Monday, November 11, 2013

Anyone interested in a Meet-Up?



One of the better ideas I've heard recently is the idea of a Meet-Up.  That's an informal chance for people of like minds to get together and talk about a shared set of ideas in a convivial space.  

Since some of my MOOC- and IRL-teaching-colleagues have done similar things, I thought I'd send out a probe to the collective wisdom of SearchResearch.

As you might have gathered by now, I travel around a fair bit from place to place.  (For instance, I'm still in Europe this week.)  And I thought--maybe this is a good chance to try my hand at a Meet-Up!  

It's too late for me to have a Meet-Up in Europe (my minutes are scheduled between now and the time I get onto the aluminium bird and return home), but I thought I'd ask two questions.  (They're not search questions, but just survey questions.)  

A.  If I tried to organize a Meet-Up In Real Life in your area (suppose it was on the topic of SearchResearch and how to be a better searcher), would anyone show up?  If you're interested, let me know what area would work for you.  

B.  Would a Meet-Up in the Washington DC area during the evening of Tuesday, Dec 3, 2013, be of interest to anyone?  

No promises (yet), but if there's enough interest, I'll try really hard to set something up!  

Put your comments down below (or email me privately).  

Thanks! 

-- Dan 

21 comments:

  1. Though not feasible just now, I'd be keen to attend a future London meet-up, if one were to be offered.

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  2. An Atlanta Meet-Up would be appreciated!

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  3. Good day, Dr. Russell , hope you are enjoying your trip and have a nice return to home.

    Meet-Ups are a great idea. I live so far that in real life for me at the moment is difficult to go. Have you thought about doing some time a Google Hangouts ?

    I am sure one day I'll be in real life knowing you and many of my SRS peers. Meanwhile, have a fantastic week!

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  4. Excellent idea! Unfortunately I live right near the end of the world. Well, not literally, but at least close enough to the Westernmost point of Continental Europe, which is, well, the farthest you can get in this direction. So it's not easy for me to go elsewhere but I'd be glad to join in person anytime you come to Portugal — anywhere in Portugal, really; the country's mainland is about the size of the five counties in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

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  5. I'm interested in a Bay Area meetup if the opportunity arises.

    -C

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  6. A. If I tried to organize a Meet-Up In Real Life in your area (suppose it was on the topic of SearchResearch and how to be a better searcher), would anyone show up? If you're interested, let me know what area would work for you.

    Yes. Madison, Wisconsin

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  7. Hi Dr. Russell,

    I would be thrilled to join the meet-up in DC! I hope more people express their interest in getting together in order to have some great face to face discussions with you.

    Best,

    Juan

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  8. I would totally be interested in that!

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  9. I would love to do a meetup but I would have to do it online. I know one person here that would no doubt attend (lucky guy). It's a great idea if you have enough people from the same area. I can only wish.

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  10. Meetups work best as an on-going series, not as one-off fly-bys. So use your search skills to find meetup series that look like they might be interested in what you do in areas you want to visit, then contact the organizers.

    Hint: look for series like http://www.meetup.com/santacruznewtech

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    1. I didn't get that Dr. Russell was trying to make it a regular thing or a meetup with large number of people. He can correct me if I'm wrong, I just pictured a small group of people who frequent this blog from time to time getting together over beers and nachos getting to meet face to face. Shoot the breeze about our favorite challenges and goof ups (remember that time when Fred totally messed up his math.) I've been to several conferences where there were meetups just meet in person people you only knew by a handle or avatar. They always strengthened the friendship and communication after.

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    2. I agree with you, Fred. Getting together time to time would be great. Hope one day I can be on one!

      Maybe because Dr. Russell has followers all over the world, Google HOA could be another option.

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    3. +1 for both face to face and HOAs and meetups that include a HOA with people far away.

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    4. Fred's right on this. I love the idea of a regular meetup, but with my travel schedule, it's probably not going to happen anytime soon. The idea of getting together informally to chat about searchresearch-type topics is exactly what I was hoping to do.

      Meeting IRL is a fun thing to do. Especially, as Fred points out, when you only know folks by their icon/avatar.

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    5. We'll try some HOAs in the future. Maybe as soon as next week?

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    6. Oh geez! I did it again! Just goes to prove that there are 3 kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't.

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    7. dram
      Dan, I'm a wee bit concerned that we'd have to don Victorian attire and adopt cockney accents… especially if we were swilling gin… I mean…

      Awright geeezzaa! I'm a wee bi' concerned what we'd 'ave ter don Victorian attire an' adopt cockney accents… especially if we was swillin' gin…. Sorted mate. Uncle Fred

      & hopefully it wouldn't end like this: Gin_Mad

      George had a dark view —
      The Bottle
      George Cruikshank

      at any rate, a meetup (or vegup) is an intriguing notion - the site GSWP mentioned is interesting - like its design - and his comment got me to look at Bioinformatics wowser. wonder what school?… UCSC?

      D.C. would be a fitting setting given the number of challenges you have based there - think I'm holding out for a conclave on one of the BAL barges…
      at Fort Mason or the East Coast flavor in Boston Harbor or at Chelsea Piers in the other big Malus domestica… (or maybe you are scouting Venice?)

      It's hard to connect out of Aasiaat and although you might be able to make it into Nuuk, it might require more sRs mojo than is available…
      Nuuk has some interesting things in the hopper… & UGl
      obviously Goo is a valuable tool here.

      back to the question at hand: good idea, but I can't make the logistics work - a couple items for you as you euro:
      beautiful place, but imagine it is devastated currently -
      Anilao
      something to keep an eye out for next time in the Gulf… or perhaps Cuba…
      Gramma dejongi - basslet

      I'll keep an eye out for the invite to the "Search Tub 1&0"… need lead time for the Ft. Mason hostel…
      Bay bargin
      On some level, it all seems a bit Emerald City/Wizardly (Crystal City/DCAy)… only nothing happens with the tres clicks. This virtual techy stuff is a bit beyond me and my  Lisa…
      luckily, the curtain still functions.
      early beta google

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  11. Remji thanks again for helping me. Take this as humor but your post from dram to early beta google is like a search in itself. Gin mad (maybe Pimms) or not you always have me guessing. If you aren't a writer you should be. You should see my face reading the your recent post. Huhhhh? Cheerio!

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  12. Getting together would be great.
    If you are ever in Seattle...

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