Volume 1, Issue 45 | We Go To Prom

The Dispossessed

                April 20, 2025

            Volume 1, Issue 45 | We Go To Prom

            Dan here.
I don’t know when it started, but recently we have been repeating each other when we announce something. For instance, someone will say “We leave for lunch!” and directly afterward, everyone else will stand up and say, “We leave for lunch!” in a bizarre and delightful call-and-response that feels somewhere between first graders crossing the street and textbook cult behavior. It’s actually quite symbolic of the spirit of buy-in around here.
A few weeks ago someone in Survival Scouts said, “I want to learn archery!” and the next day there was a link to archery classes in the Discord. Months ago, a few of us said, “We want to learn to salsa dance!” and weeks later we hosted the first of our recurring salsa classes. Last year, Halie and Lizzie said, “we should throw a school dance!” and sure enough, last night, all of us showed up dressed to the nines to celebrate Prom. Notably, no one said, “that’s a silly idea,” or “aren’t we a little old for this?” Instead, people asked, “What’s the dress code?” “What can I bring?” “How can we help set up?”
Last night, when doors opened, about thirty of us packed the floor and danced and jumped and shouted lyrics for over four hours. When the music finally stopped, I smiled as, like clockwork, each of us switched gears, staying late to clean up balloons, flowers, and miscellaneous ribbonry so that Cuppa could open normally.
And honestly, putting on a Prom is probably the best example I have of what it’s like to be part of this place. It’s almost like we’re all living our lives as a big, silly improv class, each waiting for the next chance to say “Yes, and!”
Happenings
This week:
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, 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 →

⚠️ Notice! No Worknight this week! Instead, come to:

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 Gabby Melli, Lee DeBiase, Juniper Pollock, Brien Hopkins, and Adam Jordan.
$10, or free for members and presenters.
Make an appearance →
Future Weeks:
Knife Sharpening Workshop, Thursday, May 1
Elijah—knife-maker, PowerPoint Presenter, and member of the Company—will teach us how to sharpen our knives! Bring in your dull blades and leave with sharp ones.
Elijah will cover how to hold the knife when sharpening and how to tell when you're done.
Perhaps bring some less important knives to practice on, as well as some knives you actually want sharp.
We’ve had one of these before and it was excellent. It’s a great experience to be able to cut through a sheet of paper held aloft.
$20, or $10 for members (for supplies!).
Be the sharpest tool in the shed →
PowerPoint Party No. 26, Saturday, May 3
What’s a PowerPoint Party, you ask? Twelve people giving 7-minute presentations about whatever they’re currently into. At past parties, people have presented about Hoyas, play history, and the worst trend in modern cars. 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.
Note: Cuppa will be open during this event!
$10, or free for members and presenters.
Make a point of coming →
Yoga with Dan, Sunday, May 4
We invite you to a special Vinyasa Yoga class taught by the one and only Daniel Evan Quay.
This one hour, all-levels “flow” class syncs engaging physical poses with intentional breathwork to build flexibility and coordination while attuning to our inner selves. Students can expect a moderate, low impact workout with light breathing exercises.
Classes are limited to 20 students. Please RSVP early.
We have a limited number of mats available for rental.
We want everyone to have access to Yoga with Dan! We offer 5, free “Community Passes” to each class, including a mat rental.
$12, or free for members.
Strike a pose →
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Also coming up: Survival Scouts with Lexi (May 6), Glint: Last (May 13), Yearbook Party (June 10).
Nostalgia
Remembered by Ivan.
Do you remember that Sunday, when we briefly overlapped and you showed me the new art piece?
The lunch with Jim and Kit? The wait at Maci, and the discussion of what the tongue sticking out emoji really means?
Back at The Company, how the conversation turned to sandwich juices? The talk of Cheez-Its and ultra-processed cookies? How we determined Kit was not a good fit because of his refined taste?
Do you remember how Norton described Marcia “walking in like she owns the place” and it was so funny because she does?
How, as Mike left without the ceremonial round of hugs, Jessica and I looked at each other, puzzled, and she said “I don’t make the rules, I just work here.”?
The long look out the window at the people on the really tall ladders? The Kissing Room AC install?
How Dan came in, with a shenanigan in hand? How I asked if he got a hair cut and Mason jumped in shock and asked if he got all of them cut?
That Dan spent hours setting up the shenanigan, while the rest of us had a jam session with technical issues? That we missed Trevr?
How the next day, the shenanigan was appreciated? And when asked if this made it into the squeal jar, Michelle said “Yeah, in the fucking squeal jar!”
Do you remember Glint? The one about foolish behavior, like car pranks, growth seminars, and ski races? How Topaz was there, during her week-long goodbye tour of Colorado?
The beanbag pickup? The final, rushed AC install before Worknight began?
The halting claps during the goal setting? The pizza—finally—after all that time without? The furniture shuttling? All of us crammed inside of Betty, while Worknight went on?
How Norton looked like Toad as he carried the beanbag on his head?
How it snowed? Got so cold, right after we finally installed the ACs?
The Thursday lunch when you shared travel photos, speeding through Mexico and Japan?
The Prom setup? The flowers strapped to the columns with stringlights? The standing ovations for Justin ending the very last day of his old job? Jim’s endless help? The final flower arch setup?
Prom setup the day of? The extended conversation about mayo, mustard, and ketchup?
And then Prom itself? The pinning, the winking, the posing, the kissing, the dancing, the streamer-twirling?
The chess game? The life and love and death of Jeremy? The reading break? The crowning of Prom Royalty?
How we all shouted along to Love Story, Since You Been Gone, and finally, as is tradition, Mr. Brightside? That Lexi, from the couch, fell asleep while singing along?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Documented by Dan.
The Company is missing one pair of scissors. If you have any information about the whereabouts of these scissors please contact Management. For anonymous tips please text Dan from your personal phone number.
We had one internet outage this week. Management is optimizing our WiFi network(s) to allow for amplified signal strength in the Kissing Room.
After a protracted process, The Management have decided against the use of custom emoji in The Discord. We’d like to show you how this makes us feel but there isn’t an emoji for it.
Several additions have been made to the Norton J. King Gallery: A knife-making artifact by Elijah Durso-Sabina is on display in the Kissing Room, a shader installation by Mason Cullen can be enjoyed on the bookcase, and a Brynn Woodley is safely in our care and awaiting a frame. Please try to enjoy each art piece equally.
Jim has installed a new exit sign and mounted a fire extinguisher in compliance with fire code regulations. Our compliance inspection is scheduled for Monday so please hold all fire-based shenanigans until Tuesday at the earliest.
We have finished the acoustic paneling project, repaired the bathroom light, and fixed the front door so it closes correctly. By ‘we’ we mean Jim.
After a group effort, we’ve installed all three of our AC units, just in time for a snowstorm. We’d like to thank Alex, Norton, and Ivan for the complicated ladder work. We’re aiming for 68º—72º at all times at The Company.
Livvy has completed the first draft of the Closing Shift procedure. If you are the last person to leave The Company, please consult this procedure. The first draft is currently taped to the exit door.
At Glint: Jessica told us about a dating survey gone wrong, Jim informed us of the maximum race length for Olympic ski events, Marcia retold a parking-based family in-joke, Dan recalled the moment he traded potential love for comedic legacy, Allyson shared a time she was lost and then found, Ben disclosed his identity as a raccoon, Ivan relived a well-meaning but ultimately culty seminar, and Mark taught us that sometimes following strangers into dark places can end well.
At Worknight: Jessica made a pre-Prom reservation and added fake data to a convex database (and displayed it on the front end), Lizzie found comfortable shoes to purchase in the future, Dan finished the first draft of The Company Storage policy, Alex converted a barn model to a barn controller, Ivan finished setting up the ACs and stashed the supplies, Livvy made a chore chart, Mary Ann Bennett did some ‘chorin,’ earning us one heart. It was Jessica’s first Worknight and first star ceremony. Way to go, Jessica.
On Saturday Apr. 19, The Company hosted Prom, ending the 2025 school year. Ivan and Livvy passed their Homecoming Royalty crowns to our new dance royalty, Lizzie and Dan. Total number of The Company hosted dances: 2.
We’d like to officially acknowledge every person who stayed late after Prom to reset The Company and Cuppa. Thank you for spending the extra time to make Sunday morning easier for all of us. We’d also like to acknowledge Justin and Halie for feeding us delicious pizza while we cleaned up. And again, we thank you.
Ivan knows when the repeating of announcements started: it was when Jessica started coming to The Company more often, and started repeating Dan’s present-tense narration of things. Ivan did not want to correct Dan because he liked The Intro as it is.
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
Captioned by Dan.
Jim continues his imposing reign of terror to try to make The Company safe and compliant.
Dan brings in his most involved shenanigan yet, an eight-foot-tall flower arch just to ask a girl to Prom.
Jam session #4. We missed you Trevr. Photo by Dan.
It took Michelle almost too long to notice the giant flower arch over her desk. We have a video of this playing out and it’s wonderful.
Get you a girl that looks at you like Michelle looks at the eight-foot-tall flower arch around her desk.
Livvy shares about each of the items in her stolen bag.
Jessica tells us why it might not be a good idea to send a survey to your ex.
Jim tells us why it might not be a good idea to sign up for Olympic qualifying events.
Marcia tells us why it might not be a good idea to park your car near government buildings.
Dan tells us why it might not be a good idea to participate in the Presidential Fitness Exam with the prettiest girl in school.
This is what shared, core-memory level embarrassment looks like.
Allyson tells us why it might not be a good idea to start your hiking descent at sundown with 1% battery life.
Ben tells us why it might not be a good idea to cross him.
Ivan tells us why it might not be a good idea to go to a cult-adjacent personal growth seminar.
Mark tells us why it might be a good idea to follow strangers to dark places in other countries.
Glint: Fool
Installing AC units is tough work. It’s best to start with a cup of coffee.
Weekly Wednesday Worknight was a rousing success.
A lot of us traveled these last few weeks. On Thursday we shared travel photos and stories. We also learned that Black and Green tea come from the same plant!
The best way to tell secrets is while lunging. Photo by Lizzie.
Jim continues to terrorize us with improvements by fixing the bathroom light. It now automatically turns on and off when you close and open the door, respectively.
Some of us are better at sleeping here than others.
Ivan helping Justin help Ivan set up the audio. Photo by Michelle.
We gave Justin two well-deserved standing ovations for his recent job transition. Well done Justin. We’re standing and clapping while writing this.
If you’re putting together a Prom without these two, you are missing out.
Jim’s dad gifted us a giant metal sign. I mean this thing is very big and very metal.
Michelle learns a lot about herself and balloons.
Moving a flower arch is tough work, but we’re tough people. Photo by Lizzie.
The balloons on the morning of Prom. Photo by Lizzie.
Jessica organized a pre-Prom happy hour, and though we couldn’t make it, it was a good-sized deal. Photo by Lizzie.
All that salsa practice is paying off. Photo by Lizzie.
A few weeks ago Ashley gifted Livvy an annotated copy of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, and sadly, days later, a criminal stole it and other items from Livvy. As a surprise, Ashley tirelessly re-annotated another copy to gift to Livvy at Prom. Don’t worry, I am planning to steal this copy to complete the cycle.
One of the best parts of Prom is walking in and everyone oohing and ahhing your outfit. This is one of like thirty photos that Rebeca photo-bombed.
Not everyone has an Allyson, but by god they should.
Nick absolutely kept the pan hot for four hours straight. It was a level of DJing that I have never seen before and that hasn’t been accomplished since.
One of the best parts of Prom is dancing to ABBA. It honestly might be one of the best parts of life.
I don’t know how or why, but this balloon’s name is Jeremy and he was a very good date to many people on the dance floor. Jeremy later exploded, sending confetti coins all over the place. We don’t know if this is good or bad but we are still mourning, each of us in our own separate ways.
One of the best parts of Prom is finding a eight-foot-tall flower arch on craigslist and using your needlessly high end professional photo equipment to make a photobooth to pose in with your friends.
A tremendous amount of respect to the guys who wore suit jackets all night. That’s a level of body heat management I can only aspire to.
One of the best parts of Prom is taking a break and playing chess with your friend while Clueless plays in the background. Photo by Livvy.
Don’t let this photo fool you, Chris Von Burske isn’t just a hollywood-level handsome photographer, he’s actually a really talented designer and a gentle-hearted soul.
If you came to Prom, you could have been in this photo.
Or more likely this photo. Photo by Lizzie.
Love is matching your Prom outfits. Zack pulled off a really cute Promposal, by the way.
You can’t tell but there’s totally a kitchen behind this DJ.
This is a reminder to get your votes in for Prom Royalty! Not anymore though, the election is over. But it’s a reminder that you could have voted when this photo was taken. Also: Zack realized that he knows Nick from work stuff, and immediately prior to this there was a really great moment when he said hi and Nick was so surprised.
Not every DJ is this handsome, but ours sure was. During the slow dance, he rushed down to dance with his date. We learned about Nick because he came to Homecoming in the fall, as an attendee.
Halie announces the Prom Royalty winners.
Lizzie experiences some minor headwear malfunctions.
We wish great congratulations to Lizzie and Dan for winning Prom Royalty. Dan still doesn’t know the song they danced to but it was one of the best dances of his life.
The temperature difference between inside and outside was about 40º.
The eight-foot-tall flower arch just casually in the background. Photo by Lizzie.
Eloisa is a magical person that can adapt to any environment or dancing experience in mere moments. We have yet to find a room she doesn’t own. Reports tell of her owning other rooms later this same evening.
Ashley letting the music move through her.
If your friends aren’t screaming the lyrics, are they even your friends?
If you are trying to have a private, intimate moment with your partner, I don’t suggest hiding under the incredibly well-lit eight-foot-tall flower arch. We’re gonna find you, and we’re gonna take a cute picture of you. Consider this a warning.
Dan has a dance that is legitimately 80% cheerleading moves. Surprisingly it’s one of his better moves.
The ones closing it down. Photo by Jeremy.
Jeremy had a quick funeral, but it was meaningful to all of us in our own separate ways.
Lexi fell asleep singing the lyrics to Mr. Brightside and about half an hour later we took a big group photo of everyone who stayed to the end and shouted for her to join us. We were then told that she had said no, so we then all quickly shouted “we respect your boundaries!”

—
This issue of Paperwork was written by Ivan and Dan, and shot by Ivan, Dan, Lizzie, Livvy, Michelle, and probably Mark (we’re not sure but we saw him with a camera). Photo selection and editing by Ivan and Dan. Editorial support was provided by Livvy and Norton, and a trivial amount of moral support was provided by Michelle. This issue, and The Company itself, was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew, Justin, Mason, Lexi, José, Mary Ann B., Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, 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.
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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