Creative Self-Expression

Expect a fun afternoon of drawing and socializing with like-minded artists! Although each Session is 3 hours, feel free to drop in as your schedule permits. This is a casual gathering, and we know that people might only be able to stay a little while -- drop in, and stay, as long as you are having fun, and as your day allows. **Note: about RSVP's, please respect the RSVP process. If you RSVP YES, you are commited and we are all looking to seeing you. If your plans change however, that's OK, but please be courteous and change your RSVP to NO. We are reaching the headcount limit regularly now and it is rude to take a spot and not relinquish it if your plans change... Respect others; don't be rude. Thank you for your cooperation**. All skill levels are welcome -- this is not a competition. This Group and all its Events are intended to be in equal parts, Drawing/Art AND Socializing. As such, conversation is expected and encouraged. ***However, in all cases, please refrain from discussion of Political topics.*** Our goal is enjoyment, in the form of drawing together while socializing, and political conversation is too polarizing for that to happen. We are looking forward to seeing you there! **Note (in parting): Be aware, and keep in mind that our group, meeting as it does at Starbucks, depends on this business's generosity for the space it allows us. As such, please make a point of purchasing something from the business to express our appreciation as a group using their facility. If you are experiencing hardship and can't afford a modest purchase, get my attention discreetly, and arrangements will be made with no judgment whatsoever. Thank you for your understanding... Michael (your host)**

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good discourse and deeper community, join us for lunch and a conversation on ***Discipline vs. Self-Compassion: What Actually Makes Growth Possible?*** Here’s how it works: For just two hours, a table of people set aside the need to "convince" or "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by an experienced table host, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. In a world of disconnection and surface-level interaction, we'll carve out some time just to be humans together and have a meaningful conversation. **As mentioned above, our topic for this lunch will be, "Discipline vs. Self-Compassion: What Actually Makes Growth Possible?"** At this universal time of taking stock and making resolutions, we'll explore how we can be our best selves in 2026. We hope you'll join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another. We'll be meeting in The Edmund, the condominium adjacent to Wegmans. You can park in the Wegmans lot and walk outside and then around the store to the front of The Edmund, or park in any of the many nearby surface lots. We’ll meet in the Lobby and walk to the conference room together. Look for your host, Heidi Clark! This will be a "bring your own lunch" gathering. If you need somewhere convenient to get food, the Wegmans has a great self-serve cafe. BreadBreakers, an initiative by Restoration United Methodist Church in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community where all beliefs, faiths, and stripes are welcomed. Our leadership and volunteer team includes people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

Want to see the art that will fly to the Moon??? That’s right — a selection of art by the artists whose works are included in the Lunar Codex - a global lunar cultural archive is coming to Washington, DC before it journeys into outer space! **We are delighted to invite you to the Opening Reception of: The Real Within: A New Generation of Polish Realism** Saturday, January 10, 2026 @5:00 PM Kosciuszko Foundation Washington DC Center 2025 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 **This is a free event open to the public.** **RSVP is required: KFDC@thekf.org** This special exhibition brings together the work of eight contemporary Polish painters whose powerful and expressive interpretations of realist figuration represent a new generation of artistic vision. Artistic Director: Daria Solar Participating Artists: Katarzyna Adamiak-Jaśnikowska, Eva Evangelista, Agnieszka Kotarska, Jakub Podlodowski, Ewa Pronczuk-Kuziak, Daria Solar, Katarzyna Widmańska, and Anna Wypych. What makes this exhibition even more extraordinary is that works by all eight artists have been included in the Lunar Codex — a global archive of contemporary art, literature, music, poetry, and film that is being launched to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis program and partner lunar missions. Learn more about this one-of-a-kind exhibition and about the Lunar Codex at: https://thekf.org/event/the-real-within-a-new-generation-of-polish-realism-art-exhibition-at-the-kf-in-washington-dc/

This meditation is held in honor of Guru Paramahansa Yoganandaji. Jai Guru.

New year. New art. Kick off 2026 at ​Art in the Attic, where DIY culture, underground creativity, and community come together. This isn’t your average pop up market... expect bold art, strange finds, and artists doing things their way. Shop handmade goods, original art, prints, patches, zines, apparel, and more from local artists. Meet the makers, connect with fellow weirdos, and support independent creatives who keep the scene alive. Whether you’re here to discover something unexpected, or just to hang out with good people in a creative space... all are welcome. Come as you are! FREE ENTRY Two blocks from Braddock Metro Indoor Art market Event is upstairs (past the tattoo shop front desk) Check out our Instagram & facebook to see which artists will be there this month @art.inthe.attic

This event is for women only. We will meet for coffee and a bite to eat at a local cafe. Grounded Coffee Shop

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Sunday at 8 AM and Wednesday at 7 / 7:30 PM at various centers in MD and VA. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

**✅ First class is FREE – only 10 spots available!** Learn real self-defense skills in a small-group setting. No experience needed, open to all adults. 📲 RSVP now and text Jim at **301-326-9146** to confirm—once spots are gone, they’re gone. ## **Free Intro Self-Defense Class – Maryland Systema** Want to learn how to protect yourself while also improving your health, focus, and confidence? Join us for a free first class at **Maryland Systema**, a unique approach to self-defense that blends both physical and mental training. *** ### **Why This Class is Different** Unlike most programs that only teach physical moves, Systema trains your body **and** your mind. You’ll explore: * **Structure** – staying balanced under pressure * **Breathing** – keeping calm and controlling fear * **Relaxation** – avoiding panic and wasted energy * **Movement** – adapting naturally to any situation You’ll also learn to read an attacker’s intentions and respond proportionately—aligned with Maryland’s self-defense laws. *** ### **What You’ll Gain** ✔ Practical skills you can use right away ✔ Better stress control and awareness ✔ Improved strength, mobility, and coordination ✔ Confidence in handling real-world situations *** ### **Class Info** 📍 **Location:** The Compound, Silver Spring (free parking) 🕒 **Length:** 1.5 hours 👥 **Small Group:** Max 10 students for personalized guidance 👖 **What to Wear:** Comfortable long pants and clothes you can move in 💵 **Cost:** Free for first-time students *** ### **How to Join** RSVP here on Meetup to save your spot, then text Jim at **301-326-9146** to confirm. Spots are limited—once the group fills, we close registration. *** **Maryland Systema** Real-world self-defense training for adults—helping you stay ready, stay calm, and stay safe.

Brazilian culture is alive in DC. Forro and Samba are two of Brazil's favorite rhythms. This fundraiser brings them together for a good cause. Whether your new or seasoned join this welcoming community for dancing, singing, and mingle too. $12 Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the Afro Bahia Fest and local Brazilian cultural organizations.

Learn to manage stress and achieve self-growth through simple relaxation and Meditation. Heartfulness Meditation is a simple, modern, methodical approach to meditation. Rather than homing in on your breath or repeating a mantra, you simply focus inward, on your heart, to cultivate inner strength and serenity. Heartfulness meditation is gaining traction in recent years. It focuses on the heart, allowing individuals to connect with themselves on a deeper level, and ultimately achieve peace, relaxation, and clarity. It is a practice that encourages patience, self-compassion, and acceptance, helping cultivate a deeper appreciation for the present moment. This practice is offered with love and at no cost

To purchase tickets - https://www.annkite.com/friday-nights This is a group of 60-75 people that dance the together weekly on Friday evenings. Ann is a master teacher who has taught embodied movement as connection to spirit for over 18 years. She is fully trained in 5Rhythms (both waves and heartbeat levels), attended the teacher training for Soul Motion and has a Masters in Education. A born teacher. Her classes offer a dynamic movement practice rooted in the principle that if you put the psyche in motion it will heal itself. Movement is both the medicine and the metaphor, reaching across all languages, cultures and age groups to transform suffering into art, art into awareness, and awareness into action. Ann has held this group, a dynamic community has been created to dance, to sweat, to change, to support, and to provide a safe space for each of us to shatter the ego’s hold and awaken the juicy, unpredictable, fascinating, edge-walking, rock star part of ourselves that yearns to be free. Creativity. Connection. Community. There are no steps to learn. 5Rhythms can be practiced by anyone regardless of age, fitness, ability, or experience. For more information about what to expect in your first 5Rhythms class, see our About 5Rhythms page: https://www.annkite.com/about

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 the second & fourth Wednesday of every month at Two Dollar Radio Headquarters (HQ). 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 around 6:45pm. 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 Two Dollar Radio HQ! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! Other customers are welcome at Two Dollar HQ at the time, so please 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. * **ACCESSIBILITY:** Two Dollar Radio HQ's entrance door on Cline Street is wheelchair accessible, they have two gender-neutral bathrooms that are both wheelchair accessible, and their ordering and table-seating area is as well. Working service dogs are allowed. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Two Dollar Radio HQ does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public street parking on all surrounding streets, on both sides of Parsons Ave. You are also welcome to park in the Columbus Metropolitan Library parking lot across the street (1113 Parsons Ave). Two Dollar Radio HQ has a bike rack on the corner of Cline and Parsons, and the library has bike parking (across Parsons). * **FOOD/BEVERAGE:** Two Dollar Radio HQ is a bar and vegan cafe. Their food is 100% vegan and made from scratch, with love. They also serve a range of wine, beer, and cocktails, as well as coffees and teas. If you're able to, please consider thanking our venue by purchasing something!!

This is an in-person meeting. Would you like to know the Real You, not just a shadow of yourself? Does your life energy feel somehow trapped within? Does your self-confidence get easily shaken? Do you get in the way of your own goals? We will discuss the real source of all this, what holds you back in life, and how to handle it so you can achieve more successful and happier living. Perhaps you get weighed down with negative emotions you can't seem to shrug off. Or find yourself doing strange and irrational things - not really being yourself. We will cover why that is and tools that work to help you unearth your self, your self-confidence and motivation. This meeting will help you learn about how to effectively overcome: -Out-of-control unwanted emotions -Low self-esteem -Anxiety -Negativity -Stress -Irrational fears -Traumatic or painfully emotional incidents -Breakups -Betrayals -Feeling like you're not really yourself -Self-doubt... We will discuss how to unleash the inner you and tap into your true potential. So come to this online meetup! This meeting is sponsored by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

Join us for this free, in person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Do you want more motivation and confidence to build lasting relationships? Are you burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival, while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? 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: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is held at the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

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 Sunday 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 noon on Sundays. 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: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. 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. 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 Sunday!

Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

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!