Maybe. It's not like that many people are going to be offended by the lack of celebration I am exhibiting by typing about a computer program. In fact, those who know me well enough know that this makes perfect sense. After all, few things in this world bring me more happiness than hearing a computer/robot voice, whether in "The Simpsons" or a bad '80s movie.
For a long time, I'd resisted Skype. I had a few friends in the past who really liked it and extolled its virtues, but I responded with a simple "Meh." It was nothing personal. It's just my inability to really understand technological advances, even though, once I do figure out the rudimentary way of using a device or program, I am SO into it.
So, a few months back when Lesley told me Chrissy--the ever-elusive Chrissy--was on Skype, I said, "Oh!" and then said, "Meh." Following week:
Lesley: I am telling you, if you want to talk to Chrissy, Skype her.
Me: Oh, so it's a verb now?
Still, I resisted, despite the fact that I missed Chrissy and did want to talk with her. Or "talk" with her.
When I finally was supposed to be working one day and decided I'd see what the hullabaloo was about, I saw this on the Web site:
This can't be good, I thought.
But boredom and work avoidance have funny ways of making you do things, so I downloaded it and I didn't even have to do anything. It was like a magical elf came and cleaned house and then left ME money. It opened up and immediately, there I was. And there Lesley was. And there Chrissy was. And the three of us online at the same time is something akin to hysterical chaos. Really, I fear for anyone who might try and read a transcript of the conversations.
It wasn't even that chatting online was novel, or that I was reveling in suddenly communicating with Chrissy again. It was the simple rhythm of the text/speech between the three of us. Given that we are separated by many miles at the moment, Lesley is dealing with stressful family things, Chrissy is figuring out how to make designs for clients that don't make her want to throw herself out a window, and I'm generally trying to figure out what my own job even is, these short frantic text balloon bursts online are suddenly an anchor. Granted, it feels like a linguistic Slip 'N' Slide, but I have never laughed so much at my stoic computer screen.
I try to keep it to a dull roar and not overdo it. Chrissy is good at simply saying "OK, gotta go, bye," and then disappearing, while Lesley and I send bizarre emoticons back and forth to communicate the easy stuff while avoiding some of the really hard stuff for a little bit longer. Then I disappear, we all go quiet, and two hours later someone yells on-screen "IS ANYONE THERE!?" I stare at it, wondering if I should be philosophical, but instead chat while on the phone with someone telling me why "cream" and "tan" are not the same thing.
Me (on phone): Yes, I understand...
Chrissy on computer screen: Did you hear about the Canadian beheading?
Me (still on phone, coughing): Oh, sorry, excuse me...
Lesley: EEEEEEW
Chrissy: I love that they are doing psych tests on the guy who did it. You know, to see if he's crazy.
Me: (guffawing)
Client: Are you OK?
Me: Yeah, oh, yeah. Sorry, just water down the wrong pipe.
After a particularly dizzying exchange of words today, I realized Chrissy needed some time to get where she is. Lesley will be gone for a while and need to come back to some peace and quiet. And I'll still be wondering what the hell I'm doing. But it's indeed great comfort when I can spend two minutes disparaging Mel Gibson, Peter Gabriel, and Canadian psychologists, all in one fell swoop. Where's my copy of "That's What Friends Are For?" anyway?
Ah, yes:
2 comments:
I love Skyping. I hate to admit it but I got into it when I was working on those Lexus projects and the editors were in Belgium or some such place. I felt very sophisticated and businessy.
Now that I type that, I think it's kind of a tragic statement.
I don't even know what Skype or Skyping is. That's how technologically backward I am.
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