Volume 1, Issue 48 | The Closing
Over the last few years, Livvy’s become really contemplative about her mortality, especially around her birthday. She’s taken to talking about the day before as her last day. She’ll remark about certain moments as being the final instance of their kind. It’s my last time eating a meal, she’ll say. My last time seeing a sunset. My last time kissing you.
I hate it. The thought of my beloved wife’s death is far too morbid for my weak heart. If you know her in the slightest, it’s also tremendously unlike her typical cheerfulness. But she speaks of this practice as bringing her so much appreciation—this conjured specter of death giving so much richness to her life.
So in that spirit (and acknowledging the risk of you having just skimmed over this section):
This is The Company’s last week in operation. The end of our one-year lease. Today is the last day that I will work on Paperwork while Beth cheerily greets her customers, who will ask what this space is, which she’ll describe perfectly. The last time she’ll fold up her sign and carry it up the stairs, and tuck it next to her high table.
Today is the last day people will read an issue of Paperwork, that they’ll skim, or pore over, or try to find themselves in.
This is the last workweek where Justin will type “In” in The Discord, and the rest of us will react with our meaningful emoji. A teacup. A backpack. A hospital. A burrito. A car. A computer. A sleeping face.
And this is the week of the Last Glint, where frightened or exhilarated we will tell our stories to a room of our closest friends, who will hear us and laugh and weep.
At Weekly Wednesday Worknight, we’ll oscillate, one more time, between our rhythms of focus and chit-chatty breaks. Livvy will shush us, and we’ll beg her for pizza, and we’ll be productive. And when the night is over we’ll do our final star ceremony—holding hands, trying again to untangle, again surprised at how it’s never not fun. How it was never not fun.
That will be the very last day of our lease, and so we’ll do one final closing shift. We’ll tidy the room, tuck the chairs in, restock the bathroom, take out the trash, turn off the lights, and we’ll punch out. We’ll turn to give the room one last look, and then we’ll lock the doors and post “Out” in The Discord.
And then—at the bottom of the steps—we’ll hold each other and we’ll sob, telling each other how grateful we were to have been alive, together.
For one last time, we’ll take forever to say goodbye, as if we’re never going to see each other again.
—Ivan
Happenings
This week:
Glint: Last, Tuesday, May 13
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 “Last“, and we’ve got a few storyteller slots left.
Do you have a story of final things? Of things going on? Or enduring, or perishing? Whatever your interpretation, we want to hear it.
Tellers include Chris, Ivan, Josh, Mark, Allyson, Gabriela, Brynn, José, Tes and maybe you?
$10, or free for tellers and members.
Note: Cuppa will be open during this event! And this is true and not an error that I will later have to correct!
Last one to get a ticket suffers trivial misfortune →
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, May 14
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.
Anniversary Party, Thursday, May 15
We’re hosting a very casual, very BYO party to celebrate The Company turning one. It’ll be here, at The Company, at 6:30. If you’re a member, find more details in The Discord. If you’re not, but are interested in coming by for this rare, non-structured event, reply to this email and we’ll send you details when we have them.
Creative Coding Demo Day No. 11, Saturday, May 17
Demo days are where people share creative coding projects at any state of progress—or just watch people give demos. They’re relaxed events where people can get to know each other (and their projects).
Norton’s been hosting these for a few years and they’re how we met Mason and Trevr and Jacob and Will and Alex.
Next Week:
In the Making, Thursday, May 22
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.
Presenters include Norton, Mike, Carly, Mason, Jim, Ivan, and maybe you?
$10, or free for members and presenters.
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Also coming up: Mary Ann’s Book Club: Belong (May 26), Survival Scouts: Mending Class (May 29), Survival Scouts: Stop the Bleed Course (June 3), PowerPoint Party No. 27 (June 7).
Nostalgia
Do you remember the salsa class? How effortfully and then effortlessly we danced? How Nat had so much energy? How we kept dancing even after Jess had left?
Or the day with Chris and Drew and River all came back? The talk about skateboarding and then making a film?
The tiny jam night? How we fixed your rug?
That rainy day? The lunch? How Halle’s mind would have been blown by the coincidence that occurred?
Or the late issue of Paperwork? How Jim stopped by, and Jessica helped with timecards?
Do you remember Survival Scouts? How Ben remarked that the apocalypse isn’t an event, the apocalypse is a process? How we learned about stabilizing, and sterilizing, and soldering?
How Jim, in a clever callback, said “I have a feeling all these responsibilities are going to be the last of you?”
The talk of Berlin and the long walk where we dreamed of buying a house? How we did some quick math about the down payment and Jessica said “should I just Venmo you?”
Or all the sticky note messages? Pasted to screens, and back of screens, and sides of headphones?
How we tried yet another star configuration? How Will said “It’s fun every time! The star ceremony is never not fun”, and how it was Mary Ann’s first, and she said “I never want to not be accomplished ever again!”?
Do you remember that day when Michelle expressed that she doesn’t like working around people? And we laughed as it came out that she doesn’t like many of the things The Company is about? “No trade, no co-working, no touch.”
How later, as we tried to find things I could quit to save me time, Justin suggested spending less time saying hello and goodbye to everyone, and Josh said “hmm, so the hugging is really out of control.”?
The full Friday morning? The walk and then wait at Avanti?
How we returned and crowded a table? The ten-person lunch? Where we tried to figure out what could have possibly gone wrong with Chris’s message?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
In case you’re just joining us, or skimmed, we renewed our lease for another year quite a while ago.
Jessica S. has loaned an original colored pencil piece and it is now on display.
Thanks to Atniel for redoing our WiFi setup! The WiFi in the Kissing Room is now astonishingly fast, and after a few hiccups all our devices are all connecting as expected. Norton and I keep wishing we ever had to download or upload super massive files because these speeds are kind of a waste.
Thanks to Jessica S. for helping with timecards this month. We would also like to announce that she has been promoted to Assistant Director of Time.
Apologies for Jessica P. for excluding her from last issue’s PowerPoint Party mentions! This error has been corrected on the web archive, and she is correctly included in the past event page for PowerPoint Party No. 26.
At Survival Scouts: Ben T. taught us how to make splints (never use sticks!), Lexi taught us about growing mushrooms, and Elijah demonstrated how to solder.
At Worknight: Alex finished his daily reading and wrote tickets for installer app to finish profile editor, Livvy filtered pins by prompt and worked on saving pin and area to the database, Norton seeded and tested a closure table, Atniel got our WiFI at 500Mbs, Ivan spent 15 minutes on his daily type, Ivan and Mary Ann B. structured the yearbook, Andrew worked on updated his website, and Will worked on a Scrolly Page recipe website. Thanks to Alex for hosting!
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, and shot by Ivan and Michelle. Photo selection and editing by Ivan and Norton. Editorial support was provided by Livvy and Norton. The Company is managed by Ivan, Livvy, and Norton, and is made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew, Justin, Mason, Lexi, José, Mary Ann B., Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, Madison, Melissa, Elijah, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, 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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