Reaching out across my network feels hard sometimes, reaching out to people who ought to know me but usually don't seems like torture. Hiya fancy scientist, you remember me right? I was a bright eyed first year when you graduated and moved on,... and no I don't think we ever went to the same parties... Right? You feel my pain, don't you? This feels very high school teen awkwardness, but in reality, if I can just present myself like a competent adult professional, most people are fairly happy to interact with other professionals, and might at least give me a pity email back that there was some vague connection that they don't specifically recall. I've had this work when interacting with folks on twitter. Why can't it work in my real world network?
In response to my post about editing working work, a former classmate suggested I look up someone who was technically at Pitt while I was, who I thought was glamorous and brilliant and has really no reason on God's green earth to know who I am. But we are both doing editing work, and she has become a competent professional at it. And... She is totally up for an informational interview! Awesome! Experiment success! Now, I need to make this experience valuable for her as well, so I am thinking about what I might have to offer that she might be interested in. It surely isn't professional contacts, but I might have more up to date news on some of our mutual acquaintances...
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