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**Are third spaces dead....(like this book club was for the last year)?** Short-Read Socials are back! Come meet with like-minded and unlikeminded people to talk about the topic of the month. This time, we're thinking about **third spaces, socialization, and community-building.** *How has socialization changed with modern urban living and the rise of social media? Have commercialization and high cost of living killed third spaces? How do (or should) we actually build communities now?* \-\-\- **How does it work?** * The event is casual. You can talk to anyone there with or without our prompt sheets, either about the month's topic or about whatever you want. * Open philosophical discussion, including for controversial topics, is welcome but be respectful :) * If you've read/watched/heard anything related to the topic of the month, feel free to bring it in! Not necessarily physically, but you can if you want... * If not, here are some thought-provoking reads to start you off (read as many or as few as you want): * On third spaces: * [Are commercial “third places” a dying breed?](https://spacing.ca/toronto/2024/04/26/are-commercial-third-places-a-dying-breed/) * [the modern third space is in your phone](https://maansiwritesstuff.substack.com/p/the-modern-third-space-is-in-your) * Who's creating third spaces? (slightly more interesting imo) * [From sauna socials to run clubs: Are community event leaders the new influencers?](https://archive.is/20260320083437/https://www.vogue.com/article/from-sauna-socials-to-run-clubs-are-community-event-leaders-the-new-influencers#selection-1275.0-1275.81) * [“The more I give away, the better the bar does”: Why Danu Social House wants to become the city’s first community-owned watering hole](https://torontolife.com/food/danu-social-house-community-owned-co-op-bar/) * Bonus: [Why do Torontonians love to line up? Expert says there’s many reasons, including making friends](https://nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/why-do-torontonians-love-to-line-up-expert-says-theres-many-reasons/) * Feel free to post other recommendations (blogs, movies, tv episodes, video essays, etc.) in the comments!

ABCD Reads "**[Reading Lolita in Tehran](https://tpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S234C191026)**", a Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi. [[RESULTS](https://opavote.com/results/5367401513484288) of the poll for this event] **:: ABOUT THE BOOK ::** "Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi's living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature." (from [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7603.Reading_Lolita_in_Tehran)) "Azar Nafisi’s engrossing Reading Lolita in Tehran is the sort of book that ruins the sleep of those in charge of placing books in bookstores. Where to shelve it? Under literary criticism? No, for although it subjects a number of classics to revealing scrutiny, that would miss much of its point. Under memoirs? Similar problems: although its story is intertwined with the life of its author, it is not that life. Women’s issues or feminism would not be entirely out of place—the main characters who both act and suffer in this book are female—but again, in such a classification something would be lacking. A mischievous soul might stash it under book groups, which would be about as close as my college library’s choice of veterinary medicine for Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon: there is a book group in Reading Lolita, but it is more like a life raft than an after-work social gathering." (from [ReviewCanada](https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2003/09/the-book-lovers-tale/), written by Margaret Atwood) **:: ABOUT THE EVENT ::** You are welcome to arrive 30 minutes before the event and stay 30 minutes or longer afterward to connect with other attendees outside the book talk. Please ensure you have read the book before attending (though finishing any book is not a barrier to participating, as long as you don't mind spoilers). First-time attendees can join for free. If the event is full, we maintain an unofficial waitlist. Please send [Michael](https://www.meetup.com/members/55295192/) a direct message for more information, in either case. We request a $3 contribution from regular attendees to help cover our monthly meetup costs. **:: ABOUT OUR NEXT BOOK ::** At the end of each event, we will ask for nominees for our next book. If you have a good one in mind, please ensure it is between 200-400 pages long, available from the Toronto Public Library, and counts as contemporary literary fiction (though these are not hard and fast rules). When enough nominees are collected, Michael will send the members a direct message with a link where you can vote.

Important Register on the [event website](https://www.aicamp.ai/event/eventdetails/W2026063014) (Due to room capacity and building security, you must pre-register at the link for admission) **Description:** Welcome to the AI meetup in Toronto. Join us for deep dive tech talks on AI, GenAI, LLMs and Agent, hands-on experiences on code labs, workshops, and networking with speakers and fellow developers. **Tech Talk: RAG stack with open-source tooling + ADK** **Speaker:** Glen Yu (Google Developer Expert) **Tech Talk: ​Building Persistent, Infinite Memory for AI Agents** **Speaker:** Tara Khani (Moorcheh) **Speakers/Topics:** Stay tuned as we are updating speakers and schedules. If you have a keen interest in speaking to our community, we invite you to submit topics for consideration: [Submit Topics](https://forms.gle/JkMt91CZRtoJBSFUA) **Sponsors:** We are actively seeking sponsors to support AI developers community. Whether it is by offering venue spaces, providing food, or cash sponsorship. Sponsors will not only speak at the meetups, receive prominent recognition, but also gain exposure to our extensive membership base of 10,000+ AI developers in Toronto or 500K+ worldwide.

Lose 10lbs in 5 WEEKS and Win Prizes ! Topics will include Metabolism, Carbohydrate addiction, digestive health, label reading, dining out, heart health and many more. $ 50 to Join the Challenge includes: - Weekly Weigh In, Accountability and Motivation - 40 Min nutrition class - Voucher for 'Healthy Meal' - Personalized Meal Plan - Lose 1 - 3lbs a week. To register for your spot: www.ShapingUpCanada.com

**BRING YOUR COMPUTERS TO THIS EVENT! And check out the prerequisites below.** Join us for the first hands-on lab session, snacks, and discussion! This time around instead of talks we are going to run a free hands-on lab on how to get started with OpenTelemetry. We'll teach you how to run your own local observability stack and how to capture telemetry from the host all the way to the application layer. **Repository** https://github.com/grafana/grafanacon2026-opentelemetry-instrumentation **Prerequisites** * Git * Docker and Docker Compose — or Podman with the `docker compose` CLI, see [PODMAN.md](https://github.com/grafana/grafanacon2026-opentelemetry-instrumentation/blob/main/PODMAN.md) for setup Pull all Docker images at home before the session to avoid slow WiFi at the event: git clone https://github.com/grafana/grafanacon2026-opentelemetry-instrumentation cd grafanacon2026-opentelemetry-instrumentation docker compose pull docker compose up --build The first build downloads images and compiles both services — it can take several minutes. Once images are cached, rebuilds are fast. See [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](https://github.com/grafana/grafanacon2026-opentelemetry-instrumentation/blob/main/TROUBLESHOOTING.md) in the repository if you hit issues. **Again special thanks to Nokia and Mark Prosser for hosting us at their downtown office.** **Agenda:** 6:00-6:15 PM: Arrivals and introductions 6:15-7:40 PM: Hands-On Lab 7:40-8:00 PM: Q&A, networking and wrap up **Facilitators:** Nikola Grcevski and Marylia Gutierrez

**When:** Tuesdays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST (Toronto Time) **Start date:** Tuesday, Jun 23, 2026 **Where:** 792 Glencairn Ave., Toronto **Attend online via Zoom:**[ https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89671983431?pwd=hoYVrQG1EF4ibvIieyTnavmXxWcy5h.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89671983431?pwd=hoYVrQG1EF4ibvIieyTnavmXxWcy5h.1) **Primary text:** *Light of the Soul* by Alice Bailey, with supporting perspectives from Madame Blavatsky's Theosophical framework and Lama Govinda's multidimensional consciousness \*\*Free online PDF: \*\*[http://www.mysticknowledge.org/Light_of_the_Soul_-_Alice_Bailey.pdf](http://www.mysticknowledge.org/Light_of_the_Soul_-_Alice_Bailey.pdf) (Prior reading is not required.) **About the series:** The first four limbs of yoga are presented not merely as ethical rules or techniques, but as a practical science of consciousness refinement. * Experience → Distortion → Transformation: Through the dimensions of time and space, experience generates distortions — and distortions generate opportunities for transformation. The work of the aspirant is to consciously refine these experiences into enduring impressions of beauty and love. * What is an impression? The essence of experience that remains after the physical event, emotional reaction, and personal attachment have passed away — *experience without attachment.* * The 12-module arc: Yama, Niyama, Asana, and Pranayama progressively prepare the way for soul contact through purification, right relationship, stabilization, and conscious regulation of life force. * Not withdrawal, but engagement: This is not a path of asceticism or passivity. The aspirant does not seek to escape the world, but to engage with it more skillfully, more compassionately, and with greater awareness — transforming everyday experience into an opportunity for growth, service, and the realization of our deeper unity with all beings. **Class dynamic:** Each session opens with a group centering meditation, followed by a teacher-led lesson with slides. Newcomers are welcome to simply listen in. Those ready to engage are invited to contribute questions or insights. Our goal is an atmosphere of genuine shared inquiry. **Modules:** 1. **The Purpose of Evolution —** Transforming Experience into Beauty and Love Impressions 2. Why Consciousness Suffers 3. **The Field of Impressions —** Samskara, Memory, and the Astral Light 4. **Yama I —** Harmlessness and Right Relationship 5. **Yama II —** Truthfulness and the Right Use of Energy 6. **Yama III —** Non-Grasping and Freedom from Possession 7. **Niyama I —** Purification and the Transformation of Time 8. **Niyama II —** Contentment and Sacred Tension 9. **Niyama III —** Self-Study and Surrender to the Soul 10. **The Science of Detachment —** Witness Consciousness and the Burning Ground 11. **Asana —** Stabilizing the Instrument of Consciousness 12. **Pranayama —** Regulation of Life Force and Conscious Circulation **Overall arc:** * **Modules 1–3:** Understanding distortion and impressions * **Modules 4–6:** Purifying relationship and spatial distortion * **Modules 7–9:** Purifying time distortion and identity * **Modules 10–12:** Stabilizing and refining the instruments of consciousness *Final synthesis: The first four limbs of yoga gradually train the aspirant to observe without identification, experience without attachment, relate without separation, and transform distortion into enduring impressions of beauty and love.*

💰 **Build Passive Income with AI Ebooks – Masterclass** Build a passive publishing business with AI — from idea to income. ⚠️ RSVP alone won't secure your seat — register via the link below. ### [🔗 CLAIM YOUR PLACE](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEbookBusiness?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What's covered: - Format and list ebooks so they actually sell - Find profitable niches using AI research tools - Publish across platforms for passive income *One system. Recurring income.* ✍️

🚀 **Launch Your Remote Career Fast – Remote Ready Bootcamp** Build a location-free income in two weeks. Work from anywhere on earth. ⚠️ Complete registration to hold your spot — RSVP alone won't save it. ### [🔗 GET STARTED](https://aiventurelab.org/product/RemoteReadyBootcamp?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What's included: - Step-by-step systems to replace your office income remotely - A global community of location-independent professionals - Multiple income streams you can run from anywhere *Choose your city. Keep your income.* ✈️

🚀 **AI eCommerce from Zero to Revenue – Masterclass** Discover how to launch and automate an e-commerce store with AI tools. ⚠️ Your seat is only confirmed once you register below. Don't miss out. ### [🔗 CLAIM YOUR PLACE](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEcommerce?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll build: - Passive income streams you can scale fast - A marketing funnel that runs on autopilot - A repeatable blueprint that works from day one *One blueprint. Endless revenue potential.* ⚡

💻 **Build Your AI Agent – OpenClaw Masterclass** Launch a real AI agent in a single hands-on session. No experience necessary. ⚠️ Register via the link below to secure your place — RSVP won't do it. ### [🔗 CLAIM YOUR PLACE](https://aiventurelab.org/product/OpenClawMasterclass?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What you get: - A reusable agent framework you keep after the session - Practical skills to automate tasks that eat your time - Hands-on experience building AI workflows from scratch *Build AI that works for you, not the other way around.* ⚡

📱 **Build a Viral AI Content Brand – Faceless Influencer Blueprint** Grow a faceless content brand with AI that creates and posts for you. ⚠️ RSVP alone won't secure your spot — register via the link below. ### [🔗 GET YOUR SPOT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AiInfluencer?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll create: - AI tools to generate, edit, and post content automatically - A monetisation path from day one - A strategy to reach thousands with zero screen time *Go viral without going on camera.* 🎭

🎯 **Polymarket Profit Blueprint – Prediction Market Masterclass** Discover the strategies that turn accurate forecasting into consistent Polymarket income. ⚠️ Register below to confirm — RSVP is not your ticket in. ### [🔗 LOCK IN YOUR SEAT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/Polymarket?city=Toronto&groupurlname=the-bookish-social-club-for-readers&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-01T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll learn: - Risk management techniques for prediction markets - Polymarket strategies that generate consistent daily profit - How to read market signals others miss *Read markets better. Profit consistently.* 💹

**🚨 SPECIAL EVENT - PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY AT CHRISTIE PITTS! 🚨** **NO PHILOSOPHY EXPERTISE REQUIRED!** **🏛️ WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?** Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎 Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic. The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌 **📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?** Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going. When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture. **General Meeting Agenda** Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline: * 19:30-19:45 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the official start. * 19:45-19:55 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines. * 19:55-21:15 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them. * 21:15-21:30 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo. * 21:30 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy is operated entirely on voluntary donations! If we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Donations are 100% voluntary, but they help us to bring the gift of deep conversation to people around the world. If you'd like to support, you can [donate here](https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/donate-to-practical-philosophy)! (Practical Philosophy is a registered Canadian charity) **💛 WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY** **🗣** “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam 🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel **🤓 FAQ** * **Do I need to study or read anything to attend?** No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what you think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it. * **Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on?** The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school. * **Is it mostly men that attend?** Surprisingly, no! Although often, philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms. * **Can I come alone?** Of course you can, we encourage it :) * **Can I be late?** Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation. * **Where do you meet?** The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/practical-philosophy-locations/). 🤝**POLICY** To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment. **PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY CLUB - Philosophy, everywhere. ✨** We started in Practical Philosophy back in 2021 and there are now 50+ chapters in over 25 countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ **\*\*\*** **Join our [Toronto Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B7LyJIeBlaH5VtXkMJTTph?mode=gi_t) 👈** **Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈** **Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈**

**Our July novel is: *Listen for the Lie* by Amy Tintera** **This month’s novel was named one of the best books of 2024. It’s a domestic thriller with crime, mystery, and murder, told from women’s perspectives. The story includes a detective, an unreliable narrator, and plenty of suspense. The book is 352 pages in print and 9 hours and 18 minutes on audiobook.** What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter? After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it. The truth is out there, if we just listen.

Come join us to discuss our July pick "Tusk Love" by Thea Guanzon! Book description: A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars. “A true delight of a book! Spicy and heartfelt—this one is a winner all around.”—Katee Robert, author of Neon Gods As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure. Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack. Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise. Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance. Written by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg Instructor - Crow, HPS Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642. Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online. Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only Please come prepared for ritual. Blessings ~ Crow

July is Summer/Lake Vibes theme! * The book we will be discussing is The House Across the Lake by Riley Seger * Feel free to attend whether or not you’ve read or finished the book * Trying something new for July, book club will be at the Starbucks inside the Dublin Barnes & Noble. So due to the location, snacks and drinks will not be provided this time. * Please update your attendance status here on the event page if you are attending or unable to. This time is extra important for this, due to limited spots for this event.