{"id":380,"date":"2009-05-05T22:00:26","date_gmt":"2009-05-05T10:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dfmamea.com\/blog\/?p=380"},"modified":"2009-05-05T22:00:26","modified_gmt":"2009-05-05T10:00:26","slug":"hobnob","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dfmamea.com\/blog\/hobnob\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobnob"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just over a year ago, I reeled<\/a> from a Pasifika playwrights forum.<\/p>\n

This year, I networked<\/i> at it.<\/p>\n

Yes: I hate networking. It feels false:<\/p>\n

\n

INT. A GATHERING – WHENEVER<\/p>\n

Our WRITER walks up to a STRANGER --<\/p>\n

WRITER<\/p>\n

(extends hand)<\/p>\n

Hi I’m D F Mamea.<\/p>\n

STRANGER<\/p>\n

Hi.<\/p>\n

Beat.<\/p>\n

WRITER<\/p>\n

(drops hand)<\/p>\n

And your name is?<\/p>\n

STRANGER<\/p>\n

Dave.<\/p>\n

WRITER<\/p>\n

(shit-eating grin)<\/p>\n

Well, hi Dave. What do you do?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

(I really should just let go<\/i> of such exchanges – it’s just -, it’s not often that I want to smash someone in the face [half an hour later because it didn’t register with me at the time].)<\/p>\n

What I meant<\/i> to illustrate as false was something like this:<\/p>\n

\n

INT. A GATHERING – WHENEVER<\/p>\n

Our WRITER approaches a STRANGER --<\/p>\n

WRITER<\/p>\n

(extends his hand)<\/p>\n

Hi, my name’s D F Mamea.<\/p>\n

(voice-over)<\/p>\n

Should I’ve said I was a writer? Or is that too forward? Too desperate?<\/p>\n

They shake hands.<\/p>\n

STRANGER<\/p>\n

Steve Ranger. Pleasetameetcha.<\/p>\n

(voice-over)<\/p>\n

Oh please god no, not another desperate writer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What was different this time around was that I knew more of the faces. Familiarity breeds confidence.<\/p>\n

Now for some rampant name-dropping:<\/p>\n