I slept the whole night! WooHoo! I feel good.

I look forward to attending a "professional" meeting later this afternoon. I'm trying this networking thing to enhance my career and learn a thing or two. The meeting is about de-mystifing I.T. This meeting will also have a "networking" opportunity.

I hate "networking". I dislike the conotation of making connections with people for the sole purpose of career advancement. We all use each other to some extent but to have the idea so up front bothers me. I suppose I could think of it more as mutual aid rather than use.

The idea of interacting with a room full of strangers causes a bit of discomfort. If I don't get a bit uncomfortable, I don't grow and my career gets stuck. Not to mention my life would suck. Not in the grinding poverty - poor health - major disaster sense but more in a very slow soul killing sense. Everything on the outside looks great while the inner self rots.

With luck an extrovert will be in attendence to carry the conversation or at least provide me some direction. I can handle the introductions. I tend to flounder a bit beyond that without something from the other person.

Ok, I admit it. I cannot make small talk.

So many unknowns here.

Jeez, it's just a @#$%! meeting. Relax, learn and enjoy.