Add some seasoning to the meat and potatoes of life
Class Ideas
A "class" here is just a get-together with something at the center of it, usually something humanities related: a story, a song, a question, a place, a craft, a dish. It should be easy to organize: pick a thing, a time, and a place. You don't need to be an expert. You don't need to prepare much. Snacks cover a multitude of sins.
Some things that work:
Everyone brings a poem. That's the whole class.
Send out curious questions. People bring their answers.
An evening hike with a theme.
The mini book club: Read a short story ahead of time, talk about it over mini sandwiches.
Road trip to a ghost town with some history.
Watch a short film. What makes it special?
Learn three chords on the banjo. Discover its complicated history.
What I didn't expect and learned while traveling in [blank].
Is food the great art ignored by the humanities? (I asked an AI this exact question. The response was very interesting and I think it would make a great class.)
Sloppy watercolors: the beauty of color and texture.
Painting with light: tips for photography. Smartphones welcome.
Did Greece invent Rome? Did Rome invent America?
Hey, I could keep going. But I really want you to come up with whatever you think is interesting.
Random curiosities are the point, and small is plenty. Six people in a living room is a great class. (Though now and then an idea deserves a backyard full of chairs. We want those too.) Lots of small things, led by lots of different people, add up to what we're actually after: a healthy social life, in person.
Our style: wabi sabi
Wabi sabi is the old Japanese idea that things are more beautiful for being imperfect, unpolished, and a little impermanent. That's us. Classes can flop, topics can be odd, the bread can burn. Come anyway. Lead one anyway. Nothing here needs to be impressive. It just needs to happen.
House rules (the short version)
A class should be the kind of thing you'd comfortably do in a typical living room or public park. If it wouldn't fly there, it doesn't fly here. Nothing adults-only, nothing you'd hesitate to bring a neighbor to.
No sales pitches and no recruiting. Not for businesses, causes, or anything else. We're here to hang out.
Be reliable: RSVP if you're coming, drop your spot if you can't, and be a good guest in someone's home.
New classes are approved before they go live. The test is simple: is it real, and is it safe? That's it. Nobody's judging your taste.
A few questions people ask
Does it cost anything? No. Free to join, free to attend.
Do I have to lead something? Nope. Come to whatever sounds fun and skip the rest.
Do I need to be an expert to lead? Not even close. "I like this thing and want company" is the only qualification.
Can I bring a friend? Absolutely. This is all about friends. (Best if they RSVP since classes might fill up.)
