Coffee & Books

**After a long winter hibernation, we're baaack!** Let's start off the kayaking season on the Rio Zêzere, departing from a meeting point just south of the Castelo do Bode dam. We will paddle 9 kms down the lush river landscapes and through a few “mini rapids” on our way to the river beach in Constância. Whether you're an experienced kayaker or a sporty beginner looking to try something new, this event is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. **Duration**: approx. 4-5 hours in total * 2.5 hours on the water (incl. breaks) * 2 hours for a picnic lunch and swim at the river beach **Price**: €20 per person. This includes: * Kayak rental, including life jacket and paddle * Certified monitors to ensure the safety of all participants To reserve your spot and facilitate organization with the kayak company, please send your **payment** via Revolut (@maaadison) or MBWay (+491624520214) **by the end of the day Thursday, May 28th**. First come, first served! **What to bring:** * Swimsuit, neoprene, and/or clothes that can get wet * Shoes/sandals that can get wet * Sunscreen and hat * Change of clothes, second pair of shoes, and a towel * Waterproof case for your phone to take pictures along the way * Picnic lunch and blanket **Level:** Suitable for beginners and children (8+). Well-behaved dogs welcome. Basic instructions will be given by the guides before we begin. The kayak rental company covers personal accident and civil liability insurance at no extra cost. Safety is taken very seriously and there will be certified monitors guiding us along the descent. **How to get there**: 🚙 : Arrive by **09:30** by car(pool) to the **[drop-off point](google.com/maps/place/39%C2%B032'50.5%22N+8%C2%B020'48.1%22W/@39.5473611,-8.3466944,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d39.5473611!4d-8.3466944?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUxMi4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D&skid=4b837780-0960-4c40-a9e4-08a1e9f19e21)** 🚂 : Arrive by **09:15** to the train station in **Entroncamento**. From there, the rental company will shuttle you to the starting point. There are several train options from e.g. Oriente at different price points - be aware that your Navegante pass is NOT valid on these trains. *\*\* Please inform me 24hrs in advance if you are planning to arrive by train* After you have pre-paid, you will be invited to the WhatsApp community to organize carpooling as well as share pictures and other event-related information. There is no public transport in the area, so make sure to join the group chat! **Important notes:** * This event will take place even with a chance of light rain - consider a rain jacket for your own comfort See you on the water! *Lisbon Kayak Crew is not liable for any damages or injuries incurred during this activity. Please evaluate your own health and physical state and participate at your own risk.*

**Carlos Ortega** **“La ecuación de Gray-Scott y una historia de Codex-coding”** Se presentará una solución en **R** del modelo Gray-Scott, construida con **Shiny** y desarrollada de forma interactiva con un **LLM mediante Codex**. El proyecto combina simulación, visualización y experimentación en una demo muy vistosa y fácil de explorar. Una propuesta ideal para descubrir una forma distinta de crear y prototipar con R. **Francisco J. Rodríguez** **“Movimiento LunaR y eclipses con R”** En esta charla se hace una **introducción a los eclipses y qué algoritmos están implementados en RMoon** para que nos ayude a entender un poco mejor este fenómeno que tendrá su momento álgido este año en **España el día 12 de Agosto** con el eclipse total de Sol que se verá en varias zonas de la península ibérica en todo su esplendor al atardecer. Se explicará cómo se **puede estudiar un movimiento tan sumamente complejo** como es el de la Luna y como a partir de las predicciones que se nos puede ofrecer en distintas bases de datos, se consigue ubicar, con un alto grado de exactitud nuestro satélite en el cielo haciendo uso de mínimos conceptos matemáticos que nos permitirán entender por un lado la complejidad, pero por otro la mecánica del movimiento lunar.

[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3351321) Location: The Goat River South 219 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215 Street parking is free on Sundays [Menu](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/686d3ed16745133042482c5f/t/68ff654dbb03b96875430bde/1761568077220/all_brunch-20250311.pdf) Book summary: On a hot day in Bethlehem, a twelve-year-old Palestinian-American girl is yelled at by a group of men outside the Church of the Nativity. She has exposed her legs in a biblical city, an act they deem forbidden, and their judgement will echo on through her adolescence. When our narrator finally admits to her mother that she is queer, her mother's response only intensifies a sense of shame: 'You exist too much,' she tells her daughter. Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East--from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine--Zaina Arafat's debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to sought-after DJ and aspiring writer.

The theme for May is Thriller. • The book we will be discussing is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. (determined by votes from April Book Club. Let me know if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the main library. 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.

Big Ohio Book Con "A convention for book lovers all over Ohio (and beyond)! Author panels, signings, bookish vendors, meet & greets, and more!" Featuring more than 100 authors, more than 50 bookish vendors, and plenty of exciting activities throughout the event! Travel with fellow book lovers or meet us at the event. Park for free at the Medina Convention Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, Ohio 44256, then hop aboard one of the free shuttles whenever you’re ready for your next bookish adventure! The convention spans three neighboring locations, giving you even more to explore and enjoy.

Welcome, readers! Our May read is **_Kindred_ by Octavia E. Butler.** The story follows Dana, a Black woman living in 1976 California, who is suddenly pulled back to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War. She learns her survival is tied to a white slaveholder’s son. Forced to move between centuries, she must endure the brutal realities of slavery while fighting to hold on to her identity. Tense, intimate, and unforgettable, Kindred explores how the past refuses to stay buried. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Join us for Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn! Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the unsolved murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story-and survive this homecoming.

Let’s meet and share discussion of the James Baldwin short story collection, Going to Meet The Man.