vol. 2, no. 38 | Hiding

variety


            
        February 4, 2026
    
    
vol. 2,  no. 38 | Hiding


        After almost a yearlong streak of dodging sickness I have again fallen ill. It’s nothing terrible (probably), but it’s enough to keep me partially away from The Company and masked while I’m around.
As with past sicknesses (you may remember that for a time last year I was on an every-other-monthly cadence of “wellness retreats”), I find myself appreciating again how nice it is to not be sick, to breathe easily, to have energy. But mostly I find myself again appreciating all of you, and how in previous times in my life a few days without seeing friends would never register as odd. I like that it now registers as odd. It is nice to miss a thing when you know you’ll have it again.
Thank you for the magical potion and the offer of soup and the well wishes and the controlled substances. I hope this one goes quick.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Offsite: Eve Addams Poetry Feature, Sunday, February 1
(This passed but leaving it here for the records)
Creative Writing Workshop: Time, Monday, February 2
(Also passed and also leaving it here for the records)
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, February 4
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
Work together →
PowerPoint Party No. 35, Saturday, February 7
Twelve people giving 7-minute presentations about whatever they’re currently into. At past parties, people have presented about sneakers, riding the bus, figure skating, and death. 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, free for members and presenters
Make a point of coming →
Future Weeks:
Cuppa Valentine’s Day TREAT YOURSELF Clothing Swap, Saturday, February 14
Cuppa is hosting its third all-gender clothing swap on Valentine’s Day from 11am-1pm! Come get a cuppa and give forlorn items another chance at love.
Find love in a hopeful place →
The Annual Performance Review, Saturday, February 28
This is a little ways away but deserves an early heads up:
Alex, Lizzie, and Madeleine are organizing the Company’s first Annual Performance Review (credit to Lizzie for the perfect name) a winter talent showcase, featuring short performances from the community. As I understand it they are still in search of talent, and a variety of talent. If you’re interested in performing, express your interest using this form, and if you’re interested in just attending…
Meet expectations →
—
Also coming up: Glint: Rearview (February 17), Mary Ann’s Book Club: The Anxious Generation (February 23)
Nostalgia
Do you remember that frigid day at Belmar, with the snow storm? Your final cut? How afterward the three of us blew around on the snowy and desolate ice rink? That you made snow angels on the ice? How we were the last three to skate before it closed early for the season? And how we slowly thawed out in the crowded sports bar?
Or the morning with just three of us? How we talked about cancellations and national politics? And do you remember (please tell me you noticed, and will forever remember) my double-handed heroic though extremely tardy removal of the ACs?
The Atmosphere book club fueled by snacks and Lauren T.’s banana bread? How Jessica P. had two major complaints, but on the whole we found the book filled with so much sweetness?
The Tuesday with our long discussion about ICE, and history, and the definition of fascism? How it was so fun to watch Ryan and Simon volley so much historical knowledge back and forth?
Or the full Wednesday, with Tes and Adam? How nice it was to see and hear about all the co-housing connections? Our lunchtime curly hair intervention for Jim? The Zamboni and AI conversation?
Do you remember the recess, how we again spoke about Minneapolis? How there was all the beeping of constructions vehicles backing up while Adam held court on mutual aid?
Or our pre-Worknight discussion of all the Company folk with published work? That we heard about Alex’s patents? The star-ridden Worknight with early departures and late arrivals?
The day of Madeleine’s final interview? The long wait for news?
How we had record time, and pickles for all? How over lunch we helped Beth think about thematic food for a Groundhog Day party? That we arrived at ten courses of pigs in a blanket? Her later unrelated sadness and consolation?
The setting up of the temporary location for the Alex Prinsen Media Theory Library for Anti-Technopolistic Thought? Our discussion of book recommendations, and how we got to again tell the story of Norton’s idea for an opinionated book store?
How she got the job, and how distressed I was that we hugged instead of our customary infinite rounds of handshakes? Our recess walk to the river, and the collaborative footprint artwork?
Do you remember the Friday morning with so many Cuppa customers—a happy contrast to the previous weekend? Our distant lunch? Justin‘s arrival and event setup? How Jessica S. arrived tiptoeing because of her heels? How Marcia showed up and we admired the cardigan she had designed and knit?
And do you remember our adventure with the flowers? How we helped ourselves to supplies since the florist was away, and made the bouquets just a little bit nicer?
How so many of us convened at the pre-Nerd Nite happy hour? How we welcomed Madison to The Discord in person? That we met Andy, and convinced Ryan to come along, and we carpooled and walked over and stood outside?
That when we made it in we took up the first two rows, and cheered so loudly for Lauren T.? And Lizzie? And Madeleine? How we teared up again? Felt so grateful to have met Gus and Earl—so grateful to find a whole other group of people so much the same as ours?
Do you remember the pizza afterward? How we lost a chunk of people in the transition to yet another location, but still had so many of us there?
Or the first day of the fifth and (what we learned to be) final Sundance at Home? The temporary return of Drew J., just for that? The thoughtful remarks, and programming, and snacks? The full day of movies that confused us and warmed our hearts and made us laugh and had us feeling heavy and grateful for lives that would make boring movies?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Many thanks to Ryan for getting replacement batteries for our UPS!
Many and never-ending thanks to myself for finally taking down the remaining ACs!
Thanks to Jim for removing the Christmas tree!
Mary Ann’s Book Club rated Atmosphere a collective 4 stars.
At Worknight: Alex picked ≥2 recipes for next week and read 10 pages; Ivan responded to type inquiry emails and wrote 2 sections for a lecture; Jessica S. worked on creating financial statement reports; Lauren T. scheduled an oil change, finished her Nerd Nite presentation, and read 70 pages; Livvy answered Claire, printed a checklist, and worked on her script; Omar worked on ideas for CT project; Gus finished 3 micro animations; Madeleine signed up to volunteer record and brainstormed ideas for a fund.
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
Madeleine’s last cut on the Zam (this season).
It looks like they have fallen but they did not.
They were just getting in position for snow angels.
A rare morning with just Mark! So many good conversations, including one on "cancel culture" but not in the way you think.
This story took so many people’s breath away. (As in people in the book.)
Another recess.
Little Man has some new sports-related flavors.
Simon checking out our exclusive Member’s Only entrance.
A surprisingly full Wednesday lunch.
Which we turned into a curly hair intervention for Jim.
Thanks again, Jim!
Alex holding court about his hometown.
Omar’s first Worknight! He’s part of the ATLAS crew and recently joined for In the Making.
Wish I remembered what caused this reaction.
Alex Prinsen setting up a temporary library location on his new desk.
Congratulations Madeleine on the new job!
Some footprint art at that one spot at the river.
And some standing around.
This is the way that Alex always looks when he’s on a walk. You can understand why he’s so careful about his screen time.
Justin! One of our most elusive and most important members, back for a yearly event.
(If you’re new here, Justin was immensely important to encouraging us to start The Company. If this place means anything to you, you have him to thank for persuading us to go ahead with this experiment.)
My current sickness, mentioned earlier, began to seem imminent on this day, so I sat far away for lunch to be safe.
Another walk.
Marcia designed this cardigan! This knitwear appreciation committee convened to appreciate it.
Pre-Nerd Nite happy hour. To quote from one of Jessica S.’s communiqués: “Due to unprecedented attendance forecasts, we are preemptively pulling an audible and changing locations to Avanti.” (Do you get it?)
The Bug! For many of us our very first time. Such a cool location.
Thanks Earl for putting on a good show and making such great presenter selections!
Lauren T. was soooo ready for this.
Something I’ve thought before, that I’m not sure I’ve remembered to mention here, and probably not to Lauren either, is that it seems like such an absolute honor to have her present about you (assuming you are not one of the antagonists in her presentations). I think there are many prizes a person in the medical sciences can win, but I think it’s its own kind of honor to have her pay attention to you and share your story with others.
Thanks Sam for introducing Lauren to us all!
Lizzie got a bit part in the second presentation by volunteering to sing a note! I’m worried we might have cheered louder for her than for Kole.
Madeleine talking about one of her incredibly cool jobs.
To a very large crowd.
Jessica S. made sure to get flowers for our dear presenters.
Most of us who were there (missing a few). Photo by Andy.
❤️
Such a great event.
Afterwards.
Justin’s fifth and final Sundance at Home event, and his second hosted at The Company. Livvy and I have made it to three, and at every one he puts so much thought into the selections, and gives remarks beforehand. Such a a great host, and such nice consideration.
One of the many in-between walks.
This is the final year of Sundance at Home because next year Justin’s going to go to actual regular Sundance at Sundance in Boulder in Colorado. Perhaps with a script.
Big movie guy, that Justin.
—
This issue of Paperwork was written by Ivan with additional reporting from Jessica S., and was shot by Ivan and Andy. Photo selection and editing by Ivan and Livvy. 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., Mike, Ben, Sam, Liz, Christof, Ryan, Lauren, Madeleine, Simon, and Adam.
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.
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