QUARANTINE LIFE on VIDEO

It seems like everyone wants to use video when chatting or meeting these days.  Most people accept this new way of life, but it is challenging to always be picture perfect.  The camera on my computer shows part of my 90" tall shelves with baskets as drawers, my partial wall of hats and my dorm size fridge.  Thankfully, the new computer allows me to have a backdrop on Zoom which hides the business of my one room fits all.

Deacon's tea tray is on top of my fridge.  And why do I need my own fridge?  I am the only one who eats cottage cheese and it was forever getting lost to the back of the big fridge.  I keep a few treats for the boys (so the grown ups don't eat them).  A jar of HUGE olives for martinis once a week (just makes me feel so grown up).  Usually some raspberries, almond milk, ripe avocado, and MY brand of yogurt.  It even has a tiny freezer so the boys put in an uncrustable PBJ ... just in case.

My volunteer work with WLLO has all of our meetings on video.  We may keep it this way as no one has to drive, find parking and or find a place to hold these meetings.  Convenient in that way.  But there are quite a few bothersome effects to this.  When first using this type of media, several people would talk at the same time or before one person was finished.  I suggested that we raise our hand when we want to speak (put your hand in front of your face so everyone can see it is up) and the meeting host will call on you.  The rest of the time, we should put ourselves on MUTE so we don't hear your dog barking, or kids knocking on my door, or rustling of papers right next to your computer mic, cell phones ringing or buzzing, sneezing or coughing, etc.

Then we have the participants who get up and down, eat while everyone watches, visibly works on something else or reads something then asks "wait, what did you say? "  Some move their computers around during the meeting, adjust the angle of their camera or whatever.  It all distracts from the meeting.

Recently, several articles have been written about why Zoom (or other) is terrible.  Watching often deters from listening.  Sometimes it's better to be heard and not seen.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/sunday-review/zoom-video-conference.html

WLLO now offers some social gatherings on Zoom and I think seeing and listening is a good thing for those who live alone.  I host a Friday morning coffee and I think up a topic then go around the Zoom and ask each person.  And I try to limit it to just 30 minutes which is a nice amount of time for chit chat and doesn't seem like a huge time commitment.  We sometimes go over by 10-15 minutes but I would rather stop the gathering with people wanting more, than having them feel like it's being dragged out too long.

Last week I asked if you prefer home streaming or movie theaters.  Then asked which service each used and why.  I learned that Disney+ is offering the movie "Hamilton" on July 3 and discovered you can get a one week trial!

Silver linings in this blogging world!