I think that the COVID pandemic expanded my concept of being in person.
It used to mean physically being together in the same room, but now I feel like I’m meeting in person if I’m in a real time meeting online where everyone is on camera, even though they are in a little box on my screen.
I don’t feel so much in person if it is a large meeting/presentation where only the speakers are visible and able to speak.
I wonder if others feel similarly.
I think that part of my sense of being in person when online live comes from my being pretty introverted. I find being in a group uncomfortable to begin with; being online gives me a little higher comfort level, although it is still draining for me.
I’d be interested to know others’ thoughts about this…
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Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week is “in person.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/02/21/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-22-2025/
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Joanne Corey 
This introvert also likes being on line. Especially in winter when I can have the best of both worlds: being home and with my peeps. And being in a meeting or exercising while on mute is really great! LOL
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Yay! I’m not alone!
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Im with you on feeling more comfortable online and wrote about the introvert factor. My extrovert hubby prefers in person to zoom meetings. I agree that it’s not in person if you can’t see or talk with others.
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Great minds and all that! 😉
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Right! Great minds. 😉
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Online meetings mean I can interact with people I might never get to work with if it was in the same physical space. At the same time, I have to limit the amount of meetings I have per week, or I am drained.
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It’s true that meetings are draining, whether in the same room or virtual. Well, for us, anyway. I guess people who are super-extroverted can be more energized after a meeting, but that’s definitely outside my realm of experience.
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Meetings about creative work can be energizing. But so many supposedly work-related meetings get in the way of actually dong the work, rather than supporting the work.
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I liked doing Zoom poetry workshops online, but I haven’t had one of those for a long time now. Committee meetings are stressful for me, whether they are in person or online.
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I do feel that I’m “in person” if we’re all on the screen. In fact, sometimes I remember a screen call with my sisters as an in-person conversation!
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It’s about the relationship, rather than the medium at that point.
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