The downtime that seems to be so common this season might be a good time to pick up on networking. The human kind, where you communicate with old friends and acquaintances. It's pretty rewarding to hear from-or contact-old friends or workmates, particularly when they make it clear they aren't calling to hit you up for anything.

That's something you can do a few days later, if need be. At least asking for a favor is a bit easier if you've been in contact recently. That's something to keep in mind in these times. Survey after survey shows that most people get jobs through referrals. The much-touted Web connection doesn't even come in a distant third.

But the bigger payback in this sort of networking is internal. People and ideas are what's important in our industry, and it can be pretty motivating to talk with someone after a long absence. That was really driven home to me a few weeks ago, when I contacted a close friend who's been retired for some time now.

After a nice chat, we walked slowly down the driveway to his mailbox. When I popped the door open, there was nothing in it-not even junk mail. He remained upbeat, but I was crushed to think that a once-vibrant man could be so forgotten, particularly since I'd put nothing in that mailbox for years.

Since then, I've been motivated to put something in that mailbox on occasion. And in a strange way, I've also been motivated at work. Whether we take advantage of the time we have to try to live up to the solid work ethic I saw in him years ago or something else entirely, that visit was one of the most satisfying and challenging parts of a short vacation. Satisfying for what it meant to both of us. And challenging because it made me think about the value of keeping in touch. Networking.