[Amanda Morrison]

I am a big fan of community building exercises. And harassing my friends.

With that said, I introduce a new game for us to play: Six Degrees of JVN!

Objective: Everyone needs connections. Connections get us job interviews, a friend to lean on, someone to explain gear ratios, etc. Connections between people move the world. Through connections in FIRST alone, I have met a great array of people and found a few close friends.

Connections move the world. So what are your connections in FIRST? Let's find out, shall we?

Rules: Your progression MUST begin with you and end with JVN. You MUST have six degrees between you and JVN (yourself and John don't count as a degree). Don't know JVN? Even better. Talk to your friends, to other CD people that you may/may not know, and FIND OUT your connections. Link yourself. It is very possible (and maybe even preferred?) to play and be involved in this game without ever having to speak to JVN.

An example of a successful linkage (and post) would be:

I, Amanda Morrison, am friends with the webmaster of ChiefDelphi, Brandon Martus, who was in Dean Simmons and the Kamens with Andy Baker, who was also part of the talent show with the Trombonists of Oconomowoc act, who are from 269, as is Ricky Quinones, who knows a fellow Wisconsin-er, Katie Reynolds, who is on team 93 with WFA winner Sean Schuff, who was on this year's reffing team with JVN.

The Six Degrees of Seperation in this case are Brandon Martus, Andy Baker, the Trombonists of Oconomowoc, Ricky Quinones, Katie Reynolds, and Sean Schuff. Here's another example, in case you don't get it.

I, Amanda Morrison, was on team 71 with Darrell Noble, who suggested Joe Johnson for the IRI Talent Show, who is on team 47 with Mike Martus, who is the dad of Brandon Martus, who went to Wonderland with me by the invitation of Steve Warren, who was an announcer with Karthik Kanagasabapathy, who won a regional with his team 1114 when they paired with 229, JVN's team.

A bad example would be: I, Amanda Morrison, met JVN at IRI a few years ago.

Make them interesting. You cannot have less than six degrees between you and that person, so why don't you make them pretty obscure and see how many people you can meet in the process? PM other CDers and ask how they know JVN. Search old posts and find out what events he was at, and find other people who where there. Find out if any have played against a match he coached, or been his alliance partner. This game will actually be equally as hard for the people who know John, because they have to think of six people between him and them.

I have picked John because a large majority of the FIRST community knows him, and he has been involved in a variety of things for FIRST (a high school team, a college team, refereeing, etc.) and has attended many events. You don't have to know John to play this game, or even have to talk to him.

Let's see who you know. Post as many linkages as you want.
Good luck, and happy posting!

Amanda Morrison

Clarifications:
1. You MUST have SIX degrees between you and JVN
2. Yourself and JVN don't count in those six
3. The degrees must be PEOPLE (that's for your bookshelves, Eric)
4. What do you win? Rep from me, if yours is original enough
5. Post as many as you want... but only six degrees for each link