I've realized during my remote work that non-verbal communication is the best way to say nothing. This was counter-intuitive, as I've long felt 'non-verbal' meant replacement - words becoming gestures, postures, or eye contact. But I was only describing options - if someone can't see me nod, I can always just say "yes". What I mean is literally saying nothing - silence.
It's easy to communicate silence in person; it's our natural state. It's almost impossible on Zoom; is your connection unstable? I feel like the guy who had to invent zero; the road to hell is paved with thumbs-up emojis. For now, I'm stuck stupidly announcing "I have nothing to say" like a news anchor thrown off by a glitching teleprompter; it beats watching my days disappear in five or ten minute chunks as I proofread, edit, and sweeten my email nothings.
