What is veiled now soon will be shown (Jefferson Starship)

I noticed during the recent ulearn14 conference that my nano second scanning of a room for a friendly place to sit was completely on to it!

I met some great people through serendipitous moments of brief contact at workshops or 'breakout'.

It's the 'it's safe to approach others' signal to the brain that happens. Some, like me, have it in spades (hahaha).

I tested it a few times - sussing out where the receptive people were sitting. Clearly some folk send out a 'buttoutski, don't mess with me' vibe, but in others there's something more positive, more empathetic going on.

I always manage to gravitate towards those receptive ones.

Apparently there's a neurochemical called oxytocin which is the key. It's produced when we are trusted or shown a kindness, and it activates cooperation with others. It does this by enhancing our ability to experience other's emotions.

Freaky huh! Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe being in an all female environment is rubbing off on me.