Prolog

Based on the novel Roadside Picnic, it is NO picnic, but rather one of the masterpieces of world cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 Soviet sci-fi classic, recounts the expedition of a writer and professor led by a mysterious guide called "The Stalker." to a futuristic wasteland called "The Zone." Dripping with existential dread, it continually presents strange occurrences that will have us debating the meaning of what we've just viewed right through the ending. *Stalker* (1979) can be streamed for free on HBOMax, the Criterion Channel or Kanopy. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime and AppleTV. The Columbus Library has two copies on disc.

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Here is the secret of being positive and free: Thinking positively is not enough. You also have to get rid of the negative thinking. Your mind is like a garden. You can plant many beautiful flowers in it, but if you don't get rid of the weeds when you plant your flowers, the weeds will soon take over the whole garden. A positive thought is like a flower in your mental garden, and a negative thought is like a weed. You cannot expect to have a positive mindset if you continue to have negative thoughts dwelling and growing there. So, how do you get rid of the negative thoughts? That's what this Meetup is all about. Attend this local meeting and find out! The Meetup event will be led by a consultant who had helped many people live happier in 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 Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.

**This event is 2:30 - 4 pm Sunday.** Conversation tends toward intermediate/advanced, but everybody is welcome. If you come and don't see us right away, keep looking. We could be anywhere in the restaurant. Or out on the patio.

This month we’ll be reading Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!

Dodgeball is back again! If you’ve been wanting to come out, this is an easy one to join. We’ll be playing for about 1.5 to 2 hours, you do not need to bring any equipment, and no experience is needed. We use a specific set of rules and equipment to make the games run better and keep them fun for everybody, not just people who already know how to play. If it rains, the event will be canceled.

Ready to practice your French in a relaxed, friendly setting? Join us for our next language circle! This informal session is designed for local learners of all levels—whether you are just starting out with "Bonjour" or looking to polish your conversational skills. We will have light discussion prompts, fun icebreakers, and plenty of opportunities to chat and connect with fellow language lovers in the neighborhood. - **Cost:** Completely Free! - **Refreshments:** Complimentary snacks and drinks will be provided to keep the conversation flowing. - **What to bring:** Just your curiosity, enthusiasm, and a desire to learn! Spaces are limited to keep the conversation engaging, so please RSVP to secure your spot. We can't wait to meet you! À bientôt !

\*\*THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL CMG EVENT AND WILL NOT BE HOSTED. JUST A COOL EVENT FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED \*\* Join fellow film fans for a CMG Bonus Opportunity: a special 35th anniversary screening of HOOK featuring a Q&A and in-depth storytelling experience with acclaimed screenwriter James V. Hart. The HOOK screening will take place at the Columbus Museum of Art starting at 1pm followed by the Screenwriter Q&A! Cost is just $10 but limited availability to RSVP ASAP if you'd like to attend! Here are details, a trailer and plan for this event! MOVIE DESCRIPTION: This 1991 fantasy-adventure classic follows an adult Peter Pan who has forgotten his childhood. In his new life, he is known as Peter Banning, a successful lawyer who neglects his wife and their two children. When his old archenemy, Captain Hook, kidnaps his children, he returns to Neverland to save them. The film serves as a sequel to J.M. Barrie’s classic novel. It is directed by Steven Spielberg, written by James V. Hart, and stars Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins and Maggie Smith! Keep an eye out for smaller roles from a young Gwyneth Paltrow and musician Phil Collins! The film is not just a beloved classic, it was also nominated for 5 Academy Awards! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-vwgt8cwEM EVENT DESCRIPTION: Enjoy a special 35th Anniversary screening of the beloved classic, HOOK. And to make the event extra special, stay after the screening for a live Q&A with acclaimed screenwriter James V. Hart, the writer behind Hook, Contact, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and more. This is a unique opportunity to experience a beloved film and hear directly from the writer behind it. Attendees will gain insight into the creative process, storytelling craft, and the journey from script to screen. Cost is just $10….but space is limited! RSVP: This will be an UNHOSTED EVENT. No host will be present. Just a cool opportunity and a fun event for those interested and able to attend! Your RSVP here just let's others know you’re going! Keep an eye out for one another or post your location to link up while you're there! To attend, click the link below and register for tickets (just $10): https://greatercolumbusartscouncil.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F47799 Enjoy, Dan

**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). Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code. 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 Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com

Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you were quoted in *Truth in Comedy*, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**! The idea behind improvised comedy is to create entire scenes from scratch. A suggestion is taken from the audience and laughter is built on the spot. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway, Make Some Noise,* or *Wild 'n Out*; it can also be done in a longer way, to tell a complicated story, like *TJ & Dave*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and FREE!) weekly comedy event, brings the games for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Afterward, many members will hang out in *Gresso's* itself and get to know each other. Not only is this a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, your public speaking, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and build relationships that will last a lifetime, and you do that while laughing your butt off! Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "*Yes, And*" that you'll have a blast!

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Here is the secret of being positive and free: Thinking positively is not enough. You also have to get rid of the negative thinking. Your mind is like a garden. You can plant many beautiful flowers in it, but if you don't get rid of the weeds when you plant your flowers, the weeds will soon take over the whole garden. A positive thought is like a flower in your mental garden, and a negative thought is like a weed. You cannot expect to have a positive mindset if you continue to have negative thoughts dwelling and growing there. So, how do you get rid of the negative thoughts? That's what this Meetup is all about. Attend this local meeting and find out! The Meetup event will be led by a consultant who had helped many people live happier in 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 Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.

We have moved to guild.host. Look us up there. https://guild.host/events/buckeye-cocoaheads-rcavwd

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.