Skype: The final frontier
My dad, on nearly the other side of the planet (10 hrs difference) has discovered Skype, and found me today.
He had it half working. I could see him, and he me; he could hear me, but I couldn't hear him. But wild gesticulation and a broken IM conversation let me know my info was getting through.
I'm impressed. As I've gotten older, come to know myself a bit better and found myself in a position to observe my dad with new eyes, I've recognized that I got some of the things I like best about myself from my dad. And I'm realizing my dad's got some things I'd still like to emulate.
Dad's not afraid of the new and different. He's genuinely curious. And he may not be the first kid on the block to try or do a new thing, but his trying it has nothing to do with how many have or have not come before. Dad's curious, excited, and willing to jump in with both feet, in earnest. He'd rather try and fail than not try. He's better at that than I am. I like to know my odds of success are higher than my odds of making a fool of myself. But we're both curious, and both not afraid to figure something out on our own. I think I get my scientist's curiosity and fair mindedness from him.
So there's dad, doing his first web video chat in the year 2009, and the sound's not working, but he's happy that it's 75% working, and thrilled to see me. I'm sure he'll sort it out. I'd have been frustrated it didn't work perfectly. He seemed happy it worked at all, which is a much better perspective.
The world gets even smaller. Fine with me.
He had it half working. I could see him, and he me; he could hear me, but I couldn't hear him. But wild gesticulation and a broken IM conversation let me know my info was getting through.
I'm impressed. As I've gotten older, come to know myself a bit better and found myself in a position to observe my dad with new eyes, I've recognized that I got some of the things I like best about myself from my dad. And I'm realizing my dad's got some things I'd still like to emulate.
Dad's not afraid of the new and different. He's genuinely curious. And he may not be the first kid on the block to try or do a new thing, but his trying it has nothing to do with how many have or have not come before. Dad's curious, excited, and willing to jump in with both feet, in earnest. He'd rather try and fail than not try. He's better at that than I am. I like to know my odds of success are higher than my odds of making a fool of myself. But we're both curious, and both not afraid to figure something out on our own. I think I get my scientist's curiosity and fair mindedness from him.
So there's dad, doing his first web video chat in the year 2009, and the sound's not working, but he's happy that it's 75% working, and thrilled to see me. I'm sure he'll sort it out. I'd have been frustrated it didn't work perfectly. He seemed happy it worked at all, which is a much better perspective.
The world gets even smaller. Fine with me.
posted by Kenneth at 12:52 PM
<< Home