Tech Drunk Fest

Last week I went to a party that was supposed to be a networking event for techie types. It was so awful that I'm not even sure where to begin. It was actually the final straw that led to me writing this blog.

My friend and I got our drinks and headed to the crowded outside area where we could actually hear each other over the loud music that was blaring inside. It wasn't shoulder-to-shoulder, but it was close enough that I must have gotten bumped into at least 10 times in the first 5 minutes we were standing there.

We started talking to each other, while also scanning the faces to see if anyone would make eye contact, exactly who was there that we should talk to and get a lay of the land, as they say. Not one person made eye contact back. Another male friend we knew was going to be there did found us, said hello and then went back to hitting the girl he was trying to hook up with. to his credit, in between girls, he did come back to us and say hello.

Networking event....not speed dating event...is all I kept thinking.

So we continue to look around the room, grab another drink, etc. Still .... nothing. We bump into someone we met the week before, who while talking to us continues to look around the outdoor area at every girl walking past. Can you say, rude?

Paul introduces us to a designer-type who works for a very well-known newspaper. That guy, who, might I add, was not attractive at all, engaged us in some pity conversation then grabbed a female friend of his who he said we absolutely had to meet and then ended up ditching us for her within minutes.

A few minutes later, Paul calls over an overweight, again not very attractive man wearing silver sneakers and introduces us. You know the first words out of his mouth? He tells us how the girl he was just talking to broke his heart when she kept mentioning her boyfriend.

Really? That's your conversation starter?

He then proceeds to tell us that he has a web TV show about .... relationships. Yeah, apparently he's a long-time relationship coach/expert who in his spare time goes on casting calls.What a winner.

Although all those interactions were rude, I think the most obnoxious thing was the event photographer. He continued to take pictures of people all around us, except us. At one point I even caught his eye and he just looked away.

Now, people, this is a tech party -- it's swarming with males. As my friend said, "the odds should be in our favor."  I guess I should also add, I'm very conscious of the signs that could make you look unapproachable -- arms crossed, leaning against something, standing next to someone and not in front of them to make it more welcoming.

Let me also clarify, we did not go there with the intention of meeting a guy. We are both professionals who are looking to make contacts to further our careers -- but, no one even talked to us about that. Could we have gone and talked to other people. Maybe. But, literally everyone seemed to be talking to someone else.

All this night did was further my credit card debt.