P1020559Part of the new me is forcing myself to got to industry events and network. I hate networking- because I am not good at networking. What I am good at is being an dedicated artist and keeping my personal time reserved for seeing my friends. Not anymore, not in this world, not at this time.
I am now a super networker.

You have a seminar? Email me.
Panel discussion? What time does it start.
Meet up? Just tell me where and when. 

I heard about a monthly meetup that Newseek Magazines digital team was starting called NewsGeek and thought this would be a great kickoff for the “new me”.  At the very least my voyeuristic tendencies would be sated  since it was being held in Newsweeks new offices downtown on Hudson Street. The topic for the event was “An Introduction to Document Cloud” and was to be presented by Aron Pilhofer of NYT news technologies and Scott Klein & Eric Umansky of ProPublica. Document Cloud is a way to make documents more searchable on the web and it is geared for journalists but really, its applications are for any industry that relies on archives of information. Very interesting, very heady, very techie. I was amazed that I understood as much as I did.

More important (to me) was the NewsGeek refreshments. They had an open bar, with bartender which was a nice touch. What really amused me was their snack assortment/arrangement. There was a table with Doritos, potato chips and corn chips. (definitely guy domain)  But true to Geek fashion the dips where labeled “ranch” and “onion” When I asked about this several of the brilliant ones were very proud to tell me that they thought it might be disturbing for someone to dip their chip expecting ranch and then be shocked with a mouthful of onion flavor. What a thoughtful and well thought out user experience.

I certainly hope my next networking experience is as informative and delicious.

http://www.documentcloud.org/