Most people have had days when a certain song stuck in their brain. Lately I keep hearing words from the title of a Beatles song “You Won’t See Me.” Prophetic lyrics for a time of virtual governance.
I really admire all the different professions and organizations that have done yeoman’s work in making the best of a difficult situation. School teachers and students have had to quickly adjust to new forms of education delivery. The use of telemedicine has expanded for those in the medical profession. Church clergy have learned to deliver sermons in front of a camera instead of a congregation. Even family and class reunions have used an alternative method of communication to replace personal contact.
I really don’t want to get used to this period of virtuality. I acknowledge the short-term benefits. Meetings, conferences, and business decisions for the most part have been conducted by a number of modes of teleconferencing. Zoom, Skype and Teams are common tools in the virtual world for having meetings without being physically present or as the song that stuck in my head kept saying “you won’t see me.”
Personally, it hasn’t been that bad. Many have said I have the looks made for audio. With that and the inability to sing, I never reached stardom. Virtuality has allowed me to sit in the comfort of my home and be involved in business and informational meetings. If it happens to be an early morning conference call I can dial in, sip on my coffee, and stay comfy in my KC Royals sweat pants and bunny slippers. I may even have time to stir up a batch of cookies and pop them in the oven, ready just in time for meeting adjournment.
In perspective, this alternate era of communication has created the challenge of being outward-looking and discovering self-renewal. I just don’t want to get overly familiar with it.
Terry Hobbs is the board president for Kansas Electric Coopertives, Inc. He is also a member of Western Cooperative Electric’s Board of Trustees in Wakeeney.