It’s been a couple weeks since I blogged. Time has become a bit amorphous despite the calendar markers of regular PareaGrooves and Things to Do. Apparently this is not uncommon now in these strange times. Nevertheless we’ve had at least three PareaGroove events each week. Most are social, which people seem to prefer, and enjoy coming and going throughout. Interestingly a nice manageable quota of about ten to fifteen are usually present even on nights when twice that comes. Conversations meander across all topics, and people are laughing more easily, even though the virus and the quarantine are always touched on at some point every evening. Fortunately we have a couple scientists and doctors among us and as questions of COVID come up we are getting some good insights.
We had a couple guest speakers these past couple weeks both of whom happened to be doctors, and my classmate alum. To these I invited both the PareGroove gang and classmate friends. The first was a dermatologist and professor, Dr. Dina Strahan, of Aglow Dermatology, with whom we did “Ask a Dermatologist,” because who doesn’t have a question for a dermatologist. Our audience surprisingly was not all women, and the gents among us had some good questions and comments for her. Dr. Strahan had some excellent skincare and hair care tips, products to recommend, and advised wearing sunscreen if sitting alongside a window in our home office. Our second doctor speaker was a renowned expert in the medical use of cannabis, Dr. Jordan Tischler, of Inhale MD. Dr. Tischler came armed with a full slide presentation prepared for his more professional audiences, and he conducted an easy-going interruption friendly talk which definitely covered a lot of medical mary jane questions. He would not advise it for COVID, so there’s that. Nor is he a huge fan of CBD oil for any reason at all, aside from its placebo effect, which is at least worth something. People Zoomed in from all over the country for these talks, and this has been true of many of my social Zooms as well. I’m finding I’m meeting new people as people invite people, so it is becoming socially expansive for myself as well as my guests.
There’s talk that people are getting a bit Zoomed out because it requires a degree of constant attention and it really doesn’t replace real life. However, people agree it’s better than nothing, and despite the fatigue from it, the PareaGroovers are getting better with the rhythm of it all and conversations are becoming more fluid, and my need to moderate is becoming less constant even as really only one conversation can happen at a time, unlike a regular party. Aside from the occasional new face, and those who have come once or twice, there is a constant core group that shows up, many who didn’t know each other before, and from other states. One core PareaGroover mentioned we are starting to feel a bit like a family. I prefer to think of it more as the local pub where people can be relaxed and confident that they will know a few people, meet a few people, and that people will be cool and the place is safe, or the bartender will bounce them, And I have bounced.
In addition to the PareaGrooves, I’ve attended a couple other Zoom events. They’re popping up all over. I listened to several marketing gurus speak about the current environment. I listened to a Zoom play reading, and participated in one, though only reading the stage directions, which actually allowed me to be a more active audience member. And, I heard Dr. Ruth speak on a massive Zoom call of over four hundred, about her life, her love of music, and of course her advice for peace in the house and better sex.
