Uncanny Valley

by Anna Wiener

At the start of these meetings, I would log in and lean into my laptop, enjoying the camaraderie and warmth of a team. For an hour, my studio would fill with laughter and chatter, conversation tripping when the software stalled or delayed. Then I would stand up, stretch, tape back over my laptop camera, and open the curtains—adjusting to the silence, alone in my room.