Page 32 - May 2020
P. 32

FIELD NOTES




                                                                        I Might Be a Dinosaur









                                                                                 Evaluating on Zoom - Part 2



                                                                                                  James Wantz, DTM











      I am afraid that I am a
      dinosaur masquerading as

      a mammal. Looking at the
      world around me I find I am
      pining for better times—like
      three months ago when I could

      go to a restaurant for a sit down dinner!—and          human species!) but it is not my preferred
      harrumphing about our reliance on technology.          meeting format.
      I am a creature of habit (some good and some              I am not completely a dinosaur (resistant to
      bad) that does not change quickly with the times       change, opposed to technology, cold-blooded)

      (long live Betamax!!). You see, last month I waxed     nor am I completely a mammal (embracing
      eloquent about the differences between dinosaurs       change, tech adept, hot-blooded). My mammal
      and mammals when it came to the Toastmasters           side has fun with the shiny new technology,
      world shift to online meetings instead of our          participates in Toastmaster Zoom meetings,

      regular (germ swapping) face-to-face meetings.         contests, and forums as well as looks for ways
          Now I am longing to attend a Toastmasters          presenters can be more effective in their online
      meeting that is face-to-face instead of face-to-       speeches. My dinosaur side longs for “actual”
      screen. Oh, don’t misunderstand, I am tickled that     meetings where body language matters (instead

      we have this technology to continue meetings           of being offscreen or too small to be seen),
      and connect digitally. However . . . some of the       where social contact isn’t virtual, and where I
      online meetings I attend don’t leave me feeling        have a morning shower and am fully dressed
      completely connected or really refreshed.              (as opposed to a nice top half and jammies on

      Rarely would I regret going to a Toastmasters          the bottom).
      meeting—now I can’t always say that. I do                 I think I am a hybrid (yeah, hybrids are all
      realize how absolutely essential Zoom is to our        the rage right now!): a bit of the old and a bit
      continued existence (as a club . . .and as the         of the new (change neutral, tech accepting but




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