Volume 1, Issue 27 | Understanding

SantaLand Diaries

                December 16, 2024

            Volume 1, Issue 27 | Understanding

            Livvy and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary this past week by putting on two, two-person, scripted, live radio-style shows. It was a deeply exhausting and energizing, depleting and fulfilling experience. We feel so known and loved and held, and we’re immensely grateful to all the family and friends who flew in for it, and for so many of you who were also there. You have all heard me mention many times before that The Company has long been a dream of ours, and it was special to get to share how that dream has fit into our lives.
There are so many people to thank for last week, but this is a Company newsletter so I’ll keep this all business: thank you to our landlords (who have rented us such a great space for this dream to take place in, and who made us cake!), to our downstairs neighbor Kent (for allowing us a little leeway with closing time), to our members (who did so much setup and rearranging and feeding of us during our late nights—especially Dan who gave so much of his time off to helping us), and to Norton (for being a dear friend and partner in The Company).
Thank you for seeing us, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Yoga with Dan, Sunday, December 15
Once again, I’m writing this section of Paperwork while Yoga With Dan is taking place and leaving it in for the historical record.
This one hour, all-levels “flow” class is currently syncing engaging physical poses with intentional breathwork, building flexibility and coordination while attuning inner selves. Students are currently experiencing a moderate, low impact workout with light breathing exercises.
You’re far too late to join. But this happens monthly, the day after PowerPoint Parties. The next one is January 12.
Mary Ann’s Book Club: Holiday Edition, Monday, December 16
Book club is tonight! (at the time of the delayed sending of this newsletter). We’ll be talking about an essay by the humorist David Sedaris titled SantaLand Diaries. We’re not quite sure where to find the written version of, but an audio version of it, read by Sedaris himself, was part of a This American Life episode. Act two, which you can listen to here, has the story. Half hour listen. You’ve still got time.
Note that instead of meeting to discuss at The Company, we’ll be meeting up at the thematically much more appropriate Christkindlmarket.
All we want for Christmas-themed book club is for you to be a participant at it →
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, December 18
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.
Work together →
Heads up that there will be no Worknight on the 25th of this month! Do not come then! We won’t let you in!
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Also coming up: an Old Year’s resolution party, and a showcase for amateur creative work (more info on both in next week‘s issue).
Nostalgia
Do you remember how there was too much to remember the week of our anniversary? The setup and the late nights, meeting Chris, the walks, all the help and care and love and attention?
That late Sunday—the writing and setup and making music? The surprise of seeing Patrick on Monday? The joy of seeing Steve? The trickle then flood of so many loved ones appearing?
How we got to share out favorite story and hear what it meant to people, or how we finished the new story an hour before doors? How it felt to tell the truth, and to hug, and to dance? How Mason noticed a crab walk coming on and tore across the floor?
The games, the dinner, the crafts, all the configurations the room went through? How we all spent so much of that week moving things around and being moved?
Or that last event—the PowerPoint Party with all those people? Meeting Calley and Caleigh and Harper and so many others? The eternity of the speaker falling before I caught it? How we discovered we had the same idea with our name tags? How astounded we all were about Jim’s animations, and how nice the second one was when set to music?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
The Norton J. King Gallery now includes pieces by Trevr, Livvy, and Lee.
Jim affixed the cable that often drooped down by the wall by the stage.
We have broken the bathroom pull chain again, but conveniently this time it is broken in the on position. Fix upcoming.
Many people asked about the recipe for the German Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. There it is.
Not technically Company events, but as you’ve heard by now we had a show on Wednesday and another on Thursday, and other activities on Friday and Saturday, and The Company was filled with so many loved ones.
At PowerPoint Party No 21: Jacob talked about France, Esther talked about the calendar of a pastor, Calley gave an overview of the Enneagram, Dana told us so much about ferns, Mary Ann Tate talked about how to write a love poem, Jose taught us about memory dividends, Ron talked about phrases from the Bible, Malika presented about her recent trip to Morocco, Allyson shared some more about frescos, Jim talked about going outside, Elijah explained magnets, and Dan shared rule number 5.
Finally, a reminder that The Company is a membership-supported mixed-use creative space, 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.
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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This issue of Paperwork was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew, Justin, Mason, Lexi, José, Mary Ann, Trevr, Aubrey, Allyson, Madison, Melissa, Elijah, Dan, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, Ben, Sabrina, and Beth.

Our friend Patrick was in town for our anniversary and clocked a lot of time at The Company working on his new game, Paper Scissors Smash.
It’s been a bit since River came by and we all had such a happy reunion.
We met Chris this week, and he came over for a few workdays! Such a nice guy.
Livvy and I had a verrrrrry late night prepping for our Wednesday night show. We thought it was cute that our phones connected to each other so we took this picture. iPad running script, one phone running lights, another phone controlling slides, laptop running music and script and presentation.
Steve (our Best Man! also in town for our anniversary!) helped stow a table that we rented and he got a splinter in the process. Team effort to get it out. At first I snapped photos of the removal being attempted with needle-nose pliers before realizing I had proper tweezers. Steve’s tip for avoiding splinters: “not sliding your flesh across the table.”
A photo of Lexi. If you look closely you can see Halie and Allyson too. Photo by Mary Ann Bennet.
Post-Thursday-show crowd.
Allyson presented us with a very sweet gift that we’ve not yet had a chance to go through—if you’re one of the many wonderful people who wrote something in it, we’re working through and texting back once we’ve had a chance to read! Photo by Dan.
On Friday we played a game of Telephone Pictionary. Such reliable laugh-causing silliness. Let’s do it again soon. Photo by Dan.
Saturday craft time! Some people made luminaries (which Dan provided supplies and training and emotional support for), and others brought their own crafts to work on. Simon and Greg painted miniatures, Mason worked on his graphics engine, and a couple people did some fiber arts.
More miniature work. Photo by Dan.
I have been very sleep deprived and while I was sleepily trying to form a response to a question Simon had asked, he asked if I wanted a hug which of course I did. So many great hugs this week. Photo by Dan.
Pre PowerPoint Party crowd—and the biggest crowd yet (partially because of out-of-towners).
Jacob took us through his side quest to understand a map.
Esther (Livvy’s mom—in town for our Anniversary) is a pastor, and talked about what exactly it is pastors do when they’re not at church.
Calley gave an overview of different Enneagram types by talking about beliefs we form about ourselves as children.
Dana told us so much about ferns.
Mary Ann Tate took us through part 2 of her poetry presentation, about how to write a love poem, which caused the most adorable moment in the front row.
Jose talked about the concept of memory dividends—and what a nice time in which to learn about it.
Ron (Livvy’s dad—in town for our Anniversary) is a Bible publisher, and shared how much the language of the Bible has permeated everyday sayings.
Malika (one of the great loves of our life——also in town for our Anniversary) presented about her recent trip to Morocco.
Part 2 of Allyson’s presentation on painting frescos.
Jim presented about going outside in dangerous and fun ways and wowed everyone with some nice animations. Here he is turning to me to quote my description of said pursuits as recreational discomfort, which I fully stand by.
Elijah presented on how magnets work and now all of us definitely understand how magnets work.
The final presentation in Dan’s 5-part series about Dan’s Rules for Living. A beautiful and poignant conclusion.
Backstage kicks. Photo by Justin.
Some of the completed luminaries. Photo by Dan.

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