Brain Exercise

Let’s shake off the Thursday blues with some easy kilometers. This is a no-drop social run designed to keep the heart rate down and the vibes high. Meetup: 18:55 (for a quick briefing) Start Time: 19:00h 📍Meeting Point: Guingette Maurice, Parc Du Cinquaintenaire - In front of the Monument for European Solidarity (Intwined hands) 👟 Target Pace: 6:30 – 7:00 min/km Distance: 5.0 km Effort Level: Conversational. If you can't speak in full sentences, we're going too fast! 📝 Note No Bag/Sweater Drop

Shake off the workday and train with a welcoming crew of internationals and Brussels professionals. This is a **co-hosted session with F45 Brussels**—fast, fun, and coached circuit training that fits perfectly after work. **Why join?** * **Community vibe:** Friendly, social, in English. * **All levels welcome:** Coaches demo every move with **easier/harder options**. * **Time-smart:** 45 minutes, full-body, high energy, great music. * **Accountability:** Come with the group, leave with endorphins. **What we’ll do** 1. Quick intro & warm-up 2. **F45 functional circuits** (intervals that mix strength + cardio) 3. Team finisher & cool down 4. Optional post workout social drink/rooftop bowling nearby (meet new people, not just new burpees 😉) **Good to know** * **When:** Thursday, **6:30 PM start** (arrive 6:15 to check in) * **Where:** **F45 Brussels** (Brussels Central Station) Galeries Ravenstein * **Bring:** Clean trainers, towel, water bottle * **Fitness level:** Beginner to advanced (scalable stations) * **Capacity:** Limited spots — **RSVP required** * **Price:** Free weekly tryout **Who this is for** * New in Brussels and want a **friendly fitness + social** routine * Busy professional looking for a **structured, coached** workout * Sunday Vacations regulars who want to stay fit for hikes & trips **About F45** F45 = **Functional 45-minute training**: coach-led, station-based, results-driven. Expect variety, technique tips, and a positive team atmosphere. See you on the floor at 6:30! 💪🏽✨ By joining this event, you agree to the Sunday Vacations [Terms & Conditions](https://www.sundayvacations.com/terms), [Privacy Policy](https://www.sundayvacations.com/privacy) & [Code of Conduct](https://www.sundayvacations.com/code)

Making the new Friends after work or in your vacation.

Join our next meetup at Collibra on June 4th! We will have 3 talks about OpenTelemetry and will share some food and drinks while networking **Location:** Collibra, Rue Picard 11, 1000 Bruxelles **Agenda:** 17:45 : Doors open 18:00 - 18:30 : Drinks and pizza 18:30 - 19:10 : Talk #1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead 19:10 - 19:50 : Talk #2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone 19:50 - 20.30 : Talk #3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet 20:30 : Wrap up **Talks:** **#1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead** **OpenTelemetry has become the default way to instrument applications and infrastructure, and Kubernetes is one of the places where it makes most sense to use it.** This talk is a tour of OpenTelemetry on Kubernetes, focusing on the Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry (EDOT). We will explore the OTel basics (general architecture, signals) and the recommended way to deploy OTel on Kubernetes using the OpenTelemetry Operator. A live demo with an Elastic backend will showcase the correlation of metrics and logs, demonstrating how everything ties in together. Finally, it will cover the current community effort to stabilize Kubernetes observability, including the promotion of Kubernetes attributes to release candidate status and the latest updates to the semantic conventions for Kubernetes metrics. This session is useful for beginners trying to get into OTel, and for those running OTel in their Kubernetes cluster and trying to get some insights on what is to come. *Speaker: João Marques Correia, Software Engineer at Elastic* **#2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone** Operating a SaaS platform presents the same observability problems as any other enterprise, but due to the scale and tenancy, we introduce a huge multiplier on the observability signals, having an effect on cost and effectiveness. This session dives into the techniques Collibra used to tame these problems and how to maintain clarity when infrastructure spans virtual machines, modern Kubernetes clusters, and a complex mix of single- and multi-tenant architectures. Without the right context, telemetry data becomes a noisy, indistinguishable flood. We will dive into the architectural decision to leverage the C4 system model, ensuring every piece of telemetry carries the vital context of what it belongs to and where it sits in the hierarchy. Enabling us to gain insights into both signal attribution and allowing virtual chargebacks. The presentation details the implementation of a pipeline using custom-built OpenTelemetry collectors designed to handle the data and enrich it before sending it to the appropriate backends. This session will give you practical insights on the challenges SaaS platforms have, but the techniques that are used to tame them can be applied everywhere. *Speaker: Alex Van Boxel, Principal System Architect at Collibra* **#3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet** Modern systems generate more telemetry than ever, but without consistency, that data quickly becomes noise. At Telenet, we turned to OpenTelemetry to standardise how we collect and enrich observability data across our bare-metal Kubernetes clusters. This talk dives into how we integrate OpenTelemetry into our engineering workflows and couple it with Elastic for storage, analysis, and visualisation. We’ll walk through our architecture, instrumentation strategies, and how we ensure high-quality telemetry that engineers trust. Along the way, we’ll highlight real use cases, from debugging production incidents to improving service performance, and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently today. If you're an Elastic user looking to adopt or scale OpenTelemetry, this session will help you bridge the gap between theory and practice. *Speaker: Reidar Veroft, Container Platform Engineer at Telenetgroup* **Bios** **Alex Van Boxel** is a Principal System Architect at **Collibra**. With an engineering background in Research and Development at Alcatel-Lucent, Progress Software, and Veepee he loves to focus on the fundamental building blocks of the software industry. That means reading, understanding, and contributing to specifications, as well as contributing to the Open Source projects that run through our infrastructure. He is code-owner of two components of the OpenTelemetry collector. **João Marques Correia** is a Software Engineer at **Elastic**. Having recently joined Elastic, he has been focusing on OpenTelemetry, with a bigger effort being put into Kubernetes metrics stabilization. Before joining Elastic, he worked as a Software Engineer at Cisco on a Data Center network controller. He is drawn to distributed systems, and in particular how to observe them and keep them working reliably. **Reidar Veroft** is a DevOps Engineer at **Telenet**, where he builds observable, reliable systems that power critical infrastructure across Belgium. From the 5G core to our voice core, he focuses on making sure the systems behind Telenetgroup are not only running, but fully understood through high-quality telemetry. **Thanks to Collibra for hosting this meetup!**

### Great food. Great people. Caribbean vibes in the heart of Brussels Looking for a relaxed way to meet new people after work Join the Sunday Vacations community every Thursday evening at Parvis Saint-Gilles for a social gathering around authentic Jamaican BBQ, refreshing cocktails, and meaningful conversations Whether you're new to Brussels, an expat looking to expand your social circle, or simply someone who enjoys good food and good company, this is the perfect way to unwind and connect Solo joiners are always welcome. -- ## Experience Overview Sunday Vacations brings together international professionals, expats, and locals through curated social experiences that help people escape routine and build meaningful connections. This weekly community gathering combines Caribbean flavours, a welcoming atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet like-minded people from around the world. Because sometimes the best travel experience starts right here in Brussels. People often join community events to connect with others and build friendships around shared experiences. -- ## Event Type 🌍 Community Even -- ## Highlight ✨ Authentic Jamaican BB 🍹 Cocktail include 🌍 International community atmospher 🤝 Meet new people in Brussel ☀️ Outdoor social gatherin 🎉 Solo joiners welcom -- ## Evening Play **18:30 – Arrival & Welcome* Meet the group, grab a drink, and settle in **19:00 – Jamaican BBQ Experience* Enjoy a delicious Jamaican BBQ Mix paired with a refreshing cocktail **20:00 – Social Time* Relax, connect, and enjoy conversations with fellow members and guests **22:00 – Official End* Stay longer if you'd like and continue enjoying the evening -- ## Meeting Point 📍 Parvis de Saint-Gille Brussel Exact meeting details will be shared with registered participants -- ## Price & Member Benefit ### Jamaican BBQ Mix + Cocktai **Regular Price:** €3 ### Exclusive Sunday Vacations Member Pricin 🧭 Explorer Member — €3 🌍 Voyager Member — €2 🏔️ Ambassador Member — €2 ### Memberships Starting Fro - Explorer: €5/yea - Voyager: €50/yea - Ambassador: €150/yea Member discounts are exclusively available to active Sunday Vacations members -- ## Who This Is For This event is perfect for - International professionals - Expats living in Belgium - Locals interested in meeting international people - Solo participants - Food lovers - Anyone looking for a welcoming social atmosphere No previous participation required. -- ## What To Bring - Comfortable clothing - Weather-appropriate jacket - Positive energy - Appetite for great food and conversation -- ## Important Note - Capacity may be limited - Food and drinks are provided by independent third-party vendors - Please RSVP in advance to help us coordinate the group -- ## Legal Disclaimer Sunday Vacations is a community initiative operated by UJAMAA ASBL and acts solely as a community organiser. Food and beverage services are provided by independent third-party vendors. Activities are organised by volunteers and covered under the legal volunteer insurance framework. VAT not applicable – small business exemption scheme, Article 56bis Belgian VAT Code. -- ## Ready to Join Come for the Jamaican BBQ Stay for the conversations, connections, and community We look forward to welcoming you at Parvis Saint-Gilles this Thursday

**🃏 WHAT WE PLAY** We focus on **social interaction games** that are **fun, easy to learn, and engaging**. * **Thursdays** and Saturday nights are for **fun, social games** like Dixit, Coup, Skull, Codenames, Colt Express, Secret Hitler, Exploding Kittens, Bang and more!… Easy to learn, quick to laugh! * **Mondays** are for **deeper strategic games**, for players who love to plan and outthink opponents. Of course, these are just guidelines — you’re always welcome to bring and play whatever game you love! *** **🕖 SCHEDULE** * We meet at **7:00 PM**, with an **intro round at 7:15 PM**. * Arriving later? No problem! Just see a host — we’ll do our best to find you a seat. You might need to wait for a game to finish before joining the next one. **🎉 Good News! BFG is Free Again** As of July 1st, 2025, BFG is once again **free to join**, just like last year! The costs of running the group are now shared by the hosts. If you enjoy the events and want to say thanks, you're very welcome to **offer a drink (or two 😉) to a host** during the evening. A huge thank you to everyone who supported us financially earlier this year — you helped keep the group going, and we truly appreciate it. 🙏 *** **🎒 WHAT TO BRING** * Bring your favorite games and feel free to mention them in the comments. * If we’re meeting in a **park**, bring snacks, drinks, and something comfy to sit on — the grass can be damp even in summer! *** **☕ IF THE VENUE IS A CAFÉ** Please order **at least one drink** to support the venue, and pay directly at the bar. *** **✅ REGISTRATION** Please RSVP to help us plan for space and group sizes. **⌛ WAITLIST ETIQUETTE** * If you can’t make it, cancel **before 7 PM the day before** to give someone else a chance. * If you're **on the waitlist** and your plans change, cancel your RSVP so others aren't left hanging. *** **🤝 WANT TO HOST?** Interested in becoming a host or helping out? Let us know — we’d love to have you on board! *** **💬 FEEDBACK WELCOME** Suggestions or ideas? Drop us a message anytime — we’re always looking to make BFG even better. *** ### **🌟 Let’s have fun, discover great** **games, and build and make new friends** *** ###

Join us for an energizing Qi Gong class focused on physical exercise techniques that help cultivate and balance your energy. Qi Gong is a traditional Chinese practice that combines movement, breathing, and meditation to improve overall well-being. In this session, you will learn various exercises aimed at enhancing physical strength, flexibility, and vitality. Whether you are a beginner or have experience with Qi Gong, this class is designed to help you connect with your inner energy and feel rejuvenated. Come discover the power of Qi Gong and train your body and mind for better health and harmony.

We spend so much of the week keeping up. With work, with people, with the version of ourselves we're supposed to be. Saturday morning can be different. 🌿 Come and join for an honest conversation and a mindful walk with people who also get it. No pressure to share anything you're not ready to share. You can talk as much or as little as you like; sometimes, just being outside in nature with good people is enough. *This is part of a series of regular walks for the [Mental Fitness Collective](https://www.meetup.com/mental-fitness-collective/) — a simple, free morning to step outside, move at a gentle pace, and be around people who aren't performing either.* **📍Meeting point:** Stella - Coffee Food Bakery (in front of the tram stop Legrand), where you can buy a drink of your choice (optional). 🗓️ **Agenda:** We'll take a relaxed walk through Bois de la Cambre and a full loop around the lake, about 4-5 km, at a pace where conversation feels comfortable. We'll finish at the roundabout at the end of Av. Louise. **Small housekeeping rule:** What happens in the group stays in the group. Whatever is shared between participants during our time together stays between us. It is to make sure this feels like a safe place to be honest. I'll be there to welcome everyone. Come as you are. 🌿 Free to join, RSVP to save your spot! *The event is weather-dependent.* *This walk will run every other Saturday. Each one is standalone, so come whenever it works for you. Join our group, [Mental Fitness Collective](https://www.meetup.com/mental-fitness-collective/) and get notified of our events.*

**Somatic Movement** is a powerful method based on principles and wisdom from Eastern movement practices, such as yoga and Tai Chi, as well as Western techniques and insights from neuroscience, trauma therapy, and burnout recovery. The goal is to activate your body and brain by allowing energy to flow through your system without overloading the nervous system. This is achieved through gentle, intentional movements, stretches and exercises, but also by increasing awareness and sensory perception — both internally (within ourselves) and externally (of our surroundings). Combining tension-releasing stretches, easy flow-restoring exercises (using trees, branches, logs, stones, hills...), doing silent or touch meditations and playful authentic relating games, we're able to release a lot of stored tension and start to feel free, open-hearted, unassuming and adventurous again. The 2h-sessions focus on gradually increasing physical resilience, but include emotional and energetic aspects as well to restore balance in body, mind and spirit. There is no competitive stake, there are no extremes or high-intensity actions involved. But we do sometimes challenge our personal comfort zones a bit, sliding in and out, bumping into some limiting belief or conviction we might carry within. We learn by looking at things from different perspectives. The sessions are guided by seasoned therapist Ken. For more info on his practices, please visit: www.nieuwegrond.be **PRACTICAL** This is a free introduction session for you. But since this is a professional practice, where paying people might participate as well, we can only offer this once. If you wish to continue afterwards, you can talk to Ken personally or book through his website mentioned above. The session starts at 10h sharp and ends at 12h. Meeting and end-point is always Parking Forest Playground Everzwijnbad, Weertsedreef 16, Oud-Heverlee at the border of Meerdaelwoud. Please read the location description well, Google Maps can be a bit tricky. Since we're in the forest and will connect with trees, branches, soil etc, please make sure your clothes can handle this. If you wish, you can bring some water and small towel for comfort, but it's not a must. Please be aware that the organizer can not be held responsible for any damage or losses you might suffer. A safe environment is a priority for everyone. The event will be cancelled only when the weather really doesn't allow it. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask via personal message. We hope to see and connect with you there! Ken

Join Us for a Meditative Forest Walk We warmly invite you to a silent, meditative walk through the forest, where we will move together in stillness for about one hour. This gentle practice helps you reconnect with nature, slow down the mind, and notice the subtle details—both around you and within you. By walking silently, we create space for calm, clarity, and unexpected insights. Details: Date & Time: Saturday 6 June Meeting Point: Herrmann Debroux Metro (exit straight ahead after leaving the platform) Start Time: We begin walking at 16:10 sharp, so please arrive on time if you plan to join. Practical Note: Please wear weather-proof walking shoes, as the forest paths can get a bit muddy when rainy. After the walk, you are warmly welcome to join for a drink at Rouge Cloître. It’s a cosy, creative space to end the evening together if you feel like staying on. If you're in the mood for a quiet inward journey, we would be delighted to walk with you this Friday. For any questions or to let me know you’re coming, feel free to contact me at 0474 60 83 70. Looking forward to sharing this peaceful moment with you.

Need some quiet time for reading? Want to share the experience with others? Join us at the charming venue of The Sister Café to read in the company of others. It’s alone, but also together, get it? We read for an hour and a half, then chat over a drink. This is a free activity except for the price of the drinks you're consuming.

Making news Friends doesn’t not be hard at all🤍❤️

What's up Friends! 👋 

Ready for some bouldering fun? Boulder-what? 🤔 It’s climbing (FR: escalade, le bloc) up to 4.5m high without ropes—and in my case, without much hope! 😂✨ It’s a super fun indoor activity, but be warned: it does require a certain level of physical fitness and/or skill. Most importantly, though, it requires awesome company—which we’ve got! 😎

 The Idea: 📍 Meeting Point: For those arriving at 18:00, we’ll meet at the cafeteria (next to the billiards table). Feel free to start earlier or later—just drop me a message or write in the group chat so we can meet up. 💪 Stay & climb as long as you want - venue closes at midnight! 🥤 Recharge: If you’ve had enough climbing for the day (we usually do this after 2 hours of climbing), we may head back to the cafeteria (or to the rooftop if it's sunny🌤️) for snacks, drinks & games. Cafeteria closes at 22:00. Where: 📍Arkose: (Brussels Canal) Rue Willy de Bruyn Straat 52, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique 🔗 https://arkose.com/

Fees: 🤑Entry fee without shoes: * 18 eur (first-timers 10€ with online promo activated) * reduced rates: students, minors, job seekers, firefighters, military (proof required) 👟 Shoe Rental: 5€ (if you don’t have your own) 🎫 10-session pass: 135€

 Good to Know: ✍️ First-timers need to create an account (takes 5min) - do it in advance and pay online to pay less and avoid wasting time onsite 💦 Hydration is key! Bring a water bottle. 🔐 Lockers available, but bring your own padlock. 🚿 Changing rooms & showers on-site. 👕 Wear comfy sports clothes—it gets intense! 🧴 Only liquid magnesium is allowed (for grip) - in reality most people use powder🤫 👟 Thinking of going regularly? Bouldering shoes are a great investment! (Decathlon: ~45-65€ per pair.)

⚠️ Safety First! Bouldering is fun, but safety comes first! Stay alert, know your limits, and don’t take unnecessary risks. Enjoy responsibly! 💪 

📢 Further details may be shared via the group chat or via DM 💬. Make sure to check your messages 👀 at least on the day before the event to avoid missing critical 🙄 announcements. 🐈‍⬛ The Friends Code:
👉Respect and positive vibes, if not 💥🥊
👉Can’t make it? Cancel or drop a message in the chat - helps running things smoothly! 👉 Don't show up if you are on the waiting list or show up at your own risk. 

See you at the walls folks😉

I have been studying the question of "self" online with Prof. Ellie Anderson and so I thought a prompt on the "self" might be interesting. Full confession: I had Claude create this prompt and I like it, so here goes: Imagine a thought experiment that merges two classic puzzles: > You undergo a procedure, performed neuron by neuron, in which every biological component of your brain is replaced with a functionally identical synthetic substitute. At each step, your behavior, memories, and personality remain unchanged. When the last neuron is swapped, is the consciousness experiencing the world still you? And — more pressingly — was there ever a continuous "you" to begin with? ### Questions to Wrestle With * If consciousness is purely physical, does the *gradual* nature of the replacement matter, or is it equivalent to being destroyed and rebuilt? * Could there be a "self" without continuity of experience — even moment to moment, while you sleep? On a more practical level, consider the simpler case first: **hemispherectomy** patients — people who have had an entire cerebral hemisphere surgically removed — often retain a strong sense of personal identity and continuity. This suggests "you" are not rigidly tied to specific physical material. But does that vindicate the synthetic neuron case, or merely show that identity is more *flexible* than we thought — not that it can survive *complete* substrate replacement? I used Claude so I could get this out today and let everyone have some time to consider it. Hope to see you at the Oracle. Sorry about the location change two weeks ago. That's what I get for trusting local weather predictions!

**Welcome to the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky’s Support Group.** *\*\*This meeting has been moved to the 4th Monday of each month.* This group is a safe space for **survivors of traumatic and acquired brain injuries**, as well as their **families and caregivers**, to find support, share experiences, and connect with others who understand the journey. Whether you're newly injured, a longtime survivor, or supporting a loved one, you’ll find comfort, information, and encouragement here. Our professionally facilitated groups offer a confidential, compassionate setting for healing, learning, and growing together. Join us to discover the power of community—because no one should walk this road alone. *All survivors of ABI/TBI and those who care for them are welcome.* \* This meeting is for persons with brain tumors and their guests. \*\* This is a hybrid meeting. For those meeting in-person dinner is served at 5:45pm. Online begins at 6:30pm.

If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you. We are a local chapter of Bogleheads, whose investment strategy can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here: https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php I look forward to seeing you there. Mark Vonder Haar

Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel. Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger. Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life. Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.

**Welcome to the Women’s Columbus Bogleheads® Sub-Group** This sub-group is for **women who want to learn and discuss finances in a safe, supportive space**. For those interested in moving towards financial independence and retirement by learning investment basics, choosing your 401(k) investments, minimizing taxes, and more. We’re a local chapter of **Bogleheads®**, following a long-term, practical investment philosophy: [Investment Philosophy](https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy): https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy [Bogleheads Forum](https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php): https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php No question is too small, and no experience is too simple. Share, ask, and learn — at your own pace, without judgment, in a group of like-minded women. Let’s build confidence and knowledge **together**!

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215