vol. 2, no. 25 | Good Tape
For Halloween this year I dressed as a young Ira Glass. It was a bit of a lazy costume: just a suit and recording equipment. I thought about dying some of my hair gray and going as present-day Ira Glass, but I was worried the dye would rub off on my headphones or get on the suit, and also that hardly anyone would know who Ira Glass even was. And that if they did know who he was, they probably had no idea what he looked like. And so I was young.
At the Orbis Halloween party where a lot of us celebrated, I went around with my microphone and I actually recorded the entire night (except for one brief secret moment). And it’s so funny how easily you can record strangers when they think a microphone is just a prop! And it’s delightful how excited they still are to speak into what they think is just a prop.
I asked people who they were, and what their costumes were about. Some people were sincere, some stayed in character, and, as I expected, most had no idea who Ira Glass was.
I also got to talk to so many of us Company folk, and it was fun to pay so much attention. Listening through headphones makes everything seem more important, in a similar way that looking through a viewfinder makes everything seem more important, in a similar way that taking notes and summarizing a week makes everything seem more important.
I don’t know how soon I’ll cut the tape together, but I like knowing that at some point we’ll have another artifact of that magical night. A snapshot, in a different medium, of what some of us were like on Halloween of 2025.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Mild Salsa No. 9, Sunday, November 2
(Way passed but keeping it in for the records.)
Organized by Michelle and Mark, taught by Jess Torres, attended by people you have no reason to feel embarrassed learning to dance around.
$10
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, November 5
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, free for Company and Moonlight members
Charmed: Acrylic Chain Workshop Extravaganza, Thursday, November 6
Case, of the world famous Calm Tech Institute, and of the Company famous time she presented at a Make & Tell, is hosting an acrylic chain workshop extravaganza. As she describes it:
“Get off your phone and play around with brightly colored chains and charms! Acrylic chains are fun to play with because they’re super relaxing, colorful, and easy to put together! Make anything from eyeglasses chains, friendship bracelets, bag chains, and whatever else you can come up with! All materials and guidance provided. Just bring yourself and have a relaxing time making cool things for yourself and others!”
$30, $25 for members
Future Weeks:
Glint: Opposite, Tuesday, November 11
True, personal stories, told live, without notes. Pretty much exactly like The Moth, except without the competition, on Tuesdays instead of Fridays, and everyone knows each other (or is about to). Our next theme is “Opposite“.
Do you have a story of difference? Of opposition? Of opposites attracting? Of reflections, reversals, or mirror images? Of contrasts, juxtapositions, dichotomies? Of polarization? Of magnets? Whatever your interpretation, we want to hear it.
We’ve got a few teller slots left, so if you’re interested in telling a story, reply and let us know.
$10, or free for tellers and members.
Plan not to come and then do the opposite →
Ishmael Book Club: 6–9, Thursday, November 13
Mark once read a book that still means a lot to him, and he’s hosting a book club about it. Our first meeting was soooo much fun—there are some really thinky and well-read people in this group and the discussion was a strange kind of riot—and it’s a short enough read that you can catch up and join us for the second.
Offsite: Poetry Grand Slam, Saturday, November 15
A little over a year ago we pretended to be an art house theater so that we could screen (and thereby watch) Gary Hustwit’s Eno documentary. To our delight-turned-brief-terror, strangers came, including Jim (a physicians assistant), who’s married to Katie (also a physicians assistant), who once had an overlapping rotation with Ryan (a doctor who on the side is a very talented slam poet) and invited him to a PowerPoint Party, who after a few months mentioned Glint to Madeleine (also a slam poet), who has since become a regular and a friend.
Both Ryan and Madeleine will be competing in the Poetry Grand Slam, and, having heard them both perform before and knowing how easily I am moved, I can guarantee that I’ll be very tearful that night. Join for good poetry, or to see me be an absolute mess.
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Also coming up: In The Making (November 20), PowerPoint Party No. 33 (December 6)
Nostalgia
Do you remember Ryan’s first day of class? That he listened to us watching the birding documentary, to help him focus? How the documentary was just as good as had been suggested?
That was the week that Madeleine came in almost every day, and Alex installed birds at the park, and we played so much football, or at least carried it with us.
Do you remember learning that Dan can actually already throw and catch a football? That what he had described, months before, was going long? How a stoplight got its bulb changed in the storm, the afternoon Chris and Sam Ad. popped by?
Do you remember the day of Death and All Her Friends? How Liz couldn’t attend but took advantage of the notary? How a spider was killed, and candles were lit, and the room got so crowded?
How it was clear this Madison does this kind of thing professionally? How it was practical and hilarious and serious and beautiful? How quickly the future care of cats was figured out? How slaphappy we all got? How we cheered for the better priced disposition methods? How, of NOR, Halie said “to just be rolled around in soil seems really cushiony!”, and that, when told of the doubling costs every decade, Mark yelled “die now!”?
How the event ended with a song that made some of us weep? And then there were receipts? And a cake to celebrate an anniversary? How we sang the happy anniversary song?
Do you remember the day of the first interview? How Norton intercepted us on our way to the vending machines? The football tossed across the street? The coffee cup on the post? The busy afternoon with the ins and outs? How props for the film shoot got packed?
How Liz showed up just in time for worknight but deserted us before it started? That that night was the first night we saw the new Domino’s boxes?
Were you there for the massages in exchange for the modeling? Do you remember how Chrisof baked cookies here? That we did some more radio work?
Or do you remember that bright day, in the fall, in the gallery in Englewood, when you shot your first film? How it all went smoother than you expected, and ahead of schedule? How so many of us were there for you, in so many different roles, all dressed in black?
Do you remember the rhythm on set? The breathing of loud and quiet, the set up and the takes? How the only things Justin said louder than a whisper were “action!” and “cut!” and we teared up to hear it? How eventually we got to all sit around on the floor, and we reminisced about the time in the Kissing Room, a year before? How special it felt for us to get to see that whole journey play out? That we saw a script turn into a shoot? How we were so proud?
How some of us, afterward, went salsa dancing? That after the class it promptly got more advanced? How the leaders had a trickier time than the followers? That we marveled at so many people, now able to better understand how skillful they were? That we got to watch Jess and Madeleine dance? That Allyson enjoyed the pirate?
Do you remember Halloween that year? How it began with a Creative Mornings that bothered us for different reasons? That there was company for a few minutes in a coffee shop nearby? That at The Company there was a big and rotating group of us? How we fawned at Beth’s adorable new phone, that she learned about from José? How Madeleine showed up as that one specific chocolate milk cow, that we watched the Apparently Kid video, that we saw the resuming of Dan and Michelle’s silly hugs? That we recorded a phone-call attempt with an audience?
And do you remember that perfect party at Orbis? All of us in costume, playing different parts, or the same part with different name tags? Dressed as dreams and nightmares and occupations and metaphors and just a regular crab that wasn’t from anything it was just a crab? How the music was too loud? How some of us spoke with the wingman? That it turned out to be a great night for scary things?
Or PowerPoint Party No. 32? The quick set up? The talks of form and function and freedom and fun and former occupants? How we cheered for the third installment in the utensil trilogy? That Beth imagined people thinking “But what if we made this mundane thing beautiful?”? How Micah said “it’s open to interpretation”? How we learned that Ernst Grafenberg is one of the girlies? How the evening ended earlier than usual?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Alex has kindly installed some new birds in the nearby park.
As shown in this and prior issues, Christof has begun running a one-person underground baking charity occasionally providing yummy treats to hungry companions on Thursdays and Fridays. He is currently accepting donations in the form of suggestions for more treats to make. You can occasionally find him here on Thursdays and Fridays.
At Worknight: Liz did nothing; Ivan spent 15 minutes on a Glint story; Jessica S. spent 24 minutes learning data structures and worked on a lesson on linked lists; Alex completed 1 Horizon ticket; Ryan made a deal with a witch and patched a hole; Livvy worked on reconciling a budget; and Dan worked on making and sending the vibe deck.
At PowerPoint Party: Case taught us about the criminalization of ornament, Lucy celebrated divorce, José ran us through some numbers for habit formation, Elijah finally got around to telling us about forks, Daniel nos ayudó apreciar la pelicula Coco, Beth reflected on her recent travels to Japan, Micah was pretty glued to his slides, Kayla told us a story about Type III fun, Lauren educated us on eponyms, and Ivan sped through a history of the east half of lots 16–19 in block 11 of the Union Addition of Denver.
We have a time clock. Partially because, hey, we’re a Company! And mostly because we love having a physical record of (almost) everyone who’s been in the space. People punch in and out when they visit. At the end of each month, we stack up all the cards by visit count in the Fibonacci sequence. Here’s the data for October:
1 visit: 83 people
2 visits: 12 people
3–4 visits: 10 people
5–7 visits: 7 people
8–12 visits: 9 people
13–20 visits: 3 people
21+ visits: 3 peopleTotal people: 127
People who came more than once: 44Other notes:
This month had the most total unique visitors of any month at the Company so far: 127. The last highest month was March 2025 at 124.
This month had exactly 40 more unique visitors than last month, and exactly the same number (44) of visitors as last month who came more than once.
Norton was here 30 days this month, which is every single day except October 27. Have we ever had a 30 before?? (Ivan and Livvy were here 29 days this month, every single day except October 12 and 18.)
Ryan coming in strong at 13+!
Note: We don’t generally record visitors to Cuppa if they are only stopping in for Cuppa. Many people came through the space that are not represented here!
Inevitably: incomplete and messy data.
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 with additional reporting from Jessica S., and was shot by Ivan, Beth, Lizzie, and Madeleine. Photo selection and editing by Ivan. Editorial support was provided by Livvy and Norton. This issue, and The Company itself, was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew J., Big Director Guy, Mason, José, Mary Ann, Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, Elijah, Michelle, Jim, Jaime, Jacob, Mark, Sabrina, Beth, Dani, Chris, Will, Marcia, Rebeca, Sarah, Alex, Jessica P., Jessica S., Mike, Ben, Sam, Liz, Christof, Ryan, and Lauren.
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.
🙃