Volume 1, Issue 44 | Chesspassing
A handful of our regular members continued to be abroad this past week, in different places. Tired of their absence, two-thirds of Upper Management and two-thirds of the Paperwork staff went to visit some of them, with hopes of luring them out of retirement and finding out what gams are. I’m happy to say that the eight of us who were briefly all away at the same time are now all back, and things at The Company should be back to their regular energy levels shortly.
This also means that if you’re just here for the announcements, this will be a perfectly standard issue. But if you’re here for the nostalgia, this week will seem like it was only two days long and all we did was go for walks and play chess and trespass.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Glint: Fool, Tuesday, April 15
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 “Fool”, and we’ve got a few storyteller slots left.
Do you have a story of being foolish? A time when you lacked good judgement? Of interacting with a foolish person? Of playing the fool? Fooling around? Tricking someone? Falling for something? Whatever your interpretation, we want to hear it.
Featuring Ivan, Mark, Jim, Marcia, Allyson, Hayley, Ben L., and maybe you?
$10, or free for tellers and members.
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, April 16
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.
Offsite: Join or Die Screening, Wednesday, April 16
A long while ago, we screened Join or Die here at The Company, and it was a really lovely thing to all watch together. It’s now on Netflix, but if you haven’t had a chance to watch it, some of us are going to see it at the Denver Press Club, where it’s going to be screened along with a live Q&A with Pete Davis, who is one of the directors and producers.
Prom, Saturday, April 19
In the fall we had a Homecoming dance. Now it’s spring, so we’re having a Prom! Come and enjoy our second school formal for grownups, again organized by Halie and Lizzie. The theme is Garden Party.
This is in a little under two weeks, so if you want to find your on-theme outfits or on-theme dates, consider this your heads up.
$20, or $10 for members.
Would you like to go to Prom with all of us? →
Future Weeks:
Mary Ann’s Book Club: The Dispossessed, Monday, April 21
A book club switching between fiction and non-fiction. This month’s book is The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin, of which I read a handful of paragraphs of while on our vacation/mission.
Described as:
A thought-provoking sci-fi novel that explores themes of anarchism, capitalism, and the struggle for true freedom through the journey of a physicist caught between two contrasting societies. You'll be captivated by its deep philosophical questions, rich world-building, and its challenge to conventional ideas about politics, power, and human nature.
Snacks and drinks will be provided to fuel our conversation.
$0–$10
Possess a good conversation with us →
In the Making, Wednesday, April 23
In the Making is a showcase of original, amateur, creative works in progress. Are you interested in sharing about a passion project, and what you’ve been learning through it? We might have a spot left. Are you interested in just attending and learning about people’s creative work? We’ve got roughly forty spots left.
For our fourth installment, hear from Chase Willie, Gabby Melli, Lee DeBiase, Juniper Pollock, Brien Hopkins, Adam Jordan, and Elijah Durso-Sabina
$10, or free for members and presenters.
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Also coming up: PowerPoint Party No. 26 (May 3), Yoga with Dan (May 4), and Survival Scouts (May 6).
Nostalgia
Do you remember that lunch where we talked about literature and language? How I complained about Great Expectations, and Norton replied, while trailing off: “So it didn’t meet your…”? That we observed how hard it is to say things without being mean to someone, somewhere? How Michelle, in sharing another story, caught herself and called something ‘wild’?
The return of Ben Lee? Our longer catchings-up after that too brief sighting at PowerPoint Party? That we went for ice cream and another playground outing? The pull-ups and the swings?
Do you remember the next day, how Ben reminded Simon who he was by making a sound?
That Lizzie came in to say goodbye? How we played chess and went for a walk and paid an eerie visit to a suggested future home? That we were puzzled by the pages of notebook entries we found scattered across the floor?
How we left, and it was so quiet?
Do you remember the worknight with Sabrina hemming Jessica’s bridesmaid’s dress? That Alex coordinated an international shush?
Or the two tastings in the cozy basement of our friendly neighborhood wine store? Lamenting language’s poor mapping of taste? The etymological diversions?
Seeing Jim unpack an 8-foot Company sign?
Talking to Lizzie about ways of seeing?
And how Marcia showed you every chair in Xanadu?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Our fire extinguisher has received a routine inspection and service.
Jim has delivered and assembled a custom chair rack (that he designed and built!) to make the stacking and storing of our event chairs more convenient.
Dan has accepted a promotion from Interim Director of the Space Program to Director of the Space Program. We are grateful for his past and future service and care for the space.
Trevr potted some Company plant clippings.
At Worknight: Sabrina finished Madison’s skirt, Lizzie uploaded photos from Christmas and made a gallery for photos, Alex finished a sparklines project, and Madison finalized all Guatemala details. Thanks to Alex for running it!
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.
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 by Ivan with help from Norton. It was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew, Justin, Mason, Lexi, José, Mary Ann B., Trevr, Allyson, Madison, Melissa, Elijah, Dan, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, Ben L., Sabrina, Beth, Dani, Chris, Brynn, Will, Marcia, Rebeca, Sarah, Mary Ann T., Alex, Jessica P., Jessica S., Ashley, Mike, and Ben T..
