Composing
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out composing events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the composing events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find composing events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Composing Events Today
Join in-person Composing events happening right now
In Person Writing
is is an In-Person Writing Event at Three This is an In-Person Writing Event at Kaldi's Social House in Clarendon! Please join us.
This is not a critique session or discussion event. If you're interested in attending one of our regular meetings to discuss the art and craft of writing or to review another's work, please join us for a regular meeting on Wednesdays from 7p-9p.
Poses & Pints at VFW Post 3150
Join us for our monthly yoga session with the fine folks at Yoga Legion!
This event is open to VFW & Auxiliary Members and Service Members and their dependents free of charge - accompanying guests of these individuals may attend for a $10 fee. Please bring your Membership card or CAC/Depentant ID for verification.
Stick around after yoga to enjoy a beverage with other Yogis and Post members. Yoga participants will receive $1 off their first beer or soft drink in the Post's Canteen following yoga.
All you need to bring is yourself, a yoga mat, and water - no yoga experience is necessary!
All proceeds will benefit:
Post Relief Fund - used to assist veterans and members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, widows, and orphans who are in need!
Post Building Fund - used to improve our facilities so that we can continue to host events like these and many others that serve our community!
Yoga Legion is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the awareness of the holistic benefits of yoga for veterans through the practice of yoga, outreach, and the facilitation of specialized yoga training for instructors who endeavor to serve veterans. http://www.yogalegion.com/ (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yogalegion.com%2F&h=ATO8Ig2Hvd9Px8x1glG6ly6KOtx1JHfbFPDQLd27HMSi7VoCs02r2ZhgYWSQdYCOzLPEkV8U8lotLjZakZodYkMRxTJrS54WpaW5lva4QO-eh4d1-U9jRRSSLz37L20_oFl4kbZr&enc=AZOGVnmGZDwIxQ_hN-WUTlnEp8JH1oI-0oYdYmx7Ila2hwuX6H976OTSzIqoiPar2rw&s=1)
This is a monthly event that will take place the first Saturday of each month at 2pm!! Please be on time if you plan on joining us for yoga.
Head over to our Facebook events page to find all the up to date information for this event, including the special event menu https://www.facebook.com/pg/VFWPost3150/events
https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/c/c/7/600_463536039.jpeg
Socrates Café Rockville Meetup
Socrates Café meets on the first Saturday of each month. Though this may be considered a "philosophical" group, there are no rules as to what is discussed. Usually, the topics revolve around social concerns, morality, and the first principles of things.
Prior to each meeting we vote online for the questions we will discuss. That way, we will have enough time to ruminate on them and have more in-depth conversations. If you RSVP to a meeting, you may post your question in the event comments section below. I'll send out a survey for voting a few days prior to the meetup. We discuss two questions each night. So you will get to cast two votes in the survey.
When we meet, we break into smaller groups of five to seven to discuss the top two vote-getters. Each group discusses one question for around 45-50 minutes, and we then take a short break. After reconvening, each group moves on to its second question.
Hope to see you there!
-Brian
Comparative Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays Tasting: Germany and Burgundy
Please plan to join the German Wine Society on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 7:00 pm for a comparative presentation on Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in Germany and the Burgundy region of France, and tasting of twelve wines to illustrate the varieties of wine made from these grapes in these countries, by our own Annette Schiller. Registrations for this event are due by Tuesday, April 28, 2026, and the price is $55 for GWS members, $62 for non-members. Please be aware that, due to limited supply of the wines and size of the venue, we have a maximum cap of 40 for attendance at this event. Reserve early to avoid disappointment!
What comes to your mind when you hear: “Chardonnay” or “Pinot Noir”? Burgundy, of course! That is rightly so. Burgundy is one of the world’s most revered wine regions and unique in focusing on two grape varieties: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. For more than 1000 years Burgundy vintners have understood that different soils and climates give different wines. They have honed their skills to produce wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that reflect the place they are coming from.
When you hear: “Germany” – you think Riesling. Riesling also is a terroir expressive grape variety and the Germans know about producing a wine that reflects its place. But Germany is not a mono-varietal wine region like Burgundy. There are many more grape varieties growing successfully here. For more than 1000 years Pinot Noir has been grown in Germany, where it is called “Spätburgunder,” directly translating as “late Burgundy.” Pinot Noir is now the most widely planted red grape in Germany, accounting for 11.8% of all plantings. Chardonnay, in contrast, has only officially been allowed since 1991, though there were earlier trial plantings, and is still only about 2.2% of total cultivation, while Riesling has remained the flagship grape.
Climate change presents new opportunities for German vintners. There is an evolution beyond traditional wine styles and grape varieties. At the same time, Burgundy’s prices have soared and wine lovers often get priced out of their favorite wine. Germany offers a genuine alternative.
At this tasting we will show you Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from both wine regions side by side. We start with a comparison of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Germany and Burgundy on the regional level. The next flight will be a step-up quality-wise: a comparison on the village level. As a highlight we have a comparison of 1er Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Erste Lage (Germany’s designation of 1er Cru) Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Germany. We will taste 12 wines with many in the upper price bracket. Join us for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to have wines from top Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers from two different but also in some aspects similar regions. It will be fun to discuss the wines during the tasting and it will be very interesting to hear the verdict of the audience on the favorites.
The planned wine list is depicted below:
Part 1: PINOT NOIR / SPÄTBURGUNDER
FLIGHT A: REGIONAL LEVEL
Germany: 2023 Weingut von Winning, Pinot Noir Royal, Pfalz
Burgundy: 2022 Albert Bichot, Bourgogne
FLIGHT B: VILLAGE LEVEL
Germany: 2018 Weingut Bercher, Burkheimer, Baden
Burgundy: 2022 Domaine Raquillet, Mercurey
FLIGHT C: 1er CRU / ERSTE LAGE LEVEL
Germany: 2022 Kallstädter Steinacker, Weingut Rings, Pfalz
Burgundy: 2022 Volnay Santenots, Domaine Thierry Matrot
Part 2: CHARDONNAY
FLIGHT A: REGIONAL LEVEL
2021 Weingut Kühling-Gillot, Réserve, Rheinhessen
2022 Maison Vincent Girardin, Cuvée St.-Vincent, Bourgogne
FLIGHT B: VILLAGE LEVEL
Germany: 2024 Weingut Jülg, Schweigen, Pfalz
Burgundy: 2023 Domaine Ferret, Pouilly-Fuissé
FLIGHT C: 1er CRU / ERSTE LAGE LEVEL
Germany: 2023 Bönningheimer Sonnenberg, Weingut Dautel, Württemberg
Burgundy: 2023 Beaune – Grèves, Le Clos Blanc Louis Jadot
A tasty buffet of cheeses, bread, crackers, charcuterie, grapes and veggies will be provided to accompany the wines.
Our tasting will begin at 7 p.m on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. to admit guests. While there is not off-street parking at this location, on-street parking is available (bear in mind DC parking restrictions and meters), and there is easy access to Metro, at the Van Ness Red Line station.
You can register and pay for this event only by following the instructions on our chapter website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org. Simply confirming attendance on meetup is NOT sufficient for a reservation. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one. You can also become a member or renew, if your membership is not current, together with your registration for this event by including an annual $35 dues payment (for an individual or a couple), through PayPal, or by mail using a check, in the same manner as registering for the event. If you have been a member of the GWS Capital Chapter in the past but are not sure of your current membership status, please email the Secretary at the above e-mail to confirm your status.
We do request that if you are experiencing symptoms of covid-19, flu or other contagious illness, or have tested positive for such an illness, you stay home and recover, and avoid putting other guests at risk. Refunds can be provided in these circumstances if you notify us before the day of the event, to allow us time to find another guest to take your place. Otherwise, refunds can only be made if you notify us before the deadline for registration.
All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them.
If you have questions about this event, you may contact the event organizer and presenter, Annette Schiller, at aschiller@ombiasypr.com , or by phone at 703-459-7513. Annette’s website is www.ombiasypr.com . For questions about registration and membership, please contact Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, at carl.willner1@verizon.net .
The Catch the Wind SOJO (5/2/26)
**In honor of Donovan’s 80th birthday, let’s throw in a few of his songs. See you at SOJO!**
**Seasoned SOJO'ers already know the program, but below are all the details which may be helpful to our new members.**
**MOST IMPORTANT POINTS:**
1. **If you have copies of Rise Up Singing and Rise Again, please bring them. If you don't, we may have some extras available for you to borrow (one time only, please). Both books are easy to find and order online. And here's a link to find YouTube Videos of any song in either book. https://www.riseupandsing.org/songs/search**
1. **Feel free to bring lyrics and chords to hand out for songs not in the books. If you'd like to bring a song that most people don't know well, see if you can find a YouTube link and post it in the comments when you RSVP. We'd like to listen a few times before the SOJO to get the hang of it.**
1. **Bring something to drink, as singing is likely to make you thirsty.**
1. **We appreciate (but do not require) contributions to cover our room rental costs of $75 per session.**
1. **Please do RSVP. It helps us know how to set up the room and allows us to contact you if we have to cancel.**
*******
**FURTHER DETAILS, if you like:**
* **Our regular gatherings take place on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. We meet from 2 to 5 p.m. with a break around 3:30. You can come for the whole time or just part of it. If you can arrive a little early to help set up or stay a little late to help put things back in order, that would be great. Occasionally we take pictures of our events. If you would rather not be photographed, just politely let the person with the camera know and step out of view. We'll be respectful of your wishes.**
**Whether you're new to SOJO or not so new, we look forward to singing and playing with you!**
LGBTQ+ Community Brunch
Support a local LGBTQ+ business. **Brunch starts at 11 a.m.** at Freddie's Beach Bar & Restaurant, 555 23rd St. S, Arlington, Virginia 22202. Reserve a spot for free on **[Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lgbtq-community-brunch-freddies-beach-bar-restaurant-tickets-1982623203372?aff=oddtdtcreator)** so we have an accurate guest count.
Enjoy a delicious brunch and meet LGBTQ+ folk. Make meaningful new connections. The event is free to attend; you simply pay for whatever you order on your own on separate credit card; there's no group tab to worry about.
Name tags will be provided. About 10 LGBTQ+ folk are expected.
The menu is at [https://www.freddiesbeachbar.com/menu](https://www.freddiesbeachbar.com/menu) OR better yet, order the all-you-can-eat buffet that includes a mimosa or coffee/tea or soft drink, and dessert for only $14.99.
Casual attire is fine.
Feel free to invite all your friends to join you there. Please be sure to tag any event photos on social with #gogaydc
**Metro Directions:** Be eco-friendly. Metro rides are now capped at only $2.50 on weekends, regardless of distance traveled. Crystal City Metro station on the Yellow/Blue lines is the closest Metro stop. When you arrive, go out the station, walk towards your left to 18th Street and then veer right and walk under the Route 1 overpass to Eads St. Turn left and walk to 23rd Street. Turn right. Freddie's is up 23rd Street just a block. Just look for the rainbow flags on the right-hand side of the street! The venue phone number is (703) 685-0555 in case you get lost.
Parking is usually available nearby on the residential side streets.
Freddie's was voted the Best Virginia Bar by *Washington Blade* readers. Don't like a smoky bar? You are covered: Freddie's is a smoke-free establishment. (Ashtrays are provided outside the back of the building if smoking is 'your thing').
Freddie's is an LGBTQ+, straight-friendly restaurant and bar. It offers Happy Hour daily from 4-7 pm. [https://www.freddiesbeachbar.com](https://www.freddiesbeachbar.com/)
This event is being boosted by **[Go Gay DC](https://www.gogaydc.com/)**[,](https://www.gogaydc.com/) Metro Washington DC's inclusive LGBTQ+ community focused on friendship, leadership, and service. It reaches over 10K fabulous people and is growing fast. Visit [https://www.gogaydc.com](https://www.gogaydc.com/)
Arrive at any time that's convenient for you. Go Gay DC Leader **[TJ Flavell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjflavell/)**
will be there to greet you.
There's no need to print out and show your Eventbrite ticket.
This event is a safe, inclusive space for everyone under the rainbow. This event is for all ages. Remember to bring your ID, as everyone who wishes to drink alcohol is carded of course.
Go Gay DC is on social media:
Join the Facebook Group
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC)
Like the Facebook Page
[https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC)
Follow on Instagram
[https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC](https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC)
Follow on Threads
[https://www.threads.com/@GoGayDC](https://www.threads.com/@gogaydc)
Follow on Bluesky
[https://gogaydc.bsky.social/](https://gogaydc.bsky.social/)
Follow on X
[https://www.x.com/GoGayDC](https://www.x.com/GoGayDC)
Watch on YouTube
[https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC](https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC)
LinkedIn
[https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC](https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExN2tRNWxxbmJINDBLRjgyeHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5wn7CoNkDnzZk1J8PGqEXSOaiVTjajzIpsVdNeg2WI7X_BJ5MeR6ierA9SUg_aem_YJJoTeXOh5HTjDXienXIZQ)
Search tags: LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI LQBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Straight Allies brunch nonbinary
Composing Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
POETRY IN THE GARDEN
We will be holding the Monthly Poetry in the Garden meeting on May 3, 2026 in the Club House at Schrom Hills Park, 6915 Hanover Pkwy, Greenbelt MD from 3 - 5 PM.
All are welcome to join us and there is no admission charge. Bring your favorite poem, your own poem or just come and listen and enjoy. We will have refreshments to help enjoy the mood.
Shut up & Write Arlington/Alexandria
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)
Public Speaking and Communication Skills
Our next club meeting is on Sunday will start at 2:15, please join early. if you're coming in-person, parking is free and usually ample at the Community College on Sundays, and most of us park where the spaces are designated for staff and have never had a problem.
👉 Everyone is welcome to join our meeting, participate and practice. You'll get a chance to hear our club members speak and then have an opportunity to play the table topics game.
**Agenda for the Meeting:**
1. Warm Up
2. Prepared Speeches (By club members)
3. Table Topics Game (Learn to think on your feet)
4. Feedback
**Online - Join us via Zoom**
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/86218205188
If you haven't used Zoom before, watch this short video on how to join our meeting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=45&v=vFhAEoCF7jg
**In-Person** **\- Join us at Montgomery Community College**
Meet us at Science Building, room SC 152. The room is located on the ground floor.
The exact building address is https://goo.gl/maps/ZEgQH7bKLvzdqtSQ9
For help, please text or call, 301-917-4202.
Quads & Doubles Volleyball - Competitive BB+/A
Let's get together to play some competitive quads and doubles volleyball.
**COST**: FREE
**Court Type**: Outdoor grass
**Minimum Skill Requirements**: BB+ (click [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/mobilebasic) for details)
Attention:
1. This event is **NOT on a first come-first serve** basis and players with higher skill level and players who can bring a net/ball will get priority over others on the wait list.
2. Since skill levels are **self-reported**, some new attendees may not meet the expected level. For doubles, we encourage you to choose a partner you can enjoy the game with, and since this a competitive event, it is okay if you make a strong team and win all the games.
3. Each person must help set up and take down one net, leaving some nets unset for latecomers.
4. Please answer all questions, so it's helpful for us to organize the event.
**Smiley Social documents:**
1. [Group Rules](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HrG35p_0M08leRvCp8XWG3CMkr_GL928XFabl5T6Dvg)
2. [Smiley Social Volleyball Levels](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/edit)
3. [Good doubles partner](https://docs.google.com/document/d/14weEw-P52XKx0P8K2l-ZOFtYU61wmfdkSkopbG5avro/)
4. [Liability Waiver](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W2mq-7m99lmvd7gdWYaSUFtvVg4UGnzV6koafAbHmco)
Share a book, meet a friend
We are going to talk about the books we read—any books, from any genre. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or something modern, everyone is welcome to share their thoughts, impressions, and favorite passages. It’s a relaxed and friendly conversation where we can discover new ideas and enjoy each other’s perspectives.
Composing Events Near You
Connect with your local Composing community
Shut Up & Write!® East Side Columbus
Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
**SCHEDULE:**
6:45ish - Quick introductions
7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour
8:00 - The End
**OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing.
**BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer.
Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild!
**WHAT SHOULD I BRING?**
Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you!
**OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:**
* **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space!
* **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels.
* **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay!
* **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.
Shut Up & Write!™ Easton Town Center
We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator.
Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking!
• What we'll do
Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done.
SCHEDULE:
10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros.
10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour.
11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing.
OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing.
BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer.
Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you!
• What to bring
Whatever you need to be able to write!
Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible.
See you at The Café on Saturday!
The Non-competitive Tennis Partner Program
We connect you with up to 30 Men or Women tennis partners close to your PLAYING REGION and skill level. This program is less competitive, no champions crowned, no league standings just dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts. Players will meet up to play a tennis match or just to hit around. Just go through the [Join Page](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program) to enter this program.
[https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program)
Shut Up & Write! Kingsdale Shopping Center
Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington.
The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo.
Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine.
We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you.
The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly.
Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome.
The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit.
Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times.
Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have.
Happy writing!
Columbus Comedy Improv Meetup at Gresso's!
Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you knew Del Close on a personal level, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup** for some fun and games!
The idea behind improv is to create entire scenes from scratch based on a suggestion from the audience. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway*, *ComedySportz*, or *Wild 'n Out*; it could also be done to tell stories, like *Middleditch and Schwartz*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and free!) weekly comedy event, brings the games (and occasionally different forms) for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and make friendships that'll last a lifetime!
Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "Yes, And" that you'll have fun!
Duty vs. Results: What Makes an Action Moral?
When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches.
* **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason.
* **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes.
## Discussion Questions
1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie.
2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?**
3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome?
4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend?
5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles?
6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way?
7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time?
8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?
13TH ANNIVERSARY!!! - Columbus Comedy Improv Meetup at Gresso's!
Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you knew Del Close on a personal level, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup** for some fun and games!
The idea behind improv is to create entire scenes from scratch based on a suggestion from the audience. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway*, *ComedySportz*, or *Wild 'n Out*; it could also be done to tell stories, like *Middleditch and Schwartz*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and free!) weekly comedy event, brings the games (and occasionally different forms) for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and make friendships that'll last a lifetime!
**AND TODAY IS OUR THIRTEENTH ANNIVERSARY!!!** So be ready for a celebration of everything that's made Improv Meetup wonderful: you, the amazing performers!
Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "Yes, And" that you'll have fun!





















