Sci-Fi/Fantasy

**NEW UPDATE:** Additional members of the cubing community have reached out to me and we all agree, the more cubing the better! I have removed the 12 person limit and we are adding an overflow cube for those also interested in non vintage type cubes! These guest cubes may consist of the following: \- Alex's Enchantment Cube: [Enchanted to Meet You](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/enchantedCube)! \- Matthew's Avatar cube: [Avatar: The Last Airbender Power(ful) Cube](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/avatarTLA) Priority will still fall to firing the vintage cube but what this means is if we reach 12 members we can offer the option to fire both cubes at 6 and 6 or just the vintage cube at 2 pods each. If we reach over 12 we will divide up the players between the two cubes with earlier RSVPs getting priority on their choice. If you have a cube that you are interested in having as a spill over cube please reach out to me and we can coordinate. Thank you! Come join and casually draft a vintage cube that is open to everyone. No cost to enter! The store provides promo booster packs and I usually throw in a pack of the most recent standard set to award to the people with the best records at the end of the night. [What is Cube?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNDBTRG6keM) What: Vintage Cube Draft When: 6:00pm Where: Your Hobby Place in Old Town Alexandria (Your Hobby Place, 700 N Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314) We aim to start drafting shortly after 6:00pm as the store's register closes at 9:00pm. The store owner is kind enough to keep the space open for us to finish rounds. In previous events we've usually wrapped up around 9:45. All skill levels are welcome and all cards, lands, tokens needed are provided so you only need to bring yourself and potentially some dice and playmat if you prefer. The list can be seen here: [https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/proxybacon](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/proxybacon) Join Your Hobby Place's Discord and grab the Cube Role in the mtg-chat channel for the most up to date information on cube at their location: [https://discord.gg/9je3G8vzXh](https://discord.gg/9je3G8vzXh) **Important Notice:** I have seen an increased number of signups and no shows amongst brand new accounts. In an effort to make sure we have room for everyone if this is your first time joining and you have just created a meetup account please reach out to me via Meetup or discord. **Late Policy:** RSVPing will hold your spot for up to 10 minutes after 6. If you expect you may be running late please reach out to me via the store's discord. My username is iluvbacon610.

PLEASE READ AS THERE IS AN IMPORTANT RECENT CHANGE for the blind tasting at Maxwell Park only: prepayment will be required to attend. Please note that refunds for cancellations are allowed up to 24 hours before the event start time. (But please cancel as soon as you know.) Please bear with me as we navigate this new process. The real maximum number of attendees will remain at 14, but since the Meetup App won’t let me make it a requirement to pre-pay when you RSVP "Yes," I’m not going to set a cap on Meetup's RSVP list, and we will see how that goes. Because there is No linkage between the Meetup App and Maxwell’s prepayment link, you can’t rely on Meetup's RSVP feature to know if there are still spots available. You will only know with certainty that the attendee cap has been reached if you are rejected while trying to prepay. Here is the pre-pay link: [Monthly Blind Tasting Group 6/1/26](https://www.giftrocker.com/secure/Order/?h=3c253325) Let me know if you have any specific questions. Thank you for your patience as we transition to this new process! Maxwell Park is 4 blocks from the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center. 🍷 RSVP Please: --**If your plans have changed, please change your RSVP to No.** *Note start time of 6:15 PM!* Please plan to arrive on time. 🍷 What is blind wine tasting? In a blind tasting you use your sense of smell, sight, and taste to try to deduce which variety(wine grape) is in your glass. 🍷 Do I need to be a wine professional? Definitely not - this group is experience diverse and we welcome both wine newbies and wine pros (and everyone else in between). 🍷 How does this work? --Please arrive slightly before 6:15pm to grab a seat. --Maxwell Park will serve us two wine flights: 3 white wines around 6:20 pm and 3 red wines around 7:30 pm. Each flight is $20. A 20% gratuity and tax is added to that. Food and other wines are also available for purchase. --We will discuss each flight as a group and try to reach somewhat of a consensus. Then comes the *big reveal* where we discover if our guesses were right. Full vaccination is required, masks are optional. Unfortunately, while we will try to be as careful as possible, we cannot promise that this will be 100% Covid risk free, please keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to attend. Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid 19. Please keep an eye on this event for possible changes. Hope to see you there ! \~ Linda Lists of possible wines: [White Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20White%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf) [Red Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20Red%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf)

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Horror as Queer,”** a look at the influence and depiction of queerness in horror films, with May Santiago, adjunct professor of film studies at George Mason University and producer of the podcast *Horrorspiria.* [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-horror-queer](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-horror-queer) .] Horror was queer long before both Brad and Janet succumbed to the charms of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in *The Rocky Horror Picture Show.* In fact, one could make the argument that, for both better and worse, the history of horror films is the history of queers on film. Film scholar May Santiago will do just that, with plenty of vivid examples, in reprising a talk that has earned rave reviews. You’ll learn how queer auteurs such as F.W. Murnau and James Whale were there at the very beginning. Murnau played a central role in the German expressionist movement that gave rise to films such as *Nosferatu*, while Whale left a body of work full of queer codes, including the films *Frankenstein*, *The Old Dark House*, and *The Invisible Man.* From there, Santiago will discuss how the representational codes established by such queer filmmakers were appropriated throughout the celluloid century by non-queer authors who constructed cinematic horror language that used queerness as shorthand for the monstrous. The result was harmful stereotypes of queer people in films and society, with examples being the stoic psycho lesbian trope embodied by Mrs. Danvers in *Rebecca*, the transgender sex-obsessed serial murderer Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s *Psycho*, and the villains of *Dressed to Kill* and *Silence of the Lambs.* Yet, even with these negative portrayals of explicit or implicit queerness, horror cinema’s relationship with queerness and queer audiences has grown stronger with each passing decade, with queer authors and queer audiences reclaiming the monstrosity that created the basis of the horror genre. Santiago will look at how the evolution of horror films coincided with that of queer stereotypes and how queer authors embedded queerness in films that aren’t explicitly queer. Among the questions she’ll tackle: How did we come around to thinking that the Babadook was gay? ? (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: A frame from the 1920 silent German horror film *The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari* (tint added).

You're walking onto the field at a Washington Nationals game on June 14th to sing the Star-Spangled Banner with about 50 other guys. Interested? We rehearse every Monday night in DC. Doesn't matter if you've sung your whole life or haven't sung since high school. Doesn't matter if you've been told you're tone deaf. Show up Monday and surprise yourself. Here's what to expect when you walk in: * A warm welcome and a name tag. You'll know somebody within five minutes. * Free voice coaching from me. Breath, tone, range, the stuff that makes you sound better fast. * We'll teach you the anthem in four-part harmony. You'll be standing next to a guy who's been doing this for years. He's got you. * We sing other songs too. The chorus has a full repertoire and you're welcome to stay for all of it. What to bring: * Yourself * A water bottle * An open mind and a sense of humor That's it. No music to buy, no audition to pass, no commitment beyond showing up. Location: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 4900 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC. Free parking. Walk-in friendly. Questions? Send a message through Meetup. If you've been waiting for a sign to do something different with your Monday nights, this is it. See you there.

Join us for GRIDCON2026, GRID’s annual live real estate conference built for investors, agents, operators, and entrepreneurs who are ready to move from active income to long-term ownership. 📍 Tysons Corner, Northern Virginia 📅 June 1–2, 2026 🎟️ Register at: [www.gridcon2026.com](http://www.gridcon2026.com) Over two days, GRIDCON2026 brings together the people, strategies, and conversations shaping the next level of real estate investing. This event is designed to help you identify where they are, what is holding them back, and what needs to be built next. Expect a high-energy room filled with real estate investors, agent-investors, operators, capital partners, community leaders, and entrepreneurs focused on deals, systems, scale, and long-term wealth. Featured speakers and operators include **Brandon Brittingham,** leader of one of the highest-producing real estate teams in the country with over **$1.5B+ in annual sales volume**; **Rob Chevez**, **founder of GRID** and long-time real estate investor; **J Scott, bestselling BiggerPockets author** and investor; **John Rubino, economist and wealth strategist; Stella Han, founder of Fractional;** **Tom Zeeb**, **nationally recognized sales trainer**; **Veronica Figueroa**, leader of a **top-producing real estate organization**; and more operators, investors, and entrepreneurs actively building and scaling in today’s market. This is not a theory-based event. GRIDCON2026 is built for practical insight, real conversations, and actionable strategies around: 🔥 Real estate investing 🔥 Deal flow and capital 🔥 Systems and scale 🔥 Marketing and lead generation 🔥 Team-building and operations 🔥 Wealth-building through ownership 🔥 Relationships that create momentum Day 1 takes place at Valo Park in Tysons Corner and includes main-stage sessions, tactical conversations, networking, and an on-site networking mixer. For those who want a deeper experience, Day 2 VIP takes place at Bull Run Winery and includes exclusive sessions, small-group conversations, peer hot seats, hosted lunch, wine tasting, and a guided Civil War Battlefield Experience. Whether you are building your first investment strategy, scaling a real estate business, growing as an agent-investor, or looking for the right room to help you break through your next ceiling, GRIDCON2026 was created to connect you with the people and frameworks that move you forward. Seats are limited, and VIP access is intentionally capped. 🎟️ Learn more and reserve your seat at [www.gridcon2026.com](http://www.gridcon2026.com)

Every week it's a different theme! We have done authors and their works, Changing Seasons, Animated Characters, and lots more. Form a team, but your team score is the amount of correct answers divided by number of team members. And, yes, there are prizes! If attendance is low, everyone gets something, but if it's big, the prizes are bigger, including gift cards! All questions are either created by us, or taken from one of our very many trivia games on hand. There will always be easy and hard questions, plus a fair range for every kind of player to be involved. Cost of attendance is being a patron of the store - buy food and drink or even a new game, and you're welcome to sit and play this (or any other game from our massive library!).

Welcome to our new home at the historic Tivoli Theater! Please check our details for access to the space on [our website](https://www.hacdc.org/visit/). Join the discord for questions / help getting in (use channel #let-me-in) [https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT](https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT)

Playtesting Agent and Battle-scale of the Zone-17 role-playing and miniatures game.

Let's meet at Springfield Mall to see the H-Man movie, on Saturday, we will buy the seats and tix there, so we can all sit together, and then after, go out to lunch at Silver Diner. I'll be wearing a super hero t-shirt. Mike T

Let's get our 80s nerd on, BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!!!

Date: June 7 2026 Sunday 10:00 am - Noon EDT Full title: Machine Learning for Reliable Quantum Computing: An Algorithm–Hardware Co-Design Perspective Summary: Reliable quantum computing requires co-design across the full stack, including algorithm structure, compilation, and execution, rather than isolated optimization of any single layer. This talk presents a unified framework in which these layers are jointly optimized under realistic hardware constraints. Structure-aware compilation exploits algorithmic interaction graphs to reduce circuit depth; joint optimization across mapping, term ordering, and algorithm parameters yields significantly improved success probability; and execution-layer analysis reveals that error mitigation effectiveness depends critically on circuit symmetry and native gate choice. While demonstrated on superconducting quantum processors, the underlying co-design principles are potentially transferable across architectures. Building on this foundation, the talk highlights machine learning as the key enabler for closing the feedback loop: data-efficient, parameterized noise models learned directly from workload execution data achieve substantially improved predictive fidelity over vendor models without the overhead of dedicated characterization. These insights situate the co-design perspective within the emerging framework of quantum deep learning. In this broader setting, the talk also presents an operational definition, a unifying taxonomy, and a benchmarking protocol grounded in explicit resource contracts. Speaker: Dr. Yanjun Ji has an interdisciplinary research background in Physics and Computer Science. In 2020, she completed my Master's degree in Theoretical Physics at Saarland University. In 2024, she earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Stuttgart. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Forschungszentrum Jülich. She is committed to interdisciplinary research at the cutting-edge convergence of quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Her research encompasses both foundational theoretical investigations and the development of practical applications, aiming to serve society and benefit humanity. Moderators: Dr. Pawel Gora, CEO of Quantum AI Foundation [Quantum AI Foundation](https://www.qaif.org/ "https://www.qaif.org/") Dr. Sebastian Zajac, member of QPoland [QPoland - QWorld](https://qworld.net/qpoland/ "https://qworld.net/qpoland/")

With war breaking out, the gnomes of Brastlewark in Cheliax can no longer cling to their carefree ways. Self-proclaimed King Drum Thornfiddle is eager to ingratiate himself to Queen Abrogail, and so conscripts the city's magical and creative resources towards the war effort. A few gnomes have broken free, and they have brought evidence of the various works being created in Brastlewark. They're no fighters, though. It'll be up to the Pathfinders to get them safely across the border to Andoran and freedom. A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters, playable in 4-5 hours. Written by Elizabeth V Nold **Scenario tags:** Hellfire Crisis

I've updated the God cube with deities, shrines, and sagas from recent sets! Enjoy a medley of synergies from Kaldheim, Amonkhet and Theros (with some Kamigawa, TLA, LOTR, OTJ, Ixalan, and now Lorwyn thrown in too!). Check out the list here: [https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/god-cube?view=spoiler](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/god-cube?view=spoiler) As always feel free to show up as early as 5:30 PM for some casual Planechase commander. Also, here's a list of cards [needed for my cubes](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HeQ38Nu_SrG6agouvL8vinXByX-uvE_smBEZMwpt_l8/edit?usp=sharing). CONDUCT POLICY We cultivate a safe, friendly atmosphere. Please keep other's feelings close to mind. Derogatory comments of any kind are unacceptable, as is behavior that may make others uncomfortable, such as displays of anger, suggestive or abusive language, or rage-quitting. If the stresses of the game are getting to you, we encourage you to politely sit out for a while or reconsider your attendance. Thank you! If this is your first time RSVPing to one of my events, please message me to confirm that you will be attending.

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

June is Fantasy month! • The book we will be discussing is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. (determined by votes from May Book Club. Message me your e-mail if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the Dublin library (Room 3). Feel free to come whether or not you've started or finished the book. • Small snacks will be provided. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Let me know if you’d like to volunteer to bring snacks or drinks for the group. Please try to update your attendance if anything changes so we have an accurate head count for print outs and snacks :)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg Instructor - Crow, HPS Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642. Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online. Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only Please come prepared for ritual. Blessings ~ Crow

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.