In the Parlance of Our Times

One of the things I like most doing online is video chatting with my family. Considering that I hate to put myself in front of a camera, this is somewhat surprising.

But I love video chatting because it's a much richer experience than talking on the phone. I can ignore the fact that I'm in front of the camera, because I so much enjoy being on the receiving end of video from my family. It's fun to be able to see the current state of Tom's facial hair, or to watch as the flowers on my parents' coffee table change each week.

In fact, video chatting feels much more like spending time together than like having a phone conversation. Louise often does a crossword with us while we video chat or sometimes we'll both look up a web site together. Michael might notice Louise drinking from an unusual beer bottle and ask about the brand. Last week, my father demonstrated the latest advice on how to hold the steering wheel of a car (forget 10 and 2 - it's 8 and 4 now). And often we have more than one person involved on one or both ends of the conversation. These are all interactions that are more commonly associated with in-person get togethers than with telephone conversations.

Does this mean video chatting is a substitute for in-person contact? Definitely not. But when getting together in person is out of the question, as it is for so many of us living far from family, it's a great way to stay connected.