New Media

UPDATE: We did have to update the date and time to accommodate everyone! Please check the new time - 01/15 and 5:30p Calling all DMV Foodies! Join us for an unforgettable evening of international cuisine and social networking. This event is perfect for those new in town, looking to make new friends, and have a fun time exploring the diverse food scene in the area. Get ready to indulge in mouthwatering dishes, exchange recommendations for the best dining spots in the DMV area, and connect with like-minded foodies who share your passion for delicious meals and great company. Don't miss this opportunity to experience a culinary adventure while expanding your social circle in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Grab your seat at the table, and let's make memories over a fantastic meal together!

***In Person Location:*** Rockville Library, second floor meeting room (Collaboration Room 2). We are experimenting with a new virtual join link - [https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers](https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers) If you can make it in person, that's always recommended! We want to continue with full systems testing, after the powerline component repair - and overall just 'get back into it'. Let's resume repeated full end-to-end testing cycles and continue to iterate our design and resolution. Our community is building (and documenting for other teams) how to build a scanning tunneling microscope using a mix of common and 3D printed parts. This will allow us to scan and visualize a single atom - an ambitious we are doing over the course of a few months. The MoCo Makers community is one of the most innovative and competent groups in Maryland, and we've done everything from [publishing cancer research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136356/), to [launching products](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gotim/cozy-curvy-multi-contour-pillow), [winning grants](https://covidinfocommons.datascience.columbia.edu/awards/2014255), and inspiring thousands. Now our biggest challenge yet has appeared. We are building a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, that will allow us to scan and visualize single atoms. Does it sound hard? Perhaps.. However! I have every confidence that we are now operating at a level were we can take on this mean, cross-functional project. We continue to build on our past successes, and a key technology we previously applied was increasing the signal of small voltages using OpAmps - which we did during our custom pH Probe project - [https://www.mocomakers.com/ph-probe/](https://www.mocomakers.com/ph-probe/) \- That technology is exactly what we need to get this machine working\, and at a high precision\! To get a better idea of what we are doing, see our reference project here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g) All starting CAD, code, and reference files should exist. However, let's be the first Maker community to document the build process and share it with learners around the world. We have a bit over $2,000 in materials costs, so if you want to sponsor this project, and get banners at events with 20K attendees, and access to our email broadcast of 30K members, please contact matt@mocomakers.com We are also open to university, lab, or community partnerships so feel to reach out if you want to be part of this project. Together, we can do incredible things. ***In Person Location:*** Rockville Library, second floor meeting room (Meeting Room 2). To Join Virtually: https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers

Thursdays at 6:30pm Take 30 minutes at the end of your day to unwind and connect to your potential for inner peace. Suitable for everyone, these meditation classes offer guided meditations and practical advice for improving the quality of our mental peace. **Registration** Each class is available by drop in. **Standard:** $5 **\| [Member Pricing:](https://meditation-dc.org/membership/) Free** [Register Here](https://meditation-dc.org/thursday-night-rest-and-reflect/) Everyone is welcome to attend, no previous experience is required. **LOCATION** Kadampa Meditation Center DC 1200 Canal St\. SW \| Washington\, DC 20024 **Metro Stop:** Waterfront or Navy Yard

Join us for an evening of cutting-edge discussion at the intersection of **AI and Python**, featuring lightning talks from leading practitioners who are building the future of intelligent systems and developer tooling. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: [https://luma.com/w08cv6px](https://luma.com/w08cv6px)​​** **Schedule** * ​​5PM - 5:30PM: Pizza & Drinks * ​​5:30PM - 6:30PM: Talks from our speakers * ​Jeremiah Lowin - Founder & CEO, Prefect * ​Roni Kobrosly - Director of Data Science, Capital One * ​Adam Azzam - FastMCP * ​Banjo Obayomi - GenAI DC * ​​6:30PM - 8:00PM: Networking & Social Hour ​​Following the talks, stay for open discussion and networking with fellow Python and AI engineers. Whether you’re building AI-driven applications, exploring new frameworks, or working on developer productivity tools, this meetup offers practical insight from the teams defining the modern AI ecosystem. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: [https://luma.com/w08cv6px](https://luma.com/w08cv6px)​​**

• What we'll do On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy....

**Seeing Life Through New Eyes with Sister Dr. Jenna** ## **Join renowned speaker, Sister Jenna, at our new Brahma Kumaris location in Chantilly, VA for this powerful event!** ## ***See life differently. Live differently.*** In a time when many feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of how to move forward, this session offers a powerful pause and a fresh perspective. Seeing Life Through New Eyes invites you to gently step back from old narratives, emotional fatigue, and habitual reactions, and rediscover life through a lens of clarity, meaning, and inner strength. Guided by Sister Dr. Jenna, we will explore how your perception shapes your experiences, relationships, and sense of purpose. By awakening empathy, curiosity, and compassion. for yourself and for others, you’ll begin to see situations not as limitations, but as opportunities for growth and understanding. When perception shifts, stress loosens its grip, relationships open, and new possibilities emerge. This is an invitation to see differently, feel differently, and live with greater peace, resilience, and hope starting from within. ***Sister Dr. Jenna*** *is a spiritual mentor, author, radio and TV personality, renowned speaker, and the founder of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum located in Maryland. She hosted the popular America Meditating Radio Show and is a recipient of the President’s Lifetime National Community Service Award. Sister Dr. Jenna is a member of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle, a group of thought leaders from diverse disciplines in service to conscious evolution and was selected by Empower A Billion Women 2020 as one of 100 most influential leaders of 2015.* *She is the author of “[Meditation: Intimate Experiences with the Divine through Contemplative Practices](https://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Experiences-Contemplative-Practices-Sentience/dp/194502691X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3A4J9WRQ16QAJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.va3qPnUsFjEWH641OraGTqBHm8wDhdhrTu3hpjHufKo.7mA_AgIvDXQuQ9_Uu4ucZgQIOKmCfKb6yBHsIqamhPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Meditation%3A+Intimate+Experiences+with+the+Divine+through+Contemplative+Practices&qid=1753065633&sprefix=meditation+intimate+experiences+with+the+divine+through+contemplative+practices%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-1),” a profound compilation featuring insights from over 30 contributing authors and she contributed to “[Mr. President – Interfaith Perspectives on the Historic Presidency of Barack H. Obama,](https://www.amazon.com/Mr-President-Interfaith-Perspectives-Presidency/dp/1939774306/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38LXE3LGDPJ6C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lSb0fzkCXPXp-Gf4ReVNoA.5hIb1TKNvtmLu65w2R4-l13WjyXAzF-rRFtQzDsRTcg&dib_tag=se&keywords=Mr.+President+%E2%80%93+Interfaith+Perspectives+on+the+Historic+Presidency+of+Barack+H.+Obama%2C&qid=1753065692&sprefix=mr.+president+interfaith+perspectives+on+the+historic+presidency+of+barack+h.+obama%2C%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1)” offering her unique spiritual insights on leadership and unity.* Thursday, Jan. 15th, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Held at the Brahma Kumaris Center, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl, Suite 200, 2ndFloor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/wkJfe](https://shorturl.at/wkJfe)

• What we'll do Economist William Michael Cunningham on Podbeam Thursdays at 6 pm. https://www.podbean.com/

Join us for **[Judy’s Altered Minds](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**! Bring your fiber & mixed media show & tell; many members also enjoy making ATCs (**[artist trading cards](https://artisticartifacts.com/pages/judy-s-altered-minds)**) for exchange each month. **Come early to shop** (JAMs attendees receive a 10% discount on their purchases) — Artistic Artifacts is open Sundays 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. The JAMs meeting starts at 1:30 pm. New members are always welcome! A $3.00 contribution is requested at each meeting. JAMs members are art quilters, collage artists, art journal keepers, surface design enthusiasts, paper crafters, art doll/assemblage artists and more! All levels of expertise are represented, and all are welcome. During JAMs meetings, attendees gather support and encouragement for their art through show & tell and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends.

**$60/2\.5\-hour Class \| Class Limit: 5** Hamiltonian Artists Second Floor, Studio 2 [Registration Link ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://trishaart.com/classes/p/drop-in-classes&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw07rgL9h-rFd3JRP7l9BSDN) In this introductory course, students will learn the history of Indian woodblock before using the technique for themselves to create a printed piece of fabric from start to finish. I will demonstrate the process before allowing students the opportunity to ask questions and practice. Various examples of patterns and motifs will be shared with the group that they can emulate for their own projects. We will provide a handkerchief for the final project, but students are encouraged to bring their own light-weight cotton objects to use instead.

**Overview** Join us at Sahaja Yoga Meditation center Bethesda (Suite 108) in 2026 to kick off the New Year with a chill, mind-clearing journey! Kick off 2026 with a fresh mindset at the Sahaja Yoga Meditation Center Bethesda! Join us in person for an inspiring session dedicated to exploring your inner self and finding freedom from overwhelming thoughts. It's not just an event; it's a chance to start the new year feeling lighter and more focused. Bring your curiosity and leave with a peaceful mind! This program is part of a **3 week in-person meditation series** that introduces participants to **self realization and the fundamentals of Sahaja Yoga Meditation**. Across the three sessions, you will be guided through simple, practical meditation techniques aimed at helping you experience mental stillness, emotional balance, and inner awareness. The course is experiential rather than theoretical, making it accessible for beginners while offering depth for those looking to build a regular meditation practice. Participants are encouraged to attend all three weeks to gain the full benefit of this structured and progressive journey toward well being and inner peace. **FAQs** **What is the cost for the events?** All Sahaja Yoga meditation events, classes, and workshops are offered free of cost and are open to all. Just as one cannot pay nature to sprout a seed, in the same way, Sahaja Yoga is a living process that cannot be paid for. **What should I wear?** We do not have a dress code, but recommend any decent, comfortable wear or smart casual wear. **What do you typically do at a workshop or event?** Our events are varied and diverse ranging from music and meditation to cultural and spiritual exhibitions and other creative explorations. We offer meditation at all our events. Depending on the event, our workshop focuses on a particular topic and then we provide guided meditation and offer simple techniques to maintain balance. These techniques may include the use of elements such as water and light that make the meditative experience very enjoyable. We also have time for questions and individual queries and teach how to meditate at home at each workshop. **Do I need to bring anything?** No, you’re fine. Just walk in and enjoy the event! **I haven’t RSVP’d, can I still come for the event?** Yes, you can, although we recommend you Register to make sure we have seats for you. **I’ve attended a workshop. What next?** To take full advantage of your experience with meditation, the next step would be to attend any of our regular meetings as we offer ongoing classes. Consider that when a plant is given water, it grows strong and healthy. In the same way, meditation cleanses and harmonizes one’s being, so attending a weekly collective meditation is the best way to bring lasting peace and well-being. We still encourage you to attend our diverse events that may appeal to you. There is always something interesting going on, so keep stopping by or checking our website. **What is Sahaja Yoga?** Sahaja Yoga is a meditation breakthrough founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970 and is based on ancient principles for the modern world. It begins with the awareness of one’s individual energy called, ‘kundalini.’ Once the kundalini is awakened within, the process of meditation becomes effortless and spontaneous, and this leads to complete peace and balance in life. With balance comes lasting joy and well-being of mind, body, emotions and spirit. **Where can I attend a Sahaja Yoga event or class?** You can check this website for upcoming events. Our free classes are offered nationwide and internationally. For classes in the D.C. Metro Area (Maryland, Virginia and D.C.), please visit [local ](http://www.dcsahajayoga.org/weekly-classes.html "http://www.dcsahajayoga.org/weekly-classes.html")[classes](https://www.dcsahajayoga.org/ "https://www.dcsahajayoga.org/") If you’re looking for classes out of state or abroad, you may visit sahajayoga.org *Still have questions feel free to contact us at 469-616-9939*

First officer Ian will be leading us in some fun board games.

Step away from the constant buzz of notifications and into a space of stillness, clarity, and inner connection. In this immersive, in-person session, you’ll explore the spiritual art of digital detox—reclaiming your attention, deepening presence, and nurturing your soul’s well-being. Through guided meditation, mindful reflection, and interactive group activities, you’ll learn how to create healthy boundaries with technology and rediscover the simple joys of being fully present. Leave feeling lighter, recharged, and inspired to live with intention—online and offline. Saturday, Jan. 17th 1:00pm – 2:30pm. Held at the Meditation Museum, 9525 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD. Free Event.

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **This is a curated, small-group meetup make new friends in Washington.** Each meetup brings together 4–6 like-minded people for casual conversations over brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to organize and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com](https://groupvibe.com) Once you register, and **buy a ticket or become a Groupvibe member**, we’ll share the exact location and match you with your group. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier \* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics **Note:** RSVPs here on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. This meetup is organized by **Groupvibe**, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

Storytelling Open Mic at Library. Sign up list goes out at 1:30 p.m. Each performer will get 7 minutes to tell their story via Microphone. A true story. If you don't want to tell a story this time around, feel free to come enjoy the storytellers and relax. If you need to cancel, please change your status to "will not attend."

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. *The 5AM Club* by Robin Sharma explores how waking up early and following a structured morning routine can dramatically improve productivity, mindset, and overall life mastery. Through a blend of storytelling and practical frameworks, it teaches high performers how to build discipline, focus, and long-term success by owning the first hour of the day. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

Happy New Year, all! I hope it is a great one for all of us. Let's welcome 2026 together! Our next much-awaited **COLUMBUS** meetup is **Tuesday January 20** **from 7-10 pm at ACE OF CUPS**. Meet patients, cultivators, processors, dispensary managers/staff, physicians, home growers, educators, activists, nonprofits, artists, attorneys, business owners, writers, students, and supporters to network, share our knowledge, collaborate, support each other and make new friends! Hope you can join us! Save the date and pass the word. **Please RSVP** so we know who is coming and how many to expect. Find us to say hi and we will introduce you to others. We should be easy to spot. (The happy-looking group wearing cool nametags! See photos from our past events.) Sign in, grab a name tag, start your own bar/food tab, meet old friends and make new ones! Everyone is welcome. SEE YOU THERE!

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

Happy New Year Colleagues, The next Columbus Futurists public forum will be **Thursday January 15 at 12:00 pm noon** (eastern) [https://osu.zoom.us/j/93451873651?pwd=RXIyZ2t5RjRqRG02UGQ1aEFVQ1NFZz09](https://osu.zoom.us/j/93451873651?pwd=RXIyZ2t5RjRqRG02UGQ1aEFVQ1NFZz09) Please come prepared to offer your **"What if?" questions for 2026**. (I will offer seven to begin our conversation.) I also would like to announce the publication of my latest book: *[Anticipatory Biographies: Personal Histories of the Future](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-08912-0)*, the tenth volume in the “Anticipation Science” series. Grounded in design fiction, futures research, anticipation science, and scenario writing, *Anticipatory Biographies* envisions how the world will be reshaped by artificial intelligence, technological automation, climate change, political disintegration, and the decline of higher education. This work of creative non-fiction bridges literary and scholarly forms, blending biography and design fiction with research-based insights to offer a narrative-based method for exploring futures. Ed Finn, Director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University says: “In this book **David Staley has invented a delightful new genre: the future biography.** He invites us to step into gritty, thrilling, and inspiring futures elbow-to-elbow with the characters living those stories. *Anticipatory Biographies* beautifully synthesizes Staley’s training as a historian, his expertise as a futurist, and his desire to ignite the imagination of his readers.” Hope you'll be able to read it, and hope to see you all on the 15th. D. David J. Staley, Ph.D. President, Columbus Futurists 614.316.1348 [columbus.futurists@gmail.com](mailto:columbus.futurists@gmail.com) [http://columbusfuturists.org](http://columbusfuturists.org/) [https://davidjstaley.substack.com/](https://davidjstaley.substack.com/) 

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!

* Who Can Attend * The Central Ohio .Net Developers Group meetings are free and open to the public! All developers; professional, student, and hobbiest are welcome and encouraged to attend. * When we meet * The Central Ohio .Net Developers Group meets on the 4th Thursday of every month. * Where we meet * Please check our Meetup group link below for location details! * Join our Meetup Group * https://www.meetup.com/Central-Ohio-NET-Developers-Group-CONDG/