Conference Dichotomy Issues
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@scottalanmiller said:
Also, I think that organized evening events and ones that encourage, rather than blocking, socialization are important. Newbies can't be out of the loop or they feel hurt when they don't get invited to something - it feels like a secret club. You want something going on for them to attend all of the time, around the clock. Get up early? Go find the early morning yoga class or an early morning informal session or discussion group. Have live screens or live info page available for phones that tells people what is going on "right now" so that they can always find something to do whether it is a big event or a little side thing.
Or if you stay up super late, have a bar event that you know how to get there and know that you are invited. Events should go as late as anyone could possibly be awake. Never leave people off on their own wondering where to go.
The other convention (PAX East) does an amazing job of this. Vendors hand out fliers for things to do after the show and the next morning. One vendor (I can't remember the name one of the gaming companies) had a 5K run at 6am the next morning around the Boston waterfront. They had a surprising turn out from what I heard.
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SW had a 5K this year as did the retreat that I went to. Not my thing, but a good idea.
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@scottalanmiller said:
SW had a 5K this year as did the retreat that I went to. Not my thing, but a good idea.
wait, I thought we all agreed to do the run/walk/saunter thing next year
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@scottalanmiller said:
SW had a 5K this year as did the retreat that I went to. Not my thing, but a good idea.
Not my thing either just wasn't something you typically see at a gaming convention.
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The 5K at SW was probably one my favorite social, "on the side", parts of the conference (aside from the BBQ on the SCALE boat - f*%#, that was good BBQ lol). I met a few other people I hadn't met before and connected. I even got lost and did 2 extra miles with one of them! lol.
Anyway, yeah the dichotomy thing is at epidemic levels at SpiceWorld now. I've been to 4 of them over the past 5 years (missed one for my wedding in 2013), and I still sometimes feel like an "outsider", and that can be rough. I always try as hard as I can to get involved and such, but it can be hard for me at times (e.g. not knowing what to talk about, not knowing what to bring up, is what I'm saying stupid to the other person, am I not talking enough, etc...). For example - I've met Grey and spoken to him no less than 8-9 times and each time, he has no idea who I am. Same goes for people like Bob Beatty, Phil Moya, etc... It doesn't make them bad people - far from it, I think they are awesome. It just makes me second guess myself, like, what am I doing wrong that these people I've met and spoken to on multiple occasions don't remember me worth a damn? lol
Some people are just more socially engaged than others and you'll never get away from that in IT I think. I work with 50 devs as my users and 99% of them are completely socially awkward or SUPER introverted. It's just the way they are. IT folks aren't like that, usually, but there are some that tend to be.
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Part of people not remembering who you are isn't intentional. I can remember a face but am horrible at names so people are like I talk to you on the community all the time.... I have to apologize cause I don't remember.
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@Minion-Queen said:
people not remembering who you are isn't intentional, ever. just too god damn many ppl to remember for any normal human to accomplish reliably
FTFY
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I always feel so bad cause someone will say we talked all the time and I just don't remember at all. Or I reached out to you via email and we worked together. Still no idea. I talk to so many people via PM and email I can't remember everyone or in my case anyone
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@AVI-NetworkGuy I kinda had the opposite problem... Some people (Grey for example) remembered me from 2011, but I had no clue who he was until I saw his badge.
But normally I'm like MQ - I recall faces fairly well but not names.
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@Minion-Queen said:
Part of people not remembering who you are isn't intentional. I can remember a face but am horrible at names so people are like I talk to you on the community all the time.... I have to apologize cause I don't remember.
I don't mean not remembering a name. That I totally get - I'm really bad with names. I am talking about a total lack of any recognition whatsoever.
Ever see the movie "50 First Dates"? Think that... lol
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Yeah some people are bad with faces just like I am with names though.
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@Minion-Queen said:
Yeah some people are bad with faces just like I am with names though.
I suppose, but I've had long, substantial, (and usually sober) conversations with some of these people on multiple occasions. I know not remembering me isn't intentional - these are all good people. I'm just saying that I second guess MYSELF asking what can I do differently other than set myself on fire to make myself more "rememberable" lol.
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@AVI-NetworkGuy where you at any of the SAM drinking fests this year?
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@Dashrender said:
@AVI-NetworkGuy where you at any of the SAM drinking fests this year?
Yup! I went to the first night.
I closed out two bars lol. The second night was recovering\working, and the third night I got caught up on the phone with my wife and collapsed on my bed before I could get back up to go to Touche's haha -
That's where you went to the last night!
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@AVI-NetworkGuy said:
@Dashrender said:
@AVI-NetworkGuy where you at any of the SAM drinking fests this year?
Yup! I went to the first night.
I closed out two bars lol. The second night was recovering\working, and the third night I got caught up on the phone with my wife and collapsed on my bed before I could get back up to go to Touche's hahaI'm sure I met you, but your photo here isn't helping my memory
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He actually walked party way to Touches with us after the Scale boat tour.
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In the spirit of this thread....
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@Dashrender said:
@AVI-NetworkGuy where you at any of the SAM drinking fests this year?
He's been one of the regulars for many years. At least since the first year at AT&T if not before.
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The trickiest part in all this is actually getting to the conference.
Once there, it's super easy to be ignored and forgotten (invisibility/NPC ignore the player cheat code). I am tops at this.
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If you want people to meet/talk to you, you need to stand out.
It's really hard meeting new people, especially when it's at a conference and you know nobody (also including not met IRL but know online)
