Laura Bacon raises a Quarantini (recipe available upon request) in preparation for our virtual book club.
by James A. Bacon
We’ve been in self-isolation for only a week, and already we’re getting cabin fever. Laura and I were especially disappointed by the cancellation of our bi-monthly book club meeting, which would have entailed gathering more than ten people in one place.
Fortunately, thanks to the miracles of technology — broadband and Zoom, in particular — we managed to gather virtually. Some of our group had used Zoom for business, but no one knew how the program would work as a social media. It turned out pretty well. It wasn’t as satisfying as conversing (and eating and drinking) in person, but it was a lot more fun than sitting around by ourselves and watching re-runs of “Nurse Jackie.”
We used a laptop to access Zoom, and then loaded the image on our big-screen TV. The conversation was as animated as ever. Once you have established bonds of close friendship with people, it is amazing how well the sentiments of warmth and camaraderie flow over fiber-optic cable.
If you haven’t tried Zoom, you need to. As long as one of your number has a Zoom account — many have it for business and professional reasons — he or she can set up a virtual meeting and everyone else can participate for free. The software can be downloaded easily, and the interface is incredibly intuitive. I can think of no better way to help you muddle through the long, lonely days of self-isolation to come.
— JAB
