Zooming Is The New Normal

Like … all other students … my daughter is going to school online. She now does Zoom. Which means that zooming is the new normal.

This isn’t new to her. She did a dual enrollment program in high school, where she could take classes at the community college and receive both college and high school credits. She took her classes online, asynchronously.

Her college major is biology. I can’t wait to figure out how she will dissect animals.

Meanwhile, college enrollment is down drastically. We’ve also had several schools in Pennsylvania will combine to form larger schools. Some of the decline might be because of the coronavirus, but enrollment has been down for a while now. The school closings (or “consolidation” as it is being called) will lay off hundreds into an already burgeoning unemployment.

Will Zoom be our new normal? Are we going to be adding "zooming" the dictionary now? How will employers — schools — be able to cope in our new normal? What will we give up? What will we gain? Other companies, like Microsoft ... and I don't know who else, are trying to scramble to get their own competitive Zoom-software out on the market to meet the sudden demand for video conferencing, chatting, and text-messages. Instead of photo-bombing, we are now zoom-bombing.

These are all the questions that I’m mulling over recently, as I struggle with my own issues of “bored-itis” aka not being able to do a damn thing except look at my computer screen. WFH … is so not. I’d be fine if I had somewhere to go everyday. But Panera is closed. And Starbucks … is Starbucks.

Happenings

This book has some good reviews! Death is in the Details by Heather Sunseri and is free on the Kindle right now. (That’s a referral link. Thank you for your support!)

I recently saw this wonderful act of kindness: Buy my McDonald’s meal, and I’ll help buy you a car. Totally amazing what GoFundMe can do for people in need.

I am still watching How To Get Away With Murder. Look out for the TV show recap (Season 1) coming up, along with my comments about the legalities of said TV show!

I've been obsessed lately with all sorts of legal fiction short stories. Here's an entire book of them! Legal Briefs, edited by William Bernhardt. Love the name! (That’s anothr referral link.)

I do a lot of volunteering for our service men and women, and I really like writing letters … especially to our Navy personnel. I love sending Joe’s picture out of him in his Navy outfit!

I am releasing my short story titled “Charlotte Watson and the Missing Bullet” — free — to everyone on the mailing list, as well as those who sign up to the mailing list, soon-ish. Watch for the free download! I’d love feedback from all my newsletter readers. For those who want haunted lawyers, this story might be right up your alley.

Zooming in on the New Normal: How Video Conferencing Has Benefited America

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a lot of changes in our lives, and one of the most significant changes is the way we communicate with each other. With social distancing measures in place, video conferencing has become the new norm for work meetings, virtual hangouts, and even family gatherings.

Zoom, one of the most popular video conferencing platforms, has seen a massive surge in users since the pandemic began. But how has this sudden shift to virtual communication really affected us?

While you are at it, you are not a cat.

One of the biggest benefits of video conferencing is that it allows people to connect with each other in real-time, no matter where they are in the world. This has made it possible for businesses to continue operating, even with social distancing measures in place. Video conferencing has also made it easier for teams to collaborate and communicate, as they can share screens and documents in real-time.

Another benefit of video conferencing is that it has made remote work more accessible. With video conferencing, employees can work from anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a stable internet connection. This has opened up new opportunities for people who live in remote areas or have mobility issues.

Video conferencing has also made it possible for people to attend conferences and seminars virtually. This has made it easier for people to access educational resources and network with professionals in their field.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a lot of changes in our lives, and one of the most significant changes is the way we communicate with each other. Video conferencing has become the new norm for work meetings, virtual hangouts, school, and even family gatherings.