Personal Essay
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out personal essay events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the personal essay events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find personal essay events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Personal Essay Events Today
Join in-person Personal Essay events happening right now
Downtown Toronto French conversation exchange
This group is to discuss and practice our French . Everu
Downtown Toronto French conversation meetup — Sunday afternoon
Non-hosted event. If anyone is interested in hosting the group, send me a message.
**\*\*If you can no longer come to the meetup, please un-RSVP as soon as possible (i.e. not the day of) so someone else from the waiting list can attend\*\***
This is an informal conversation group for anyone wanting to practice / use their French and meet some new people. All levels are welcome, but having a conversational level is strongly recommended (and of course native French speakers are very welcome too!). / Il s'agit d'un groupe de conversation informel pour toute personne souhaitant pratiquer / utiliser son français et rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. Tous les niveaux sont les bienvenus, mais il est recommandé d'avoir un niveau de conversation approximatif (et bien sûr, les locuteurs natifs du français sont également les bienvenus !)
Nous nous rencontrerons dimanche, de 14h00 à 16h00, au foodcourt de Brookfield Place, qui heureusement a beaucoup de tables et garde la musique basse!
**+ Juste un rappel que ce groupe est un lieu d'échange détendu avec les autres dans un esprit de respect, de tolérance et de réceptivité à la multiplicité des cultures et des niveaux de français représentés. Merci de respecter ces principes en participant aux meetups.**
Local Social Host Sign-Up: Lunches, Drinks & Curated Experiences
**Want to help bring your city’s community together?**
We’re looking for local hosts to organize small group lunches, evening drinks, mixers, movie get-togethers and curated experiences.
**No experience necessary,** just a friendly attitude, some local knowledge, and a willingness to meet a few new people. After each event, we’ll send a short feedback form so we can improve and support you. The host will also be able to provide feedback so we can learn what worked and what didn't.
**[Click here](https://form.questionscout.com/6926c9ab87a828a5c11a79fc)** to apply and get started: if you’re selected, we’ll reach out for a quick screening call.
NEW LOCATION!! FREE Spanish, English, and French Oral Conversational Classes!
\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\*
\***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $18 and $36 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\*
These French, English (For Spanish and French speakers only), and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in a French, English, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!**
No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.
Single pet parents meet up
Just a safe space for pet parents (especially single pet parents) to share their experiences and support each other as a community.
Personal Essay Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Community Meal Service at Good Shepherd (Toronto)
**An opportunity to serve the homeless and those at risk as a group.**
During our recent sessions, we served meals, chopped veggies, made sandwiches, and helped prepare pasta. Each session is similar; however, tasks may vary depending on the need at hand (e.g., sorting food). *We had a great time serving together with lots of smiles and good energy.*
**Only 6 spots available. If you’re planning to attend, please RSVP to reserve your spot and help us plan.**
When you arrive at **Reception**, the staff will guide you to the volunteer room, where you can place your belongings in a locker and meet the group.
Below are simple guidelines from the Ministry on what to wear, safety, etc.:
**Guidelines (what to wear, safety, etc.):**
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1piAyloECv9YUDkPJuoJBdCmh3x8n1un1rGvJSFIkbs4/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1piAyloECv9YUDkPJuoJBdCmh3x8n1un1rGvJSFIkbs4/edit?usp=sharing)
**Good to know:**
* Closed-toe shoes are required.
* Tie back long hair; minimal jewelry.
* Please arrive 5–10 minutes early so we can start together.
* **If something urgent comes up and you can’t make it, please send a quick message when you can 🙏**
Grateful to serve alongside you.
The End of Year Dinner Party with Friends! (Cocktails and Conversations)
Hello everyone,
I'd like to invite you out to our **End of Year Dinner Party with Friends!**
-Reserved seating, friendly people, good conversation and great food awaits!
So please plan to join us if you can :)
\*Joined by my other groups too; so we can anticipate a fantastic evening
**Time: 6:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m.**
**Location:** La Carnita - Good Fortune Bar (Main Floor)
**Address:** 130 Eglinton Ave. Toronto, ON M4P 2X9
Event Details Bellow:
Sincerely,
Steve Flemming
(Organizer/Host)
Event Details:
**The End of Year Dinner Party with Friends! (Cocktails and Conversations)**
-The great thing about this dinner party is you're free to move around to different tables and meet the other members too throughout the evening
-A fun way to make new connections, enjoy a nice meal and share some laughs together
**Dinner Party Topics** may include but not limited too: Travel, Culture, Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Dating, Work/Life balance, Art, Technology, Economy, Music, Movies, Sports, Fashion, Hobbies, Books, Current Affairs, The Good Life, Psychology, Philosophy, the Future, History, Pop Culture, Theatre, etc.)
**Arrival Time:**
\*Join us any time between 6:30 pm and 7:15 pm (if you can) for a fun and highly interactive evening as we get to know the members over dinner and great conversations (of your choice)
Event goes until roughly 9:30 pm
**Event Fee:**
5 dollars (cash only please) (HST included)
or in advance by e transfer to **[steveflemming11@gmail.com](http://steveflemming11@gmail.com/)**
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**Friendly Reminder:**
\*One beverage or appetizer minimum to support the venue- this is greatly appreciated :)
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**Parking Available:**
\*Plenty of free street parking on Eglinton and (Residential area south/east of venue for free)
**Close to Subway Station:**
\*Also right beside the Yonge/Eglinton subway station
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In-Person Writing Sprints
Struggling with motivation and focus as you hammer away on your manuscript at home? Want to join a community of writers as we embrace the joys and pains (mostly pains) of writing together?
Bring your laptop, pen & paper, old-school typewriter, or futuristic writing gadget, and join an enthusiastic community of science fiction and fantasy writers as we work on our current projects in the same space. The format will be similar to our online writing sprints: 30-minute blocks of focused, quiet writing time (the sprints), interspersed with breaks where we can chat, ask questions, and share our writing experiences.
A day snow shoeing
who's up for a day snow shoeing.
up north we have snow.
bring your own food.
put "global tower road" into any GPS or phone it should bring you right to the parking spot.
High Park Forest Therapy Walk
Come join me for a walk created for those who are closing out the year with full hearts, heavy hearts, or uncertain hearts.
As we approach the end of the year, we will gather in the forest to reflect on the shedding what the Year of the Snake has brought.
Snakes grow through release, through letting go of what constricts, what no longer fits, what the body and spirit can no longer carry.
This year may have asked you to shed more than you expected.
On this walk, we will explore loss in all its forms:
— losing the expectations you once held
— losing insecurities you outgrew
— grieving someone you loved
— grieving versions of yourself you no longer are
— sitting with the lessons, the losses, the mistakes
— discovering the unexpected renewal that can only come through loss
This walk is an invitation to slow down and gently honour the truth of this year.
To acknowledge grief without trying to rush past it.
To notice the space that loss has opened.
To feel where new hope is beginning to rise, quietly, beneath the surface.
We will move through the forest slowly, letting the landscape guide us.
We will sit with what has been heavy.
We will honour what has fallen away.
And together, we will step toward the new year with tenderness, clarity, and the sense that we are ready for the next level of ourselves.
This is not a hike. It is a reflective, supportive forest therapy walk.
Adults only.
Please dress warmly and bring a blanket if you like. There will be tea served.
There is no car access to High Park on the weekends, there is parking on Bloor St and surrounding area. Be mindful of signage.
We will meet in front of the Grenadier Cafe inside the park. Washrooms accessible at the Cafe.
📍 200 Parkside Dr
We will begin at 2:30 PM promptly and finish by around 4:00 PM, ensuring full daylight and safe departure before dusk.
If you feel called to close out the year by honouring what was lost and opening to what is next, I welcome you to join me.
💫💫💫
Note:
I am a Certified Forest Therapy Guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. I am not a clinical therapist. By participating in this walk, you acknowledge that you are doing so at your own risk. Toronto Hiking Moms and its organizers assume no responsibility or liability for any injuries, losses, or incidents that may occur during this experience.
*NAME THAT TUNE* (Music, Treats and Memories) (Sunday December 28th)
Hello everyone,
I'd like to invite you out for a fantastic Sunday afternoon with **Name That Tune.**
A great way to make lots of new friends, share some laughs and enjoy all the best music that we love.
\*We will be joining my other social groups too, so we can look forward to a great turn out and great afternoon
**Date:** Sunday November December 28th
**Time** 4:00-6:30 pm
**La Carnita - (Main Floor)**
**Address:** 130 Eglinton Ave. Toronto, ON M4P 2X9
Free Parking on Eglinton on Sundays on North side of street :)
See below for event details:
Sincerely,
Steve Flemming
(Organizer & DJ)
Event Details:
**NAME THAT TUNE**
**(Music, Treats and Memories) (Sunday December 28th)**
-Everyone can play, all ages welcome!
-Teams will be formed in groups of 4-6 people
-New teams for each round will be formed so that we can all meet lots of new people
-Treats handed out to winning teams
-Lots of fun and laughter in store for all who come out
(Songs will include the various decades, past and present so everyone will have a chance to contribute and have a great time)
**Event Fee:**
10 dollars (Cash only please at the door) (HST is included)
or e transfer in advance to steveflemming11@gmail.com
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**Friendly Reminders:**
-Please arrive between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m.
\*Name That Tune will start shortly after that
(Invite your friends out too if you l
\*Plan to have dinner here if you like as the food is great!
\*Dinner Party after event at no extra charge as well :)
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**Dinner & Beverage Menu available too**
\*Includes reserved seating for the group
\*Beverage and/or appetizer minimum to support the staff and venue
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**Parking Available:**
\*Plenty of free street parking on Eglinton and (Residential area south/east of venue for free)
**Close to Subway Station:**
\*Also just a three minute walk east from the Yonge/Eglinton subway station
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Birkdale Ravine Walk
We'll be walking on the paved path of the Birkdale trail, passing through Thompson park and into the West Highland Creek. We'll walk a distance of ~7.7 km which we will be able to cover in about 1.75 hours, speed will be dependent on weather conditions.
Dress in your most outlandish Christmas garb, making sure to dress warm enough for the weather. Crampons might be necessary, so please have them on hand.
After the hike we'll go for coffee, at Coffee Time 2195 Midland Ave.
Our group will leave at the posted time, so please arrive early. Please cancel your RSVP if you can't make it.
Bring water and wear footwear comfortable for walking.
Required reading for you and your guests before RSVP'ing to all events:
1. [Liability Waiver and Group Rules](https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vR0LFNJVYn5j1AYl8eR63HjAxKMkRwg5ifKXqL3rP6Xl7v_Wcsx4xR_kNFluE3eILpSmP-EJ0OouQvT/pub) (updated 05/30/22)
2. When asked at RSVP time, indicate **\*Yes\*** if you agree to the question provided.
3. See general information about [Tick Safety](https://www.ontario.ca/page/lyme-disease)
Personal Essay Events Near You
Connect with your local Personal Essay community
Investing & Personal Finance Meeting
If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you.
We are a local chapter of Bogleheads, whose investment strategy can be found here:
https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy
Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here:
https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php
I look forward to seeing you there.
Mark Vonder Haar
Franklin Park Conservatory (and optional stop at East Market)
First Sundays are free admission at Franklin Park Conservatory. Sunday, January 4th, is also the last day The Palm House will be open before renovations begin. Let’s meet, enjoy a respite from January weather, and wander the gardens. Free neanthe bella palms are available to guests, beginning at 10am, while supplies last. Afterwards, we can visit the nearby East Market (212 Kelton Avenue).
Free In-Person Meeting: Get Over Losses & Betrayals, Build Lasting Relationships
This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Soul of an Octopus
We will be having an open discussion of the book "the Soul of an Octopus" by Sy Montgomery.
[this is the amazon link for this book](https://a.co/d/1bRn8h4)
In-Person Event: The Answers to Depression & Anxiety
This is an in-person meeting. At this meeting you will get answers to depression and anxiety. Find out the source of them and how to get rid of them.
Did you know that unwanted emotions like anxiety, depression, unhappiness, loneliness, hopelessness, anger, fear, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not due to a chemical imbalance in your brain from some nebulous chemical reaction "by chance".
Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you.
The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life.
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of 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 Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio and Church of Scientology of Central Ohio.
Humanist Program
Our January program is privileged to have Kristen Tregar as our speaker. Ms. Tregar is the co-author with John de Lancie (the actor who portrayed the character Q on Star Trek next generation) of a radio play depicting the events surrounding the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial. The trial decided the issue of some of the Dover school district board members attempting to insert creationism disguised as "intelligent design" into the 9th grade biology curriculum. She will discuss the trial and the process of writing the play. (Bob Leonhard has seen the play and it is riveting and tense). Ms. Tregar's bio is below:
Kristen Tregar is a dramaturg, director, playwright, and theatre teacher. She earned her Ph.D. in Drama and Theatre from the UC San Diego and UC Irvine joint program. In addition, she has a MS in Forensic Science from City University of New York- John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a MA in Educational Theatre from New York University- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. In 2013, in collaboration with Irish colleagues, she founded *The Ireland Project*, an intercontinental devised theatre work with high school students in New York and Tallaght, Ireland. Her original short story "Far From Here" was recently published in *Stay Awhile Longer: More Scenes From Temecula Valley*. She has two rescued dogs (Kira and Harry) and she rides, competes, and foxhunts with her horses, Andromache and Baker Street Irregular.
Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk.
Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online
Join Zoom Meeting
[https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1)
Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953
Passcode: 760812
One tap mobile
+19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York)
+13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC)
The formal presentation will start at noon




















