Let’s Zoom.

Who knew that “let’s Zoom” would become a thing.

I and my work group have been Zooming for years! Well Zoom for a few and GotoMeeting before that, but at any rate, we have been working via the internet using collaborative tools … 3-5 people across several time zones.

Sometimes we connected and worked with occasional questions, “could you look at this”, work sessions just as if we were all in the same room working and interacting.

The very cool thing that we all discovered … long ago, was that we could work in our own workspaces, sharing screens and asking questions as needed … and HOLY COW!! … we got a LOT done as a group. PLUS. PLUS!!! It was enjoyable :)

Fast forward to the COVID Pandemic. Now, many are using Zoom. So many, that for a brief time, our work group looked to see if there was an alternative. But the Zoom people stepped up VERY fast and we (work group) continued on Zoom.

It is a GREAT collaborative platform.

And not just for work! Families and friends all over the world used Zoom to meet and share and be together. Zoom get togethers alleviated feelings of isolation in all age groups.

And this week, I happened on Zoom can help older people stave off dementia . VERY Interesting!

I have preached the importance of technological competence to many. The thing is, if we (a collective we) do not embrace current technology, we get “left in the dust” and risk feeling isolated … especially as we age and maybe become limited in mobility. It is no different than refusing to be “on the phone” circa 1930’s-40’s.

I am so very fortunate that I have many blog readers, Instagram friends and my work group … we learn from each other and teach each other and ultimately relate to each other in a way that keeps us connected.

Zoom, zoom, zoom :)

***Edit 5/20/2021 2:00 P.M. (-7 UTC) Please read comments. Reader and Internet friend Margaret, made some excellent points about challenging use as well as varying equipment and infrastructure.

Also, although I featured Zoom in this post, there are so many technological tools that make life easier … even with something as simple as a smart phone: banking, text alerts for so many things (severe weather, credit card use, shipping/delivery, other information that is important [to me/you], the ability of text to go “through” when voice might not (safety). Wearables that detect falls, heart rate issues and increasingly more health issues … and then communicate to the wearer as well as the wearer’s list of emergency contacts (this is HUGE for me, living alone and rurally).