My apologies in advance to those of you who were unable to attend tonight's GameTime Connections event, as this post might make you feel bad that you couldn't join us.  There were eighteen of us playing adaptations of Squint and Cranium to complement the structured networking activities of which we were taking part.  Through rotations between activities, every participant was able to meet and socialize a substantial amount with at least ten other participants.  The conversations ranged from a business focus to personal topics, demonstrating that guests were engaging both at a professional and a personal level.  Here is some feedback from post-event evaluations:

"Overall, very good!"
"It was a good 1st time event for me... thank you!"

Special thanks go out to Julie McGoogan, who ensured that the event ran smoothly, and to our two fine game/networking facilitators, Hope Bertram and Travis Downs.  Thank you to the three of you for supporting me in pulling off such a tremendously successful event.  Thanks also go out to Bella Rossa Restaurant, located at 23 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL 60610, for providing such a spectacular spread of pizzas, bruschetta, fried mushrooms and ravioli - all of the food was spectacular and we couldn't have had a more gracious event host for tonight's event.

In lieu of a conventional unconventional activity-of-the-week, I encourage you all to join us for the GameTime Connections idea party/business relationship event.  At times I describe this event as "netplaying", because the connotation of "networking" is so negative and painful for most business people to bear.  Our GameTime Connections event pairs fun games with structured networking to make the process fun and productive for all participants.  Visit the GameTime Connections page to learn more and register.

Toward the end of this week, two big opportunities have come my way.  First, we are going to be moving in to the Avenue Business Center, located at 500 N Michigan Avenue.  In this space, I'll get to explore interpersonal relationships and social networking activities first-hand with all of my new neighbors.  Additionally, I'll be centrally located to both the Loop and River North.  Having a physical office space will provide us with the opportunity to continue to expand the events and services that we provide.  I'd love to show everyone around once we are moved in, so drop me a line and we can arrange a time to meet... in my new office.

Secondly, we have an official venue sponsor for the next GameTime Connections idea party.  Scheduled to take place on Monday, March 24 from 5:30-7:30pm, we will be hosted at Bella Rossa Restaurant, located at 23 W. Hubbard St.  We'll be treated to a variety of appetizers and have the opportunity to once again build strong business relationships through creative activities and games.  We have a limited number of spaces available and expect this incredible event experience to sell out fast.  Registration starts at a discounted rate $12 for a limited time before returning to $15 - visit GameTime Connections to read about the event, hear what others had to say and sign up today!