Fan Fiction

A weekend in a quiet place to focus on your writing… Join us for this first retreat in Brussels area ! ✍🏻 The Winter Writing Retreat includes : * 2 days and 1 night on site * a shared writing room * ⁠a private bedroom (with a dedicated workspace) * ⁠all meals included (1 breakfast + 2 lunches + 1 dinner + snacks) (\*), * ⁠a workshop on Saturday afternoon about « Tips and tricks for reading your text aloud effectively » (\~90 minutes) * ⁠a creative meditation session on Sunday morning (\~15 minutes) (\*) Vegetarian and lactose free options available on demand ! Price: € 190 per person all included Priority for regular members of the Brussels Writing MeetUp 😊 For registration, please send a message to Candice, organiser of Brussels Writing MeetUp. Have a great day ! ✨

On Saturday I suggest a pretty long but flat hike from Beernem to Aalter. This hike will lead us through multiple short forests, parks and agricultural areas. We will follow the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes, since we will pass by the castle of Wingene on the way. This castle was repeatedly in the news ten years ago, because its owner was killed in a mysterious murder in 2012, which fascinated many Belgians for several years. At our destination Aalter we will probably find an open bar for a drink. As the number of participants is limited, it is important that you manage your registration responsibly: only sign up if you really intend to come and cancel as soon as you know you can’t (this also goes for people on the waiting list!). We will try to keep close to an average speed of about 4,5 km/h. We will walk mainly on unpaved roads. I’ve not tested this track beforehand, so it’s possible that there are some mistakes in the planning. ●●You can find the track here: https://loc.wiki/t/250125630?wa=sc ●●Meeting point: We meet at 10h12 in Beernem (in front of the railway station). If you start from Brussels-South, you should take train IC 530 towards Ostend at 09h03. In Ghent you have twelve minutes to change to train L 580 at 9h43 with direction Bruges and Zeebrugge-Strand. You should get out in Beernem. I am starting from Ghent, so I will jump on the train in Ghent. You can find me in the first car of the train. ●● Train tickets: Return ticket Brussels-Beernem should be fine. ●● Back to Brussels: In Aalter there is at least one direct train per hour back to Brussels. ●● Specifics: Distance: ca 28km Elevation gain: 100m Net walking time: ca 7h Weather forecast: Cold but probably dry. In the unlikely case of too bad weather, we may cancel a hike, even few hours before the event. If this must happen, we will of course update the Meetup website and send out an email to those registered. So it is important to have access to either the [[[[[Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/)]([http://meetup.com/](http://meetup.com/))]([http://meetup.com/](http://meetup.com/))]([http://meetup.com/](http://meetup.com/))]([http://meetup.com/](http://meetup.com/)) website and/or your emails. ●● What to bring: * Comfortable hiking clothes &shoes * rain gear (just in case) * water + food for the breaks * sun cream * Compeed for blisters * some small money for drinks ●● Basic rules: Please RSVP only if you really intend to come. And if your plans change, update your RSVP asap, even hours before the walk. This is basic courtesy towards others. Repeated late cancellations are not well considered (at all). No-shows are even worse. Do not show up for a hike unless you are on the “going” list. ●● Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability: You are responsible for yourself and should be fit enough if you want to take part. As the participation in the events is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organisers from any responsibility and liability. Moreover, the organisers aren't tour operators, so they don't feel obliged to answer to every text message or email!

**Join us for an hour of writing!** We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. 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:** 11:00 - Quick introductions 11:15 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 12:15 - The End: chat, take off, or keep writing OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 12:15. 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 and I look forward to seeing you! **What Should I Bring?** Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block the cafe’s overhead music or the occasional conversation by other patrons. There are plugs in the cafe but we may not be seated right next to them, so please charge any device before coming ! **Other Important Details:** WIFI : the cafe has wifi, the password is written on the menu TRAVEL / PARKING: The cafe is in the center of the city. An uncovered bike rack is available. For more information on parking, please visit https://leuven.be/parkeren SEATING INFORMATION: Please RSVP so I know how many seats to book ! GUIDELINES: **You are required to order at least one thing to support the café.**

Story Night is back: local and international talents will share their stories of love and heartbreak for a special St. Valentine's night **Story Night Brussels: an evening of connection and community through personal stories** Looking for a different kind of St. Valentine's plan? Join us for the one and only Story Night of Storytelling Brussels! Storytelling Brussels aims to create a space where we pause, connect, and experience our shared humanity through the power of stories. A space where everyday experiences become well-crafted narratives with meaning and impact. All tellers will bring stories around the theme of love, in all its glorious complexity: happiness and heartbreak, laugh and pain, eternal and ephimeral, modern and evergreen. Stories that will make you laugh, cry, reflect, feel. Come with an open mind and leave with a full heart. **Event Details:** * Each storyteller has prepared a short story. Most of them will be personal and real, a few might be folktales or traditional. * **Venue**: The Bridge Theatre Studio * **Doors open 19:30.** **Show starts at 20:00** (sharp!). More than just a show, we want to create a community around storytelling, so **we encourage you to come early**, socialize, and maybe meet new people! * Attention! This time we will be collecting **donations upon check-in at the door.** We recommend a donation of **10€/person**, but if you're on short of cash at the moment just drop us a message on advance or simply tell us at the door and you can choose a price that works for you. All the earnings will go to compensate the performers (some of whom will be traveling long distances for this event) and organise more of these in the future. Please bring some cash. * All stories will be told in **English** * We kindly ask you to be present and listen actively to the stories. But don't fear, we will also have time to have fun and chat in between, and breaks to enjoy **the bar!** **Reservations**: it helps us a lot if you [RSVP through here](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stories-of-love-heartbreak-and-everything-in-between-tickets-1980634417861?aff=oddtdtcreator). Space is limited, so secure your spot by booking today! If in the end you cannot make it, please cancel your reservation so someone else might take your spot. Please note that if you haven’t arrived by the time the show starts, your spot might be given to someone else. **What is storytelling?** Sharing stories in front of an audience may well be the oldest form of art. This ancient oral tradition is experiencing a modern revival through organizations like The Moth in New York, the Mezrab in Amsterdam, or The Bear in Berlin. Now, it is Brussels’ turn! Though deeply connected to many other disciplines, storytelling is an artform on its own. It might make you laugh, but it's not stand-up comedy. It might make you think, but it's not a TED talk. It make help you heal, but it's not therapy. Ultimately, it's about connecting with each other, sharing and celebrating life. **Want to tell a story?** We believe everyone has a story to tell, and we welcome everyone who wants to dare! Previous performance experience is a plus, but **not necessarily required.** We simply ask you to fill up the form below and commit to respect the format (you will have priority if you have come to our shows before). Depending on the volume of applications we will contact you only when we find a spot for you, thank you for your understanding! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEI9BtS4uNOWhBtvV2nEtbjy8Y6POs2PWPbYvFX5cTGy7n8A/viewform?usp=dialog **Want to be updated about our events?** If you don't want to miss our next shows and keep up to date with our activities, **find us** **on Instagram @storytellingbrussels** Tired of social media? Sign up to our mailing list here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHgK8mRpp_3GiXO4l6bIugqGqe6l7bHGnjLJXEHyEEjYvOTw/viewform?usp=preview We kindly ask you to not take videos of the performers. Please note however that photos and videos may be taken by the organisation at the event to be used in promotion materials. If you do not wish to be included in photographs, please let us know on the day itself.

If you have a ball, please bring it... Let's gather at the Parc du Cinquantenaire close to the Tour de Tournai (https://goo.gl/maps/RsxFtTJydq92) and organize a *low-level* football match on the grass. Unless it rains badly as we're about to play, the game is on. Players of any age, weight, sex and size are allowed. Come as you are, at any time after 4pm. IMPORTANT REMINDER -- As Shitty Players, we don't bite or growl when someone misses the ball. We don't do penalties or yellow cards because we're so gentle we don't need them. We vaguely know of the existence of other rules like off-side but we'd rather ignore them than argue about them. We may or may not keep track of the score: this is a game where everyone wins. To help build the Team, come with 2 t-shirts white and black (or similar colors: light grey and dark blue etc). Beer session will follow on the grass, for those who survive till the end. You can also join the Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/176606662846112/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/b/3/600_460870931.jpeg

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @ **Château Moderne**, on Saturday, is 14 February 2025, from 10:00 - 13:00. **Château Moderne is changing its name to Radio Moderne!** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the place, you will see a long table that is set up for the event. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== *** **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I post the event on Saturday/Sunday for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder as an email or a comment on the event page on Thursday/Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON SATURDAY!** **LOCATION:** Château Moderne Mont des Arts 1 1000 Bruxelles

_IMPORTANT: To RSVP you will also need to register as a member [here.](https://www.sundayvacations.com/membership)_ Join Sunday Vacations for a cozy Saturday brunch at **Aksum Coffee House**, one of Brussels’ most beautiful cafés, where rich Ethiopian coffee, fresh Moroccan crêpes, and vibrant international vibes meet in perfect harmony. This is more than just brunch, it’s a relaxed way to start your weekend, meet new people, and enjoy a soulful spot full of stories and flavors. ### 📍 Where? **Aksum Coffee House – Galeries Sainte Hubert (Just a few steps from Grand Place) ### 🕚 When? **Saturday at 11:30 AM** Come hungry, curious, and ready to mingle! ### 🍽️ What’s on the menu? ☕ Fresh-roasted Ethiopian coffee 🥞 Moroccan-style crêpes & artisan pastries 🥚 Tasty brunch dishes (vegetarian options too) 🧾 Everyone pays their own order at the counter. ### 👋 Who’s joining? Expect a mix of international professionals, friendly locals, and Sunday Vacations regulars. Solo? New in town? Come anyway, this is the perfect place to connect. --- 🧡 **Limited spots** – RSVP early to secure your place at the table. By joining this event, you agree to the Sunday Vacations [Terms & Conditions](https://www.sundayvacations.com/terms), [Privacy Policy](https://www.sundayvacations.com/privacy) & [Code of Conduct](https://www.sundayvacations.com/code)

*We will take a winter break in January and meet again in February.* _____ Let's read and discuss non-fiction together. In **February** we will be discussing "The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center" by Rhaina Cohen. For more information about the book check out goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127305688-the-other-significant-others How it works: - 10-15min Introduction round - 1 - 1,5h Free discussion around the book - 10min selection of the next book. (We will vote between three possible books. I bring two suggestions and we select a third one from the group. So if there is a book you like to discuss feel free to put it forward.) Don't worry if you cannot finish it in time. Just join us for a coffee or tea and a good conversation. :) Happy reading!

**Cinema Flagey : La grazia** 15/02 @ 14h00 La grazia. 2025. Italy. Written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. With Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti. DCP courtesy MUBI. In Italian; English subtitles. 131 min. Perhaps the most fantastical plotline for a film this year would be “a political drama centered on thoughtful contemplation and ethical decision-making.” Oscar-winner Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, 2013) crafts a captivating contemporary tale about a fictional Italian president on the cusp of retirement, and several decisions that will shape his legacy. Brilliantly portrayed by Toni Servillo (winner of the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at this year’s Venice Film Festival), this is a leader capable of restraint in a world that is pulling him to extremes. With a vibrant score, and Sorrentino’s signature lush urban visuals, La grazia seeks that rarest of qualities in today’s world: grace. [Cinema RITCS](https://www.cinemaritcs.be/february-2026/) [Museum of Modern Art](https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/10981) **For Dreamers, Coffee shots, Orezza, eau de Saint-Georges !**

**Read this carefully before signing up!** [Dungeon World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_World) is a narrative high fantasy roleplaying game, built on the [Powered by the Apocalypse](https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwieland/2020/12/29/a-beginners-guide-to-powered-by-the-apocalypse-games/) framework. It was first published in 2011 and has since become one of the most popular tabletop RPGs in the world. Two years ago, the original creators of Dungeon World commissioned a new design team to develop **Dungeon World 2**, bringing the game up-to-date and taking into account 15 years of evolution, creativity and play in the PbtA community since the early days of the game. This new ruleset is not yet ready for public testing, but a series of closed alphas took place in 2025. On 2 February 2026, a 'final alpha' ruleset was distributed to a small community for a round of playtesting during the spring. This game is part of that playtesting round. **About this game** Using the final alpha ruleset, we will design a set of characters and then jump into a short adventure entitled The Orchard of Glass Wolves. You don't have to know anything about Dungeon World or have any specific roleplaying experience to join the game. The ruleset is designed to be beginner-friendly. Also, it's worth saying that I (as GM) have been working with Dungeon World for many years, but the new alpha ruleset contains a lot of new stuff for me too, so we will be discovering it together! The outcome of our game, and our feedback on the experimental ruleset, will be shared directly with the designers. **This adventure will take *two evenings* to complete. If you want to take part, you need to be available on *both* the following dates:** * **Sunday 15 February, 19:00 at Outpost Brussels** * **Tuesday 17 February, 19:00 at Outpost Brussels** [(sign up)](https://www.meetup.com/boardgamemonkeys/events/313187962/) **Please do not sign up for just one session. You must sign up for both -- or neither!** If you do sign up, please do so in a spirit of experimentation, patience and good humour, and let's see where the game takes us...

We will meet in front of Sint Michielskerk and walk into the brabant nature area and along the Dijle Valley. Prepare for all that belgium can throw at you and stick to you, especially mud. Afterwards we will go to an interesting little pub on the Bollestraat. 't Kleine Verzet. http://www.tkleinverzet.vlaanderen/ The route is here https://mapy.com/s/remejudopo

Dear Folks!! ✨ **Our road trip is coming!** 🚗🌿 We’re planning a relaxed day trip to explore one of the towns often described as **the most beautiful in Belgium** — a perfect little escape into charm, nature, and good company. **Trip overview** * Total duration: around **10 hours** * Driving time: approximately **3.5 hours in total** * Group size: **small and cozy** — limited to **6 people** (my van has 7 seats) * If you prefer to drive your own car, you’re very welcome to join us as well * Meeting point: **Tournay-Solvaypark Entrance (Boitsfort Train Station)** 💶 **Contribution:** **€20 per person**, which covers fuel, as well as snacks and drinks along the way. **Kindly complete your registration before signing up. Thank you.** Yifei Yang BE12363234512492 Communication: your name+ event/membership If you enjoy road trips, beautiful scenery, and meaningful conversations, this will be a lovely day to share together. **P.S. We will leave together at 9h15, please be on time.** I'm looking forward to seeing you guys! Cheers 🍻 Yifei

Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.

Hello, join us in this walk through the different light art installations of the [10th edition of Bright Brussels Festival](https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/agenda/bright-festival). We meet at the round square in front of Gare Centrale and walk straight to stop #15 Cycle of illusions at the carillon of Mont des Arts. Here [the map ](https://photoresk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/plan_site_v21.pdf)with the all different stops. We should finish the walk within two hours and then we can all together get a drink somewhere.

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

This month we’ll be reading Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships. At this seminar you will learn: How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships. How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship. How to choose the right people to work with. The three things that make or break any relationship. How to make a good relationship great. All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. 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 sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.