vol. 2, no. 2 | Recess
As I write this intro, I’m in the panicky throes of helping prepare for a hijink (to be covered in next issue), so I’m going to skip the occasionally reflective intro and just say: come to stuff, say hi, we miss you.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Mary Ann’s Book Club: Belong, Monday, May 26
A book club switching between fiction and non-fiction. This month’s book is Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life by Radha Agrawal.
A practical and inspiring guide for anyone seeking to build meaningful connections and foster a sense of community in today's often isolating world. Through self-reflection exercises and actionable strategies, Agrawal helps readers identify their core values, understand the importance of shared rituals, and take intentional steps toward creating authentic relationships that lead to a deeper sense of belonging.
Snacks and drinks will be provided to fuel our conversation.
$0–$10
You belong at this book club →
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, May 28
The Company is about combining creative work with good friendships. Make an appointment with your side project this (or any) Wednesday at a Worknight, where we oscillate between enforced, focused, quiet time and optional chatty social time.
$5, or free for Company and Moonlight members.
Survival Scouts: Mending Class, Thursday, May 29
Survival Scouts is proud to present their first mending workshop. Learn how to mend just about anything! Bring an article of your clothing that needs some TLC, a backpack that needs repairs, or use the scrap fabric provided to learn beginner hand sewing and patchwork. Needle, thread, and scrap fabric for patches will be provided.
Future Weeks:
Survival Scouts: Stop the Bleed, Tuesday, June 3
Jim, a member of The Company and also a PA and certified “Stop the Bleed” instructor, along with his friend Adam, an EMT, will be teaching us how to Stop the Bleed. This course, created by the American College of Surgeons, has "prepared nearly 4 million people worldwide on how to stop bleeding in a severely injured person". This course can and has saved lives. Two cost options are available and will be used to cover the cost of supplies.
PowerPoint Party No. 27, Saturday, June 7
What’s a PowerPoint Party, you ask? Twelve people giving 7-minute presentations about whatever they’re currently into. At past parties, people have presented about roller derby, stretching time, Puerto Rican History, and cheese caves. It’s a wide mix.
It’s a nerdy and sincere crowd that cares a lot, and we’ve met some of our favorite people at these.
Want to present? We’ve got a waiting list. Want to just show up and meet interesting people and learn about what’s fascinating them lately? That’s great too. Bring a friend, or come alone and make a friend.
$10, or free for members and presenters.
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Also coming up: Glint: Crossroads (June 17), In The Making (June 26).
Nostalgia
Do you remember seeing them meet? How Mike said his middle name was Patrick, and Patrick said his middle name was Michael?
Or the high fives from Norton?
The brief return of Michelle & Livvy’s Daily Walk For Everyone, and the ritual checking for the long-missing dog?
The transition to recess? How we saw Jeff and Rango on the way back?
How the next day there were so many of us at our new collective break? The walking and the hanging and the wah-ing and the swinging? How we returned to a game in progress?
How that was the first day all of the dedicated desk people were in together? The first time since the long-ago fall?
Or the worknight? How we noticed that we’re losing money on Worknights, and said aloud that we should stop ordering Domino’s, and Alex suggested we order Linger?
Do you remember that day that we remembered about Tony P’s, and remembered Michelle’s first day at The Company? How we feasted so well? How the cannolo exploded upon a patient Justin, who remembered an earlier version of himself?
How, at recess, Norton discovered he’s a whole year younger than he thought?
The setup for In The Making? The appearance of Lizzie, and her and Mason’s recitation of his last greeting to her?
The phenomenon of Mason’s presentation, having been made inside of his custom graphics engine? Carly’s floral arrangements? Jim’s memorial? Norton’s lucky poncho?
How at intermission, Carly said, of the show, “It’s good for the brain, it rinses the war crimes away.”?
My type, Lizzie’s dress, and Patrick’s demonstrations of juice?
And do you remember, that perfect memory, of all of us cheering for Jim from the porch as he drove by in his brand new quite-old car?
Our Friday walk to Avanti and our return, and our decisive plans about how to stop spending so much money on food?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Inspired by courts and elementary schools, and in an effort to preserve a better workday focus culture, we’ve instituted an afternoon recess. It has mildly helped cut down on the intermittent socializing.
At Worknight: Livvy worked on legitimately moving tickets on a work project, Norton bound cursor input and canvas size to slant value, Ivan outlined portfolio changes, Alex worked on writing a Hubspot sync workflow, Lizzie made a slideshow for In The Making, Mark defined next steps for a fiscal sponsorship, and Patrick made a slideshow for In The Making.
Related to the above, we’ve been having very preliminary discussions about raising the star bar.
In last week’s bureaucratic minutiae, we failed to mention that at that week’s worknight, coders outnumbered designers.
At In The Making: Mason moved us around his graphics engine, Carly shared her floral work for a styled shoot, Jim talked us through a memorializing object, Norton demoed his pixel font editor, Ivan flipped through his type design portfolio, Lizzie showed her sewing project, and Patrick told us about and showed juice.
For the month of June, we’re going to be adding in a Letters to the Editor section because why not. So we’re accepting them. Send us your thoughts, or comments, or requests, and we’ll figure out if/which to include.
Finally, a reminder that The Company is a member-supported gathering place, and if you know any of us, you’re welcome to pop in any time for free (outside of events). If you know that one of us is here and you’d like to come by, reach out and we can let you in.
Photos
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This issue of Paperwork was written by Ivan, and shot by Ivan, Lizzie, Jessica S, and Jim. Photo selection and editing by Ivan, Livvy, Patrick, and Jessica S. Editorial support was provided by Livvy Norton, and Michelle. This issue, and The Company itself, was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew, Justin, Mason, Lexi, José, Mary Ann B., Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, Madison, Melissa, Elijah, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, Sabrina, Beth, Dani, Chris, Brynn, Will, Marcia, Rebeca, Sarah, Mary Ann T., Alex, Jessica P., Jessica S., Ashley, Mike, Ben T., and Sam.
Do you know anyone in the Denver area who might be looking for creative community? Feel free to forward this email along to them. Everyone loves Paperwork.
😘