American History

Join us for a conversation with Desiree Dickerson of THNDR Games, where she’s helping build a new kind of gaming experience powered by Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. She’ll be joined by Taymur Khumush, a Human Capital Professional by day and a bitcoiner, lightning node operator & vibecoder by night. 0600-0700 - Meet & Greet, grab food & drink 0700-0800 - Fireside Chat + Q&A 0800-0830 - Wrap up 👉 [RSVP on LUMA](https://luma.com/sql8olur) ​Gaming is one of the largest industries in the world, and it already understands digital competition, incentives, and marketplaces. What it has historically lacked is fast, native money. Lightning changes that by removing friction around liquidity, payouts, and trust, making real-value play possible at global scale. ​We’ll explore THNDR’s approach to skill-based gaming, her perspective on the current state of Lightning and peer-to-peer payments, and why gaming may be one of the most natural places for real money on the internet to finally make sense. 👉 [RSVP on LUMA](https://luma.com/sql8olur) ​**About the Bitcoin District Initiative** ​The Bitcoin District Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to build a grassroots Bitcoin circular economy in Washington, DC through education, business onboarding, and community outreach programs. If you’d like to get involved or support the Initiative, visit [https://bitcoindistrictinitiative.org](https://bitcoindistrictinitiative.org/).

Kick off the New Year with a community grove happy hour. The first drink is on us! Community Grove is a place to discuss politics, utopian ideas, post neoliberalism, green tech, skill and tool sharing and a safe place to decompress from the stress that is living in DC.

Ready for some Mahjongg fun? Join us at The Spot in Belmont Bay for a laid-back get-together with the American Mahjongg NoVA crew! No pressure—just good vibes, great company, and plenty of tile-flipping action. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just curious to try, everyone’s welcome to join the fun. Come laugh, play, and maybe pick up a new trick or two along the way. Let’s make it a Mahjongg day to remember! Every Wednesday evening 6pm - 8pm. There is a $10 buy in. This includes one non-alcoholic drink :-) Keep an eye open for theme nights!!!!! Mrs Roper MuMu Mahjongg coming up soon!!!!

This group was originally started by Chad Keith who created and hosts a podcast by the same name in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping to continue his legacy here in NoVa as I recently moved to this area. This group is all about finding community around self-improvement and exchanging ideas on how to be your best self and get the most out of life. This group is for anyone who is interested in overcoming average in all areas - career, ambitions, relationships, hobbies, health, everything. I am so excited to meet driven individuals in the NoVa area so please reach out if you have any questions at all. EVERYONE is welcome so please sign up for an upcoming meetup!

Come out to the Reston Community Center and play some games! Party games? Strategy games? Tabletop role-playing games? This massive space can accommodate games for every interest. While the event starts at 5pm, feel free to roll in whenever you are able! If you have games to bring that you'd like to share or run, please do! Food and drink are not provided within the venue, but you are allowed to bring in anything you need from outside locations, just please be considerate of other people's games and the tables when doing so. Park anywhere in the parking lot. The Community Center building is located directly behind Ledo Pizza. Walk straight back to the main room once you enter the building. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to either David Gray or Bill Parker through Meetup, or you can email Bill at william.parker@fairfaxcounty.gov. Hope to see you all there!

Join Social Sips & Bites for our Wednesday Happy Hour. Great drinks, easy conversation, new faces, familiar faces, and that signature SSB energy that turns a simple night out into something memorable.

For our January meeting, we will be discussing two works of Greek history, written by the most famous Greek historian of them all: Thucydides! These will be short excerpts from his grand recounting of the war between Athens and Sparta, *The Peloponnesian War.* The first excerpt is "The Funeral Oration" from Book 2, chapters 34-46. The second is "The Melian Debate" from Book 5, chapters 84-116. I will be reading from the modern translation by Martin Hammond, available [here](https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-peloponnesian-war-martin-hammond/c58be36e4fab629a), but feel free to use whichever edition you prefer. As usual, we will meet in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in the **205-B Accessibility Room**, located on the second floor. Ask at the Center for Accessibility front desk if you are looking for us. See you there!

Play America mahjong with the group. Best to have your own 2025 NML card. Experienced players are welcome. We do not offer instructions or training.

**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no door tickets will be available.** [Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Ballistic Missile Defense Question,”** on the operation of a controversial defense system and the debate over its use, with Dean Wilkening, a physicist and defense system researcher formerly at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Stanford University’s Center for International Security, and the RAND Corporation. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-ballistic-missile](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-ballistic-missile) .] Ballistic missile defense has been a contentious political issue in the United States, especially after President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 speech calling for a “Star Wars” style barrier to Soviet nuclear weapons. Ballistic missile defense is also among the most expensive items in the Pentagon budget for research, development, test and evaluation, with funding estimated at $10.6 billion in 2026. Most recently, ballistic missiles have been making headlines as a result of Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack against Israel, Russia’s ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine, and President Trump’s call for America to be defended by a “Golden Dome” similar to Israel’s Iron Dome system. But is relying on ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems practical and wise? Hear that question tackled by Dean Wilkening, who recently retired from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, has spent much of his life studying a range of defense matters such as hypersonic weapons and ballistic missile defense, and who has published extensively and advised national boards and government agencies on his findings. Dr. Wilkening will discuss the technology underlying BMD systems, which seek to use precision guided munitions to essentially “hit a bullet with a bullet” to thwart attacks. You’ll learn about the support systems, including sensors and command and control systems, critical to making it all work. Then he’ll give an overview of the debate over ballistic missile defense systems, typically split along partisan lines. We’ll look at the evolving missile threat, which includes both conventional and nuclear ballistic missiles as well as hypersonic weapons, and the potential for armed conflict with Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. Dr. Wilkening will look at whether BMD systems meet the test of working technically, being able to survive attack, and being cost-effective at the margins. Finally, he’ll take on the big-picture question of whether ballistic missile defense is inherently “destabilizing.” Do they stimulate arms races? Do they actually make nuclear war more likely? (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: A 2019 U.S. Army test of patriot missiles. (U.S. Department of Defense photo.)

Playtesting Agent and Battle-scale of the Zone-17 role-playing and miniatures game.

Greetings, For those in search of classic **NeoSoul, Jazz, & R & B in the DMV** (not exclusive to introverts, empaths, and/or advocates), let's meet again for another Last Saturday of the Month **Advocate's PreGame Dinner** at the Wharf DC SW Waterfront. **This month's theme will focus on the leadership and legacy of the honorable** **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,** who's dedicated efforts ensured that marginalized individuals could embrace more peace and freedom today. **There is no obligation to dine or spend money if you RSVP as this is a free meet up event centered on building community, project development, purpose, partnerships, promoting advocacy, supporting others in various life goals, and conversing with those who share similar values.** Feel free to attend and share your **New Year's vision and intentions.** Topics include but are not limited to currently reading books, business partnerships, entrepreneurship, finances, relationships, conflict resolution, community service, health (e.g., habits, routines, self-defeating behavior, accountability), philosophy, metaphysics, and spirituality. Restaurants and entertainment venues at the Wharf include but are not limited: * **12 Stories Rooftop Lounge**--Hip Hop & R & B (usually opens at **6:00pm to 2:00am** for drinks, music, & food) * **Officina Italian Cuisine & Lounge** (**Great Energy Group hosts Saturday Night Hip Hop & R & B** weekly from **10:00pm to 3:00am**; **see link below)** * **Restaurants/Entertainment Venues:** Pappanonnock Oyster Bar, Zooz Cocktail Garden (Lounge & Bar), KinFolk Southern Kitchen, Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen (black/minority owned establishment), Fogo de Chao Brazillian Steak House, Politics & Prose Bookstore, **Live-K Karaoke (open until 3:00am)**, Charlie Whiskey's Lounge & Bar, La Vie Lounge and Restaurant. All are welcome to attend to include those of various backgrounds and ethnicities. **There is no set time to arrive so feel free to come as you please/arrange with others any specific plans.** Parking Garages available, Waterfront Metro within 2 blocks of the Wharf, **ride share encouraged.** If there are any questions or comments regarding this meeting, or if you would like to **facilitate/co-facilitate (optional),** please do not hesitate to message via meet-up messages or phone at anytime, thank you. Note: Feel free to post/suggest, in the event chat/comment section, any **alternative Last Saturday of the Month evening/near future (e.g., January, February) events** (e.g., different dining locations, prescheduled events) if you would like to connect/PreGame with others regarding various activities in the DMV, thank you. **Great Energy Group Saturday Nights at the Wharf DC (25+):** https://www.greatenergygroup.com/ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Alicia (202) 627-0361 Monday January, 5th, 2026 6:00am (update)

This event marks the **interest deadline** for *The Entry Experience: South Africa* — a small, guided travel-planning experience designed for women who want to thoughtfully plan their own journey to South Africa with clarity, confidence, and cultural awareness. This is **not a group trip**. Instead, The Entry Experience supports women who are: * Considering South Africa within the next 12–18 months * Planning to travel solo, with a partner, or with a small family * Looking for structure, insight, and trusted guidance *before* booking Participation is intentionally limited. Those who join the interest list by this date will: * Be the first to receive registration details * Receive full information once enrollment opens * Have priority access before the experience fills There is **no obligation** to join by adding your name to the interest list. This simply signals that South Africa is a destination you are genuinely considering. If you’ve been curious about South Africa but want to plan with intention—this is your moment to raise your hand. **Interest list link is available here below:** [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYrv7rR6G8lw9kTrULYQGq7c06Yy3XhgO-MQUIvr1qrOOH1A/viewform?usp=header](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYrv7rR6G8lw9kTrULYQGq7c06Yy3XhgO-MQUIvr1qrOOH1A/viewform?usp=header)

Dale Gnidovec, Curator of the Orton Hall Museum of Geology at The Ohio State University, will be presenting a program he has wanted to share with us for a long time: Plate Tectonics. His description of his program: Continents on the move - Nothing in Earth history makes sense without moving continents - it tells us why mountains, volcanoes, minerals, and fossils are where they are. This talk examines the evidence for continental drift, why it was disbelieved, and explains how the more-encompassing theory of plate tectonics was developed and eventually proven. Dale is an energetic, incredibly knowledgeable, and very entertaining speaker and this will be another wonderful program by Dale. Hope to see you there! Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Let’s meet and discuss whatever comes to mind about one of Tennesse Williams’ most famous plays.

Try new games, meet new people, and find out what story games are all about! Explore the reaches of space! Witness kingdoms rise and fall! Create and explore tragedies! All within a single game night. We play story games like Fiasco, Kingdom, Polaris and Microscope that encourage everyone at the table to participate creatively. We also have one-shots of indie, OSR, and narrative-focused RPGs such as Apocalypse World, Dread, Lady Blackbird, and Old School Essentials! Everybody's welcome! It doesn't matter if you've never tried story games before or never played roleplaying games at all! Just bring your brain and a good attitude and come try it out! *** **IMPORTANT** * When you arrive look for the marked Story Games Columbus Tables. Each table will have a separate game. Seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis. * If all tables are full, look for a Facilitator. We will find a way to get you into a game! * There is a flat $3 cover charge for events at Tabletop. *** **Facilitators!!** Please arrive early so that we can get you set up with a table. Please reach out to me ASAP if you would be willing to help facilitate. You can reach me on the SGC Discord here - https://discord.gg/jUTvWUu

**History** The Columbus Museum of Art traces its roots to 1878, when it was founded as the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, becoming the first art museum chartered in Ohio. A group of civic leaders established it to bring touring exhibitions and build a public collection. In 1887, it merged with the Columbus Art School (now CCAD) fostering a long partnership in arts education. Initially without a permanent home, the museum operated from temporary spaces until 1919, when art patron Francis C. Sessions deeded his Victorian mansion on East Broad Street to house the growing institution. As collections expanded in the early 20th century, the need for a dedicated building became clear. The Sessions mansion was demolished, and a new Italian Renaissance Revival structure was erected on the same site, opening to the public in 1931. This elegant building, with its grand steps and arches, remains the museum's core today and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Key early acquisitions, like the Ferdinand Howald Collection of modernist works, helped establish its focus on American and European art. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the museum evolved significantly. It added the Ross Wing in 1974 for exhibitions and renamed itself the Columbus Museum of Art in 1978 during its centennial. A major renovation and expansion completed in 2015 introduced the Margaret M. Walter Wing and Center for Creativity, emphasizing interactive experiences. In 2018, the donation of the Pizzuti Collection and its Short North building expanded the museum's reach into contemporary art, solidifying its role as a dynamic cultural hub. The Columbus Museum of Art boasts a strong collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century European modern art, featuring well-known masters like Claude Monet, whose Impressionist landscapes capture light and atmosphere in ways familiar to many. Visitors can also encounter works by Henri Matisse, renowned for his bold use of color, and Edgar Degas, famous for his graceful depictions of ballerinas and everyday scenes. The museum's early Cubist holdings include pieces by Pablo Picasso, offering glimpses into his revolutionary fragmented style that reshaped modern art. On the American side, the collection highlights iconic figures such as Edward Hopper, whose evocative paintings of urban solitude and quiet American life are widely recognized, and Norman Rockwell, celebrated for his heartfelt illustrations of everyday Americana that have appeared on countless magazine covers. These accessible works by household-name artists provide an inviting entry point for those new to art museums, blending European innovation with distinctly American storytelling. **Summary** For this event, we will tour the [Columbus Museum of Art](https://www.columbusmuseum.org/), which is always free on Sundays. Afterward, we will head over to the nearby, highly-rated, and popular Gemüt Biergarten for drinks and food. Columbus's art museum is not large, and we won't need to rush through in order to see everything. However, it's a little windy (with a long "i") and maze-like in spots, and if you've never gone through it before, it can be a little confusing at first. **Tickets and Pricing** The Museum is free on Sundays. **Parking** The short answer here is that you can park for free (in the Safe Auto lot) when you visit the Museum on weekends. The longer answer is that the Museum has a dedicated parking lot, whose entrance and exit are on E Gay St, just north of Broad St. You can see this parking lot [here on Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Columbus+Museum+Of+Art+Parking/@39.9648853,-82.9882364,18.67z/data=!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x883888d20177f111:0xbf595a71d9d8c8c5!2sColumbus+Museum+of+Art!8m2!3d39.9642074!4d-82.9878972!16zL20vMDM0Z3F6!3m5!1s0x883888d21f05e00f:0xb72a56e4ac2d4fba!8m2!3d39.9651763!4d-82.9881746!16s%2Fg%2F11f3pdx3tx?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA3MUgBUAM%3D). This parking has normally been $7, unless you buy something either in the Museum's gift shop or café, in which case it's $5 (you have to bring your receipt to the Museum's front desk to get this discount). However, the Museum is currently in the process of upgrading their parking lot's intercom (or some such), and until such time as this is completed, parking in this lot is free. Once this upgrade is complete, though, the charge is likely to increase from $7 to $10. This upgrade is supposed to be done by the time we run this event, but given how these things work, I wouldn't be totally surprised if it's not complete by then. You'll know the lot is free if the gate arms to both the entrance and exit are fixed in a raised position when you arrive. However, there's a large parking lot for Safe Auto on the other side of N Washington Ave, between Boone St and Hutton Pl. You can see this parking lot [here on Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/39%C2%B057'54.4%22N+82%C2%B059'13.9%22W/@39.9651069,-82.9884087,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d39.965105!4d-82.987191?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA3MUgBUAM%3D). Visitors to the Museum may always park for free in this lot on weekends. **The End of History** After completing our dissertation in [Art Appreciation](https://www.facebook.com/groups/879880336006462/posts/1734229683904852/), we'll head over to the highly-rated [Gemüt Biergarten](https://www.gemutbiergarten.com/) for [drinks and food](https://www.gemutbiergarten.com/#full-menu). The brewery is located in [Olde Towne East](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Olde+Towne+East,+Columbus,+OH/@39.9600896,-82.9935095,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x883888c29b9d98cb:0x55fc96810facc832!8m2!3d39.9579938!4d-82.9761254!16s%2Fm%2F026vlz4?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA3MUgBUAM%3D), and its actual address is [734 Oak St, Columbus, OH 43205](https://www.google.com/maps/place/734+Oak+St,+Columbus,+OH+43205/@39.9633755,-82.9808618,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x883888c53426d289:0x4aec638d8a5195d4!8m2!3d39.9633755!4d-82.9808618!16s%2Fg%2F11c4wy250w?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTIwOS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA3MUgBUAM%3D). Gemüt Biergarten has a free parking lot that isn't small but also isn't huge. Street parking, however, is always free across Columbus on [Sundays and holidays](https://www.columbus.gov/files/sharedassets/city/v/1/public-service/right-of-way-permit/on-street-parking-out-of-service-policy-and-procedure-final-8.15.2022-signed.pdf), so I think we'll be okay with parking. The bigger issue may be the weather. The brewery has a good-sized outdoor patio that is covered and heated in the winter. However, that doesn't mean this patio will be warm. The inside of the brewery is "okay-sized," but again, the brewery is popular and by the time we get there, we may have no choice but to sit outside. If it's cold, I can and will ask them to fire up some of their additional outdoor heaters, which I think should be enough, but please bring something to keep you warm just in case we end up outside. Finally, while food at the Biergarten can be a little overpriced, in my experience it is excellent, and you are likely to enjoy whatever you get. We should be there by 1:00 if you can't make the Museum and just want to meet us for drinks.

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. *** Did you know that there are atheists everywhere?!?! You may not know it, but we are! We're in your schools, diners, police force, military, government, and some are even still in your churches! So come and join us and meet other local atheists, along with agnostics, heathens, humanists, skeptics, and anyone else who's 'hell bound'! Vision: a Central Ohio that accepts atheism as a viable alternative in all areas of public and private life. Mission: grow, support, and provide community for atheists in Central Ohio. Social meetings held most Tuesdays at a local pub/restaurant at 7:00 PM (and often into the wee hours). Attendees call themselves agnostics, skeptics, humanists, non-theists, deists or even theists. All attendees are welcome but should support our vision. Atheists of Columbus (AoC) is part of Omnipresent Atheists (OA). AoC members are invited to join this OA meetup and/or OA Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/omnipresentatheists/ ) but are free to continue conversations on the AoC Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/columbusatheists/ ). AoC was founded in 2012 as a networking, social group for Central Ohio area humanists, skeptics, atheists, agnostics, nonbelievers, freethinkers, and the curious. It was a member of Columbus CoR and held weekly meetings, mostly on Fridays, for several years but then operated as an online only group for some time. In November 2018, Omnipresent Atheists (OA), a group that routinely meets on Tuesdays, invited AoC to merge. Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason (ColumbusCoR.org). Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason ( http://www.ColumbusCoR.org ). Omnipresent Atheists endorses the mission of the Secular Coalition for America ( http://secular.org ).

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Crimson Cup Coffee Shop - Clintonville](https://www.crimsoncup.com/about/location/clintonville)!

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."