Lights, Camera, Skype!

      When I first heard the word
"Skype" I figured it was some
kind of fish. Probably salt water!
      Or maybe a new exclamation
phrase like Wow!
      Imagine my surprise when I
learned it was another evolution
in the world of personal
communications!
      First there were drums. Then
smoke signals. Then letters. Then
the telegraph. Then the telephone.
Then emails and Facebook. And
now, Skype!
      I don't remember who first told
me about Skype. But I'm glad they
did!
     When you subscribe to Skype
you can use your computer and its
web camera to talk with and SEE friends
who are also members.
      And it's free!
      I often use it to contact an old friend
in upstate New York.
      But I don't think its impact really
hit me till I made a Skype call to his
daughter one day to see how he was
doing.
     Turns out she wasn't at his house.
     She was answering the call from
Italy! She was on a vacation
trip with her aunt!
      The picture, from across the
Atlantic, was  as clear as you would
see on any of the TV shows you
might be watching. Come to think of
it..it was better than some TV shows
I have watched!
      Of course, since there is a
picture, one has to make sure
they're 'decent' when the calls are
being made or received.
      I always make sure I comb my
hair!
      That's a given!
      TV News is using Skype more
and more as a way of getting video
interviews on the air without having
to wait to get a camera crew to some
very out of the way places.
      TV cameramen should pay
special attention to that as their days
may be numbered.
      On Saturday our Pastor conducted
a wedding ceremony in which Skype
played an important role. The bride
was from Ireland and her family was
unable to make the trip to the U.S.
      Thanks to Skype, however, her
family was able to watch the ceremony
from their own home and offer
congratulations through the computer
link!
       Think I'll comb my hair and call my
buddy!
        Hope you're keeping in touch with
old friends be it through letters, or phone
calls or Skype and that all the NEWS
you're sharing is good!