Sci-Fi/Fantasy

It's **Thursday** & our main night of the week & the fun & games are just getting started here at DWL! We're located here in the Cinema (which can be found on the 3rd floor of the Mercury Mall Shopping Centre) on: * **Tuesdays & Thursdays**: From 17:30 to 22:00. * **Saturdays**: From 12:00 to 22:00 🦁 And we're still running every Monday 6pm to 11pm at the Golden Lion Pub too. 🌭☕ There are hot & cold food & drink options available from the cinema at low prices! Supporting Premiere Cinema by buying their food & drink IS supporting Dicing With Life! The cinema has been very generous to us by bringing us into their space & our way of showing our gratitude is by sending some business their way. And their menu is surprisingly cheap! Especially compared to any other cinema. Here's some cool examples of some great **offers**: Buy a large **Popcorn** (it's a huge bucket!) or a large **fizzy drink** & it'll initially cost you £4, BUT, take your bucket or cup back to the bar for a **refill** & the cinema will refill it back up to the top for just £2! 🍿🥤 That's half price Popcorn & Pop! This also applies to **Ice Blasts** too (£5 initially but to refill it's just £3). There's also Hot Dogs, Nachos, Pick n Mix & many other treats in store too! Check out their menu 😋 If you have any questions, please ask & let the fun commence! 🎲

Join us for a wide variety of modern board games in the gorgeous and trendy Lounge Bar in Ingatestone We're a friendly, welcoming and inclusive group always happy to teach games to new folks. Chill out, play and have some tasty nibbles Please support the venue buying food and drinks at the bar.

Did you know that our lovely venue, HAWKINS FORGE, used to be a blacksmith's forge? At this episode we'll be discussing all '**MAKING'**, by way of three original thought experiments.💭 As well as being a former hub of 'making', Hawkins Forge embodies our values: warm, welcoming, convivial, and a home to deep thinkers. The pub has boardgames and cards for the after party, and they’ve also **kindly offered us a deal on their Arrowsmiths Darts experience**: **30 minutes free for anyone who buys a drink after the event**. Spaces are limited, so get your ticket early if you want to be there 😊 **THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS** \- announced on the day of the event **[WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/DapwAXpnOHO5DRYThobpe4)** \- stay in the loop **[INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs/)** \- see what we look like \(including The People of TEiP project\) **[SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/)** \- sign up for the newsletter and more **The idea:** A chance to meet and talk meaningfully about thought provoking topics. **How we'll do it** (timings approximate): * 7:00pm - Arrive at Hawkins Forge. We'll be in the private dining room - ask at the bar if you can't find us. * Organise ourselves into small groups (3-4) * Have a look at the **thought experiments** (announced on the day of the event) * 7:15 - First rotation begins - Talk about the first thought experiment, but feel free to pursue tangents and anecdotes. * 7:35 - Optional reshuffle: swap groups, move on to the second thought experiment. * 8:00 - Optional reshuffle: swap groups, move on to the third thought experiment. * 8:25pm - Wrap up - hear about upcoming events, feedback/requests for future meetups. * 8:30 Meetup ‘ends’. But feel free to carry on conversations. Usually a lot of us stay until late :-) **Notes on the general atmosphere**: * The vibe is to let conversation flow rather than stick strictly to one topic. * While we'd like to talk about 'meaningful things', we also see the value in lighter topics, so don't worry about not being 'deep' enough! * Feel free to suggest ideas for future Thought Experiments in Pubs meetup groups, both in terms of structure and topics to discuss. **Where we'll meet**: This group will be at Hawkins Forge, 5 minutes walk from Clapham Junction. We'll be in the private dining room - ask at the bar if you can't find us. **Who should come**: Everyone! We believe that the more perspectives, the richer the conversation. This group is not about being experts in Philosophy, it is about *doing* philosophy. That is, bringing our various life experiences and lenses on the world to group discussions about the human experience, the nature of reality... etc.... I'm so looking forward to meeting & talking with you in this beautiful location :-) If you would like to further support these meetups, you can do so here: [https://buymeacoffee.com/bonnyastor](https://buymeacoffee.com/bonnyastor) Thank you!

# **Acting for Beginners – Taster Session** **Thursday 23rd April – Jacksons Lane, Highgate** If you’ve ever thought about trying acting — or you just want to feel more confident speaking, expressing yourself, and meeting new people — this taster session is the perfect place to start. You don’t need experience. You don’t need to be “dramatic”. You don’t need to know anything at all. Just bring yourself, a bit of curiosity, and a willingness to try something new alongside a group of likeminded adults. You’ll be joining people who are all here for the same reason: to grow, connect, and have fun in a relaxed, supportive environment. ### What you’ll experience * A friendly, welcoming class led by Stage & the City * Simple acting exercises to help you loosen up and find your voice * A chance to explore creativity in a pressure‑free space * A lovely group of adults who want to meet new people and build confidence Most people arrive feeling a little nervous… and leave feeling lighter, braver, and proud of themselves. ### About the full course Our *Acting for Beginners* course introduces you to acting techniques, improvisation, character work, and communication skills — all at a gentle, beginner‑friendly pace. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to: * Build confidence * Improve communication * Try something creative * Meet new people * Break out of the “work from home → scroll → sleep → repeat” cycle ### Want more confidence at work? If your goal is specifically to feel more confident **in meetings, presentations, or speaking up at work**, we also run a **Public Speaking course** starting this week near **Liverpool Street**. Many students do both. ### Booking To find out more and to guarantee your place on the taster session, please book your ticket here: [Acting for Beginners | Thursday Weekly Classes | Stage & the City](https://www.afperformingarts.com/stage-and-the-city/classes/acting-for-beginners-thursdays) If you have any questions, feel free to message or email **satc@afperformingarts.com**. Come along, meet some lovely people, and discover how empowering acting can be — even if you’ve never tried it before.

After the huge success and incredible response to our Build with AI event, we’re excited to bring something even more hands-on — by popular demand 👇 🚀 Introducing AI DevCamp 2026 by GDG London Your chance to go from Zero → Expert in AI Agents Register here for in-person attendance - Kick-off if online -> join here https://gdg.community.dev/dashboard/gdg-london/events/121081/details This 3-week online DevCamp is designed for developers who want to truly understand AI agents and build real-world applications using the latest tools like Google ADK, MCP, and Gemini. ✨ What you’ll learn • How AI Agents actually work • Build your own agent using Google ADK • Work with MCP, tools & multi-agent systems • Evaluate, improve, and deploy real-world agent solutions 📅 Event Details Dates: 23rd April – 7th MayFormat: Kick-off - session In-session Level: Beginner → Intermediate ⚡ Seats are limited Whether you're just starting with AI or looking to level up your skills in agentic systems, this DevCamp gives you a clear, practical path to build and ship AI agents. Agenda --- Hosted By Goran Minov, Regional Technical Strategist | GDG Organizer I am a Cyber Security Architect specialising in Identity & Access Management (IAM). My passion lies in architecting secure Google Cloud solutions and building Android applications. I currently serve as a Senior Technical Account Manager at Okta. As a key member of the customer success team, I'm dedicated to ensuring customers fully maximise the value of their Okta investment, focusing on automation and efficiency within their identity and access management solutions. With a background that spans various technical and leadership roles, I bring deep expertise in transforming complex identity challenges into streamlined, secure, and user-friendly experiences. Stefan Cornea, GDG Organizer Chris Bouloumpasis, GDG Organizer Sara Mita Gabriel, Team Member Renuka Kelkar, GDG Organizer Sumith Damodaran, PM / GDG Organizer Tom Colvin, Organiser Tom Colvin is CTO of Apptaura, the app development specialists; and founder of Conseal Security, the mobile app security experts. He has been a developer for over 20 years and worked with Android since Cupcake. He is a Google Developer Expert in Android. Mihaela Peneva, Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-london-presents-ai-devcamp-2026-build-with-ai-zero-expert-in-ai-agents-kick-off-in-person-only-registration/.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/basic-drill-skills-161/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/basic-drill-skills-161/) **⋆⋆⋆** Would you like to put shelves and curtains up … that stay up? You are not alone! In this fast-paced weekday morning workshop we share the ‘know-how’ of a corded and cordless drill. We’ll show you why the power tool is your friend and give you the confidence to master it in just one session. Identify what any wall is made of and learn how to select the correct combination of drill bit, wall fixing and screw to ensure that your shelves can hold your heavy items, curtains and blinds stay up. Learn to drill into tile and brick without creating a shallow, wide hole and a cloud of dust! Leave with the skills, confidence and know-how to go home and hang those pictures and shelves that have sat on your floor for months, waiting to reach their full potential. All personal protection, tools and materials are included. Suitable for absolute beginners. Enjoyable for everyone.

As part of an ongoing effort to reframe how its collection is activated and interpreted, [RAI FILM](https://raifilm.org.uk/) invited [KONTEKST Collective](https://www.kontekstcollective.com/) to develop an independent curatorial response to its film catalogue. **[The Transparent “I”: Authority and Authorship in Anthropological Filmmaking](https://raifilm.org.uk/events/the-transparent-i-authority-and-authorship-in-anthropological-filmmaking/)** brings together films that interrogate authority and authorship in ethnographic representation. The programme curated by KONTEKST Collective will feature the shorts *Wási* (2017), *All Eyez on Me!* (2021), *A Family Portrait* (2022), and *Making Worlds Otherwise* (2020). Through reflexive approaches and formal experimentation, these films invite the audience to think over the processes in which they were made, looking beyond common perspectives within the discipline. The screening will be followed by a conversation with members of the KONTEKST Collective, moderated by Lee Douglas (Centre for Visual Anthropology, Goldsmiths). **BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE > [https://ticketlab.app/series/2610#/](https://ticketlab.app/series/2610#/)**

Would you enjoy a relaxed evening with fellow Science Fiction and Fantasy fans? If so, we’d love to meet you. Our next gathering takes place on **Saturday 25th April from 6pm** at **The Mad Hatter**, just by Blackfriars Bridge. Drop in, say hello, and join us for a drink. We’re a long‑running group that’s been meeting since **1998**—long before meetup sites existed. Over the years we’ve hosted celebrity meet‑and‑greets, attended conventions together, run role‑playing games, organised cinema trips, LARPs, and plenty more. These pub meetups are all about socialising and connecting with other Sci‑Fi and Fantasy enthusiasts. To help break the ice, we’ll be running a fun **team quiz at 8.30pm**. There’s no fee to attend—just pay for whatever food or drink you order at the venue.

**Join us for all day board games and a bring n buy at Corringham Social Club** **£4 entry** **reduced to £2 for social club/CIU members** **There will be a bring & Buy** **Plus Free Tea & Coffee .**

Time is precious. Here we value non-boring valuable chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit (mind the pun!), today’s fully hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for the inquisitive & curious - those drawn to the mysteries of the universe, life and everything in between. A tasty caffeine infused fun afternoon of thought-provoking causal chats exploring spirituality/consciousness and related interconnected topics spanning **philosophy,** **neuroscience**, **parapsychology,** **paranormal.** **cosmology** and **noetic sciences** over a mug of sweet coffee (or amazin value Chardonnay!) Chaired by me - a former Reuters journalist & published empirical researcher exploring spirituality topics in pursuant of the "truth" since a teenager, there'll be no strict structure - a relaxed friendly space to openly chat, exchange ideas & experiences without judgement, but I'll preside to promote inclusivity and zone in on specifics to avoid people digressing onto unrelated tangents to ensure like all of our events - particpants derive maximum utlity and engagement from attending. We’ll touch on everything from the limits of scientific understanding to exploring the unexplained using practical fun exploratory divination practices drawing on elements of **psychology, metaphysics, epistemology** and **statistical** **probability** of rare events as we do so. Whether you're a practicing "spiritualist", a curious skeptic, or just someone who loves deep conversation on **life’s big questions**, you’ll hopefully walk away more enlightened with some practical tips you can start applying and inspired to explore more! As well as illuminating chats to guide self-reflection, obviously no sprituality event woul be complete without practical tools so there'll be FREE Tarot & I-Ching readings, demonstrations of meditation method to activate super powerful gamma brain waves, and pyschic tests for a bit of fun, laughter & intrigue! **Sample of conversational threads** might include: Are we mere organisms pursuing biological survival or does consciousness exist beyond neurons firing in our brains? What explains peoples' paranormal experiences? What would reality look like If our brains were limitless? Declassified CIA files show that as as well as mind control experiments, the US govt employed mediums and remote viewers. If all mumbo jumbo then why? Is Nirvana just a fantasy of deluded people? Does everything happen for a reason? To clarify - we define spirituality here as an exploration of consciousness, Donald Rumsfeld's unknown unknowns and undiscovered aspects of reality, NOT religion. After all, as my philosophy professor once rightly postulated to me: "If God created Adam, who created God Lucas?" Yep - that inconvenient flaw **debunks every fairytale religion** out there including the oldest religion of them all - paganism - so why is witchcraft still practised outside of **Hogwarts** today? I may also share the latest peer reviewed empirical evidence surrounding **paranormal** and **consciousness** phenomena. **=== POTENTIAL CONVERSATION STARTERS ===** 1. Does consciousness survive death or is Cambridge Astrophysics Professor Brian Cox right in asserting if **ghosts** existed then particle accelerators at CERN would have already detected ghost molecules making Ouija boards kids play? Are Poltergiests 100% hoax? Brain scans indicate thalamocortical circuits in our brain (pathways in the parietal cortex & central lateral thalamus) drive **consciousness -** so how can spirit/mind live on after **brain death**? 2. Is **synchronicity/coincidence** simply randomness disguised in the eye of the beholder or can what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance" (quantum entanglement) explain it? Molecular Biologists have shown that just like plants - our cells give off resonant frequencies between 10 & 180 kilohertz - could this be a source of non-verbal communication like telepathy? 3. Given **neuroscience**'s infancy with much yet undiscovered - could mediation help access functions outside of our BAU alpha & beta brain wave states? Can **Kundalini yoga** boost **DMT** (dimethyltryptamine) naturally vs drugs like ayahuasca, mushrooms, LSDand if so by what mechanism? Do the artifically created neural signatures using magnetic stimulation observed during mystical experiences debunk them? Is the Maharishi Effect real? 4. Are clairvoyants and mediums just good people readers or are they really able to access time and space in non-linear ways? Is Tyler Henry the real deal or just faking it? Was **Abraham Lincolm** precognizant when he dreamt his own fatal assignation? 5. The laws of statistical probability, Drake Equation & common sense tells us there is other non-microbial life out there. So what explains the Fermi Paradox? Was that 1976 WOW signal aliens? How about the recent strange bahaviour of Boyajian's star or Oumuamua/Atlas interstella object that has just entered our solar system? 6. Could metaverse explain deja vu & reincarnation vs theories from the **psychology** literature (Mandela Effect?) or do we just live in a **simulation** as **Elon Musk** proposes? 7. **Stephen Hawking** once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities" If matter only manifests when observed as the double slit experiments shows, does that mean everything is consciousness? Does the discovery of *quantum superposition /* disappearing neutrons imply **parallel universes**? 8. Do NDEs suggest something beyond physicality? Were Steve Jobs final words "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow" before he died (New York Times) visions of an afterlife or just neurochemical changes / drugs playing tricks? 9. Can photons omitted by our bodies explain auras that people see? 10. Could limits in our understanding of quantum physics, space and time explain paranormal experiences? 11. What existed before the **big bang** \- how do you get something from "nothing"? I believe our reality is the product of a black hole\. What you reckon? ***So how do we get to the "truth"?*** Both in my journalism days and applying the most advanced empirical research techniques in my client consulting work - it becomes clear the truth is often elusive. No matter how much we triangulate evidence - we can only provide part answers. "All models are wrong, but some are useful" George Box What we think we know and reality diverge leading to that great **paradox of knowledge.** And as the boundary between knowns and unknown converge, we end up with cognitive dissonance and more questions. In that spirit - every credible philosopher & scientist acknowledges - we'll never get to the complete truth but could **experimental methods** get us closer to it? A balanced approach guided by Immanuel Kant's pragmatism and Aristotle's deductive reasoning seems the most rationale framework here but are there any other methodologies? How about the **"spirituality"** toolkit? **=== RENDEZVOUS POINT ===** We will meet inside the pub upstairs - located in Islington, 4 seconds walk from Highbury & Islington station or 12 mins from Angel station. l I'll be wearing a **Starwars identifier** and will share mobile hotline just before event start and table number/location. For stargazing we will walk to park 5 mins away around 7.30pm Lucas - The Unenlightened Desperately Seeking Answer

**Address: 210-212 Southwark Park Road, London SE16 3RX** **Doors Open 11am Event starts 12:30pm-5pm** **Player Capacity: 12 players** Welcome to our **Final Fantasy TCG** Constructed Tournament. The event consists of 3 to 5 rounds of Swiss and prizing is distributed to players with a positive record. To participate in the event, alongside your **ticket purchase on [our website](https://www.thebrotherhoodgames.co.uk/final-fantasy-tcg-events)**, you will be asked to register on the desk to be entered into the tournament. We will hand out a booster pack for entry to the tournament. If you are unfamiliar, please ask our member of staff upon arrival to the store where a member of staff will be happy to assist. If you haven't already, please join our Instagram, YouTube and Discord Server for news about upcoming events, announcements, and social interaction with your fellow players! *The Brotherhood Games Discord* https://discord.com/invite/SJaQXyeNXx

If you're looking for a laid back Saturday playing some board games and talking nerd stuff in a pub with some awesome people, this is the meetup for you! Whether you're new to London or just want to get some long-lost in-person socialisation, we're a friendly community and welcome you all. **What to expect:** We officially play from **2 PM to 7 PM**, but we keep it casual. Show up when you can, and stay as long as you like. If you’re having a good time, there’s usually a group that stays late for a few extra pints and chat. **Some house rules:** * We aim to ensure these events are friendly, welcoming and safe, and so we ask you abide by our [Code of Conduct](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YEl0gv61SkBFN-YF6fyVvuQYicWbWhRL/view?usp=drive_link) * We have a community box of games we keep in the pub, but please feel welcome to bring your own games along. Just be prepared to teach us how to play! * We don't charge a cover fee, so please help support the pub by ordering food and drink throughout the afternoon. * Please keep your RSVPs updated so we can manage numbers and ensure we can reserve enough tables.

Every Sunday we host a weekly D&D Night, it's a West Marches style game, so you can drop in without having played before. If you've played D&D for decades or never touched dice, you're welcome to come and play. The game is at 6:30 pm on Sunday. To book, please follow this link and book a ticket on our website for the 'pub game', it's £4 a ticket. As with our monthly event, you get a 15% discount on food and drinks. https://drink.brewdog.com/uk/tower-bridge#book-now Additional details: we are running D&D5e using the 2024 rules and the party is level 4. If you want to make a character ahead of time you're welcome to but don't worry if not as we can guide you through character creation.

It's **Saturday** & our main night of the week & the fun & games are just getting started here at DWL! We're located here in the Cinema (which can be found on the 3rd floor of the Mercury Mall Shopping Centre) on: * **Tuesdays & Thursdays**: From 17:30 to 22:00. * **Saturdays**: From 12:00 to 22:00 🦁 And we're still running every Monday 6pm to 11pm at the Golden Lion Pub too. 🌭☕ There are hot & cold food & drink options available from the cinema at low prices! Supporting Premiere Cinema by buying their food & drink IS supporting Dicing With Life! The cinema has been very generous to us by bringing us into their space & our way of showing our gratitude is by sending some business their way. And their menu is surprisingly cheap! Especially compared to any other cinema. Here's some cool examples of some great **offers**: Buy a large **Popcorn** (it's a huge bucket!) or a large **fizzy drink** & it'll initially cost you £4, BUT, take your bucket or cup back to the bar for a **refill** & the cinema will refill it back up to the top for just £2! 🍿🥤 That's half price Popcorn & Pop! This also applies to **Ice Blasts** too (£5 initially but to refill it's just £3). There's also Hot Dogs, Nachos, Pick n Mix & many other treats in store too! Check out their menu 😋 If you have any questions, please ask & let the fun commence! 🎲

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

This month we’ll be reading Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Feel free to come even if you don’t finish the book!