There was a saying going around the internet last year about how “everybody wants a village but no one wants to be a villager.” It’s obviously hyperbolic (everyone knows blanket statements are nonsense). But, along with the related saying “to have a village you have to be a villager”, it seems to reflect an awareness that there’s something attractive about having a village—that there’s something nice about belonging to a group of people who have not just an affiliation but a kind of mutual commitment, and who are willing to expend effort in helping each other out.

There’s also, in both sayings, a suggestion that there’s something difficult about finding or investing in that kind of a group. For various reasons, it seems to many people that many other people would prefer easier or more individualistic ways of living.

Whether or why that’s true, I don’t know. I do know though that it is so much work and also so much nice to have a village. I know that there’s something really enjoyable about investing in people who invest in people. And it feels so special to have become close friends with people who are thinking about how they can show up, how they can support, how they can help.

We talk about The Company as a close and porous group of people, and by design that means there are ways of engaging with this place at different levels of depth. Inevitably and purposefully, I am on the close end of things, investing in this place and people and seeing others do the same. So many of you are a part of the broad community of The Company, and I’m grateful for that. I am also grateful for all of you who have chosen to be a part of the village of The Company, who have helped turn it into one.

You’ve presented, told stories, worked alongside us, during days or nights. You’ve see the same people in different contexts, seen this room in different configurations. You’ve helped set up and tear down, restocked snacks or cleaned the bathroom, refilled water containers or taken out the trash. You’ve been curious about newcomers, felt enough a part of this place to welcome others in, known who someone new should meet, you’ve hosted or helped host. And beyond that, past all the energy and time and money you put into keeping this particular space running, you’ve also helped each other with meal trains, with hugs, with rides to the airport, with talking things through, with imagining ways we can be helpful to each other as the shape of our lives are changing.

The Company may or may not be your village, but I hope you’re getting to be a villager somewhere.

—Ivan

Happenings

This week:

Glint: Boundary, Tuesday, April 14

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 “Boundary“.

Have you ever been at the edge of something? Have you ever had to set a boundary? Have you ever broken one? Have you been stopped from something? Have you pushed past? Have you found belonging? Felt excluded? Have you ever gone away? Have you discovered your limits, crossed a threshold, have you transcended yourself? Whatever your interpretation, we want to hear it.

Come hear from me, Madeleine, Anjali, Morgan, Megan, Omar, Derek, Lauren T., Christof, and Ryan, or join the list to tell your own story.

$10, or free for tellers and members.

Make it to the end →

Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, April 15

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 →

Future Weeks:

Creative Code Denver Meetup No. 13, Monday, April 20

Creative Code Denver is back after a long hiatus, with Gus as its new host. The Creative Code meetup is how we first met Gus, years ago, so there’s some nice poetry to it. (It’s also where we met Alex, Trevr, Jacob, Mason, and Will, so historically a really important event.)

There’ll be some light refreshments, a chance for 10-minute creative coding demos, and an hour of social coworking. Bring stuff to share or work on.

Honor the code →

In the Making, Thursday, April 23

A show and tell for original, amateur, creative works in progress. Each presenter has 10 minutes to spend however they choose (any mix of presenting, Q&A, workshopping, getting feedback).

We’ve got three slots left for presenters, so sign up using Whiteboard or reply if you’re interested!

$10, or free for members and presenters

Make an appearance →

Prom, Saturday, April 25

Prom was so good last year that we’re hosting another! Hosted by Lizzie and Lauren T., this year’s theme is Starry Night. As with our other school formals, corsages, boutonnieres, and cute promposals are encouraged.

Would you like to go to prom with us? →

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Also coming up: Mary Ann’s Book Club: Invisible Women (April 27), PowerPoint Party No. 38 (May 2), The Original Fiction Show (May 3) Creative Writing Workshop: Wonder (May 4)

Nostalgia

Do you remember the first Seder? The setup and the improvising? The crowd of familiar faces from different places? How the wingman was there? The revised rituals, the reinterpretations, the potluck of meaningful dishes? How we travelled backwards and forwards to near and faraway and imaginary times? That we got a glimpse of what it might look like to have kids around? How, as we reset, we helped Norton with some final moving tasks?

Or the day with Earl’s coworkers? How at the lunch without them we spoke about park days, and pictured new routines? The chocolate covered matzah and the update on the eggs? The photo culling? How at recess we stopped and smelled the lilacs? That we ordered donuts?

Do you remember our long conversation about culture and curiosity? The magnificent technology metaphor? How we kept turning the compliments back on each other? How you said “I didn’t think it could become better than this but here we are”?

The Creative Writing Workshop on Thresholds? The crowd, the prompts, the quiet, the focus, the sharing time, shorter than some others? The salsa dancing, after resetting the room?

The workday with Ellen and Drew J.? How she spoke of her friends under capitalism? That over lunch we discussed Dan’s interpretation of the upside down smiley face, and talked about our own emoji usage? Or our recess walk to the gas station in search of a specific candy, and our talk about voyages of discovery?

The Empowerment Manual book club where we discussed our opinions about fictional people, thought and talked about our personal and community values, and celebrated Trevr? How the neatness and smallness of Livvy’s handwriting caused so much shock? How nice it was to realize that we felt so similarly?

Do you remember the day of the final Spanish class? The return of the wine tasting? The pre-Worknight squats? The chit-chatty break where salsa was danced to talk of casual arson? Our excursion to Little Man? How at the end of the evening Allyson could have had her own star ceremony? How, for the very first time, we all crossed our arms and it worked perfectly?

Or our lunchtime discourse about The Discord? How we talked about membership and inclusion and size? How when Jim asked Alex who Dunbar was, Alex replied “I know him by his number”, and we laughed, and Alex didn’t know why?

Do you remember our followup recess walk to the lilac bushes? How we met the woman who cares for them, and she was kind, and said we could take some? That after the workday we walked to Sonny’s, and José was so generous? How some of us gathered for a film screening at Mary Ann’s?

The Cuppa Friday? The big lunch crew? The airport ride?

Earl’s birthday park hang, where Lauren T. finally got to meet River, and we got to meet more of Earl’s friends? How we kicked a soccer ball around and played catch and one of us played fetch? The delivery of a hat? Do you remember how it was actual prom that day, and there were so many nicely dressed kids walking back and forth across the field?

Bureaucratic Minutiae

• We are seeking information about who left a “Good Luck!” balloon at The Company.
• The Kissing Room AC has been partially installed but not entirely secured.
• At Worknight: Mark finished chapter 4 and created a list of pause practices; Jessica S. fixed code and filed taxes; Ivan drafted emails; Norton unpacked the kitchen; Ryan completed and turned in assignment one of two; Sabrina cleaned the bathroom and worked on one bundle of fabric; Drew edited 1–3 photos; Case sent the review to the guy and took a call in the kissing room; Allyson filed taxes, wrote a review for forest, flossed, and made a painting sketch; Livvy worked on the Culture and Where We Operate sections; Alex scheduled a vision appointment and finished twenty pages of vocab. Recap by Alex
• 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, Adam, Livvy, Beth, Kaila, and Madeleine. Photo selection and editing by Ivan and Jessica S. 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, and Bennett.

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.

🙃