Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

What’s happening in the Tampa Bay tech/entrepreneur/nerd scene (Week of Monday, January 3, 2022)

Happy new year!

Here’s the very first weekly list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events for Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for 2022! This one’s for the week of Monday, January 3 through Sunday, January 9, 2022.

This is a weekly service from Tampa Bay’s tech blog, Global Nerdy! For the past four years, I’ve been compiling a list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events happening in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. There’s a lot going on in our scene here in “The Other Bay Area, on the Other West Coast”!

As far as event types go, this list casts a rather wide net. It includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under the category of:

  • Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
  • Tech project management / agile processes
  • Video, board, and role-playing games
  • Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
  • Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
  • Toastmasters (because nerds really need to up their presentation game)
  • Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
  • Anything I deem geeky

By “Tampa Bay and surrounding areas”, this list covers events that originate or are aimed at the area within 100 miles of the Port of Tampa. At the very least, that includes the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, but as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and includes Orlando and its surrounding cities.

This week’s events

This list includes in-person events as well as online events. Omicron’s out there, so be smart and responsible — get your booster, mask up in crowds, and we can get back to what passes for normal sooner!

I try to keep this list up-to-date. I add new events as soon as I hear about them, so be sure to check this page often!

Monday, January 3

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCritical Hit Games: Board Game Night5:30 PM
Thoughtful WritingPhilosophy in Writing2:00 PM
Option Trading Strategies (Tampa Bay area) Meetup GroupOption Trading Strategies Meetup (Online)11:00 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupSouth Tampa Referrals11:30 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayLive Online Connection Meeting- Monday11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsSouth Tampa Professional Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netVirtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netSt. Pete Networking Lunch! Fords Garage! Monday’s11:30 AM
Entrepreneurs’ Empowerment EmpireOffice Hour12:00 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesMagic Mondays5:00 PM
Tampa# – C# and .NETGroup Code Challenge [Virtual]5:30 PM
Beginning Web DevelopmentWeekly Learning Session6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Commander Open Play6:00 PM
Toastmasters, Division DACE Advanced Toastmasters 32744806:00 PM
Board Game Meetup: Board Game BoxcarWeekly Game Night! (Lazy Moon Location)6:00 PM
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Tampa Bay TabletoppersMonday Feast & Game Night6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Open Painting at Warehouse 516:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48North Port Toastmasters Meets Online!!6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Off the Wagon Kitchen & Brewery Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
Toastmasters Division GTriple Crown Toastmasters Club 4147 (Virtual)6:30 PM
Toastmasters District 48Time to Take Speaking Your Passion to the Next Level at South Tampa TM!7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Fireside Lounge & Billiards 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsAnime Watch Party7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: “Stoicism: Life Hack or Existential Tool?”7:00 PM
Toastmasters Division ELakeland (FL) Toastmasters Club #22627:00 PM
Tampa Flutter Meetup GroupIn-Person Meetup7:00 PM
Nerd Night OutNB Online Anime Watch Party7:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFREE Lightroom Study Group7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWorld of Greyhawk: 1E One-Shots7:30 PM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsLutz, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa Virtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners of Sarasota & BradentonVirtual Networking Lunch Monday & Wednesday5:30 PM

Tuesday, January 4

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa
RGANetwork.netAfter hours Networking Mixer Cafe Delanie
k smithConquer Your Fear of Public Speaking- Tampa- Virtual Free Trial Class
Pasco County Young Entrepreneurs MeetupProfessional Business Networking Lunch Glory Day’s New Tampa11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupTampa Young Professionals Virtual Networking Tuesday & Thursday All WElCOME7:30 AM
BNI LegendsBNI Legends – Business Networking7:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netVirtual Networking Breakfast Tuesday & Thursday’s in October7:30 AM
Tampa Bay Agilev-Lean Coffee7:30 AM
Abundance Networking – Events & BNI MeetingsBNI Abundance – Networking, Introductions, and Business Referrals8:00 AM
Write the Docs FloridaMorning social8:30 AM
Entrepreneurs with ADHDCoffee and Introductions9:00 AM
Tampa Bay Business Networking Meetings & MixersUpper Pinellas, Oldsmar,Safety Harbor, Westchase Business networking lunch11:00 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsOldsmar Professional Business Networking lunch11:00 AM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsNew Tampa Networking Lunch at Glory Day’s Grill New Tampa11:30 AM
The Lab OrlandoTap In Tuesday11:30 AM
Toastmasters District 48Westshore Toastmasters12:00 PM
Manatee River Business Exchange ClubGreat group for referrals – Several new members – WE are growing!!!12:00 PM
Toastmasters, Division DPost Toasters Toastmasters Club12:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48MESSAGE CRAFTERS12:00 PM
Network After Work Tampa – Networking EventsNetwork After Work Virtual Networking2:00 PM
Free Video Production Classes – TV/InternetSocial Video Marketing Tips(ONLINE CLASS)-FREE for Hillsborough County Residents4:15 PM
South Florida Photographic SocietyLight Study Pro, Intermediate Lighting for Pro Portrait/Commercial Photographer.4:30 PM
SOLE® Connection™ Community, Camaraderie, & CollaborationProfessional Development, Accountability, & Achievement5:45 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCool Stuff Games: Board game night6:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWeekly Open Make Night6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Card Game Night at Hammerfall Games and Collectibles6:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyMeet & Greet at O’Keefe’s Family Restaurant6:00 PM
West Pasco Toastmasters Club Weekly Meeting6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Moose Lodge 2117 Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
Suncoast Developers GuildWordPress St Pete Meetup at SDG6:30 PM
Toastmasters Division EToast of Celebration Toastmasters6:45 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online SEASONAL] Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden – DM Canon (Tier 2)7:00 PM
Punta Gorda Business Referral Networking Meetup GroupNetworking Meeting- Weekly7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Best of British 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Simplicity BrandonFlesh & Blood Armory Night7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade For Beginners – (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Toastmasters Division GSpanglish Toastmasters Club 77037317:00 PM
3D Printing Orlando3D Printing Basics7:00 PM
TB Chess – Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Chess Meetup GroupLet’s play chess at 54th Kava House!7:30 PM
North Florida Stock Investing EducationTuesday Stock Training Workshop – Rotating Topics7:30 PM
Shut Up & Write!® TampaOnline Event: Shut Up & Write on Zoom7:45 PM
St. Pete Beers ‘n Board Games for Young AdultsSt. Pete Beers ‘n Board Games Meetup for Young Adults7:00 PM
Crypto/Trading/Online Business/Entrepreneurship nightsCrypto/Trading/Online Business/Entrepreneurship Nights8:00 PM

Wednesday, January 5

GroupEvent NameTime
RGANetwork.netCarrollwood Professionals Networking Lunch Join us! All Welcome 
Business Networking for Entrepreneurs of ColorVirtual Business Networking – Entrepreneurs of Color7:00 AM
Networking 4 ProfitReferral Networking Meeting Orlando Area7:30 AM
Toastmasters, Division DTrailblazers Toastmasters7:30 AM
Tampa Bay WaVEOpen/FREE Coworking for Latino Tech Entrepreneurs8:00 AM
North Tampa Networking GroupBusiness networking9:00 AM
Suncoast Photo & Video Drone ClubAlligator Lake, Safety Harbor9:00 AM
1 Million Cups – Orlando1 Million Cups – Orlando Weekly Meetup9:00 AM
The Lab OrlandoThe Orlando Grants Meetup, Powered by The Lab Orlando10:00 AM
North Port Business Referral Networking Meetup GroupNetworking Meeting- Weekly11:45 AM
Tampa Bay AgileHeart of Agile Weekly Coffee Corner12:30 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101Co-Founder Networking: Start 2022 by Finding a Business Partner, Online1:00 PM
Free Video Production Classes – TV/InternetDigital Video Editing Class (ONLINE CLASS) -FREE for Hillsborough residents only1:00 PM
Crypto Investors Club OrgCrypto Investors Club (5 STAR RATED)6:30 PM
Bradenton Photo GroupCamera Basics6:30 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade – In The Zone (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Castaways Euchre ClubCastaways Euchre Club7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceGirls Who Code Python for Grades 6-127:00 PM

Thursday, January 6

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
St Pete NetworkingSt Pete Networking12:00 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101AMA + FI Info Session with Co-Founder & CEO Jonathan Greechan1:00 PM
Bradenton Photo GroupLightroom Classic Basics5:00 PM
The Lab OrlandoMove The Needle Thursday, Empowered by Sherloc!6:00 PM
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D Group1st ed AD&D Campaign.6:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Stocks, Options & ETFs- (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Business Networking for Entrepreneurs of ColorVirtual Business Networking – Entrepreneurs of Color7:00 PM
Books & Brews!January – The Island of Missing Trees7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceShopbot Safety and Usage (Members Only)7:00 PM
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) GamersTHURSDAY Game Night @ de Bine Brewing Co.7:00 PM
Orlando Lady Developers Meetup2022 restart! [repeating] Server-side Development Study Group8:00 PM

​Friday, January 7

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Central Florida SWENetworking Dinner with the Central FL Society of Women Engineers (CFL-SWE)5:30 PM to 8:00 PM EST
Hodge-Podge Board Games and Japanese MahjongMonthly Game Night6:00 PM
Creative Content MastermindThink Differently + Speak Differently = Sell More8:30 AM
Project Codex: Orlando Junior DevelopersVirtual Coffee9:00 AM
Florida Startup: Idea to IPOHow to Protect Your Intellectual Property12:00 PM
Orlando Board Gaming Weekly MeetupSouth Orlando Friday Night Board Gaming6:00 PM
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Central Florida Social ClubGet Social and Play Board Games6:00 PM
Gen GeekPho Ha Tien 😋6:30 PM
Oviedo Middle Aged Gamers (OMAG)Tabletop: Friday Board Game Night7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: How To Think Like A Roman Emperor (Chapter 8)7:00 PM
Tampa StoicsIN-PERSON: Epictetus Discourses (Part 6)7:00 PM
Tampa Japanese MeetupFL JETAA Tsudoi7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online HISTORIC] Canon’s Custom Campaign Moonsea Tour – DM Canon (Tier 3)7:00 PM
► Tampa Bay Young Professionals GroupSoon-after-New-Year’s Dinner Celebration on the Patio – Welcome Back!7:15 PM

Saturday, January 8

GroupEvent NameTime
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFREE Beginning Photography Class, part 1 of 4 — Aperture9:00 AM
Tampa HackerspaceMake THS Better Workday9:00 AM
Chess RepublicCoffee & Chess: Tampa Midtown9:30 AM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWinter Tournament (Gnome Realms: Dawn of the Undead) (In-Person Event)10:00 AM
Tampa HackerspaceWood Shop Router Table 101 (Members Only)10:00 AM
Orlando Lady Developers MeetupCode with me – learning sessions weekly on Saturdays10:00 AM
Toastmasters Division EKeynotes and More Advanced Toastmasters Monthly Meeting10:30 AM
Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in CrimeChapter Meeting – Interviewing & Interrogation Techniques with Heather Shanosky10:30 AM
► Tampa Bay Young Professionals GroupBrunch at new rooftop bar Sal y Mar10:40 AM
North Florida Stock Investing EducationBetterInvesting Yankee Model Investment Club Meeting11:00 AM
Critical Hit GamesTAMPA BAY OPEN: STAR WARS LEGION TOURNAMENT11:00 AM
Gen Geek“SQUID GAME”11:30 AM
Northern Tampa Bay GamersFirst Meeting: Meet, Greet, and Planning1:00 PM
Writers 4 All Seasons Tampa BayWriters 4 All Seasons Tampa Bay Zoom meeting1:00 PM
Nerd Night OutNNO Book Club: Snow Crash1:00 PM
Saint Petersburg Introverts Socializing (Ages 25-40)Professional Headshots Event @ St Pete Pier3:00 PM
St. Petersburg Anime LoversSt. Pete Comic Con3:00 PM
Orlando StoicsIN PERSON: Lived Philosophy of Henry David Thoreau (Part 5)4:00 PM
Bitcoin OrlandoMonthly Bitcoin: Q and A4:30 PM
Oviedo Middle Aged Gamers (OMAG)ALPHA GROUP – Blast From the Past – Game 745:00 PM
Lithia Dungeons & Dragons And Gaming GuildRIFTs (Palladium Games)6:00 PM
Simplicity BrandonPokémon Standard Saturday League6:00 PM
Tampa Game DevelopersLet’s chat about Game Development!7:00 PM
The New Normal Book Club – OrlandoALL SYSTEMS RED by Martha Wells7:00 PM

Sunday, January 9

GroupEvent NameTime
Low Light Photography GroupSunrise over the Skyway7:00 AM
Suncoast Photo & Video Drone ClubMobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve9:00 AM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyLightroom Class at O’Keefe’s in Clearwater — Class 8 of 89:00 AM
Toastmasters District 48Clearwater Sunday Speakers Toastmasters Club9:30 AM
Board Games and Card Games in Sarasota & BradentonGames at Table Talk SRQ12:00 PM
Stone HillStone Hill Monthly Meeting1:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceFamily Open Make Day1:00 PM
Gen GeekHeritage Village1:00 PM
The Pinellas County Young “Professionals”Chill Sunday Travel Buddy Meetup in Historic Uptown3:00 PM
Tampa StoicsIN-PERSON: A Walking Meditation – Causeway Trail4:30 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Forex & Cryptos – (ONLINE)5:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceSew Awesome! (Textile Arts & Crafts)5:30 PM

Do you have any events or announcements that you’d like to see on this list?

Let me know at joey@joeydevilla.com!

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Categories
Editorial Humor

He’s got a point.

I don’t agree with his takes on masks (guess) and testoterone (a bit too Jordan Peterson/Joe Rogan-adjacent for my liking), but I think he’s spot on with the observation above.

Categories
Humor

And you shall know them by their energy usage

Snow-covered roof with area where snow has melted - caption: “Then: Someone’s growing weed. Now: Someone’s mining crypto!”
Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

What’s happening in the Tampa Bay tech/entrepreneur/nerd scene (Week of Monday, December 27, 2021)

Here’s it is: The final weekly list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events for Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for 2021! This one’s for the week of Monday, December 27 through Sunday, January 2, 2022.

This is a weekly service from Tampa Bay’s tech blog, Global Nerdy! For the past four years, I’ve been compiling a list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events happening in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. There’s a lot going on in our scene here in “The Other Bay Area, on the Other West Coast”!

As far as event types go, this list casts a rather wide net. It includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under the category of:

  • Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
  • Tech project management / agile processes
  • Video, board, and role-playing games
  • Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
  • Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
  • Toastmasters (because nerds really need to up their presentation game)
  • Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
  • Anything I deem geeky

By “Tampa Bay and surrounding areas”, this list covers events that originate or are aimed at the area within 100 miles of the Port of Tampa. At the very least, that includes the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, but as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and includes Orlando and its surrounding cities.

This week’s events

Keep in mind that many people schedule their events “autopilot” — every week, fortnight, or month on the same day, while forgetting that one of those days will happen on a holiday. Double-check any scheduled event with its organizers this week, especially if it’s scheduled for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.

This list includes in-person events as well as online events. Omicron’s out there, so be smart and responsible — get your booster, mask up in crowds, and we can get back to what passes for normal sooner!

I try to keep this list up-to-date. I add new events as soon as I hear about them, so be sure to check this page often!

Have a wonderful holiday — and if you celebrate Christmas, have a merry Christmas — and have a happy new year!

Monday, December 27

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro To Data Analytics: Tableau Basics12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Data Analytics: Tools of the Trade8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Headquarters Coworking – KissimmeeMarketing Manager MeetUp : M311:00 AM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCritical Hit Games: Board Game Night5:30 PM
Entrepreneurs Empower EmpireOfficial Meeting11:30 AM
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners of Sarasota & BradentonVirtual Networking Lunch Monday & Wednesday11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupSouth Tampa Referrals11:30 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayLive Online Connection Meeting- Monday11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netSt. Pete Networking Lunch! Fords Garage! Monday’s11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsSouth Tampa Professional Networking Lunch11:30 AM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesMagic Mondays5:00 PM
Board Game Meetup: Board Game BoxcarWeekly Game Night! (Lazy Moon Location)6:00 PM
Beginning Web DevelopmentWeekly Learning Session6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Open Painting at Warehouse 516:00 PM
Tampa Bay TabletoppersMonday Feast & Game Night6:00 PM
Thoughtful WritingPhilosophy in Writing6:00 PM
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Commander Open Play6:00 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Off the Wagon Kitchen & Brewery Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
Toastmasters District 48North Port Toastmasters Meets Online!!6:30 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Fireside Lounge & Billiards 7 PM Start7:00 PM
America’s TriviAddiction3 DAUGHTERS BREWING – LIVE TEAM TRIVIA – ST. PETERSBURG7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: “Stoic Physics in Brief: The Universe, The Soul, and Death”7:00 PM
Nerd Night OutNB Online Anime Watch Party7:00 PM
ShutterObi – Orlando Photography GroupBusiness & Marketing For Photographers – Taglines For Websites & Portfolios7:00 PM
3D Printing OrlandoI just got a Resin Printer – NOW WHAT?7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Q&A (0NLINE)7:00 PM
Forex Automation and TradingCome Trade the Forex :: Crypto :: Stocks :: Investments7:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsAnime Watch Party7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWorld of Greyhawk: 1E One-Shots7:30 PM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsLutz, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa Virtual Networking Lunch9:00 AM
Tampa Flutter Meetup GroupIn-Person Meetup6:00 PM

Tuesday, December 28

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
RGANetwork.netAfter hours Networking Mixer Cafe Delanie 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Designing A UX Case Study12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Data Science vs. Data Analytics8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Cult, Mystery & Suspense Movie ClubAn Evening of Classic Mystery / Comedy Films, plus a Great Dinner!6:00 PM
TB Chess – Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Chess Meetup GroupLet’s play chess at 54th Kava House!5:00 PM
ManageEngine’s Cybersecurity MeetupsCloud security – Azure fundamentals2:00 PM
Gen GeekSand Dollar Loop11:30 AM
Tampa HackerspaceWeekly Open Make Night6:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCool Stuff Games: Board game night6:00 PM
Crypto Fundamentals 101Crypto Social: Brews and Crypto News6:15 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade For Beginners – (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online SEASONAL] Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden – DM Canon (Tier 2)7:00 PM
Tampa Entrepreneurs NetworkMake massive impact & build your authority with a TED-style talk | Roger Killen8:00 PM

Wednesday, December 29

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
RGANetwork.netCarrollwood Professionals Networking Lunch Join us! All Welcome 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Learn Data Analytics With Thinkful12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to HTML & CSS: Build Your Own Website8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Business Networking for Entrepreneurs of ColorBlack & Brown Professionals Holiday Networking – Online8:35 PM
North Tampa Networking GroupBusiness networking9:00 AM
1 Million Cups – Orlando1 Million Cups – Orlando Weekly Meetup9:00 AM
Orlando Cybersecurity MeetupAutomating employee onboarding — Active Directory best practices2:00 PM
Orlando Photo + Design MeetupPhotography Lenses Explained3:00 PM
Brews N Board GamesBoard Game Night at Gatlin Hall Brewing6:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceMake a Cutting Board 101 (Members Only)6:00 PM
MakerFX MakerspaceMakerFX Monthly Membership Meeting – VIRTUAL7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade – In The Zone (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Castaways Euchre ClubCastaways Euchre Club7:00 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101AMA + FI Info Session with Co-Founder & CEO Jonathan Greechan8:00 PM
Tampa Bay Bitcoin[In-Person] Tampa Bay Bitcoin Meetup: News, Markets, & Community6:30 PM

Thursday, December 30

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What is UX/UI Design?12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Enhancing Your Career With Mindfulness12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Gen GeekWeeki wachee kayak10:00 AM
Block Co-op – Crypto Blockchain Orlando & Beyond ClubCrypto Set-up Class -Limited to 5 Seats Only11:00 AM
Power Business NetworkingPower Business Networking Thursday 11:45 am 2021 12 3011:45 AM
“Learn and Earn” Millionaire Mind Secrets & NetworkingOnline Zoom! Millionaire Mind Lunch; Book Club and Networking!12:00 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101AMA + FI Info Session with Co-Founder & CEO Jonathan Greechan1:00 PM
Florida Startup: Idea to IPOHow to Position Your Startup for Venture Capital Funding3:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFCCP Weekly Photo Assignment 52: Symmetry5:00 PM
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D Group1st ed AD&D Campaign.6:00 PM
America’s TriviAddictionBAYSCAPE BISTRO AT HERITAGE ISLES – NEW TAMPA – LIVE TEAM TRIVIA !!!6:30 PM
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) GamersTHURSDAY Game Night @ de Bine Brewing Co.7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Stocks, Options & ETFs- (ONLINE)7:00 PM

Friday, December 31

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Independent Film Fans of SarasotaWorth (2020) – on Netflix11:00 AM
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Orlando Board Gaming Weekly MeetupSouth Orlando Friday Night Board Gaming6:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online HISTORIC] Canon’s Custom Campaign Moonsea Tour – DM Canon (Tier 3)7:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsHappy Brew Year Party 20217:00 PM
Nerd Night OutNerdBrew’s Happy Brew Year Party 20217:00 PM
Gen GeekNYE @Hardrock casino (L Bar)9:00 PM

Saturday, January 1

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Tampa Gaming GuildSaturday Gaming10:00 AM
Gen GeekDim sum @Yummy house11:00 AM

Sunday, January 2

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] How Google Works Ranking Websites in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google AdWords Tutorial & Walk Through in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] On Page vs Off Page SEO Strategies in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How To Optimize & Rank YouTube Videos in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] On Page SEO Strategies for Google in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Link Building Strategies 101 in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Google Search Console Tutorial in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Rank #1 on Google Maps & Yelp: Local SEO in Tampa 
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyAnnual Frank Planes Memorial PhotoWalk to Circle B Bar Reserve8:00 AM
TB Chess – Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Chess Meetup GroupLet’s play chess! At Driftwood Kava Coffee2:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Forex & Cryptos – (ONLINE)5:00 PM

Do you have any events or announcements that you’d like to see on this list?

Let me know at joey@joeydevilla.com!

Join the mailing list!

If you’d like to get this list in your email inbox every week, enter your email address below. You’ll only be emailed once a week, and the email will contain this list, plus links to any interesting news, upcoming events, and tech articles. Join the Tampa Bay Tech Events list and always be informed of what’s coming up in Tampa Bay!

Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

What’s happening in the Tampa Bay tech/entrepreneur/nerd scene (Week of Monday, December 20, 2021)

Here’s your weekly list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events — plus a little area tech news — for Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, December 20 through Sunday, December 26, 2021.

This is a weekly service from Tampa Bay’s tech blog, Global Nerdy! For the past four years, I’ve been compiling a list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events happening in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. There’s a lot going on in our scene here in “The Other Bay Area, on the Other West Coast”!

As far as event types go, this list casts a rather wide net. It includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under the category of:

  • Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
  • Tech project management / agile processes
  • Video, board, and role-playing games
  • Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
  • Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
  • Toastmasters (because nerds really need to up their presentation game)
  • Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
  • Anything I deem geeky

By “Tampa Bay and surrounding areas”, this list covers events that originate or are aimed at the area within 100 miles of the Port of Tampa. At the very least, that includes the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, but as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and includes Orlando and its surrounding cities.

This week’s events

Keep in mind that many people schedule their events “autopilot” — every week, fortnight, or month on the same day, while forgetting that one of those days will happen on a holiday. Double-check any scheduled event with its organizers this week, especially if it’s close to Christmas Day.

This list includes in-person events as well as online events. Omicron’s out there, so be smart and responsible — get your booster, mask up in crowds, and we can get back to what passes for normal sooner!

I try to keep this list up-to-date. I add new events as soon as I hear about them, so be sure to check this page often!

Have a wonderful holiday — and if you celebrate Christmas, have a merry Christmas!

Monday, December 20

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What is UX/UI Design?8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Coded For Money, Flow and Fame- Orlando Chapter(Free Event) ACTIVATE YOUR DAY WITH SARAH QUINN MARKETING EXPERT9:00 AM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsLutz, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa Virtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsSouth Tampa Professional Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners of Sarasota & BradentonVirtual Networking Lunch Monday & Wednesday11:30 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayLive Online Connection Meeting- Monday11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netVirtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupSouth Tampa Referrals11:30 AM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesMagic Mondays5:00 PM
MakerFX MakerspaceI just got a 3D Printer – NOW WHAT?5:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCritical Hit Games: Board Game Night5:30 PM
Thoughtful WritingPhilosophy in Writing6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Open Painting at Warehouse 516:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Commander Open Play6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Coalition of ReasonN Pinellas – Monthly CFI TAMPA BAY Humanist Social Dinner6:00 PM
Tampa Bay TabletoppersMonday Feast & Game Night6:00 PM
Beginning Web DevelopmentWeekly Learning Session6:00 PM
Board Game Meetup: Board Game BoxcarWeekly Game Night! (Lazy Moon Location)6:00 PM
Toastmasters, Division DACE Advanced Toastmasters Table Topics Extravaganza6:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48North Port Toastmasters Meets Online!!6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Off the Wagon Kitchen & Brewery Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
Toastmasters Division GTriple Crown Toastmasters Club 4147 (Virtual)6:30 PM
Tampa Area Crypto And NFT IRL Hosted By Endangered Mints NFTTampa Area Crypto and NFTs – Share and Learn Group6:30 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: “Stoic Ontology: What is the nature of reality?”7:00 PM
3D Printing OrlandoI just got a Resin Printer – NOW WHAT?7:00 PM
Tampa Flutter Meetup GroupIn-Person Meetup7:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48Join us for our last meeting in 2021 at South Tampa TM! Prez Distinguished Club!7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Q&A (0NLINE)7:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsAnime Watch Party7:00 PM
Toastmasters Division ELakeland (FL) Toastmasters Club #22627:00 PM
Forex Automation and TradingCome Trade the Forex :: Crypto :: Stocks :: Investments7:00 PM
Library Book Clubs – OCLSVirtual Event: Hiawassee Book Club7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Fireside Lounge & Billiards 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWorld of Greyhawk: 1E One-Shots7:30 PM
The Pinellas County Young “Professionals”Prophessor J Presents Jam Night @ Steep Station (St Pete)8:00 PM
Tampa Chapter of Nature Photography Classes📷 Live Free Class! Science & Emotions of Color in Nature Photography ⛰8:30 PM
North Florida Stock Investing EducationInternational Model Stock Investing Club Monthly Meeting8:30 PM

Tuesday, December 21

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
RGANetwork.netAfter hours Networking Mixer Cafe Delanie 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro To Data Analytics: Excel Basics8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Tampa Bay Agilev-Lean Coffee7:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupTampa Young Professionals Virtual Networking Tuesday & Thursday All WElCOME7:30 AM
Orlando Digital Media Design MeetupVirtual Event: Adobe Illustrator Level 211:30 AM
Dr. Phillips Chamber of CommerceLadies Entrepreneurs of Dr. Phillips12:00 PM
Orlando Unity Developers Group🥽Intro to AR Development: Build an AR T-Shirt in Unity ! – TUE Dec 21, 3 PM 👀3:00 PM
South Florida Photographic SocietyLight Study Pro, Intermediate Lighting for Pro Portrait/Commercial Photographer.4:30 PM
Tampa Bay SQL Server User Group (TBSSUG)TBSSUG Monthly – “An Introduction to Machine Learning Services in SQL Server”6:00 PM
Central Florida Options GroupMonthly Meetup- Online6:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCool Stuff Games: Board game night6:00 PM
Crypto Fundamentals 101Crypto Basics: Top 10 Things To Know Before Investing6:15 PM
Brews N Board GamesBoard Game Night at Castle Church Brewing6:30 PM
Saint Petersburg Book Club Meetup GroupDec. Book Club6:30 PM
Tampa Investor/Training MeetupTampa Bay Investor Training6:30 PM
Library Book Clubs – OCLSLet’s Talk: Kindness-Podcast Discussion Group7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade For Beginners – (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online SEASONAL] Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden – DM Canon (Tier 2)7:00 PM
Communicate with Self-Confidence Meetup, Tampa, FL[Online] How to Be a Confident Communicator7:30 PM
The Essentials of Public Speaking[Online] Tips for Public Speaking7:30 PM
TB Chess – Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Chess Meetup GroupLet’s play chess at 54th Kava House!7:30 PM
Essential Communication Skills for Career AdvancementLearn and Practice Communication7:30 PM
Tampa Entrepreneurs NetworkHow to Set & Achieve Your Personal & Professional Goals | Debra Eckerling8:00 PM
Code KatasCode Katas [Virtual] with Seattle JS Hackers8:30 PM
Bootstrappers Breakfast® – Tampa Bay AreaEast Coast Bootstrappers Breakfast®2:30 PM
Literate Ladies of Orlando…Well Bred…Well ReadA Redbird/White Elephant Chrismahanukwanzakah Potluck!2:00 PM
► Tampa Bay Young Professionals GroupOpen Mic at covered patio JF Kicks bar8:00 PM

Wednesday, December 22

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Creating A Design System8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
1 Million Cups – Orlando1 Million Cups – Orlando Weekly Meetup9:00 AM
North Tampa Networking GroupBusiness networking9:00 AM
Orlando Digital Media Design MeetupVirtual Event: Adobe Illustrator Level 310:00 AM
ManageEngine’s Cybersecurity MeetupsExploring 5 most common types of cyberattacks2:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[IN-PERSON] [TIER 1] [NEW PLAYER FRIENDLY] DDAL00-04 Winter’s Flame (DM Michael)6:00 PM
America’s TriviAddictionORIGINAL WESTSHORE PIZZA-TAMPA-SPECIAL JAMES BOND THEMED TRIVIA !!!6:30 PM
Women, Words and WineDecember Meeting :: Lowcountry Christmas by Mary Alice Monroe7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Bitcoin[Virtual] Tampa Bay Bitcoin Meetup: News, Markets, & Community7:00 PM
Castaways Euchre ClubCastaways Euchre Club7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade – In The Zone (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Gen GeekMatrix 47:45 PM
Saint Petersburg Introverts Socializing (Ages 25-40)Introverts Socializing & Dining @ Pia’s Trattoria Gulfport8:30 PM
Orlando Young SharksEnd of Year Business Networking Party For Young Professionals & Business Owners6:00 PM

Thursday, December 23

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to JavaScript: Build a Virtual Pet12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Bootcamp Alumni Success Secrets6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Gen GeekSt pete pier beach and dinner4:30 PM
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D Group1st ed AD&D Campaign.6:00 PM
The Pinellas County Young “Professionals”Brazilian Zouk on the Riverwalk6:00 PM
America’s TriviAddictionBAYSCAPE BISTRO AT HERITAGE ISLES – NEW TAMPA – LIVE TEAM TRIVIA !!!6:30 PM
Modern MinimalismCal Newport’s book “Digital Minimalism” (Chap. 5 continued)7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Stocks, Options & ETFs- (ONLINE)7:00 PM

Friday, December 24

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Project Codex: Orlando Junior DevelopersVirtual Coffee9:00 AM
Oviedo Middle Aged Gamers (OMAG)Tabletop: Friday Board Game Night7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: How To Think Like A Roman Emperor (Chapter 7 continued)7:00 PM

Saturday, December 25

Make the most of this day! I’m going to have dinner with local family in person and FaceTime with family in Toronto.

Sunday, December 26

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What Tech Career Is Right For Me?12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Enhancing Your Career With Mindfulness6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Critical Hit GamesD&D Adventurers League2:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Forex & Cryptos – (ONLINE)5:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceSew Awesome! (Textile Arts & Crafts)5:30 PM
Tampa HackerspaceLet’s Learn to Turn Pens!7:00 PM

Do you have any events or announcements that you’d like to see on this list?

Let me know at joey@joeydevilla.com!

Join the mailing list!

If you’d like to get this list in your email inbox every week, enter your email address below. You’ll only be emailed once a week, and the email will contain this list, plus links to any interesting news, upcoming events, and tech articles. Join the Tampa Bay Tech Events list and always be informed of what’s coming up in Tampa Bay!

Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

What’s happening in the Tampa Bay tech/entrepreneur/nerd scene (Week of Monday, December 13, 2021)

Here’s your weekly list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events — plus a little area tech news — for Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, December 13 through Sunday, December 19, 2021.

This is a weekly service from Tampa Bay’s tech blog, Global Nerdy! For the past four years, I’ve been compiling a list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events happening in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. There’s a lot going on in our scene here in “The Other Bay Area, on the Other West Coast”!

As far as event types go, this list casts a rather wide net. It includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under the category of:

  • Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
  • Tech project management / agile processes
  • Video, board, and role-playing games
  • Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
  • Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
  • Toastmasters (because nerds really need to up their presentation game)
  • Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
  • Anything I deem geeky

By “Tampa Bay and surrounding areas”, this list covers events that originate or are aimed at the area within 100 miles of the Port of Tampa. At the very least, that includes the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, but as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and includes Orlando and its surrounding cities.

This week’s events

This list includes in-person events as well as online events. The COVID-19 numbers are dropping sharply, but be smart and responsible — get your shots, mask up in crowds, and we can get back to what passes for normal sooner!

I try to keep this list up-to-date. I add new events as soon as I hear about them, so be sure to check this page often!

Monday, December 13

GroupEvent NameTime
CoachieveEntrepreneur Crash Course – Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa
Tampa Bay Tech Career Advice ForumJob Seeker Coffee Talk9:00 AM
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners of Sarasota & BradentonVirtual Networking Lunch Monday & Wednesday11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netVirtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupSouth Tampa Referrals11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsSouth Tampa Professional Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsLutz, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa Virtual Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Orlando Video & Post Production MeetupVirtual Event: Video – Wireless Microphone Techniques11:30 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayLive Online Connection Meeting- Monday11:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to HTML & CSS: Build Your Own Website12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Entrepreneurs Empower EmpireOffice Hour12:00 PM
Tampa St Pete Stocks and Options Trading GroupVantage Point – Weekly Market Recap & Outlook of Future Market Conditions2:00 PM
Tampa Bay Coalition of ReasonIn Person – Tampa Bay Technology Center Holiday Potluck4:30 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesMagic Mondays5:00 PM
AWS User Groups of Florida – TampaAWS Control Tower5:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCritical Hit Games: Board Game Night5:30 PM
Board Game Meetup: Board Game BoxcarWeekly Game Night! (Lazy Moon Location)6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Commander Open Play6:00 PM
Lakeland Black ProfessionalsLBP Dec Virtual Meeting6:00 PM
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Tampa Bay TabletoppersMonday Feast & Game Night6:00 PM
Beginning Web DevelopmentWeekly Learning Session6:00 PM
St. Petersburg Crypto Investors and Miners ClubNFT Strategies for Investors6:00 PM
Thoughtful WritingPhilosophy in Writing6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!MTG: Commander Open Play (At Critical Hit Games)6:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48North Port Toastmasters Meets Online!!6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Off the Wagon Kitchen & Brewery Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
Nerdbrew EventsAnime Watch Party7:00 PM
Brandon WordPress MeetupTBA: Regular WordPress Meeting7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Fireside Lounge & Billiards 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Q&A (0NLINE)7:00 PM
Forex Automation and TradingCome Trade the Forex :: Crypto :: Stocks :: Investments7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsStoics v. Skeptics: What is Knowledge?7:00 PM
Tampa Flutter Meetup GroupIn-Person Meetup7:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48South Tampa invites you to our Holiday Party 7p.m. at 717 South Howard Ave!7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceLearn to Solder Holiday Edition — Make a Christmas Tree or Menorah7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWorld of Greyhawk: 1E One-Shots7:30 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar | UX/UI Design: Wireframes and Prototypes8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Thinkful Tampa | Careers in TechThinkful Webinar | UX/UI Design: Wireframes and Prototypes8:00 PM

Tuesday, December 14

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
RGANetwork.netAfter hours Networking Mixer Cafe Delanie 
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupTampa Young Professionals Virtual Networking Tuesday & Thursday All WElCOME7:30 AM
Dr. Phillips Chamber of CommerceMetrowest Exclusive Leads Group Meeting8:30 AM
Front End CreativesPlanning for Success in 202210:00 AM
Big Data and Analytics TampaHow to Bring Legacy Systems Into Your Modern Tech Stack10:00 AM
Tampa Bay Business Networking Meetings & MixersUpper Pinellas, Oldsmar,Safety Harbor, Westchase Business networking lunch11:00 AM
Orlando Video & Post Production MeetupStreaming Live Video with OBS11:00 AM
The 360 Exchange – Lake NonaThe 360 Exchange – Lake Nona Networking11:15 AM
SWAT Networking – Successful Women Aligning TogetherSWAT Networking Lakewood Ranch Luncheon11:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Learn Data Analytics With Thinkful12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Tampa Bay IRA Investing GroupWebinar – Build Retirement Wealth with Steady Stream Income12:00 PM
ProductTank OrlandoThe 411 on Product MARKETING with Steve Robins12:00 PM
Data, Cloud and AI in TampaIBM Data Science Community: Language Models in Plain English2:00 PM
Orlando Unity Developers GroupUnity Fundamentals Class Series – Class 5 – Controlling Animations in Unity2:00 PM
AMA Tampa BayHoliday Mixer6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyMeet & Greet at O’Keefe’s Family Restaurant6:00 PM
Crypto Fundamentals 101Crypto Basics: Top 10 Things To Know Before Investing6:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCool Stuff Games: Board game night6:00 PM
Tampa Apache Kafka® Meetup by ConfluentBYOM (Bring Your Own Monitor) to Apache Kafka®6:00 PM
The Sarasota Creative Writers Meetup GroupThe Sarasota Creative Writers6:30 PM
Florida Podcasters AssociationFlorida Podcasters Association General Meeting!!!6:30 PM
Tampa eMarketing GroupsLearn About Podcasting and How to Monetize Your Interest!6:30 PM
Lakeland Note Investing GroupLakeland Note Investing Meetup Group7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online SEASONAL] Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden – DM Canon (Tier 2)7:00 PM
ShutterObi – Orlando Photography GroupPortrait Photography Zoom Meetup- Ten Tips & Tricks For Taking Amazing Portraits7:00 PM
ONETUG – Orlando .NET User GroupDec 14th 2021: Jamie Philips – Kubernetes and Containers for the .NET Developer7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWoodshop Safety (Members Only)7:00 PM
The Essentials of Public Speaking[Online] Public Speaking and Your Success7:30 PM
Communicate with Self-Confidence Meetup, Tampa, FL[Online] How to Increase Your Self-Confidence in Public Speaking7:30 PM
Essential Communication Skills for Career AdvancementHow to Be a More Confident Communicator7:30 PM
DOUX — Downtown Orlando UX MeetupPresentation Karaoke 20217:30 PM
Tampa Entrepreneurs NetworkMake massive impact & build your authority with a TED-style talk | Roger Killen8:00 PM
Wordier Than Thou Meetup for Writers and Book LoversStorytelling & Prose Open Mic – Guest Author Tara Lush8:00 PM

​Wednesday, December 15

GroupEvent NameTime
Cigar City ToastmastersCigar City Toastmasters 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Business Networking for Entrepreneurs of ColorVirtual Business Networking – Entrepreneurs of Color7:00 AM
Networking 4 ProfitReferral Networking Meeting Orlando Area7:30 AM
Toastmasters, Division DTrailblazers Toastmasters7:30 AM
The 360 Exchange South DowntownThe 360 Exchange – South Downtown8:00 AM
North Tampa Networking GroupBusiness networking9:00 AM
Tampa Cybersecurity TrainingTop Tech Trends in 202210:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Creating A Design System12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayOnline Networking 3rd. Wednesday12:00 PM
Success Strategies for Business OwnersUsing LinkedIn to Build Your Network12:00 PM
Tampa Bay WaVEOver the Waves Workshop1:00 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101FI Alumni Panel: Meet Founders that Graduated FI and Ask Questions1:00 PM
Downtown SRQ Happy Hour NetworkingHolly Jolly Trivia Trolley Tour4:30 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[HISTORIC] Storm King’s Thunder Tier 2 – DM Robert5:00 PM
Future of Data: OrlandoCDP on Azure: Harnessing the Power of Data Flow and Event Processing5:00 PM
Continuous Improvement Network (CI Net)C.I.NET MeetUp – Holiday Get Together5:30 PM
Orlando Unity Developers GroupCreative Community Meetup 20216:00 PM
Around The World: International Book Club – MetrowestTURKEY: The Red-Haired Woman – Orhan Pamuk6:00 PM
TechDeLandTechDeLand Holiday Meeting6:00 PM
Orlando Photo + Design MeetupCreative Community Meetup – A Changing Industry6:00 PM
Network & Social – Orlando Networking EventsChristmas Toy Drive and Networking Mixer at Blue Martini Lounge6:00 PM
Full Stack MeetupUnit Testing with .NET 5 Part 37:00 PM
Castaways Euchre ClubCastaways Euchre Club7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Wednesday Night DnD at Hammerfall Games and Collectibles7:00 PM
Tampa Cybersecurity Meetup | Flatiron SchoolVirtual – Intro to Data Science | Decision Trees Workshop7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Bitcoin[Virtual] Tampa Bay Bitcoin Meetup: News, Markets, & Community7:00 PM
Tampa Hackerspace3D Printing Orientation: Models and Slicers7:00 PM
Data and AI Central Florida User GroupBuilding Seamless Data & AI Solutions With Azure Cognitive Search7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade – In The Zone (ONLINE)7:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar | Learn Web Development With Thinkful8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Thinkful Tampa | Careers in TechThinkful Webinar | Learn Web Development With Thinkful8:00 PM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsCarollwood Professionals Networking Lunch!11:30 PM

Thursday, December 16

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
BNI Professional Alliance – Business Referral GroupBNI Professional Alliance – A Business Referral Group8:00 AM
Power Business NetworkingPower Business Networking Thursday 11:45 am 2021 12 1611:45 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to JavaScript: Build a Virtual Pet12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Tampa Bay WaVETampa Bay Wave CORE Program “Ask Me Anything” Session12:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFCCP Weekly Photo Assignment 50: Less Is More – Minimalist Photography5:00 PM
Tampa Professional Networking MeetupHappy Hour Networking – Cigars, Fine Wines and Brews5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro To Data Analytics: Tableau Basics6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Network After Work Tampa – Networking EventsVirtual Cocktails And Connections6:00 PM
We Write Here Black and Women of Color Writing GroupVirtual Writing Get Downs6:00 PM
Tampa SEO & Internet Marketing Meetup with Steve ScottGetting The Most From Your Google My Business Listing6:00 PM
Network & Social – Tampa/St. Pete Networking EventsTampa Toy Drive and Networking Mixer at The Aloft Hotel WXYZ Lounge6:00 PM
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D Group1st ed AD&D Campaign.6:00 PM
Tampa Bay AgileLean Beer for All Things Agile (Tampa)6:00 PM
Southwest Florida Board Game MeetupMeetup to Play Board Games6:00 PM
Cult, Mystery & Suspense Movie ClubThe Princess Bride and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (1966)6:00 PM
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) GamersTHURSDAY Game Night @ de Bine Brewing Co.7:00 PM
Tampa Azure Databricks and BigData Meetup GroupTampa Azure Databricks Meet7:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Stocks, Options & ETFs- (ONLINE)7:00 PM
West Orlando WordPress MeetupHoliday Dinner In-Person Meetup – West Orlando WordPress7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWoodshop Tool Sign Off-Jointer, Planer, & Bandsaw (Members Only)7:00 PM
Business Networking for Entrepreneurs of ColorVirtual Business Networking – Entrepreneurs of Color7:00 PM
ManageEngine’s Cybersecurity MeetupsEnhance your help desk productivity with ADManager Plus integration8:30 PM

Friday, December 17

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google AdWords Tutorial & Walk Through in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] How Google Works Ranking Websites in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] On Page vs Off Page SEO Strategies in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How To Optimize & Rank YouTube Videos in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Link Building Strategies 101 in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] On Page SEO Strategies for Google in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Dr. Phillips Chamber of CommerceFriday Weekly Leads Group of Dr. Phillips FACE-To-FACE Networking8:30 AM
Project Codex: Orlando Junior DevelopersVirtual Coffee9:00 AM
All For NerdsHoliday Matsuri 2021 (Orlando)10:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to Data Analytics: SQL Fundamentals12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Tampa OtakuHoliday Matsuri 202112:00 PM
Tampa Gaming GuildFriday Board Game Night5:30 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What Tech Career Is Right For Me?6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Magic the Gathering Tampa/Brandon/St PeteCommander Night6:00 PM
Network & Social – Tampa/St. Pete Networking EventsInspire St. Pete Christmas Toy Drive and Networking Mixer6:00 PM
Gen GeekSpiderman: No way home6:30 PM
Around The World: International Book Club – MetrowestBOSPHOROUS HOLIDAY DINNER7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online HISTORIC] Canon’s Custom Campaign Moonsea Tour – DM Canon (Tier 3)7:00 PM
Thinking While Drinking TampaSpinoff Event: Free Outdoor Movie Screening7:00 PM
The Pinellas County Young “Professionals”Ugly Sweater Holiday Party! 🎄7:30 PM
Agile OrlandoAgile in the Morning7:30 PM
Geekocracy!Spiderman No Way Home at Regal Citrus Park9:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyMonthly Cell Phone Photo Showcase11:59 PM

Saturday, December 18

=== Blog ===

GroupEvent NameTime
Lakshman SinghStartups Mentorship Program 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What is UX/UI Design?9:00 AM to 10:30 AM EST
Veterans Growing AmericaVeterans Business Expo, MacDill9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EST
► Tampa Bay Young Professionals GroupBeautiful Nature Walk weekend/holiday (6 ft apart): Date/place TBD, Hosts wanted9:45 AM
Orlando Lady Developers MeetupCode with me – learning sessions weekly on Saturdays10:00 AM
All For NerdsHoliday Matsuri 2021 (Orlando)10:00 AM
Bec’s Beacon BookclubGuilt Unplugged – John Flaherty10:00 AM
Women of Wellness Business LoungeGirl! Get Paid: The End of Year Business Retreat for Women10:00 AM
Saint Petersburg Introverts Socializing (Ages 25-40)Morris Bridge Conservation Park trail10:00 AM
Tampa Gaming GuildSaturday Gaming10:00 AM
Tampa Drones MeetupBeginners Guide to Flying Your Drone in Florida11:30 AM
The Sarasota Book Club Meetup GroupDecember Book Club11:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to HTML & CSS: Build Your Own Website12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Aspiring Black CodersABC virtual meet up – Interviews!12:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWoodshop Safety (Members Only)12:00 PM
Defcon813Introduction to Python Part 21:00 PM
Writers 4 All Seasons Tampa BayWriters 4 All Seasons Tampa Bay Zoom meeting1:00 PM
Tampa Bay Women’s Book Club Meetup GroupDecember Book Club/Book Exchange4:00 PM
Tampa Games Developer GuildGame Project Therapy (Virtual)4:00 PM
Oviedo Middle Aged Gamers (OMAG)ALPHA GROUP – Blast From the Past – Game 735:00 PM
Kitchen Table Book Club: Year of Afrofuturism“Brown Girl in the Ring “- Nalo Hopkins (1998)6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesCHG Reverse White Elephant Gift Party7:00 PM
Gen GeekFlorida Botantical Gardens (Holiday Lights)7:30 PM
Nerd Night OutGAME NIGHT!7:30 PM

Sunday, December 19

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google AdWords Tutorial & Walk Through in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] How Google Works Ranking Websites in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] On Page vs Off Page SEO Strategies in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How To Optimize & Rank YouTube Videos in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Link Building Strategies 101 in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] On Page SEO Strategies for Google in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Gen GeekKayak/manatee swim @Threesisters8:00 AM
All For NerdsHoliday Matsuri 2021 (Orlando)10:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Free Crash Course: JavaScript Fundamentals12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Dialogue and Human Experience.Holiday Greetings – (Online) Meeting2:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Forex & Cryptos – (ONLINE)5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to Data Analytics: SQL Fundamentals6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST

Do you have any events or announcements that you’d like to see on this list?

Let me know at joey@joeydevilla.com!

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Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

How to socialize at tonight’s End of Year Tech Meetup Extravaganza

The End of Year Tech Meetup Extravaganza for Tampa Bay’s tech community happens tonight at 5:30 at on the lawn at Armature Works! I’ll be there, and if you can make it, you should come join us!

Here are a couple of tips to help you make the most of the event. I’ll see you there!

Relax: All of us have been cooped up at home for a while.

Tap to view at full size.

If you feel that your social skills are a bit rusty from over a year’s worth of quarantining, don’t worry — we’re all feeling that way.

If you need proof, here’s a short list of articles on the topic of dealing with post-pandemic social awkwardness:

If you’re feeling anxious about meeting up with people because you think you’ve forgotten how to socialize outside the bounds of a Zoom or Teams chat, remember that we’re all in the same situation. Relax and enjoy the opportunity to talk with people face-to-face again.

What’s your one-line self-introduction?

When meeting new people, especially at a tech event, you’re going to hear this question:

“What do you do?”

Many people, when asked this question, find it hard to come up with an answer on the spot. You might want to give some thought about what you’d like to give as your answer.

It should be quick — 15 seconds, and ideally, shorter. It’s not supposed to be your life story, but a little pleasantry that gives the people you’re meeting an idea of who you are and what you’re all about. Think of it as an “elevator pitch” for yourself.

You get bonus points if you can make it so that your self-introduction invite people to find out more about you. Susan RoAne, author of How to Work a Room (a book I recommend) likes to tell a story about someone she met whose one-liner was “I help rich people sleep at night”. That’s more interesting than “I’m a financial analyst”.

Have your “What I’ve been up to during the quarantine” story handy.

A lot of us haven’t seen each other in person since the spring of 2020, and it’s only natural that this question will come up:

“What have you been up to?”

I’ll admit it — here’s what I remember doing during way back during the start of the plague:

March 2020 was eighteen months ago, and thanks to the pandemic, it feels like a much longer stretch of time — especially the beginning, when the lockdown gave the days a certain monotonous quality.

Before the event, or at least on your way there, you might find it helpful to work on a rough idea of the “What I’ve been up to during the quarantine” story you’d like to tell.

That story doesn’t have to be a fully fleshed-out screenplay of your life during the plague. All you really need are a couple of points that you’re comfortable talking about, any of which could be a good starting point for a conversation to get reacquainted with old friends or get acquainted with new ones.

Remember that telling your “What I’ve been up to” story is about catching up, not competition. Unfortunately, a lot of hustle culture proponents spent the pandemic pushing the idea that the only right way to spend the lockdown was to master a new skill or start of new business. Many people lost their jobs, were suddenly in homes that were full all the time, adjusted to school being at home, lost friends and family, or faced other challenges that were either brought about or made worse by COVID. You shouldn’t feel bad if you didn’t become a productivity dynamo over the past 18 months, and you shouldn’t think badly of others if they didn’t either.

Join conversations! Here’s how you do it.

If this is your nightmare…

Tap to read the Onion article.

…the steps below are how you handle it:

  1. Pick a lively group of people you’d like to join in conversation. As people who are already in a conversation, they’ve already done some of the work for you. They’re lively, which makes it more likely that they’re open to people joining in. They’ve also picked a topic, which saves you the effort of having to come up with one. It also lets you decide whether or not it interests you. If they’re lively and their topic of conversation interests you, proceed to step 2. If not, go find another group!
  2. Stand on the periphery and look interested. Just do it. This is a conference, and one of the attendees’ goals is to meet people. Smile. Pipe in if you have something to contribute; people here are pretty cool about that.
  3. When acknowledged, step into the group. You’re in like Flynn! Step in confidently and introduce yourself. If you’ve got that one-line summary of who you are that I talked about earlier, now’s the time to use it.
  4. Don’t force a change of subject. You’ve just joined the convo, and you’re not campaigning. Contribute, and let the subject changes come naturally.

Feel free to join me in at any conversational circle I’m in! I always keep an eye on the periphery for people who want to join in, and I’ll invite them.

You’re not just a guest; you’re also a host!

This is especially true at an event like this, which is happening in a public venue rather than being a closed event in a convention hall or someone’s house. It’s up to all of us who are attending to make this get-together work.

One of the best ways to be a “guest host” is to make introductions, say “hello” to people who are by themselves and seem to be looking for a conversation, giving directions to places like the bathroom, and generally making people more comfortable. It’s not just good karma, but it’s also a good way to help build the tech community and promote yourself.

You don’t need business cards; all you need is a smartphone and LinkedIn.

There often comes a time when you meet someone at an event like this and want to add them to your professional contacts. There was once a time when you’d do this by exchanging business cards…

…but these days, all you need is a smartphone, LinkedIn, and a contact info-sharing technique that LinkedIn should publicize more.

Suppose you want to exchange contact info with someone and want to do it with little fuss. Do the following…

Open LinkedIn on your phone, then tap the search box at the top of the screen:

You’ll be taken to the search screen. Tap the icon on the right side of that screen’s search box:

You’ll be taken to this screen:

At this point, you can make a connection:

  • The person who wants the contact info should tap Scan, which puts their phone in scan mode. Their camera will activate, and you should point it at the other person’s QR code.
  • The person who wants to be contacted should tap My code (which is the default), and this will display the QR code, which the other person should scan.

Once you scan someone’s QR code, LinkedIn will take you to their profile, at which point you can press the Connect button and make a connection.