Tomorrow evening the book group will be meeting for what I hope willl be the last time online.
The Zoom technology has served us well in the past 16 months but I know most people are ready to put it behind us and meet in person again.
It seems rather overdue to be looking at this subject now, but Michael Rosen discussed online communication in Radio Four's Word of Mouth programme recently, highlighting how we've had to adopt and respond to new triggers regarding body language when we're viewing each other on a screen.
There are so many things we have taken for granted in regular social interaction and etiquette, which through Zoom and other video communication tools we've come to acknowledge and reevaluate.
I was reassured by listening to the programme that our Zoom book group meetings have featured good practice in many areas! But it was interesting to hear how we've all had to adopt certain mannerisms to counter the failings of online communication.
Eye contact has been defined by whether our computer camera is positioned correctly, the 'raise the hand' button is causing us to feel we're going back to school, and even waving to say goodbye at the end of a session is exaggerating something normally conveyed with a smile.
So if you'd like to try out the online body language at book group for - and again I say - we hope, the last time, let me know by replying to this email and I'll send you the details to log in to Zoom tomorrow evening at 8pm.
Thank you for reading.