Deep Ecology

Somatic psychotherapy is starting to feel like the psychology of our time. Both ancient and emerging, it has proven distinctly helpful for people seeking to change unhelpful coping strategies, regulate dysregulated emotions, and reconnect with the body and authentic self. Especially for those who didn’t find the change they were seeking through conventional talk therapies. This work combines physical practices with consciousness-expanding techniques. In deeply embodied states, the body can reveal an innate wisdom that guides us toward profound relaxation and can spontaneously complete, release, or integrate stuck, immobilised survival responses. These experiences can cultivate peak states that support lasting transformation and deep healing. Doing this sacred work in community adds another layer of richness, offering a deep sense of connection and belonging. Because somatic work is not a one size fits all, Adarsa is aiming to diversify the work, by offering an *Ouroboric,* high activation class and a *Lotus* gentle, regulatory class. **Ouroboric Classes** (High Activation): Designed for those experiencing hyperarousal—anxiety, restlessness, racing thoughts, hypervigilance, and difficulty relaxing. These dynamic sessions provide a safe container to mine the body for the unhelpful stories it’s been carrying—through vigorous movement and breathwork—so we can go to the root of discomfort and allow it to shift. **Lotus Classes** (Gentle Regulation): Created for those in hypoarousal states—shutdown, dissociation, numbness, fatigue, and depression. These nurturing sessions gently awaken the system and gradually build capacity for feeling and presence. Each class integrates: * Somatic practices tailored to your nervous system state * Yoga and mindful movement * Transformative breathwork * Guided meditation * Art therapy for integration * Community connection and sharing Join us in discovering which pathway serves your unique healing journey. **Affordable Access Through Medicare & NDIS** 💚 **Mental Health Care Plan holders:** Access 10 group sessions with almost the entire class fee covered by Medicare. 💙 **NDIS participants:** Full class fees covered under your NDIS funding. With Sharna Arti: a trained somatic psychotherapist of over 20 years, a psychologist, kundalini yoga teacher, certified holotropic breathwork teacher. Email sharna.psych@gmail.com for details or see booking link here https://momence.com/u/adarsa-30Dbvn

**PLEASE NOTE: This will be again more of a community ran event. There is no official host for but two community members - Dan and Trev have volunteered to help facilitate so we can continue Tricky Tuesday in my absence. Extremely grateful to them, please extend your thanks too. Please support each other and make contributions where possible to make everyone feel welcomed and get games tabled!** Welcome to the **Tricky Tuesday** Meet Up! This is a smaller event in most respects - smaller capacity, smaller games - but still the same sized fun! Come join us to learn a new game and meet some new people. * This event was created primarily to play and explore **modern** **trick taking games** and **smaller card games** which can be played on more limited table space. * As this is a smaller event, please note it is a bit more casual. Find the group at the table/s, come over and join - we're a welcoming bunch. * Please **bring some games** to this event if you can and be prepared to teach them if you do. **There are** **no games available at the venue** but I will always bring a few. Please consider others when coming and in the lead up to the event. We want as many people there as possible. If you are unable to attend mark yourself as such as soon as you can so others can be notified and attend. There's an FAQ below but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out. Your tricky friend, Dave **FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS** **What is a trick taking game? Good question you handsome person.** * Generally speaking, a trick taking game is a card game which is played in a series of rounds known as ***tricks***. * Each trick is evaluated to determine a winner or ***taker*** of that trick and then will usually start - or ***lead*** *-* the next trick. * The goal is usually tied to either winning or losing a number of tricks. This may also come in the form of you guessing how many tricks you will win - known as a ***bid***. * Some games may have a suit that always wins - known as a ***trump***. * Most trick taking games are **competitive** needing between 3-5 players, others are **cooperative**, there are also solo and two-player trick taking games as well! * Popular trick taking/trick taking adjacent games you may have heard of: [The Crew](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/324856/the-crew-mission-deep-sea), [Skull King](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/150145/skull-king), [Cat in the Box](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/345972/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition), [Scout](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/291453/scout), [Fox in the Forest](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/221965/the-fox-in-the-forest), the classic games of [Spades](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/592/spades) and [Hearts](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6887/hearts), **What makes a Trick Taking game fun?** * There's so much to trick taking games! They're generally quick to teach, quick to play, have interesting decision spaces, and a wide variety of novelty. Even the classics though can be played thousands of times without getting tiresome. Part of the fun is in the interaction with others, assessing their moves and countering them, and how to win (or lose) at the right times. You have to stay on your toes, adapt frequently, and keep tabs on the other players, what they have played, and what they may play next! **Do I need to know how to play/have played a trick taking game before?** * Not at all, but it is good to understand the basics and general terminology so you can pick things up a bit easier on the night. You can check out [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O7QyhKmCsk) for a bit of a general breakdown . **Is this event free?** * Yes, but please support the venue by purchasing a drink or two. **I'm on the waitlist can I still come?** * Unfortunately, no. We have limited capacity and must abide by it. **I don't have a game to bring, is that okay?** * Generally it will be okay, but it is encouraged to bring and share a game where you can! You can always bring a standard deck of cards or tarot cards and learn a card game or two as well! **Can I bring a guest?** * Unfortunately, unless they have signed up too it won't be possible. We have a strict limit on guests and the event would fill up too quickly otherwise. **How do I get to the venue?** * The 86 Tram is your best bet and has a stop pretty much right outside of the venue. * There are two train stations (Westgarth and Northcote) which are within walking distance. * Parking is available in the area but can get busy. If you don't mind a little walk there is parking down the adjacent street. **Dave, I worry you will win all the games we play. Such an intelligent and beautiful man, you must be a master of the tricks, is this true?** * Firstly - thank-you for the kind words, but secondly - no. I suck at trick taking games and lose more than I win. Yet, I enjoy them for their variety, high interaction, and quick nature regardless. You will be fine if you don't take things too seriously. It's about fun and meeting people... (but if you do beat me too often I will ban you from the group and venue...).

Nurture your Tarot-loving light as we gather together each fortnight with our cards to engage in conversations that aim to keep our connection with our decks lively, prescient, insightful, and exploratory. Develop your own dialogue in respectful relationship with one another and the cards feeling empowered to participate irrespective of your ‘level’ of card-conversing ability. Each conversation shall be instigated via creative prompts, questions, and pithy talks on a broad range of Tarot-related influences in a ritually-held circle that ensures ample time is provided for reading the cards for one another and sharing our own unique perceptions, wisdom's, experiences and reflections on life. All Tarot decks and levels of experience are welcomed. *‘The Tarot is a nomadic cathedral and constitutes first and foremost an apprenticeship in seeing.’* Marianne Costa from **The Way of the Tarot; the Spiritual Teacher in the Cards** **PLEASE NOTE: ATTENDANCE ON THE NIGHT FOR THIS CLASS COSTS $15 TO BE PAID AT THE DOOR UPON ENTRY.** **The MTS is committed to providing events that align with and further The three objects of The Theosophical Society:** * To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour. * To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science. * To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in the human being. However this being stated, the MTS does not endorse any health, spiritual, science-related, philosophical or theological /other assertions or claims made by any facilitator we host.

\*\*New Cuban Courses will commence Tuesday 26th May\*\* Rueda de Casino – is a progressive Cuban-style salsa class and a fun way to learn salsa. Its fast paced, danced in a circle and changing partners flowing from one partner to the next Cuban Salsa (Rueda) BEGINNER LEVEL 7.00pm - 8.00pm This course is for absolute beginner to beginner plus students. The first 4 weeks we will cover Cuban Salsa fundamentals, Cuban Flow body movement and basic Cuban steps. The last 2 weeks we will use moves and steps learnt in a progressive wheel (Rueda) pattern. This class can only be purchased as a 6 week course. Course cost $120 For course bookings email gabby@melbournesalsa.com.au *** Cuban Salsa (Rueda) INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 8.00pm - 9.00pm During this 6 week course, you will learn complicated Cuban turns, Rueda dynamics, team patterns and different formations, executing the moves by the caller and dancing in sync at a faster pace. Must have completed 2 x Beg Level Rueda courses before entering Intermedaite level. This class can be purchased as a 6 week course or can be attended casually. Casual $25 (cash or eft pos) Course cost $120 For course bookings email gabby@melbournesalsa.com.au *** These Courses will be held at the Melbourne Salsa studio 1/326 Smith Street Collingwood (Rear entrance via laneway off Bedford street) FREE Parking is available above Woolworths - 2 min walk to our studio. For more details call Melbourne Salsa on 95312023 or email info@melbournesalsa.com.au

**Why the Question Matters for Alignment, Moral Progress, and Long Term Flourishing** Practically nobody in alignment wants to say it out loud. So let’s say it: *AI might turn out to be* ***[more moral than us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/)***. Now – why does that feel like a dangerous thing to claim? The question is not whether AI can match human moral reasoning. The question is whether that’s even worth bragging about. The idea of AI being more moral than humans is a real taboo in some circles. Many alignment researchers are uncomfortable with the idea because it seems to smuggle in the assumption that AI could have genuine moral agency, which conflicts with deflationary views of LLMs as “stochastic parrots” – and also because it sounds uncomfortably close to AI-worship or motivated reasoning for deferring to AI. Invoking this idea could get one dismissed as naive or as an actual safety risk oneself. *It’s also epistemically risky.* *More moral* – but in what sense? Knowing more facts relevant to ethics? Drawing better inferences from values? Applying principles wisely in context? Actually being *moved* by moral considerations, rather than just computing them? These aren’t the same thing. Conflating them produces both overclaiming and underclaiming – and most of the bad arguments on both sides of this debate do exactly that.[1](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6ebcc18c-d890-4a28-8b01-27945a532c66) An AI could plausibly exceed humans on moral knowledge, reasoning and even judgement without having anything like moral motivation. Collapsing these leads to both overclaiming and underclaiming. Clear distinctions between stuff like moral judgement and moral motivation makes the conversation tractable. Is it dangerous for public discourse? There’s a genuine risk that the framing gets weaponised – either by people wanting to justify AI authority over human decisions, or by critics who use it to paint alignment researchers as unhinged techno-utopians. It can also trigger motivated reasoning in both directions. A lot more could be said here. But the taboo is not protecting us from a dangerous question. It’s protecting us from the answer. The taboo itself is epistemically costly, yet if we ***refuse to ask*** whether AI could have better-grounded moral reasoning than humans, we prevent getting to the heart of the issue. ## **The questions worth asking** Before thoroughly assessing whether AI could be more moral than humans, we need to ask whether the question is even coherent. ### Alignment targeting and verification *What should AI align to?* Is morality a cohesive alignment target, or a family of overlapping intuitions that only look unified from a distance? And if there is a *fact of the matter* about moral improvement, *how would we know we were tracking it* – rather than simply laundering our current preferences with extra steps? More pressingly: what would it mean to *verify* that an agent has better moral judgement than us, given that we’re the ones doing the evaluating? This is the bootstrapping problem. We cannot step outside our own moral reasoning to assess a system that exceeds it. That isn’t a reason to stop asking – it’s a reason to ask more carefully.[2](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#114785ab-004c-4882-b8c8-c0437942e9ec) ### The motivational gap Even if the epistemic questions could be resolved, a deeper problem remains: most human moral failure isn’t a failure of *reasoning*. It’s a failure of *motivation*. If humans are themselves imperfectly morally motivated, what does alignment to human preferences actually track? Not moral truth – at best, some weighted average of moral intuitions, distorted by power, attention, and self-interest. How much of human moral failure is motivational rather than epistemic? More than we tend to admit. We frequently know what the right thing is and fail to do it anyway – which means a system that merely reasons better about ethics hasn’t addressed the failure mode that actually matters most. And this raises the hardest question in the cluster: is moral motivation necessarily tied to phenomenal experience – to there being something it is *like* to care? Or could a system be genuinely motivated by moral considerations without felt engagement? Can motivation be grounded without being felt? ### The systemic stakes Finally, there are second-order questions that rarely get asked – about what happens to *us* if AI gets this right. Does sustained deference to AI moral judgement atrophy human moral reasoning capacity? And if so, what are the systemic risks of that atrophy – not just for individuals, but for the collective processes through which moral knowledge has historically developed? (There is recent work on comparative moral Turing Tests that begins to take this seriously[3](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6efcb4e9-295e-425c-8860-40f415ef4935)) Moral progress for humans has never been a purely individual achievement. It has happened through argument, conflict, revision, and hard-won consensus across generations. A system that resolves moral questions faster than humans can engage with them might not accelerate that process. It might short-circuit it entirely. I think asking these questions Socratically can help nudge the conversation into the open productively rather than letting it fester as an unexamined assumption. Also I think this line of questioning isn’t just intuition pump fodder, I think they are directly important to the project of AI alignment.[4](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#13e5d2e0-79f6-42fc-8d1e-fcae403c2f6b) > Refusing to ask whether AI could exceed human moral reasoning doesn’t make the question safe. It just means we’ll answer it by accident, badly, and too late. Handled carelessly, this question causes damage. Left unasked, it causes more. ## Footnotes 1. The claim is easy to make sloppily. “More moral” conflates several things that need to be separated: a) Moral knowledge (knowing more facts relevant to ethics) b) Moral reasoning (drawing better inferences from values) c) Moral judgement (applying principles wisely in context) d) Moral motivation (actually being moved by moral considerations – which is one of my core focus points of activism) [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6ebcc18c-d890-4a28-8b01-27945a532c66-link) 2\. This was brought up in an interview with Nick Bostrom [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#114785ab-004c-4882-b8c8-c0437942e9ec-link) 3\. See Eyal Aharoni’s and Danica Dillion’s work on Moral Turing Tests – presentations and interviews [here](https://www.scifuture.org/eyal-aharoni-breaking-the-moral-turing-test-studies-of-human-attribution-and-deference-to-ai-moral-judgment-and-decision-making/), [here](https://www.scifuture.org/ai-outscored-humans-in-a-blinded-moral-turing-test-should-we-be-worried-dr-eyal-aharoni-explains/) and [here](https://www.scifuture.org/danica-dillion-ais-moral-compass-better-than-expected-now-what/). [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6efcb4e9-295e-425c-8860-40f415ef4935-link) 4\. The grounded values approach actually requires asking questions like: – What should AI align to?, Is morality a cohesive alignment target?, is there a fact of the matter about moral improvement, or is “more moral” just “more aligned with our current intuitions”? – What would it mean to verify that an agent has better moral judgement than us, given that we’re the ones doing the evaluating? (see work one recently on comparative moral Turing Tests) – If humans are themselves imperfectly morally motivated, what does alignment to human preferences actually track? – How much of human moral failure is motivational versus epistemic? – Is moral motivation necessarily tied to phenomenal experience, or could a system be genuinely motivated by moral considerations without anything it’s like to be it? – Can motivation be grounded without being felt? – Does sustained deference to AI moral judgement atrophy human moral reasoning capacity, and what are the systemic risks of that atrophy – both for individuals and for the collective processes through which moral knowledge has historically developed? Also see: **[Why Are We Afraid to Ask Whether AI Could Be More Moral Than Humans?](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/)**

The Northern Suburbs Eurogamers (NSEG) is a regular meetup held at [Croxton Park Hotel](https://www.croxtonparkhotel.com.au/) on selected Sundays (view the current year dates [below](https://meeples.org.au/nseg/#dates)). Running since 2012, NSEG is an established group, but we always love playing with new people. ### Where do we play? The meetup is held at Croxton Park Hotel. We meet in the Bistro, just near the fireplace, so it’s lovely and warm.  ### What sort of games do we play? We play: * Games for beginners (which we call gateway games) like Ticket To Ride, Carcassonne, Splendour, Small World and King of Tokyo. * Strategy (Euro) games like Power Grid, Lords of Waterdeep, Village, Imperial and Suburbia. * Thematic games (that involve lots of dice and role play) like Betrayal at House on the Hill and Dead of Winter. * Party Games (quick and easy games) like Resistance, Spyfall and Time’s Up. * Card Games like Love Letter, Uno, Fluxx, Bohanza, Red7, Fuji Flush, Munchkin. And much much more! If you have a game you love, bring it along and show us… maybe we’ve never heard of it and will love it too! We do a rules explanation before each game (unless everyone has played it before) so don’t worry if you’ve never played (or heard) of any of these games. ### How about food and Drinks? The Croxton’s kitchen has all the pub classics and tasty little bites… check out the [Menu](https://www.facebook.com/pg/CroxtonParkHotel/menu). The bar also serves drinks, both soft and hard… plus tea and coffee. ### Do I have to be a Melbourne Meeples Inc. Member to attend? No, though if you are not a member, we do ask that you pay a small donation (we suggest $3) to help cover the cost of the games library and the Melbourne Meeples Inc support structure. And you can always [become a member](http://meeples.org.au/membership/)! ### How to get there The Croxton is located at [407 High St, Thornbury](https://goo.gl/maps/s7yePRZ8meL2). * **By Car:** If you’re driving there is a carpark on the opposite side of the road. * **By Tram:** you can jump on the [Route 86](http://ptv.vic.gov.au/route/view/1881) and get off near Darebin Road (Stop #36) or Woolton Ave (Stop #37). * **By Train:** Croxton Railway Station is a brisk 400m walk away.

**Why are some people unwell in all so many ways more often than others?** **Why are some accident-prone? Why are people struggling?** Why are people suppressed and how can this be lifted? And is there a reason others live their lives on an emotional seesaw, doing well one day and badly the next? What is behind failed businesses and broken families? What is the cause behind your own unexplained failures and misfortunes and unhappiness. When someone suddenly starts making mistakes or doing or thinking about stupid things, it is caused by something. Or when one feels happy and well and, for no apparent reason, suddenly starts feeling down. Someone or something made this happen. There is an explanation, and it has nothing to do with the gods, fate or the position of the stars. In fact the actual reason behind these phenomena - and their resolution - will be detailed at our meetup. L. Ron Hubbard was able to see through the complexities of human behavior and discover the underlying factors which explain the phenomenon of suppression in people - for it is suppression by others that causes these seemingly haphazard events. Suppression definition: The actions or activities of squashing, sitting on, making smaller, refusing to let reach, making uncertain about reaching, rendering or lessening in any way possible to the harm of the individual; a harmful intention or action against which one cannot fight back. You will learn the basic understanding on how to recognis people who wish you ill and those who should be your friends . You will learn about the mechanics behind destructive yet commonplace situations and ways to counteract it. It is data that could actually change your life tangibly and instantly, just as it has changed the lives of others. You will also learn why some people you know do poorly in life and how you can help them regain their well-being. Change your life for the better. Attend this meetup Know Yourself, Know Life! This free class is open to all people of goodwill. Our meetup free classes contain universal knowledge that is applicable to all of us and can be used by anyone of any faith as well as by those with no faith. It consist of practical tools that can be used straight away. They contain practical TOOLS for better living and will assist you in achieving your goals! If today's date or time is not suited to you than let us know.

This seminar series, presented by long-standing member of the Theosophical Society, **Mike Vallis**, relates to the 2nd object of the Theosophical Society "To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science." The format will be dialectical with attendee participation and readings of short selective extracts from Plato’s dialogues and discussion as they relate to Theosophical concepts. Participants are encouraged to contribute their views. The content of this afternoon’s session will be: **KNOWLEDGE IS MEMORY RECOLLECTION** From the “Meno” by Plato Every level of experience and background is welcome, whether you are just starting out with spirituality and want to explore more, or you are a veteran and want to share your wisdom with others. Open to TS members and non-members - all are welcome, free entry.

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** EVERY SUNDAY AT 11AM Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You'll gain insights into: * The true definition of the subconscious * How it generates unwanted emotions * Its real purpose and function * What determines the pressure it exerts on you But this isn't just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It's interactive and engaging - you can ask questions at any time. FREE ADMISSION Reserve your spot today. Seats are limited, so don't wait too long to sign up.

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** EVERY SUNDAY AT 11AM Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You'll gain insights into: * The true definition of the subconscious * How it generates unwanted emotions * Its real purpose and function * What determines the pressure it exerts on you But this isn't just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It's interactive and engaging - you can ask questions at any time. FREE ADMISSION Reserve your spot today. Seats are limited, so don't wait too long to sign up.

**ATHEIST SOCIETY** \- Melbourne\, Australia\. ***"Could AI be more moral than us?".*** **Adam Ford** (Futurologist) will present the topic and lead the discussion. **Details**: [https://www.meetup.com/science-technology-and-the-future/](https://www.meetup.com/science-technology-and-the-future/) **Venue**: Unitarian Hall, 110 Grey Street East Melbourne. (Adjacent to the Epworth Freemasons Hospital). **Zoom** Meeting ID: 852 9852 4260 - - Passcode: 249550 All are welcome. Adam has invited us to come early (from 6.30pm) to socialise before (and after) the meeting. These hybrid meetings are on the 2nd Thursday of the month, 8pm. Convenor: John Perkins - Tel: 0411 143 744 - **[jlperkins@tpg.com.au](http://jlperkins@tpg.com.au/)** Atheist Society: **[Website](https://reason101.tech/Atheist/Society.htm) \- \- \- [Meetups](https://www.meetup.com/melbourne-atheists/)**

Sleep, Rest & Connection: Building Our Community Together Join us for the next gathering of The Pause Collective — a supportive meetup for neurodivergent women navigating perimenopause, menopause, burnout, overwhelm, and life transitions. Since many of us haven't yet had the opportunity to meet, we'll begin by getting to know one another and sharing what brought us to this community. We'll also explore one of the most common challenges many women experience during this season of life: sleep. Whether you're navigating insomnia, waking up in the middle of the night, racing thoughts, night sweats, exhaustion, burnout, or simply not feeling rested, you're not alone. This will be a relaxed, low-pressure coffee shop meetup focused on connection and conversation. No need to prepare anything. No pressure to share. Come as you are. Together we'll: • Introduce ourselves and get to know one another • Share what brought us to The Pause Collective • Discuss sleep, rest, and energy during perimenopause and menopause • Exchange ideas, experiences, and support • Explore what topics we'd like to discuss in future gatherings • Continue building the kind of community we'd like to create together This space is neurodivergent-affirming, self-diagnosis-friendly, and supportive of different communication styles and energy levels. Quiet participation is welcome. Listening is participating. Whether you're looking for support, learning, friendship, or simply a place where you don't have to explain yourself, you are welcome here. I look forward to meeting you. — Dawn

Join the Columbus AI community for a special event. **Battle of the Personal Agents** is your chance to see what people are actually building with AI agents and personal automation systems. Whether you’re running OpenClaw, Hermes, or a completely custom solution, bring your agent and show the community how it works. We’re interested in real-world implementations: the problems your agent solves, how you use it day-to-day, how it’s hosted and managed, how you built it, and why you’ve chosen to keep using it. Live demonstrations are encouraged, so be prepared to show your code, architecture, workflows, and your agent performing real tasks. This is less about polished presentations and more about sharing practical experience, comparing approaches, and learning from one another. If you’d like to present, please contact Chris Slee (via meetup) before the event so we can allocate enough time for everyone’s demonstrations. Come ready to show what you’ve built, discover what others are doing, and maybe find a few ideas worth taking home. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

June 17, 2026: Worthington Library. Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage. Jim McCormac. Worthington, Ohio. 7 pm.

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. **New to electronics or curious about tinkering?** You’re absolutely welcome. If you’re a beginner and want to experiment, I’ll have a couple of starter kits available so you can try things out—whether that’s blinking your first LED, putting something on a display, or experimenting with simple sensors. No pressure and no experience required—just an interest in learning and building. While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Pickleball \| Singles \| 20s\, 30s\, 40s \| Ditch the Apps\. Hit the Courts\. DateColumbus Pickleball League **8 Weeks of Singles Pickleball - you joining us?!** Summer is calling, and we've got better plans for you than swiping right. DateColumbus's Pickleball League is back — 8 weeks of casual open play, rotating partners, new connections, and honestly? A really good time. Whether you've never held a paddle in your life or you've been playing for years, this league was built for you to show up, get moving, and meet people IRL. **Never played before? You're in the right place.** For the first three weeks, we'll have on-site instructors ready to walk you through the basics in the first 30 minutes — no experience needed, no pressure, just good vibes and a little coaching. Our volunteers are also on-site every Monday to get you settled on the courts, introduce you around, and make sure you leave with at least a few new faces in your contacts. **How it works:** We run open play — meaning you'll rotate courts AND partners throughout the night. Winners stay for one round before rotating, so there's always someone new to meet, rally with, and maybe grab a drink with after. Maximum mingling. Maximum fun. **[Ticket & Registration is linked here!](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-pickleball-but-everyones-single-datecolumbus-tickets-1990356562056?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)** **What's included:** * Paddles available every week (or bring your own!) * Locker room on-site * Full restaurant + bar at Paddle Taps * Every Monday, 6:00–8:00 PM for 8 weeks * Eat, drink, and mingle during and after play * **Ready to meet your pickleball partner (and maybe more)?** Grab your spot now — courts fill up fast and so do summer schedules, see you soon :)