Skype and other technology

The Long Suffering Husband is cross with me.

The problem is that I DO NOT like Skype. It has great benefits.  It's free and you can see the person you are talking to.  The problem comes because you get a little picture of yourself in the corner of the screen and it's not a flattering picture.

My daughter has gone to university and The LSH thought that Skype would be the ideal way to stay in touch.  I was quite happy with Facebook, Twitter, texting and the phone but he doesn't do 'social media' and rarely uses his mobile phone.  I did get a text the other night when he was out drinking.  It said, "11.30", which was the time he wanted picking up.  His friends thought it would be funny to text, "I love you soooooo much," but obviously I knew that was too many words for him.  For some reason, though, he loves Skype.

On her first night she had a bit too much to drink and ended up coming home in a Police car.  It's not quite as bad as it sounds.  She has blogged about it herself and you can read it here:
 Her blog about her first night.

 Also, she hasn't drunk since so maybe she has already learnt a lesson (the first of many she'll have, while living away from home.)  My friend I met on my first day in halls just sent me a message, saying that my daughter made us look like amateurs in our student days.  That might be true but I can't really remember, so maybe without social media and cameras that didn't turn everything blurred and fuzzy, the alcohol really did take it's toll.  I do remember nearly burning the kitchen down with everlasting birthday candles on a cake (does my whole life revolve around cake?), while doing vodka slammers.

On the Sunday, we Skyped.  It was really hard.  It was difficult to see her looking rough, and sick with a cracking hangover and not even being able to give her a hug.  She doesn't need a hug now.  She has settled in brilliantly, is really excited to start her course but I don't want to Skype.  This morning I walked into school and three people told me I looked rough.  It's true.  I have a cold.  It's probably the worst cold I've had in years and I look and sound terrible. I have joked that it is Fresher's Flu and I've caught it by looking at all the photos on Facebook and Twitter.

Skype adds wrinkles I really don't have.  Honestly, I'm not a vain person, but I don't need the extra lines on my face.  It also makes you look paler than normal and it puts dark circles under your eyes that would rival the very cute pandas in Edinburgh zoo.  If I was going to use Skype tonight I would have to get a full make up on (and I rarely wear make up) to try to disguise just how rough I actually look.