We’re all having to get creative here, and I’m honestly looking for ideas because – while I’m used to my best friends and family being scattered across continents, and the truth is that Jeff and I already tended to be homebodies at the weekend – I’m feeling the emotional pinch of our flat’s four walls. I enjoy my interactions with my coworkers, who are all lovely and interesting people, and I have a habit of striking up conversations with random people throughout my day. In a queue, at the shop, asking to pet people’s dogs in parks… While this is not terribly British, it is terribly American and I find the accent breaks down cultural barriers, especially when attempting to be friendly.
So, if you’re like me and happen to like people…how are your socializing? Facetime? Instagram? Skype calls? Have you set up any new ways to connect with your nearest and dearest? Got any good ideas?
Small Dog Syndrome 
My personal favourite for keeping in touch with people is WhatsApp. My nieces (age 9 and under) have discovered the audio feature, and they’re sending me daily messages along with lots of their favourite emojis!
And my family is going to try and set up a Zoom call (we have some technophobes in the family, so let’s see how that goes haha). I’m also planning Zoom coffee catch-ups with friends.
I read this piece in The Guardian yesterday (Quarantine Chat), about a quarantine chat app that pairs you up to have a phone conversation with random strangers. Sounds like an interesting idea!
I am realizing how deeply anti-social I am!
I find a lot of chitchat boring, so am grateful for long, intimate phone calls with a few close pals. I’ve been working alone at home since 2006, so very used to solitude (and lots of radio.) I miss the gym and those quick chats. I miss culture more — music, museums, theater, movies — *around* people but not necessarily interacting with them.
SOOOOO glad I was in DC for 2 days (March 7-8) and saw a show of Degas at the National Gallery. What a treat.
My WFH normal journalism work — luckily! — means interviewing people (recently SUPER smart people whose work I barely understand, water scientists) so that’s been a true godsend. I did a Skype to Managua (!) w the very cool Canadian country director for WaterAid America who I met there 6 years ago this month.
I’m setting up video chats with chums, based around cooking, sharing a cuppa or some bubbles and at a time we can all manage. I try and rotate through my close friends each week at least. I find the video chats (WhatsApp and Messenger) very good. Video chatting is exhausting and I’m doing it a lot for my job. Also, I am lazy, so have to make a concerted effort to do these things. Sad to say, I work through a list. Not much spontaneity, but it keeps up the connections.
This is so nice to read, and definitely, video meetings require different technical but also EMOTIONAL skills and it’s draining in a very new and different way for many. And I know what you mean about needing to concentrate to connect with people successfully. Inspired by your efforts, however!