Literary Criticism

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. 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! 📖

Looking for referrals that are actually interested in working with you? Join us for lunch and meet our team! We want to hear about your business and what kind of new customers you are looking for. You will have the opportunity to tell us all about what you need. Our speaker this week is Kristoffer Tovar /Customer Development, Landscapes by Terra. Kris offers a wide range of solutions to make your outdoor space exactly what you want it to be...and makes sure to make it happen. All visitors are welcome. Any questions contact [pmarchio@farmersagent.com](mailto:pmarchio@farmersagent.com)

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

A classic Italian road comedy that was so good the film ministry recognized it as "culturally significant." Starring Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant, the film shows that for young men in love the rules of the road are only suggestions. And the rules for love? Hey, this is an Italian picture! Oh to be young and filled with joie de vivre or la dolce vita. A french/italian fun filled movie with a surprising twist at the end. Do you have a fun memory from your youth?

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Our Fun Friday event just got better! Our event has been expanded to include your choice of TWO great films: EPIC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT or SCREAM 7! EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT is directed by Baz Luhrmann and uses rare and previously unseen interviews and videos of Elvis in concert to create “one of the most exciting concert films you’ve ever seen!” SCREAM 7 assembles previous cast members and great newcomers for the next chapter of one of the most reliable horror franchises! In this film, a new Ghostface killer emerges with the daughter of Sidney Prescott becomes the next target. Here are details, trailers and our plan for this event: EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT uses rare and previously unseen interviews and concert footage to create “one of the most exciting concert films you’ve ever seen!” In addition to the stellar reviews, the film was runner up for the People’s Choice Award for Documentaries at the Toronto Film Festival. The film is earning a Certified Fresh 95% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes (and a 99% positive rating audiences)! The RT site declares, “Resurrecting Elvis Presley at the peak of his showmanship, Baz Luhrmann's truly epic concert documentary restores some joy into The King's legacy.” Film Threat adds, “The most beautiful thing about EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is that in connecting us so intimately to the man and showing him in all his complexity, Luhrmann cuts through the baggage we bring and gives us a fresh look at one of the most fascinating and accomplished musicians who has ever lived.” TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmqWusmzp0k SCREAM 7: This is an opening night showing of next chapter in one of the best and most reliable horror franchises! In this film, Sidney Prescott has built a new life in the quiet town of Pine Grove, Indiana, until a new Ghostface killer begins to target her daughter, forcing her to face her past to end the killings once and for all. The stellar ensemble case includes Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Courteney Cox all reprising their roles from the previous films, along with Isabel May, Anna Camp, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor and Joel McHale! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHBPYVFd3Y PLAN: For the bite before the show, BOTH GROUPS meet in the Bar Area at BRAVO at 5:00pm. Should be pretty open, but keep an eye out for us and we’ll keep one out for you! For EITHER MOVIE, please purchase your ticket for the 6:30pm showing and meet in the lobby area between 6:10 and 6:20pm. Advance ticket purchase advised. Once you have yours please list your movie of choice and seat number in the Comments section of this event. Should be a fun one! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Coffee and conversation at [Stauf's Coffee Roasters](https://www.staufs.com/) in German Village. Street parking is free on Sundays.

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong

Columbus libraries: [https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3262835](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3262835) Location: [Knotty Pine Brewing](https://www.knottypinebrewing.net/) [Menu, scroll to the bottom](https://www.knottypinebrewing.net/menus-1) Book summary: Adunni is a fourteen-year-old Nigerian girl who knows what she wants: an education. This, her mother has told her, is the only way to get a "louding voice" -- the ability to speak for herself and decide her own future. But instead, Adunni's father sells her to be the third wife of a local man who is eager for her to bear him a son and heir. When Adunni runs away to the city, hoping to make a better life, she finds that the only other option before her is servitude to a wealthy family. As a yielding daughter, a subservient wife, and a powerless slave, Adunni is told, by words and deeds, that she is nothing. But while misfortunes might muffle her voice for a time, they cannot mute it. And when she realizes that she must stand up not only for herself, but for other girls, for the ones who came before her and were lost, and for the next girls, who will inevitably follow, she finds the resolve to speak, however she can--in a whisper, in song, in broken English--until she is heard

Join us as we get together to see the period drama / classic monster movie, THE BRIDE! The film is written/directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale in a new take on the classic tale, The Bride of Frankenstein. We'll be seeing this one on Thurs, 3/5 one day ahead of the film's opening on Friday. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein's creature asks Dr. Euphronius to create a companion for him. They give life to a murdered woman as "the Bride," sparking romance, police interest and radical social change. It is written, directed and co-produced by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qJkAXLfYM PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and we’ll meet inside the upstairs lobby between 6:40 and 6:50pm. Advance ticket purchase is advised (via Gateway website preferred). Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below! Pre-show bite at Cazuela’s next door at 5:30pm. Please arrive by 5:30pm and ask for the Movie Group! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Join us as we get together to see SIRAT, an Oscar-nominated Best International Film from Spain that follows a father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa. Here’s a description, trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: A father, accompanied by his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco while searching for his daughter who vanished months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. As their search continues, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. The film is directed by Oliver Laxe and stars Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona and Richard Bellamy. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-IXHXvS70 BUZZ & ACCLAIM: SIRAT has already won numerous awards, including 4 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, along with the Chicago, Montclair and Toronto International Film Festivals! It also earned a whopping 11 nominations at the 40th Goya Awards, including Best Film and Director, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound at this year’s Academy Awards. The film is earning a stellar 92% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes which calls it “an unforgettable exercise in tension” and “a brutal reminder that the journey can be more important than the destination.” PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will confirm/announce details as the date gets closer. Once showtime is confirmed, advance purchase (via GFC website preferred) is advised! Once you have your ticket, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

**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!**