I have met and talked to more people in three days than I have in the past 2 years. This has been incredible. I'll just go ahead and dive right in.

I went to a conference this week and decided to use it as a chance to increase my comfort level, networking skills, and ultimately women skills. I walked in and simply started talking to people. The conference did have an expo, so I was able to open people up at their booths, ask them about their company and themselves in a rapid fire and low pressure atmosphere. Absolutely great target practice.

The first day, as I walked in to get registered, I talk to several of the girls at the desk. I compliment an HB6 girl on her earrings and talk to her about why she's here. I then see an HB8 (we'll call her Tiff) behind the desk and ask her about the passes they're handing out, make some joke about the decor which she laughs about, and then I turn on the charm with a simple "This might be a little forward, but you have the most gorgeous eyes." She blushes and says thank you. I tell her I will see her around and proceed into the main conference. I met a coworker there and she proceeded to introduce me to several people, one of whom was HB5Married. She and I hit it off and became great friends, simply because I was open and I gave her shit for some of her behavior. I ended up calling her "Goody 2 shoes" all day (and night). The 3 of us walked around the booths and talked with more people until I saw my friend (we'll call her Stephanie). Stephanie and I hang out and look for girls to approach (she's actually interested in my seddit development and a lesbian) for awhile but nothing really comes along. I go to a few more talks and I see an HB7.5 reporter for (Famous Magazine) moderating one of the discussions and quietly say to myself that I will talk to her after she gets offstage. Discussion ends, she gets offstage and is promptly swarmed by the people who are running the conference. I assume all is lost and move on.

I wander around a bit and see an HB8 (red lips) at a booth, approach and proceed to have a rather stilted conversation. She wasn't really interested in talking to me and I could tell, so I asked her if she was going to the opening party that night, she said yes, and I say that maybe I'll see her there and eject.

At this point I find HB5Married and keep giving her shit, telling her that she's become my new best friend and wingman. We make our way to the first party of the night, where I open an HB7.5 hosting the party. She and I talk, eye contact, kino, etc. She's hosting so she makes the rounds with others. I meet a whole bunch of other people, simply looking at them, smiling, holding out my hand and saying "Hi! I haven't met you yet, I'm strongerfaster1." It works very well, I tell jokes, exchange business cards, etc. It's just about time to move on to our second and Main party, so I say goodbye to HB7.5Host, wink, exchange cards, and say we should get together sometime. She blushes and says ok. I leave with HB5Married and her coworker and head to the main event.

When we get there, the band is in full swing and I continue talking. I got a drink at the bar to match everyone else and Stephanie sees me, and pulls me into meet some of her networked friends, including a recruiter who proceeds to see that I'm ambitious and offers me a job at a start up company. I take his card, and proceed to mill about the room. Stephanie introduces me to her HB8 friend, who holds my hand for a long time while we talk. She buys me a drink and asks if my shoes were designer X (don't remember). I joke with her about them, but I figure out she's pretty drunk and eject. Then I see her.

The HB7.5 reporter who I said I would talk to has just broken loose from her social circle and is heading alone to the empty cheese platter. I make my move.

Hi, I saw you onstage and I just had to meet you

"Oh thanks! Blah blah blah"

We talk for a bit, I joke with her, touching her arm, making eye contact, she keeps playing with her hair and smiling. The band is really loud so I tell her we should move. I take her by the hand and lead her away, but she says she needs a drink. She breaks off and heads toward the bar, but she can't get a drink. She says she has a really hard time signalling bartenders, so I tell her to watch me. I get the attention of the bartender immediately and get her a drink. She was impressed. I take her by the hand over to an empty standing cocktail table which I move a bit because it's waaay on the other side of the room. We talk some more, I joke, she jokes and plays with her hair, and then we start talking about single rich people, pre-nups, and how divorce ruins finance and I stupidly shoot my mouth off about my family's divorce. She is very turned off and I don't see it until it's too late. I make some joke about enough about my tragic childhood, but that just made it worse. She says that she needs to use the restroom, asks for my card and says to follow her on twitter. I immediately figured out if I had talked about how I had been strengthened by divorce, turning it in to value rather than a detractor, I could have saved the conversation.

I go on. Seeing her near the dancefloor actually emboldens me to start for the dancefloor, when the director of the conference who is blitzed comes and says that she needs more attractive young men out on the dance floor. I happily oblige.

As it turns out, Tiff (HB8 w/eyes) is out on the dance floor. She's much taller than I thought she was and has awesome legs. I go straight up to Tiff, knowing that HB7.5 reporter is watching me, and just say "Dance with me!" She grins and does. She says she doesn't know how to dance and I say it doesn't matter, fuck it and go with it. We hold hands almost the entire song, with the exception of when I pull her in and put my hand on her back. I tell her I love the song, and she tells me she requested it! We dance till the end of the song and I get off to get another drink. I get back out and start dancing with another HB7 who has the time of her life. The night slows down, as I'm walking Tiff is talking to another girl and points me out and tells her that she was dancing with me and that it was awesome. I didn't #-close these girls because it was the first day and I knew I would see them again.

After another day of networking, talking to as many people as I could, I went two happy hours. The first of which I met an HB7Cougar. We actually worked for the same company but at different times. We talk about it for a bit, I joke and touch her shoulder, compliment her jewelry by touching it, then we somehow get on her age. She says she's 40 but I tell her she doesn't look older than 32. She blushes and says flattered. We talk a little more, I DHV by telling her about my ambitions, hobbies, etc., then I tell her that I need to go talk to some other people but say she was great to talk to and that I'd love to get together sometime. I ask for her number, put it in my phone, and give her a hug. We (Stephanie and two of our newly networked commrades) decide to change location and go to a second party. On our way there, I run into HB7.5 hugeboobs who I went to college with. We catch up very quickly, decide that we should go out for drinks soon, and part ways. I catch up with my group and walk into the happy hour like I own the place.

I give the HB6.5 server a little shit because her shirt is black and white striped. She laughs and I call her Beetlejuice for the rest of the night. I got in on a conversation with an older lady and some of her friends, turns out she's the one throwing the party. We talked for a good half an hour about our industry, I joked more and when I had to leave, they all said no I shouldn't. I went to tell my friend that I was leaving and he was talking to an HB8.5. I told him I was taking off, turned to her and just said "Oh my god! You're gorgeous! Hi I'm strongerfaster1." She laughed, blushed, and then gave me her name. I was in a hurry, so I just left it at that because I wasn't that interested in her. As I was walking out, who should call to me but Tiff (HB8 with the eyes and the dance moves). She asks me if I'm leaving already. I said I was, but I told her that she seemed cool and that we should do something sometime. She lit up and said sure, and asked if I was going to be at the conference tomorrow. I said yes, then asked for her phone number and got it. I left and on my way back to my car texted her "You can dance pretty good, but I dance better!" but I haven't gotten a response back yet. I'm debating waiting for a response or maybe I should just text her when I want to do something? Not sure how to proceed.

Today was the last day and I didn't stay for too long. Unfortunately, I didn't see Tiff again, but I did talk to a few more people and opened a couple more girls, though they were all pretty cold.

But the last one takes the cake, very very very happenstance. On my way back to the office, who should I see but the former state Governor. Totally uncharacteristic of me, I stop and wave. He smiles and wave back, I walk up and introduce myself to him, just floored that he's on the street. We talk for a minute or two before going our separate ways...

All in all, great target practice and lowering inhibitions. I met over 50 people in 3 days, got 2 #closes, and approached a former high profile public official for a handshake and casual conversation.

My biggest lessons learned this week (excluding the ones from the conference) are these:

1) Be bold. It felt great telling people how I felt about them, taking control of situations, guiding other people, taking initiative, telling people to dance with me, and remembering that if I was going to engage a conversation, I would need to be responsible for sustaining it.

2) Avoid large personal issues at all costs in conversation. Things were going great with the reporter until I started talking about a really difficult part of my life and I lost her. Unless you can spin it a certain way to recover, avoid it entirely.

3) When the girl ends the set because she isn't interested anymore, find another. The fact the reporter was watching while I was dancing with Tiff gave me a major confidence boost and ultimately sold me to Tiff. Just because one girl isn't interested, doesn't mean another won't be.

I'm still unsure about the whole Tiff situation. If anyone has any advice please let me know.

Cheers.