In response to the pandemic, we at Radio Milwaukee launched our "Wanna Grab Coffee?" series -- 30-minute virtual hangouts scheduled for every weekday. But we quickly learned what "Zoom fatigue" is and slowly decreased that number to two per week -- "Talkin' Bout it Tuesday" and "Whatcha Watchin' Wednesday" -- which are still going strong!
It's hard to describe what these groups have meant to me during this pandemic (because they have meant SO MUCH), so I asked some of my new friends to describe what "Talkin' Bout it Tuesday" and "Whatcha Watchin' Wednesday" have meant to them.
"Talkin' Bout it Tuesday has been a staple of my week, almost every week during the pandemic. I look forward to Tuesdays at 4 p.m., knowing that I can catch up with people whose lives I've watched change over the past year. Having that sense of connection with people I may not have otherwise gotten to know is such a special thing, and a bright spot during a difficult time for so many."
-Sammi Ditloff, Milwaukee, WI
"Talkin' Bout it Tuesday is a hidden gem that I found during the pandemic. Every time, I have so much fun. I feel welcomed and, above all, it is so meaningful to be able to share so many things that each of us has done while at home."
-Chayoung Fretz, Miami, FL
"It's funny how I describe Whatcha Watchin' Wednesday to my friends. I say it's my "movie club," but it has evolved into so much more than that through the Slack channel. Through Radio Milwaukee, I've been able to reconnect with my Wisconsin roots in a way that makes Wisconsin so enjoyable for me... This has been such a fun way of meeting people I would normally never interact with due to living in different cities..."
-Helen Teague, Minneapolis, MN
"...While we've been stuck at home, like most people we have been watching more movies and TV and having this outlet of smart, informed, funny people, who have legitimately become friends, has been invaluable. There are (at least) dozens of messages every day on our dedicated Slack channel, which has evolved beyond just discussing movies and TV, but not includes music, books, food, and other stuff. My wife, without having attended any of the calls, knows everyone's name in the group and asks me how the call went every Wednesday evening..."
-Clint Urbach, Franklin, WI