adventures in networking: linkedin

ok, so yesterday it was cold out. i wouldn't really care about cold because i LIKE cold weather, but when it's 40 degrees one day and -10 the next it doesn't really give you time to get used to it. i had an appointment in town and i wanted to find a geocache because it was an empty day on my calendar but i think what i'm telling you here is that it was cold out and instead of playing outside i messed around at my desk.

and there was somebody or other with a linkedin profile i wanted to look at, which means you have to sign up and i was feeling jaunty so i went ahead and signed myself right up under the name flask ehrlenmeyer

-because what the hell? as far as you're concerned, it's my name-

and they ask a lot of professional questions.

now, i'm not looking to be all professionally network-y. i just want to look at a profile, you know?

so i tell linkedin that i live in richmond, VT, which is the closest town to where i live where i can order pizza. i say i am self employed in the field of arts and crafts.

yes, i did. these are options on the drop-down menu. they are. i swear.

and for job title, i say that i am chief cook and bottle washer.

and i hit the "skip this step" button for everything else. no, i do not want to be connected with everyone in my email contact list.

more specifically, everyone i know does not need to be hassled by me through linkedin. but either linkedin is unusually aggressive and predatorial in this regard, or it might have to do with that second browser window i had accidentally opened and started to log in from there, but all of a sudden i was getting a lot of acceptances from people.

really, people? you are accepting network contacts from self-employed crafters who obviously are not serious?

and then, oh.

funny they're all actually people i know in one way or another, many of whom know me by my given name and not my public name, and they're playing along.

it's kind of sweet.

so, hi, professional networking people!! sorry to bother you at work. thanks for accepting me!

carry on.

have a nice day.