Here’s a Jeff-optimized plan for a night out with smart professional dads, aimed at fun + relaxation + deepening relationships (without accidentally going “full intensity”).
You do best when you are:
Joyful, calm, humble, present (your “at my best” mode).
Relationship-building over performance (you connect slowly and intentionally, and that works in your favor).
So the win condition is not “be impressive.” It is:
Leave people feeling seen
Leave yourself feeling regulated
Create 2–4 small bridges for future connection
From your user guide, the social gotchas for you are pretty clear:
You can be “a lot,” come off like a know-it-all, interrupt, jump to solutions, or get value-activated and rigid.
If you’re tired or stressed, you can get more analytical and controlling, or combative.
So your “guardrails” are:
No rescuing. No fixing.
No moral crusades unless someone directly invites it and the room is clearly aligned.
Pace yourself. Let other people finish.
A practical way to stay in the pocket:
Warm: make people comfortable first.