Postmodernism

We are a multi-disciplinary group of PhDs and academic staff who write together regularly and help one another to achieve our writing goals through supportive community, focus and a structure that works. We welcome anyone who wants to get some writing done in a collegial, supportive, encouraging environment. You don’t have to be from University of Melbourne (you don’t have to be from university at all!). We use the Pomodoro method, which means we write in timed intervals of silence, then chat and catch up for 5 mins and repeat the cycle. Arrive when you like, leave when you like. The goal is to keep our writing projects progressing and reduce the isolation that can be part of the academic and/or writing life. **Session Outline:** Welcome: 9.00-9.05 (5 mins) Pomodoro 1: 9.05-9.30 (25 mins). Break: 9.30-9.35 (5 mins) Pomodoro 2: 9.35-10.00 (25 mins) Break: 10.00-10.05 (25 mins) Pomodoro 3: 10.05-10.55 (50 mins) Break: 10.55-11.05 (10 mins) Pomodoro 4: 11.05-11.30 (25 mins) **A note about the format** We don’t host critiques or readings. These events are a safe space for writers of all skill levels and genres to work on their craft, so no one will read or critique your writing. For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://www.shutupwrite.com). **Other Important Details:** WiFi name/password: There is free public wifi available at the Melbourne Connect Superfloor (speak to the concierge for details). University of Melbourne staff and students can connect to the university wifi; staff and students from other universities can join Eduroam using their home institution's log in credentials. Travel / Parking info: Public bike parking along Swanston and Grattan Streets. Tram routes 1, 3, 3a, 5, 16. 16, 64, 67, 72 along Swanston Street (Stop 1) and 19 along Royal Parade (Stop 10). The nearest train station is Parkville Metro Station. Bus routes include 200, 207, 250, 251, 401, 402, 403, 505, 546. There is no public parking available at Melbourne Connect, however the area is well serviced by nearby public carparks, including Cardigan House Parking at 96 Grattan Street and the University of Melbourne Eastern Precinct Car Park at 375 Grattan Street. A taxi rank is located on Grattan Street.

The MLAI Meetup is a community for AI researchers and professionals which hosts monthly talks on exciting research. Our format is: * 6:00 - 6:20: Socializing * 6:20 - 6:40: Announcements and AI news * 6:40 - 7:40: Talk(s) and Q&A * 7:40 - 8:00 Networking * 8:00: Head to the nearest pub for dinner **Javier Candeira: "Work in Progress towards Nonaga Zero"** **Talk Description:** Viktor Bautista i Roca's Nonaga is a delightful board game. Google's Alpha Zero paper describes an architecture marrying Monte-Carlo Tree Search with a neural network model in order to win board games at a level above human mastery. Javier is working on an Alpha Zero-style Nonaga playing bot, and will be presenting us with his work in progress. Nonaga Instructions: [https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga](https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga) Talk overview: 1. The Rules of the Game (a reprise of February's presentation) 2. What is Monte Carlo Tree Search, and what flavour of it are we implementing? 3. From Alpha Go to Mu Zero: a brief literature review of Google's findings and how they apply to Nonaga Zero. 4. Status report and next planned steps on the Nonaga Zero project. 5. Q&A: Bidirectional questions and answers, as this is a talk where the speaker has questions of his own! **Speaker Bio:** Javier Candeira is a software engineer, entrepreneur, public speaker, conference organiser, and a lifelong student of way too many topics, including machine learning. **Mike Bailey: "VoiceMode: Natural Voice Conversations with AI Agents"** **Talk description**: What if you could talk with your AI thinking partner while walking the dog, driving, or wherever inspiration finds you? VoiceMode is a free and open-source tool that enables natural voice conversations with AI coding agents like Claude Code. Voice brings situational accessibility to AI — keyboard and screen become optional. You can discuss ideas, capture them, research them, and have them underway before you sit back down. Mike and his AI assistant Cora will present together in real time, covering: * How VoiceMode works under the hood (local Qwen3-TTS, Whisper STT, Kokoro TTS, MCP integration) * Live demo of natural voice conversations with an AI coding agent * Building an open platform that works with any AI agent — not just one vendor **Speaker bio**: Mike Bailey is a Melbourne-based developer and the creator of VoiceMode, a free and open source project that brings natural voice conversations to AI agents like Claude Code. GitHub: mbailey/voicemode (1.2k ⭐) PyPI: voice-mode (200k downloads)

This novel is set over two days in a bleak dystopian Hungarian town. The characters are superbly written and eerily familiar. The New Yorker calls The Melancholy of Resistance "comedy of apocalypse, a book about a God that not only failed but didn't even turn up for the exam." "Demanding" and "pessimistic" the reward comes from "its extraordinary, stretched, self-recoiling sentences, which are marvels of a loosely punctuated stream of consciousness". With page-long sentences and 30 page paragraphs the translator has pulled off herculean task of rendering this in perfect English. Although an effort, it sounds a rewarding read. Since starting this book club a few years ago we have formed a nice core membership. If you haven't come yet, please look out for the books on the table, pull up a chair, order a wine and join us. We like to hear what everyone has to say and enjoy the conversation, we're not cliquey at all! Oh, and to defray the Meetup monthly bill I will accept gold coin contributions or wine if you want to pay for multiple in one hit. I hope to see everyone again at this one with some new faces.

We are moving to a new platform and will be only running the new platform in 2025. please signup here: [https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers](https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers) The Wharf Hotel by the river. Southern Cross Station is closest. Ask at the bar to find us. Or call us 0403193785. Tonight's Social Evening Schedule: (Ideas welcome) 6pm to 6.45pm: Socializing​​ 6.45pm to 6.55pm: Introduction and overview of the evening by Jim including go-around introduction​​ 6.55pm to 7pm: A word from Mat our founder​​ 7pm to 7.10pm A paired connection question to get people talking with one another​​ 7.10pm to 7.30pm: Guest Topic: Lee is a very successful podcaster and has been both an interviewer and an interviewee on podcasts. He will provide an overview of the podcasting world and give advice on how to be a successful interviewee on someone's podcast. 10 mins talk. 10 mins Q&A. 7.30pm to 8.15pm: Readings section open to all to read out something from their work up to 4 minutes. Feedback optional.​​ 8.15pm to 9.30pm: Socializing. Optional. Many of us love this as a chance to connect personally in a screen-addicted culture. • Come out and meet some like-minded folks who enjoy writing and other entertainment and creative outlets. We'll hang around until at least 8.30pm, but often later. All age ranges, all writing types (and entertainment types), all the way from never writing and up to published authors. • This night is about you. So chat to people, read out your work, give feed back, get to know everyone... Or, feel free to sit back and chill. It's your night, enjoy it how you see fit. **Please only RSVP if you can make it.** **We're booking the area, so we will need you to turn up if you say you are coming.** **We have added an attendee limit, so please update your RSVP if you can not make it.** Thank you, Melbourne Writers. The Wharf Hotel food menu: https://www.wharfhotel.com.au/eat-and-drink Great Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelbWriters Website: www.worldwriterscollective.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelbCityWriters Blog: http://melbournewriters.wordpress.com **Help us by getting in contact so you can add to these social pages and site - matclarke.author@gmail.com**

Join us at Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre for a FREE fun-filled Walking Football Mixed Gender Session, brought to you by Walking Football 4 Health Victoria. This event is designed for anyone looking for a low impact sport to stay active, be part of a welcoming community, and most importantly have fun. Our friendly host, Mick, will be there to introduce you to walking football, ensuring a safe and engaging experience. Don't miss out on this opportunity to engage in sports, socialise, and promote a healthy lifestyle in a welcoming community environment. There is no cost for this program. Sign up now and be a part of this exciting Walking Football Session. If you wish to contact the organiser, Mick directly, you can do so on: 0430 163 550 Email: info@wf4hvictoria.org.au Website: [Walking Football | Walking Soccer | Walking Football 4 Health](https://wf4hvictoria.org.au/) Facebook: [Walking Football 4 Health Victoria Group | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/wf4healthvictoria)

Read reviews from past participants [here](https://www.greenhousecreativesanctuary.com/inclusivegrief) “Grief has never been private, it has always been communal. Subconsciously, we are awaiting the presence of others, before we can feel safe enough to drop to our knees on the holy ground of sorrow. For the most part, grief is not a problem to be solved, not a condition to be medicated, but a deep encounter with an essential experience of being human. Grief becomes problematic when the conditions needed to help us work with grief are absent.” - Francis Weller Our primary association with grief is the loss of a loved one but there are so many kinds of losses that don't have formal ceremonies that are important to honour. Unprocessed grief can accumulate in weight, dulling our senses and capacity for aliveness. This is a safe, supportive space for all shapes, sizes and textures of grief- for the loss of our loved ones, for the childhood we did not get to have, for the parts of ourselves that have been rejected and exiled, for friendships and relationships with ambiguous endings, for homes and communities we are distanced from and miss, for the suffering of the world and our fellow beings. This inclusive grief circle is also an advocacy for compassionate and attentive grief work, for reshaping our understanding of and relationship with grief. It is a holding space, a container, a time and a deep permission to acknowledge our emotions, our connections, the ways we have been touched and transformed, and our humanity. We will make art in response to the Grief Deck, share and witness each other’s stories and journeys, and co-create a group nature mandala together. **Please bring a jar and 8-10 similar natural objects (8 flowers or 8 sticks or 8 stones).** If you are facing financial hardship, please key in CONCESSION as a promo code for a discounted price of $25. If that is still difficult, please email me at greenhouse.arttherapy@gmail.com. No one will be turned away. **Please also note:** * This is an art-therapy informed community-based creative workshop, and is not intended to replace individual or group therapy, and is also not for emergency crisis support or intervention. * If you are comfortable with me taking photos of you and/or your artwork for learning and supervision purposes, and to offer others a sense of what the workshop is like, please let me know at the start of the session. Your participation would be greatly appreciated! * While the estimated time is 2 hours, it might overrun depending on the size of the group and the conversations we are having so please allow some grace for that.

Melbourne Central Food Hall on Level 2. Far back corner near large windows to outside. Look for the colourful piano! See below for exact instructions on finding us. IMPORTANT: Please turn up if you RSVP. Other writers are counting on you being there with them so no one sits alone!!! Currently we have part-time hosts and regulars who will turn up and sit together. EVERYONE, please keep a look out for newly arriving people in the group and make them feel welcome, especially if they say: Are you with the writing group? If you arrive first and have an A4 piece of paper, it is a good idea to write on the paper: Writing Group. This way everyone will find each other. Bring your writing tools, and anything that you have written recently (optional). Remember your earphones if you like to listen to music while you write. There are no rules :) You can write. Or you can chat and write. You can share your work. Or not share your work. (If you need silence to concentrate then headphones are a good idea considering it is in a public space.) Bring pen and paper as a backup. Melbourne Central wifi available. Who: People who write and/or want to write (more) What: An open group of writers who meetup in a stimulating space to write together, share writing and ideas and support each other’s writing goals Why: Inspiration, motivation and space to write. Where: Melbourne Central - see photo for our location. Red shaded area would be ideal if available when you arrive. Detailed instructions if you do not know the area: 1) Go to the Shot Tower (the old building inside Melbourne Central with the big cone glass roof above it). 2) Go up the the escalators (there’s only one set of up- escalators near the Shot Tower, you can’t miss it). 3) You are now on level 2, Dining Hall (there are signs to the right, just slightly, stating this). 4) Top Juice store is to your right. Turn right so you pass Top Juice and walk toward the food hall. 5) You are now in the food hall near a black piano. Go past this. Go to the seating at the far back corner where there are large windows facing outside. 6) Look for us writers. There should be a sign on the table. Call out your hosts name and ask if this is the writing group. We will say YES, here we are! Additional hosts wanted!!! Please contact Mat Clarke. Please only RSVP if you can make it. And also un-RSVP if you need to cancel. Thank You, Melbourne Writers. Great Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelbWriters What we have written so far: www.worldwriterscollective.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelbCityWriters Blog: http://melbournewriters.wordpress.com **Help us by adding to these social pages and site**

Join us at Preston Library and boost your public speaking skills! ## Speak with Confidence at Northern Exposure Toastmasters Join us in person at Preston Library for a fun and friendly Toastmasters meeting! Whether you're looking to sharpen your public speaking skills or just want to meet like-minded folks, this is the place to be. Share your stories, get useful feedback, and boost your confidence in a supportive atmosphere. ### **Set Your 2026 Challenge** Maybe this is the year you want to: * Improve your public speaking and presentation skills * Build confidence in meetings or high-pressure situations * Become a more influential leader * Sharpen your thinking on your feet * Strengthen your communication for career advancement * Expand your personal and professional network Whatever your 2026 challenge looks like, Toastmasters meets you where you are, and helps you grow from there. There is so much to learn from presenting speeches to become a Leader in the Club. * 1\. Personal & professional development * 2\. Improved communication & listening skills * 3\. Increased confidence * 4\. Develop & enhance leadership skills * 5\. Affiliation with an internationally renowned organisation Don't miss out on this chance to speak up and stand out!

**At Happy Hour Toastmasters - We make public speaking** **FUN!** **Do you want to get better at speaking in front of people?** Maybe for that important presentation at work, or that big wedding speech you've been asked to give? Do you want to have fun and make a bunch of great new friends while doing it? Then **our club is the place for you!** Our club is a diverse and supportive group of people, from beginners to world championship finalist-level speakers, who meet regularly to practice and improve our public speaking skills. **You'll also** **learn:** * **leadership skills** * **networking and 'soft skills'** * **how to provide constructive feedback** * **how to control your 'ums' and 'ahs'** * **how to think quickly and creatively while speaking on your feet** * **and much more!** **Guests are welcome** to come to any of our meetings, and we are also to chat with you about questions you might have, so please get in touch! **Please note - Bookings are essential**, as we need to let you into the building when you arrive!

## **SEA OF FAITH IN AUSTRALIA (SoFiA)** \- Melbourne\. In-Person Lecture/Discussion. ***"Sophia: The Goddess of Wisdom."*** Speaker: Barbara Jandric. *\~ SoFiA promotes the open exploration of religion, spirituality and the search for meaning. They welcome ALL viewpoints, including Atheism.\~* Enquiries: sofmelbourne@gmail.com **[SOFiA Website](http://www.sof-in-australia.org/).** **[Facebook: 'Sofiatalk'](https://www.facebook.com/groups/sofiatalk/)** \- Please join their ongoing discussions\.

Manningham Toastmasters is a public speaking group that helps people improve their confidence, communication, and leadership skills Join us at Manningham Toastmasters for an engaging and supportive meeting designed to help you grow your public speaking and leadership skills in a friendly, encouraging environment. Whether you’re looking to build confidence, improve presentation skills, enhance communication at work, or simply challenge yourself in a safe space, our meetings provide practical, hands-on experience. ### What to Expect When You Attend 🔹 **Prepared Speeches** Members deliver speeches they’ve been working on as part of the Toastmasters educational program. These range from icebreaker introductions to persuasive speeches, storytelling, leadership presentations, and more. 🔹 **Impromptu Speaking (Table Topics)** Guests and members are invited to participate in short, fun, impromptu speaking exercises. You’ll be given a surprise topic and 1–2 minutes to respond a great way to think on your feet in a low-pressure setting. 🔹 **Constructive Feedback** Every speaker receives supportive and structured feedback. Our evaluation process highlights strengths and provides practical suggestions for improvement, helping members grow with each speech. 🔹 **Leadership Opportunities** Meetings are run by members, giving everyone the chance to develop leadership, organization, and facilitation skills in real time. 🔹 **Welcoming Environment** We pride ourselves on being warm, inclusive, and encouraging. Guests are never pressured to speak, though you’re welcome to participate as much as you feel comfortable. ### Who Should Attend? * Professionals wanting to sharpen presentation skills * Students preparing for interviews or academic presentations * Business owners and leaders developing communication confidence * Anyone looking to overcome fear of public speaking * Individuals wanting personal growth in a supportive community ### Why Attend? By attending Manningham Toastmasters, you’ll gain: * Greater confidence when speaking in front of groups * Improved clarity and structure in your communication * Enhanced listening and feedback skills * A network of motivated, growth-focused individuals Guests are always welcome to attend and observe a meeting before deciding to join. We’d love to see you and support you on your communication journey.

KereKere Green in Fitzroy Gardens We will be discussing Philosophize This! Episode 18: Avicenna Can be found on the Philosophize This! website ( https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/avicenna-mz68j ), Spotify, YouTube Music, or other places you listen to podcasts. Everyone welcome

Join us for an afternoon celebrating the remarkable range of director John Huston, one of Hollywood’s most enduring auteurs. We’ll be discussing two of his most celebrated films — the razor-sharp detective thriller The Maltese Falcon (1941) and his luminous, elegiac final masterpiece The Dead (1987), adapted from James Joyce’s beloved short story. From Humphrey Bogart’s cool, cynical Sam Spade to the quiet emotional devastation of Gabriel Conroy, Huston’s career spanned decades and genres while always returning to the deepest questions of human nature. These two films, bookending his extraordinary filmography, offer a perfect window into what made him such a singular voice in cinema. Whether you’re a longtime Huston devotee or discovering these films for the first time, all are welcome. Come ready to discuss, debate, and reflect. We’ll cover: • Huston’s career arc, from Hollywood noir to intimate literary adaptation • The Maltese Falcon as a defining work of film noir • The Dead as a meditation on memory, love, and mortality • The personal significance of The Dead as Huston’s farewell film • Open discussion and audience favorites Watching the films in advance is encouraged but not required!

**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion **Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?** A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad. My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one. Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it? I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction. Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends. No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.

Bring your work or your hobby, hang out, and code with us. Follow @buckeyecocoa for more information.

By popular demand, the group wanted to read and discuss the semi-autobiographical novel by Henri-Pierre Roche, that inspired the Truffaut movie we watched last year. The book is available through the Columbus Library's interlibrary loan system. They reported there are twenty-eight copies available in the state of Ohio. If you have a library card, you can file an interlibrary loan request here: https://www.columbuslibrary.org/library-services/ . There are also used copies available on Amazon and eBay for under twenty dollars. You may want to rewatch the movie after reading the book, so we can compare and contrast in our discussion. The Columbus Library has four copies on DVD, and it's streaming on HBOMax.

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 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild. 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:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. 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! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

Who else is ready to sit outside? Join us for a casual chat over coffee & tea at Grandview Grind! Come out and meet some new people, enjoy your favorite drink, and make some new friends!

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!