Shut Up & Write!

Come by for an hour of evening writing with fellow creative folks. Everyone works on their own thing, no obligation to share — just show up and make any kind of words happen. If you're spending too much time thinking about writing, join us for an hour of focused writing. Guidelines: * While some discussion is encouraged to get to know one another, strive for silent, focused writing from 6:45 PM - 7:45 PM. * Generally avoid disruptive sensory input/behaviors, such as repeated or unpleasant noises, smells, physical movements, etc. (if you have health-related reasons, or some other aspect out of your control due to which this could become an issue, show up anyway and explain that potential disruptions are not intentional.) * Repeated breaking of the above rules without a valid reason may result in dismissal from the group at any point during a session. **Why is Shut Up & Write(!) so effective?** [http://arsenalofwords.com/2015/10/14/why-i-shut-up-write/](http://arsenalofwords.com/2015/10/14/why-i-shut-up-write/) **LOCATION:** Gaithersburg Library, Study Room 2 (if we aren't in 2, check 1!) **SCHEDULE:** 6:30 \| Pre\-session check\-in \- What will you work on? 6:45 \| Shut up and write for 1 hour\! 7:45 \| Post\-session check\-in \- How did it go? Feel free to keep writing and finish your lingering thoughts past this point, but know that the library closes at 8 PM! **BRING:** Whatever you need to be able to write! ***If you are interested in a more collaborative and discussion-focused writing group, the Gaithersburg Library hosts such a group on Sundays from 4:00 to 5:30 PM! Ask Chris or the library staff for more details.***

Social Sips & Bites Friends - We’re putting together two trivia teams for an upcoming night of brainpower, laughs, and friendly competition. Each team will have 7 players, so spots are limited. If you’d like to join one of the teams, RSVP only if you’re sure you can attend. We want to lock in committed players so we can go in strong! Come for the fun, stay for the challenge-let’s show everyone how SSB does trivia!

BACKGROUND: I have only been to three in-person meetups with the AFI Cinema group before but somehow I have nevertheless managed to become a group co-organizer. (Go figure...) Want to see upcoming films in person? Me too. ABOUT THE FILM: This is AFI's page on Song Sung Blue if you want to see the preview, director, actors, etc.: [https://silver.afi.com/movies/detail/0100005378](https://silver.afi.com/movies/detail/0100005378). The film has a 77% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but 98% on their "popcornmeter" audience rating. To quote from the Washington Post: "You’d be forgiven for thinking 'Song Sung Blue' is a Neil Diamond biopic.... But the new film is a far more interesting addition to the genre. Rather than centering on Diamond himself, it follows Milwaukee couple Mike (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Sardina (Kate Hudson) as they pay tribute to the singer with their 1990s cover band Lightning & Thunder. The musical biopic features Jackman's impression of a man known for doing a different impression, an oddly meta premise that sets the effort apart." If you care about nominations: Nominee, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Kate Hudson), 2026 Golden Globes. MEETING UP: The showtime is next Thursday the 8th at AFI at 6:00. I'm looking to arrive by 5:40 and wait in the lobby immediately outside the theater. (I don't plan on having a Meetup sign or other identifying accoutrements; hopefully I look enough like my Meetup picture to be recognizable.) My thought is to go in and get seats around five minutes before the scheduled start time, so if you arrive later than that, go in the theater and look for me (and any other attendees) there. AFTER THE FILM: Following the three past in-person AFI group Meetup films that I have been to some of the attendees went to a place to eat nearby to chat about the film and films in general. If there is interest on Thursday we can also go get something to eat or drink nearby afterwards and do the same. We can figure that out in the lobby right outside the film after the credits end. It seems that the film should be ending around 8:20 (hopefully that isn't too late given that it's a work night).

Let's Gravel. Join VVCC as we gravel the C&O to Great Falls. We will leave from Anacostia Park Skate Pavilion and ride to Georgetown to pickup the C&O trail. Although this is not a technical trail the terrain is a mix of various types of gavel. This is a "ride your own pace" ride and there will be no sweeper. The route is a simple 44 mile down and back but you can cut the ride short if you need to. Meetup is 9:30a and we are on the pedals at 10a. Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53650639 When you RSVP to participating in this or any VELO VELO Cycling Club ride or event you are acknowledging that you take sole and full responsibility for your own health and safety. Helmets are a must. No helmet-No participation. Please be sure to have all proper equipment and supplies to help ensure a safe and pleasant ride. Two spare inner tubes, CO2 cartridges, patch kit and pump. Front and rear lights Eye Protection Gloves Proper hydration Water bottles that fit your bottle cage ID and money

**Please Note: Go Gay DC is helping to spread the word about this event as a community service, but is not running the event.** To register, please email pfitzgerald@democraticwoman.org or telephone 202-232-7363 Ext. 402 (voicemails will also be accepted). *** Join us for an inspiring celebration of Nicholas Benton and Lou Chibbaro, Jr., two trailblazing LGBTQ+ journalists who have spent decades reporting on the front lines of social, cultural, legal, and political change in America. From covering the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ+ communities to chronicling major milestones in the fight for civil rights, Benton and Chibbaro have shaped the conversation and amplified voices that matter. This program will explore their journeys, the evolution of LGBTQ+ journalism, and the ongoing fight for equality and justice. Benton and Chibbaro will also examine the various factors causing many news outlets to cease print publication and their energetic efforts to continue publishing their work both in print and online. While much progress has been made, their stories remind us that the arc toward justice is long—and the work continues. EVENT DETAILS: * Remarks and Q&A, in-person and via Zoom. * 6 p.m. complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cash bar; 6:30–7:30 p.m. program followed by book signing. * Zoom only: $10. In-person: members: $20, nonmembers: $30 plus tax. Benton’s latest book, "Please Don't Eat Your Children, Cult Century, and Other Essays," will be available for purchase at the event. *** Nicholas F. Benton is a longtime local journalist and pioneering LGBTQ+ rights activist whose work has had lasting impact on both community journalism and social justice. He is best known as the founder, owner, and editor of the *Falls Church News-Press*, an independent weekly newspaper he launched in 1991 that has become the paper of record for the City of Falls Church, Virginia. Through more than 1,600 consecutive weekly editions, Benton has championed hyperlocal reporting, civic transparency, and citizen engagement. Benton’s activism began in 1960s Berkeley, California, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and became an early leader in the gay liberation movement. He co-founded the Berkeley Gay Liberation Front, wrote the first editorial for *Gay Sunshine*, and contributed to feminist and LGBTQ+ publications. He is also the author of several books examining the cultural and historical role of LGBTQ+ communities. Guided by the principle that journalists serve “the readers and the truth,” Benton has consistently advocated for equality, public education, and inclusion. His work has earned numerous honors, including “Hero of Pride” and “OUTstanding Virginian.” *** Lou Chibbaro Jr. is a senior news reporter for the *Washington Blade* and a pioneering journalist in LGBT news coverage. He has reported on the LGBT rights movement and community continuously since 1976, first as a freelance writer and later as a staff reporter, joining the *Blade* in 1984. Over nearly five decades, Chibbaro has chronicled LGBT-related developments across major institutions, including the White House, Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the military, law enforcement agencies, and religious organizations. Chibbaro has covered LGBT participation in U.S. presidential elections and has reported as a credentialed journalist at Democratic and Republican national conventions since 1984. He began reporting on the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s and has documented the work of local, national, and international AIDS organizations. His crime and public safety reporting includes coverage of high-profile cases, including the 1999 Matthew Shepard hate crime trial. Chibbaro’s work has earned numerous honors, including induction into the Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C. Hall of Fame in 2011 and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Hall of Fame in 2015. More information: https://democraticwoman.org/submaster.cfm?aPage=calendardetails.cfm&CalID=1797

Dear friends, This is a warm invitation for young adults aged 18-35 (at heart) to join the newly organized Wake Up DC Sangha's second practice session on Saturday, January 10th, 2026 from 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM. Practice will be held at: Opening Heart Mindfulness Community 3812 Northampton St NW Washington, D.C. 20015 Program of events: 2:15 - 2:30: Arrival 2:30 - 2:40: Introduction to practice 2:40 - 3:00: Guided sitting meditation 3:00 - 3:20: Walking meditation 3:20 - 3:40: Dharma talk (short video or reading) 3:40 - 4:30 Dharma Sharing Friends are asked to arrive prior to the start of seated meditation. Cushions will be provided. Interested in joining our Discord? General questions about our practice? Visit our website for the discord and an email to contact us!

This is the sign you've been waiting for! Come write with us Sunday at 7:30 am at Kaldi's Social House in Arlington. Kaldi's opens at 7. Grab a coffee and join the group! We generally have 10 to 14 writers attend each week, and new folks are welcome to drop in anytime. Intros start at 7:30 am. We will write for one hour. After writing, feel free to debrief, share thoughts or get advice. Our meetups are a safe space for writers to work on their craft. No one will read or critique your writing. Kaldi's Social House website: https://www.kaldissocialhouse.net/ \* Resource \* Many thanks to Justin for putting together a shared file of resource discussed at the meetings. Feel free to add to it! [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing)

**Looking for a group you can write with *whilst sipping your fave coffee*?** ☕✍️ Then come join **Shut Up & Write!** on **Saturday, January 10th from 1:30pm to 4:00pm** at **Ridgetop Coffee & Tea**! Whether you're cranking out a novel, journaling, looking for new friends, or just trying to get that stubborn paragraph right—we’ve got a cozy seat and a supportive group waiting for you! **No critiques, no peer review, no pressure—just a chill space to get words on the page.** 📝 **What to expect:** 1:30–2:00pm – Grab your coffee or tea, find your seat, and meet your fellow writers. 2:00pm–3:30pm – Silent, focused writing time 3:30–4:00pm – Debrief, celebrate any writing wins, commiserate on any obstacles, and head out feeling accomplished. **RSVP Info:** The room seats only 8 people comfortably! RSVP as soon as possible to secure your spot!! If you are unable to attend, please cancel your reservation **ASAP** so those on the wait list are able to RSVP and attend!!! **Meeting Room:** Enter the coffee shop, walk straight towards the play area and on your left you will see a meeting room just past the bathrooms. The room has a TV, white board, and walls are painted green. **What to Bring:** Whatever helps you focus, and be productive. There is a wall outlet at each end of the room, so you're able to bring your laptop to write. You're welcome to bring headphones if you enjoy listening to music while working. **Parking & Accessibility:** there is a large parking lot out front and it is free! There are no stair cases when entering the coffee shop or when inside. This coffee shop is incredibly spacious with many seating options. If you have any questions, please message me through MeetUp. I'm happy to help. **Dietary Information:** many GF, Vegan, and SF options. Just ask your barista when ordering for specifics! Can’t wait to see you there! 🎉

This is an In-Person Writing Event at Three Whistle's Cafe in Clarendon! Please join us. \*\*Three Whistles Cafe has kindly requested that we do not bring outside food and drink into their restaurant.\*\* This is not a critique session or discussion event. If you're interested in attending one of our regular meetings to discuss the art and craft of writing or to review another's work, please join us for a regular meeting on Wednesdays from 7p-9p.

Samuel J. Comroe, a Los Angeles native, is a stand-up comedian who performs at over 100 clubs and colleges annually. He made his TV debut on TBS’ Conan and has appeared on BET’s "Real Husbands of Hollywood" with Kevin Hart. In addition to his TV appearances Sam was recently featured on All Def Digital’s Comedy Originals. He is also the winner of Ricky Gervais’ Comedy Competition, The San Francisco Comedy Competition, and has over 45,000 subscribers on his Youtube Channel. His comedy is made up of the trials and tribulations of living with Tourette Syndrome since being diagnosed at age six and observational material based on his life experiences. Most recently, he finished in 4th place on Season 13 of "America's Got Talent" on NBC.

**\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET At** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13151#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13151#tix) (Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so the RSVP's shown are just a very small portion attending. We'll have at least 20 registered.) Our last online Bingo Night Party was such a BIG hit, we're doing it again! Do you like to play BINGO or want to just do something different?! Then you will LOVE this event! Here is your opportunity to have some fun playing our Live "Bingo" game. You will also get to socialize and make other friends from the comfort of your home. Prizes included Amazon gift cards, free future events and more! This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. You will either need to print or draw out your bingo cards. We will email you with how to get it after registering. You can have more than 1 person on your team as long as they're from your house and use same device. Friends/family around the country can also play. They would just need to also register for a ticket. This event will be held on Zoom which you would access through your computer/webcam, or via your phone/tablet. On day of the event, you will get a secured Zoom link and link to print out Bingo cards. \*RSVPS ON HERE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL ATTENDANCE as this is a multi group event. Cost: $15-$20 depending on how early you register. **\*TO ATTEND GET TICKET AT -** [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13151#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13151#tix) To find more fun events: Follow: [https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283](https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283) Join: [https://www.meetup.com/NYC-Social/](https://www.meetup.com/NYC-Social/) Click: [https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/](https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/)

A Killer High School Reunion – Everybody will be cutting Footloose in this Totally Tubular comedy murder mystery reuniting the class of 1985! Jennifer Grey McFly is sure it is her time after 17 years as assistant principal, but when the star quarterback of the 1985 Championship Football Team returns, mayhem might ensue! Join a crazy cast of characters from familiar movies and TV and some AWESOME music as we discover who will be the next principal of Franklin Pierce High School! [ABOUT OVATIONS THEATRE](https://ovationstheatre.com/about-ovations-theatre/) Carreen Kouts and Lenne Sirasky founded Ovation Dinner Theatre in September, 2014 with a vision of taking the traditional brick & mortar dinner theatre experience “on the road”…..and that road continues to grow! Owners Carreen Kouts, Lenne Sirasky, Nancy & Mort Mikkelsen proudly present Ovation Dinner Theatre’s unique, innovative, audience interactive, “At Your Venue” entertainment. Ovation offers a vast library of themed, comedy murder mysteries along with popular and familiar, audience interactive “wedding style” productions for your entertainment needs. With humble beginnings at a local restaurant in a small Delaware town to now over hundreds of venues, Ovation Dinner Theatre’s trend-setting events continue to entertain tens of thousands throughout Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Whether it’s fine dining at your favorite venue, raising funds for your association, human resources team building, a residential/golf community event, or an annual corporate affair, Ovation Dinner Theatre offers entertainment – directly at your venue – like none other…..”this is not your father’s dinner theatre”!

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!

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 the second & fourth Wednesday of every month at Two Dollar Radio Headquarters (HQ). 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 around 6:45pm. 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 Two Dollar Radio HQ! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! Other customers are welcome at Two Dollar HQ at the time, so please 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. * **ACCESSIBILITY:** Two Dollar Radio HQ's entrance door on Cline Street is wheelchair accessible, they have two gender-neutral bathrooms that are both wheelchair accessible, and their ordering and table-seating area is as well. Working service dogs are allowed. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Two Dollar Radio HQ does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public street parking on all surrounding streets, on both sides of Parsons Ave. You are also welcome to park in the Columbus Metropolitan Library parking lot across the street (1113 Parsons Ave). Two Dollar Radio HQ has a bike rack on the corner of Cline and Parsons, and the library has bike parking (across Parsons). * **FOOD/BEVERAGE:** Two Dollar Radio HQ is a bar and vegan cafe. Their food is 100% vegan and made from scratch, with love. They also serve a range of wine, beer, and cocktails, as well as coffees and teas. If you're able to, please consider thanking our venue by purchasing something!!

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

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 Sunday 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 noon on Sundays. 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: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. 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. 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 Sunday!

Join us for a top-reviewed comedy-drama and the latest from director Bradley Cooper, IS THIS THING ON! The film is based on a true story follows a middle-aged man in a struggling marriage who seeks in purpose as a stand-up comedian. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: As their marriage quietly unravels, a faces middle age and an impending divorce. He seeks new purpose in the New York comedy scene while trying to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether or not love can take a new form. The film is directed by Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born, Maestro) and stars Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Sean Hayes and Bradley Cooper. TRAILER: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4jx0Xgc_Pc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4jx0Xgc_Pc) BUZZ: The film is earning an 89% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which calls it “another terrific relationship study from Bradley Cooper and an ideal platform for Will Arnett's dramatic chops.” Following its world premiere at the NYFF, critics called it “a warm and hilarious comedy-drama” and “one of the most memorable and heartfelt films you’ll see all year!” PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:15pm showing and meet inside the theater lobby between 6:45 and 7:00pm! Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater. When you arrive, let them know you’re with the Movie Group admission and concession discounts! And don’t miss the best part of the night, food and drinks at the nearby Rusty Bucket! Parking Tip: Park in the lot near Brassica, and you’ll be conveniently located between the theater and restaurant. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan