OK, so, if you missed the memo, I'm not thrilled with my decision to move, and even less thrilled with Jersey. However. I'm stuck up here, and sick of being bored and lonely. So, I'm starting to try networking (again). (If you missed that memo, the first couple attempts were made of fail.)
This new network looks better. First, within literally 2 min of signing up, I had an email from an actual person. Yeah, I know. I was pretty shocked when she turned out not to be an auto-reply. Second, this is literally the first group of "Yay we <3doing fun things in our fun state!" guys who actually...does stuff in NJ. It's a novel concept. Everyone else is all, "OMG>, you guys, Jersey's so totally great, you guys! You guys, let's go to NYC instead of doing something in NJ." For someone who realized very early on that NYC is infinitely superior to the 'burbs...it's not comforting to have the ostensibly hardcore, pro-Jersey crowd out and out confirm it. (Not to mention that I'm not making up the language. OMG, you guys.)
Finally, the group seems dedicated to trying to provide something for everybody. Honestly so. And that's kind of refreshing. Jesse pointed this out a while ago, but most social networking groups, despite their claims, are very narrowly focused. They cater to everybody...assuming everybody's idea of a good time is barhopping 40 miles away from where they live/enjoying the great outdoors/foosball/debating politics/whatever. There's usually a focus or or dominant trend.
These guys have a nice balance. There are about 10 categories of activity (educational, cultural/arts, booze-y, outdoorsy) and there are actual activities in each. (As opposed to "Meet at bar and discuss politics" versus "Meet at bar and discuss foosball" versus "Meet at bar and discuss...the bar.") There's also a county-by-county breakdown, with stuff in most places. This is excellent news, since it takes a very, very long time to go even very short distances in Jersey.
So, long story short, I'm trying this whole "meeting people" deal again. I paid my dues to be part of the club (it's Jersey; you pay for everything except air), and bought my ticket to go volunteer at the blood drive on Thurs. (Yes, I pay to volunteer. It's Jersey. You pay for everything, including the privilege of helping people.) I'm volunteering for the first shift, and staying to donate, and...who knows? We'll see.
I'm cautiously optimistic; I can do volunteering, and it's much better than cocktail hours. There's always something to do, and if you're not the life of the party, there's still a way to interact. So...here's hoping.
If not, in a couple weeks, there is another networking event. You guessed it...cocktail hour.
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4 comments:
Didn't New Jersey try to charge for air, but then realized they'd have to provide actual air? You know, a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and other gases.
I have met almost nobody who does not hate Jersey. What is it about this state that inspires such loathing? I have visions of a state filled entirely with housing developments, with occasional cracks in the earth from which a sulferous light emerges, possibly with batlike things flying in the sky overhead, but I admit that I am woefully uninformed.
Actually John your description isn't too far off from the truth.
Hehe, Jon, I was tempted to make the same observation...then I started explaining objectively...and then I realized my comment was about a page long and still going.
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