The New Normal: Game Night
I've written before about the value of connecting with friends over board games or other group activities. This practice has become a routine and needed outlet for laughter and enjoyment.
So, like everyone else, when the stay-at-home order came, we found ourselves missing this connection.
Enter the Internet and a webcam.
My husband, an electronics and computer-savvy technician, had a solution in mind. He set up a webcam on a tripod and placed it facing the couch in the living room. Then he wired it to his laptop which was sitting nearby on a TV tray. Finally, he plugged in an AV cable to the side of our television.
He called me in from the kitchen. "Honey, come here for a minute, and sit on the couch." I followed his request, and when I looked at the TV, I saw what he had done. The webcam was displayed on the big screen! "Want to call your sister?"
Using Google Duo, he called Kara and her family with video, and when they answered, we could see their smiling faces on the TV, life-sized as if they were in the room with us.
After working out the technical kinks, we called other friends and family using our setup and delighted in seeing them "in person."
We were ready for the next phase: playing games.
Shawn found two familiar board games that had online versions. We each downloaded the apps, had our friend Cory do the same, and then scheduled a time to play.
Shawn and I set up our computers so we could both sit on the couch. Then we used a third computer (multiple computers in the house is the consequence and luxury of living with a computer geek) to video-call Cory.
The result was beautiful.
We were able to play the game with each other online and also visit (and talk smack!) while we played. For a moment, it was almost like a regular game night.
After a couple of hours, we made plans to do it again and said goodnight. It felt good to connect with our friend in this way, and it was a welcome distraction from all the worry and uncertainty.
How can you connect with your friends during the quarantine?
What kinds of new ways will you discover to bring laughter and joy into your home?
----
Some recent Doorways:
So, like everyone else, when the stay-at-home order came, we found ourselves missing this connection.
Enter the Internet and a webcam.
My husband, an electronics and computer-savvy technician, had a solution in mind. He set up a webcam on a tripod and placed it facing the couch in the living room. Then he wired it to his laptop which was sitting nearby on a TV tray. Finally, he plugged in an AV cable to the side of our television.
He called me in from the kitchen. "Honey, come here for a minute, and sit on the couch." I followed his request, and when I looked at the TV, I saw what he had done. The webcam was displayed on the big screen! "Want to call your sister?"
Using Google Duo, he called Kara and her family with video, and when they answered, we could see their smiling faces on the TV, life-sized as if they were in the room with us.
After working out the technical kinks, we called other friends and family using our setup and delighted in seeing them "in person."
We were ready for the next phase: playing games.
Shawn found two familiar board games that had online versions. We each downloaded the apps, had our friend Cory do the same, and then scheduled a time to play.
Shawn and I set up our computers so we could both sit on the couch. Then we used a third computer (multiple computers in the house is the consequence and luxury of living with a computer geek) to video-call Cory.
The result was beautiful.
We were able to play the game with each other online and also visit (and talk smack!) while we played. For a moment, it was almost like a regular game night.
After a couple of hours, we made plans to do it again and said goodnight. It felt good to connect with our friend in this way, and it was a welcome distraction from all the worry and uncertainty.
How can you connect with your friends during the quarantine?
What kinds of new ways will you discover to bring laughter and joy into your home?
----
Some recent Doorways:
- My nephew wanted to call "Auntie Lisa" earlier this week, so my sister called me on FaceTime so we could see each other. The smile on his face was so joyful!
- I watched the second installment of John Krasinki's Some Good News which featured the cast of Hamilton singing together from their individual homes. I was grinning from ear to ear, and their generous effort to cheer up a young girl warmed my heart.
- The sunlight reflected just right on one of my dormer windows, and it shone like a spotlight on my garden angel. And due to an aberration on the glass, the light was a beautiful pink. The special moment took my breath away.
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