Professors

**Meetups for Rebels of all kinds — to connect, learn and share** This is a Social Networking event with a Fireside Chat with [Phil Cummins](https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-phil-cummins-50531185/), the Founder of a School for tomorrow, The Game Changers Podcast, & CIRCLE 📍 This Event is hosted at Natural Velocity AI Learning Centre, Docklands, 🍕 Free Pizza & drinks will be provided **Agenda:** * 5:45 - 6:30 PM (45 mins) - Get to know each other & Welcome * 6:30 - 7:20 PM (50 mins) - Fireside Chat & Q&A from Audience * 7:20 - 8:15 PM (55 mins) - More Social Networking There’s no dress code, no hard sales pitches, and no pressure — just great people and meaningful conversations 🙂 🌍 Est. 2013 – Rebel Meetups now run globally 🆓 This event is free thanks to our members, our partners, our volunteer hosts, and generous venues. **This event is hosted at [Natural Velocity AI Learning Centre](https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-velocity/ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-velocity/")** **— a venue generously supporting our community** Notice: We will be capturing content from the event, to post on our socials. **Please only RSVP if you genuinely plan to attend.** We have limited capacity, and every seat matters. If your plans change, kindly update your RSVP in advance. See you there! **Directions Help:** Up the Escalator, between 'Melbourne College of Hair & Beauty' and 'Gap Maps'. As shown in the red dots in the image below: [Directions Map](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fkcpXvzZrEs0kKMPEI_vXbUCz7OEPTzf/view?usp=sharing)

Melbourne’s property market is entering a **critical transition phase**. After years of uncertainty, shifting policy, and uneven performance across suburbs, **2026 is shaping up as a defining year** for property investors, renovators, and developers who understand **where to move — and when.** The question is simple: **Will you be early — or late?** **Melbourne Developer-Renovator Network Meetup** **Tuesday 17 February 2026** **NEW VENUE: Amora Hotel Riverwalk Melbourne** (Park Room) 649 Bridge Road, Richmond For our first Melbourne meetup of 2026, we’re bringing in one of Australia’s most respected **independent property market analysts** to deliver a **clear, data-driven outlook** on what’s really ahead for Melbourne property. **Featured Speaker: Brendan Kelly** **CEO, Property Predictions** **Director, Results Mentoring** Brendan will break down: • What the Melbourne market is actually doing right now (beyond the headlines) • The key economic, policy, and supply-demand forces shaping **2026 outcomes** • Which locations are positioned to **outperform — and which to avoid** • How different strategies (buy-and-hold, renovation, development) are likely to perform in the next cycle **Exclusive Bonus (Attendees Only)** Brendan will also reveal **two Melbourne/Victorian suburbs** he expects to **outperform the broader market in 2026** — areas that: • Are still under the radar • Are backed by real data (not hype) • Most investors haven’t moved on… yet ⚠️ These suburbs will **not be shared publicly**. **New Venue · Better Networking** We’re excited to announce our **new Melbourne home for 2026** at the Amora Hotel Riverwalk. ✔️ Comfortable, professional setting ✔️ Easy access from inner Melbourne ✔️ Arrive early for dinner or stay back for drinks ✔️ Network with active investors, renovators & developers **Secure Your Seat (FREE) – In-person or Zoom** This session will fill quickly – especially with forward-looking market insights involved. If you can’t attend in person, you can still join us on Zoom. **[RSVP now (free)](https://events.resultsmentoring.com/meetup-vic.html?utm_source=meetup&utm_campaign=drn)** Book your spot to stay ahead of Melbourne’s next property phase and avoid costly timing mistakes. **FAQ's** **-> Can I bring someone else along?** Yes, you are welcome to bring anyone who is interested in property investing, renovating, developing - it's all about learning and networking with like-minded investors. Please ask them to RSVP so that we know how many people are coming. **-> What are you selling?** Nothing, these meetups are all about learning and networking with like-minded people. **-> What are my Parking options?** There is plenty of parking in the street. We look forward to seeing you there. Best regards, – Tony P.S. If you’re investing in Victoria in 2026, this session could save you years of trial-and-error by getting your timing and location right upfront. **PPS** You can attend in person or online by **[clicking here](https://events.resultsmentoring.com/meetup-vic.html?utm_source=meetup&utm_campaign=drn)**

Event Organizers Wanted for this group. Let us know what it is you wish to Organize from time to time. RSVP yes for this meetup or contact the groups Organizer.

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.

Come talk maths over a drink or two and maybe a meal. If you have any mathsy puzzles, games or toys, bring 'em along. There'll be a puzzle sheet to solve if you wish, but it's not competitive. No maths background necessary, all welcome. Email melbourne@mathsjam.com to join our mailing list for monthly puzzle sheets. The event is very informal so don't worry if you can't arrive exactly at 7:30pm or have forgotten to RSVP (but please do RSVP if you can!).

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 **THREE amazing talks tonight:** 1. **Chaehan So: “Deep Listening AI: A Psychologist's Blueprint for Building a Virtual Friend”** 2. **Dushan Karovich-Wynne: “aigogo: Packaging AI Agents for Production”** 3. **Adam "Spidey" Purdie & Rohan Nowell: "Meet ABI AI in the real world"** Talk descriptions and speaker bios: **Adam "Spidey" Purdie & Rohan Nowell: "Meet ABI AI in the real world"** **Synopsis:** Andromeda's purpose is to build technology that strengthens connections and preserves purpose in people’s lives. This purpose shapes what we build and how we build it. The soul of the product matters as much as its capabilities, and our values are encoded through everyday decisions. Abi is our friendly humanoid robot who is built for this purpose. Where she most strongly differs from a LLM chatbot is in embodiment, she shares a physical environment with you. This comes with a whole new range of challenges, she doesn’t just need to know what to say to hold a conversation, she now also needs to control her body language through gestures. Spidey and Rohan will go through the purpose of Andromeda, how Abi is driving this and how we incorporate machine learning into her physical communication. **Speaker Bios:** **Adam Purdie Spidey**, Mad Scientist / Engineering Manager. Spidey regular meetup goer is best known for his ambitions to take over the world with an army of robotic spiders - furiously developing the spiders and other cuddly horrors by night, by day Spidey is an Engineering Manager in charge of customer applications and platform automation (SRE/Dev/Sec/Ops) and physical robotics. My team do awesome things and I give them all the direction, certainty and space to do it. **Rohan Nowell** is a Machine Learning Engineer at Andromeda Robotics with over 10 years of experience in robotic and autonomous systems. His broad expertise spans control systems, mechanical engineering, physics modelling, and autonomy, including work on uncrewed defence vehicles and miniature robots from his PhD at Monash University. He is currently focused on the complex challenges of Human-Robot Interaction, specifically optimizing for 'delightfulness' in embodied AI systems. **Dushan Karovich-Wynne: “aigogo: Packaging AI Agents for Production”** **Synopsis:** aigogo ( https://github.com/aupeachmo/aigogo )is an open-source project exploring what it actually takes to package, ship, and run AI agents in real production environments. In this talk, I’ll walk through how to use aigogo to package and distribute a real agent that does useful work. This talk isn’t about a finished framework, but an open exploration of what it takes to package and run AI agents in real production environments. Using aigogo as a concrete example, we’ll look at the practical tradeoffs that show up once AI systems move beyond experimentation and start behaving like deployable services. The session is designed to be collaborative and discussion-driven, drawing on the experiences of engineers and data scientists in the room. The goal is to surface what matters most in practice and to help shape the roadmap for aigogo and similar open-source efforts going forward. **Speaker Bio:** Dushan is the founder of Subrosa AI (www.subrosa.ai), he is building at the intersection of AI, risk mitigation, and governance, with a focus on making AI systems secure, auditable, and trustworthy in production environments. On top of his companies products which address data leakage and governance challenges as well as production-level AI agents, Dushan builds and maintains open-source projects that help people instrument, understand, sandbox and distribute AI agents. Outside of work, he's a lifelong dog lover who has been known to pull over to talk to dogs. **Chaehan So: “Deep Listening AI: A Psychologist's Blueprint for Building a Virtual Friend”** **Abstract:** What if AI could truly listen—not just respond with generic empathy, but recognize when you're avoiding a difficult topic, stuck in a thinking loop, or seeking validation you won't accept? In this talk, psychological-researcher-turned-AI-startup-founder Chaehan So shares what building Virtual Friend revealed about creating AI for deep emotional conversations. You'll discover why common approaches like fine-tuning and RAG fail for psychological applications—and what actually works. Key takeaways: * Why "respond with empathy" prompts don't work (and what to do instead) * How to engineer psychological awareness into AI conversations * The hidden patterns that unfold across a conversation—revealing what someone can't say directly Whether you're building AI products, interested in mental health tech, or curious about the intersection of psychology and AI, you'll leave with practical insights applicable far beyond chatbots. **Speaker Bio:** Dr. Chaehan So bridges psychology and AI to create technology that genuinely understands people. As founder of Virtual Friend, he's building an AI companion specifically designed to support young adults navigating anxiety, loneliness, and life transitions—combining clinical listening techniques with cutting-edge language models. With a Ph.D. in Social Psychology, Dr. So brings psychological research methodology to AI development. His interdisciplinary background spans social psychology (Humboldt University Berlin), engineering (TU Berlin), and management (ESCP France), with previous experience as Assistant Professor of Information & Interaction Design at Yonsei University, South Korea. His mission: making AI that doesn't just talk to you, but truly listens.

We have almost scheduled this author a few times and been indecisive on which book, based mainly on length and plot. Step in our resident expert on the author (PhD no less) who recommended this one both on length **and** plot. Sometimes it's tough to get a book up in this club! The Guardian (hacks) think we may be disappointed compared to Independent People, but then go on to say there's a lot to like in this satire. A drunken Icelandic PM allows the Yanks to build a nuclear power station. Enter Ugla, a country girl now working in an MP's house, the family turns out to be drunken, demented, self-destructive. The author's "rich" humour and humanism shines, but frankly you had me at "satire". I look forward to a robust discussion. And we may also need to read Independent People another time to compare. 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.

Progressibu Japanese English exchange Saturday 4pm-6pm Progressi部 日英言語文化交流 - Saturday 4pm-6pm Share your English and Japanese language and culture at this informal weekly exchange. It's a great chance to improve your English/Japanese, make new friends, and have a coffee Due to meetup website monthly charges, there's a fee of $3 CASH for non Japanese citizens. Please check with the organizer before participating. Please arrive 10-15 min early, due to limited seat Join Progressibu in Facebook / twitter [www.facebook.com/groups/progressibu](https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressibu/?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZU9yB5_cPpRTKYc3XF8vD06VrLHEQq9YYp1j9Pipvbs2uKX3TXvzsyYNVxa9ZA9pqDHkbLv7yoB7kXwbh9s6e1FCg6-ycT8N1X9rgTgMcQZ6Q&__tn__=q) [twitter.com/progressibu](https://twitter.com/progressibu?fbclid=IwAR0-tRnPLLN7tM9T9RxLODXiRjb2uJecTzmz-3PWGKcaOQaZu_u8oI4kDIk) 本気で話せる、本気で学べる、 本気な人に出会える場を目指して。日本語の初心者でもネーティブスピーカーでも誰でも参加できます。 BYOPassion. メルボルン市内のカフェで日英言語文化交流会を主催しています Relaxed, easygoing environment for cultural, language exchange and make new friends Photos will be taken during the event **RULE: Any harassment will not be tolerate, ban permanently.** **Do not make the people you speak uncomfortable. Anyone from Progressibu Japanese English event is making you uncomfortable, please come and speak to the organiser Shin , David,** **Ray**

**ORGASMIC MINDFULNESS MEDITATION (OMM)** Orgasmic Mindfulness Meditation (OMM) is sweeping the world as more people awaken to the truth that there is more available when it comes to intimacy, connection, and aliveness in our relationships and lives. The philosophy behind OMM offers a powerful map for how we relate, not only in intimate connection, but in communication, creativity, leadership, and everyday life. OMM teaches us how to bring attention to sensation, listen to desire, and cultivate flow rather than effort or force. Over time, this creates deeper levels of intimacy, clarity, and embodied presence across all areas of life. **People choose OMM because they desire to:** ⚑ Feel more connected to themselves and others ⚑ Experience greater confidence and vitality ⚑ Spend more time in the Orgasmic State ⚑ Feel more comfortable in their body and self-expression ⚑ Cultivate focus and sustained attention ⚑ Have more pleasure, presence, and aliveness in their lives The OMM practice is simple, specific, and repeatable. Each OMM is set up in the same way, creating a consistent container that allows participants to stop analysing and instead follow sensation, listen to the body, and remain present. The practice focuses on the clitoris, often described as one of the female centers of power and pleasure, additionally is where the most concentration of nerve endings exist in either human body, male or female and thus is a super highway for both people when they place their attention there, to flow states and higher states of consciousness. OMM Practitioner Training teaches both the practice and the philosophy of Orgasmic Mindfulness Meditation, offering tools you can apply anywhere connection is present. Upon completion, participants gain access to a worldwide network of practitioners, allowing them to continue their OMM journey wherever they travel and to team up with anyone who has been trained, by simply asking "Would you like to OM?" OMM training is open to both singles and couples. ⸻ **WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE TRAINING** OMM Practitioner Training introduces Orgasmic Mindfulness Meditation as both a meditation practice and a way of relating. **For Men** Men often come to OMM training seeking a deeper, more grounded experience of intimacy and connection. The training supports a shift away from performance-based relating and toward presence, sensitivity, and embodied confidence. **Men can expect to:** • Understand the difference between effort-based arousal and the Orgasmic State • Develop greater nervous system regulation and emotional awareness • Cultivate sustained attention through sensation-based mindfulness • Learn to respond to desire without urgency or pressure • Experience a more relaxed, embodied sense of masculinity • Deepen attunement, trust, and connection in relationship **For Women** Women often experience OMM training as a return to the body as a source of wisdom, clarity, and self-trust. The practice supports pleasure without performance, expectation, or self-abandonment. **Women can expect to:** • Learn what supports the body to enter and sustain the Orgasmic State • Build safety and trust with sensation and desire • Increase sensitivity and embodied awareness • Strengthen boundaries and self-expression • Experience pleasure as nourishing and regulating • Reconnect with confidence, vitality, and self-leadership **All Participants Will Learn** • An introduction to OMM philosophy as a way of living in flow and connection • The difference between climax and orgasm • What supports the nervous system to access the Orgasmic State • How to move attention from the head into the body • Female anatomy and how to locate the clitoral focus point • The structured steps of the OMM practice • Foundational stroking technique • How to ask for what you want from the voice of desire ⸻ **HOW THE TRAINING WORKS** The OMM Practitioner Training is delivered over three structured sessions, combining philosophy, practical learning, and integration support. Training is available in person or online. Sessions 1 and 2 are recommended to be completed in close succession, ideally on the same day, to support continuity of learning, nervous system regulation, and embodied integration. **Session 1: Philosophy & Foundations** **120 minutes** \| In person or online An interactive session exploring the philosophy of Orgasmic Mindfulness Meditation and how its principles apply to your relationships, inner world, and life. **Session 2: The OMM Practice** **120 minutes** \| In person or online A practical session covering the steps, structure, and technique of the OMM practice. If you attend with another person, you may choose to be guided through an OMM within a clear, consent-based container. **Session 3: Integration & Coaching** 60 minutes \| In person or online A follow-up coaching session, for your trainer to offer you coaching on how your practice has been going for you since your last session, and to answer any questions that have arisen through your lived experience. ⸻ **INVESTMENT & TRAINING OPTIONS** Hourly Rate: $190 per hour Trainings are paid in full when you book your session times with your trainer. **Baseline OMM Practitioner Training** ✔ Session 1 – 2 hours ✔ Session 2 – 2 hours ✔ Session 3 – 1 hour Total: 5 hours Investment: $850 **Extended Integration Option** ✔ Session 3 – 2 hours Total: 6 hours Investment: $1040 Some participants choose to extend Session 3 to allow additional time for integration, refinement of attention and technique, and two guided OMMs within a supportive, consent-based container. This option is particularly valuable for those who learn best through embodied repetition and spacious integration. Higher levels of training are available following completion of this introductory program. ⸻ FOR MORE INFORMATION Text: 0404 832 141 Email: premkalpa@gmail.com Someone from our team will reply shortly. ⸻ AS SEEN IN • The Today Show • The New York Times • ABC’s Luke Warm Sex • Marie Claire • The Four-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss • Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler & Jamie Wheal • Existential Kink by Carolyn Elliott, PhD These references reflect the growing global interest in embodied practices that support presence, intimacy, and expanded states of awareness.

**Product Talk** exists because in modern SaaS companies, the product isn’t “owned” purely by PMs, it’s shaped by everyone. Engineers, designers, data, growth, product marketing, sales, customer teams, founders, if your work changes what customers experience, you’re in the product business. The goal is to get the whole product mix in one room, learn how other functions are approaching the same problems, and leave with ideas and language you can actually use at work the next day. The format is simple: two talks from operators who've been deep in the work, plus time to meet smart people in the product ecosystem. The goal is signal, what’s changing right now, what trends actually matter, and the tradeoffs teams are making to keep shipping. **This event** AI talk is everywhere right now. This session focuses on real-world applications, workflows, constraints, and outcomes. So yes, Product Talk is doing an AI night too, but with Actual Intelligence, and real operators who’ve built real things. * Two speakers, two different worlds, both with outcomes. **[Jared Korinko](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-korinko-76b68851/)** ***(Product @ Google, Google Photos)*** *is shipping for 1B+ users, and will share how he built a revenue-generating side hustle purely with AI, the approach, the tools, and the parts that didn’t work as advertised.* ***[Joel Kenyon](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-kenyon/) (FMR Head of Product, Amused Group)*** *has led the design and delivery of a wagering platform powering 10 brands, and has embedded GenAI into product workflows to accelerate validation and roadmap intelligence. He’ll talk about what AI looks like when it’s part of a real product organisation, with constraints, compliance, and customers who do not care about your tooling.* *If you’re building SaaS as a PM, designer, engineer or even founder, and you want practical signal over AI noise, this one will be worth your time.* **When:** Wed 18th **Doors:** 17:30 **First speaker:** 18:15 **Wrap:** \~19:30 **Where:** Ippon Technologies office, 8/607 Bourke St. Cnr Bourke and King St's. This is an accessible venue. Enter the building via the Bourke St Entrance and use the lifts to come to Level 8. Call Simon on 0459 59 22 01 if you require assistance or are lost.

**Do you want to inspire action, gain agreement, and make your ideas irresistible?** *At this Toastmasters meeting, our Skill Shot presenter and MC will share how to harness the power of persuasive communication—turning your words into influence that inspires, motivates, and drives results.* You’ll discover practical techniques to craft compelling arguments, engage your audience emotionally, and speak with authority and charisma. Learn how to present ideas persuasively in any setting—from the stage, to the boardroom, to one-on-one conversations—while staying authentic and confident. By the end of the meeting, you’ll be equipped with the skills to influence with integrity and make your messages resonate long after you’ve spoken. Join us tonight at Port Melbourne Toastmasters and learn how to communicate persuasively, captivate your audience, and unlock opportunities through the power of influence. 🌐 [www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org](http://www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org) 📅 **When:** 1st, 3rd, & 5th Wednesdays of the month, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM 📍 **Where:** [Find directions here](http://5181586.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html) *Guests, Meetup Group members, and visiting Toastmasters attend for free.* Secure your spot today! **Want to speak with confidence and connect with real impact?** Here’s your chance to overcome nerves, build your presence, and elevate your presentation skills in a supportive, growth-focused environment. Come check us out!

Hello Everyone, Come join us for a beautiful arvo everyone is welcome from beginner to expert worry not there wil be someone one to challenge. 
Boards, pieces, clocks and sunscreen will be provided, but we do recommend bringing your own snacks and bevs! There will also be a speaker there playing tunes for all to enjoy. 
The location of the event will be at a new spot - University Square (190 Pelham St) right next to the newly opened Parkville Station! Stay up to date through our socials or WhatsApp community: 
WhatsApp Community message me (AJ) and I’ll add you to the chat 0434409720 
Social links IG FB: https://linktr.ee/MelbourneChessSociety Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Smashing! Try something new Thursday Interactive workshop - Become ultra-confident Whys is Smashing different? Passion!!! 1\. Fast\-paced\, energized and exciting meets 2\. We practice **bold, confident** and **dynamic** leadership! 3. **Everyone talks** multiple times during super-interactive workshops every meet - Plus the chance to speak on the big stage for those that are keen 4. **FAST LEARNING** **Free parking** close-by: O'Connell and Cobden streets **IMPORTANT: Be on time, as doors close when the meet starts** “Proudly Australian" – Free-flowing leadership & teamwork Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St (Opposite Queen Vic Market) Level 1, Purple Room (End of corridor) More to come...

This course, facilitated by Wendy Dixon, explores the concepts and exercises in Wallace Slater’s book *A Simplified Course of Raja Yoga*, which follows the Yoga Sutras or Aphorisms of Patanjali. We meet online every Wednesday night and follow the 10-lesson structure created by Slater, allowing a month for each lesson. We will thoroughly explore each step, with time for discussion and practice. Each session contains material on one or more of the eight limbs of yoga, so named by Patanjali - self-restraint (yama), self-discipline (niyama), posture (āsana), control of breath (prānayāma), control of the sense (pratyāhāra), concentration (dhāranā), meditation (dhyāna) and contemplation (samādhi). Additional material is sourced from I. K. Taimni, Swami Vivekananda, H. P. Blavatsky and contemporary Raja Yoga books. We begin and close each session with sitting meditations. **This is an ongoing course that you can join at any time.** **COURSE LINK** Please click on this link to join: [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86376822389](https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86376822389) Meeting ID: 863 7682 2389 Passcode: 251130 **Admission by Donation:** A suggested donation of $5 or more per session assists Blavatsky Lodge to continue to offer online Theosophical courses. Please donate via PayPal here: [https://tinyurl.com/blavatskylodgedonation](https://tinyurl.com/blavatskylodgedonation) or email info@tssydney.org.au for other payment options. The course is run by **Wendy Dixon**, a National Lecturer for the Theosophical Society in Australia. She has been a member of the Theosophical Society for over 53 years, attending the youth group for at least 4 years prior to joining the TS at the age of 16 years. The works of Blavatsky, Hodson, Krishnamurti, Taimni, Besant, Leadbeater and the Dalai Lama are the cornerstone of her ever-continuing studies.

As you may or may not know--I didn't until late last year--Aristotle wrote extensively on "friendship" in the Nicomachean Ethics. After 69 years the concept of friendship still creates questions and uncertainty. I had close friends in high school and for a few years after high school but our interests diverged and people moved all over the country so it was hard to maintain connections. * So if I/you haven't talked with a friend for several years, are you still friends? Are we friends who meet at Drunken Philosophy or Omnipresent Atheists? * Can you be friends with someone with whom you have virulently divergent political views? Sartre and Camus could not. * Aristotle regarded friendship as essential to a good life, not merely an added "bonus." Do you agree? * In the Nicomachean Ethics (Books VIII and IX), he claims that wealth and power are meaningless without friends. Trump has wealth and power but seems to have no real friends, but wealth and power seem meaningful to him in perverted ways. Can you have meaning in your life without friends? * Do men and women view and maintain friendships in different ways? * Aristotle categorizes friendship into three types, based on what forms the bond: * **Utility**: Based on mutual benefit, but this type is fragile and ends when the usefulness ceases. * **Pleasure**: Based on shared enjoyment (e.g., humor, hobbies). Common among youth but fades as interests change. * **Virtue (The "Complete" Friendship)**: Based on mutual respect for each other's character and goodness. You wish good for the other for their sake, not yours. * **Key Principles of "True" (Virtuous) Friendship:** * **Permanence**: Virtuous friendships last a lifetime whereas those based on utility and pleasure are fleeting. * **Reciprocity**: Requires mutual goodwill; secret or unreciprocated affection does not qualify. * **The "Second Self"**: A true friend is "another self"—their virtue helps you understand and improve yourself. * **Time and Intimacy**: Deep ("complete") friendships are few, built on time and shared experiences. * **Self-Love and Friendship:** * Good friendship starts with being a friend to yourself. * They distinguish shallow egoism (chasing honors) from real self-love (pursuing virtue). * A virtuous person’s pleasant self-company allows them to be a stable, good friend to others. * Aristotle argues that one's social circle ultimately reflects one's character—a view with striking relevance today. Well--the Drunken Philosophy social circle certainly reflects good character!

**NEW LOCATION: Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: * 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. * 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). See the handy Parking Map - we recommend street parking. [Street Parking Map](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u2A4fLNlxwLJn0KA_hKc8bnFlFHLvsHBDh-_8wzX_tk/edit?usp=sharing) We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact centralohpython@gmail.com

This is a time where players of all ages, and skill levels can gather and enjoy a nice Sunday full of Chess!

**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 **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBA

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia