Indie Comics

Spring has sprung! Let's celebrate Earth Month by watching a documentary about our amazing planet. You voted! And we're watching.... * King Coal (2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RilYEH6BsIw Available on Kanopy (free with a library card) and Amazon Prime ***Make sure to watch the film ahead of time*** and come prepared to discuss. All films are available for free on Kanopy. We will not be screening the film at the meeting! What to expect the day of: * Please try to arrive on time * Meet new friends over some drinks & snacks (feel free to bring something to share!) * The host will lay some group rules and facilitate our discussion * Leave with some new insights and new friends! FYI - the free version of MeetUp limits me to 10 RSVPS, but if you're #1-5 on the waitlist please feel free to join us anyway.

Weekly Draft night in NW. We currently meet up at Franklin Hall near 14th and Florida. U Street Metro is the closest stop. I'll have packs but feel free to bring packs if you have them. Entry is $17 (you can bring Play Booster packs to lower the cost by $3.50). If it is a special set, it will be more.

Join us for a quiet, grounded Tuesday afternoon practice in community. We typically gather with 4–10 practitioners for seated and walking Zen meditation or practice instruction, along with brief Dharma instruction. **Schedule** * Please arrive by **4:30 pm** to settle in * First bell rings at **4:45 pm sharp** *(If you arrive late, please wait in the hallway until the next bell. Someone will greet you)* * 25 minutes of silent sitting * 5 minutes of walking meditation * 25 minutes of sitting with Dharma talk * 5 minutes of walking meditation * 15 minutes of closing meditation or chanting * We close at **6:00 pm** with tea and informal conversation, sometimes followed by a simple soup dinner **Experience** No prior experience is necessary. You may sit on a cushion or a chair. Whether you are new to meditation or have an established practice, you are welcome here. It is offered free of charge. **Location** Our Zendo is located in the **back** of Rockville United Church: [355 Linthicum St, Rockville, MD](https://maps.app.goo.gl/AABDrCx3sHvBPVBf9) After parking in front, please do **not** enter through the main church doors. Walk slightly downhill, then take the small rightward path up to the rear entrance. Look for posted signs. We meet on the lower level, past the double wooden doors. Guiding map: [https://postimg.cc/nMWsMnQy](https://postimg.cc/nMWsMnQy) **Who we are** [Joyful Mind Zen Community](https://www.joyfulmindzendo.org/) offers Zen practice, teaching, sitting, and walking meditation on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays in our Rockville Zendo. Our guiding teacher is authorized in the Soto Zen lineage and has practiced Zen for 25 years. If you have questions or are attending for the first time, feel free to reach out.

Come out to [Third Hill Brewing Company](https://www.thirdhillbrewing.com/) and play some board games! Serving food with their variety of drinks so come and fuel up for the games. Learn about new games, play games, meet new friends, and have a good time! All ages and levels of experience/knowledge of games are welcome as long as you have a willingness to learn and/or teach your games. Host will provide some games but as always, you are welcome/encouraged to bring your own (recommended you know them and/or ready to teach them). Please be aware that there is no direct parking but there is nearby parking garages. **NTBG** is a safe environment for all to have fun. Bullying/harassment is not tolerated.

*Apologies for the late notice. I thought this was already posted.* Time for another Alexandria Sip & Stitch at Aslin Taproom. Chicken is living her best life overseeing all the knitting and listening to some sick alt rock tunes. She's so fetch! Come on out for some social stitching and friendly chatter. Aslin has a wide selection of craft beers, non-alcoholic beers, and soft drinks, as well as a full menu of pub food. Hope to see you there!

**Intermediate Adobe Premiere Editing Workshop** **Two sessions!** **Tuesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 30, 6:30pm to 9:00pm at Docs In Progress** [Sign Up Here ](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intermediate-adobe-premiere-editing-registration-1981787202872) Learn Advanced Workflows in Color, Sound, and Storytelling This two session intermediate-level Adobe Premiere workshop is recommended for anyone who already understands the core competencies of the Premiere editing suite, or for anyone who has used Premiere on‐and‐off but wants better mastery of the software. We’ll be covering three main sections in the workshop: **Color Correction**: Explore primary color grading, luminance correction, the Reference Monitor, Fast Color Corrector, secondary color correction with the motion trackers in CC, Adjustment Layers, white balance (including indoor vs. outdoor), skin tones, and plug-in effects like Lumetri color engine. **Audio Post-Production**: Topics to be covered include interview surgery (e.g., killing long, awkward pauses), room tone, smooth transitions and the sound of a breath, noise reduction, spectral layers for sound removal, high-pass and low-pass filters for wind, hum, and feedback attenuation, and creating markers for music cues. **Special Effects for Documentary**: While documentaries typically use fewer special effects than narrative films, some can still benefit filmmakers seeking cost-effective post-production solutions. This section covers special effects options and plug-ins in Premiere. The focus here is on Premiere and its plug-ins, rather than After Effects or other software. **LOCATION:** Docs In Progress, 8560 2nd Ave Suite 113, Silver Spring, MD 20910

This week we are drafting Eli's Foundations Cube ([modified version of The Professor's](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5b73c9bb-4928-4d6a-9580-30d5a718d925)) We'll be drafting in the GWU Student Center, room G08. Contact me at 617-642-1764. Join [the discord!](https://discord.com/invite/uUK4BeUmX4)

CALLING ALL DC RIOT GRRRLS & PUNKS!!! We’re up to it AGAIN!!! Sold out Pie Shop for https://survivors.org, now we’re gonna aim to sell out JAMMIN’ JAVA!! Help us help survivors of sexual assault by getting YOUR tix now ➡️ https://www.unionstagepresents.com/shows/punk-it-forward-for-survivors-org-29-apr !!PUNK IT FORWARD FOR SURVIVORS!! 🔥✨🖤✨🔥 🔗🎟️ https://www.unionstagepresents.com/shows/punk-it-forward-for-survivors-org-29-apr Modern Natives: Modern Natives was founded by Florida-born Dezy in 2009 and evolved into a dynamic duo when Savannah joined in 2019. What began in the humid swamps of Florida eventually stretched all the way to frozen Alaska, with the band spending years traveling back and forth between the two extremes while carving out their sound on the road. They’ve toured cross-country from Alaska to Florida and across Canada multiple times—living out of an old camper with their three cats and dog along for the ride. Now nestled full-time in New York’s Hudson Valley, Modern Natives brings that wild, road-worn spirit to every stage. Known for their genre-blending sound and unforgettable live performances, Modern Natives is a must-see act wherever they land. Shelley Star & The Galaxy: Shelley Star & The Galaxy are making cosmic waves in Washington, DC, bringing out-of-this-world lyrics, vibrant pop-rock melodies, and theatrical flair to the Nation’s capital. The enigmatic Shelley Star powerfully belts and stomps the stage in platform space boots while high-octane musicians “The Galaxy” shred by her side. The band takes musical inspiration from icons such as Lady Gaga, ABBA, and David Bowie, and their style comes from deep roots in the art of drag. Old Knife: Old Knife is a trio of musicians who create a distinctive DC post-hardcore sound that draws from much wider geographical influences. Ella Gallogly (drums), Maddie Franca (bass) and VJ Hyde (guitar/vocals) bring a mix of intensity and musicality to their live shows that is like performative group therapy meets art punk opera. Old Knife’s music will cut you and leave a scar. Gigi Marie: Gigi Marie is "DC's favorite red head rock n roller" according to DC radio DJ Reddy Kilowatt!! A finalist for two Wammie Awards this year for Best Punk Song with "Miss Black Lagoon" and Best Rock Album with "All Things Night & Beautiful", she's thrilled to be bringing her truly unique Garage-Glam-Punkette attitude to the Jammin' Java stage in support of an amazing cause: survivors.org.

We invite you to an engaging evening of wine, cheese and lively conversation around Cory Doctorow's ***Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What To Do About It,*** a book which explains the process of the “enshittification” of digital platforms over time and what to do about it. **From Goodreads:** Cory Doctorow's *Enshittification* takes a witty yet incisive look at the tech landscape, where platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Google start off great—before they inevitably turn terrible. In this contemporary moment of digital decline, Doctorow explores how tech giants lure users in with convenience and then degrade their services over time, squeezing profit at the cost of user experience. With a mix of sharp humor and deep insight, he unveils the slow creep of "enshittification," turning the online world into a worse place, one algorithm at a time. As always, please feel free to join even if you have not finished the book - no stress :-) All attendees are asked to please bring one of the following: 1. A bottle of wine 2. Cheese and Crackers 3. An alternate beverage or nosh of your choice Host will provide glasses, wine opener, plates & napkins. To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends. 📚 Exciting Updates for 2026 Book Club! 📚 Starting in January 2026, we’ll be implementing a new system for book recommendations that will make our reading selections even more collaborative and engaging! **Book Recommendations:** From January through October, members can submit book recommendations at each meeting, via email, text or Meetup DM. All suggestions will be added to a shared Google Sheet, which will include links to Goodreads and other pertinent information for each book. [LINK to 2027 BOOK LIST](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18AC_FH9bGGxyH6v7Rw36EvPtKtVl5e_N/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102804280893316002961&rtpof=true&sd=true) **Voting for 2027 Reads:** Our voting for next year’s book selections will take place during the November 2026 meeting. Members in attendance will have the opportunity to cast 12 votes for their favorite picks. If you’re unable to attend the November meeting, you can still participate! Simply submit 6 votes via email, text, or DM through Meetup before the start of the November meeting. **Announcement of Selections:** The chosen books for 2027 will be revealed at the end of the November meeting. We’re excited about this new process and can’t wait to see the amazing book recommendations you all have! 📖✨ PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTEND WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join us. In the event you do not communicate and are a no-show, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding. If you are unable to join us in April, we hope you'll remain interested and join us for an evening in the future. Looking forward to wine & cheese with you soon - happy reading!

*Damian McCarthy, 2026 - horror* Adam Scott is no stranger to scares (have you seen Krampus??) but now he's a writer visiting an Irish inn, which is a totally normal place and not creepy or haunted at all! From the writer and director of Oddity and Caveat, if that gives you any more clues about the vibe here. I'm already scared. Sitting in H11 at the 7:15 Hoffman showing. We'll meet up at Atlas about an hour before showtime - outside if the weather is nice! I'll post in the comments what I'm wearing so people can find me. People can go in whenever depending on your trailer appetite, and after the movie we'll congregate outside of the room. Tickets and more info at [AMC](https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/hokum-82191/showtimes?date=2026-05-01).

Meet in the parking lot of the Handy Bikes Service Center. At the start of each ride, we'll go over introductions to have a sense of participants' cycling experience. Over the course of our rides, we'll address the following: group riding dynamics; safety (ABC check & trail hazards); gear shifting; hill climbing; audible and hand communication within the group, with other trail users, and automobile drivers; what to bring on each ride; etc... Bring your questions, water & a snack. When it starts getting dark earlier, we'll need lights as well. Helmets a MUST. If you can, and especially if you've had issues with your bike, come a bit early to have it looked at ahead of the ride. PS - all levels are welcome to join, however, be mindful that if you are an experienced rider, please be prepared to ride at the pace of the newest rider in the group. Each week, depending on who's in attendance, and participants' riding ability/comfort level, we may do skills practice as a group in the parking lot or at the west end of Wheeler Ave. Once everyone is comfortable, we'll go for a ride on local trails and neighborhood streets and finish back at the shop. Happy Pedaling !! \~Maya

Magic The Gathering Booster Draft Prizes based on participation 15$ Entry Fee

Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you knew Del Close on a personal level, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup** for some fun and games! The idea behind improv is to create entire scenes from scratch based on a suggestion from the audience. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway*, *ComedySportz*, or *Wild 'n Out*; it could also be done to tell stories, like *Middleditch and Schwartz*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and free!) weekly comedy event, brings the games (and occasionally different forms) for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and make friendships that'll last a lifetime! Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "Yes, And" that you'll have fun!

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** 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 And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** 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. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

How to be a Better Communicator Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024