Journaling

**F IS FOR FITZROY** (Some context if you're new. At the start of 2026, I floated the idea of using A-Z as inspiration for our monthly activities, and members have been enthusiastic and supportive.) **ITINERARY** 11am - Meet outside Blackcat Fitzroy (252 Brunswick St). Say hi, grab your caffeine fix. 11.15am - 12.30pm - Meander along Brunswick St. This is the unhurried part: we will stop in on bookstores, an art gallery, an artists' market, take photos of interesting street art (there are quite a few side streets notable for street art). **Stops (in no particular order):** The Brunswick Street Bookstore (305 Brunswick St) Through the Looking Glass (341 Fitzroy St) Brunswick Street Gallery (Level 1 and 2/322 Fitzroy St) Rose Street Artists' Market (60 Rose St) If your social battery is still holding up, we'll have lunch nearby. Otherwise, feel free to say you've had enough for the day. Always listen to your body! **Lunch Suggestions:** Tora Dumplings [Our Menu - Tora Dumplings](https://toradumplings.com/menu/) Naked for Satan (very popular and has a great rooftop space with views of Fitzroy and surrounds - if we can get a table!). [Naked For Satan - Naked Upstairs](https://nakedforsatan.com.au/upstairs) Mario's [Menu | Marios Cafe](https://marioscafe.com.au/menu/) P.S. There is an organizer fee of $10 for this event. Feel free to bring cash on the day or PayID to 0403 413 056 (Serena Low). Food and drinks are at your own expense.

**From Application to Match ✨** 🔗 [koikoi.com.au](https://koikoi.com.au/) \| 📸 [https://www.instagram.com/koikoi.australia/](https://www.instagram.com/koikoi.australia/) **💡 Easy 3-Minute Application** * **Step 1** \| Complete your quick 3\-minute profile on our official site\. 📝 * **Step 2** \| Our team carefully reviews your application\. 🔍 * **Step 3** \| Approved members receive an email with payment details and exclusive venue info\. ✉️ **🗓️ Event Day Schedule** **⏱️ Part 1. Registration & Orientation (15 mins)** * Welcome! We’ll provide a clear overview of the day’s schedule and our unique matching system so you can feel completely at ease. 🥂 **⏱️ Part 2. Private 1:1 Conversations (90 mins)** * Time to connect! Enjoy meaningful, one-on-one rotation talks, spending approximately 10 minutes getting to know each participant. 💬 **⏱️ Part 3. Matching & Selection Session (15 mins)** * Submit your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices. After the final count, matching results will be released, and newly formed couples will receive each other’s contact info. 💘 🚨 **Hurry, limited spots are left for our upcoming event!** Head over to [koikoi.com.au](https://koikoi.com.au/) and complete your 3-minute application today to secure your spot. ⏳✨ 💬 **Have any questions?** Feel free to reach out to us at **premoriau@gmail.com** or send us a **DM on Instagram!** We're always happy to help. ✨

This workshop is centred around a simple but often overlooked idea: life moves in seasons and growth does not come from constant output alone. Many of us have been taught to stay in motion, to keep pushing, producing, and progressing. But rest, pause, and recalibration are not setbacks. They are essential for expansion, clarity, and becoming who you are meant to be. When we ignore that, we do not move faster. We move out of sync with ourselves. Instead of focusing only on what you want to achieve, this session invites you to explore what your next season actually looks like. The pace, energy, and priorities that feel aligned for you right now. Together, we will move through guided prompts and facilitated discussion to reflect on where you may be forcing, overextending, or holding onto things that no longer fit. From there, you will bring those insights into form through a hands-on, artistic vision boarding session that is intuitive, tactile, and creatively freeing. This is a gentle but grounding space for thoughtful conversation, creative expression, and shared insight with like-minded women who are also learning to move in rhythm with themselves. No artistic experience needed! Just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to reflect. We'll have the essentials for vision-boarding (scissors, magazine cutouts and paper), but encourage you to bring your own materials as well (think anything extra sparkly and fun). **What to expect** * Guided prompts to explore your current season, your natural rhythm, and what feels aligned for your next chapter * Facilitated group discussion (with space to listen or share) * Physical, creative vision-boarding * A calm, supportive environment to reset and realign **Agenda** *10:00am* — Mingling & settling in *10:30am* — Facilitated group discussion with reflective prompts *11:00am* — Vision boarding (creative session) *12:15pm* — Sharing, reflections & wrap-up Leave with clarity, a sense of alignment, and a visual reminder of the season you are stepping into. **About your facilitator** This event will be facilitated by Nadi Pax (@findingnadi). Nadi is a writer, facilitator, and creator focused on identity, self-trust, and emotional safety. Her work explores how identity is shaped through survival, people-pleasing, and self-abandonment and how it can be consciously rebuilt through awareness, embodiment, and choice. Drawing from lived experience, psychology-informed frameworks, and years of self-inquiry, Nadi creates spaces that feel both grounding and expansive, where women can return to themselves and move forward with clarity.

**Beginner Dungeons & Dragons Night (No Experience Needed)** Play a fantasy story with a small group. Make choices. Solve problems. Work together. It’s fun, social, and easy because its hosted by a storyteller. **What is this Event** This is a beginner-friendly D&D game. You don’t need to know anything. Most people are new. We teach as we play. **Small groups (limited spots**) Tables of 5–6 players, we wont take anymore than this to maintain a high quality of participants. 12–18 total spots in total. If you see a spot you can make, take it. They fill. **What happens when you arrive** You don’t need to bring anything You’ll be seated shortly after you arrive Most people come alone You will not be the only one. **What you’ll do** Play a character in a fantasy story Make choices with your group Talk, explore, and solve problems Roll dice to determine your success and see what happens (usually shenanigans) Expect to share funny and memorable moments with the people in our network. **What you don’t need to worry about** You don't need to know rules new people won't slow the group down Don't need to bring anything We guide you the whole way (< why this works) **Who this is for** You work a 9–5 and want to meet new people after work or on weekends. You enjoy fantasy stories, books or games You want to try dungeons and dragons You want a curated story games night that will be the highlight of your week. **Frequently Asked Questions... 🕵️‍♂️** **Won't everyone else already know each other?** The only people who know each other are the Dungeon Masters leading each table. We don't allow groups to attend these nights, so at most there is a duo coming who already know each other. Everyone and you are super new to this. **Will I be the only girl at the event?** No, our events are generally 3:1 ratio, most tables I have seen are 2 girls and 4 guys. no promises on any individual night, but you'll find it doesn't impact your enjoyment. **I'm worried I might slow everyone else down?** Not true, pre-filled character sheets take much of the guess work out of learning the game, and the GMs have all taught tens to hundreds of people this game. *The only thing you'll want to remember is the "D20", a twenty sided dice is always used to resolve actions, whether it's picking a pocket, striking a wicked goblin or recalling history on a forgotten ruin.* *Ok, your basically ready now. seriously.* Don't believe me? Come and find out for yourself. **I'm worried I might be too old/too young for this?** so here's what you'll want to know. we usually see attendees anywhere from 19-49 years of age. normally it's 25-35ish as we often curate out events for young professionals and established professionals working locally. But I'll say this: if you get along with a mature audience of respectful people who can collaborate together - you're in for a good time. **Session** 3-hour(ish) game Run by experienced Dungeon Master 2–3 tables each nigh our game roster may include *Dawn's Call* – Heroic Thriller Adventure about Hope *Isle of the Grav*e – Mystery, and survival and fe *The Cost of Ascensio*n – Power, trust, and betraya **Before the event** You may get a message from the organiser Please reply to keep your spot **Attendance policy** Cancel early if you can’t make i No-shows or late cancels may lose future spot **Donation** We take small donations to support the event and our hosts **Dinner** Some of us like to hang out after the game for a bit, usually for eats and chats

**Description**: Join me to knit or crochet in the warm, friendly environment of Kindred Studios where we can share our skills and ideas. Knitters, crocheters and crafters of all abilities are welcome. The conversation is relaxed as we work on our projects together and it's a great way to make new friends. The Bass Note Cafe is within the studios and will bring great coffee and delicious snacks to our table. **Agenda**: I'll meet you at 10.00am inside Kindred Studios at the large table near the tiered seating. We have the space available until 12.00pm. **Location**: Kindred Studios 3 Harris St Yarraville Street parking is available nearby in Harris, Cowper, Hyde and Whitehall Streets. There are large red signs on the footpath to guide you to Kindred Studios. If you are coming by train take the Williamstown/Werribee line to Seddon Station. It's then about 10 minutes to walk to the Studios. When you RSVP please click attend on the Event Page and I will be in touch via direct message. I will also be available on the Events Comments page on the day. .

🌧️ DUE TO THE RAIN THE LOCATION HAS BEEN CHANGED TO BRUNSWICK LIBRARY ACROSS THE STREET!! 🌧️ Hello everyone 👩‍🎨 Bring any art supplies you like and a picnic blanket or chair. We will just be sat on the grass outside the main yellow building doing art together. If you aren’t sure what to draw the club has a weekly drawing theme, just ask me what the prompt is 😊 There is also a small cafe inside the building for those who want a drink while they draw ☕️ ✏️ We welcome all artists of any skill level or medium, Whether you’re a beginner or pro, traditional or digital, absolutely anyone can join. ⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️ Please do not attend if you are sick. I have multiple chronic illnesses so my immune system is extremely weak. Keep everyone safe by staying home if you are unwell. ☔️ If the weather changes there is a small cafe inside we can move into. —————————————————— Check out our instagram @shypeoplesdrawingclub to see more about our awesome group. We also have a Discord group for online events if you would like to join and chat with more artists. ✨

A painting that brings a person to tears. A banana worth 6.4 million dollars. A photograph ending a war. What is behind these phenomena? Please join us this Sunday to discuss the Philosophy of Art, where it comes from, what makes it powerful and why it is a universal across time and cultures. We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs, etc. There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. This event is also posted to the Philosophy Circle group. We will explore the topic through a range of questions, including: **What is Art?** * What comes to mind when we use the word ‘Art’? What are the categories of objects or activities that you would consider to be art? * Which of these are art?: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1_1nl2_GKbGzzSbXsRRsnAZlkmNVqWPjm **Emotion** * Is art a luxury or necessity in life? Is it essential to happiness? * Why is art so effective at making us feel powerful emotions, even when we know it doesn’t represent reality? Are these ‘true’ emotions, or somehow different / simulated? * Why do we sometimes seek our art that makes us feel sad? **Objectivity** * Is there such a thing as objectively bad art? * Are there intrinsic properties that make something aesthetic (beautiful)? Are they universal? * Are there objective standards of ‘taste’? Can one person be said to have better taste than another? If so, on what basis or criteria? **Value** * What gives art its value? Why do we consider replicas differently? Is naturally occurring beauty different to art? * What compels humans towards art? Is there an evolutionary / biological explanation for the seemingly wasteful expenditure of resources on outputs that have no practical function? **Creativity** * Are only humans able to appreciate art? * Are only humans creative? * Is there such a thing as something truly new, or is every idea or expression a recombination of existing inputs into a different configuration of outputs? * Can a machine be creative? If not, what is the constraint? * Could we ever regard AI-creativity in the same way as that of a human? Hope to see you there!

A painting that brings a person to tears. A banana worth 6.4 million dollars. A photograph ending a war. What is behind these phenomena? Please join us this Sunday to discuss the Philosophy of Art, where it comes from, what makes it powerful and why it is a universal across time and cultures. We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs, etc. There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. This event is also posted to the Socrates Cafe group. We will explore the topic through a range of questions, including: **What is Art?** * What comes to mind when we use the word ‘Art’? What are the categories of objects or activities that you would consider to be art? * Which of these are art?: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1_1nl2_GKbGzzSbXsRRsnAZlkmNVqWPjm **Emotion** * Is art a luxury or necessity in life? Is it essential to happiness? * Why is art so effective at making us feel powerful emotions, even when we know it doesn’t represent reality? Are these ‘true’ emotions, or somehow different / simulated? * Why do we sometimes seek our art that makes us feel sad? **Objectivity** * Is there such a thing as objectively bad art? * Are there intrinsic properties that make something aesthetic (beautiful)? Are they universal? * Are there objective standards of ‘taste’? Can one person be said to have better taste than another? If so, on what basis or criteria? **Value** * What gives art its value? Why do we consider replicas differently? Is naturally occurring beauty different to art? * What compels humans towards art? Is there an evolutionary / biological explanation for the seemingly wasteful expenditure of resources on outputs that have no practical function? **Creativity** * Are only humans able to appreciate art? * Are only humans creative? * Is there such a thing as something truly new, or is every idea or expression a recombination of existing inputs into a different configuration of outputs? * Can a machine be creative? If not, what is the constraint? * Could we ever regard AI-creativity in the same way as that of a human? Hope to see you there!

🌿 **Take a gentle pause this June as we connect, reflect and explore *Shades of Courage*.** SoulTime offers a welcoming space for **reflection, meaningful conversation and connection** in a peaceful setting overlooking nature. Sessions include gentle music, short readings from diverse cultures, faiths and perspectives, and open discussion around uplifting themes relevant to everyday life. This month, **we'll explore the many different ways courage manifests in our lives** \- from bold leaps of faith to quiet moments of inner strength\. 🌱 To help make SoulTime accessible for families, we are continuing our ***SoulTime Kids*** program! This is a parallel session for primary-aged children that runs while adults attend the main gathering, often exploring similar themes through their own creative, reflective and values-based activities. The kids' session is facilitated by a qualified primary school teacher or youth worker (with current Working with Children Checks). SoulTime remains open to everyone, regardless of background, beliefs or life stage. Light refreshments will be served following the group discussion. We hope you can join us! ☕✨

An opportunity to meet and walk in the Botanic Gardens before sharing a picnic. This is an event for those who loves plants and trees, literature, art, environmental history - the organisers are Michael, a landscape architect and heritage consultant with a vast knowledge of local plants and trees, and Lana, a visual artist and musician. We welcome neurodiverse minds, introverts, newcomers, plant lovers, those who care for insects and animals and growing things, who want to re-connect with the natural world as well as make likeminded friends and build a sense of community. We will meet at the Observatory Café, get coffee if we want to, walk in the Gardens and talk about the plants and trees, and then share a picnic. Don’t stress if you can’t bring anything for the picnic, as we will supply food.

Join me for a chill sketch session at Kere Kere Gardens. We’ll be meeting beside Cook’s Cottage at **11:00 am** before finding a suitable place to sit on the lawn. What to bring: \- Art materials\. \- Weather appropriate gear\. \- A picnic rug/towel to sit on\. See you then :)

Weather looks reasonable on Sunday. Participants are invited to join us for a walk and talk about science, philosophy, AI and emerging technology. **Schedule** * **10.30** am – Meet outside the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre (near the Observatory House, and a walk away from the Shrine of Remembrance) * **11.00** am – Venture into the gardens and walk the outer path anticlockwise, spiralling inwards towards the lake * \~1.00 pm – (optional) Lunch by the lake, (BYO or there are Terrace Café options) **Getting there:** If coming by **tram**, get off at Stop 19 - Shrine of Remembrance/St Kilda Rd **Parking** is free on Anderson St far side of the Botanic Gardens ([near eastern gate B and Tecoma gate C](https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/interactive-map/)) subject to time limits in some stretches (mostly 3 hrs) - which is the only free parking area near the gardens that I can find. Check signage on the day. See this [PDF for more detail](https://athsvic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Tan-Parking-Map.pdf). **Possible discussion topics** * Latest AI models - Anthropic's Mythos and Fable blocked after US bans foreign use * AI Pause / Stop - will it work? (Regulatory catch-up, xrisk, global-coordination & geopolitical arms races, enforcement & logistics, existing capability overhang) * Technical AI safety - Mechanistic interpretability, linear probes, RLHF, behavioural evals * General AI alignment approaches: control vs motivation: \- control \(External Constraints\) focuses on building walls *around* the AI to restrict what it can do, trip wires etc. \- motivation \(Internal Alignment\) focuses on changing the AI’s inner desires so it *wants* to be ethical/help humans/act in accordance with the well-being of all sentience * AI ethics: how is it related to AI safety? What should be the target for AI alignment? Should the target be aggregate human preferences, religious doctrine, moral naturalism or something else? * Metaethics and ethics * Moral realism: a stance-independent moral ontology, useful for capturing non-arbitrary moral choice * Moral anti-realism: error theory, non-cognitivism, moral relativism etc * Can AI be fault-tolerantly aligned to moral realism or anti-realism? * Is sentience required for moral reasoning or moral deliberation? Can it be a hindrance? * Moral progress and indirect normativity * AI safety, automated persuasion, the orthogonality thesis * How epistemics (including science) makes progress * Health, wellness, and how to live a good life * Latest trends in AI: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude * Economic impacts of AGI, automation, and unbounded inequality * UBI and universal wealth redistribution * The likelihood of future doom or utopia * Human augmentation and hacking human potential * Plato's cave * Fun theory and value theory "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking." - Nietzsche, *Twilight of the Idols* Philosophy discussions can feel quite sedentary - hence our experiment in cross-pollinating exercise with engaging discussion. Exerting mind and body together may produce a fascinating dynamic. A sedentary lifestyle (and, by association, philosophy) has been linked to depression, anxiety and chronic stress. Ease the anxieties of the armchair philosopher engaging in mental gymnastics with minimal muscle movement - join our raggle-taggle crew of aspiring philosophers walking the talk. Healthy body, healthy mind. Bring elemental protection (umbrellas, sunscreen, etc).

*‘Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die, so let us all be thankful.’* **Buddha** We experience pain in life but we are also given bad advice to forget about it. We are told time will heal. Well what if we understood how to heal ourselves by knowing the potential of gratitude? Can we do an alchemical conversion of our emotions back into joy? Based on her own book - ***The Alchemy of Gratitude,*** Amruta will take us through the ways we can find healing through energy transformation. **Amruta Joshi** is a Gratitude Coach and a Meditation teacher. She started Gratitude for Earth with her husband in 2020 during covid to help spread the awareness of gratitude as a mental health self-help tool. They conducted sessions on Meetups and in communities. They saw how instantly people's faces were lifted up by this simple practice. It led them to deep dive and create a whole community out of this. Inspiration drawn from so many people led to Amruta writing her very first book - The Alchemy of Gratitude which was published in June last year. The book contains simple techniques for a daily habit of gratitude along with the alchemical process of transforming our lower emotions into higher joy. **The MTS is committed to providing events that align with and further The three objects of The Theosophical Society:** * To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour. * To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science. * To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in the human being. However this being stated, the MTS does not endorse any health, spiritual, science-related, philosophical or theological /other assertions or claims made by any facilitator we host.

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Here is the secret of being positive and free: Thinking positively is not enough. You also have to get rid of the negative thinking. Your mind is like a garden. You can plant many beautiful flowers in it, but if you don't get rid of the weeds when you plant your flowers, the weeds will soon take over the whole garden. A positive thought is like a flower in your mental garden, and a negative thought is like a weed. You cannot expect to have a positive mindset if you continue to have negative thoughts dwelling and growing there. So, how do you get rid of the negative thoughts? That's what this Meetup is all about. Attend this local meeting and find out! The Meetup event will be led by a consultant who had helped many people live happier in life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.

[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations. If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!). **HOW IT WORKS** **Step 1: Bring a topic** Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event. **Step 2: Circle up & share** We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds. **Step 3: Walk, talk & float** We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!" **Step 4: Feel more alive** Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times. *For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)* **HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC** A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about. Recent topics include: * "What are you passionate about right now?" * "What makes a good friend?" * "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?" * "How do you want to be remembered?" * "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?" Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter. **WHAT TO EXPECT** This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.* But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here. **FAQ** * Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk! * We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space. * We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space. * Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know. * Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic! **LOGISTICS** * If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event. * This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs. * Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details. * If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋 **IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...** [The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up. * This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Welcome to Drunken Philosophy, a casual, curious, social discussion club. Come grab a drink and a seat at The Oracle. **Optional topic for this meetup: Where is everybody?** In 1950 the physicist Enrico Fermi was talking about aliens over lunch and asked a question that still has not gone away: if the universe is so vast and so old, and even a fraction of those billions of stars have planets, where is everyone? By the numbers the galaxy should be crowded with civilizations. Instead we look up and hear silence. That gap between "they should be everywhere" and "we see no one" is the Fermi Paradox. One of the most unsettling answers is the idea of a **Great Filter**: somewhere on the road from dead chemistry to a galaxy-spanning civilization, there is at least one step that is almost impossible to get past. Maybe the filter is behind us. Maybe life starting at all, or simple cells becoming complex, or intelligence ever evolving, is the freak accident, and we already cleared the hard part. Or maybe the filter is ahead of us, and advanced civilizations reliably wipe themselves out before they spread. Here is the part that messes with people. If we ever found life somewhere else, even pond scum on Mars, most people would call it the greatest discovery in history. But it might be the worst possible news. It would mean life is common, the early steps are easy, and the hard step is still in front of us. So the eerie silence overhead might actually be the best sign we could ask for. **Questions to wrestle with:** * Is it better to be alone? Would you rather we find alien life and learn we are not special, or find nothing and quietly improve our odds of surviving? * Where do you bet the filter sits, behind us or ahead of us, and why? * If it is ahead of us, what is it? Nuclear war, climate collapse, AI, something we cannot even picture yet? And can we do anything about a filter we cannot see coming? * Two principles pull opposite ways here. The principle of mediocrity (the Copernican principle, Sagan's "no privileged place in the universe") says we are ordinary, so what happened on Earth probably happened everywhere, which makes the silence scream louder. The anthropic principle says of course we find ourselves somewhere life was possible, since we could not observe anything else, so our being here may say almost nothing about how common life is. Which lens do you trust, and does the silence still demand an answer once you account for observer selection? * And if we did confirm life out there and had to accept we are not special, what would that do to belief in a higher power, and would shedding (or keeping) that belief help or hurt our odds of pulling together as one species? * Does any of this change how you live, or how humanity should be spending its time and money right now? As always the prompt is optional. Come for the conversation, stay for the drinks, and bring your own questions.