A week had gone by since MiLady and Nostalgia learned of Donny Osmond being at the FGS 2015 Conference in Salt Lake City, and my poor ears were still ringing!
As I waited eagerly and impatiently for further news to relate of February’s super session for genealogists, I began hoping that reactions this time would be of a far-less life-threatening nature to my well-being.
When I finally did receive the next bit of news, I was all excited and a little disappointed, as well.
Hangouts On Air with FGS Ambassadors
Yes, I have heard of hangouts. DearMYRTLE has been hosting them on Mondays since the beginning of Time – and always makes them look so easy! I have managed to listen in on a few, but have not braved beyond that!
But, my concern was not that, really. I have absolutely no working knowledge of how HOAs work. It was evident that I would need a crash course before the first session on November 6th.
So, once again, I made light conversation – or was it a mistake? – at the dinner table.
“Dear’st,” I called across the table to my favourite girl, “may I borrow your headset next week?”
[NOTE: MiLady works for the provincial health services in electronic media learning development. She does voice-overs and creates interactive training aids and visuals daily.]
A puzzled wide-eyed look returned my gaze.
“The Conference is conducting monthly chats upon the first Thursday of every month leading up to it,” I replied. “The first one is on November sixth.”
“Do you have a web-cam?” she asked.
Proudly I answered in the positive.
“Do you know where it is?” she continued with a wry smile and a raised eyebrow.
“No.” I said curtly, looking down at my empty plate.
My wife’s smile grew wider as she wiped away a couple of tears.
“Okay, you can use mine,” she said but then she quickly paused. “Have you used them before?”
———————–
After dinner was cleared, MiLady gave me on-the-spot instruction on the proper use of her equipment.
Lesson One – the headset-microphone
“Okay,” my better half announced, as I sat before my desktop computer. “I have asked Nostalgia to assist with this lesson. She is upstairs on a twin set waiting for you to speak with her.”
“Do I have to?” I said dejectedly, “I thought I’d be speaking with you?”
MiLady shook her head, saying something about tea in China and being unable to teach and converse with me at the same time.
After adjusting the mobile technology on my head, she gave me a thumb’s up.
“Say something,” she told me.
“Something?” I asked. “Something like what?”
“Hull-ew, is usually a good start, Rabbit!” a familiar voice blurted out but was barely audible through my computer speakers due to a blaring feedback hum.
“Hello?” I had asked to my computer screen.
“Yes, Dearie! Hull-ew, I say,” Nostalgia was ecstatic, but MiLady shut off my speakers and told me that I should be able to hear her through the headset.
“Hello?” I asked again into the emptiness.
MiLady stood at my left side and watched as I sat perfectly still.
“Well?” she impatiently asked. “Has Gia said anything?”
“No,” I sulked, “The anti-social Old Battle-Axe won’t talk to me!”
As my soul-mate carefully removed the headset to give it a closer inspection, a long cackle of superlatives (half of which I have not heard in over 45 years, and none that I shall repeat here), suddenly blasted from the single ear-piece!
“Hold on, Nostalgia!” MiLady winced as she called into the microphone. “It’s my bad. I forgot he’s deaf in his right ear. Give me a moment, will you, please?”
Flipping the microphone and re-adjusting the headset, my girl smiled and told me to try again.
I cupped the ear-piece over my left ear, closed my eyes and took a sharp breath in.
“Hello!” I announced proudly. “My name is Rabbit, may I take your order?”
The woman with the matching ring to mine shook her head. “Silly, Rabbit, you’re on your own. I need a drink!”
“Would you like fries with that, Ma’am?” I chimed, as she face-palmed and left the room.
“Hull-ew? Hull-ew?” the other familiar voice cried out through the headset. “Is ANYONE there?!? Hull-eewwww!”
“I’m sorry,” I smiled wickedly. “All of our operators are currently busy; but your call is important to us, so, please remain on the line and …”