December 2005

If you’re looking for something to do after work tomorrow night, the Rock & Roll Library’s holiday shindig is happening at 6B from 6-8pm in downtown Boston. See you there!

I am curious about the history of networking. OK, perhaps that sounds ridiculous. It seems like the more people started to get online, the more that word networking was used. I was twenty years old when I got online in 1993 so I don’t have a lot of historical perspective. Maybe I’m wrong? Or maybe it’s where I grew up. Living in a rural area in Nebraska, no one used the word “networking.” People helped each other out — it was just what you did. I’ve given up on most of the online networking websites because the interactions seemed so artificial. For a while I organized Ryze’s networking events in Boston but again, it always seemed like a lot of the interactions I observed were formulaic and contrived.

It seems straightforwad to me: be a decent human and help people out because it’s the right thing to do not because you can get a favor in return some day. Obviously you can’t spend your entire day helping other people so there needs to be balance. Before networking websites were around, I hosted a lot of gatherings and helped make connections: jobs, dates, friendships, etc. I would hear from a lot of people about how amazed they were that I could help people out so effortlessly and could remember someone at the right time/opportunity. Maybe I’m being so judgemental of the word “networking” because I don’t see how it’s a big deal. Is it really not that easy to think beyond yourself?

UPDATE: I’m not confused. This was more of a rant if anything. :)

Do me a favor and plop a for:sooz tag on your del.icio.us main page so I can add you to my inbox. Here is where you can find me if you would like to add me to your del.icio.us inbox.

The Rock & Roll Library is a nonprofit organization based in Boston that I’ve done volunteer work for off and on since late 2002. They’re having a holiday shindig on Tuesday, December 13th, 6-8pm at 6B in downtown Boston (6b Beacon Street). If you plan to be there, let me know in the comments of this entry or send me an email then RSVP on the event website (it’s using WhizSpark, of course!). Ticket price is a $10 donation at the door. There will be free food, cash bar, raffle and music.

The mission of the Rock & Roll Library is to find, document, preserve and archive any and all relevant and correct information about popular music and its components - including performing artists, writers, song lyrics, social significance, subject and popularity - beginning with the 20th Century, as well as promote music education and the use of popular music in the classroom. [more]

If you are busy Tuesday night but would like to support the organization, you can make a donation of any amount with your credit card or PayPal. The Rock & Roll Library is also on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/rocklibrary.