KEEP USING ZOOM AND FACE TIME!

​ “People Who Need People 
Are the Luckiest People in the World”

Can we talk? I think it’s time we discussed the proliferation of video conferencing tools – read that as Zoom and FaceTime. I’ve been using FaceTime for quite a while to catch up with friends and call my grandkids in other states. 
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But, I have to admit something. Lately, I’ve become a little more self-conscious. One time after dialing in on FaceTime and waiting for an answer, my husband caught me studying the screen, trying to rearrange my wrinkles and tilt my head so my neck looked smoother.

"I THINK FACETIME WAS INVENTED BY PLASTIC SURGEONS!"

“Whoa! Why are you making faces at the screen?” he asked. I shrugged innocently and stared back at the phone, hoping someone would answer before he would figure it out. 

Too late.
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“You know,” he laughed, “I think FaceTime was invented by plastic surgeons! ‘Let’s see... we could tighten here and tuck there… Should work fine!’” He shook his head and walked away smiling. Of course. I couldn’t help it. It’s just that until someone answers the phone, all I see is a closeup of… ME!  ​

And now... in the midst of the social-distancing edict with the Coronavirus, I suddenly find myself Zooming and Face-Timing more than ever! (I’ve even made them into verbs). We have to connect – whether for work or family and friends, and so I often find myself saying, “Who is that person in the picture with the dark roots and the sagging jowls?”
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​(Actually, I’m beginning to favor that multi-participant Zoom meeting when the picture is so small you can hardly recognize who it is, much less notice the roots and count the wrinkles.) 

BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS!

​Oh, wait! I’ve just found the command on Zoom that if you click on the down arrow next to the little video camera icon, there is a box called ‘touch up my appearance’

Needless to say, I just tried it. Huh? Was there a difference? I’m waiting to see Angelina Jolie, and to me I look exactly like I did before I pressed the button! Hold on… I know, I’ll ‘unclick’ and go back and try it again (You know these quirky computers).
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Nope – me, again. Oh well, I’ve decided to like me.  

​After all, at least once my grandkids answer, I’m reminded that they don’t see wrinkles;  they just see their loving Grammie, and I get to see a window into their lives in that moment. It often looks something like this:

My two-year-old granddaughter grabs the phone and 
immediately hangs up.

My five-year-old granddaughter explains the solar system 
and asks me if I know when Pluto was declared a non-planet.
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My eight-year-old grandson shows me how he uses the Anamoji App 
to change the image of himself on the phone. So instead of his face, I am talking to 
a lion, a teddy bear, smoke-breathing dragon or a skeleton. 
Or sometimes all of those - every 5 seconds!

My twelve-year-old granddaughter talks to me 
while finessing her Tik-Tok video for You Tube, 
which often involves a running cartwheel.

My fourteen-year-old grandson holds the phone up to his nose 
and asks if I can see any boogers.

My seventeen-year-old granddaughter says,
 “Hi, Grammie. I’ve got to go study.”
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And I love every word they say and every action they offer, even the booger hunting.

You are an Important Part of Your Grandchild's Life

So, whether you are calling friends or whether you are Grammy, Nana, PopPop, Bubbie, MeMaw, or BobaLou, get used to using video conferencing.

You are an important part of your grandchild’s life, and they are certainly an important part of yours.  And whether you read stories, share a laugh, or just want to be part of a Tuesday evening, a FaceTime or Zoom call brings excitement, connection, and shows your thoughtfulness and love.

[…and it also shows a huge close up. Hmm, come to think of it, maybe next time I’ll try the Panda Bear on the Animoji app - or maybe I can invite more tiny-picture people to share in a Zoom call!]  
​
 Loretta