Sunday, August 6, 2023

A FIRST

      You'd think that when you get to my age that you have seen everything and done everything. Not so! 

      So I had a first yesterday and for a little old boy from the boonies there will be more. I remember going to Chicago and getting a neck ache from looking up at the tall buildings. 

     However, yesterday was the first time I used live streaming. I know live streaming is common and there are things I could find interesting using live streaming but I'd never had occasion to explore.

     However, my sister in law passed away last week and her celebration of life was yesterday. Since there were many people who could not attend they live streamed the service. I did not attend so the streaming was good for me. 

     My sister in law was a salt of the earth kind of person. She was calm, cool and collected. If stuff had to be done it just got done and no whining about it. My sister in law was one of the last of  snail mail letter writers. Every Christmas we got a long hand written letter. We always looked forward to her letters. Many other friends and relatives got a long letter. 

    I was disappointed with the quality of camera and sound . The camera was set up focused on the stage and was not changed. You couldn't see any people Not even mourners. The sound was also poor. 

   Though limited , we had some participation of the celebration of life service. 

44 comments:

  1. Covid really changed this, who would have live streamed a funeral before covid?
    I think it's wonderful. My mum's family are all in new Zealand and it's not possible to go there every time a relative dies but I have been able to attend a few via live stream.
    Many people who would like to pay their last respects are now able to participate when they wouldn't have otherwise

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    1. I was pleased when they told us it would be live streamed as I could be there in some way.

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  2. I'm sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. It sounds to me that, as the last of the letter-writers, she might have been dismayed that her life be celebrated through live-streaming. I attended my aunt's funeral last week and the service was streamed by the church, meaning that her many relatives across the world could join in to some extent. Mind you, I had trouble hearing everything and I was right there! I still have many "firsts" waiting to be accomplished which my younger friends find unbelievable: I've never been to a Starbucks, have never watched a Star Trek film and have yet to buy a Smartphone.

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    1. John, we're in the same class. Some day we'll get the gizmos.

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  3. Very sorry to learn of your sister-in-law’s passing. I have only participated in one live streaming event, that of a wedding in 2020.

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    1. Thanks. There's more streaming than I knew about.

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  4. At least it would give you the feeling of being there in spirit Red.

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    1. It was good .The only thing is that you didn't get to see the people. I only got one small glimpse of my brother.

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  5. Hello,
    The live streaming of a funeral service is new to me. Sorry for the loss of your SIL. Prayers for you and your family.

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    1. Thanks. the live streaming is great when you can't get there.

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  6. So sad when we lose dear friends and family. It's good you were able to be there in some fashion, though. Sorry it wasn't a better experience for you.

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    1. Her quality of life deteriorated very quickly .

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  7. You/ we have lived through a lot of changes. Our first phone was party line.

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    1. Yes, party line and a crank to ring a signal. Yes, you could listen in on other conversations.

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  8. I'm always like a tourist when I visit downtown Chicago and I live in the Chicago suburbs! So much to see!
    Too bad you were disappointed in the live stream but at least you got to participate in your own way. I think live streaming like that became very popular during Covid. I did an exercise class that way back then.

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    1. So like everything else it has it's good and bad sides.

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  9. Sorry to hear of the loos of your SIL. We are never too old to learn!

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    1. Thanks. I'm sure we have many more things to learn.

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  10. It's good that you were able to stream the funeral even though the audio and visual weren't all that clear. May your sister-in-law's memory be for a blessing.

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    1. Thank you she was a very influential woman

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  11. I am so sorry for your loss. It's a shame your first time was not as good as it good have been. We did weeks with the grandies on live video, as I am sure you know. It was tricky.

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    1. Thanks. all these things take some experience to get the hang of it.

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  12. Sorry for your loss. Live streaming is great when you can't physically attend.

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    1. Thank you. It was good to be right there.

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  13. Well, it's too bad the streaming wasn't better quality, but good you could "attend" even virtually. My uncle's funeral in Virginia was streamed early this year and it was nice for me to be able to attend that way. Otherwise I would have missed it.

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    1. Yes , it was good to be there in live streaming form.

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  14. I have live streamed a funeral with the same experience as you. Apparently whoever sets up the camera points it at the speaker's podium, turns it on and then goes outside to smoke.

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    1. That's exactly what happened here . the camera was set and left. No zooming in . No showing people. I had one small glimpse of my brother.

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  15. Very sorry to learn of your sister-in-law’s passing. I've never streamed an event but know how to do it.

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  16. My sympathy to you. Always hard to lose a family member. We find live streaming church is great for us, no germs or ladies with horrid perfume:) Our church got a new system a while back and it is much better sound wise than the old system

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  17. Sorry to hear of your sister-in-law. Certainly many "old-fashioned" things are better. Maybe the funeral home needs to be told of the poor quality of their streaming. I just attended a funeral, physically present in the service, and the pre-recorded 4 songs were so bad and soft that I'm not sure anyone could hear them. That subdued the emotions for sure. Remember the better times. Linda in Kansas

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  18. Live streaming is a good way to bridge the miles to be able to "attend" an important occasion when you can't be there. I attended my grandson's HS graduation that way during the pandemic.

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    1. It would have been pretty empty without the live streaming.

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  19. A shame the streaming was poor. But, you were there!

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  20. Yes it was well worth the effort to be there.

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  21. So sorry for your family's loss Red. I'm glad you could at least feel a part of the service even if the live streaming was not the best.

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  22. Was your sister-in-law's funeral back here in South Yorkshire Red?

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  23. I’m sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. The innovations in our life time are pretty amazing, aren’t they. During Covid we were able to watch some great professional performances, thanks to live streaming. Music, dance, lectures we never would have been able to travel to, even in normal times. Not quite like being there in person, but certainly good to watch!

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  24. I am sorry to hear of your sister's passing, Red. My condolences to your family.

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  25. I don't do well with funerals. When my father died in April, I couldn't attend, as I was very sick.

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  26. My condolences, Red. Live streaming is better than nothing, if distance or infirmities or illness keep us from being there in person. One misses the fellowship, though.

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  27. sorry for your loss dear Red!
    your sister in law sounds like my kind of person ,may she rest in peace amen!
    live streaming of a funeral sounds something latest abou which i am totally unaware

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