Prime Time really starts when you get to the train station or the airport.  There are only so many ways to get to Ottawa so the schmooze starts when you see your fellow industry types who have chosen the same method of transportation.  I’m a big fan of the train (see my previous post re Viarail truffles – and my tweets with them where they agreed to consider our pleas for the return of the truffle).  I chatted with a client from a small job last year and a couple of my wonks.  It was a pleasant lead in to the real schmooze, which was the opening party.  Almost everyone is in a medium size room, chatting away.  The noise volume is high.  The hugging and cheek kissing is even higher.  It’s what we do.

And it’s effective.  It really is a great opportunity to have ‘hey how are you, I’m still here and my business is going great’ chats and short, specific, let’s get this work issue out of the way chats.   I said yes to some work and maybe to something else.   And got to talk about how great Molly Parker is in House of Cards – I mean, seriously!!

After that,  I headed to another reception with amazing sliders (William F. White’s knows how to pick hors d’oeuvres) and more schmoozing and then to my oasis of quiet at Zoe’s in the Chateau Laurier to blog, drink my brown drink and eat something with vegetables.

Don’t underestimate the value of the schmooze.  It’s about 2/3 of the reason that I come to Prime Time and the opening evening is prime schmoozing.