The Virtual Family Reunion.

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Der Paschen Hof

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By, Uwe Paschen.

The virtual Family reunion.

 Yesterday was my Mothers Birthday and with only my Brother, Sister in law and nephews leaving with her nowadays due to the fact that most of us are scattered around the Globe, in North Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Asia as well as one in Australia. It is becoming increasingly difficult to have us all together at the same time for weddings, Birthdays or simply for the fun of it.

 Now that most of her grand children are in University this sort of gathering is becoming a logistic nightmare for all, as well as a financial one and an environmental one since it is not easy to manage such endeavour and remain carbon neutral. That takes some serious planning and actions to ensure carbon neutral life stiles and still being able to use a jet engine every few years.

 Now, we are still far away for Star Trek technology and can not yet just beam up or down, at least not in a way that we may still be in one piece and functioning living human beings. Even though the first beam to transport an inert simple molecule across the Danube was successfully done, it is still a long way from doing the same with highly complex life forms. Maybe with in the next 50 years or so.

 There for my Brother and I set out to make her wish to see us all again a reality as best as we could. We set a time for a coffee and cake birthday party at 13:00 Wester European time and synchronised this with all family member and friends around the Globe. Had all load up the same programs and set an identical coffee and cake table up in their homes for symbolic reasons.

 All her Grand children, Children, in laws, cousins, siblings and friends where notified and coached into the latest technological possibilities of video conferencing. Using portable cameras placed on 3 points in each place or room with a virtual tour of each place as well.

 My brother was in charge of setting up the screens so that all could be seen simultaneously wish took some borrowing of screens from neighbours and his kids.

Mind you, it is still very different from holograms and hopefully those will be possible in the near future. However it was the best we could do with today’s commercially available technology.

 My mother was flabbergasted to be able to see every one and talk to them all at once from around the World. The virtual tour of each place was the icing on the cake so to speak and we all had a rather good two hours of video conferencing with coffee and the traditional Paschen birthday cake.

 A tost to the birthday child and a promises we shall make this a new tradition for all birthdays to come for all member of our family so that we may still be able to share part of each others lifes and stay in touch regardless of the distances and circumstances keeping us apart.

 Further, it is a great way to help keep a carbon neutral life stile. Now if we could only get those holograms working and make it almost real, that would be the next step and maybe by her next birthday, we will be able to do so as well. The hugs and kisses are however not yet possible this way. Still wishing.