When my friend Carrie Cantor emailed me about going with her to a networking meeting of Professionals n Media (PIM), it sounded like a good idea, so I said yes. Carrie, who’s an editor, agent, and writer, thought it would be a great way to meet some new people outside our circle of writers — and she was right on target. The email invite from the group was witty and fun. We were asked to bring something for a potluck supper, relax, and mingle.

When we arrived, the evening was already in full swing. There was a buzz and energy that felt warm and inviting on a frosty winter’s eve. People were gathered in small clusters around an impressive spread: appetizers, main courses, side dishes — the works! Writers and media mavens not only know how to hit the keys or wield a pen, they also know how to cook — and they definitely enjoy a good nosh!

After we’d stuffed ourselves with lots of goodies and chatted a bit, we all gathered in a cozy, living room setting and introduced ourselves briefly one by one. What struck me instantly was how incredibly varied everyone’s backgrounds and projects were. There were filmmakers, a woman who was starting an online magazine about food, a freelance writer who writes a blog about animal welfare, a former actress who’s written a musical about Spinoza, a journalist who’s written a whole book about an iPhone app, a freelance reporter for a radio show, a market researcher, and a woman who’s just self-published a book and is now launching a venture to help others do the same. I could go on.

In the course of the evening I recognized a few people I knew, chatted with some others, talked about my book, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Mostly I mused about how much I love admire writers — especially their obsessive love of the things they write about and chameleon-like ability to adapt to change. Mingling, musing, munching, making contacts. A great way to spend a Friday evening, instead of cocooning at home. How about you? Are you getting out and about?