Work Hard Pittsburgh’s Guide to Combatting EAFS

Happy belated New Year. We are resolved to post here more frequently, so keep an eye out.

For many of us, the end of 2016 was a drag.

We watched our friends and peers struggle with a paradigm shift in our culture that is foreboding and sad (non-ironic use of the word). Work has seemed harder to do as we all probably wondered out loud , “what’s the point.”

You probably already know that this post can’t fix an existential crisis. But, in times of stress, a cohesive community can help to create meaning.

So to that end, we’re going to do more community stuff, starting with our participation at Open Coffee at Alpha Lab. We hope to see you there helping us combat Event Attendance Fatigue Syndrome* (EAFS) by putting energy into the room.

Looking forward, we have some big community-building initiatives that you might want to check out. Keep an eye on social media, Eventbrite, and Meetup for dates and times.

1. Summer Hack-a-thon in Grandview Park – This event will be our big one for the year with big cash prizes and built-in methods to keep generated MVP’s moving forward. Look for heavy participation from Academy PGH graduates.

1. Dear, Its our Anniversary – In May, we’ll be four years old. We thought that we were five years old and started planning a big party. Then, we realized that we’re bad at math. Sad (ironic use of the word). Still, we’re going to celebrate our four year anniversary like its our five. We hope you’ll join us.
2. Monthly Happy Hours – Members of Work Hard PGH are pretty cool. You should drink with them.
3. Open Offices Hours –  Our members, with all their expertise, will be available to nonprofits and startups that need help or consulting. Physical resources, like the livestream rig and green screen will be available that day as well.

We’ll wrap with some unsolicited advice that you do not have to accept and that has little to do with EAFS (the made-up debilitating disorder that you may actually have).

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of ideas, remember you’re wrong.

You may be more correct than your ideological opponent, but some of your suppositions, predictions, and ethical underpinnings are bound to be flawed. That’s just you being a human with limited and incomplete information. So be open to new data, be reasoned and principled. Find the middle and be a centrist.

*EAFS is a complicated disorder characterized by long periods of sad (ironic use of the word) isolation and an unwillingness to be seen at public events. EAFS may worsen when you see your calendar, count your Facebook notifications, or run into Kenny Chen who is immune to the disorder. The cause of EAFS is unknown, although there are many theories — ranging from viral infections to chronic exposure to idea phases startups. Treatments include two beers before all events and avoiding panel discussions.

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