I went to a networking event last night--since apparently, me sitting at home watching "Adult Swim," does not seem to bring in clients...what a word!--and while it was bearable--I did meet two great, smart, fun guys--the event did bring home to me the fact that...most people are missing the concept of networking. Painfully missing the concept.
Networking is NOT attacking me, while I'm trying to pay for my overpriced glass of w(h)ine, with a hard-sell for your t-shirt folder/investment product/repair service. Not hot. Instead, how about you try to engage me in a conversation and then we exchange information, and if I'm interested in your product, I ask further questions, and you answer? Weird, I know, but at least in that scenario, I'm not likely to chuck your biz cards at the end of the evening, since I'm still so irritated by your shrill pitch.
Also, like the song says, people "ain't nothing but mammals," but when you're asking me condescending questions about my business and plays, while maintaining unwavering eye-contact with my ta-tas (who, by the by, are also seriously NOT into you)...yeah, that's also not going to turn me on.True story: one man seriously asked me what my latest play is about, and just to wrap the stupid questions up, I said, "prostitution," and he said--I swear to God he said this--,"Oh, is it based on life experience?" Clever! I wonder if his "flirting" with me wasn't making his hand jealous.
Here's what people don't seem to get about networking: networking isn't about meeting another human and immediately think that said person will get you a job, or a date or anything. Networking is about meeting people with whom you might eventually be trade on your human currency...stress the "might eventually" part.
Two people meet, they talk, maybe they have something in common, they exchange contact info, and maybe, perhaps, just possibly, at some distant time, one may be able to help the other. Maybe. You go out to a cocktail party to interact with other people, to have a conversation, to pay too much for a drink and if you're very lucky, you might meet one carbon-based life-form with whom you can have an intelligent, even interesting conversation, which will, hopefully, be repeated in the future, and if you have enough of these conversations, and you're interests align, maybe at some point, that person can put you in touch with someone who can put you in touch with someone who knows someone, who knows a guy...who is maybe hiring. Or needs your services. Or his sister went to your college so sure, he can do you a solid. Or whatever. It does require some patience.
It also requires that if you meet someone who is doing something which seems odd to you, maybe you STFU and learn something? Yes, my cleavage is still a little cranky.

 I’m a very Type A personality, as you’ve probably suspected, and one side-effect of that is my attachment to To-Do Lists. Lists make me happy. They keep me organized and focused…or, do they? I found myself wondering that the other day, as I unearthed a couple of notepads filled with lists from last year. (I also found some inappropriate photos, so don’t feel too bad for me…I still manage to get into plenty of trouble…) Do the lists keep me focused and on-message… or do they instead give me so much (unrealistic) expectations of all the work I have to do, and related stress, that I start freaking out and want to spend the entire day watching Adult Swim? (I am nothing if not brutally honest. And, of course, covered in cat hair.) So right now, I’m trying to write less lists and just spend more time getting all the crap I need to done…and not write a list about that...