Random adventure of the week
(cuz anything can be an adventure)
Networking events can be fun. So fun in fact that I went to two of them yesterday. Alright, the sarcasm in the second sentence may be lost in translation, but honestly, it's a brave new world I've just entered this past year and have done so very happily. Being in theatre, you're inherently networking every time you're at a theatre related event: rehearsals, auditions, seeing a show, post-show drinks. It's just innate. So actually articulating what "my people" have done informally all along and doing it within a business setting, with topics besides my core passion that interest me, well it's pretty cool.
(Ok, Danny B, where's the adventure?)
So (shortly) the first networking event was a luncheon about social media, specifically utlizing Google+. It was very cool to meet some leaders in the field and share experience with people who attended for the education. Met some very cool people, had some delicious lunch. And started my campaign to give "circle" a secondary verbal definition. You're welcome Google.
The second was an invite from one of my best friends Mikey for a networking event in his field. No real connections or interest, but I thought, "Part of my job is Client Liaison, there's an opportunity for me to practice the trigger-happy draw of my card I've learned to master at these shindigs." Alright, mainly it was the fact that the invite went something like "Ooooh Danny, want to get some free food and booze with me on Tuesday?" And really, who can say no to that.
Now, though you won't see me on an episode of A&E's INTERVENTION any time soon, I do love an open bar. And I was already in networking mode, so I was ready on the draw with my card. Except nobody came to talk to us. We milled around. We mingled a bit. But everyone stayed very cliquish, talking to their co-workers, barely making any connections. Weird, right? So we just kept going to the bar. Made friends with the service staff. Went back to the bar. Made fun of those woman's shoes. Went back to the bar.
So finally, we just sat there and drank, like it was a regular weekend for us. The snarkiness of "You could build a tower from your collection of Miller Lite bottles" from the dowdy girl next to us went <PING><PING> right off the judgement shield. We started naming people and I realized they were the archetypes of any networking event (besides regular attendees):
The Wannabee Queen Bee who would stop to say hi to you for a second before being "pulled off" in another direction, throwing one-hand clap waves to those she passed by like beads at Mardi Gras. More often than not, they're not as important as they think. (is my Heather Chandler/Regina George showing?)
The "I go to your things all the time, you HAVE to come to this one with me" Significant Other: 'Nuff Said.
Mr./Ms. Break Into the Industry: usually a person who is (sadly) displaced by this economy and is looking for their next opportunity. They'll do anything to break into this industry. ANYthing.
The Tracy Flick: their place of employ is better than your's. Or that other person's. And you know that thing you just said? It's wrong. Here's the correct answer.
And those guys who can only make it through this event is by taking full advantage of the open bar: little loud, little obnoxious, but one hell of a good time. Just ask the black ladies sitting at the table next to us. They were hooting and hollering along right with us until the bitter (drunken) end.
Special Guest Star of the evening:
The Math Teachers from the "Find Mr. Hall a love interest scene" in CLUELESS.
Favourite quote of the night:
"He's not gay, so stop trying to find him on Grindr"
Anywho...
three things I'm looking forward to the rest of the week
Show
Modern Conversation CD release party at Jerry's in Wicker Park
Friday, 7/29 9:30P-12:30A; $7 cover gets you in AND a copy of the CD
Modern Conversation kicks ass. Simple as that. Their sound is a fusion of folk, jazz, and alt-country which makes for an awesomely diverse sound. David Courtenay's soulful songwriting, Jackie Rada's rockin the keys, combined with that they all just vibe so well together and have such a great time playing together. And they're pretty easy on the eyes too ;)
You gonna join me? http://goo.gl/55QoP
Movie
So I'm kind of a movie buff. I like gritty indie films as much as Oscar bait as much as much as cheese rom-coms as much as epic comic book movies. There's no real rhyme or reason to what I will or will not like. I love to see movies for the experience. And I'm kind of a DVD hoarder.
When the poster for COWBOYS AND ALIENS was released, I was like "What the fuck? Is this gonna be another SNAKES ON A PLANE?" But then the trailer came out. And it just looks plain awesome.
Besides the intrigue of "Who is this mysterious stranger (Daniel Craig)?" and the blow 'em up awesomeness of cowboys with pistols fighting off lazer shooting alien ships, the thing I most appreciate about this movie is it's transperency. It's fucking called COWBOYS AND ALIENS. That's what you get. It doesn't try to hide who it's target demographic is (hi naked Olivia Wilde in the trailer). It's not trying to win any major awards or invite serious intellectual debate. It's about cowboys. And aliens. If you go in looking to be moved like you were in BREAKING THE WAVES or BLUE VALENTINE, then I've got some magic beans to sell you. It's fucking called COWBOYS AND ALIENS. And I'm fucking excited to see it. Anyone else gonna see it?
New Book Wednesday
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #666
Writter: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Am I the only one who's noticed the glaring similarities between Spider-Man and Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Not that I'm complaining: they're both my superhero icons. But since the Straczynski run of ASM, with the introduction of Ezekiel and the concept of Spidey being part of a long line of men imbued with the totemic powers of the Spider, asking "What if the spider was meant to give you your powers before it even became radiated?" ("Into every generation a slayer is born.." anyone? Bueller?) there's been a huge correlation between the two. It makes sense really: at the heart of both heroes are ordinary people with extraordinary abilities and powers. It's what they do with it because of who they are at the core is what makes them heroes.
So when Marvel announced that the next big Spidey event "Spider-Island" would feature everyone in Manhattan suddenly possessing Spider-Man's powers, I couldn't help but think of the series finale of BtVS where (okay seriously, if you need a SPOILER ALERT for this 8 years after the fact, we need to sit down for a little chat) Buffy shares her power with all the Potential Slayers, making them all Slayers (and putting Buffy at a slight identity crisis for the Season 8 comics from Dark Horse). Again, not a criticism. In fact, it makes me uber excited (love how Shang Chi and New Madame Web have been slowly woven into this arc over the year, pun intended, lol) Just very excited to see how Peter Parker reacts to it all. Are you?
Til next time...
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