I Met Wayne

I was browsing through my Twitter stream the other day and saw a Twitvite for a Tweetup with @missrogue, For those who are not Twitter savvy I will translate. Tara Hunt, the author of the upcoming book The Whuffie Factor invited the people who follow her updates on Twitter to get together for drinks. At the time I wasn't following Tara's updates but someone who I was following passed the message along.

For a few seconds I had missrogue confused with roguetess, another Twitter user I am familiar with and convinced myself I should go. After some sober second thought I realized timing would be a problem, the Tweetup was scheduled from 8-12 and I was busy until 9 with the Explorers. I couldn't get home, changed and be downtown before 10 at the earliest so I resigned myself to not going. By this time I had realized my mistake with the names and spent some time browsing Tara's blog. I read a post about need to incorporate throwing sheep into your plans. Throwing sheep is her metaphor for the unexpected fun interactions that go on between people in real life and are often missing in many real people to corporation online interactions. Social media, blogs, message boards, Facebook, Twitter and the like are how the joking, banter and other person to person that facilitates relationship building in real life has moved into the Internet space. Tara's book is an attempt to educate businesses on how they can use social networking to their and their customers advantage.

I went off to the Explorers meeting and then about 8:20 one of the mothers came in and said that she had to take three of the guys home right away because she had to pick up her other son at 9. A glimmer of hope appeared, I had to drop my two guys at home plus take a 15 minute detour to drop off one of the other kids whose ride wasn't coming until 9 if I wanted to leave before then. It was 9 by the time I had dropped everyone off and headed downtown. I made it by 9:45 and dived in. Like most people I find mixing to be nerve wracking at first but after a beer or two walking up to people and saying hello got easier.I met a bunch of new people and even learned a few things. I even got a chance to chat with Tara. I even worked up the nerve to get a picture taken with her. Thanks Tara for helping teach me how throw sheep.