Can the Grid be Fun?
Suzanne Pollak
“Zoom Cocktails” needs a rename because what makes a cocktail party a cocktail party doesn’t happen on the grid. For these we don’t dress, put on special shoes, walk into someone's house, smell the food, hug the host, meet people, even someone who might change our life. The surprises and rituals are gone: hang in the doorway (have you ever noticed how everyone does this?), help make a drink, take a look around, figure out who to talk to. At cocktails parties, we choose to stand or sit, observe or connect, and catch the vibe of the party. No longer.
Now we don’t move, mingle or mix. We can't have surface conversations until we find who we want to go deep with. Small talk is a fun and flirty cocktail sport; looking into eyes — for a second — and winking, or touching someone’s sleeve to make a point. How do we translate this into our new world? We do not.
Using our senses is out. Active listening with body language is out. Now we look into people's eyes for more than thirty minutes, and cannot get away. It’s exhausting. The world is fundamentally changed, our culture permanently shifted. Things that were important are no longer. Is it possible to have fun at a cocktail party online? The jury is out…but maybe that’s the point: staying connected as we venture into the new world together.
A few Zoom Cocktail tips:
Mix your drink and have a snack ready before signing in. Why? Because ritual is important. Rituals signal to the brain it’s time to transition from work to relaxing.
Play music in your space, keeping yourself on mute except when you have something to say.
Think of a topic worth discussing and steer the conversation, instead of listening to stuff you would walk away from at a cocktail party.
Do not walk around with your laptop or continually adjust the laptop on your lap. The movement is disorienting and dizzying for the viewers.
Know where your computer camera is and make sure it is in front of you. If your computer is off to the side, even an inch or two, you look like you are not paying attention.
Smile a LOT!
Social interaction is about connecting with one another; making people feel heard, appreciated, and loved. We do that in so many ways in person. Now it’s time to learn best practices on screen. And be grateful to Zoom for the free forty minutes!
Sip with Suzanne! Wednesday’s at 5:30 EST 4/8/20 Topic: How to Make an Old Fashioned