Somewhere around 1980, my sixth-grade class took a field trip to Walt Disney World. Out of all the marvelous sights, only one stuck with me: A couple of mannequin kids looked like they lived on a space station, and they were talking to a hologram of Grandma and Grandpa. I envied them. My grandparents lived across the country and I only saw them once a year. I couldn’t wait till my dad bought whatever kind of telephone that was.

I guess you could say it’s here. I mean, there’s an app for that, right?

As a matter of fact, there are several apps for that. And they all allow you to see Grandma and Grandpa talking on your computer or phone screen. You can’t hug that device any more than the mannequin kids could hug that hologram. But you can see the sparkle in Grandpa’s eyes. And you can see how spiffy Grandma dressed up for the phone call.

Unfortunately, Zoom didn’t come at me from a family member. It was a formal meeting. I had to pretend to know what I was doing, and I had to stop adjusting the camera angle. We all resent being forced to learn new things, especially in the spotlight.

Then my friend called me through Google Duo. Her face was the center of a flower in a flower pot. I figured out how to float under water with jellyfish while we talked. Soon, my kids and I were having our family pow-wow from three different cities in pajamas on Google Meet. When Covid shut the church doors, my social group curled up on our respective couches and chatted on Zoom for a whole evening. One by one, people said goodnight and disappeared from the screen.

Video phone is here. So is the video conference call. But how can you get in without being lost and frustrated? It’s easier than you think. If you haven’t already, start out with a simple video caller like Facetime or Google Duo. After that, download Zoom or Google Meet. They’re all free and reputable.

Next, start a meeting with just yourself. All the controls work the same. Just start pushing buttons and see what happens. You can even record your monologue and play it back. When you’re ready, send a meeting invite to your spouse beside you or your best friend across the country. Then on All Hallows Eve, don your sorcerer’s hat and host a virtual costume party.

If it still sounds daunting, bring your device to the SPVCA computer tutor. We’ll Zoom each other from faraway tables.

This article was originally published in the South Ponte Vedra Civic Association newsletter on 10/1/2021.