Page 33 - May 2020

I Might Be a Dinosaur

Evaluating on Zoom - Part 2

James Wantz, DTM

not dependent, warm-blooded). Maybe more still had the device registered on their account.

of a dino-mal or a mam-osaur (actually I think Whenever I went in or out, they could log in and
that makes me a platypus . . . one of only a few watch me. So...instead of taking it down, I started
confused, egg-laying mammals [thanks Google]). practicing my speeches outside my front door
Yeah, I’m a mam-osaur! Dino-mal (I’d just found a new audience!!) and asked for

sounds too much like a their feedback. They quickly removed the device
PowerRanger villain from their account . . . so I put it on mine! Now
or a crusty shopping I have a bunch of videos of myself speaking to
center. And this mam-osaur has a few bones to my front door . . . which is about as expressive

pick with (my own) Zoom presentations while as a blank computer screen. [Pro tip: if you don’t
offering a few suggestions about how to make have a Ring device—then use your neighbor’s!
Zoom more effective. It will get posted on the Ring network and you
mbrace the warm-fuzzy mammal side of will gain notoriety with the tag: “Who is this

Eyou and adjust your presentation to fit the bozo who keeps giving speeches on my porch?!”]
platform. I no longer have an audience - what I
have is a pinned Timer and a small camera to
look into so that everyone watching thinks I am

looking right at them. That’s it. No. One. Else.
Get used to talking to inanimate objects (Come
on, Timer! A few lively expressions or a nod of
the head, please!)

How do you get prepared for this? Well . . . I
practice my speeches outside my front door (or
wherever there is a Ring device). This is probably
the easiest way to get a (admittedly, unflattering

fisheye lens perspective) view of yourself (with
audio, too!). The house I just moved into has a
Ring by the front door. It wasn’t until a couple
weeks ago that I realized the previous owners

VOICES! | MAY 2020 33