Behind the Scene

 

Every person suddenly finding themselves working from home doing on line meetings has had to figure out where to set up and how to manage this new situation, new technology.

As I prepare for this morning's meeting, I have begun gathering the things I need.  My set up is crammed into the tiny bit of space I have in front of the Megado.  I use the laptop that runs the loom because it has a camera while my desktop doesn't.  I sit on my weaving 'stool', clear the weaving caddy off the tv tray next to the loom to put my resources for the meeting.  

Today I will also be using the small whiteboard to draw diagrams on so there is a box of dry erase markers and the eraser.  I may go get some textiles to show as well.  The last two meetings I have run over to my storage area to grab some.  But maybe they aren't needed for today's presentation, which will focus on equipment.  

Which reminds me, I will be talking about temples so I should bring the smallest one over from the shelf behind where I sit.

It is quite amazing to me how much technology can be packed into such a small space.  I remember spirit duplicators, Gestetner stencils, Kodak slide projectors and overhead projectors.  I even remember life before electric typewriters.

And yet, here we are.  I can prepare a Power Point presentation.  The software now provides 'themed' slides so that I don't produce just text on a white background.  Some are quite lovely and pleasing to the eye - but may be distracting - so I use ones with just a touch of colour, in calming shades, making the text and photos I use the focal point.  I can even choose virtual backgrounds, but decided the best background is actually my shelving of yarns behind me.  :)

I log on to the internet, wirelessly, from next to the loom and get to talk to people all over the continent.  I can record the meeting (well, not me, but the technology will if I punch the correct button), then upload it to You Tube for the participants to view later.

All things that were undreamed of in my childhood - except for the science fiction I devoured.

I sit in my studio and reach out to dozens of people who, like me, find the ancient craft of turning thread into cloth endlessly fascinating.

We live in 'interesting' times.