Critique Group

[Writing Workshop Guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DwZnKJiIkfyJ_LrJvDCcCMWWCauWKR-LPJF3DwcKdlI/edit?usp=drivesdk) Please read the above Workshop Guide; it covers where to upload, how much to upload, and what to do with other people's uploads. This is a document based on what we all discussed at the first meeting, but it can grow and change with us as needed. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions! We'll still meet at Northside this time, but consider other locations as needed. See you all there!

This group was originally started by Chad Keith who created and hosts a podcast by the same name in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping to continue his legacy here in NoVa as I recently moved to this area. This group is all about finding community around self-improvement and exchanging ideas on how to be your best self and get the most out of life. This group is for anyone who is interested in overcoming average in all areas - career, ambitions, relationships, hobbies, health, everything. I am so excited to meet driven individuals in the NoVa area so please reach out if you have any questions at all. EVERYONE is welcome so please sign up for an upcoming meetup!

Everyone’s prompting. Few people are judging. This talk shows how a playwright uses multiple LLMs and vibe coding to build a custom evaluation loop: a digital dramaturg that checks scenes against an outline like a living spec. If you design, build, or eval AI systems, you’ll leave with a new mental model for using LLMs as QA, not just content engines. **Featured speaker:** * [Soo-Jin Lee](https://www.linkedin.com/in/soo-jinlee/)\, Gen AI Conversation Designer \| Prompt Engineer \| LLM\, NLU\, NLP \| Human in the Loop \| Former Teacher \| Playwright **Location:** AWS Skills Center, 1550-G Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202 **Drinks and Networking After:** --> Alamo Drafthouse, 1660 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202 (2nd Floor) **Description:** Join us at AI Innovators Network for our upcoming meetup in the Mosaic, which is dedicated to exploring the latest trends in Artificial Intelligence. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a professional, or someone curious about the intersection of technology and AI, this event is perfect for networking, learning, and sharing insights. Connect with like-minded individuals from DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland as we dive deep into the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation driving innovation and progress in Artificial Intelligence.

**Join the IANDS of Columbia MD Near-Death & Spiritual Discussion Group** **10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy Columbia, MD 21044** **in the Studio Conference Room on 2nd Floor** for an enlightening discussion on spiritual experiences and divine guidance. This event will delve into the realms of metaphysics, consciousness, and spirituality, exploring topics such as mediumship, out-of-body experiences, and inner wisdom. Participants will have the opportunity to share insights on near-death experiences and the transformative power of spiritual growth. Whether you are intrigued by the concept of reincarnation or interested in the principles of spiritualism, this event promises to deepen your understanding of the spiritual journey. Embrace the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and embark on a path of personal transformation and enlightenment.

**Tired of surface-level conversations?** Join us for *Real Talk*—an evening of deep, real connection with strangers who are down to go there. We’ll meet at the church (we are a secular group), break into small groups, and draw questions from a deck of cards designed to spark vulnerable, honest conversations. ***Rules:*** 1. Don't debate politics. 2. Keep what is shared in the group within the group. 3. If you need to use your phone, step away from your group first. \*\*If you show up late, please hop into a group and don't interrupt the speaker. Just sit down in a group of your choice, and they'll bring you up to speed when whoever is talking finishes. Community of Christ church: 3526 Massachusetts Ave. PS—If you want to support the group (Meetup organizer fees, new card games, misc. materials) then you can buy me a coffee here: https://buymeacoffee.com/dillantaylor ^^This is 100% optional, and can be done on a one-time or monthly basis. But the meetup will always be free. Thanks! 🙏

Busby Berkeley’s movies tend to all have the same general plot: someone’s trying to mount a show, usually on Broadway, but something happens that puts the project in jeopardy. In this feature a multimillionaire who thinks that stage shows are “filthy” entertainment organizes a boycott. This obstacle will be overcome, of course, because without a show there can’t be the elaborately choreographed fantasy sequence for which Berkeley is so famous. Love both real and feigned wends its way through the action, with a happy ending inevitable for all. ■ Title — *Dames* ■ Director — Busby Berkeley, Ray Enright ■ Cast — Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler ■ Rating — Approved (suitable for general audiences) ■ ©1934 \| 1h 31m \| Comedy\, Music\, Musical\, Romance

This gathering will be a safe place for those who are anticipating, in the midst of, or recovering from companion animal loss. Our beloved companions are considered family and the grief can be overwhelming when each reaches their time to go. Speaking about our beloveds helps validate and honor them; sharing the pain allows us to understand and process. We don’t recover from grief or go through it. We learn to carry it with us, allowing the pain to evolve into memories and ongoing love. We hope to minimize regret or guilt by being our companions’ steward and advocate. There is no cost or expectation, other than compassion for all without judgment. The facilitator is a certified Pet Loss Doula (University of Vermont) who has experienced pet loss many times. Send questions to petlossdoula@gmail.com.

This is an In-Person Writing Event at Three Whistle's Cafe in Clarendon! Please join us. \*\*Three Whistles Cafe has kindly requested that we do not bring outside food and drink into their restaurant.\*\* 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.

Next we will read Solaris by Stanisław Lem. We'll be meeting at Franklin Hall. Bring some thoughts on the book and have a drink or two! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95558.Solaris **NOTE:** We have a spreadsheet to crowd-source suggestions and votes for the next book here. Add a book, or add your name next to a book to vote for it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mprXaa6bcEW5EL_uprN16-RBcetO6pbqA4vHDTjtowI/edit?usp=sharing

**AI-Supported Creative Exploration** *For Unassuming Intuitives & Practicing Creatives* (Please note that this event has not been organized or endorsed by The Writer's Center.) This meetup is part of AI as Creative Partner — A Practice Group, a set of open, non-sequential creative labs you can join at any point. We use AI as a thinking partner—not to replace your ideas, but to help surface and shape them without overthinking or pressure. You bring fragments—ideas, impulses, unfinished concepts. With AI as a supportive collaborator, we explore how those fragments can become clearer, more coherent, and ready to share if and when you want to. No technical background is required. If you can talk or type, that's enough to work with AI here. This session is intentionally low-commitment and flexible: * Arrive late or leave early * Work quietly or observe * Ask questions, or simply watch the process unfold There's no presentation and no expectation to finish anything. Showing up as you are is enough. **THINKING OUT LOUD WITH AI - LIVE WORKING SESSION** This session is for people curious about how creative thinking actually happens with AI. I'll be working live on my own project, narrating decisions when useful, and answering questions as they come up. You're welcome to work on your own project, watch quietly, or ask about the process. No experience required. (Please note that this event has not been organized or endorsed by The Writer's Center.) **HOW TO FIND US** Look for the room with the door open on the lower level. Look for the guy with the screen projector and ambient light and sound. Feel free to just walk in and settle. **(*This is an independent meetup using rental space at The Writer's Center. The Writer's Center has not organized or endorsed this event.*)**

We are meeting in person at Elwood Smith Community Center, Rockville. \*\*\* The community-singing event where where everything's made up and the point — to sing for our lives — matters. Our leaders will teach you parts to sing for spontaneously-composed choral pieces. We play a variety of listening/music/singing games, and create safe opportunities for participants to improvise as little or as much as they might like. Good for all skill levels, shower-singers to seasoned pros, no sheet-music-reading required. This month we welcome special guest and co-leader [Micah Hendler](http://micahhendler.com/), a musical changemaker building community through song - with Palestinian and Israeli youth in the [Jerusalem Youth Chorus](http://jerusalemyouthchorus.org/), here in the DMV through [Community Sings at Levine Music](https://www.levinemusic.org/performance/community-sings/), and more. \*\*\* We usually meet on the second Sunday of the month, and will continue to meet in-person as long as it makes sense. We encourage and provide masks. We will also plan on continuing our Zoom circles from time to time. So please check the day before/day of the meetup each month to confirm date & details. This world needs more song; join in the fun, and be the music you want to hear in the world. Hope to see you there! \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ L❤️ving this? Donate! : ) Your donations help keep our mission alive! We love doing this with you. Thank you to all who support us. Suggested donation is $15-20. Please include "VX" in the memo/notes! Via paypal: [ParisKern@comcast.net](https://paypal.me/Pariskern) Via Venmo: [@Pariskern](https://account.venmo.com/u/Pariskern) Check? Email: [ParisKern@comcast.net](mailto:ParisKern@comcast.net) IMAGE RIGHTS: We may take pictures and record videos of our in-person events, and record our Zoom meetings online. This material will be available for us to use to publicize upcoming circles and workshops and performances. By attending our events, you are agreeing with the image rights agreement. \~\~ This event is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council ([msac.org](https://msac.org/)). \~\~

The topic for February is "Transitions" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

**The idea for this group is to build a community where men can gather together and build connections & learn and grow from each other.** How we start each meeting is by each of us checking in with our "roses and thorns" aka what are the good things and the bad things going on in your life recently? Then we will go into a topic discussion. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS** \*\*THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR NO-SHOWS. IF YOU RSVP TO A MEETING AND FAIL TO SHOW UP WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP. THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP\*\* 1. Confidentiality - EVERYTHING that is shared NEVER leaves this space so that this space remains safe and sacred. There is a zero tolerance policy for this. If a man is in violation of this, they will be permanently removed from the group. 2. Non-Judgement - we respect and honor every man’s truth so that we may receive the same from others. While we may not agree on everything, we commit to respecting every man’s perspectives and engaging in honorable discussion with one another. 3. Be committed - honor your commitment to this group and to yourself. If you attend a meeting, please commit yourself fully to the meeting. Also be committed to your own journey. When we fail, we own it & clean it up. 4. Speak from the heart - this is NOT a space to “look good”, have the “right” answers, and have it all together. Relax and know you are not alone. Be exactly who you are within the safety of this space. 5. Be supportive - This means always willing to provide encouragement to your fellow men, encourage action and momentum in each other’s lives.. Be willing to challenge each other. Be willing to hold each other accountable. 6. Participation - what you receive from this community will be a reflection of what you put into it. Period. We ask that you share your perspectives, reflect on others, and give/receive support when and where it’s needed.

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.

[MOVIE DESCRIPTION BELOW] *Survivors of the apocalypse send a convict in a small submarine to explore a desolate moon that's an ocean of blood.* \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ **PLEASE SEE GROUP BIO FOR FULL FAQ. Meetup only allows a certain amount of characters when posting events from a mobile device and out FAQ is longer than that limit. A condensed version is posted below here** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ First-time attendees: below are some Frequently Asked Questions about events for your consideration: * **What is involved in this type of event? (_Group Watch & Socialize Event)** * We typically arrive before the movie, maybe chat and catch up with folks a bit, watch the movie in the theater, then afterwards have a more extended chat with everyone who saw the movie. * **Do I have to chat before the movie?** * Nope! Totally understandable if you'd rather just watch first so you can have something in common to discuss afterwards. * **Will people approach me/talk to me?** * Not a guarantee as it depends on who is hosting, but a good host or other group members will try to at least say hi to members after the movie and may make an effort to include newer faces in the conversation in some way. Please feel free to jump into the conversation as you feel comfortable and understand this is done with good intent :) We are happy to have you! * **How will I know who is the host or where people are gathering to talk about the movie?** * This depends on each host, but good practice is for the host to indicate a notable item of clothing they are wearing for other members to look out for. But generally we gather in a loose circle in the theater lobby or outside the theater to talk, so if you recognize the host or other group members - that's the spot we've decided on! Just kind of depends on the feel of the group where we gather. * **What is with posting the seat numbers?** * A good practice we've found is to post our seat numbers when we have ordered tickets for a movie. This is just another way for members of our group to find each other as it might not be immediately obvious who is here as part of the group event: some events are at public movie theaters, after all. You are not by any means obligated to post your seat number if you do not feel comfortable doing so, just something we've found that works nicely for encouraging some socialization. * **Will there be food?** * General guideline: if the movie starts at 7ish pm or later, you might wanna have dinner first or plan on buying movie snacks. Restaurant kitchens tend to close around 9-10pm. We sometimes do go to restaurants after movies as a group, but moreso bars whose kitchens may or may not be open. Plus, kind of bad manners for a group to descend upon a bar when the kitchen is closing is 10 minutes lol. Bars are just convenient social places, there is zero pressure to drink but there just aren't many places open late when we may leave movies. There is potential to order or provide food for group events, but it should not be expected unless stated in the event description. * **How do I stay in contact with the group after the movie?** * We have another app we use for discussion because Meetup is somewhat cumbersome to use for casual conversation. The app we use is called Discord. The link is posted below: * Link: https://discord.gg/4r7QxzmSvH * [Place link here] \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ * **Can I create events as a member?** * Initially, no but this group is open to members suggesting events or becoming part of the Event Organizers over time. We don't want to open the opportunity for everybody initially to create events because that kind of role has some responsibility towards it. There are certain permissions granted to that role that not every member should have. However, if a member has a proven track record of treating every group member with due respect, and a willingness to plan events: they can become and Event Organizer and create their own events. Please reach out to leadership if this sounds like something that would interest you. * **Can I donate to the group?** * Absolutely! See group bio

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!

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!