Anyone not skyping/zooming/facetiming their friends and family

[almondfinger]

The very thought of it... I ring my mother every day and take her shopping once a week. She has a big garden so we sit apart, have a quick chat and I leave.

I Facetime my sister sometimes by accident and promptly switch off the camera. I don't feel I'm missing anything by not joining. I'll wait till the end and have a big party and hug everyone in person.

I do call my friends on the phone for a chat, I'm not completely antisocial but the thoughts of 9 of us on a zoom chat waiting our turns to speak. Can you have a break out convo with just one of them while the rest chat on?

Am I alone in not feeling like I'm missing anything by avoiding the video convos?

No thanks. Occasional phone calls are quite adequate.

I liked the idea but I'm overloaded with it having 4-5 hours of Skype/Teams calls in the working day. I have my Pilates class on Zoom but don't have to interact. I'm all done with the novelty of looking up at everyone's ceiling at their shadowy face and off centre eye contact. I think it's best for very short calls.

That's a pretty unanimous no so.

I always think should i look at the little camera eye, look at the screen, look at myself??? Socially awkward as someone mentioned up thread.

When I'm talking to someone on the phone I can focus on the chat, not on my chin, the light angle, wild hair, resting bitch face etc, etc.

I have abusive family members so don't even do calls with most of my family. My friends I keep in touch with on messenger. I wouldn't even know how to skype/zoom!

Video chat with the children in my family afew times a week

I wonder WTF have I got to say? “Well... I picked up dog shit in the garden again today, and hung out some laundry...”
Woohoo

We’ve mastered the art of having family board game nights via FaceTime!

Also have social nights with friends involving wine and chat.

How do you play family board games via FaceTime?

No - mainly texts, a few phone chats, and emails sometimes with photos. I did think how nice it would be to receive 'proper' letters again, (once they'd been quarantined).

I phone my Dad every evening, as I always do, and text one or two friends and talk to my ex-H once or twice a week by phone. That's enough for me!

No zooming etc here either. In fact Ive dropped out of a course I'd almost finished because doing the remainder of it via Zoom or the likes just wasn't for me. Im not the only one on the course who felt that way and whilst half have finished the course via Zoom the rest of us all go back to class when the time is right.

Family wise we speak on the phone and catch up via WhatsApp.

Me neither! I usually tell everyone I can’t due to my location - this isn’t true! If I’m not in the same place why bother! The odd photo from the kids (they carry on changing even as adults!) is great though no need for vision and sound!

I used to write and send cards as well but can’t leave the house!

6 weeks ago when started WFH we would all use Skype video - just audio now I notice!! I combed my hair and put some lippy on for two calls last week - what a waste!

- what a waste!

Noooooo! A bit of lip and combed hair is never a waste.

Yes but that's mostly because of toddler DD. I don't wanted to forget what her grandparents sound like and they love interacting with her. Have also "had dinner" with my parents via FaceTime which was fun, and drinks with a friend. It wouldn't usually appeal but it's nice seeing a friendly face sometimes.

Can you have a break out convo with just one of them while the rest chat on?

Argh it really fucks me off when you’re out for dinner or something and there is decent group chat and the person next to you singles you out to talk to you about work or something. Just join in with the group and call the person separately if you want to speak with them alone.

nope, dont use it. Im VERY self conscious and hate being on camera at all.

To be honest wouldn’t know where to start, so no.

I only FaceTime my sister because she has my gorgeous nieces and they love playing the games on there and sometimes having a story. We all have a chat and it’s lovely! Other than that I phone my mum who lives alone and my friend who lives with her teenage son and girlfriend so still not much company!

I wasn’t keen before all this started but now, yes. I’m avoiding the work virtual pub, but team meetings on Zoom are fine, I’m FaceTiming my parents once a week and my group of friends has a regular Friday night Zoom slot where we’ll drop in & out & chat. It doesn’t come close to the real thing but for now, it’s what we’ve got.

@TheClootieDumplin - apologies I’ll try and maintain some standards

I've done it a bit but like everything else these days I can't much be bothered with it. Feel like I don't have much to say really...

Erm, you see your mother a lot (more than you should be) so why would you need to FaceTime her anyway!

I normally go to an art class and a small group of us do a video chat at the same time as the class would have been. It works because we have a brief catchup about our week, then discuss our art and show our work to each other for tips and inspiration, just as we would in class. It’s relaxed and fun and good to have in the empty diary,

Do a zoom exercise ‘class’ with some gym friends, led by one of them. Works because we know each other very well.

FaceTime one of my DDs occasionally - got used to doing that when they were at uni.

I am entirely relaxed about what I look like - though do brush my hair and am properly dressed, though I am anyway .

Keeping in touch with other friends and family is by iMessage , WhatsApp groups (though muting notifications since, no, I don’t want to be alerted to every meme or video you have seen or a thousan emojis) private FB groups relating to interests or particular reason why we know eachother ) and a couple of friends and family by actual phone calls.

Yes, but I haven't seen any of my family in person since Christmas.

@Doryhunky so far we have played games where the other member of the family has the same game, so you duplicate what happens on each board, but might try it with other games if we can.