Ideas
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out ideas events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the ideas events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find ideas events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Ideas Events Today
Join in-person Ideas events happening right now
Columbus Arduino Raspberry Pi Enthusiasts (CARPE) (Check Location)
Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration!
This session is open forum to share your current projectsâwhether complete or in progress, itâs all interesting! Whether youâre deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, youâll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired.
This session will be at the Karl Road Library in Conference Room 1
đ¸ Interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class & Social Hour
Join us for an interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class at TownHall â a fun, social experience designed to bring people together over great drinks, great food, and great conversation.
During the class, youâll learn how to craft several different Bombay Gin cocktails, guided by a master mixologist in a relaxed, high-energy setting. This isnât a lecture â itâs hands-on, engaging, and built to spark connection, laughter, and good vibes.
Whether you come solo or with friends, this experience makes it easy to meet people, enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, and unwind mid-week.
⨠Whatâs Included (A Ton đ)
⢠Multiple Bombay Gin cocktails
⢠Interactive cocktail instruction
⢠Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall
⢠A lively, social atmosphere
đ¸ Sponsored by Bombay Gin
đ˝ Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall
Must be 21+ to attend
$20 fee per person ďżź
Self-Love: Confidence Through Expression
Confidence can be cultivated in many waysâthrough reflection, conversation, creativity, and practice. In this Confidence Lab session, weâll explore one powerful pathway: **building confidence from the inside out through physical expression and movement**.
This experience is designed to help you reconnect with your body as a source of insight, self-trust, and presence. Weâll begin by grounding into whatâs bringing you here, creating space to notice how your body is showing up and what itâs holding. From there, youâll be guided through accessible movement exercises that invite awareness and choiceâisolating different parts of the body, experimenting with movement, and practicing what it feels like to take up space intentionally.
Next, youâll participate in a small-group dance lesson led in a supportive, low-pressure environment. No dance experience is needed. The focus is not on performance or perfection, but on expression, curiosity, and allowing yourself to move with confidence as you are.
Weâll close with a reflective group discussion, exploring what emerged during the experience and how these insights can be applied beyond the studioâhow you inhabit your body, how you carry yourself, and how you show up in everyday life.
**What to know:**
* Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you feel good moving in
* No dance experience required
* Light snacks and beverages will be provided
This session is for anyone interested in deepening their relationship with confidence by listening to their body, expanding their capacity for self-expression, and practicing self-love as an embodied experience.
**Featured Speaker: Mary Grace**
Mary Grace, the dynamic force behind MG Choreography & Boutique, has been transforming special occasions with her unique blend of artistry and passion for over seven years. As a proud Latina, with Venezuelan and Mexican heritage, Mary brings a rich cultural perspective to every choreography she creates. Her dedication to dance is matched only by her commitment to empowering others through the joy and elegance of movement.
Maryâs journey began with a simple passion for dancing, which quickly grew into a thriving business. She specializes in crafting personalized choreography for weddings, quinceaĂąeras, and sweet sixteens, ensuring each event is unforgettable.
Determined to make a significant impact in Ohio, Mary established the first-of-its-kind brick-and-mortar location that not only offers a space to practice these beautiful dances but also provides a boutique experience for purchasing or renting exquisite dresses and tuxedos for these special moments.
Mary Grace is more than just a business owner; she is a trailblazer for Latina women in the community, dedicated to bringing elegance, joy, and a touch of her vibrant heritage to every event she touches.
**What is Confidence Lab?**
Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether youâre launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fullyâyou belong here.
Our work demands clarity, courage, and convictionâbut the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work.
Itâs designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact.
***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticketâwe want you to join us.*
Connected Westerville Night of Networking!
Connected Westerville Night of Networking flips the script on networking, with surprises and connections that'll make you say, "Who knew networking could be this much fun?!"
Starting and Maintaining Relationships
This is a free in-person meeting.
Let's talk about relationships in such a way that you can really benefit from the knowledge.
We can talk about
* Soulmates
* How to start a relationship
* How to maintain a relationship
* How to pick the right partner
* How to recognize the red flags
* How to improve communication
* How to avoid argument and fights
* How to increase trust
You ask the questions, we'll talk about them.
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 sponsored the Dianetics & Scientology Self-Improvement Center.
Ideas Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Sunday Brunch
Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!
Shut Up & Write!ÂŽ East Side Columbus
Join us for an hour of writing! Weâve discovered that itâs strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if itâs true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
**SCHEDULE:**
6:45ish - Quick introductions
7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour
8:00 - The End
**OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing.
**BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer.
Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild!
**WHAT SHOULD I BRING?**
Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you!
**OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:**
* **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space!
* **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels.
* **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay!
* **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.
"The Philosophy of Alan Watts" Film on a 360 Degree Dome Theater at COSI!
Let's check out a Popular Astronomy and Science Based Film at COSI Science Center on their HUGE 360 Degree 4K Spherical Dome Screen Theater, in which is touring the nation and has already sold over 10,000 tickets!
COSI is one of the leading Science Centers in America. Alan Watts was one of the Most Influential Amateur Astronomers of the 20th Century and held fascinating views of the Galaxy.
Tickets are only $33 plus a small fee and taxes and can be purchased here:
[Trust the Universe: Immersive Dome Show](https://www.sphericalpictures.com/tickets)
PLEASE purchase tickets for the 8:15 PM Feature on Friday, February 13. There seem to be at least 10 tickets left, possibly more. We should be able to sit together in the same row or at least in the general section.
This is an exciting chance to view actual footage of the Solar System on a Large 4k Resolution Screen plus added in Cosmological and Astronomical Related Philosophy!
We will plan on meeting at about 7:50 PM by the Atomic Cafe on the first Floor of COSI, where the Movie Theater is located, in order to give us time before the show starts to purchase refreshments.
Parking is available at the COSI Garage and in the area on side streets and adjacent garages. We can also walk somewhere in the area and get food afterwards, if anyone wants to do so.
Thanks and hope to see you come out!
Cocoaheads
Come out to Improving for our monthly iOS and Mac meetings.
This Month's Presentation:
Bring a lightning talk with you and let's learn some quick things.
What is Cocoaheads (http://cocoaheads.org/)?
CocoaHeads is a group devoted to discussion of Apple Computer's Cocoa Framework for programming on MacOS X and iOS (including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch). During monthly meetings, members present on their projects and offer tutorials on various programming topics.
What is BuckeyeCocoa (http://buckeyecocoa.org/)?
BuckeyeCocoa is a group of Objective-C/Swift developers/enthusiasts. We host monthly Cocoaheads and near-weekly NSCoder meetings in Columbus, Ohio. The meetings are free to attend.
Presentations!
Presenters welcome! We are always in need of people willing to present material. Any Swift and/or Objective-C related topic is welcome. Times can be 5 minutes (i.e. lightning talks) to a maximum of 2 hours. Interested? Contact info is on the BuckeyeCocoa website.
To volunteer for a presentation contact us at @BuckeyeCocoa on Twitter.
Follow us on Twitter! @BuckeyeCocoa (https://twitter.com/#!/Buckeyecocoa/) For more information: http://buckeyecocoa.org/
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Compensation Data
**People Analytics 101: Making Sense of Compensation Data**
Compensation data is one of the most widely used and widely misunderstood forms of people analytics.
The session will cover where compensation data comes from, including market pricing data, internal payroll data, and benchmarking sources, and how companies think about structuring and analyzing that information. We will explore how compensation data is leveraged to set salary ranges, manage internal equity, support hiring and retention, and align pay with business strategy. A portion of the session will address common data challenges and limitations, such as market noise, inconsistent job matching, and incomplete datasets, while keeping the primary focus on practical use rather than technical depth.
The session will also look ahead at where the space is going, including the growing impact of pay transparency laws, expanding pay equity requirements, and emerging regulations in the US and Europe that require organizations to report on gender and pay gaps. The goal is to give attendees a clear mental model for how compensation analytics works today and why getting it right is becoming increasingly critical.
(note: we are back at Rev1 this month!)
**About Our Speaker**
[Alex Moore](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexscottmoore/) is the founder of [Moore Cooperative](https://moorecooperative.com/), where he advises organizations on compensation strategy, pay equity, and people analytics. His work focuses on helping organizations like the Ohio Supreme Court design, analyze, and communicate compensation systems that are data-informed, defensible, and aligned with organizational goals. Alex lives in Granville, Ohio and has three little kiddos.
More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)
Columbus Code & Coffee 83 @ Improving
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!
Ideas Events Near You
Connect with your local Ideas community
NFT AI ART Columbus
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.
Trademarks 101: Protecting Your Brand the Right Way
Join us for a practical, founder-friendly deep dive into trademarks and brand protection with a licensed business and intellectual property attorney.
**Speaker:**
Gaea Kassatly
Founder & Managing Attorney, GK Law Co.
Startup & Intellectual Property Attorney
In this session, we will break down what trademarks are, how they work, and how to use them strategically to protect and grow your brand. Whether youâre a startup founder, creative, or small business owner, this workshop will help you avoid common (and costly) trademark mistakes.
### **What weâll cover:**
* What qualifies as a trademark (and what doesnât)
* The core elements of a trademark, explained in plain English
* Types of trademarks (word marks, logos, slogans, and more)
* A detailed walkthrough of each trademark element
* Non-traditional trademarks (sounds, colors, product shapes, trade dress, etc.)
* Common trademark myths and pitfalls for small businesses
* How to think about trademarks strategically as your business grows
This is a paid event (small fee) to help ensure attendance and engagement.
â ď¸ **Important note:**
This event will be recorded. By registering and attending, you acknowledge and consent to being recorded.
The session will include time for Q&A, and attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to protect their brand with confidence.
đ Bonus for attendees:
Everyone who attends will receive a free consultation at the end of the workshop and will be entered into a raffle to win a free trademark clearance search (a $750 value).
Lunch and a Movie (Solo Mio)! đ đĽ đż
We will have lunch at Cap City Diner in Gahanna at 12:00 then walk over to the theater afterwards. The Movie Solo Mio starts at 1:20.It will be posted when tickets available to purchase probably the week before then weâll post our seat number so we can all sit together đ
AI Freedom Alliance - Inaugural Summit
**\*\*\*\* More details and sign up at: https://aifalliance.org/summit-2026/ \*\*\*\***
**What is AI Freedom Alliance?**
AI Freedom Alliance promotes the responsible growth of AI guided by practical, commonsense ethics. Our nonprofit is built by
professionals from a wide range of industries and is made up entirely of small- and mediumbusiness representativesânever large tech companies. We provide a counterbalance to big corporate influence, focusing instead on how AI can benefit businesses and the world at large.
**Whatâs Happening?**
***The inaugural AI Freedom Alliance Summit.***
This full-day event will explore how we can ensure AI is adopted responsibly through shared ethical standards that empower
humanity. The summit will feature interactive and educational sessions led by thought leaders, technologists, policymakers, and advocates who are passionate about making AI fair, transparent, and beneficial for everyone.
**Why Attend?**
Learn about the legal and technical challenges with implementing AI solutions within your organization. Build better solutions while protecting your organization from legal and compliance risks. And learn how to think strategically about AI as a differentiation tool for your business.
This summit is highly recommended for C-Suite leaders to learn as well as interact with each other and our sponsors.
Azure CBUS February: Build Your Own MCP Server
### Tools in your AI's Toolbox : An introduction to MCP Servers
The generative AI revolution has unlocked unprecedented capabilities, but the next frontier is agency: empowering models to interact with, query, and act upon the world. The current challenge is the âN x M integration problem,â where every AI model requires a custom, brittle integration for each external tool or data source. This approach simply doesnât scale. How can we give an AI access to our sales leads, code repositories, or IoT devices in a standardized, secure, and reusable way?
This session introduces Anthropicâs Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open-source framework designed to solve this challenge and become the universal connectorâthe USB-C portâfor AI. MCP standardizes how AI models discover and use external tools, moving beyond simple function-calling to a robust, client-server architecture. We will dive into how this open protocol is creating a new ecosystem for building powerful, context-aware AI agents.
Join this session for a developer-focused introduction where you will learn how to:
Understand the core concepts of the open-source Model Context Protocol and its architecture.
Utilize pre-built, open-source MCP servers to instantly connect AI to tools like Git, Slack, and databases.
Build a custom MCP server to securely expose your own proprietary data and APIs as tools for any compliant AI.
Move beyond bespoke integrations and contribute to a standardized, collaborative, and open ecosystem.
Stop building one-off connectors and start building intelligent agents. This session will give you the practical knowledge to leverage MCP and create the next generation of AI that doesnât just talk, but does.
Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!!
[https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/](https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/)
Philosophy of Friendship: What are the bases of "friendship"?
As you may or may not know--I didn't until late last year--Aristotle wrote extensively on "friendship" in the Nicomachean Ethics. After 69 years the concept of friendship still creates questions and uncertainty. I had close friends in high school and for a few years after high school but our interests diverged and people moved all over the country so it was hard to maintain connections.
* So if I/you haven't talked with a friend for several years, are you still friends? Are we friends who meet at Drunken Philosophy or Omnipresent Atheists?
* Can you be friends with someone with whom you have virulently divergent political views? Sartre and Camus could not.
* Aristotle regarded friendship as essential to a good life, not merely an added "bonus." Do you agree?
* In the Nicomachean Ethics (Books VIII and IX), he claims that wealth and power are meaningless without friends. Trump has wealth and power but seems to have no real friends, but wealth and power seem meaningful to him in perverted ways. Can you have meaning in your life without friends?
* Do men and women view and maintain friendships in different ways?
* Aristotle categorizes friendship into three types, based on what forms the bond:
* **Utility**: Based on mutual benefit, but this type is fragile and ends when the usefulness ceases.
* **Pleasure**: Based on shared enjoyment (e.g., humor, hobbies). Common among youth but fades as interests change.
* **Virtue (The "Complete" Friendship)**: Based on mutual respect for each other's character and goodness. You wish good for the other for their sake, not yours.
* **Key Principles of "True" (Virtuous) Friendship:**
* **Permanence**: Virtuous friendships last a lifetime whereas those based on utility and pleasure are fleeting.
* **Reciprocity**: Requires mutual goodwill; secret or unreciprocated affection does not qualify.
* **The "Second Self"**: A true friend is "another self"âtheir virtue helps you understand and improve yourself.
* **Time and Intimacy**: Deep ("complete") friendships are few, built on time and shared experiences.
* **Self-Love and Friendship:**
* Good friendship starts with being a friend to yourself.
* They distinguish shallow egoism (chasing honors) from real self-love (pursuing virtue).
* A virtuous personâs pleasant self-company allows them to be a stable, good friend to others.
* Aristotle argues that one's social circle ultimately reflects one's characterâa view with striking relevance today. Well--the Drunken Philosophy social circle certainly reflects good character!
Pickleball.
Letâs try MILO this week. Back to our old stomping ground
COLUMBUS RECREATION CENTERS require membership fee to play. Register & Pay at the desk when you arrive. $5 day pass is available for first time players.
I have some extra pickle ball paddles and balls if you donât have one. Definitely bring your own paddle if you have one and bring some balls if you have them.
Legal Stuff: The event hosts/Organizers are just fellow member volunteers. By participating in any event, you assume all risks of liability and injury inherent in these activities. You are responsible for your own safety and for determining if you are in condition fit to participate. You are also responsible for knowing and abiding by all laws and rules during your participation in any event.âŠ
Photos & or Video: by attending these events you acknowledge photos and or video may be taken and used on this and other platforms.





























