(Get these updates privately by joining the mailing list – then I won’t have to post em here.)

This is a packed update, so I encourage to skim it all the way to the bottom. 🙂 First, thanks to everyone who came out to uWink for the 33rd geek dinner on January 17th! Everyone had a great time and there were lots of announcements (that I forget). Congrats to SXSWI winner Kevin Ciesielski Justin Kruger (Justin was kind enough to donate his winner pass to Kevin Ciesielski of Milwaukee who is a broke entrepreneur and helped with barcampMilwaukee.) See ya in Austin!

TWESTIVAL LA- new event alert!!!
Ninety cities around the world are organizing parties that night to raise money to bring clean drinking water to the 1 in 6 people who currently lack it. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

Let’s see what L.A. can do to match the New York, London and San Francisco events. What we need now is volunteer leaders to help make our event rock. Sign up on the web: http://la-twestival.blogspot.com/ or contact AJ on twitter @ajpape

FEB DINNER DETAILS
The 34th geek dinner will be on February 17th at uWink. Details and RSVP are here: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1002828/
Please spread it around and bring your geeky friends. You know that the geek dinner is the gateway LA geek event. Once you start – you’ll just go hardcore on to Barcamp, Mixergy, Twiistup or one of Mahalo’s Movie Nights…

HOSTS & VOLUNTEERS
I am looking two volunteers to host the February and March geek dinners. I will most likely be out of town Feb 17 and in Austin at SXSW  March 17. I would love to do a joint Austin/LA geek dinner in March, but I need a local LA host who is not going to SXSW.

What is involved in hosting?
You’ll show up with nametags, sharpies, cards and other goodies (that I can provide you) and make people feel comfortable. Engage them in conversation, introduce yourself to them, make sure everything is cool with uWink (that everyone paid their bills) and make announcements. I’ll coach you on everything you’ll need to do. For March, I’d love to hook up a web cam in Austin and stream the feed to the walls of uWink.
Who wants to let their inner geek-extrovert out?

OUR BIRTHDAY PARTY
April may be the cruelest month, but it’s also the 3 year birthday of the geek dinner. I’d love to do something special to celebrate, but I can’t do it alone. Who is with me to put together a party to celebrate
the geek dinner and how it has changed the tech scene in Los Angeles? How has the geek dinner improved your life? (Feel free to respond back to me.)

GEEK DINNER ON THE WEB (please share!)
Twitter ==> @lageekdinner
Blog ==> http://g33kd1nner.com/
Announce only mailing list ==> la-subscribe@geekdinner.org (That’s this!)
Facebook Group ==> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2396233804

UPCOMING GEEK DINNERs
Feb Dinner RSVP ==>  http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1002828/
March Dinner RSVP ==> http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1002829/
April 3year Party ==> http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1002836/

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HELP THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS
I’m not usually on the job hunt, but I’ve found myself with time on my hands. You know the saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s tools.” Well, in my case, my idle hands might create zombies – and LA already has
enough, so I’m actively pursuing something more worthwhile and valuable to the world – clients who want to have rock-star products and customers that love them.

What do I do you may ask?
That is a very good question. A “jill”of all startup trades, I help you build the best product for your market using my product management, usability and marketing expertise. Yes, I do more than organize tech events, do viral and social networking and create communities. I have over 10 years of experience helping create and launch innovative products. (Hello I did AJAX 10 years ago). At last count, I helped launch 50+ software, client-server, web-application, web sites and blogs. From 3 person startups to huge behemoth AOL. More
information about my specific services can be found here:
http://www.heathervescent.com/heathervescent/hire-me.html

Everyone who has worked with me is impressed. Check out my 30+ recommendations on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/heathervescent

Finders fees to anyone who recommends me and it turns into a paying gig. Special deal for special friends. ;D

Thanks for reading this far! Here’s an ASCII Zombie for your effort.

brains, must have brains…
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…..
C C  /
/<   /
___ __________/_#__=o
/(- /(\_\________   \
\ ) \ )_      \o     \
/|\ /|\       |’     |
|     _|
/o   __\
/ ‘     |
/ /      |
/_/\______|
(   _(    <
\    \    \
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\____\____\
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|___ |_______|.. .

<3,
Heather