Monday, June 29, 2009

Video Chatting

For as long as I have owned my IMac computer I have had the capability of being able to video chat with my friends and family. But up until Saturday have never chosen to use this application. Why?
For a couple of reasons perhaps. One being I could never find any of my friends who felt comfortable to chat with me this way and secondly I think it is a little too George Jetson for an old fashioned gal like myself. Yeah right! LOL

My brother Mike and my sister-in-law Debbie were visiting with my Mom on the weekend and they set up her computer enabling this feature and then contacted me to practice chatting and also just to have a visit.
I had no advance warning of this and my hair was an absolute mess so I had to do a quick cover up and decided on such short notice a hat was in order. Of course the first thing they asked me was why I was wearing a hat in the house. I could have lied and told them the sun was coming in the skylight and I needed to practice safe sun but since they know I have no skylights I thought it best to tell them the truth. I did eventually very quickly remove my hat to demonstrate why I was wearing it and my brother in true Mike fashion made a sarcastic remark on the state of my hair.

I think that is the third reason I have never used video chat... I usually look a mess while in the comfort of my own home and hate to be caught with my pants down so to speak.

You would have to know my family to understand the chaos that ensues when we get together and this chat was no exception. Case in point... after Mike got the chat going he had my Mom sit down at the computer and he and Debbie stood behind her in the background pretending to kiss and carry on. Mom of course had no idea what was going on at first but when she finally noticed she turned around and remarked that they should get a room. This is the typical antics of my brother Mike.
It was a crazy hour full of everybody talking at once, taking turns getting in front of the webcam, making faces at each other and trying to get caught up with everybody and what they have been doing. My sister in law, Debbie is retiring this year from teaching after thirty some odd years and she has had a very whirlwind month of June full of parties and special gifts and excitement as well as some distressing hectic moments as well.

Congratulations Debbie on your retirement! Now you will have plenty of time to visit my blog.

Mike designed a beautiful hard cover book using his Mac to gather the photos and prepare the layout and then sent it away for printing, chronicling Debbie's years of teaching from graduation to present day. This is putting it mildly but Debbie loved it and this is classic Mike to do something so special and loving for her.

The chat was almost as wonderful as being there in the same room with them and having a face to face visit.

I wish I had taken advantage of this technological wonder much sooner! Now if I could only talk some of my friends into it, it would be the next best thing to being there.

3 comments:

Barbara said...

I've never tried video chat either. I have a friend who chats with her son and daughter-in-law all the time on skype and I keep thinking that I need to give it a try.

Catharine said...

I don't think I am brave enough to try it right now. Like you, I am usually looking "too comfortable" when sitting at my computer. I would like to keep it that way for now.

Karen said...

If you ever want to give it a go Catharine... let me know and we will set up a date and time to visit!
Thanks for coming by.