As close to work as I get

[bill_schubert]

Today is as close to work as I get now days.  I've got two Zoom calls with the kids assigned to me in my role as CASA and I've been putting them off as long as possible.  While I'm fairly good at writing I suck at communication by phone.  Or Zoom.  And the less I do the more I hate it.  Back when I owned my business I talked on the phone a lot and kind of got used to it.  But as much as I like these three kids, talking to them is excruciating.  

My father could pick up a phone and ask the right questions and have a full conversation for an hour with someone who he had never met.  He called me every week or so while I was in school (away at prep school and then college).  He'd track me down and we'd talk.  I'm sure I was awful to talk to and monosyllabic whenever possible but he could somehow ask the right questions and he'd elicit information I had no intention of sharing.

Unfortunately he kept that talent to himself.  I got none of it.  My sleep last night and my morning today have been rather stupidly full of dread.  I've had one of two of the Zoom calls and it was not good.  The boys didn't want to be there, didn't want to talk and I never managed to get them going in a conversation.  Not a huge deal.  The object of the drill is for me to see them and verify their health and safety but it would have been nice to be able to draw them out a little bit.

Ah, well.  I'm earning my money as an unpaid volunteer today.

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Comments

[sleepybadger.livejournal.com]

One of my cousins was great at talking. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, at any time, in any location. He had three brothers, all of whom are monosyllabic most of the time. I was always impressed just watching him randomly making friends anywhere we went. I can communicate MUCH better in writing than I can verbally. Sorry the first Zoom didn't go well. Hopefully the second one does!

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I envy people with that ability

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I was on the opposite end of the father-son difficulty in communicating. My father would run out of things to say to me after 5 minutes. I don't respond to car talk and we couldn't discuss politics. Very short chats with dad as a result.