Hunkering Down

First, let me thank all those that asked me about my diet, mentioned in last week’s article. The app, MyNetDiary, worked well for me and I have lost the 8 pounds I wanted to in just over two weeks. Not eating in as many restaurants as I used to has made my food choices simpler, which usually means leaner. In case you missed last week’s article, you can see it on my website, photosNtravel.com, or thestandardnewspaper.ca. Friends of ours have the perfect solution for dinner get-togethers during these times of ‘different’ social measures. Their idea was simple: we set up our iPads at the end of the dining room table and order take away food from either the same restaurant or in their case, because they live two hours away, the same type of food. With the wine chilled and the appetizers ready to go, we each turn our tablets on at the same time and connected using FaceTime or Google Duo. We start in the family room, munching on some yummy appetizers, although their salmon spread looked more delicious than what I was munching on. After an hour of ‘catching up,’ we moved to the dining room to begin our meal and more great conversation. The food is delicious, and talking with friends, while we are eating, is relaxing. As the conversation eventually drifts away from this dreaded virus, we speak about other interesting things, just like we used to. There are some challenges in using this technology. Depending on your internet speed, the lag time could be a second or so, which seems to work out, once people realize how it works. You may find a tablet a bit too small after a while, but our friends are investigating an adapter that allows you to stream to your TV. I would just mirror or Chromecast my tablet to the TV. The benefits are great: a chance to catch up with friends, a way to enjoy a good meal that is different from the recent routine, and a unique way to spend an evening. But yes, you do have to shower and change from your jammies. Jonathan van Bilsen is a television host, published author, award-winning photographer and keynote speaker. Watch his new show ‘ photosNtravel’ on Rogers TV, the Standard online and YouTube.