Missing Your Friends, But Tired Of Video Chat? How One Group Of Pals Is Beating Zoom Fatigue

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Zoom fatigue. It's one of those phrases that might end up in the dictionary some day. It's the drain many of us feel from video call after video call, but not the people you're about to meet.

CBS 2 Morning Insider Lauren Victory takes us inside their cheery chats.

They're a giggly group that goes back 40 years.

"We can talk about nothing," Phyllis Cole said.

"And have a good time doing it," June Alexander said.

Their favorite tradition: New Year's Day brunch. They've started more than 20 years together side-by-side, except for 2021.

"I'm not going to say who, but someone said, 'Maybe we can get together,' and some others are like <gasp>!" Alexander said.

Instead, they took their brunch party to Zoom, which has been functioning like their adult treehouse since last May.

"I enjoy the critiques of whatever people are watching," Mike Bright said.

The old friends have been using the new technology every week for almost 12 months.

"We knew each other for 40 years. And then you learn even more about people like, 'Oh I thought I knew that about you,'" Brenda Henderson said.

Henderson also schedules weekly Zoom calls with family members, and meets with a movie group that dressed up for last year's Oscars.

"I wasn't working all last year and I live alone. I have no family here. So the group's kind of doing this gave me something to do, and maybe know what day it was each week," she said.

Are you worn out by video calls? No mercy from this group.

"Are they really your friends?" Alexander said.

Ouch.

But don't get them wrong. The old pals are counting the days until it's safe to chuck their screens for in-person chuckles.

"I'd have to put pants on," Victor Allen said.