Zoom Hmmmms and other Pauses in the Pandemic '20 at 1142

Today I heard "the current moment" as a way to inquire about "these times" or instead of saying during the Pandemic.  I'm not sure the official or appropriate nonmenclature for now...I tend to go with COVID19 - easy to type.  I took my lunch with author Ann Patchett, thanks to NYT's Pamela Paul and Denison VP, Julie Houpt- what a treat.  The problem is I have not wanted to do any real work since! All I've wanted to do is read book reviews, find more about the books Ann recommended....all this "current time" stuff takes time and the days fly! I had been wanting to explore more about the bookstore Patchett co-owns and is very involved with, in Nashville: Parnassus. Today was the day. I'm now following both author and store on Instagram and rested from a blood donation binge watching the Instagram videos.  FYI- Ann's ball gown/cocktail dresses are fab!

Funny story....I had a big Zoom call this week, it involved the Denison president, important enough that my colleagues and I practiced and we felt good.  I wanted to use the Denison virtual background which meant using a more up to date computer- Clare's.  I didn't want to be disturbed so I took Clare's advice and used her room, the set up that works best for her (sitting on the bed, in the corner for the right lighting and plain wall- I felt so professional, not!) I logged in early (thank goodness) and while setting up with key staff partner Brenda this terrible music starts playing.  I mean B-A-D- not just one word you never want to hear but two!  I heard it and said- "Brenda- do you hear that- oh my?" She said "oh yes."  I said- "where is it coming from? Clare's computer?" She said- "I think so." I said in a flustered voice "I'm logging off- I'll be back."  I logged off Zoom. And yes the music was from the computer.  Could I figure out how to turn it off- no! EEK.  I called Joe- right to voice mail. I called Sally- right to voice mail. I knew Clare was on her own zoom call on my computer.  I put out a text- to the family text-come help me now- help help help, probably in all caps. I had told them I was on a call, to be quiet, not disturb me, and that I was in Clare's room.  Peter came to my rescue, Clare even came.  They got it off. We made sure it would not come back. No one understood how I did what I did to make it play.  I logged back into Zoom- in time to greet everyone and execute a great call.  Sigh..Comic relief but oh my...a story for the blog and "current times".  Oh and for those that want to know...like my colleagues....the song was: Let's Go by Trick Daddy
don't listen to this in public or around the kids.  Sigh.....

To get ready for the zoom call I also followed some input from a friend about coaching to have a good zoom call- set-up, better to wear, etc....I logged in and found this:

Sure enough 9 out of 10 zoom or google meet calls- guess the look I've been sporting? Oh well. I'm enjoying the longer hair and quick up-do and I like my new glasses, I see well! But keeping it real I had my hair down for the call mentioned above.

Life on Newark-Granville Road in current times- real, and really not that bad.