stay connected to people I like

how those same people are always glad to hear from me.

I took the initiative to call a colleague I’d seen in Miami; we’re getting together for dinner next week. She lives in my neighborhood and has expressed interest in getting together – it only took me, what, 5 or 6 months to follow up. Very cool person who can, possibly, be helpful to me; in our 10-min phone call, she came up with a couple of really good ideas for leads to pursue.

If I can make just one contact like this per week that’s even half as productive, I’ll be doing pretty well. Plus, it helps with the loneliness, which is becoming intolerable.

There are about 5 people I call or email on a regular basis, but I was in touch with them before anyways. Why is it so damn hard/scary for me to call people I know less well?

The letter idea – feh! not happening.

I made the list. There are over 25 people on it and that’s just a quick brainstorm. I think I may actually need to keep track of whom I’m contacting, via checkmarks, so that I make sure to contact each person within a given timeframe. There are different categories of folks, as well – weekend people, work people, far away people… Suggestions welcome! P.S. I am not a card person. Do I have to become a card person to accomplish this goal?

is to write a letter once a week

• keep a list of people I want to stay in touch with – stick it on the file cabinet with a magnet
• refer to it and make appointments (even if only for myself) for coffee, phone calls, walks
• combat isolation in my new freelance life