Higher Education

Product Is… is BACK! After a break since April last year, we're excited to return in 2026 with lots of really interesting new themes and discussions to be had. Let's start with one. Here's the thing: you've been learning to write better prompts. But what if the prompt is the easy bit? What if context is where all the real work lives - and what if product people are the only ones who know how to do it properly? Will Chan, Senior Product Manager at Risk Ledger and organiser of the AI Signals meetup, will lead us through why context engineering might be the most important skill you're not thinking about. This event will be at Synechron's office on the seventh floor, 95 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NA. A massive thank you to Synechron for providing the venue. Doors open at 6:30 PM, we kick off at 7:00 PM, and wrap up by 8:30 PM. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Come ready for proper discussion, new connections, and ideas worth thinking about. \-\-\- THE THEME \- PRODUCT IS\.\.\. PROMPT AND CONTEXT ENGINEERING \-\-\- For product managers, designers, and researchers, context is everything. Context is the currency that sets product people apart from other disciplines like development or commercial teams. Product professionals need to understand the widest range of contexts - from users to business to implementation. As AI tools become embedded in our work, something interesting is emerging. To create effective prompts, context has to be injected accurately. But here's where things get fascinating - you may need to create prompts to create context to create prompts. It's turtles all the way down. The more time you spend using AI in products, the more you find yourself going back in your process. You're creating prompts for the final prompt, for the output you need to be as effective as possible. You might spend longer creating the prompt than doing the work itself. Join us as we explore what context engineering means for product people. How do you manage context in a rapidly changing world? What does this look like in a qualitative world where product people live in the grey area? Is context engineering the right term, or is it something else entirely? These are the questions we'll be tackling together. \-\-\- THE SPEAKER \- WILL CHAN \-\-\- Will is a Senior Product Manager at Risk Ledger and organiser of the AI Signals meetup. With over 10 years of experience building and scaling SaaS products in regulated, data-heavy environments, Will specialises in taking complex problems and turning them into products that drive measurable outcomes. Across legaltech, telecoms, workforce management, and retail media, Will has led discovery through delivery for AI and automation initiatives, improving adoption, containment, conversion, and operational efficiency at scale. Most recently, he's owned AI strategy and delivery for customer-facing platforms, doubling feature adoption and embedding AI safely into real workflows rather than demos or prototypes. Alongside delivery, Will enjoys developing product talent. He's coached PMs, shaped product playbooks, and led teams through clearer discovery, prioritisation, and execution practices. Will is passionate about practical AI application and real customer impact over hype. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ABOUT 'PRODUCT IS\.\.\.' \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- PMs, UX & UI designers, user researchers, developers - you like to dream big when it comes to digital products… Now it's time share your perspective! 'Product is…' grounds itself in informed, knowledgeable context and healthy conversation - vital ingredients to tech success. One keynote speaker sets the tone on a theme of less travelled subject matter before all attendees add their perspective during the second half of round table-style discussion. Don't expect standard tech meetup fare like "How to improve your CV/Portfolio for that dream job at Facebook" or "How this new framework/approach will improve your workflow" - this meetup is food for the mind, but also a place to meet like-minded big-thinkers! We welcome everyone who works in tech - EVERYONE has a valuable perspective that we learn from. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- WHY WE CHARGE FOR TICKETS \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We do not aim to make a profit from this meetup, our goal is to create healthy and interesting conversations, meet new people and make new connections. Speakers and the organising team give up their time free of charge to ensure the events are enjoyable for all. A small charge is required for attendance - this allows the organisation team to cover overheads, including the Meetup.com subscription, plus food and drink for the evening.

**Dead Product Society \| After Work Drinks** Come along, bring a friend/colleague or two and join us for a relaxed evening of informal product and tech chats over a few drinks and doughnuts. We aim to connect everyone without awkwardness or LinkedIn spiel, and value good conversation over boring presentations. **Who is welcome?** Product Managers, CEOs, UX/UI Designers, Developers, Scrum Masters etc. We welcome anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product. *Note: We intentionally keep our After Work Drinks on the smaller side to allow for more in-depth conversations.* **The Bike Shed** We'll be hanging out in the lounge area (behind the area with all the tables, next to the store). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Dead Product Society** Dead Product Society is a collective of like-minded professionals sharing real-talk and joining forces to navigate the twists and turns of the product world. Our down-to-earth community is for anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product teams regardless of their background or experience. **Our Sponsors** Shout out to our generous sponsors at Waggel Pet Insurance; Lifetime pet insurance, simplified. With their support we are able to host these events for you and create a space for those important, honest conversations.

\*\*\* The more parents and kids, the cheaper it gets for all of us! \*\*\* \*\*\* Do you know a Location? \*\*\* **Action Steps Needed:** **1,** RSVP to the Waitlist to show your interest. **2,** Post your location idea in the discussion! **3,** Fill in our basic info form at https://form.typeform.com/to/z37tCjtL. **Interested in East London are:** Jonathan, Anna Butterworth, Victoria474389760, **Interested in North West London are:** Soba **Possible location Ideas are:** Your home, an Adventure Playground, free play coffee shop, Soft play location, your garden or summer house, task-based play like clay modelling, Wall or rock climbing, splash pad, forest play time with hut, River Picnic... What would work well for you?

**SREday: In-Person Event on SRE, DevOps & Cloud in LONDON** Conference focused on Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), DevOps, and cloud infrastructure, bringing together engineers, platform teams, and leaders to share real-world experience building, scaling, and operating reliable production systems. 🫆[Speakers & Topics](https://sreday.com/2026-london-q1/) 🎟 [Tickets](https://luma.com/sreday-2026-london-q1?from=embed)

**This is a the next chapter of our longform reading group on China. If you didn't get to the first meetings, don't worry - please do come along anyway!** This time, we're finishing Chuang's *Sorghum & Steel* series with chapter 4, \*\*\*Ruination \*\*\*and the conclusion, titled ***Unbinding.*** Find the text here: https://chuangcn.org/journal/one/sorghum-and-steel/4-ruination/ \-\-\-\- About the China Study Group: What can we learn from the Chinese Revolution? That's the question we'll seek to answer as LMRG brings the heat to you once again, now on Tuesday nights, with our all-new China Study Group. In this long-form reading series, we'll meet monthly for in-depth discussion of a series of texts on China, its revolution, the socialist market economy, and more. As the [New Cold War](https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20221107_MR-NCW_EN_Web.pdf) heats up, it's never been more important to learn what we can about the country which the US, UK and EU have all described - following the [American phrasebook](https://www.gmfus.org/news/china-systemic-rival-systemic-threat) \- as a "systemic rival"\. For the first set of meetups within this series, we'll be tackling *Sorghum and Steel: The Socialist Developmental Regime and the Forging of China* by the [Chuang](https://chuangcn.org) collective. Chuang is an independent, autonomous collective of anti-authoritarian Chinese communists and labour activists whose work provides a rare opportunity for English readers to get vital detail on historical and contemporary dynamics within Chinese society from a materialist, communist, and crucially - balanced perspective. *Sorghum and Steel* will provide our Study Group with an essential foundation in Chinese history to equip us going forward. Throughout this series, we'll give equal space to a wide variety of sources, from anti-authoritarian Chinese communists opposed to the contemporary Politburo to members of Xi Jinping's own ideological brain-trust. We'll dig deep into elements of the Chinese revolutionary experience such as the CPC's localist co-operative economics of the Civil War period, the forgotten grass roots of the Cultural Revolution, the *Boulan Fazheng* period and China's rejection of "shock therapy" as seen in the USSR, and the theory underpinning China's recent turn away from the liberal economics of the 2000s. Take care everyone and happy reading!

## Allies of Women in Data & AI A panel discussion spotlighting women’s careers in data & AI. **📍 Venue:** [Datatonic](https://datatonic.com/) HQ **🎙️ Panellists:** * [Hazal Muhtar (Wise)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazalmuhtar/) * [Laura Lewis (Monzo)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralewisuk/) * [Josie Williams (Global)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiewilliams/) * [Lina Mikolajczyk (Venatus)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/linajczyk/) **🎤 Compere:** [Adam Dathi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-dathi-384a4329/) Event & Afterparty Sponsor: [Meltano](https://meltano.com/) This event centres the real career journeys of women working in data and AI — from breaking in, to navigating challenges, to stepping into leadership. Through an open, honest panel discussion, our speakers will share: * The realities of building a career in data & AI * Barriers they’ve faced (and how they’ve worked around them) * Practical advice for women aspiring to senior and leadership roles The panel will be followed by an audience Q&A and relaxed, meaningful networking with women in data & AI and the allies who support them. *** ### Why this event exists Despite progress, women are still underrepresented in data & AI leadership. This event is about visibility, learning from lived experience, and creating space for better conversations. Delivered in collaboration with [Stacked Pathways](https://cognifysearch.com/stackedpathways/), a free mentoring initiative for women working in Data & AI, organised by [Cognify](https://cognifysearch.com/). *** **Who should attend** * Women working in (or moving into) data & AI * Allies who want to listen, learn, and actively support change

More Info and Sign Up: https://luma.com/tcftv41z

Ready to think clearer, reason better, and express with clarity? Join us for a practical wholesome philosophy practice where we learn essential thinking skills through hands-on group practice. Leave academics and theory at the door— this is a skills-building adventure for everyday life! ✨ This event's focus: **Decision-Making Frameworks** 🎯 a part of the Wholesome Philosophy series — that help you build a complete thinking toolkit. **See below** **Why should you sign up?** ✅ Practical toolkit you can use immediately ✅ Small group practice ✅ Private, quiet venue for focus ✅ Standalone session - Previous parts help, but not required **What is Wholesome Philosophy?** Practical philosophy for everyday life - helping you build useful skills for thinking clearer and communicating better in work, relationships, and daily conversations. You'll learn through pair work, and group practice. spread across **different sessions:** * **Clear Thinking & Better Arguments** — How to reason * **Develop Thinking Habits** — Spotting biases and fallacies * **The Art of Dialogue** — Having productive disagreements * **Constructing Your Position** — Building solid viewpoints * **Decision-Making Frameworks** — Choosing wisely under uncertainty * **Self-Examination & Growth** — Questioning your own beliefs Each session works standalone — attend one, some, or all. ***Want to join all?*** Speak to the facilitator about discounted pricing for the full series ✅ **Who is it for?** * You want to think clearer and communicate better * You feel frustrated when your point doesn't land * You want to spot weak reasoning (including your own) * You enjoy learning through practice, not just theory * You crave thoughtful conversation with curious people * You want practical tools you can use tomorrow No philosophy background needed — just show up ready to practice. **What's in it for you?** * Make your points stick (without fighting) * Think more clearly about any topic even complex ones * Have disagreements that don't turn into arguments * Understand the world better * Connect with curious, thoughtful people ✨ * Gain confidence in your reasoning abilities **How does it work?** * Facilitated practice session (2 hours) with structured exercises ⏱ * Small group discussions (4-6 people) * Pair work for hands-on practice * Individual reflection moments * Whole group sharing (optional, not required) Everything is timed and guided — you'll know exactly what to do at each stage **What to expect** Collaborative discovery, without competitive learning. Practicing together, without performing for each other. What happens in the room stays in the room. * **Depth**: Beyond small talk, but it's not therapy — we're developing thinking skills * **Safety**: Wholesome Agreement principles apply — respect, curiosity, no judgment * **Practical**: You'll leave with tools, not just concepts — things you can actually use the next day ️ * **Participation**: These are practice sessions — your active participation creates the learning environment **Ready to upgrade your thinking skills?** Join us for a Wholesome Philosophy practice session and walk away with various thinking tools — it's for anyone who wants to navigate life with a sharper, kinder mind. We really hope to see you there! **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** * **Respect:** Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ * **Open-mindedness:** Be open to different perspectives and ideas. * **Active Participation:** Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. ️ **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80)

Do you want to relax and socialize in a quiet bar while playing some video games together? Do you dislike loud and smelly places like pubs? Have you been cooped up by yourself for too long and wants a change of pace? This is the event for you. Get ready to level up your social life at our exclusive Social Night! Join us for a fun-filled evening of friendly competition, great company, and good vibes at XP Tavern. Whether you're a seasoned PC gamer, a console enthusiast, or just love to unwind with some video games, this is the perfect chance to meet new people who share your passion for pixels and high scores. If you don't want to play any games, you can still enjoy the vibe, socialize at the bar and watch the others play. Two console gaming booths will be booked and we can share it together. There are also gaming PCs to enjoy. How many people are attending? The venue has a capacity limit of 50 guests, and due to the popularity of our events and the unique ambiance of the location, we anticipate this event will reach full capacity quickly. On the day of the event, you will experience a relaxing atmosphere with a hospitable and encouraging community. If you want to socialize and get drinks, the event is free. If you want to participate and play the games, you gotta pay £10.

"Humanity's insatiable appetite to colonise reached far into the stars, but they learned the hard way that some stones should remain unturned. Whilst aggressively terraforming Spawn home worlds, humanity stirred the ancient species out of their slumber and incurred their rage in a cataclysmic event. Now conflict dances across the cosmos as the Spawn seek violent retribution by assimilating themselves among humanity and destroying them from within. Humanity’s only hope of survival is to detect the Spawn among them and destroy the threat." The Spawn is a large-scale elimination-based social deduction game where humanity must root out the Spawn which have infiltrated their ranks or be overpowered by them. Strategic gameplay, social subterfuge and gripping sci-fi all in one immersive experience. How to play here: [https://youtu.be/N9C65GQGohA?si=OlwcCbcAIGoQSsIf](https://youtu.be/N9C65GQGohA?si=OlwcCbcAIGoQSsIf) Find the rules and role sheet here: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IWk9RN97Dt0lm7dfnsvL2G5Ne4L1VFNV?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IWk9RN97Dt0lm7dfnsvL2G5Ne4L1VFNV?usp=sharing) We always have more players than RSVP and are happy to teach newer members how to play in a friendly inclusive environment. Every player has a hidden role and every game has a moderator who can help guide beginners. Toxic, harmful or anti-social behaviour is not tolerated at these events. Moderators will ensure that games remain friendly and will not tolerate any personal attacks made to them or other players in games. If you experience or witness any behaviour like this at an event the quickest way to get it resolved is by reporting it to a moderator or you can also send a message to [[thespawnsocialdeduction@gmail.com](mailto:thespawnsocialdeduction@gmail.com)]([mailto:thespawnsocialdeduction@gmail.com](http://mailto:thespawnsocialdeduction@gmail.com/)) with your name and details of what happened where we will get back to you as soon as we can. If you ever feel uncomfortable, targeted or harassed at an event always feel free to reach us via the methods above. We always strive to make our events a fun and safe place for all our members. Follow The Spawn on socials! The Spawn Facebook: [facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559668577588](http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559668577588) The Spawn Instagram: [instagram.com/thespawnofficial](http://instagram.com/thespawnofficial) The Spawn Twitter: [x.com/The_Spawn_Game](x.com/The_Spawn_Game) The Spawn YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgWcuXoir0BX8TrjV_NM5A](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgWcuXoir0BX8TrjV_NM5A) The Spawn Twitch: [twitch.tv/the_spawn_official](http://twitch.tv/the_spawn_official) The Spawn TikTok: [tiktok.com/@thespawnofficial](http://tiktok.com/@thespawnofficial)

Come and join us for a coffee/tea and chat as we discuss what’s hype and what’s real as well as how analytics helps us fight human trafficking. All Food and drink must be paid for as you consume it. A minimum of a drink must be orders can be water soft drink or coffe/tea etc excellent cocktails available.

**🏛️ 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/Ja2H9lXYtWX8RdCKHw6qNK), 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: * 13:45-14:00 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the ‘official' start. * 14:00-14:05 - 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. * 14:05-14:45 - 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. * 14:45 - We do a group conclusion of the things we discussed, and then we typically take a photo and go on our way :) If you don't want to be in the group photo, there's no pressure, it's just a way to close out the meeting. You are free to walk around Calthorpe's Community Gardens afterwards. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy Club is FREE to attend, and we operate on donations. Calthorpe Cabin costs £40 per hour to rent. If you'd like to donate to support the cost of the location, that helps keep our group self-sustaining. Donations are 100% voluntary, but your contribution is appreciated! QR codes to donate and a donation jar will be present. Calthorpe charges £4 per person for tea's and coffees and are paid by the individual should they wish to have them. **💛 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** * ​What will we talk about? What's the topic? ​The topic for the week is shared every Sunday in the Whatsapp group. We try to add the topic to the comment section on this event page as well but if you don’t see it, the topic and the jump-off points will be in our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ja2H9lXYtWX8RdCKHw6qNK). * 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, but it's not required. * 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 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/Ja2H9lXYtWX8RdCKHw6qNK) 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 - Making Philosophy Available To All.** ✨ Practical Philosophy hosts weekly, in-person meetups in 25+ countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ \*\*\* Join our [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ja2H9lXYtWX8RdCKHw6qNK) 👈 Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/?hl=en) 👈 Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club) 👈

**DevOps Not Dead: In-Person Event on DevOps, Platform & Cloud in LONDON** Conference focused on modern DevOps, platform engineering, and cloud infrastructure. It brings together engineers, SREs, and platform teams to share practical experience in CI/CD, Kubernetes, automation, cloud architecture, reliability, and operating production systems at scale. **🎤 [Speakers & Topics](https://devopsnotdead.com/2026-london-q1/)** **🎟 [Tickets](https://luma.com/devopsnotdead-2026-london-q1?from=embed)** Get your ticket — 50% OFF with promo code: MEETUP50

Welcome back ramblers, rovers, loungers and loafers! Once again, it's time to drift. We're picking up where we left off (well, a little west of there) last month to continue our long-term unguided navigation around the whole of London. We'll stay south of the river this time and keep pushing westwards into the heartland of glorious South London, starting from Greenwich and ending up, most likely, somewhere in Lambeth, via Peckham. These are some of the liveliest, most interesting parts of the metropolis so an extended exploration is a long time coming for us! Since this is a *dérive*, I won't say much more than that. Meet out in front of Greenwich station, serviced by the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) as well as Thameslink (which cost the same as the Tube and run from big stations such as Farringdon and King's Cross) and Southwestern rail services. Check planned TfL disruptions here - there are some disruptions to certain routes on the DLR for March 15th, but Greenwich station will be fine and our day should be all clear for most everybody: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/planned-track-closures.pdf A little background on our City Drifting project here: **Now just wait a minute. What the hell is a drift ([dérive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9rive))?** A drift is any unplanned journey through the urban landscape in which participants practice a form of radical mindfulness, collectively exploring new ways of relating mentally, ideologically and materially to the "ordinary" urban environment we all think we know so well. First theorised publicly by Situationist thinker, artist and provocateur Guy Debord in his 1956 essay *[Theory of the Dérive](https://libcom.org/article/theory-derive-guy-debord)*, drifting is a sort of *critique of ideology* done by walking, looking, and feeling. **The urban environment of London is not a neutral space:** it is packed with surveillance equipment, anti-homeless architecture, consumerist [Gruen transfers,](https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-is-the-gruen-transfer.htm) crowd management systems and security perimeters, among a thousand other subtle and not-so-subtle methods of population control. Moreover, our everyday relationship to the city and its pathways is conditioned deeply by our habits of movement and our habitual perceptions: our commute to work, to school, our nips down to the shops, etc. **All these routines create what Marxists call a *reified* relationship with the urban environment: through over-familiarity it becomes something seemingly natural, "just there", ordinary, unchangeable - boring.** This boredom and familiarity kills the radical imagination, without which we're fucked. To be able to start to imagine how society could be transformed, we also need to imagine how spaces, buildings, their use, their whole purpose (and who these serve) could themselves be transformed. A necessary step in this process, according to Debord and the Situationists, is the drift. Like the 19th-century gentleman *[flâneur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl%C3%A2neur),* by wandering the city with an attitude of "fresh eyes", we can shake loose our ingrained sense of what London and its streets are like. **As a collective, we will work to "estrange our senses" and see the streets, buildings and people differently, as if we were encountering them for the first time.** That is to say: these aren't just random walks around London - with the right frame of mind, they will be opportunities to turn the world upside down, if only for a moment! But don't take it from me - as Debord observed: *"In a dérive one or more persons during a certain period **drop their relations, their work and leisure activities, and all their other usual motives for movement and action, and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there.** Chance is a less important factor in this activity than one might think: from a dérive point of view cities have [psychogeographical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogeography) contours, with constant currents, fixed points and vortexes that strongly discourage entry into or exit from certain zones."* See you on the streets comrades, and remember, as [Raoul Vaneigem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raoul_Vaneigem) once wrote: *"All space is occupied by the enemy. We are living under a permanent curfew. Not just the cops — the geometry".*

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

One of the most valuable parts of this community is the opportunity to think out loud with other product professionals. This session is built for exactly that. As we wrap up the quarter, it’s a great time to pause and reflect. What’s on track? What needs adjustment? Where could a small shift create bigger impact? Join fellow product professionals for a focused, interactive conversation designed to help you recalibrate for the next quarter. You’ll have the opportunity to share where you are, hear how others are thinking through similar challenges, and gain fresh perspective you can bring back to your team and organization. We’ll gather at 8:00AM, with discussion starting promptly at 8:15AM. 📍 First Watch - 7227 N High St Located in: The Shops at Worthington Ample parking is available. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Start your morning with clarity and connection — we hope to see you there! ☀️

So this month's prompt is more general. I think we can all agree that we are living in "unique" times that require coping skills. I think that one role and/or purpose of philosophy is to help us deal with our daily lives and our "unique" times. So, let's share our feelings and thoughts about which philosopher/philosophy we turn to in order to deal with our crazy events. Who/what helps you stay focused in your daily life and helps you sleep at night. I find that Stoicism with a little philosophical pessimism mixed in goes a long way in helping me deal with what I see as very destructive, fearful and mean spirited public policies at both the state and federal levels. Hope to see you on March 28th!

Window functions have nothing to do with the Windows operating system but provide a “window” to a result set when used in SQL queries. They are powerful, set-based methods to view data in unexpected ways. Window functions provide easy, set-based solutions to solve some common problems: * Using running totals * Performing operations in intervals * Identifying data gaps and islands * Performing aggregates without losing detail Many people are confused by window functions and do not know how to use them properly. This session will explore window functions, how they work, and how to use them. Demonstrations with several examples will solidify how window functions can simplify queries and make them more powerful.

This month, we are in-person at GameArena!!! We will also be joined by students and their games from [Shawnee State](https://www.shawnee.edu/game-design-programs)! \-\-\- Join us for our our monthly COGG Prototype and Play event @GameArena! Come to play and showcase your games. We're back in the upper levels of the catwalk mezzanine area. It'll be packed with lots of camaraderie playing your game(s) and other's games on the 2nd floor as well as the 1st floor in the gaming room below the mezzanine. Light snacks and water provided but you can buy food and drinks at the bar (alcoholic drink ID required). [https://www.game-arena.co/menu](https://www.game-arena.co/menu) **Attendees:** Don't have a game to show? Not a problem! All are welcomed and invited from all ages and backgrounds. The more we can have to play test our games the better! **Developers:** Do you have a game that you would like to get critical feedback on? Would you like an excuse to work on a game with other talented artists, programmers, musicians, designers, and writers? Digital, table-top, non-experienced developers, and the like are welcomed! We'll provide signage for your game to help others learn more about your work. Wifi, outlets, tables, and seats (though standing tables also) are available. Come to the Prototype and Play workshop to collaborate and meet local game developers for an evening of epic and raw game play fun! Play works-in-progress, show off your own game, work with others to add polish to a game, or even lend your talents to other fellow developers. Can use South Garage at the Gateway with a $5 voucher on your way out. 75 E 11th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9) If you have any questions or comments, as always, feel free to reach out to us at [info@thecogg.com!](http://info@thecogg.com!/)

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