Geek Gather – First Tuesday

OK, I am proposing the first Tuesday of the month for future Geek Gathers. The first one being:

Place: Dunn Bros. – 821 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408

Date: October 3rd, 2006

Time: 6:30pm or as soon as you can get there.

I think this is a fairly central location for everyone as it is in the heart of the Lyn-Lake neighborhood across from Bryant-Lake Bowl. They have free wifi. A nice big fireplace surrounded by comfy chairs. A good set of tables and (from what I remember) available power outlets. Oh, and caffine! Hope everyone can make it. No theme, just bring something to work on, especially if you need help from the hive mind.

Geek Gather and SWAT

It has been really quiet here lately. I know this past year has been a busy time for everyone. I mean, just looking back at the posts on the blog tells the tale… Bethany and I got marriedTim and Amy had a baby… Scottie got more new Macs than anyone deserves (and a few other things he didn’t)… Gathers were attempted but not every one occurred. It is nobody’s fault. Just the way things have been.

One of my original reasons for organizing the first Geek Gather was the idea that it would be a regular place for me and my overworked and time stretched friends to get together, hang out, eat some munchies and – here is the key – have an environment for working on projects that would allow for inspiration and possible collaboration. Basically, I envisioned a regular time to get some of those tech type things done that I otherwise put off due to lack of time, motivation, expertise or just having others around to bounce an idea off of while at the same time getting a chance to see my friends. Therefore, I am going to propose a new model for Geek Gather that I think may work out better.

Repeat, this is a proposal. I just want to throw an idea out there to see what others think.

One of the growing trends in the freelance/independent/blogging communities is the idea of S.W.A.T. – Solos Working Alone Together. At it’s basis, it is about geeks gathering to get things done. Getting together on a regular basis at a predetermined location to hang out, work on projects, swat away at those mosquito tasks that have been nipping at your knees and have others of like mind joining for productivity and pleasure. In other words, this is what I hoped geek gather would be in the first place. Why don’t we just have a regular monthly or bi-monthly gathering at a coffee shop that is centrally located with lots of outlets and good wifi? Folks that can make it can. Others can make it the next time. The idea is that if it is a regular thing in a set location no one will feel guilty if only a couple of folks show up.