How the WozPin came to be…

The WozPin came into being after several instances of me being advised that a friend or acquaintance of mine had run across (not literally but figuratively) someone else that I know, or knew, or was a friend or acquaintance and it was totally a random meeting but after some contact it was learned that they (for better or worse) had me in common.

This all has a little to do with the theory of “Six Degrees of Separation” and if not familiar, there are some links at the bottom of the page to assist in a little research.

I get around and meet and greet as many people as I can in the course of activities, hobbies, and recreation and up until recently a host of employment venues.  I am outgoing, active and to participate in many fun things, adventures,  activities, social events and recreational events as possible within my very limited financial situation and it has worked well.  I used to work as a bartender before my career as a law enforcement officer and until recently subsequent to my retirement.  I’ve learned that being a bartender is a “people job”. As was my career in law enforcement, meeting a myriad, a symphony of personalities and getting to share experiences with a host of interesting, and sometimes eclectic or eccentric, political and social, professional and amateur, and well, people are what makes life worth living.

Since my retirement, I think that I’ve been doing a good job continuing to meet people..  I’ve traveled to many cities across our great United States of America attending events, participating in several if not many organizations and getting to meet  new and interesting people.  I got to wondering just how many folks out there do I know and with my failing memory, and the fun of sharing with people I came up with the WozPin idea.

What if there was a link from some of the best people on the planet to other charming and accomplished people and that link was me?

For example, I belong to several organizations (some say many), motorcycle groups and clubs, law enforcement support groups, collector groups, historical organizations, fraternal groups and others that may defy description.  Many of the people that I am connected to in one way or another may be a stranger to those in another group, and I’m sure that you know some people who do not know others that you may know.

If there was a visual clue, one that could indicate to people who may start out as  strangers that they had something in common (me for example) it would bring some of the good people in the world, maybe the best,  closer together.   The WOZPIN was born.

If gave a WozPin to people within any single group or circle that I’m in,  well of course they would all know me since I too am a member of that group.  Those people wouldn’t count as strangers, but say, you were for example at the ticket counter at the Salt Lake City airport or some other place that you’ve never been and the ticket agent was wearing a WozPin, then you are now set and ready to enter the matrix, but more importantly, meet new people and possibly make new friends.

Since you don’t know (for example) that ticket agent, or anyone else who is a stranger but you see a WOZPIN you now have permission, the opportunity, and maybe the inherent obligation to introduce yourself and to use the WOZPIN as an entry into the conversation as of course, you know me, and this person whom you don’t know wouldn’t be wearing the WOZPIN if he or she didn’t have an opportunity to be pinned by me… Woz

Also, If anyone without a WozPin asks what it is, this opens the door for you to mention not only that you know “Woz” but that I may do similar things that you do, and you can launch into your own version of shameless self-promotion which is what in fact the WOZPIN does for me.

Since I’ve personally handed out WozPins only to people that I know, and have some sort of relationship with (you can’t buy them at stores, you can’t ask for one, and they are not given out without a serious vetting process) the WozPin is a rare and scarce item only given in the spirit of friendship to those who know me and have been personally “pinned” by “The Woz”.  .  The only way to get a WozPin is for “Woz” (that’s me) to personally pin you.  If you see one on someone else,  you know they’ve been “pinned”.  If  you’re wearing yours, someone new to you will have the same opportunity to visit you as well.  You will have the opportunity to introduce yourself to a perfect stranger, but you’re not.  You both would know me, and have that in common.  Feel free to share stories, and experiences but the objective is to get strangers to meet one another having me as a common link and encourage friendship, camaraderie, social interaction and the enthusiasm for experience..

If you meet a stranger, and become non-strangers with him or her because of the WozPin, and you tell me of the experience (e-mail is the best way to get in touch with me, there is a link at the bottom of this page) I will correspond with you and assist in any way that I can to foster a new friendship.  A reward of some kind will be selected and chosen especially for you.

If you have any questions, let me know and I’ll be happy to answer them.   

 Woz…

There are several links online for you to learn about and play the Six Degrees game, and here are some of them.

http://www.cs.virginia.edu/oracle/

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,49343,00.html

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci932596,00.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2717038&page=1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/03/internet.email

Find Woz on Facebook under Michael J. Wozniak (look for me with a motorcycle)

Find Woz on Twitter as WOZPIN

e-mail WOZPIN@gmail.com