHKLe?utm_source=meetup&utm_content=a **Early Bird Discounts | More $ Later**

Blood on the Clocktower in Mission Bay!

Our next Genentech Hall event will be on **Sunday** October 11th! We usually have 2-3 games going on, there will always be a circle for any newcomers! We expect about 30-40 people to RSVP on Discord. Let us know if there is any particular script you want to play or if you want to storytell! **Please review and be familiar with our [best practices](https://docs.google.com/document/d/15WL2Da0003h5V-5p_JRNxjJ_gLsl2KKFzkfxyNM7K6E/edit?usp=sharing).** Call 510-457-1355 or ping Felicia (@crimson_flowers), Lily (@lilyblep) or Jim/ddz (@ddz7137) on Discord in the event thread if you need to get in or are lost. Make sure to have us added as friends as we don't get notifications for friend requests. A good number of attendees arrive between 11:00-11:30, but people come and go throughout the day, so feel free to show up and leave whenever you like - no need to be there for the whole day. If you text or call us, please give your Meetup/Discord name (some people both call and message on Discord and it's unclear whether we've already picked them up or not). Please come to the side entrance (not the main entrance) when you search for 1705 Owens St on Google Maps. You need badge access to enter so contact us to get inside. See [these images](https://imgur.com/a/roVuZ3S) for entrance location and parking details. There will be snacks and drinks and feel free to order food. The area has free and paid parking. Free parking is around a 5 min walk from Genentech Hall (near Mississippi and 17th). Join the [California Clocktower discord](https://discord.gg/ACwrXxtWyY) for more events!

20+30s Botanical Garden Coffee Walk (No Work Talk Allowed ;))

**RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/SxtWK1tnc6pVUogEIoTR **Early Bird Discounts | More $ Later** Hey coffee lovers, This is the speed-friending group like no other. You’re guaranteed to meet at least 10 other people and have 1-1 conversations with them! So you get to really make new friends here. Grab your favorite iced drink before and join me for a relaxed afternoon wandering through the lush, shaded paths of the Botanical Garden. We will kick things off with about an hour of app-paired 1-1 chats to get to know each other, and then head out in small groups to explore the greenery together. After we break the ice, you get to choose the people you vibed with the most to keep the afternoon going. By the time the rounds wrap up, you will be strolling through the botanical garden with a crew of 4-6 people you just met and clicked with. Whether this turns into your regular weekend walking crew or just a beautiful afternoon enjoying the blooms in good company, it is going to be a great time. The Plan: - 2:00PM: Check-In. Follow the link to set up your quick profile on your phone. - 2:05PM - 3:25PM: One-on-One Rounds. The app pairs you for focused chats. Find out who shares your favorite local roasters, neighborhood spots, and weekend routines. - 3:25PM+: Form Groups. Reconnect with your favorite matches, form groups of 4-6, and head into the Botanical Garden together to walk and relax — your group leaves together this afternoon. Instead of just swapping favorite cafe recommendations but never hanging out again, we are actually going to walk through the botanical garden today. My hope is that you find the people you will invite on future garden walks and park strolls to explore together. Plus, the app makes it incredibly easy to keep the momentum going. You can stay in touch with everyone you met today right through the platform, without ever needing to swap phone numbers. **RSVP via:** https://app.gistirl.com/event-details/SxtWK1tnc6pVUogEIoTR **Early Bird Discounts | More $ Later**

Take Time to Write at Cafe Leila

Let's meet up to write on Sunday at Cafe Leila at 1724 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley (cross street is Francisco St). Anyone who writes is welcome! Please not that this event is in ADDITION to the ongoing meeting at Cafenated Coffee on Vine St. (we are outgrowing that space). We'll be inside of the cafe, and I'll have a sign saying "Take Time to Write". We'll write in two 50-minute blocks, with breaks in between and after. Come find us between 10 and 10:30 to get set up in time for our first one at 10:30. Schedule: 10:00 - arrive, get drinks, chat 10:30 - Focused writing block 11:30 - End. (This is the time that we need to vacate to make space for other customers of the cafe) About the location: There will be wifi and some (limited) outlets. We'll be indoors, but they typically leaves the doors open so that the space is well-ventilated. The casual restaurant offers coffee, tea, bottled drinks, and a wide range cooked food. Please buy something to support them! About the group: Anyone who writes is welcome -- novelists, playwrights, academics, journalers. This isn't a critique group, and there's no pressure to share your work. We're here for camaraderie, moral support, and friendly peer pressure, so you can focus on taking time to do what you love to do. This meetup is for people who want to write! Take some time to sit down with other writers and focus on your work. We're here for camaraderie, moral support, and friendly peer pressure, so you can focus on taking time to do what you love to do. Anyone who writes is welcome -- novelists, playwrights, academics, journalers. This isn't a critique group, and there's no pressure to share your work. We meet in the East Bay and use the pomodoro method, with blocks of focused writing and breaks to socialize in between. Come join us!

We Have Moved To Mighty Networks - Come See All The Events

If you have not already done so I'd like to invite you to our New Space on Mighty Networks: \*\*\*Register with this link: [https://community.fff50.org](https://community.fff50.org/share/n3G3FpT_LWxPEkky?utm_source=manual)\*\*\* You automatically all join the National so please in addition be sure to select your chapter to join: San Francisco Bay Area. And be sure to look on the left side for the "Clubs" where you will see "Literary Ladies" "The Garden Girls" and other clubs of interest. Join as many as you like. Don't worry about getting inundated with emails...In "Notifications" select "Daily Digest" and you will only get one email a day summarizing everything new. It's great...I really love that feature. And another great feature on this new site besides having "FEEDS" & CHATS" you can find other ladies in your area by having your city location in the profile. Please feel free to reach out to me for any help or assistance.

Sit Down and Write

Writers write. And if you haven't written in a room full of writers writing, you haven't lived! It's a nice feeling, at the least. 11:00 a.m. Arrive, find a spot, support our patron by purchasing a beverage and/or snack and tipping well. Then socialize until writing-time begins! A few minutes before, we'll go around the circle introducing ourselves, our writing passions, and our goal for the day. 11:15 a.m. The organizer will start the clock, and for the next 1 hour conversation shall be discontinued as everyone works on whatever writing or reading (or what-have-you) strikes his or her fancy. The key here is a nice, courteous quiet. Headphones are recommended. 12:15 p.m. Writing-time ends. You're welcome to continue writing, resume socializing, hail a cab, do whatever you want, because you're an adult.

Bollywood Nights - Salesforce Park - Free

**Bollywood Nights at Salesforce Park 🎉** Join Rang De Bollywood for some high-energy, outdoor, bollywood fun! This event is sure to leave you feeling loved, lighter, and delighted in excitement after every session. 🌈 Open to all ages, all levels, all backgrounds. ✨ Come casual or dressed, no pressure! 🎁 Free to attend – just bring your joy, your people, and your dancing feet! 🚶🏼‍♂️‍➡️Register for free so we can prepare at rang.eventbrite.com 🕔 5:30 – 7:00 PM – we’ll start with a beginner friendly dance lesson, followed by an open dance party! 💫 This is a repeating event, happening every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, May through October and you can register for as many dates as you like. Register now: [rang.eventbrite.com](http://rang.eventbrite.com) **About Rang De Bollywood** Hailing from the dream dance city of Mumbai and Amritsar, which is also home to Bollywood and Holy Vibes, our energetic, charismatic, and fun dance instructors-performers-entertainers, Manpreet (Certified in Indian Folk by India's Best and also an author) and Amit (percussionist, actor, dancer), have spread Indian dance music and moves across the length and breadth of India, USA, and Europe. Their recent performances were at National Center of Performing Arts in Mumbai and Herbst Theater in San Francisco. **Important Notes:** * Enter through transit center building and take the elevator to rooftop. We will be close to the elevator. * No solicitors allowed. * Classes might be video taped for marketing purposes. * All choreographies are Copyrighted and Original Works of Manpreet Komal/Rang De Bollywood. *"I recently had the pleasure of attending Manpreet’s Bollywood dance class, and I must say, it was an absolute blast! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced dancer, this class caters to everyone's skill level. The highlight of the class was undoubtedly her teaching style. With a knack for breaking down complex steps into manageable chunks, even the most intricate routines felt attainable. The pacing was just right, ensuring that beginners didn't feel overwhelmed while keeping experts engaged. Highly recommend!" — Kavneet Bindra* **We can't wait to dance together, see you soon!**

Jean Baudrillard - Simulacra and Simulation

"The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth — it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true." Jean Baudrillard wrote *Simulacra and Simulation* in 1981, before the internet, before social media, before generative AI. His claim is not the familiar one that media distort reality, or that we are surrounded by fakes. It is stranger and more radical: that signs and images no longer refer to any reality at all. The map now precedes the territory. Copies circulate without originals. Disneyland exists, he argues, to convince us that the rest of America is real — when in fact the "real" America is already hyperreal. For this session, we'll read the first essay of the book: "The Precession of Simulacra". You can find a copy of that essay [here](https://clarkbuckner.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Baudrillard-Simulacra-and-Simulation-45pgs.pdf). The book is also available on [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0472065211?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback) or at the [SF Public Library](https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S93C1793785). If you're feeling lost in French postmodernism, there is a [Philosophize This episode](https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/simulacra-and-simulation) on the book that might be helpful