Sometimes Technology is NOT a good thing

Last week my Dad casually mentioned to me that we should set up a web cam. To be fair, he's been saying this for a few years, it's just that this time I listened. So less than 48 hours later, and with some help from Poppet's Mom (and Skype), we were web "camming" with my family. For the first time in 18 months I got to see my sister and her family. As in LIVE - waving to me. My neice, Baby E, probably now thinks her Auntie emzee has a square box around her head - but that didn't stop her from singing, talking, and making faces at me. So far this web cam thing is loads of fun - and I've since gotten to see my brother, parents and various crapola which is lying around my sister's house. I have also learned a few major disadvantages to being doing the ol' web cam thing:

- They can see just how fat you have become

- They can COMMENT on just how fat you have become

- You can't pee, do the dishes, or otherwise multi-task, while you're talking to someone on a web cam.

- It's harder to come up with a bullshit reason why you "gotta go," if they can see that you have jack all happening

- Other than the whole fat thing, your family can see if you have a bad hair day, are wearing nothing but a towel, or some crap stuck in your teeth

- Normal pauses in conversation just sorta feel weird when you're staring the other person in the eye. You feel kinda obligated to say something - anything - so you're not both sitting there like dorks

- 2 adults and 3 children do NOT fit on our office chair, but they DO fit in the screen of the web cam so my family can see us all at once before the chair collapses

- Adults seem to think small children are performing seals and web cams are the best platform on which to show off their children's tricks

- The stress you feel when your kid doesn't perform is not helped by the fact that you can't tell your kid off, poke them in the ribs to perform, or otherwise hiss, "COME ON! Sing, dammnt!" -- because you have loads of people watching you abuse your poor seal (kid.)

Overall the whole thing is a lot of fun, and I think it will really make a difference to how my family and I communicate. One of the suckiest things about them being so far away is that I don't get to see the things they do, I don't get to watch my nieces and nephew grow up, and I just feel like I miss out on that sort of stuff. Now, thanks to a camera and wireless technology, my parents table will always be set with one more space - for a small member of the family named "Logitech."

By the way, you can find me on Skype via the SkypeName 'emzeegee' if you want to say hello. I'm am left wondering one thing, though: when will the novelty of sticking my tongue out and wiggling my fingers with my thumbs stuck in my ears wear off?

I'm hoping for never.