Over the past few months I’ve been trying different things with SeltzertopiaLive! online. Last September I created a completely new seltzer talk for the New York Adventure Club, with no overlap with my standard SeltzertopiaLive! It focuses on weaving together the history of NYC with that of seltzer. It was really fun to put together and deliver (two screen shots below).

Last night, however, helped me to connect Seltzertopia past with present. I had a number of talks scheduled for last spring that were put on hold due to the pandemic. One location – the Plainview Jewish Center on Long Island – rescheduled to be delivered online. While I have adapted it during the pandemic for the New York Adventure Club, those were not in Zoom. I could neither see nor hear the audience, which was hard.

This time, however, I had full control over the experience. I used Zoom and encouraged all to keep their cameras on, and often their audio, and it was amazing to watch their beaming faces and hear their laughter.

It also meant I could see something rather remarkable. I expected everyone in my audience to be listening from their comfort – and safety – of their homes. But one person was wearing a mask. It became clear over time she was in a hospital, and occasionally we could see handling syringes.

During the Q&A I was so thankful she asked a question so I could ask HER what was going on. It turned out she was at work, at a hospital, giving out COVID-19 shots. She had been working for the best 16 HOURS (!!!) and was tuning in during her dinner break. You can see her just after 1 hour, 13 minutes in the video below (or watch the entire presentation if you like). Connecting with her and the others in the audience reminded me why I enjoy giving this talk so much, and the importance of making connections during the era of Covid.