Meet And Greet

A couple of months ago I thought to myself: Must begin to network, must begin to meet people.

Problem: how?

I try not to be calculating or venal about these things. Yes, I want to meet people in the Industry, but I also want to meet people I'm going to like. And meeting strangers is always frightening: I have an inner imperative to make people like me at all costs. So sometimes I'd rather stay home and just bond with Darin some more -- which would be a neat trick, considering how bonded we already are.

At USC there have been a flurry of invites to parties. One last weekend, one last night, one tonight, one next Saturday. Two of these are "Starkie parties," or parties hosted by Stark students -- that is, the students who will one day be running the Industry. I didn't go to the one last week or the one last night. Darin and I are having guests this weekend and next weekend: do I go to the two remaining parties?

I thought about it and three things came to my mind:

1. I have a lot of work to do this weekend and probably next weekend.
2. My guests most likely do not want to attend these parties.
3. I am not looking for a date.

Yes, I want to meet Stark students. I want to give them my scripts and talk to them and learn their names and have them learn my name. But not at the price of my sanity or my Saturday nights.

The other thing I thought about was: the people most interested in these parties are single. They're not only looking for a future producer/development exec/agent relationship, they're looking for a relationship pure and simple (or not so pure and simple, if you know what I mean). Thanks, I'm already dating. I don't need to see who's available.

Also, I don't drink a hell of a lot, and I certainly don't drink and drive. Which is another thing college parties -- even with boring old graduate students -- seem to be all about.

So I have punted on the upcoming parties without much regret.

In the back of the Stanford magazine I found a listing for a Stanford alumni group called Stanford Alumni in Entertainment, and I thought, Hey, there's a group of people who I could probably talk to without boring them to death.

So I joined and then did nothing. I got a couple of e-mails and did nothing. My usual self.

I got one recently and almost didn't read it. It was about a brunch for a small group of alumni to meet other alumni who are working writers. Cool! I called the guy organizing it and got the last space at the brunch, which was scheduled for today.

I decided that the brunch today was worth going to, though I wouldn't know a soul there (the way I would at a USC party). Brunch is pretty casual, and at the very least I'd hear some interesting chat.

It was great. I am so happy I went. I am attending all future Stanford Alumni in Entertainment events, and dammit, you can't stop me.

The people were great -- you could talk to anyone. I managed not to be obnoxious, just funny.

3 of the 4 writers featured actually showed up, all of whom work in TV, and they were great -- very honest, very helpful. They all told their stories (and of course, not a one of them had a "normal" route into the business -- one woman started her career because she almost ran over an executive producer of The X-Files) and were great about questions. And they all provided their e-mail addresses.

(Of course, I was one of the oldest people there -- I honest to God thought that would never happen to me; I was always the youngest in any crowd. Now I just act like the youngest.)

Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

Forget what I said about chilly yesterday. Think "hot." Think "Dammit, why did I wear these jeans when I need to be wearing a lot less clothing."