The tale of the table under the tent

The Picnic Table: Social Networking 1.0

Think of the picnic table under the canopy tent in the parking lot as Social Networking 1.0. It is the most fundamental device for creating community networks.

World problems have been solved, and judgment passed on every local politician at this very table.

Just last month, under this tent, Leah Nesbitt was declared the 2009 Downtown Red Wing Macaroni and Cheese Smackdown Champion (she used all Wisconsin natural ingredients).

At night, the little Japanese lanterns are lit up, and the table becomes more of a 'night spot' where topics are dissected, examined, and reassembled, often over fermented nectar and usually in hushed voices. In the mornings, it is a destination for coffee and a newspaper.

Warren Buffet would appreciate how effective this $70 picnic table is as a marketing tool.