Zooming in on Domestic Life

For some folks those unscripted moments during a Zoom call are the highlights of the meeting, if not of the entire day or week. You know the sort of thing I mean: the cat starts knocking everything off a nearby shelf in an effort to get your attention RIGHT NOW; the too-helpful toddler tries to move the cat out of the way for you - by dragging it by the tail like a pull-toy or picking it up in a clumsy choke-hold.

As I may have mentioned before, I quite like getting a peek at the bookshelves in people's home offices or seeing live-action views of their kids, if not au naturel then certainly more believable than some of the stiffly posed photos you may have seen on their desks at work.

But if you're trying to maintain a certain degree of authority, gravitas and professional presence, then perhaps you don't really want real life to happen while you're busy making other plans.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, whole new classes of image consultants have sprung up. Here are a few excerpts from an e-mail that Etsy sent me a few days ago:


Special finds for your virtual video call

Virtual video-call backdrops have their advantages: setting the mood for monthly themed happy hours, instantly camouflaging that clutter corner you didn’t get to. But don’t overlook the possibility of improving your on-screen scene with items you can also enjoy when offline.

Change your backdrop

Add some style

Mugs

Wall decor


Or if you happen to be an elementary school teacher, this might make a great poster for your virtual classroom:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/857263819/emotions-and-feelings-faces-masks-kids?ref=reviews

Pandemic-era telecommuting is giving way to a whole new organizational culture!