Rocketing Into Spring!

The next few months are....well, let's just say that I'll probably even be less present online than I am currently. But here are some great opportunities to catch me face-to-face.

I've been working on my calendar, and over the next few months, I'll be spending many weekends socializing, enjoying my interests, and basically procrastinating (all of this while building my new marketing consultancy and finding/performing work). So if you're interested in meeting up with me, here's the highlights for April and May:

April 8th - The Doctor Who Meetup group and Chicago Nerd Social Club are putting on a joint social at The Scout, located at 1301 South Wabash. For more details/RSVP, find us via Meetup and Facebook.

April 9th - It's time for another Chicago Geek Breakfast - a casual networking event at Wow Bao. We sit and we talk, and build relationships - click the links for details and to RSVP

April 18th - Chicago Doctor Who Meetup is holding its monthly screening/lecture of a classic Who episode: check out Meetup.com for details

April 17th and April 19th - I will be a guest/attendee at Windy City Pulp and Paper . April 19th - that Sunday - I will be reading "Crossing McCausland" from Tall Pulp and serving on a 2:00 pm panel. Now, what will I be doing that Saturday, you ask....

April 18th - Daina of the Sherlock Chicago Meetup group and I will be co-presenting on gender roles in Sherlock Holmes at Columbia College's one-day Geek Culture Gala. Check out details via Facebook.

April 24 - 26th - Yes, I'm doing C2E2 this year - special thanks for the press pass. I'll be the confused looking one with the well-worn "old school lawyer case".

May 2nd - Please join me for "The Wibbley Wobbley Timey-Wimey Guide to Doctor Who" at Oak Lawn Public Library's first annual Fanfest in celebration of Free Comic Book Day. It's family friendly, has a nice south side location (on 95th street just west of Cicero), and - more importantly - free to attend!

May 9th - Come join me at the DePaul's Celebration of Supernatural - I'll be on the morning panel for antecents of the show, and we're conveniently located downtown - 14 E. Jackson, near the Red/Orange/Blue/Pink/Brown Lines. (Special thanks to Brant Fowler of Comic Related/Zone 4 Podcast for his assistance and expertise, since I'm engaging in a "crash course" in the show). Although it's free to attend, I suggest RSVPing via Eventbrite

May 10th - Chicago Nerd Social Club Leverage 101 event; details to follow. (Here's the obligatory Leverage-themed blog post)

May 14th - Yes, it's another Chicago Geek Breakfast at Wow Bao.

May 16th - Chicago Doctor Who Meetup will have an event at Blue Box Cafe in Elgin. Details forthcoming (because - let's face it - nobody likes spoilers. Nobody

May 20th - It's a very special Who Meetup. Trust me, it's that good.

May 30th - The Chicago Doctor Who Meetup and Chicago Nerd Social Club is putting on a brunch for Who fans at Medici's in Hyde Park. Please check out details via Meetup and Facebook.

As I stated yesterday, my life's changed in many ways. I'm glad now to say that I'm happy busy....and hope to see you, dear reader, at an upcoming event.

Your Weekend Blogaround Moment of Zen

Right now, things have been busy - both in terms of seeking other freelance work and in terms of other writing. (Don't worry - I'm not neglecting the blog at all). So in an effort to play catchup, I'm engaging in my semi-regular posting of various other writings on the Interwebs, or whatever phrase those who are hip and cool are using at this present moment:

• One of my major projects this past week has been sharpening my professional profile, including my personal web page. I have tweaked some of the text, and added an online bookstore. Much like my Linked In profile and another initiative I'm hoping to launch, it's hopefully a stronger marketing strategy that will bring me more work. Enjoy!
• As you can see by the graphic, I wrote about Last Week Tonight's #jeffwecan segment for the Chicago Now blog. It might seem like I'm being flip, but trust me - that segment actually has me nostalgic for my past work in tobacco control
• For I Hear of Sherlock, I have a review of the Baker Street web series. Trust me, you really ought to give it a view.
• Although several other projects have fallen by the wayside (don't worry - they weren't announced), I am glad to say that the Chicago Geek Breakfast will hold its first event in March. Here's the Eventbrite link - if you're available for one of our upcoming events, please let us know. We'd love to have you!

Working My SEO Mojo

In an effort to provide you with some blogging goodness (at least, until I finish reading/viewing the stuff that I will be writing about in the next few days), here are some various highlights that I, Gordon Dymowski, have written in the past few weeks:

• I've been writing some pretty cool posts around technology, nonprofits, and the social good via Chicago Now's One Cause At A Time - if you're so moved, please feel free to visit and like the site on Facebook as well.
• Found via a random Google search of my name: here's a really nice write-up of Windy City Pulp & Paper
• You might also want to check out the past 2 - 3 episodes of the Zone 4 podcast, if only because,....well, sometimes I think that we have a hard time distinguishing "hating" from "having a different opinion" (and yes, I'll be writing about that in the next few weeks)
• A hearty shout-out which links to my report on Windy City Pulp & Paper
• As you may be aware, the Chicago Geek Breakfast is going great guns, and so you're always more than welcome to join us on the second Thursday of the month (or on Twitter)
• Finally, if you're looking for some good reads (as well as looking to support the blog), please feel free to order any of the books below - I've edited most of them (The Wind-Up Kid being the sole exception), and they're all pretty good reads. Ordering from the neat widget below puts a few cents in my pocket (at least, until I'm formally published - details will be forthcoming), and if you approach me with a legally purchased copy, I'll sign it. So there. 

Blog THIS, Pal - The Networking/Convention/Panel Roadshow!

Right now, even though I'm freelancing and still seeking work (more on that in another post), I am glad to see that, on the networking/social site, I'm beginning to develop a bit of a schedule. So if you're in the Chicago area between now and May-ish, here are some suggested events where you might be able to catch a glimpse of me.

(And don't be afraid to say "hello")

• This Sunday, March 16th, I will be attending Almost Pi(e) Day 2014, an event put on by the Chicago Nerd Social Club. (Note: I'm a board member). Whether you enjoy mathematics or baked goods, I think you'll find this a really great event. Details (including RSVP information) at this link.
• On Saturday, March 23rd, I'll be attending Day One of the two-day Dan Con, put on by pal Decapitated Dan. Mostly, I'll be apologizing to Dan and begging his forgiveness for missing Dan Con 2013.  So in other words...if you want to see me grovel, please be sure not to miss Dan Con this year!
• On Thursday, April 10th (and every second Thursday of the month until November), I'll be running the Chicago Geek Breakfast, a very informal/no pressure hangout/networking/get-to-know-you event. If you would like to RSVP, please check out the Eventbrite page for details. 
• On Friday, April 26th/Saturday, April 27th, I will be hanging out around the Comic Related table at C2E2. (Thankfully, I have a press pass). I'll also be attending two panels run by pal Michi of CNSC and Geek Melange, so I'll be making my way throughout the event. Of course, I won't be there on Sunday, because....
• On Sunday, April 28th, I'll be running the "Publishing New Pulp" panel at Windy City Pulp & Paper, where I'll be meeting with three writer/publishers whom I greatly admire....and fellow Zone 4 co-host Captain Ron (and yes, I'm kidding). If you're into the pulp fiction, you'll want to attend (and I'm hoping to pick up Altus Press' Inspector Allhoff 
  
  anthology)....
• Activities around the Chicago Doctor Who Meetup Group will definitely be picking up, since I have many plans in the works. Be sure to click and check out the site for details in the next few weeks, and finally....
• Just found out that I am fortunate enough to sit on a panel at Joss Whedon: A Celebration happening at DePaul University (my alma mater), on Saturday, May 5th. Clicking on the link will take you to a Facebook evite with further details; once I know more, I'll share them via the blog.

So although I will be blogging more, you can be rest assured that any prolonged absence isn't due to being too busy....it's due to actually enjoying the spring.

Join Me On Thursday for Chicago Geek Breakfast!

For those of you wishing to have an up-close, personal encounter and/or wanting a non-traditional networking event....this should be of interest.

One of my many newish extracurricular activities is organizing the monthly Chicago Geek Breakfast, and the kickoff breakfast will be this Thursday, March 13th at 7:30 am at the Wow Bao located at 225 N. Michigan (just look behind the escalators on the ground floor). Click on the link above for the three rules of Geek Breakfast (namely, it's free to come, but you're responsible for food/tax/gratuity; you're welcome to Tweet, but with the #chicagogeekbreakfast hashtag; and we don't take sponsorships).

Please feel free to RSVP via Eventbrite (you can choose more than one breakfast), and you can follow @ChiGeekBreakfst on Twitter.

Thanks, and hope to see you there!