What looks large from a distance close up ain't never that big

For mandatory summer reading, Prestigius assigned us a book about how to succeed through networking.  Not social networking or climbing the ladder, just forging relationships whenever possible, trying to stay in touch, joining community groups or hobby-based organizations, mentoring, etc.  It's good advice for everyone, not just salespeople, and especially for reclusive shut-ins like me.  So recently I've been trying to stay on that track.

Through Facebook, I got in back touch with one of my English cousins (and learned some rather depressing news about the state of ill health all my uncles across the pond seem to be in, but that's better than not knowing, right?).

I exchanged a few emails with Max, the ex-Admissions officer at Prestigius, who is now a headmaster at a smaller private school in one of those Midwestern states with a lot of vowels.  He seems to wear a lot of hats at that job.

I've talked to Hot Waitress T a few times on the phone; we made some tentative lunch plans, but due to us both being rather pressed as summer ended, we haven't made it yet.

I connected to Ms. N through the Career Social Network No One Uses For Anything, and she responded by calling me from Angeltown and we chatted for a while.

I got in touch with an old friend of the family who used to work in movies, and told her about my dad's death.

I texted a bit with Epalg, who is still in the Northeast working on, I believe, her doctoral dissertation.  I gave her my advice on doctoral dissertations: even a hint of encouraging eugenics programs is too much.

There's a fine line between "pathetic stalking" and "checking in once in a while to keep the relationship going," but I'm learning that, as in most things, it's better to err on the side of action than inaction.

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Oh!  And remember I was on Quiz Show that one time?  This summer I drove my mother out to where they were holding Who's Smart Enough To Be On a Game Show tryouts.  We both passed the written test easily; I was rejected after the first round of interviews by a perky girl in a tiny micro-skirt, but my mother got a call back and is going to be on the show.  That's cool.