By Karl Terry
Life's not the same, but it'll do for now
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This past week wasn’t the first time by a stretch I’ve attended meetings virtually, but it was the most I’ve ever attended in a week. Heck it might have been more than I attended all last year.
Over the last year or so webinars and dial-in meetings have become more and more popular. I will admit it is harder and more expensive to travel for meetings these days but fortunately you can often sign up for them and watch the video later if it’s not live.
When I first started employing this amazing technology it was a tad intimidating. Making sure the equipment I had worked on the platform and the internet speed was fast enough took a tech guru. Nowadays the technology is right in our pocket in the way of smart phones.
Just a while before I sat down to write this column I was talking to my sister on the phone. One of her toddler grandsons wanted to know who she was talking with and just telling him it was Uncle Karl wasn’t good enough, she had to switch to Facetime so he could see me and my little dog Maggie.
He will grow up not knowing anything different than what us old-timers have been plunged into the last few weeks as we’ve been locked down away from work, family, school and social pastimes.
I’ve got to admit, it’s pretty darn cool to be attending a meeting with 300 state leaders (even Cabinet secretaries) talking about what we’re all believing to be a Biblical-type while I’m seated at my dining room table watching the birds at my feeder. My biggest problem seems to be I don’t own enough sweat pants for this lifestyle.
The last week or so I’ve gone from low-tech phone conference calls to full on video chats. I’ve attended, and spoke at a “noticed” board meeting, the Zoom conference with the group of 300, a couple of church meetings and a conversation across town with a great-nephew.
Our hospital administrator promises by next week we will be able to participate in the first tele-medicine appointments at the clinic instead of going in for a routine doctor’s appointment. I’m searching the internet as you’re reading this looking for a device that will allow me to leave a specimen online but haven’t found it yet.
It’s a strange brave new world we’re living in. I know our world is brave or we wouldn’t be embracing these challenges we face with such courage, innovation and adaptability.
It’s not the same, but it’ll do until we can get together again in person.
Now to see about that offer to participate in one of those online group sings. It’s allergy season so I better sing bass.
Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:
