→ Up Next

• Madeleine’s next Creative Writing Workshop is today, and the theme is Shelter. $10, or free for members. (already passed)
• Every Wednesday forever (including this one, June 3) is Weekly Wednesday Worknight. $5, or free for members.
• PowerPoint Party No. 39 is Saturday, June 6. $10, or free for members and presenters. The lineup: Lauren T., McKenna, Laura, Simon, Colleen, Adam, Beth, Dan, Sarah A., Jim, Michelle, and Mark.
• Creative Code Denver is having its next meetup on June 15.
• Glint: Grip is going to be on Tuesday, June 16. $10, or free for members and tellers. The lineup: Anjali, me, Civan, McKenna, Laura, Jessica P., Allyson, Lauren S., Sophie, and Jim.
• Mary Ann’s Book Club is reading Life After Cars for the next discussion on Monday, June 29.

We began with accounts of what occurred within these walls: the official and unofficial, the workday happenings, the late night lingerings. But then official and unofficial events started to take place outside these walls, and those other moments in other places also seemed worthy of note. And so it was decided that as long as someone had shared an open invitation with the lot of us, and some number of us attended, it counted as a Corporate Memory.

See us now, upon blankets in dappled shade, at ease. Glide with us across a sheet of ice, freshly cut by one of our own. Hear us as we cheerily sing a birthday song in a nicely appointed apartment. Notice how we fill two whole rows in this auditorium, this theater, this venue—how we yell so loudly when we hear any one of our names announced. Watch as we finally debut our salsa skills in a dim and loud room. Walk with us through this garden, this zoo, this lot overflowing with gourds. See us twice wearing costumes at an old mansion—once to honor the living, another time the dead. Listen as we sing along to old songs with new friends who we suspect will become old friends with whom we will sing new songs.

Survey it all and know that we lucked into this, and also that it was always the point. We came here under some pretense and we stayed for the company, and now, in so many other places, we continue to keep the same company. So much so that there are even more memories, of smaller, splintering, branching pockets of us, that go unaccounted for, much to this editor’s sadness and relief.

—Ivan

← May 24–30

Bureaucratic Minutiae

• A delayed report: Mary Ann’s Book Club rated Radiance 4.2 stars.
• At Worknight: Alex wrote eight thank you notes; Madeleine and Ivan addressed feedback from In The Making and reviewed previous works on hell houses; Patrick did a physics push experiment; and Livvy ordered groceries, announced a shower date, and almost read 2 chapters. Recap by Livvy
• A reminder that The Company is a member-supported gathering place. If you’d like to pop in for a workday and you know one of us, reach out to schedule a time and we can let you in for free. If we don’t know you yet, reach out so we can get to know you, or come by an event and say hi.

Nostalgia

Do you remember our late-afternoon photo review? How Norton had taken way too many photos and it took so long to sift? Our discovery of Patrick’s fork technique? How as we wrapped up the evening we witnessed him eating even more ice cream with a fork?

Or the Memorial Day potluck? How Joe and Lauren S. staked out an early spot, and Rebeca brought a grill? And some of us showed up near the end? The conversation about missing words that came out of our wondering about the word ‘confluence’?

The quiet morning where you caught up briefly, before immediately starting a group Pomodoro focus session? The lunch where Alex mysteriously hid his food from everyone? Introducing Marissa to Ricochet Robots? How you clapped for Ryan when he came in but he had his headphones in and didn’t know what was going on, so he just started clapping too, to feel included? How the clapping was for his completion of a certificate program from MIT? That this was more than enough reason to make another celebratory trip to Van Leeuwen at recess? How everyone was out before six?

Do you remember our lunch conversation about apologizing?

The recess walk to check out a house? How we thought it might be open, but instead we just peered into windows? How that freaked you out? That you again played more basketball?

How at that Worknight we had a tiny crowd and didn’t earn enough stars? The lack of ceremony at the end?

The workday with Sam M.? The big conversation? Our recess walk to Little Man?

Or The Sword in the Stone watch party? How much you giggled? How you oohed and aahed at Mary Ann’s new kitten? The impromptu Ren & Stimpy episode you watched right after?

Do you remember the Outside Days festival? The afternoon heat and sunshine, the long lines and free stuff? How you danced and swayed and sang along to good music?

CyborgCamp? How we met many people who knew Case and some who didn’t? How we had to decide whether or not to call it the Kissing Room to the public? The lightning talks on technology from so many different perspectives? Or how at lunch we closed our eyes and imagined ourselves as plants with superpowers? That we watched a tiny drone follow Case around the room?

Photos

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This issue of Paperwork was written by Ivan with additional reporting from Lauren T., and was shot by a stranger, Lauren S., Ivan, Livvy, Mary Ann, and Sam Ad. Photo selection and editing by Ivan. Editorial support was provided by Livvy. This issue, and The Company itself, was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew J., Justin, Mason, José, Mary Ann, Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, Elijah, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, Sabrina, Beth, Dani, Chris, Will, Marcia, Rebeca, Sarah, Alex, Jessica P., Jessica S., Ben, Sam Ad., Christof, Ryan, Lauren T., Madeleine, Simon, Adam B., Gus, Lauren S., Earl, Maddie, Bennett, Sylvia, Morgan, and Joe.

Feel free to forward this email along to them. Everyone loves Paperwork.

😘