Computer History

Open gaming at Panera! New players welcome. We have many games on hand or you can bring your own. We are happy to teach or learn one of yours.

An exhilarating spy thriller inspired by a true story about the precious secrets up for grabs just after the fall of the Berlin Wall—from the acclaimed author of The Cover Wife “Fesperman accurately depicts the corrosive effect of life under a surveillance society, debasing both the watchers and the watched.... Most Cold War spy novels focus on the Manichaean ideological struggle between East and West; this one successfully explores a grayer era.”—Ben Macintyre, The New York Times Book Review On a chilly early morning walk on the wooded outskirts of Berlin, Emil Grimm finds the body of his neighbor, a fellow Stasi officer named Lothar, with a gunshot wound to the temple and a pistol in his right hand. Despite appearances, Emil suspects murder. A few months earlier he would have known just what to do, but now, as East Germany disintegrates, being a Stasi colonel is more of a liability than an asset. More troubling still is that Emil and Lothar were involved in a final clandestine mission, one that has clearly turned deadly. Now Emil must finish the job alone, on uncertain ground where old alliances seem to be shifting by the day. Meanwhile, CIA agent Claire Saylor, sent to Berlin to assist an Agency mop-up action against their collapsing East German adversaries, has just received an upgrade to her assignment. She'll be the designated contact for a high-ranking foreign intelligence officer of the Stasi, although details are suspiciously sketchy. When her first rendezvous goes dangerously awry, she realizes the mission is far more delicate than she was led to believe. With the rules of the game changing fast, and as their missions intersect, Emil and Claire find themselves on unlikely common ground, fighting for their lives against a powerful enemy hiding in the shadows.

Start in Victoria Falls and end in Maun! With the Safari adventure of 8 Days at Victoria Falls, Chobe & Delta, you have a tour package taking you through Zimbabwe and Botswana in Africa that includes accommodation, an expert guide, meals, transport. Tour Start Victoria Falls Tour End Maun Destination Zimbabwe & Botswana Flights • Arrival: Day01 before 2pm Airport: victoria falls Intl. airport (Zimbabwe) • Return: Day08 after breakfast Airport: Maun Intl. airport (Botswana) Itinerary Day01 Dinner Cruise Day02 Guided Tour of The Victoria Falls Day03 Game Boat Cruise Safari Day04 Full day Chobe Safari Day05 Light aircraft Day06 Full day game safari Day07 Mokoro excursion Day08 Tour Ends Cost: $4590 (Double Occupancy) $2590 (Single Supplement) Inclusions Price Includes • Lodge accommodation including breakfast • Driver guide available • All 3 meals a day • All transfer • Activities as per the itinerary Price Excludes • Flights • Meals • Personal Expenses • Optional activities • Travel insurance / Visa • Tips • $300 National Park fees ———————————————— For detailed itinerary and to reserve your seat follow the link below: [https://www.bucketlistgrouptravel.com/tour/zimbabwe-and-botswana-8-days-victoria-falls-chobe-delta/](https://www.bucketlistgrouptravel.com/tour/zimbabwe-and-botswana-8-days-victoria-falls-chobe-delta/) Questions? Text / Call - 2023787696 - Himanshu - Organizer

# Meet in or near the visitor parking lot at the office, near the Veterans Memorial area. # Bring: 1) yourself 2) if you are so inclined, the Find a Grave app (Ancestry.com) on your phone 3) any desired protection from sun and other natural elements # Agenda: 1) Casually attempt to fulfill at least one open photo request on the Find a Grave app and discuss associated strategies. 2) Enjoy the ambience, weather, nature and any assembled company. Note: If weather is heavily inclement or unsafe (torrential downpour, storms, etc.), the event will be rescheduled. Summary of last event: Four attended. No memorials were located/photographed for the app. Crows and fall foliage were observed, and nice weather and company was enjoyed! Some interesting headstone engravings and memorials were discovered.

For our next event we will head to The Willard Intercontinental for their holiday displays and cheer. The Willard is a beautiful building with a lot of history and there should be plenty to find to draw here! We've drawn here many times, it's a lovely spot. You can see more here: [Willard Holidays - Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. Hotel](https://washington.intercontinental.com/willard-holidays-2025/) I look forward to drawing with you there!

Join us for **[Judy’s Altered Minds](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**! Bring your fiber & mixed media show & tell; many members also enjoy making ATCs (**[artist trading cards](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**) for exchange each month. **Come early to shop** (JAMs attendees receive a 10% discount on their purchases) — Artistic Artifacts is open Sundays 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. The JAMs meeting starts at 1:30 pm. The December meeting is our annual (and optional) handmade ornament/gift exchange:[ ](https://www.facebook.com/events/1365173672271262/?active_tab=discussion)**[learn more about the required rules and guidelines](https://www.facebook.com/events/1365173672271262/?active_tab=discussion)** if you choose to participate. New members are always welcome! A $3.00 contribution is requested at each meeting. JAMs members are art quilters, collage artists, art journal keepers, surface design enthusiasts, paper crafters, art doll/assemblage artists and more! All levels of expertise are represented, and all are welcome. During JAMs meetings, attendees gather support and encouragement for their art through show & tell and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends.

I reserved my parking ticket for 7:00 PM for Saturday, December 20. Each parking slot is 1.5 hours. [https://dctemplevisitorscenter.org/festival-of-lights/](https://dctemplevisitorscenter.org/festival-of-lights/) From the website: * Join us for the 48th Annual Washington DC Temple Visitors' Center Festival of Lights! December 4\, 2025 – January 1\, 2026 \| 4:30 – 8:45 PM * **\*\*\* Timed Parking Passes Required for Every Car \*\*\*** * Please check the website for additional information. Bring Water, a Tripod, comfortable shoes, fully charged batteries, and empty cards By sending in an RSVP and joining this meetup event hosted by the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I agree to abide by the rules and regulations (where applicable) of the event location, and I am also agreeing to the terms of the following release and waiver of liability, which shall be binding on my heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns. In consideration of my (and my child’s) participation in the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I do hereby release, discharge, and hold harmless the Organizer, its members, officers, directors, employees, and the leader(s) of this event from any and all liability by reason of any damage, loss, expenses, or injury arising from my (and my child’s) participation in this event, including that caused solely or in part by the fault of any and all of the above-named parties.

**A drop-in game every Sunday afternoon at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum.** The museum is located one block from the Judiciary Square Metro station (Red line). Street parking is available, and a paid garage is located at 3rd and G Streets. You do not need to be a member of the museum to participate. On entry to the building, inform the front desk staff that you are there to play mahj, and you will be directed to the Nosh Pit, where you can also enjoy a snack and coffee. **All skill levels are encouraged to participate.** **Lessons for new and returning players are available at 1:00 (please be on time).** Games begin at 1:00. Game play ends around 3:00. Game play is free. **If you own a mah jongg set, we encourage you to bring it - and please bring your NMJL card if you have one.** We have compiled some links and resources you may find useful, especially for beginners, including a PowerPoint, a 4-part intro guide and videos to help you learn the NMJL card. Everything is at:
**[linktr.ee/davidmahj](linktr.ee/davidmahj)** We maintain a WhatsApp chat for this Sunday group in order to communicate last-minute changes and announcements. If you’d like to be added to this WhatsApp group, please speak with David or Jon at one of our gatherings. *Photographs taken by Museum staff during the program may be used for educational and promotional purposes in print and online publications. Attendance at the event implies your consent.*

Top level Backgammon Tournament play. Have fun and improve your game. Free lessons to new and inexperienced players. Club been active over 30 years, posting on Meetup is new.

**Join us in Falls Church for conversations that go beyond small talk.** Higher Grounds – Falls Church is where this growing network of gatherings began: a space for thoughtful, authentic dialogue about what matters most. Whether we’re exploring the nature of happiness, the challenges and possibilities of midlife, spirituality, culture, capitalism, parenting, or the role of art and travel in a meaningful life, every conversation is shaped by the people in the room. There’s no set leader or rigid agenda—just a shared commitment to listen as much as we speak. We start with brief introductions focused on what makes you *you* (not your LinkedIn bio), then dive straight into whatever is on people’s minds. The direction of each meetup emerges organically, making every event unique. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others in Falls Church who are also seeking deeper conversations. **Suggested Questions: Life Stages & Transitions** 1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging? 2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists? 3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about? **Suggested Questions: Identity After the Roles** 1. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you? 2. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed? 3. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted? **Suggested Questions: AI & Being Human** 1. What human experiences will AI never truly understand? 2. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do? 3. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated? **Suggested Questions: Belief & Meaning** 1. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space? 2. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live? 3. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self? **Suggested Questions: The Modern Psyche** 1. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have? 2. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire? 3. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept? **Suggested Questions: Work & Purpose** 1. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you? 2. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors? 3. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years? **Suggested Questions: Relationships & Connection** 1. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why? 2. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best? 3. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others? **Suggested Questions: Time & Mortality** 1. What are you running out of time to say or do? 2. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite? 3. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail? **Suggested Questions: Society & Culture** 1. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense? 2. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing? 3. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years? **Suggested Questions: Personal Philosophy** 1. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way? 2. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out? • 3. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

The power of unity can easily be seen in how we come together in times of crisis. But what about after the immediate crisis has passed? Can spirituality help us harness the power of unity, regardless of circumstance, and despite our many differences? With each passing day, it seems like we are realizing more and more how interconnected we all are, how much we depend on one another. Old patterns of existence based on division aren’t working for us. Particularly in times of crisis, we see that we do better when we come together, when we’re able to support one another and draw strength from each other. But what if this power wasn’t limited to times of crisis? What if unity wasn’t just a lofty idea worth aspiring to but a strategy to be used in affecting positive change? Is there specific guidance we can follow, methods we can enact to help us create a more materially and spiritually advanced society? 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 the power of unity in helping us enact a social & spiritual transformation. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the role of spirituality in helping us work with each other on the path towards the betterment of us all. “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole world.” – Bahá’í Teachings \*\*\*This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)

Monday December 29th at 6PM we'll be meeting up dinner at the Pies & Pints at Easton. Feel free to bring guests. Sandwiches run about $15 and large pizzas run $20-30.

Our January program is privileged to have Kristen Tregar as our speaker. Ms. Tregar is the co-author with John de Lancie (the actor who portrayed the character Q on Star Trek next generation) of a radio play depicting the events surrounding the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial. The trial decided the issue of some of the Dover school district board members attempting to insert creationism disguised as "intelligent design" into the 9th grade biology curriculum. She will discuss the trial and the process of writing the play. (Bob Leonhard has seen the play and it is riveting and tense). Ms. Tregar's bio is below: Kristen Tregar is a dramaturg, director, playwright, and theatre teacher. She earned her Ph.D. in Drama and Theatre from the UC San Diego and UC Irvine joint program. In addition, she has a MS in Forensic Science from City University of New York- John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a MA in Educational Theatre from New York University- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. In 2013, in collaboration with Irish colleagues, she founded *The Ireland Project*, an intercontinental devised theatre work with high school students in New York and Tallaght, Ireland. Her original short story "Far From Here" was recently published in *Stay Awhile Longer: More Scenes From Temecula Valley*. She has two rescued dogs (Kira and Harry) and she rides, competes, and foxhunts with her horses, Andromache and Baker Street Irregular. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Bring your work or your hobby, hang out, and code with us. Follow @buckeyecocoa for more information.

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)

**Caller: Gaye Fifer** **Band: Hot Coffee Breakdown** **Big Scioty Contra Dance** **temporarily returning to our long ago location for Jan-March - First Congregational Church, 444 E. Broad St., Columbus 43215** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 7:30 - 8:00, followed by dancing 8:00 - 10:30. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. For more information contact me or check out our website: [www.bigscioty.com](http://www.bigscioty.com/) Please bring your own refillable water bottle. Snacks to share are always welcome!