For the technologically fearful (that’s me, baby) this leap into the 21st century has carried a decade of shiver-inducing New Things To Learn. But can I say? I love texting.
Oh. I do.
For a lot of years, I have been a vocal proponent of email over telephone. Because, hey — if I can give you the information you requested at your ungodly hour (any time after 10:00 p.m.) at my own ungodly hour (between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m.) then everyone wins. And I love when everyone wins.
But text? Oh, text. I love you. And I would love to kiss the face of the clever person who invented you.
Here’s why.
I love my Kids. So much. And as they get older, they still like me, too. But they spend a lot more time away from here than they used to. I love to be able to sneak my way into their lives for a quick moment, whenever I feel like it, just to tell them something that started as a normal mom-message and was auto-corrected into the most bizarre mystery of the day.[1] Some day I’ll share with you some of the intended vs. received messages we’ve done lately. Proofreaders, beware. It may be painful. [2]
Also, I love that people can tell me something really fast, in not-very-many-words, and I can respond or not, as the mood strikes me.
And it’s instant (unless you have the Wrong Phone Plan, as I once did, when messages would arrive 24 hours later… but we remedied that by having Kid 2 take my phone to DC with her and leave it there. Forever. At Arlington Cemetery, because we’re nothing if not appropriate.)
And people are clever and send texts that make me laugh.
And we all know how I love to laugh.
Also I love love notes, in the middle of meetings (mine or Husband’s).
And saying, ‘Hey, Kid, I’m here to pick you up,’ without getting out of the air-conditioned car.
And the messages that say, “I’m inside the store. What do you need?” Oh, I love those.
Not to even mention emoticons, of which there are more than I would ever care to try to learn. My favorite is this one ;>}. (the ever-popular “winking face with beak, smirk, and chin-mole”) or this one .{<; (“upside-down winking face with beak, smirk, and chin-mole” which carries a bit more of the sinister with it…)
HEY! LET’S HAVE A CONTEST! Comment with your best emoticon. And a description of what it is. Do it. You know you want to. I’ll send the winner a book. (One I wrote, your choice.) [4]
Don’t you love it when I let my stream of consciousness dictate my blog posts?
So anyway, today I shall virtually kiss the face of the inventor of TEXT MESSAGING. Ready?
:*
*Mwah*
—
[1] I am well aware that the iPhone is too much tech for me. I know it. This knowledge does not make me love it any less.
[2] Because, really? Who puts the “send” button right where the delete key goes? Who? Who does that? Nobody who’s getting his face kissed, that’s who. [3]
[3]… but wouldn’t it be ironic if that was the same guy who invented texting? Wouldn’t it?
[4] United States or Canada only. Contest closes Sunday at midnight (hahahahahah!) or when I get up early on Monday morning. Winner will be chosen by a panel of experts (who live in my house).
(18) Comments for this blog
I too LOVE texting. I think it works a lot better than most forms of communication(usually). I use emoticons a lot…like, way more than is reasonable. I think the one I use the most is just the normal smiley, but I like this one too. –> ;P (winky face with tongue out)
Thanks for the contest! 🙂
I too LOVE texting. I think it works a lot better than most forms of communication(usually). I use emoticons a lot…like, way more than is reasonable. I think the one I use the most is just the normal smiley, but I like this one too. –> ;P (winky face with tongue out)
Thanks for the contest! 🙂
I don’t know if this will work…
—— __o
—– _\ (,
— (_)/(_)
I don’t know if this will work…
—— __o
—– _\ (,
— (_)/(_)
Hey! It kinda did. It’s a road biker, see it? It’s kinda spread out horizontally. Does that even count as an emoticon? Can riding a bike be considered an emotion? I’d like to say something about what a passionate biker I am… but that would just be silly :>}
Hey! It kinda did. It’s a road biker, see it? It’s kinda spread out horizontally. Does that even count as an emoticon? Can riding a bike be considered an emotion? I’d like to say something about what a passionate biker I am… but that would just be silly :>}
My kids are the pros at texting, but I love adding emotion to posts I write in emails and such. Like = O or :O (shocked or surprised). =°°( (sad). =D (BIG smile!)
My kids are the pros at texting, but I love adding emotion to posts I write in emails and such. Like = O or :O (shocked or surprised). =°°( (sad). =D (BIG smile!)
I want to play but I don’t know any cool emoticons. I just barely learned how to do a text wink.
But OH do I love texts. LOVE!
I want to play but I don’t know any cool emoticons. I just barely learned how to do a text wink.
But OH do I love texts. LOVE!
Uh, wordpress just did something super crazy to my comment. But I’ll leave it at:
Melanie wuz here.
Uh, wordpress just did something super crazy to my comment. But I’ll leave it at:
Melanie wuz here.
Nevermind. I guess it went through. I’m so confused.
Nevermind. I guess it went through. I’m so confused.
I am in the middle of my weekly social media check-in/email response and saw this contest. I’m nothing if not competitive, so here’s my attempt.
~(8(|) – Homer Simpson
:-.) – Cindy Crawford
Also, while considering emoticons, I offer the following:
At the end of a sentence (or clause, or abbreviation), the following indicates a positive 🙂 while this connotes a negative 🙁
However, this confuses me (:
In English, we read from left to right and I submit that our emoticons should follow the same convention. !noisufnoc fo ksir eht nur ew ,esiwrehtO 😉
I am in the middle of my weekly social media check-in/email response and saw this contest. I’m nothing if not competitive, so here’s my attempt.
~(8(|) – Homer Simpson
:-.) – Cindy Crawford
Also, while considering emoticons, I offer the following:
At the end of a sentence (or clause, or abbreviation), the following indicates a positive 🙂 while this connotes a negative 🙁
However, this confuses me (:
In English, we read from left to right and I submit that our emoticons should follow the same convention. !noisufnoc fo ksir eht nur ew ,esiwrehtO 😉
Emoticons just might not ever cross the generational (or is it the 2ndary sexual characteristic?) divide.
Emoticons just might not ever cross the generational (or is it the 2ndary sexual characteristic?) divide.