Adventure

**Welcome to our February UX Beers in Antwerp!** This time, we will host our event on Tuesday the 24th of February with [Ariad](https://www.ariadgroup.com/en) at [Plein Magazijn](https://www.pleinmagazijn.be) in Antwerp. [Ariad](https://www.ariadgroup.com/) and [Creative Skills](https://www.creativeskills.be/) sponsor our events. Follow the event online? We stream live via [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBqyTDAyQBw) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# UX TALKS **Talk 1: Align or Fail: When Brand Meets UX** [Mario Restrepo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-restrepo/), Creative Director Every interaction shape perception and tells a brand story, whether intended or not. In this talk, we explore why UX is the space where brand promises are either proven or broken, and why, in the age of AI, alignment between brand and user experience has become a strategic imperative. Drawing on real-world examples, this talk reframes UX designers as brand storytellers, and UX deciders and stakeholders as guardians of trust. It also introduces an **AI-driven Brand Sentiment Analysis workflow**, showing how teams can translate user signals into actionable insights, and design experiences that don’t just function, but reinforce how a brand is felt, remembered, and believed. **Talk 2: The UX evolution: thriving in the age of intelligent systems** [David Grunewald](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgrunewald/), Founder of Pluginto.ai , AI-Strategist AI is fundamentally changing how UX professionals work, but it's amplifying our capabilities, not replacing them. This 45-minute session explores what's actually happening in 2026. You'll see real implementations from banking, healthcare, and other sectors: proactive systems that anticipate needs, conversational interfaces that adapt to individual patterns, and hyper-personalisation at scale. We'll examine **four trends reshaping UX practice and, more importantly, what they mean for your daily work**. What's being automated? What's gaining value? And what are the five essential skills that set you apart in an AI-augmented world? You'll leave with clarity on how to evolve your practice and confidence that your human expertise remains your competitive advantage. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SCHEDULE 18:00 - Doors open. Drinks & snacks 19.00 - 19.15 - Introduction to UX Belgium Meetup, announcements 19.15 - 19:45 - Talk #1 19:45 -20:15 - BREAK 20:15 - 20:45 - Talk #2 20:45 - 21:30 - Socialize \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SLACK CHANNEL We have our own UX Belgium slack channel. [Come join us and say hi!](https://join.slack.com/t/ux-belgium/shared_invite/zt-1bjpnuiog-T4Di4flXYPWgbT9KrZ53CA) \*\*\* \#\#\# YOUTUBE CHANNEL All our livestreams and talks are recorded and available on our [UX Belgium youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCno7V18T-EglYXprgrUZQ7A). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# ABOUT UX BELGIUM UX Belgium is a growing community of User Experience (UX) professionals in and around Belgium. Look for these types of events: UX Beers Periodically, we gather at a different agency or venue to drink beers, network and listen to speakers on various themes in the world of UX and digital design. UX Antwerp: Each last Tuesday of the month UX Brussels: Each second Tuesday of the month, 4x per year UX Hasselt: 4x per year UX Workshops Now and then we organize events to dive deeper into specific skills and techniques in UX. These are smaller, hands-on workshops designed to boost your UX toolbox. \*\*\* The UX Belgium Meetup Team

Beste Java-ontwikkelaar, We nodigen je graag uit voor een fysieke Java Meetup bij de Belastingdienst over **DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture** door Arjen Wassink & Cees van der Velde van Quintor. **Programma:** 17:45 Inloop 18:00 Indonesisch buffet (halal, koosjer & vegetarisch) 19:00 Presentatie **Domain Driven Design / Event Storming** 19:45 Pauze (koffie/thee) 20:15 Presentatie **Hexagonal Architecture** 21:00 Drankjes met hapjes 21:30 Afsluiting De presentaties worden in het Nederlands gegeven. **Betere systemen ontwikkelen met hulp van DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture** Je hebt het vast wel eens meegemaakt dat je een software systeem onder handen krijgt die niet makkelijk te onderhouden, upgraden of uit te breiden is. Iedere aanpassing lijkt exponentieel veel tijd te vergen. Er kunnen verschillende oorzaken hiervoor zijn, maar vaak zie je dat er te veel afhankelijkheden in de sourcecode zijn, verantwoordelijkheden niet goed belegd zijn of het systeem niet goed aansluit op de werkelijkheid. In deze sessie gaan we in op hoe DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture ons kan helpen deze punten te verbeteren aan de hand van een concrete casus, diagrammen en sourcecode. Zo gaan we in op: * hoe Event Storming kan helpen de brug te slaan tussen de ‘business’ en developers, zodat een systeem aansluit op de werkelijkheid * DDD artefacten input leveren voor het bepalen van een systeemarchitectuur met duidelijke verantwoordelijkheden en afhankelijkheden * Hexagonal Architecture handvatten biedt voor een software architectuur met minder functionele- en technisch afhankelijkheden Mis deze inspirerende kennissessie niet en ontdek hoe je jouw softwareprojecten toekomstbestendiger maakt! **Arjen Wassink** Arjen is een architect bij Quintor met 25 jaar ervaring in het bouwen, onderhouden en doorontwikkelen van verschillende soorten systemen met Java technologie. Met zijn brede techniek en vakmanschap interesse is hij instaat enterprise architecturen te vertalen naar systeem- en software architecturen, en werkwijzen die werken. Hiernaast verzorgt hij een minor cloud-native software development aan de Hogeschool Utrecht waarin hij nieuwe vakgenoten leert professioneel software te ontwikkelen voor de cloud. **Cees van der Velde** Cees is een ervaren business- en informatieanalist bij Quintor met een passie voor techniek. Zijn kracht ligt in het helder krijgen en begrijpen van vraagstukken en deze te vertalen naar een concrete oplossingen die aansluiten bij de behoeften van developers, zodat effectief het juiste systeem gebouwd wordt. **Deelname:** Deelname is gratis. **Locatie:** Belastingdienst Stationsplein 50 (naast het bus- en NS-station) 7311 NZ Apeldoorn **Opmerkingen:** * Vergeet uw paspoort of identiteitskaart niet mee te nemen. * Registreer met dezelfde achternaam als op uw paspoort of identiteitskaart. * Geef eventuele dieetwensen door, anders dan halal, koosjer en vegetarisch. * Wij raden u aan om met het openbaar vervoer of de fiets te komen. * Er zijn 30 parkeerplaatsen onder ons kantoor, navigatieadres Sophialaan 22 - 7311 PD Apeldoorn. * Overige parkeermogelijkheden: 1. Parkeergarage Haven-Centrum, navigatieadres: Korte Molenstraat 2 Apeldoorn, 2. P+R, Laan van de Mensenrechten Apeldoorn.

**3D Workshop** * **Ontwerpen met Fusion360** * **Scannen in 3D** * **Het gebruik van 3D printers** **Je bent nu welkom in de nieuwe locatie NewTechPark** Je kunt ook online aan deze fysieke bijeenkomst deelnemen. De bijeenkomst is dan op de locatie te volgen. Als je [hier](w.j.put@hccnet.nl) vooraf een mailtje stuurt kun je dinsdagavond tussen 19.00 en 20.00 uur inloggen met Jitsi voor vragen, of ter kennismaking met hcc!3D. Online neem je deel aan de bijeenkomst met [https://wij.hcc.nl/3D](https://wij.hcc.nl/3D) [(Alleen toegang als je zichtbaar bent met voor- en achternaam. )](https://wij.hcc.nl/3d)

We delen onze doelen en maken plannen voor de komende week. Iedereen is welkom. We kijken er naar uit om jouw verhaal te horen.

Every Tuesday, the group 024 Waalrunners goes for a run at a distance of between 5km - 10km. Everyone is welcome to join, you just need to turn up at 20:00 on Tuesday in front of Cafe De Hemel. There are different routes every time, and the group welcomes all new people to join them. After the run we usually stay for a drink at De Hemel. https://waalrunners.activedates.nl https://chat.whatsapp.com/CRXG7x9HQUw4Q1qCrNzXn4?mode=ems_copy_t https://www.facebook.com/024waalrunners-710731759317504

Join us for an evening of good vibes! Whether you’re a local or an expat, Mingle Mania is the perfect place to socialize and make friends or even to practice languages. ‍♂️‍♂️ Join [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE) The group has many regular members, we intend to do various type of events, the goal is to build a strong community for all sorts of activities. If you have an event idea that you would like to see happen, let us know. We generally have about 20 participants, the age is between 20 and 60 averaging somewhere around 30, language exchange is not strictly enforced, culture exchange happens naturally. **mingle** (verb, intransitive): to move among people and talk to them, especially at a social event. **What We Are:** * A diverse group of locals and expats * ...going out at least every Tuesday **Event Details:** * It is free to join and operated on a voluntary basis! * Please honor the bar by ordering at least one drink.

Taucht ein in die Welt von GitOps! Euch erwarten zwei spannende Vorträge rund um FluxCD in der Praxis. Christian Fritz teilt seine Erfahrungen aus zwei Jahren produktivem GitOps-Einsatz – von Erfolgen bis zu Stolpersteinen. Thorsten Wussow zeigt live, wie Progressive Deployments mit Flagger und Istio für sichere und hochverfügbare Kubernetes-Deployments sorgen. Perfekt für alle, die GitOps evaluieren oder ihre bestehenden Setups optimieren möchten! **Dieses Meetup wird ausnahmsweise auf Deutsch sein und HYBRID\. \|** Zoom Link wird ein paar Tage vor dem Event in Meetup zu Verfügung gestellt. **\*\*\* AGENDA \*\*\*** * 18:30–19:00 Uhr \| Einlass mit Snacks und Getränken\. * 19:00 Uhr \| Begrüßung und Einführung \- Start des hybriden Meetups 19:05 Uhr \| GitOps Adventures aus der Praxis: Lessons Learned \- Zwei Jahre GitOps mit FluxCD in Produktion von Christian Fritz \(QAware GmbH\) ca\. 20:05 Uhr \| Flux mit Flagger und Istio \- Progressive Kubernetes Deployments von Thorsten Wussow \(Slix GmbH\) Anschließend: Weitere Snacks und Getränke und viel Zeit zum Networking mit allen Teilnehmern und Referenten. **\*\*\* ABSTRACTS \*\*\*** **GitOps Adventures aus der Praxis: Lessons Learned - Zwei Jahre GitOps mit FluxCD in Produktion von Christian Fritz (QAware GmbH)** Diese Etappe des GitOps Adventures erzählt aus dem wahren Leben: Seit zwei Jahren arbeite ich in einem Projekt, das schon zu diesem Zeitpunkt auf GitOps mit FluxCD setzte. In diesem Vortrag zeige ich unser aktuelles GitOps Setup und wie neue Features über unsere drei Stages in die Produktion gelangen. Dabei zeige ich die Vorteile wie bessere Reproduzierbarkeit und Effizienz, gehe aber auch auf Herausforderungen und Nachteile ein: von komplexen Fehleranalysen bis hin zu organisatorischen Stolpersteinen. Außerdem gebe ich einen Ausblick, wo wir noch Verbesserungspotenzial sehen. Dieser ehrliche Erfahrungsbericht bietet praktische Einblicke und Learnings für alle, die GitOps evaluieren oder weiterentwickeln wollen. **Flux mit Flagger und Istio - Progressive Kubernetes Deployments von Thorsten Wussow (Slix GmbH)** Heutzutage ist eine hohe Erreichbarkeit von Applikationen essentiell, auch bei einem Wechsel auf eine neue Version. Ebenso gibt es eine hohe Kadenz der Bereitstellungen. Dies birgt immer das Risiko, das sich Fehler in der neuen Version einschleichen, oder Ausfälle der Software während der Bereitstellung auftreten. Eine Möglichkeit das Risiko zu minimieren ist das Verwenden von verschiedenen Deploymentstrategien wie z.B. Blue/Green Deployments, Canary-Deployments oder A/B-Testing. Ein Tool das uns hier sehr gut unterstützen kann ist Flagger. In diesem Vortrag wird anhand von Live-Demos gezeigt wie mit Flagger im Zusammenspiel mit Flux, Istio (oder einem anderen ServiceMesh) oder einem IngressController diese Deploymentstrategien umgesetzt werden können. Auch werden die Unterschiede zwischen Canary Deployments, A/B Testing, Blue/Green Deployment und weiteren Strategien erläutert und wann man welche Methode verwenden kann. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Während unserer Meetups werden Fotos aufgenommen. Falls du nicht auf den Fotos erscheinen möchtest, sprich bitte zu Beginn der Veranstaltung mit unserem Meetup Team.

Hello, my dear nature and wine lovers! It’s finally time to reunite, catch up, and kick off a brand-new hiking season filled with beautiful walks, meaningful connections, and memorable experiences. We’re excited to invite you to a special hiking adventure near Nijmegen, combining nature, movement, and Dutch wine culture. We’ll begin the day slowly and gezellig with a traditional cup of coffee at our favorite café in Nijmegen, followed by a relaxed walk through the city. From there, we’ll head into the woods, passing through the charming Philosopher’s Valley, with its swinging hedges, forest paths, and surprisingly hilly landscapes that make this area so special. This hike is all about enjoying nature, good company, and shared moments, with fellow hikers just like you. **Finish in the Wine Village of the Netherlands:** Groesbeek After completing our 14 km hike, we’ll arrive in Groesbeek, officially known as the wine village of the Netherlands. Here, we’ll visit a local wine centre for a guided tour and tasting: Wine tour & tasting: €19.50 per person Vineyard & wine cellar visit Tasting of 3 local wines Non-alcoholic options available Duration: 1.5 hours Optional local food platter: €7.50 per person A bit of background The story of Groesbeek wine began in 2000, when former sports teacher Freek Verhoeven started growing vines as a hobby. Thanks to the rich soil and hilly terrain, his wines quickly gained recognition and even won awards. Today, under new leadership, the winery is known for innovation, including low-alcohol (2%) wines and naturally sulfite-free wines. Groesbeek has since grown into a true wine hub, with vineyards, a professional wine centre, tastings, workshops, and a stunning terrace overlooking the vines, the perfect ending to our hike. **Quick Itinerary** Date: February 28 Meeting Point: Bluf Café, Nijmegen Start Time: 9:30 Distance: 14 km (Nijmegen → Groesbeek) Return: Bus back to Nijmegen **Meetup Fee: €8** **Payment & confirmation:** Please confirm your participation by sending the payment by February 15th to secure your spot; after that, any remaining places will be offered to the waiting list. Cancellations made less than 2 days before the event are non-refundable, as arrangements will already be confirmed. Please include your name with the payment so I can track your registration. **What to Bring** Water Lunch (we’ll picnic along the way - before getting tipsy ) Something to sit on (towel or mat) **What to Wear** Comfortable hiking shoes are essential Dress in layers for changing weather **Community & Practical Info** WhatsApp group: You’ll receive the event WhatsApp link 2 days before the hike to connect, coordinate, and get to know each other. Instagram: Follow us for updates and behind-the-scenes moments https://www.instagram.com/campfires_tales We often take photos and short videos to share the CampFires magic. If you’d prefer not to be featured, just let us know at the start — we always respect your privacy. We can’t wait to hike, sip, and connect with you. Hope to see you there!

Hi✋ At[ Data Tribes ](https://www.datatribes.nl/)we organise Meetups because we truly care about sharing knowledge both inside and outside the organisation. We believe that it is beneficial to us and to the market as a whole to connect, create, learn and grow together! **The agenda** // Doors open 6.00pm // Drinks and Pizza’s 6.30pm // Start presentations 7.00pm **Henk van der Valk:** "Optimizing the Azure cloud?" ***Who really cares about Cost & Co2?*** // Start networking 9.00pm // End Meetup 9.30pm Greetings, Data Tribes Inc.

** ABOUT OUR WATERCOLOR PAINTING PARTY / AMERSFOORT** Amersfoort - Utrecht Province / Center of the City / Easy access from train station. Create your very own **portrait, animals, landscape, or figurative** masterpiece in only **2.5 HOURS using watercolor and our secret mixed media techniques!.** This session is not about perfection; it is about capturing emotions and personal expression. **No experience required** **\- trust us\!** our professional artist will guide you step-by-step through this unique self-portrait journey. You can look forward to a fun and exciting evening with other participants, **so it doesn't matter if you want to come with friends or alone - you are very welcome!** This is the perfect after-work or weekend activity where you'll unleash your creativity while creating something deeply personal. You will create a portrait combining painting, drawing, and creative techniques to bring your unique vision to life. When finished, you'll take home your newly created self-portrait artwork to cherish or share with loved ones. Each participant will have pencils, colored pencils, watercolor, acrylic/gouache paints, and a surface. You'll work from an image we will bring. **️ READY TO HAVE FUN?** Get your Ticket and book your seat **✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP HERE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** .................................... ** WHAT'S INCLUDED?** All supplies included **2.5-HOUR [TICKET SESSION](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555)** ️ **EXTRA BONUS:** **FREE TICKET**️ to participate in our Drawing and Painting Cafes in Amersfoort or Our Online Still-Life sessions if you live far away. New friendships and Conversations Freedom to work at your own pace **English tutored activity** (And of course, you can speak in your local language with your friends!) ⭐ No experience needed **️ BOOK YOUR SEAT IN ADVANCE ✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨!** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** ** 2026 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. .................................... **️ ART LOVERS CLUB / ABOUT US** **ART LOVERS CLUB** is a community where art enthusiasts come together to explore their creativity and connect with new buddies through various events and sessions ( In-Person and Online) . Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting, we have something for everyone!⭐ To share with you more about what we do, you can see here the overall atmosphere of our events in Amersfoort and also follow us if you want⭐: **[https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club](https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club)** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** ** 2025 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. **See you soon. We are looking forward to painting and having Fun Together! ‍‍‍‍**

**ArnhemJUG** We are excited to announce the second meetup of 2026. OpenValue Arnhem is once again hosting us for the February meetup! **Agenda** * 17:00 CET walk-in * 17:30 – 18:30 Food and drinks * 18:30 – 19:30 talk: **Catching the 137-Killer: A Java Memory Forensics Investigation** by **Martijn Dashorst** * 19:30 – 19:45 break * 19:45 – 20:45 talk: **Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards** by **Pascal Wilbrink** * 20:45 – 21:30 drinks **Catching the 137-Killer: A Java Memory Forensics Investigation** Your Java application is running smoothly, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking just around the corner. Then—without warning—it vanishes without a trace. Upon investigation, you discover the virtual remains of countless slain JVMs, each marked with the same cryptic number: 137. A serial killer is on the loose in your cluster. This true crime investigation will walk you through the differences between JVM memory areas, the mechanics of container OOMKills, analysing Grafana dashboards for memory and thread anomalies, interpreting heap dumps, and utilising JVM Native Memory Tracking (NMT) to uncover hidden native memory consumption. You’ll master practical forensic techniques and proven prevention strategies—from memory tuning tactics and balancing heap vs. non-heap allocations to leveraging large language models (LLMs) for advanced forensic analysis. These skills will help ensure your applications stay alive—even when something’s out to get them. Just like in a real murder mystery, we may not know whodunnit... but with Martijn Dashorst leading the investigation, you're sure to get closer to the truth. **About Martijn Dashorst** My Java experience is finally old enough to drive, vote and drink a beer (not all at once). One of the remaining Eclipse users, loves Java, relationship with Maven is complicated. Martijn Dashorst has worked since 2004 at Topicus and has used Java since 2002. Loves server-side Java. You might know him from Apache Wicket—he's dabbled somewhat in that framework. Loves his family and cats, finds Douglas Adams' description of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation's technology very apt to the current technology landscape. **Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards** AI systems evolve from standalone models into connected, agent-based ecosystems, new architectural patterns, protocols, and standards are emerging. Concepts such as AGUI, A2A, A2UI, and MCP-based applications are changing how intelligent systems are designed and integrated. This presentation explains how these approaches affect system structure, responsibilities, and interoperability. Using architectural diagrams, it shows how AI agent applications communicate and collaborate through standardized interfaces, and provides guidance on building scalable and maintainable AI platforms. **About Pascal Wilbrink** Pascal is a senior software engineer at OpenValue with over a decade of experience and a strong interest in applied AI and intelligent automation. He enjoys exploring how technology can make developers’ lives easier and software more resilient. When he’s not experimenting with new ideas or building open-source tools, Pascal likes to learn by doing and turning complex problems into practical solutions.

Donderdag **26 februari 2026** is het weer tijd voor onze **Techday**: hét vaste moment waarop we kennis delen, elkaar inspireren en nieuwe ideeën direct in de praktijk brengen. Deze editie komt een spreker van Onyx langs. Onyx is gespecialiseerd in cybersecurity. Tijdens deze techday worden theorie, praktijk en nabespreking gecombineerd met directe toepasbaarheid in jullie dagelijkse werkzaamheden. Tijdens de Techday duiken we hands-on in veelvoorkomende kwetsbaarheden en misconfiguraties binnen moderne softwareontwikkeling. Theorie, demo’s en realistische scenario’s wisselen elkaar af. Met de interactieve CTF‑opdrachten leer je niet alleen hoe deze problemen ontstaan en misbruikt worden, maar vooral hoe je ze direct kunt toepassen en voorkomen in je dagelijkse werk. **Wanneer:** Donderdag 26 februari 2026 **Wat:** Cybersecurity in de Praktijk: Hands-on met Onyx **Voor wie:** Iedereen die nieuwsgierig is en wil leren **Agenda** 14:45 - 15:00 - Inloop 15:00 - 18:00 - Opening en introductie Praktijkvoorbeelden: Wat zijn wij in het echt tegengekomen Security misconfiguration: Gezamelijke spot-de-fout met code-snippets CTF opdrachten 18:00 - 19:00 - Eten en napraten We zien je graag op de Techday!

Join Creative Table for an interactive and fun Create & Connect session in Apeldoorn aimed at fostering community building. Unleash your creativity in a supportive and inclusive environment, where members can connect, share ideas, and collaborate on various art projects. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just looking to dabble in something new, this event welcomes all skill levels. Come prepared to mingle, create, and be inspired by the diverse talents within our community. Let's paint, draw, and sculpt our way to stronger connections and lasting friendships.

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong

Join us for The Fisherman by John Langan. In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman's Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other's company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story. Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir. It's a tale of dark pacts, of long-buried secrets, and of a mysterious figure known as Der Fisher: the Fisherman. It will bring Abe and Dan face to face with all that they have lost, and with the price they must pay to regain it.

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

Mental Health, how do you understand it? How can you improve it? 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. This group is hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

**Summary** For this event, we will do the [Rhino Barn Tour](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) at [The Wilds](https://www.thewilds.org/), a ten-thousand acre conservation center in Muskingum County. It is the largest such center in North America and one of the largest in the entire world. During this tour, we'll visit The Wilds' rhino herd in their state-of-the-art heated barns and learn how The Wilds' animal management team takes care of one of the largest herds of rhinos outside of Africa and Asia. **The date and time of this tour** We will be doing the 1:00 p.m. [Rhino Barn Tour](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) on Saturday, February 28. The tour is scheduled to last 90 minutes. **What you need to do to attend** Signing up here on Meetup will not get you into The Wilds for the tour. You must go out to The Wilds' [website](https://www.thewilds.org/) and [buy a ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour). Please [purchase your ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour), then sign up here on Meetup so I know how many to expect. **Attendance cap** There are only eight total slots/tickets available for this tour. As I obviously have already bought one of the tickets, that leaves seven spaces for everyone else. If you are interested in this event, I urge you to [buy a ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) at The Wilds' website as soon as possible. Since their website is obviously public, nothing prevents other people having nothing to do with *GOhio!* from buying their own tickets, thereby potentially taking an available slot away from you. **Additional notes on attendance** I have now run several events at The Wilds. While the location of The Wilds and the pricing of the tickets generally leads to small turnouts, the people who have gone have all enjoyed it and were glad they went. If you've never been to The Wilds and you like zoos or animals at all, you are likely to find any tour at The Wilds to be a rewarding experience. **Tickets and pricing** [Tickets](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) for this tour are $95, or $76 if you're a Wilds' member. I've posted screen shots, below, to help you be sure you're buying tickets for the correct event. Wilds' memberships pay for themselves if you go to The Wilds at least twice a year, and [Columbus Zoo members](https://www.columbuszoo.org/membership) get a discount on memberships to The Wilds. I will always run at least two events a year at The Wilds. Tickets for all Wilds' tours must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance of the actual tour. **Cancellations and refunds** Per The Wilds' [Cancellation Policy](https://www.thewilds.org/policies): *In order to be eligible for refund and accrue no rescheduling fees, cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance of reservation. Cancellations made within 14 days of reservation will not receive a refund.* You may [contact The Wilds](https://www.thewilds.org/contact) at (740) 638-5030 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or you can email them at information@thewilds.org. **Waiver of liability** After you purchase your ticket, you will likely be asked to fill out a waiver of liability. This is a very short document and should take you no more than two minutes to complete. **Where we'll meet** We will meet at The Wilds, whose actual address is [14000 International Rd, Cumberland, OH 43732](https://www.google.com/maps/place/14000+International+Rd,+Cumberland,+OH+43732/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8837dae07a595557:0xa1ceca93325a8bd1?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111). Please try to be there by 12:30 p.m. For most Wilds' tours, a shuttle bus will take you to the actual spot of the tour. So think of this as though you're going to the airport to catch a flight. It helps to be on time. The Wilds generally asks that people arrive at least thirty minutes because the scheduled start time of their tour. **GPS / Getting to The Wilds** The Wilds is in a very rural area, but I've never had a problem getting there with my GPS (I have Verizon). I've also uploaded a JPG map, below, of Muskingum County. Sometimes, though, it's hard to get a signal when you're at The Wilds and getting ready to leave. So you might want to consider downloading an offline map in Google Maps. Your cell phone should pick up a signal, however, within a few minutes after you leave. The Wilds' Visitor Center does have free Wi-Fi. **Carpooling?** If you want to carpool, I recommend discussing this in the comments, below, to this event. While I don't myself carpool, I will do what I can to help you arrange something if I can. **The weather** Dress for the weather. Just because the barn is heated doesn't mean it will be warm. And wear closed-toed shoes. Wilds' tours typically run no matter what the weather is. **After the tour** Once we're done with the rhinos, we'll head over to the very highly rated [Y-Bridge Brewing Company](https://ybridgebrewing.com/). The brewery is about thirty minutes from The Wilds, and it will be on the way back to Columbus for most, if not all, of us. The brewery's actual address is [1417 Linden Ave Ste D, Zanesville, OH 43701](https://www.google.com/maps/place/1417+Linden+Ave+d,+Zanesville,+OH+43701/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8837edd6cc50824f:0xe3a0af1ccb2aefbf?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111). Y-Bridge Brewing does not serve food; however, they have several [food options](https://ybridgebrewing.com/food-options). I encourage you to check these out ahead of time on their website for yourself. However, here are a few of them: *Within walking distance -- 120 feet away* * [Angry Bull Saloon](https://www.facebook.com/AngryBullSaloonZanesville/) (pizza & subs) * The Corner Pub Sports Bar and Grill (classic bar food) *Delivery options -- [Door Dash](https://www.doordash.com/)* * [4 Star Pizza](https://fourstarpizza.com/), (740) 452-9300 * [Donatos](https://www.donatos.com/), (740) 452-7900 * [Pizza Cottage](https://www.pizza-cottage.com/), (740) 455-6000 * [Dominos](https://www.dominos.com/), (740) 455-3126 * [Papa John's](https://www.papajohns.com/), (740) 450-4100 If you live in the area or can't make The Wilds but still want to meet us at the brewery, that's fine too.