Avalon

We'll check out Cortado Café Alexandria. If weather allows, we may go and walk around Holmes Run Trail around 11:30 AM). Please have a picture profile so we can recognize you in the meetup. Please only sign up if you're sure about attending this meetup, and please update your RSVP as soon as possible if you need to cancel, thank you!

A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 3rd- through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours. When a team of Starfinders happen upon a civilian starship under attack by the Corpse Fleet in the Diaspora, it’s up to them to heroically drive off the undead attackers, board the starship, and rescue any survivors. But as the motives behind this attack come to light, the PCs find themselves embroiled in a corporate conspiracy with deadly stakes. Will you survive this conflict with the Corpse Fleet? Written by Letterio Mammoliti.

Come out and run with us along the shady Anacostia Tributary Trails! These runs tend to be longer than our other club runs. Average mileage is 4-6 miles, but some members might go farther (and others shorter). We meet in front of Mission BBQ at 8:00AM for introductions, then walk over together to the Indian Creek Trailhead. We are always happy to welcome new faces (and feet)!

*Wingspan* is a competitive, medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game. You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves. Each bird extends a chain of powerful combinations in one of your habitats (actions). These habitats focus on several key aspects of growth: * Gain food tokens via custom dice in a birdfeeder dice tower * Lay eggs using egg miniatures in a variety of colors * Draw from hundreds of unique bird cards and play them The winner is the player with the most points after 4 rounds.

Come practice all the languages of the world - all are welcome! This will be an outdoor event, and the Carillon is a great place to see tulips in full bloom. STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK. We ask attendees to exercise their best judgment and do not attend if they feel unwell. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to an organizer. Fostering an open-minded, safe community is our utmost priority

This is the sign you've been waiting for. Come write with us Sunday at 7:30 am at Kaldi's Social House in Arlington. Kaldi's opens at 7. Grab a coffee and join the group! We generally have 10 to 14 writers attend each week, and new folks are welcome to drop in anytime. Intros start at 7:30 am. We will write for one hour. After writing, feel free to debrief, share thoughts or get advice. Our meetups are a safe space for writers to work on their craft. No one will read or critique your writing. Kaldi's Social House website: https://www.kaldissocialhouse.net/ \* Resource \* Many thanks to Justin for putting together a shared file of resource discussed at the meetings. Feel free to add to it! [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing)

Join our ASL Brunch on Sundays in Greenbelt! All ASL users and learners are welcome. Brunches are alternately held at two restaurants in Greenbelt, both in the same town plaza. ODD WEEKS: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays, we meet at Cedars of Lebanon, 103 Centerway. EVEN WEEKS: 2nd and 4th Sundays, we meet at New Deal Café,113 Centerway. We are the Greenbelt ASL Community, a group of both Deaf and hearing people who hang out, chat about everyday goings on, trade stories, get to know each other better, and of course, enjoy food together. Many members use ASL as their primary language, several are interpreters or other fluent ASL users, while others are ASL learners who wish to improve their skills while making new friends. Before or after brunch, you can visit the farmer's market and small coop grocery store in the plaza. Please RSVP so we can contact you via email if needed. Our group is on Facebook as Greenbelt ASL Community. Some long-time group members don't mark their attendance here, so feel free to stop by even if you don't see others who have RSVP'd on Meet-up.

How can a spiritual perspective help us make sense of the times in which we live? Despite efforts by many well-intentioned people, it seems more true now than ever that the problems humanity is facing sometimes seem to be getting worse not better. Divisions appear to grow deeper day by day, social relationships can feel strained, our institutions often appear unable to meet the needs of the world today, and even the viability of the natural environment around us seems threatened. So in the midst of these turbulent times, where can we turn to for sources of hope? In times of crisis, are there actually new opportunities for a more peaceful, just, and sustainable way of life? How can we help build those new patterns in our communities? Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on how to promote constructive change in these difficult times. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the role spirituality can play in our efforts to construct a new, more meaningful path forward in the midst of social turmoil. *“The world of mankind is in the throes of evolutionary activity indicating the passing of the old conditions and advent of the new.”* – Bahá’í Teachings **\*\*\* This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.**

As always, the goal is fun. Beginners are welcome. We play until 5 or 6. Parking (Free): Plenty of free street parking available on Sunday afternoons near the playing area. Contact Organizer for exact address and other helpful details Metro: Foggy Bottom Metro Station is an 8 minute walk

[https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46073614](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46073614) 18.4 miles. Toilets are at the beginning, middle, and end of the trail. **Picnic stop will be in Meadowbrook Local Park at 12.5 miles.** Celebrate (Mother) Earth Day! This route was originally conceived as part of the Takoma Park Earth Day celebration in April 2024. We are happy to ride again for this year's Celebration. We will e-bike from Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park through Takoma Park, and then on to the Sligo Creek Trail. From Sligo Creek we head west past Holy Cross Hospital and through the Forest Glen neighborhood. We then turn south on to Rock Creek Trail. Earth Day Festivities with occur in Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, approximately 6 miles into the ride. Face painting, snow cones, art activities and exhibits promoting a variety of environmental and sustainability causes will be there! The picnic stop is at Meadowbrook Local Park, 12.5 miles into the ride. **Please charge your batteries. The ride is on asphalt and often flat but we will encounter some hills. As usual, non-assisted bikers are most welcome.** Bring snacks, lunch and plenty of water. Pump tires, check brakes and charge your battery. Consider packing a spare tire tube. Check weather and dress appropriately. As always, this is a self-guided event. **We recommend you download the Ride with GPS route.** [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46073614](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46073614) The group stops a few times for slower riders to catch up. The distance will be 18.4 miles or shorter any time you are fully satisfied with biking for the day. For the E-bike Lovers group to be successful, we need to grow our membership carefully. Please feel free to invite other E-bike lovers, spread the word, and let's have fun. **Free Ride With GPS for E-Bike Lovers** Membership of the Ride With GPS E-bike Lovers club is now free as www.ebikelovers.com is generating sufficient income from ads to cover the costs. Here is the link to activate your free membership: https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN **More information about using GPS files:** https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/ **More information about e-bike ranges:** https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/ **DISCLAIMER** LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, RICHARD CAMER, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS. See for full disclaimer: https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer

This will be our second (and possibly last) meeting on *Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic*, by Matthew Stewart. For this meeting, please try to read chapters 4 and 6. (You can skim chapter 5, which is particularly confusing). **Where did the ideas come from that became the cornerstone of American democracy?** America’s founders intended to liberate us not just from one king but from the ghostly tyranny of supernatural religion. Drawing deeply on the study of European philosophy, Matthew Stewart brilliantly tracks the ancient, pagan, and continental ideas from which America’s revolutionaries drew their inspiration. In the writings of Spinoza, Lucretius, and other great philosophers, Stewart recovers the true meanings of “Nature’s God,” “the pursuit of happiness,” and the radical political theory with which the American experiment in self-government began. [LINK](https://a.co/d/bkTWJNb) This book is not always an easy read. You may want to make use of AI tools such as ChatGPT. You can ask it questions like: "What does Matthew Stewart say about happiness in his book Nature's God?" OR: What does Matthew Stewart say about Spinoza? This may be our last meeting on this book. If you want to have a third meeting later, on the last two chapters, let me know. I hope to see you there! Fred

**大家好**！Let's get together and have a casual chat for all levels of Chinese from beginner to native speakers. 大家都欢迎参加我们的聚会！ Please join us on **Sunday, April 12, 2026** at **10 AM** at The Roost on Capitol Hill located at **1401 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003**. The Roost is a 2-minute walk from the Potomac Avenue Metro Station (Blue / Orange / Silver). If you live nearby, you can reach this destination by bicycle in 5-10 minutes. The neighborhood near The Roost has free two-hour street parking. **We will meet in the seating area located behind the bar called "Show of Hands"** (it is located to your left when you enter through the front doors). Table signs will be placed on the tables so that you can easily find us. We encourage you to order coffee or brunch while you enjoy chit chatting with other Chinese speakers and learners. Coffee or brunch can be ordered by using the QR code on the table, and a server will conveniently bring your order to you. **SAVE THE DATE!** Below are the expected dates in 2026, but additional dates may also be scheduled: May 10, 2026 (Mother's Day) June 14, 2026 July 5, 2026 August 9, 2026 September 13, 2026 October 18, 2026 November 8, 2026 December 6, 2026

Main Library, Meeting Room 3B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

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

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

This month we’ll be reading Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!