Friendly nerd party (online) [America-friendly time] (TBC)

For the last 2 years I've been organising social gatherings to bring good, interesting people together. I'm sharing the invitation in this group because social connection and good conversation are important for well-being and self-improvement, and this regular gathering is a change to get both.

I set up a FB group for "Nerds of Melbourne" but the online events are global.

Note: Ignore the RSVP numbers here - many more people come from Facebook.

This is a recurring event, and I also want to include friends from elsewhere in the world, so here's the plan:

• 1st Sunday of the month: Sunday evening, Melbourne time. Sunday morning in Europe.

• (THIS TIME) 3rd Sunday of the month: Sunday mid-morning Melbourne time, Saturday evening in the Americas.

ABOUT:

• This is different from a typical Zoom get-together, as you can move to different channels and join different conversations as you wish.

• If you're looking to meet good people or to reconnect with nerd friends here who you haven't seen for a while, come along for some much-needed human contact and intelligent conversation.

• Friends are welcome if they play well with others. Listening and disagreeing well are good skills.

HOW IT WORKS

• We meet on Zoom and I make lots of people co-hosts so that it's easy to move between breakout rooms/conversations. Come, bring friends, make new friends, learn, share what you're learning and/or share what interesting things you're working on or planning.

• We start with some topic labels for the channels (e.g. tackling conspiracy theories, science, games, society, passion projects, lightning talks, reading and learning) as seeds for conversation, plus a "general" channel (a.k.a. foyer).

• There are no rules other than "be nice" and "the law of two feet". The latter just means to not feel obliged to stay in a conversation – move to where you're enjoying yourself/getting something/contributing something.

• If you're preparing or eating dinner at that time, feel free to join the chat while you do that (and just mute yourself if things are at all noisy).
  It's online, so you don't even have to be in Melbourne.

The event is hosted by me, Chris Watkins (aka Chris Waterguy). You might know me from Uncertainty Village (a science communication community at ConFest), the Effective Environmentalism FB group, Appropedia (the sustainability wiki), the Procrastination Paramedic (my business) or Self-Improvement for Nerds, with other nerdy ventures in the works.

I look forward to seeing you!