Attend a local Meetup-like meetup. Free or close to it. Be passive audience or speak or network. No hotel, airfare, rental car worries or costs. No union shenan

Attend a local Meetup-like meetup. Free or close to it. Be passive audience or speak or network. No hotel, airfare, rental car worries or costs. No union shenanigans. Eat at home or bring own snack, though many Meetup meetups have free food & drink by sponsors. No boredom or "well I paid for ticket" guilt. Come and go as you like, when you like, minimal structure but still get to meet other people with same technical interests. Lame speakers? Leave -- you didn't pay anything anyway. Granted, you do need enough people in your local area to reach that critical threshold. But don't ignore cheaper, easier, more flexible alternatives.