November 1

  • Making a High-Value Commercial Product from Organic Waste — Michael Curtis will give a presentation at Trinity College about “environmental science entrepreneurial opportunities related to the assessment and solutions of large-scale recycling. With ever–advancing waste recycling mandates being developed in state and national regulations today, the next large target for large-scale recycling will be organics. Far-reaching regulations exist and are being proposed to divert food waste and other materials for beneficial reuse. This differs from the current methodology of incineration or land filling these materials.” 12-1 PM in the McCook Academic Building, conference room 201.

 

  • From 12:15-1:15 PM, Harvard professor Steven Levitsky will give a talk about how democracies die. They say: “Democracy no longer ends with a bang—in a revolution or military coup—but with a whimper: the slow, steady weakening of critical institutions, such as the judiciary and the press, and the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. According to Levitsky, the good news is that there are several exit ramps on the road to authoritarianism; the bad news is that, by electing Trump, we already have passed the first one.” This is in Mather Hall’s Washington Room at Trinity College.

November 2

November 3

  • Woodshop Safety and Basics –“What does the student need to know or know how to do as a prerequisite?
    Nothing!”
    Make Hartford (30 Arbor Street) is hosting this class. They say: “Students will see numerous machines adjusted and operated as the instructor takes a woodworking project(to be determined) start to finish. Emphasis will be on safety and effective use of tools and terms.” The $20 registration fee includes materials.

November 4

November 5

  • Udi Goren will talk about 2 1/2 months on a trail in Israel. They say: “700-mile-long trek stretches from Israel’s Lebanese border up north, all the way south to Eilat, on the Egyptian border. It is world-renowned as one of the world’s best and toughest long-distance hikes. Experience Israel outside of the headlines and friction and hear first hand about Goren’s physical and mental journey from despair to a newly found hope.” This is in the Hillel House at Trinity College, 6-7 PM.

November 6

  • Go vote. For real. Hartford’s 3rd district is entitled to a rep who is smart and has integrity — and even if the incumbent is not being challenged in the general, she should be given notice that we deserve better. Not in Frog Hollow, Parkville, or Behind the Rocks? There are still ample reasons to get your ass to the polls on Tuesday. Find your polling place and go, 6 AM – 8 PM.

November 7

  • Trinity College is offering a chance for debriefing following midterm elections. Renny Fulco, Kevin McMahon, and Sean Fitzpatrick will discuss results and take questions from a moderator. This is in McCook Auditorium, 5-6:30 PM.

 

  • MakeHartford Open House: check out the space, meet other makers, ask questions, learn about upcoming classes and events at MakeHartford (30 Arbor Street), 6:30-8:30 PM.

November 8

  • Somewhere (something wonderful) — at Trinity College in Austin Arts Center. “Directed by Associate Professor of Theater and Dance Mitch Polin, Somewhere (something wonderful) is a multi-arts, multimedia spectacle. The concept for this original piece is that everything in this universe and any others is all connected. Using various combinations of sound, media, and movement, Polin and his cast have created a living collage inspired by the ideas of American astronomer, cosmologist, and science popularizer Carl Sagan, the theatrical work of avant-garde composer John Cage, and many other sources.Somewhere (something wonderful) is an immersive, multi-sensory performance appropriate for ages 5+.” This is free, but call to reserve a ticket: 860-297-2199. 7:30-10 PM.

November 9

  • Somewhere (something wonderful) — at Trinity College in Austin Arts Center. “Directed by Associate Professor of Theater and Dance Mitch Polin, Somewhere (something wonderful) is a multi-arts, multimedia spectacle. The concept for this original piece is that everything in this universe and any others is all connected. Using various combinations of sound, media, and movement, Polin and his cast have created a living collage inspired by the ideas of American astronomer, cosmologist, and science popularizer Carl Sagan, the theatrical work of avant-garde composer John Cage, and many other sources. Somewhere (something wonderful) is an immersive, multi-sensory performance appropriate for ages 5+.” This is free, but call to reserve a ticket: 860-297-2199. 7:30-10 PM.

November 10

  • Visit MD Robertson Photo Arts (69 Myrtle Street) during Open Studio Hartford, 11 AM – 5 PM. Peruse Maurice’s “vibrant, abstract, nature, jazz and music performance photo cards, prints and framed enlargements,” and of course, listen to him tell the stories behind each photograph.

 

  • Somewhere (something wonderful) — at Trinity College in Austin Arts Center. “Directed by Associate Professor of Theater and Dance Mitch Polin, Somewhere (something wonderful) is a multi-arts, multimedia spectacle. The concept for this original piece is that everything in this universe and any others is all connected. Using various combinations of sound, media, and movement, Polin and his cast have created a living collage inspired by the ideas of American astronomer, cosmologist, and science popularizer Carl Sagan, the theatrical work of avant-garde composer John Cage, and many other sources. Somewhere (something wonderful) is an immersive, multi-sensory performance appropriate for ages 5+.” This is free, but call to reserve a ticket: 860-297-2199. 2-4 PM and 7:30-10 PM.

 

  • Electricity 101 — “Simple to understand and easy to do, hands-on experiments and activities” at MakeHartford (30 Arbor), 6:30-8:30 PM. $20 registration fee.

November 11

  • Visit MD Robertson Photo Arts (69 Myrtle Street) during Open Studio Hartford, 11 AM – 5 PM. Peruse Maurice’s “vibrant, abstract, nature, jazz and music performance photo cards, prints and framed enlargements,” and of course, listen to him tell the stories behind each photograph.

 

November 12

November 13

November 14

  • MakeHartford Open House: check out the space, meet other makers, ask questions, learn about upcoming classes and events at MakeHartford (30 Arbor Street), 6:30-8:30 PM.

November 15

November 16

November 17

  • Hartford Cranksgiving: This is an annual alleycat race that collects grocery items for donation to the Grace Episcopal Food Pantry. Bring $20 (for purchasing food) and your biking gear, or if you do not have a bicycle, contact the planners in advance. There is also a children’s race that sticks to the Trinity College campus. Start ’em young! Start time is 11:30 AM at the Trinity College Chapel.

November 18

  • CRAFTED at MakeHartford — “learn to make a simple journal or try several other hands-on activities” at MakeHartford (30 Arbor), 11 AM – 4 PM.

 

  • String Thing — “One-Hour Knitting Intro and One-Hour Crocheting Intro. Bring your own yarn and needles/hook or try some of ours.” This is at MakeHartford (30 Arbor), 1 – 4 PM.

November 19

  • Walk and Bike Audit of Main Street — Ever find yourself raging on the way to work about our embarrassingly degraded infrastructure, but then wondering if it was maybe just you who experiences the commute this way? Meet at Ashley’s (221 Main) at 9 AM (go earlier if you want breakfast) to walk or bike with others in the Main and Park Street areas, including the Circle of Death. It might be worth downloading the Hartford 311 app in advance.

 

  • If you have more time today, there’s a Multimodal and Transit Summit at UConn Hartford (10 Prospect Street), 11 AM – 7:30 PM. There are sessions on community engagement, tactical urbanism, Vision Zero, and more. Ticket prices vary and there is a community/pay-it-forward option. If you’ve ever thought it idiotic that people complain about heavy traffic while overwhelmingly opting to not carpool, this is the conference for you.

November 20

November 21

  • MakeHartford Open House: check out the space, meet other makers, ask questions, learn about upcoming classes and events at MakeHartford (30 Arbor Street), 6:30-8:30 PM.

November 22

November 23

November 24

November 25

  • MAKE SMTHNG Sunday — Recycle, repair, create something that can be a gift or just something better than it was. Bring things to work on. MakeHartford (30 Arbor) is hosting, 2-6 PM.

November 26

November 27

November 28

  • MakeHartford Open House: check out the space, meet other makers, ask questions, learn about upcoming classes and events at MakeHartford (30 Arbor Street), 6:30-8:30 PM.

November 29

  • Vona Groarke — Irish poet and author of X, Spindrift, and Juniper Street — will give a reading at Trinity College’s Smith House, 4:30 – 6 PM.

November 30

 

As you can see, this calendar is sparse, as it was in October. Again, I only published material that was submitted. Compare this month to that of what was published in September, or any other time previous, and you will notice how much more time and effort is required for a robust, informative event calendar. That is time that I would rather spend doing real writing. To put it another way, this is the final event calendar that I will be publishing on Real Hartford. Onward to more meaningful creations!