Cocktails by Zoom

Since our shelter in place began, our Friday evening cocktail group has been getting together on Zoom. You have probably heard about Zoom. It’s a computer program that lets you join together with others via the Internet. You sit at your computer screen (it also works on phones and tablets) and you can see yourself as well as all your friends displayed onscreen. Everyone can talk so you can have an ongoing conversation while you consume your adult beverage and enjoy your snacks.

Our group consists of seven couples who meet via Zoom every Friday at 5 pm. One person sets up the meeting by going to the Zoom program on their computer and scheduling a meeting. They receive a link to their meeting and send that link via email to the other participants. At the appointed time everyone signs into the meeting by clicking on the link and joining their friends in the virtual cocktail party.

So, will cocktails by Zoom take over from live cocktail parties? I rather doubt it. I like to be able to enjoy people’s company up close and personal. I only hope the chance to do that will return sooner rather than later. But in the meantime, I’ll be checking in with my friends via Zoom and enjoying the conversations without being actually present with them. I will say that we all want to talk at the same time on Zoom so that hasn’t changed from the old, live, personal cocktail parties of the past. See you next Friday on Zoom, and don’t be late because the rest of us will talk about you until you check in.

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