Authors

Welcome to **I WRITE**, a gentle space for anyone who wants to write—quietly, freely, and without judgement. We are a Berlin community of writers who gather together weekly to write, talk and recharge after a long week. Some of us journal, some write novels, some do academic writing, many people come without a project in mind and see where the inspiration flow takes them. This is a space to simply show up and write, a safe place to be yourself and to release all your layers onto the paper. There’s no set topic, no feedback circle, and no pressure. Just warm people, a calm atmosphere, and time dedicated to yourself. 🗓️ **Agenda:** * 18:30 - 19:00 **→** 30 min arriving, optional socialising (arrive early, meet other writers) * 19:00 - 20:00 **→** 1 hour of silent writing (headphones welcome, focus encouraged) * 20:00–20:30 **→** 30 mins optional chat or solo time (stay and chat or go celebrate the rest of your evening) 🎒 **Bring:** * Something to write with (laptop, notebook, phone, typewriter… anything goes) * Your current project or a blank page * Yourself, exactly as you are **👉 Responsibility:** * Our location is limited; thus, I am kindly asking you to RSVP only if you are willing to attend. **📍Location:** * We meet at the Iska Cafe at Kalckreuthstraße 7, 10777 Berlin. * Google map pin: [here](https://maps.app.goo.gl/765XQTN8KBGv95gx9) * 🚇 **U1\, U2 Wittenbergplatz \|\| U1\, U2\, U3\, U4 Nollendorfplatz** * 🚌 **106\, 187\, M19\, M29 An Der Urania \|\| M46 Motzstraße** **About me:** Hi, my name is Anastasia. I started this writing club back in May 2025. Since then, it has been hosted weekly at the Heinrich Schulz Library and is now extended to the Café as well. Over this time, I’ve been privileged to meet some of the most creative and kind minds in Berlin. And I would be happy if you joined us. Whether you're an experienced writer or just at the beginning of your journey, you're welcome. If you know how to hold a pen or how to type, there will always be a space for you. Let's write together!

**We are starting into a new round of having some human magic happen :)** **What to expect at an Authentic Games Berlin event?** Authentic Relating is embodied communication practice. We search for authenticity – staying true to your needs, feelings and boundaries – while relating to other human beings with their needs, feelings and boundaries. **Theme of the evening: World beneath Words** So much of our daily life happens in words: explaining, planning, performing, thinking ahead. In this session, we are going to explore what becomes possible when we drop beneath all of that. When we let silence speak. When connection is felt before it is named. Through a series of Authentic Relating games, we will tune into the subtle layers of experience that usually stay unnoticed: the micro‑shifts in attention, the quiet impulses, the way connection changes when we move, pause, breathe, or simply stay. We will shift our attention from talking to sensing, from explaining to experiencing. What becomes visible when we stop rushing toward meaning? What do we feel when we let the room speak? If you are curious about the layer of connection that lives underneath language, come explore with us and meet us in the world beneath words. And as usual: Come Curious - Leave Connected. Join us on Tuesday, **19th May** 2026 at **Café Maggie**, [Frankfurter Allee 205, 10365 Berlin](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Frankfurter%20Allee%20205%2C%2010365%20Berlin), **7–9 pm** (please come to land up to 15 minutes earlier, as we start at the full hour, doors close at 7 pm) **Price** The event is donation based. Cash or PayPal only, no registration needed. Suggested donation: 8-20 €. No one will be turned away due to the lack of funds. **What to bring?** Nothing but you. You have everything you need to take part in this experience of human connection. **Everyone is welcome to join. Even if you are on the waitlist here on Meet-Up, please come and join us - we will have a spot for you.** **No previous experience with Authentic Relating Practices needed.** **Spread the word. Bring a friend - all are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there.** **Accessibility and diversity note** We aim to make our Authentic Games events accessible and diverse. We would like to explicitly welcome everybody, regardless of age, social background, identity, body shape, (dis)abilities etc. We put effort into dismantling biases and systems of oppressions we participate in as well as meeting various access needs. Feel free to contact us at [[authenticgamesberlin@gmail.com](http://authenticgamesberlin@gmail.com)]([mailto:authenticgamesberlin@gmail.com](http://mailto:authenticgamesberlin@gmail.com)) if you have any concerns or questions in this regard. Authentic Games events are based on talking and listening to other people in pairs, trios or bigger groups. Depending on the number of participants, this may generate a considerable level of noise in the space. The event is held in English with possible translation to German or Polish. While playing the game you can talk in a language you choose with your partner(s). Sometimes the games may also involve movement (for example walking). Consensual touch with other participants is allowed but never necessary. The upcoming event is happening in Café Maggie at Frankfurter Allee 205 – next to U-Bahn Magdalenenstraße. The space is on the ground floor, but there is one small doorstep at the entrance. There is a barrier free toilet inside. Despite the name, you cannot buy drinks in Café Maggie, but we provide water and tea for participants.

Come along, grab a coffee, shut up, and write! We will do at least two sessions of each 45 minutes of writing and two breaks. We will start the first writing session at 10:45. For space reasons we only allow a limited number of attendees, so please update your RSVP if you can't come. We'll probably be grouped around the large table in the back room's center. In the summer, also outside. Looking forward to seeing you there!

New Starting Time: 12:00 For space reasons, we are limited to a certain number of attendees, so please update your RSVP if you can't come. If you are new, come and say hello, as we know that suddenly going quiet for 45 minutes and staring at that blank page can be intimidating when it's your first time. We have a lot of long-term regulars who will be happy to help you feel welcome. In between sessions, we have a Telegram chat: https://t.me/joinchat/ERW3pxD5kfELGeWs9SUhjw For more information, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com/).

We are excited to feature **Christopher Summerfield**, who is currently a Professor at **University of Oxford** and will discuss "**AI and Human Agency**", lasting approximately 45 minutes. After the talk, seize the opportunity to connect with fellow AI enthusiasts to share ideas and questions while enjoying free drinks and pizza. **Door close by 7.15pm, so please come early! Also, "attend"ing (RSVP) here on Meetup is strictly necessary to be guaranteed entry.** Please note that Meetup has recently been quite keen on promoting its Plus program. However, you are not obligated to purchase it, as both our events and the platform remain free. **Who is this event for?** This event is open to everyone interested in state-of-the-art AI research. We especially design it for students, PhD candidates, academic researchers, and industry professionals with a research focus in machine learning. **Abstract**: As AI systems become integrated into every aspect of our lives, a key challenge is to ensure that they are built to empower, rather than to disempower humans. I discuss the nature of human agency, and the ways that it is enhanced or degraded by technology. I summarise recent evidence which has explored how humans are empowered or disempowered when they interact with conversational AI systems. I conclude by talking about potential technical solutions for enhancing human agency using AI. **Bio**: CS is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, and a Research Director at the [UK AI Security Institute](https://www.aisi.gov.uk/ "https://www.aisi.gov.uk/"). His work focuses on understanding the [cognitive and neural mechanisms](https://humaninformationprocessing.com/publications/ "https://humaninformationprocessing.com/publications/") that underlie human learning and decision-making, and on studying the [impacts of AI on society](https://humaninformationprocessing.com/publications_AI/ "https://humaninformationprocessing.com/publications_AI/"). His research bridges the fields of cognitive science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. He is particularly interested in how insights from human cognition can inform the development of more advanced and safer AI systems. We are [BLISS](https://bliss.berlin/) e.V., the **AI** **organization** in Berlin that **connects like-minded individuals** who share great interest and passion for the field of machine learning. This summer 2026, we will, again, host an exciting speaker series on site in Berlin, featuring excellent researchers from cohere, ETH Zürich, University of Oxford, HuggingFace, and Stanford University. Website: [https://bliss.berlin](https://bliss.berlin/) Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/@bliss.ev.berlin](https://www.youtube.com/@bliss.ev.berlin) Disclaimer: By attending this event you agree to be photographed.

## DNA. presents: "CREATIVE WRITING" In this workshop, You will learn a method that can help You to strengthen Your access to Your creativity, write more, write better and get back into a flow state in which new ideas emerge. Rediscover Your creative flow with Lena's hourglass method. ##### HOURGLASS METHOD Lena will guide You through the three phases of her hourglass method, which consist of different writing exercises, and explain the background to them. You will use pen, paper and Your words as tools, but You don't have to be a poet to have fun and benefit from the workshop :) ##### APPLICATION OF THE METHOD: The method can also be used on Your own at home after the workshop, whenever You need a creative jump-start. ##### SETTING: The small group setting as a safe space also allows You to share your thoughts with others. You'll learn techniques to: * Tap into Your Inner creativity. * Overcome self-doubt and fear. * Express Yourself authentically and confidently. * Cultivate a sense of purpose in Your art and communication.

Tolle Berlinerinnen und Berliner, als ich schreibe, sitze ich im Wald zwischen Buchen und Eichen auf meinem Campingstuhl und genieße die Ruhe des Sonnenlichts. Suchst du nach Freiheit von dem Lärm der Szene, Lärm der Stadt? Möchtest du Brücken mit interkulturellen, diversen Leuten aufbauen? Dieses Jahr möchte ich unbedingt neue Leute, die Tiefe und Empathie haben kennenlernen. Diesen Leuten meine Zeit geben, und gegenseitige Freundschaften hoffentlich aufbauen. Selbst glaube ich, dass Mädels und Jungs einander nicht verstehen können, wenn der Sinn von einer Person 100% einer Geschlecht ist und die Person keines der Geschlecht gegenüber kennt. Idealerweise sollte der Sinn 50/50 weiblich/männlich sein, dass wir uns ideal verstehen können. Selbst bin ich Künstler, der sich für Farbphysik (Colour Phenomena) interessiert. Zum Beispiel ein roses Kirschbaum in der blauen morgen Stunde. Oder blaue Bäume im Licht eines bedeckten Sommer Tag, auch wenn jeder glaubt, dass man sachlich weiß, ‚Bäumen sind grün!‘ Colour sind, glaube ich, hauptsächlich weibliche Phänomene. Und als Künstler empfand ich seit langem eine Affinität für Colour. Das Bild oben ist ein Kunstwerk von mir. Ich möchte die ruhigen Leuten erreichen, also der Treff ist entweder Online, per Signal Messenger (Link zur Gruppe im Kommentar) um neue Verbindungen leicht zu machen, oder auch sogar besser persönlich, wenn du dich spontan unterwegs sein will und persönlich treffen will. Wenn du mich persönlich triffst setzen wir uns auf eine Wiese, eventuell in der Wuhlheide, oder auf dem Tempelhofer Feld. Schick mir eine Nachricht per Signal Gruppe und wir können uns vereinbaren. Ich freue mich neue Leute kennenzulernen!

Welcome to **I WRITE**, a gentle space for anyone who wants to write—quietly, freely, and without judgement. We are a Berlin community of writers who gather together weekly to write, talk and recharge after a long week. Some of us journal, some write novels, some do academic writing, many people come without a project in mind and see where the inspiration flow takes them. This is a space to simply show up and write, a safe place to be yourself and to release all your layers onto the paper. There’s no set topic, no feedback circle, and no pressure. Just warm people, a calm atmosphere, and time dedicated to yourself. 🗓️ **Agenda:** * 14:30 - 15:00 **→** 30 min arriving, optional socialising (arrive early, meet other writers) * 15:00 - 16:00 **→** 1 hour of silent writing (headphones welcome, focus encouraged) * 16:00–16:30 **→** 30 mins break + optional chat or solo time (stay and chat or go celebrate the rest of your Saturday) * 16:30–17:30 → 1 more hour of silent writing (for those staying) * 17:30–18:00 → 30 mins of chat, and leaving 🎒 **Bring:** * Something to write with (laptop, notebook, phone, typewriter… anything goes) * Something to drink (there is no cafeteria, unfortunately) * Your current project or a blank page * Yourself, exactly as you are **👉 Responsibility:** * Our location is limited; thus, I am kindly asking you to RSVP only if you are willing to attend. **📍Location:** * We meet at **Heinrich Schulz Library in Charlottenburg**. In the library, go look for the Gruppenraum; I will be waiting for you there. Any trouble finding the room, I will come to meet you outside. * 🚇 U7 **Richard-Wagner-Platz** * 🚌 M45 Bus **U Richard-Wagner-Platz** **About me:** Hi, my name is Anastasia. I started this writing club back in May 2025. Since then, it has been hosted weekly at the Heinrich Schulz Library (who is kind enough to allow us to use this room for free). Over this time, I’ve been privileged to meet some of the most creative and kind minds in Berlin. And I would be happy if you joined us. Whether you're an experienced writer or just at the beginning of your journey, you're welcome. If you know how to hold a pen or how to type, there will always be a space for you. Let's write together!

Für Mitglieder von Text Collective Berlin ist die Teilnahme an dieser Veranstaltung kostenlos. Nicht-Mitglieder werden um einen Teilnahmebeitrag von zehn Euro gebeten. Hier buchen: [https://textcollective.de/ticket](https://textcollective.de/ticket) Es handelt sich um einen moderierten Workshop. Bei mehr als 20 Teilnehmenden teilen wir die Gruppe mit zwei Moderator\*innen auf! Kreative Schreibübung mit anschließender Diskussion zum Erfahrungsaustausch, Inspiration und Motivation zu sammeln. Ein Raum für alle, die kreativ schreiben möchten – egal ob du gerade erst anfängst oder schon länger schreibst. **Jeden vierten Samstag des Monats von 14:30 Uhr bis 16:30 Uhr in Kreuzberg, Oranienstr. 72, nahe U-Bhf Moritzplatz.** **Was dich erwartet:** In unseren Treffen arbeiten wir mit abwechslungsreichen Schreibimpulsen, die neue Perspektiven eröffnen und spielerisches Experimentieren ermöglichen. Du schreibst direkt vor Ort, teilst deine Texte mit der Gruppe (freiwillig!) und erhältst konstruktives Feedback. Die Atmosphäre ist offen und unterstützend. Hier darf ein Text noch unfertig sein, eine Idee noch roh, ein Gedanke noch unausgereift. In dieser Atmosphäre gegenseitiger Wertschätzung entsteht der Mut, sich auszuprobieren und die eigene Stimme zu entdecken. Wir lesen einander vor, geben Rückmeldung, ermutigen uns gegenseitig und praktizieren das Zuhören.

📚 **Short Story Sunday** 📍 **Location:** Iska Café 📅 **Timing:** Every second Sunday 🕰 **Time:** 11:00 – 13:00 **Selected story: The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte (\~15 pages)** 1st Link: [https://americanliterature.com/author/bret-harte/short-story/the-outcasts-of-poker-flat](https://americanliterature.com/author/bret-harte/short-story/the-outcasts-of-poker-flat) 2nd Link (backup): [https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/w00107.html](https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/w00107.html) 3rd Link (backup): [https://www.owleyes.org/text/outcasts-poker-flat/read/outcasts-poker-flat-1#root-75305-1](https://www.owleyes.org/text/outcasts-poker-flat/read/outcasts-poker-flat-1#root-75305-1) **A Slow Sunday Morning with Stories** The **Sunday 15 Pages Short Story Book Club** is a gentle way to begin the day — a cozy literary gathering for people who enjoy slowing down, listening to stories, and sharing thoughtful conversation. Instead of reading alone at home, we experience literature together. Each meeting invites us to step out of the Berlin’s rush into a calm space of imagination, reflection, and human connection through short fiction. **How the Morning Flows (Approx. 2 Hours)** **11:00 – 11:30 \| Arrival & Settling In** Gather at the café, order something you enjoy, and ease into the morning. **11:30 – 12:15 \| Collective Reading** We read a carefully selected short story together. **12:15 – 13:00 \| Discussion & Reflection** An open and informal conversation about impressions, emotions, interpretations, and ideas ✨Feel free to join only for the discussion part if you feel like reading on your own ✨ **What to Expect** Short stories are selected by the hosts and announced online before each meeting. No preparation is required — simply arrive and immerse yourself in literature and conversation. **What to Bring With You** • Your own copy of a story • Curiosity and openness • A willingness to listen and share perspectives • Optional: a notebook if you enjoy jotting down thoughts • Your appetite for coffee, cake, and good stories **📍Location:** * We meet at the Iska Cafe at Kalckreuthstraße 7, 10777 Berlin. There is no pin at the google maps yet, so please just come directly to the location and find us at the right door at Erdgeschoss. * 🚇 **U1\, U2 Wittenbergplatz \|\| U1\, U2\, U3\, U4 Nollendorfplatz** * 🚌 **106\, 187\, M19\, M29 An Der Urania \|\| M46 Motzstraße**

RSVP on Luma: [https://luma.com/y7jwd3nm?utm_source=Meetup](https://luma.com/g59otttt?utm_source=Meetup) Silent Reading / Creating Club is a gathering for people who enjoy focusing together in public. Bring a book, a notebook, a sketchpad, knitting needles, whatever you’d like to spend a quiet hour doing. All projects and all participants are welcome. We’re building a community of readers and creators who value depth, presence, and shared silence. The reading and creating isn't the real highlight, though, it’s in the people who return and make it feel like a familiar room. (Please RSVP “yes” only if you can make it, so we can save a seat for you and others on the waitlist.) Our Meeting Point is the **W66 Café**. There’s no entrance fee, but please order at least one item from the café and don’t bring outside food or drinks 🙂 No assignments, expectations, or pressure. Just a shared hour of intentional silence, followed by the opportunity for good conversation. 🕰 Our Agenda **10:30 – 11:00** Arrivals, ordering drinks/food, light social time **11:00 – 12:00** The Great Quiet Hour (Read. Write. Sketch. Code. Think. Sit.) **12:00 – 12:30** Optional socializing: share what you were reading or creating, or simply continue in quiet focus. ## 🏡 House Guidelines To keep this space calm and welcoming for everyone: • Silence during the focus hour (no calls or conversations) • Put cellphones on silent mode • If using technology, please avoid meetings or audio (headphones please!) • Arrive before 11:00 if possible to minimize disruptions

Silent Book Club is a group of book lovers who enjoy reading together in public. All books and all readers are welcome. (Kindly RSVP 'yes' only if you can make it, so we can save a seat for you and our fellow readers on the waitlist!) This page-turning party will unfold in the Café (1st floor) at the Bode Museum. There's no entrance fee, but please order at least one item from the cafe and don't bring any outside drinks :) No quizzes, no pressure, no assigned books - just a group of book-loving souls basking in the beauty of silent reading. **Our thrilling agenda:** 10:30 am - 11:00 am - Arrivals, ordering drinks/food (social time) 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - The Great Quiet Reading Hour (where silence is the star) 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm - Optional socializing, share your reading adventures or just keep exploring the pages Stay for lunch, and who knows? You might just find your next favorite book over a pizza. NB: If you plan to go for lunch, please consider bringing cash, as some restaurants only accept card payments after a certain amount.

Drunk driving is not cool, but drunk writing is! This is a community event for writers, with drinks! Work on your own projects or use the creative writing prompts provided. Join us at Das Gift, where we will have focused 20 minute writing sprints, with breaks in between. Das Gift is at Donaustraße 119, 12043, Berlin.

**\>\>\> Registration takes place on Luma: [https://luma.com/yp90isjd](https://luma.com/yp90isjd)** This event is presented by our friends from KREATIV UNTAPPED. For more info check out their Luma page! \-\-\-\- ## **Welcome to KREATIV UNTAPPED #1 Storytelling Untapped w/ Ben Sauer** ## **A hands-on session. No slides. Just your stories.** We couldn't be more excited to tap into this with you at **[Thoughtworks Berlin](https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-de/about-us/locations/berlin)**. \*\*\* **KREATIV UNTAPPED** is a creative playground born in Berlin – and we're kicking off with the discipline that sits at the heart of every other one: **storytelling.** Because here's what AI can't replace: the human desire to create. Creativity is what makes us uniquely human — it's a muscle, and like any muscle, it needs training. Most of us have stopped. **KREATIV UNTAPPED** is where we change that — through hands-on sessions with working practitioners across visual arts, tactile crafts, narrative & sound, and spatial & performative disciplines. **This evening** is about words, voice, and presence. In a world full of decks, dashboards and screens, we've forgotten how to just… tell a story. This evening is a practice in putting the slides away and using the oldest tools we have — your voice, your hands, your story. **Expect a short provocation from [Ben](https://bensauer.net/), a hands-on session with a sketching element to flex that creative muscle, a round of group sharing, and time to actually meet the people in the room.** **Who's this for?** Anyone with a story to tell — and the willingness to tell it without a slide deck. No job title. No prior experience. Just the willingness to tap in. Creativity untapped. Connection for real. \-\-\- **ABOUT [BEN SAUER](https://bensauer.net/)** Ben Sauer is a speaker, author, and coach who teaches the art of strategic storytelling — and the perfect person to launch this series. He's the author of "Death by Screens: How to Present High-Stakes Digital Design Work and Live to Tell the Tale" — a go-to resource for designers, product people and creatives who want to stop boring their audiences and actually be heard. Ben spent years as a UX designer at Clearleft, then as Director of Product for AI at Babylon Health, leading a team of 100 on products worth $100m+. He has trained teams at NASA, Amazon, and the BBC, and spoken at The Economist, NEXT Conference, UX London, VW + Audi and dozens more — frequently as the audience's top-rated speaker. More about Ben: [https://bensauer.net](https://bensauer.net/) \-\-\- **AGENDA** • 18:30 – 19:00 · Check-in • 19:00 – 19:15 · Intro – what KREATIV UNTAPPED is and why we're here • 19:15 – 20:15 · Hands-on storytelling session with Ben Sauer (incl. sketching element) • 20:15 – 20:45 · Group sharing round • 20:45 – 20:50 · Wrap-up & what's next • 20:50 – 21:30 · Networking \-\-\- **ADDITIONAL NOTES** **Donation-based event** This first edition is donation-based — give what feels right. Your contribution supports building KREATIV UNTAPPED into something lasting. Donations are non-refundable. **Photos & video** We'll be taking photos and potentially videos throughout the evening. By attending, participants agree that visual material may be used for promotional purposes. Anyone who prefers not to be photographed can let us know on arrival. **Where** Thoughtworks Berlin Revaler Str. 31 (Event Space), 10245 Berlin (In walking distance from S Ostkreuz) \-\-\- **FOLLOW US** LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kreativ-untapped](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kreativ-untapped) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/kreativuntapped](https://www.instagram.com/kreativuntapped) **\>\>\> Registration takes place on Luma: [https://luma.com/yp90isjd](https://luma.com/yp90isjd)** \-\-\-\-\-\- **Code of Conduct** We adhere to the [Berlin Code of Conduct](https://berlincodeofconduct.org/) to ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for all participants. The event space operates under largely compatible [Thoughtworks Meetups & Events CoC](https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-de/about-us/events/code-of-conduct-germany). **Accessibility** The Location is accessible for wheelchair users. This includes the entrance (no steps to get into the location), toilets and the stage.

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9

**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion **Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?** A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad. My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one. Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it? I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction. Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends. No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.

The Alliance is part of the Greater Central Ohio Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. We are an all-voices chorus dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for all those who love to sing, regardless of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation or musical background. The Alliance is the first and only all-voices barbershop chorus in Central Ohio. **Who:** Anyone with a passion for singing at a high level. Previous barbershop chorus/quartet experience not required. **When:** The Alliance rehearses weekly on Thursdays from 7pm-10pm. **Where:** Lord Of Life Lutheran Church: 2480 W Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus, OH 43235 To become a full member of The Alliance, we welcome you to start by visiting us for a few rehearsals to experience the group and sing with us! Then, you may begin the 2-part audition process for membership: the assessement, and audition. We strive to make our auditions as stress-free as possible to help you let your best singing self shine.

The topic for May is "Ink" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!