Literature

For our second meeting, we’ll be discussing Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy — a gripping and atmospheric novel that blends mystery, nature writing, and climate fiction. About the book: Dominic Salt and his three children are the caretakers of Shearwater, a remote island not far from Antarctica that houses one of the world’s largest seed banks. As rising sea levels threaten the island, they are among the last inhabitants left, preparing to move the precious seeds to safer ground. During the worst storm the island has ever seen, a mysterious woman named Rowan washes ashore. As the family nurses her back to health, their suspicion slowly turns into connection. But Rowan is hiding the truth about why she came to Shearwater—and soon she discovers that Dominic may be hiding secrets of his own. As powerful storms gather around the island, they must decide whether they can trust one another enough to protect the seeds in their care—and whether they can leave the tragedies of the past behind to build something new together.

We'll be discussing Bezoar And Other Unsettling Stories by Guadalupe Nettel and choosing the next book. This is a short book so you may also read My Friends by Fredrik Backman.

[English below] Chèr(e)s membres, Vous êtes chaleureusement invité(e) à vous joindre à nous pour notre prochain événement au sein du Waterloo 30+ Social Networking Group ! **Date :** Samedi 25 avril 2026 à 19:30 **Lieu :** Le Bar de L’Amusoir, Chaussée de Bruxelles 121, Waterloo, BE 1410 (www.baramusoir.be) Venez nous rejoindre pour une soirée décontractée où vous pourrez rencontrer d'autres membres du groupe, discuter, rire et peut-être même vous faire de nouveaux amis. C'est l'occasion parfaite de sortir, décompresser et profiter de la compagnie de personnes partageant les mêmes centres d'intérêt dans une atmosphère conviviale. Nous espérons vous voir nombreux à cet événement pour partager des moments agréables ensemble ! Veuillez confirmer votre présence en indiquant votre participation sur notre groupe. P.S. l’entrée du Bar de l’Amusoir se trouve derrière l’arbre, à droite de l’entrée du restaurant de l’Amusoir, ne pas emprunter l’entrée du restaurant. Des places de parking gratuites sont disponibles au niveau du rond-point derrière la magasin Zara (en surface et souterrain). P.S. Le bar de l'amusoir n'accepte pas les additions séparées, prévoyez en fonction. Michel \*\*\* [English] Dear members, You are warmly invited to join us for our next event at the Waterloo 30+ Social Networking Group! **Date**: Saturday April 25, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. **Location**: Le Bar de L’Amusoir, Chaussée de Bruxelles 121, Waterloo, BE 1410 (www.baramusoir.be) Come join us for a relaxed evening where you can meet other members of the group, chat, laugh and maybe even make new friends. It's the perfect opportunity to get out, unwind and enjoy the company of people sharing the same interests in a friendly atmosphere. We hope to see many of you at this event to share pleasant moments together! Please confirm your presence by indicating your participation in our group. P.S. the entrance to the Bar de l’Amusoir is behind the tree, to the right of the entrance to the restaurant de l’Amusoir, do not take the entrance to the restaurant. Free parking spaces are available at the roundabout behind the Zara store (surface and underground). P.S. The Amusoir bar does not accept separate bills, so plan accordingly. Michel

📚 Book Club Invitation: *Jesus and John Wayne* by Kristin Kobes Du Mez For our next meeting, we’ll be discussing *Jesus and John Wayne*, a thought-provoking book about how religion, culture, masculinity, and politics became deeply intertwined in modern evangelical America. Kristin Kobes Du Mez explores how certain ideals of strength, leadership, and nationalism came to shape a religious movement and what that has meant for faith, society, and public life. If you’re interested in questions about religion, power, identity, and culture, this book offers plenty to reflect on and discuss. 📅 Date: Saturday, 25 April ⏰ Time: 11:30 📍 Venue: Carpe Diem, Avenue de Tervuren 13, 1040 Brussels Expect an open and engaging discussion in a relaxed setting, with good coffee and good company. As always, you’re welcome whether you finished the book or just want to join the conversation. Those who wish can stay for lunch afterwards. 🏡 Book Club Home Rules 1️⃣ You’re welcome even if you didn’t finish the book. 2️⃣ We listen to understand, not to win. 3️⃣ Curiosity, respect, and openness come first. Looking forward to another lively exchange of ideas. 📞 Questions: 0474.60.83.70

FOREST PLAY (10h-12h) The Forest Play - sessions are inclusive, nurturing and natural reconnecting events, focussing on restoring or replenishing energy, the sense of joy and personal perspective by interacting (and playing) with nature's healing elements. Combining tension-releasing stretches, easy flow-restoring exercises (using trees, branches, logs, stones, hills...), doing silent or touch meditations and playful authentic relating games, we're able to get in touch with our inner-child and start to feel free, open-hearted, unassuming and adventurous again, bringing back the joy and vitality we all carry deeply within, but often believed to have been lost. Our hearts gradually open and start reconnecting again. The 2h-sessions focus on gradually increasing physical resilience, but include emotional and energetic aspects as well to restore general holistic balance in body, mind and spirit. There is no competitive stake to it, there are no extremes or high-intensity actions involved. But we do play gently with our personal comfort zones, sliding in and out, at times challenging our personal beliefs, convictions and limitations. These edges are where the real learning takes place, so take note. The sessions have powerful therapeutic value. They are developed, customised and guided by specialised trauma therapist Ken Christiaens. All exercises, while feeling light and fun, have a foundation in trauma and tension-releasing therapies, with elements of inner child work, constellations, reiki, NLP, somatic work, role/game play and meditation. Nature's increased healing potential (forest bathing) is fully being harnessed here. For more info on the therapeutic practice of Ken, please visit: www.nieuwegrond.be PRACTICAL The Forest Play-session starts at 10h sharp and ends at 12h. It costs 18e to participate. Meeting and end-point is always Parking Forest Playground Everzwijnbad, Weertsedreef 8-10, Oud-Heverlee (please read location description well, Google Maps can be a bit tricky). You actually might get a bit dirty and sweaty at some point, please prepare for outdoor nature workout: sporty shoes with ribs, sporty clothes, maybe a small towel (feet might get dirty or wet) or anything you feel comfortable with. Regarding the payment: You will be asked to transfer 18e to Ken's account beforehand or bring it on the day itself. Your participation is only confirmed if you have confirmed the payment as well. The event will be cancelled only when the weather really doesn't allow it. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask via personal message. We hope to see and connect with you there!

[This is a paid event and sign-up via the website is obligatory](https://www.wordcraft-collective.eu/courses/the-unit-and-the-whole%3A-how-to-construct-your-poetry-pamphlet). After running this very successful workshop in autumn 2025 we are running it again for those who might have missed out the first time. In this workshop we will explore how to bring together a group of poems to produce a pamphlet or book. We will explore the notion of the poetry pamphlet versus full collection in terms of the function and purpose of each and how they operate. We will think about structuring a body of work, how to sequence poems and what the organising principles might be. How does the placing of poems together change or enhance the poem? How do we build on and around key themes? We will look at examples of published pamphlets and books to consider how and why authors have brought poems together in the way they have, identifying the choices and opportunities available to poets. Participants are encouraged to bring along their own poems or projects in progress to discuss with others in the group. This workshop is run by poet Paul Stephenson, who has published three poetry pamphlets and one collection.

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @MIR Concept Coffee Store! Saturday, 25 April 2026, from 10:00 - 13:00. MIR opened its doors about 4 years ago, right off Place Jourdan. Doriana, the owner, is a super nice host, and is excited to have our group as her café. The café is very beautiful and has great coffee, and many yummy food options. Their Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/mirconceptstore/ **The address is:** MIR Concept Coffee Store Rue Gray 4A 1040 Etterbeek *** 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 gallery, it's either on the right-hand side or left-hand side of its hallway, depending which entrance you take. 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==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **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:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * 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!**

Hello, readers ! In April we are reading The Hour Of The Star by Clarice Lispector . We will meet at Maison de Quartier Malibran, Rue de la Digue 10, 1050 Ixelles. **Please keep your RSVP up to date** and happy reading!

Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !

Dear WWs, On this Sunday we will walk in the area of three natural areas. Our meeting point is close to Chalet du Laerbeek where we can enjoy after our walk. We will start at 10:00AM, if you are late, please contact me in order to catch up with us. If there are any problems, you can call or WhatsApp Jing at 0486484016 Please wear proper hiking shoes and clothes depending on the weather condition. It might be muddy at some parts. Meeting point: 50.8841920, 4.3025140 if you have any problem. Please update your RSVP as earlier as possible in case there are people in the waiting list. This hike is a public transport accessible event.

Common Ground Book Club
An in-person reading group exploring critical theory, from the Frankfurt School to contemporary thinkers. We’ll read books and essays, and our discussions will focus on society, power, and modern phenomena: from politics to media and social trends. 
Fifth Meeting
We will discuss “The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere” by J. Habermas: https://allen-webb-wmu.github.io/website/habermas.pdf
 Who is it for?
No prior philosophy or theory background is required, just curiosity and a willingness to engage. I (the organiser) am not an expert; I just seek other kind souls who want to exchange thoughts ✨ 
Format
• Readings may be short essays, selected chapters, or full books.
• Each meeting begins with a short recap/introduction of the text.
• Open, informal discussion.
• Everyone is encouraged to bring a passage or question they found interesting, confusing, or provocative.
• Language of discussion: English.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please reach out on Meet-up :)

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.

We will be walking through the forest for a little over 1 1/2 hours, silently, just noticing the world around us and inside us. The idea is to experience the magic of a different type of walking, The invitation is to slow down and notice what is going on inside you and around you. Very often people experience a closer connection with nature and with self, with sometimes surprising insights. *Please make sure you are fit enough to go the 4.5 km distance. We will be walking slowly, but we will not take any breaks.* We will be meeting at the Hermann Debroux Metro at **14h**. (Exit straight ahead after leaving the platform--on the Loxam side). If you RSVP as coming, please be on time. We will be starting our walk from there 5 min. after the hour sharp. There is the renovated Maison de Prieur at the exit of the forest where we could gather for a drink or a meal after our walk, depending on what you feel like. Looking forward to an inward adventure? Come and join us on **Saturday, April 25, at 14h** My phone number is 0472 92 11 76, in case you need to communicate with me.

**PLEASE READ THE ATTENDANCE POLICY (below) IF IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME** **SUNDAY COFFEE & JAPANESE CONVERSATION** 日曜日のコーヒー＆日本語会話 Our "Japanese/English Conversation Exchange" offers you a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Japanese culture and language, all while helping native Japanese members to learn their target language. 私たちの「日本語/英語会話交流」は、日本の文化と言語の世界に没頭しながら、ネイティブの日本人メンバーが英語、フランス語、またはオランダ語を学ぶのを手助けするユニークな機会を提供します。 **Date: /** 日付：**(almost) every Sunday** **Time: /** 時間：**from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm** **Location: /** 場所：**Cafe Caberdouche - Place de la Liberté 8, 1000 Bruxelles** **Venue Note: /** 会場の注意：**The manager of the cafe kindly accepted us to book a table on a regular basis. To thank him for his kindness, please order AT LEAST ONE DRINK**. カフェのマネージャーが親切にも私たちに定期的にテーブルを予約することを承諾してくださいました。その親切に感謝の意を示すために、少なくとも1杯のドリンクを注文してください。 **Location Assistance: /** 場所の案内：**If you can't find us, ask one of the waiters. They know where we are :) You can also send us a message.** 私たちを見つけられない場合は、ウェイターの一人に尋ねてください。彼らは私たちがどこにいるか知っています :) メッセージも送っていただけます。 **Event Agenda: /** イベントのアジェンダ： * **4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: JAPANESE CONVERSATION** \- Join us for the Japanese conversation and cultural exploration\. Beginners are welcome / 日本語会話 \- 最初の30分は日本語の会話と文化探求に充てられています。初心者も聞くだけでも歓迎です。30分後に参加しても構いません。多言語交換 \- ベルギーの多様性を体験し、ネイティブの日本人メンバーが英語、フランス語、またはオランダ語を学びたいと熱心に待っています。さまざまな言語で異文化交流の会話に参加しましょう。私たちの日本の友人にベルギーの文化、伝統、生活を紹介しましょう。 * **6:00 PM: EVENT CONCLUSION** \- Please respect the event's start and end times to maximize your language exchange opportunities\. Your participation and enthusiasm are appreciated\! イベントの終了 \- イベントの開始時間と終了時間を尊重して、言語交換の機会を最大限に活用してください。参加と熱意に感謝します！ **Attendance Policy: --->** 以下の日本語 * We're excited to have you join our events and appreciate your commitment to learning and growing together. To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for all participants, please take note of our attendance policy: 1. **Punctuality:** Please arrive on time for scheduled events. Late arrivals can disrupt the flow of the event and may miss important information. 2. **Language Commitment:** If you sign up for language-specific sessions, such as Japanese conversation or language exchange, we kindly request your commitment to actively participate in that language for the designated duration. 3. **Respect:** Treat fellow participants, organizers, and cafe staff with respect and courtesy. Harassment or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. 4. **Removal Policy:** A participant who is not respectful towards other members will be removed from the group and blocked, with no warning. This point is not negotiable. 5. **Cancellation:** If you are unable to attend an event you've registered for, please let us know as soon as possible. This helps us plan accordingly and allows others to take your place if there's a waitlist. 6. **No-Show Policy:** Three no-shows (failing to attend without prior notice) may result in restrictions on event registration to ensure fairness to other participants. By attending our events, you agree to adhere to these guidelines. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can learn and connect. Thank you for being part of our community! **出席ポリシー：** 私たちは、イベントに参加していただけることを楽しみにしており、皆さんが一緒に学び成長することに取り組んでいただけることを感謝しています。すべての参加者が生産的で楽しい経験をするために、出席ポリシーにご留意ください： 1. 時間厳守：予定されたイベントには時間通りにお越しください。遅刻はイベントの流れを乱し、重要な情報を見逃す可能性があります。日本語のみのセッションは午後4時、全言語のセッションは午後4時30分開始です。 2. 言語へのコミットメント：日本語会話や言語交換など、特定の言語のセッションに登録された場合は、その言語での積極的な参加をお願いします。 3. 尊重：他の参加者、主催者、カフェのスタッフには敬意と礼儀をもって接してください。嫌がらせや迷惑行為は許容されません。 4. 退場ポリシー：他のメンバーに対して敬意を持たない参加者は、警告なしにグループから削除され、ブロックされます。このポイントは交渉の余地がありません。 5. キャンセル：登録したイベントに参加できない場合は、できるだけ早くお知らせください。これにより、他の人があなたの代わりを取ることができます。 6. ノーショーポリシー：事前の通知なしに3回のノーショー（欠席）がある場合は、他の参加者に公平になるようイベントの登録に制限がかかる場合があります。 私たちのイベントに参加することで、これらのガイドラインに従うことに同意するものとします。私たちはみなさんが学び、つながることができるように歓迎される包括的な環境を作り出すことを目指しています。コミュニティの一部としてご参加いただき、ありがとうございます！ **Note: Please stay tuned to our event page for updates and schedule changes. We can't wait to see you there and exchange languages, cultures, and stories!** 備考：更新やスケジュールの変更については、イベントページをご覧ください。そこで皆さんにお会いして、言語や文化、物語を交換できるのを楽しみにしています！

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

"The SOB is a ballet dancer. He’s the best ballet dancer that ever lived, and if I get a good chance I’ll kill him with my bare hands." - W.C. Fields In *City Lights*, Chaplin's Little Tramp meets a blind girl selling flowers who mistakes him for a wealthy man. When he learns that an operation may restore her sight, he sets off to earn the money she needs to have the surgery. He also befriends an alcoholic millionaire who only recognizes him when he is drunk. When the blind girl and her grandmother fall behind in the rent and face eviction, he tries working and even enters a boxing competition to raise the money they need. Regarded as Chaplin's masterpiece, *City Lights* has been ranked on more than seventeen "100 greatest movies of all time" lists. Orson Welles cited it as his favorite picture. *City Lights* is available for streaming on Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBOMax, Tubi and PlutoTV. The Columbus Library lists three copies on blu-ray and eight copies on DVD. Watch the movie on your own, then join us upstairs at East Market to discuss the film. If you want more, *Unknown Chaplin* is a three-episode lost-footage documentary available on Youtube. It covers his time on *City Lights* beginning at the twenty-six minute mark of episode two: https://youtu.be/f8960Uc15hI?t=1558

Join WQC on April 25th from 11am-1pm at Inniswood Metro Park for a Nature Photo Walk. All types of cameras welcome! Let's enjoy spring to the fullest... 🌻🌼🌷🐤

Join us for a Fun Friday event as we get together to see the long-awaited sequel to the 2006 original, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2! Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci all return for this follow-up that finds the former assistant is now a rival! Here are details, a trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: The film follow’s Miranda Priestly's struggle against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amidst declining print media. The film is directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna (who wrote/directed the 2006 original). It stars returning cast members Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci along with newcomers Justin Theroux and Kenneth Branagh. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9HXmMnUEdE PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 30 minutes before showtime. Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater but early arrival is advised. Be sure to mention you’re with the Movie Group for admission/concession discounts. And make this a true Fun Friday by joining us after the show for the best part of the night – food and drinks at the nearby Rusty Bucket! Complete details, including showtime, will be confirmed/announced as the date gets closer. Should be a fun one, Dan