Tag Archives: free

Inklings New Fantasy Book Club

The Takoma Park Neighborhood Branch Library hosts the “Inklings” New Fantasy Book Club, named in honor of the originator of the genre – J.R.R. Tolkien’s own fantasy book club. We meet in-person to discuss the works of current fantasy authors, with a focus on authors who use the freedom of the fantasy genre to subvert institutional and cultural norms.

Meetings are in-person at the Takoma Park Neighborhood Library in the downstairs meeting room. We meet every second Thursday of the month through the end of 2024 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.

Audience: Adults (20+)

All materials are available through the DCPL Catalog in a variety of formats.

View the 2024 reading list: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/9872654

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to connect with fellow fantasy fans and explore new worlds of imagination. See you there!

Queer Book Club at Busboys and Poets (With Author!)

Busboys Books invites you to join us for community, queerness, and maybe some chaos with our Queer Book Club.

For January 2024, join us and author TJ Alexander for a book of queer joy, discovery, and reconnection with Second Chances in New Port Stephen – plus, get 15% off any of their books!

For more info and to RSVP, check out https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-chances-in-new-port-stephen-a-busboys-and-poets-books-presentation-tickets-784566388187.

Second Chances in New Port Stephen – A trans man returns to his Florida hometown for Christmas after his career goes up in flames, only to cross paths with his high school ex in this charming rom-com about family and second chances from the author of the “delectable” (Time) Chef’s Kiss.

Eli Ward hasn’t been back to his suffocating hometown of New Port Stephen, Florida, in ages. Post-transition and sober, he’s a completely different person from the one who left years ago. But when a scandal threatens his career as a TV writer and comedian, he has no choice but to return home for the holidays. He can only hope he’ll survive his boisterous, loving, but often misguided family and hide the fact that his dream of comedy success has become a nightmare.

Just when he thinks this trip couldn’t get any worse, Eli bumps into his high school ex, Nick Wu, who’s somehow hotter than ever. Divorced and in his forties, Nick’s world revolves around his father, his daughter, and his job. But even a busy life can’t keep him from being intrigued by the reappearance of Eli. Against the backdrop of one weird Floridian Christmas, the two must decide whether to leave the past in the past…or move on together.

Tarot Reading with Tippy Ki Yay

Join Tippy Ki Yay (https://www.tippykiyay.com/) for another free tarot reading using her brand new Spacecraft Tarot deck! Pick up a deck of your own as well for purchase at the store!

Environmental Book Club with Mad

Let’s talk about the overlap of social justice and science, the systemic origins of environmental crisis as well as visions of the future. We’ll traverse both nonfiction and speculative works as we seek a deeper understanding of how the natural and built environments of today came to be and where they appear to be going. Check out http://www.peoplesbooktakoma.com/book-clubs for this month’s selection!

Discover the Power of Systema: Free Self-Defense Trial Class for Adults

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in self-defense, not just as a skill but as a transformative experience.

Look no further, because at Maryland Systema, we offer a training regimen that goes beyond the mere execution of moves. We provide an immersive, holistic experience that enriches your mind, body, and spirit.

Why Maryland Systema?

Personalized Learning: We believe every individual is unique. You don’t just get a cookie-cutter program; you get personalized training tailored to your physique, capabilities, and objectives.

Expertise: As the Founder of Maryland Systema, I bring years of practical and instructional experience in martial arts and self-defense. My team and I are certified, passionate, and ever-eager to help you reach your fullest potential.

Comprehensive Self-Defense: Systema isn’t just another martial art; it’s a comprehensive system of understanding human anatomy, movement, and psychology. You don’t just learn to fight; you learn to understand your opponent, making you effective in neutralizing threats with minimal effort.

Holistic Wellness: Beyond fighting skills, Systema integrates breathwork, posture, relaxation, and mental conditioning to keep you balanced, focused, and agile in any situation. We offer a well-rounded approach to self-defense that most traditional martial arts simply don’t cover.

Real-World Scenarios: We don’t just train you for the ring; we prepare you for life. Our scenarios simulate real-world situations you might encounter, making your training practical and immediately applicable.

Inclusive Community: Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced martial artist, our community is welcoming and supportive. We provide a safe and respectful environment where you can grow at your own pace.

Adaptable Skills: Systema is about fluidity and adaptability. Our approaches are not rigid; they’re designed to adapt to various situations and opponents. This makes you versatile and highly effective in self-defense.

Ethical and Moral Foundations: At Maryland Systema, we instill not just skills but values. We teach restraint, discipline, de-escalation strategies, and the ethical use of force, making you a responsible citizen and a formidable opponent.

Flexible Scheduling and Locations: We understand that life is busy. That’s why we offer a variety of class times and locations to suit your schedule.

Competitive Pricing: Quality training shouldn’t break the bank. Our pricing is competitive, and we offer various options to fit your budget.

So, if you’re ready for a transformative journey that not only equips you with exceptional self-defense skills but also fosters your overall well-being, Maryland Systema is the place for you.

Ready to unleash your inner warrior? Join us now, and be part of a transformative experience that you’ll carry for a lifetime, not just during a class.

YOUR FIRST CLASS

Our classes are open to adults and no prior experience is needed. Please wear comfortable closes including long pants or trousers.
We train in the grassy park area directly across from the Coffee Republic and there is plenty of free parking behind this coffee shop.
Limited class size, please text Jim at: 301 326 9146 to confirm your attendance.

We look forward to meeting you!

Jim Eglin
Founder and Chief Instructor

Rick Stack for “We Who Grieve”

Join us at People’s Book for a conversation with Rick Stack about his latest book We Who Grieve.

About the Author: Rick Stack’s career is dedicated to social justice. His experiences in the Jackson County(MO) Public Defenders Office led him ot question the reliability of severe sanctions based on a system susceptible to human error. Research on global resource issues brought Stack to Washington, DC, in the late 70s, where he held a series of positions devoted to fighting hunger and poverty, first globally, then locally. Most notably, Stack was the Founding Executive Director of the Capital Area Food Bank throughout the 1980s, and the DC Central Kitchen’s first Board chair.

Stack co-produced the award-winning documentray, In the Executioner’s Shadow (2018). The film was the centerpiece of Oregon’s statewide abolition campign, resulting in legislation to reduce the use of capital punishment. Screenings of the film generate thoughtful discussion, and have changed hearts and minds.

About the Book: We Who Grieve is intended to be a comforting companion for those in the throes of grief and for their supporters. With this work, Stack hopes to add empathy to a world sorely in need of more.

This event is in-person and free to attend.

“Nomad Meets the City” Free Film Screening

Please join us at the Takoma Park Community Center for a free film screening that explores the lives of a family in Mongolia that reveal larger cultural and societal shifts with lasting impacts.

Former herder Tumurbaatar works tirelessly as a garbage truck driver in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, striving to better his daughter’s education and compete in the modern economy. The pressures of distance and separation take a toll as he is torn between life in the city and his home and family in a small rural town.

Tumurbaatar’s wife, Tungaa, is a doctor in the countryside who maintains her roots and helps tend the family herd. Her husband’s visits home reveal fault lines in their marriage and their cultural identities. They both speak romantically about retiring as true nomads, but she sees what he does not: his nomadic roots are already lost to the city. In spite of it all, they cling fast to dreams for their children to lead lives they cannot.

Half of Mongolia’s population now lives in the capital city, marking a transformation from traditional to modern and rural to urban in a shared story of the human race. Film director Anji Sauvé Clubb will lead a Q&A with the audience after the film, and no tickets or reservations are required.

This film screening is part of the Takoma Park Arts event series organized by the City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Division, which includes free film screenings, art exhibitions, concerts, theater, poetry readings, and dance performances. Please go to takomaparkmd.gov/arts and sign up for our e-newsletter to get more info about all of our upcoming events.

Annual TPPC Bazaar

Don’t miss the annual Takoma Park Presbyterian Church Community Bazaar. It’s a fun event offering a wide variety of items for sale at great prices (furniture, housewares, electronics, jewelry, adult and children’s clothing, sporting goods, toys, books, art and more). It will also include a bake sale and a Silent Auction for special items. All proceeds from the Bazaar will support the TPPC mission and activities such as the Crossroads Community Food Network.

You can also donate items in good condition. Drop off donations 4 pm to 8pm Monday Oct 30 and Wednesday-Friday, Nov 1-3. For more options contact the TPPC Office ([email protected], 301-270-5550).

Jonathan Roth’s Graphic Novel Workshop

Comics/Graphic Novels are a fun and meaningful way to tell stories using both pictures and words. In this workshop, author-illustrator Jonathan Roth (ROVER AND SPECK, BEEP AND BOB) will give helpful tips and fun exercises for kids who want to create comics of their own. For ages 6-12. Paper and pens/pencils will be provided or bring your own.

Babies and Books

Join us for our first ever baby storytime! Designed with kiddos 3 and under in mind, pediatrician Anjali Jain will lead the group in reading a mix of new board books, classics tales, and some songs & rhymes as well! Need more to convince you? FREE coffee for any caregivers! See you there!

Tom Jones for “Space Shuttle Stories”

About the Book:
Experience all 135 NASA space shuttle missions ever flown through the words of the astronauts themselves in this spectacularly illustrated volume. With more than 600 photos from the NASA archives, this guide is perfect for fans of space history and spaceflight. NASA’s space shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft, accomplishing many firsts and inspiring generations across its 30-year lifespan as America’s iconic spaceship. In Space Shuttle Stories, shuttle astronaut Tom Jones interviewed more than 130 fellow astronauts for personal vignettes from each mission, complemented by their written accounts for all 135 space shuttle missions, from Columbia‘s maiden flight in 1981 to the final launch of Atlantis in 2011. The book is a major contribution to the historical record of a momentous era of spaceflight.

Each mission profile includes:

An astronaut narrative that immerses the readers in their personal mission experience
Data about the mission, crew, launch, landing, duration, and highlights
Captivating photographs rarely seen by the public
The Space Shuttle program’s 6 orbiter vehicles (Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour) carried a total of 355 astronauts into orbit on 135 missions aimed at cutting-edge scientific research, satellite launch, retrieval and repair, collaborative work with the Russian Mir station, the launching and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, and the construction of the International Space Station. Space Shuttle Stories focuses on the lived, human experiences of larger-than-life space missions. It’s a definitive oral history that captures the importance, wonder, and exhilaration of the Space Shuttle era.

About the Author:
Tom Jones is a veteran astronaut, planetary scientist, pilot, author, and speaker who completed four space shuttle missions and three spacewalks in helping build the International Space Station. Jones has authored six books, including Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir, and has written for aerospace magazines such as Air & Space Smithsonian, Aerospace America, Popular Mechanics, and The Planetary Report. A senior research scientist for IHMC, he appears regularly on television news as an expert commentator for space exploration and science stories.

This book launch (pun intended) will be in person.

FREE Takoma Park MOVES Class with Dance Exchange

Takoma Park MOVES is a class for everyone! Join Dance Exchange artists to move with a mix of families, professionals, and community members of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Bring your family, bring your neighbor, or just bring yourself! No experience necessary.

Class is led by Takoma Park MOVES Lead Artist Maggie Waller in collaboration with other Dance Exchange Partnering Artists. No pre-registration required; Drop in anytime.