Networking

Today I got to hear a super senior analyst at Moody's talk about the subprime crisis and where we're heading with it. It was a speech through the Financial Women's Association. It was quite an opportunity for me, since I'm really just doing admin, and I don't get to use my analysis brain too much.

The speech was great. The women I talked to were great. There was one part that was hilarious to me. People went with a whole stack of business cards (called name cards here). They walk around the room, say "hello, I'm X" and hand them a card (with two hands, obviously). Then they go to the next person and do the same. No one really talked, and they all got TONS of name cards. Rather than say where you work and what you do, you're just both silent and look at the other's name card and then move on. I didn't participate (I only had two name cards - I left in a hurry and forgot them!). It was really funny. They call this networking. I call that dealing (cards).

On another note - you must listen to act three of this episode of This American Life (one of my favorite things that exist in the world). I have to say that I only know one person who has crapped in a "public" place on purpose - it was on a ski boat at camp, and I won't say who it is. I love David Sedaris. Seriously - listen to it.