Zoom!

Last night I had my first meeting using Zoom - a video conferencing website. Eight members of my book club met online. On the screen we could see a small picture of each person unless they spoke in which case their picture was enlarged front and center. Seeing this group again was great. I have known some of them for ten years. Normally we meet in the teachers lounge at a middle school where the pop machine motor is so loud we can hardly hear each other speak. Seeing people in their own homes was a pleasant change of venue. One lady had a wall of books on shelves behind her. Another had a nice yellow kitchen wall as a background. Another member had just got home from the hospital that day after having a baby. She looked pale but well and we were glad to see her. Zoom meetings are free as long as you talk for forty minutes or less. We didn't have time to discuss our book. We spent our forty minutes planning for the future if we cannot meet in person and if we could meet in person. I have used other methods of video chats including Skype, Facebook messenger and Whatsapp. Frankly I would rather meet in person. Since meeting in person is not possible right now, Zoom is better than not meeting at all.