Spring \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bee Hiving Moon<\/p>\n
Technological victory today. \u00a0Mary (Singapore at 10:00pm), Mark (Ha’il, Saudi Arabia at 5:00 pm) and myself (Andover 9 am) on the same video call. \u00a0Three little screens with our talking heads beaming in real time (or whatever you call time in the instance where all of us are in different times). \u00a0Skype premium at $99.00 a year allows for up to ten individuals on one call with no additional charge. \u00a0Even when separated by thousands of miles and the International Date Line.<\/p>\n
(screen looks something like the pic above)<\/p>\n
That was my entire nuclear family on one video call. \u00a0Remember when video-phones were sci-fi what ifs? \u00a0Not any more. \u00a0And, there’s no phone. \u00a0Nothing but net.<\/p>\n
Over the last year Mark and Mary and I have moved closer together, seeing each other in person last July and now communicating more regularly than we ever have before.<\/p>\n
Mark describes Ha’il as like northern Arizona, Flagstaff\/Dine homelands\/Grand Canyon\/polygamist Mormon country. \u00a0Come to think of it Islam allows 4 wives. \u00a0Maybe it’s the weather?<\/p>\n
Mary says Singapore is hot. \u00a0When asked how hot, she said, “Oh, I never know. \u00a0But it’s really hot. \u00a0I know that.” \u00a0According to Weatherunderground the current temp in Singapore is 81 with a dewpoint of 77. \u00a0That last is the kicker. \u00a0By contrast it’s 84 in Ha’il with a dewpoint of 14. \u00a0Just to be complete it’s 54 here with a dewpoint of \u00a048. \u00a0 Of course that’s a daytime reading for Andover, a night time reading for Singapore and an early evening reading for Ha’il.<\/p>\n
Both Mary and Mark are at the ends of their terms, with exams and grading and all that fun stuff on the other end of the teacher-student relationship. \u00a0Mark has a classroom full of cement workers. \u00a0Mary teaches students at Singapore’s National Teacher’s University. \u00a0 Mom would have been proud.<\/p>\n
Forgot to mention on the call, but I have a tour for ESL students tomorrow. \u00a0Both Mary and Mark have ESL backgrounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Spring \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bee Hiving Moon Technological victory today. \u00a0Mary (Singapore at 10:00pm), Mark (Ha’il, Saudi Arabia at 5:00 pm) and myself (Andover 9 am) on the same … Continue reading Video Phone a Reality At Last!<\/span>