To Schmooze or Not to Schmooze
Welcome back!
That is the question. Is it respectable behavior or appalling conduct?
The term ‘Schmooze’ has always given me the impression to have a derogatory connotation. When I reflect on what a typical Schmoozer is, I think of someone who’s crafty, slick, a smooth talker and has an ulterior motive or modus operandi. Photo STM la net
Well I’ve been tagged by not one, not two, but four — count ‘em, FOUR — people as a Schmoozer in as little as a two day period. Do you think someone’s trying to tell me something? I won’t deny being a bit of a drama queen, and my tastes may lend a tad to the wild side, but to be labeled a Schmoozer? Harumph.
I have a difficult time even typing the word. It doesn’t roll off my fingers to the keyboard effortlessly nor smoothly from my lips.
I couldn’t settle for this label, so I took a short quest to find how the general unwashed public views the term by definition.
Rewired defines the term Schmooze as …
The word ’schmooze’ has evolved over time from the Yiddish shmuesn to come to mean a type of conversation that’s informal, even intimate, yet subtly serves an ulterior motive: networking. (Is networking that a bad thing? I’ve never thought it as such.)
Schmoozing at parties, launches and at the close of conferences was the preferred if not the primary means of collecting inside information and contracts. Schmooze has been a vital modus operandi of the new economy. (Hmmm, it appears they agree with me there.) Photo Delineated
The Encarta Dictionary describes the word Schmooze as …
An English word originated in Yiddish which means ‘to chat’ or ‘to talk casually.’
Chat Informally — intransitive verb to chat socially and agreeably.
Be ingratiating toward somebody — transitive verb to talk persuasively to somebody, often to gain personal advantage.
But using my trusty thesaurus, it offers the following results …
• Network
• Make Contacts
• Meet People
• Introduce yourself
• Make Friends
Well if I’m going to be tagged by the term, I certainly prefer the above definitions, and I’m taking the liberty of doing so, hehe.
Would you like to know who the respective culprits were for labeling me as such? Here are the instigators in no particular order (OK I lied, the order in which I was tagged) …
Kim Barker from Laketrees whom I met online at a social site where I asked if she’d like to be featured on my blog for her artwork. Our friendship flourished from there.
Colin from Life. Colin began coming to my blog and leaving comments that made me laugh. He was a refreshing break from the everyday doldrums of my daily tasks. I didn’t want him to make a brief appearance to my blog without returning and told him how much I enjoyed his comments, even if he did poke fun at me. Well I don’t know who the bigger Schmoozer is here, me or him.
Carol Hamel from My View Of It. Carol is a regular social butterfly on the net. I first met her on a social network site, but it took me a while to realize that she’s also one and the same Carol I’m in a blog competition with. Doh! Do you really think I’m worthy of the title now? Well she actually tagged me long after my realization, so I guess she must have forgiven me.
Tom from Tom’s Hideaway. I’ve been running into a blogger by the username of Glosta nearly everywhere I turn. Glosta keeps adding me as a contact and I always politely reply ‘Thanks for adding me Glosta!’ I even go to Glosta’s website of course when Glosta adds me.
Tom sent me a message via email that he had tagged me for this award. I replied that I’d visit his site as soon as I had the opportunity, and one thing always leads to another for time. I finally visited Tom’s cool site when I wrote this post. I thought ‘Hey, this blog looks familiar!’ GASP! Tom is also Glosta! My BAD Tom!!! Feel free to strip me of my Schmoozer award! For shame Deborah!!!
BTW Tom, I’ve also added you to my delicious network, fastfastlane 
Once a Schmoozer always a Schmoozer, hehe … OK, I’ll wear the badge as I’ve been fairly labeled.
Here’s but a small handful of others that I would like to pass the badge along to. And if you’ve already been tagged as such, then you are truly labeled accurately …
Renny from RennyBA’s Terella
The Pearl girl from Interesting Perspectives
Dunn from My Interesting Files
RT Cunningham from Untwisted Vortex
Baxter from The Far Corner
They’re everywhere! They’re everywhere! C’mon you guys, you can’t deny it. I know that one of you has already been labeled with this award, and if the shoe fits …
Feel free to pass this badge along to others as you see fit. And if not and you’d like to keep it to yourself, hey, that’s cool too. But whatever you do, this is not a meme to copy and paste from, simply write your own post as you wish.
Tags:award blogs networking schmooze schmoozer sites social websites
hahahahahahahaha I AM LOVING IT LOL I had some of the same thoughts going through my head when I was tagged by two of them and I also looked up the thesaurus and only then I was able to accept its not a negative term at all
and this time I am definitely going to put this badge in my sidebar
and of course that rocking girl award … Oh Deb – I have sooo many of these posts to do that you’ve tagged me for 
soon soon …. thank you so much 
you are the best!!!
I’m glad you looked up the word so as to get the correct definition. Additionally, schmooze can either be a noun – an informal conversation, or a verb – talk idly or casually and in a friendly way. Over the years schmooze has morphed into a derogatory term, but only because people have bastardized the original meaning. The same goes for the word ’scheme’ – which, in its’ original meaning, is a plan, design, or program of action to be followed; a project. So schmooze and scheme all you want, without fear of being labeled. Ciao!
Haha, glad I’m not alone in initially taking it as a derogatory term Pearl. Wear it as praise rightly deserved
Take your time dawlin, it’s taken me some to catch up with all of them. Now I’m all tagged out, and taking a break from all of it
Me? Schmooze? Schmuck more like, I’m innocent hahaha
Thank you Deborah, I really need to catch up on these this week as I have quite a collection growing, but it can also be good fun….
You say you are only a BIT of a drama queen….hhhmmmm, debatable really isn’t it LOL
I know….this is payback time ……again!!!!!!!
Owww, you see everyone? Proof is in the pudding, I wasn’t lying when I said Colin likes to poke fun at me, sniff
That’s OK, I have broad shoulders.
Well I guess I left myself a little open to that, hey Colin?
awwwwwww you only left yourself a little bit open Deborah…but you know me….if there’s an opening I’ll jump on it lol
Yes, I’ve been learning that Colin, haha!
haha Deborah…trust you to come up with the in-depth….translation..:0….and here I was thinking that schmoozer meant being a good kisser…:ie coming from the noun…schmooches :-X
Hehehe, ya, you know me Kim
A good kisser eh? Hey, whatever works for you to wear it proudly, haha!
Hi Deborah – your one of my newer blog friends, but as soon as I met you, I felt you where a Schmooze (and then in the very best meaning of the word as you redefine it here:-) You are smart, witty and a great supporter (just like it shows in this post). So defiantly, your one of us says me who also was awarded once
Thanks for plugging me!
Thanks Renny
Yes, you guessed that bang on, I was speaking of you as the one that’s already been tagged a Schmoozer, hehe. My pleasure to give you a plug
Hi Deborah! Thank’s for the “schmooze”.
You’re the best!
Sorry Morgan your comment got caught in the spam filter!
Thanks for the cool facts
My pleasure Dunn, I keep bumping into you everywhere I turn
Deborah, great post and I’m not just schmoozing here. I had the same reaction when labeled a schmoozer I looked it up. When I read the definition, I said…yeah I guess I am. Thanks, I’ve had you on my delicious for some time and for good reason!
Thanks Tom
Funny how it seems to have hit most of us the same way with negative connotations.
Awww, thanks Tom! I haven’t been going to Delicious as often as I should be. Gotta improve on that
I’ve received the Schmooze Award so many times I’ve lost count, and I don’t know if I’ve ever posted it, although dear Tom (Glosta) gave me one too! Good job of making the most and spreading link-love from this award!!!
Having spent a lot of time in NY and other big cities, I’ve never considered the word schmooze derogatory, and so belatedly I honor all the other schoomzers in the world everywhere! Hee hee!
Thanks Kuanyin
Another well deserved tag on you, and I mean it in the good sense.
I really can’t think of how I mentally arrived at a derogatory perception of the term. We’re over 1 million here as well, so it doesn’t breed from living in a small town … I just have no idea really how I arrived at my opinion.
Hi, I’m reading via the Bumpzee No Nofollow | I Follow | DoFollow Community RSS feed.
Congrats on getting the award! I’ve been given that award myself, and so have quite a few other good bloggers that I know, so you’re in good company.
Sephyroth
http://www.sephyroth.net
Thanks Sephyroth
Great to hear you’re following my blog as well!
[...] Deborah at Life in the fast lane also decides I have the power of schmooze [...]
I have been trying to find another less derogatory word for schmooze. I still hate the word. But I am good at it. Why just yesterday, I talked a cop out of giving my hubby a speeding ticket. Schmooze, anyone up for a challenge?
You definitely have the gift Mischelle
I’m not fond of the word myself, but I have yet to hear of anything else fitting that doesn’t have a negative connotation to it.
I never knew what it meant, and I threw it around quite a bit. Always good to know what you’re actually saying, and not what you think you are saying LOL.