These days I find my life surprisingly more hectic than it had been before. Being a writer, I'm used to spending most of my daylight hours indoors in front of my computer, working on a book and keeping up with social media. With COVID limiting my social activities, I'm now spending more time at home. I walk daily and venture out to food markets. On occasion, I even shop for other items. But, like most people, I haven't been going to restaurants or movie theatres and the like. And traveling to faraway places is a distant memory. But the one activity I've been doing lots of is Zooming.
Zooming is how most of us have been staying in touch with friends, colleagues, and the outside world. I've been to a Zoom funeral service. I've taken part in Zoom writing conferences and book club meetings. I get to watch interviews and programs. And I now Zoom once a month with my three closest college pals and with my new writers' group.
My calendar is filled with Zooming dates. This past Thursday, I kept three Zoom meetings: a lesson on Instagram, a discussion about wine, and taking part in a panel with other authors. I had to cancel a fourth when I realized it was in conflict with the ones already scheduled. And tonight I'm on a panel at a mystery book store discussing The Secret Lives of Mystery Writers. Zooming has become a mainstay of my life.
We are all Zooming, Skyping, and FaceTiming because these are safe ways to connect with friends, families and colleagues in the Time of COVID. Zooming and the like have their limitations, of course: Cameras freeze; people may not look their best; voices are sometimes garbled. But I am grateful that we have these electronic means to spend time together. In fact, I think we'll still be Zooming when we're free to move about again. No need to hop on a plane to attend a conference. Getting together in person is best, but not everyone's up to traveling. At least we've found a way to be together. To talk, share jokes, and experiences.
I find Zoom and other means of getting together online a real blessing. I've been able to get together with groups that I didn't before because they met at night in an area I didn't want to drive to. Even if we start meeting in person again, I hope the Zoom meetings continue.
ReplyDeleteI do, too, Grace. I think Zooming is here to stay and we're lucky to have it.
ReplyDeleteI need Zoom meetings to help me be social. They also force me to fix my hair and put on makeup. Because my husband works in healthcare, I work hard to stay home except for essential errands.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Marilyn!
I've been able to participate in SinC Columbus (Buckeye Crime Writers) and MWA-Midwest events and "meet" other midwestern crime writers. I also have participated in SinC events all over the country, plus memorable author events with Murder by the Books in Houston, Poison Pen in Arizona, and Book Passage in northern CA.
ReplyDeleteI've been able to participate in many more writing conferences and events with Zoom than I would have been able to in person.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Scotland and Arizona to name two places that wouldn't have been possible without Zoom.
I enjoy meeting up with fellow mystery writers with the SinC events.
I hope Zooming continues in the future!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Marilyn!
My sibling group and families meet on Zoom several times a month. I like it. In the midst of everyone's busy lives, it's easy to lose track of what who's doing. This is a nice way of keeping in touch, and I feel closer to them than I have in years.
ReplyDeleteMy high school graduation class also Zooms (is that a verb?) once a month. I haven't been able to join them yet, but I intend to next time they meet.
I have tried several of the conferences, etc. They are a wonderful opportunity, but I am a bit hard of hearing & find it difficult to follow them.
Looks like we're all Zooming now, sometimes communicating with more people than we'd been doing so before COVID. I think we have more access to conferences and meetings.
ReplyDeleteAnd Jackie, you're right! It prompts us to fix our hair and put on lipstick.
Thanks, Everyone, for stopping by.
I think in the future we may see a combination of in-person conversations as well as zoom. People are now finding that they can work from home when they didn't before. I think that's here to stay, so maybe zoom is also, even in the future when we can meet in person once again.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, you're so right, there are definite plusses to Zooming. I think the problem now is that thare is so much available online that it's getting hard to fit things in! There are three zoom classes and events I'd like to see this Saturday for example. I think one's in VA, one's in CT, and one's in FL. Overwhelming number of great offerings!
ReplyDeleteZoom is fabulous! I love that I can actually see friends. So much more intimate than a call or e-mail. Non-verbal cues are so important. I also love that I can attend conferences and meetings that might otherwise be impossible, all with a click of a mouse. I hope Zoom continues to be an option in a post-pandemic world.
ReplyDeleteShari,
ReplyDeleteI agree. We're beginning to have conflicts because so much Zooming is going on. And this is sure to be replaced by other electronic ways of getting together. I put down Zooming on my calendar and don't always indicate what I'll be doing. I must change this!
Kait,
ReplyDeleteI love being able to go to more conferences this way, too.
I've been using Zoom since 2012 for board meetings, conferences, lectures, etc, and I love it. But too much of a good thing...seems like I'm constantly going to meetings these days. Anyway, I'm grateful to have it.
ReplyDelete