![]() Since the onset of Covid-19, we have been experiencing a Zoom boom! The company, which has existed since 2011, has suddenly become everyone’s favorite vehicle for virtual social contact. It’s the go-to app for flat screen, two-dimensional relationships. And, you don’t have to wear a mask. Everyone’s doing it. Businesses, book groups, Cousins’ Clubs, Uncle Leo, even Great Grandma Bessie. Zoom has become the people’s chat room. No more hugging, kissing, fist bumps, or secret handshakes. Now we sit in front of our favorite internet device, click on a mile-long stream of letters and numbers, and invite all these various people into our homes. Well, not the people exactly, but their virtual representations sitting in little boxes reminiscent of Hollywood Squares. I, for one, am grateful for Zoom. I can talk to someone face-to-virtual-face without being concerned that I haven’t yet brushed my teeth. Or applied deodorant. And I find some of the Zoom options very enticing. Like the ability to silence someone who talks too much. Unfortunately, live people don’t come equipped with “Mute” buttons. Which brings me to the core of this little essay. Appropriateness. What is appropriate in this new social order? Is there a whole new set of behavioral rules? Do’s and don’ts for Zoom encounters? For example, in pre-Covid life, it would seem impolite and downright weird to greet someone from a distance of six feet. Unless one of you happened to be in prison. Now, being apart the length of a tall person is the new normal. So are there rules for a Zoom meeting? I thought you would never ask! Below please find some preliminary suggestions for avoiding Zoom fail.
But for now, abide by these simple rules, and you will avoid a Zoom disaster. Most important, as you prepare for your meeting, don’t forget to floss! Comments are closed.
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About the AuthorSusan is the author of two award-winning collections of humorous personal essays: “How Old Am I in Dog Years?” and “How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About.” Check out her Author Page HERE. Archives
May 2023
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