Do you text, or txt, message? If you are under the age of 30 you probably do and don’t think twice about it. If you are over the age of 30 you probably struggle a bit with the whole thing.
I do text message. Reluctantly. I don’t really like to but in some cases it is the only way to communicate with people in my little world. My son has a cell phone but the school scrambles the phone lines during classes. They aren’t able to do the same with text messaging. So if I want to get a message to him during the day I have to text him. Ex#2 is not allowed to talk on his phone during work so I also have to text him if I need to get a message to him. My brother just prefers to use text messaging so if I want to talk to him I have to text him to call me.
I am one of those people who writes out every word in a text message. This is probably why I don’t care to do it all that often. typing with one or two fingers on a tiny little screen takes patience and concentration, two things I lack.
Today I had to text Ex#2 to remind him to take our daughter to an after school activity.
Me: Will you take M to her music lesson today after school? Let me know, thanks, J
His response: k
Just “k”. Presumably that means “okay” but who knows, he could have hit the keypad incorrectly and sent it off on accident. Not likely but you never know. This is my baby and I want to know that she is “k” at all times. I don’t think communicating in English is such a bad thing. Lord knows her father and I don’t communicate all that well to begin with so I don’t think I am asking too much.
Of course I am, that’s probably the biggest contributing reason we are divorced, we are not able to communicate, but I can always hope can’t I?
My son is a different story altogether. I text him something in full English and he knows he must respond the same way or I will not respond to his text messages in the future. I have taught him well, if I do say so myself.
Me: Did you hand in that note I gave you to the office today?
Him: Yes, mom. I did it as soon as I arrived to school.
Me: Thank you, honey.
Him: You are welcome, mother.
There might be a little sarcasm in his text messages but since I can’t hear his tone of voice I am assuming he is just a lovely and polite son.
He doesn’t text this way to his friends. He is bilingual.
Him: r u driving 2 robotics?
Friend: no rn’t u?
I can’t even make a decent example of real text messaging. My fingers and my brain just won’t get on the same page, but you get the drift.
I know why I can’t text like a teenager. I’m not one. I learned how to type in 7th grade with all the other girls in my class. Boys didn’t need to learn how to type since they would have women to do that for them. I type faster than I think. This should be obvious if you have read any of my posts or comments. I get ahead of myself and if someone talks to me while I am typing I have to hit the backspace key until I find where my thoughts were interrupted.
In my head I can’t make the switch to text messaging lingo. I can’t say R when I mean “Are”.
I blame Prince and his Revolution for this. He started using U instead of “you” decades ago. His song “I Would Die for U” is probably the first record of text messaging making it into everyday language, and we didn’t even have text messaging back then.
Damn you Prince.
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I refuse to text or tweet or twitter. I don’t know what they are and I just won’t learn.
.-= Linda Medrano´s last blog ..Here’s Your Sign =-.
I don’t text. OK, that is a lie, I do text a little, but rarely. When I text I do it in regular English. I always worry that if I abbreviate too much, no one will understand what I am saying. God forbid my words of wisdom are forever lost because someone doesn’t understand me.
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Random Snow Day Thoughts =-.
My mother just started texting last month and she is 50. I was so proud of her. She still really won’t go on a computer though. LOL
And even though I am of the younger generation, I hate hate hate hate how they do that crazy spelling. Please spell correctly, it may even help you on your English test!
.-= Alison´s last blog ..Free ZonePerfect Sample =-.
You crack me up. I laughed though this whole post. I can do you one better. I don’t even have a cell phone and have never, ever text anyone. I’m not going to either. I just figured out that I’m really old, and I like it.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
.-= Comedy Plus´s last blog ..Meeting Gray Davis =-.
I only use texting to communicate with my kids. Oh, and I’m lucky–my major texter is an aspiring writer, who thinks text speak is unacceptable. So I get real words. Gotta love it.
.-= The Mother´s last blog ..The Great Texas Science Panic =-.
I started texting to be able to communicate with my high school students. Now my wife and I text to each other and it’s great.
I do my own version of short hand even though I took typing in high school too. Yes, I just dated myself. No, I don’t mean, I went out on a date with myself…..well….hmm……OK, I’m off track.
c u (means, “See you”)
.-= One of The Guys´s last blog ..Question/Answer:Making Up =-.
Hope you feel better Redhead. Your posts NEVER, suck!
Keep your chin up.
Peace.
.-= Don E. Chute´s last blog ..COULD THIS MAN BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT? =-.
I text quite a bit, mostly because I am so busy and so are my friends. So I’ll text a quick Hi just to check in or let them know I’m thinking of them.
I usually don’t write out everything, depends on who I’m chatting with. I took typing in high school too, but I just write however I feel like and so does everyone that texts me.
I do wonder though if being able to switch between the lingos (or not) corresponds with being able to learn a language and switch easily between them or even mix them. Sorry I went off on a tangent there:)
Funny about Prince….never thought about that, lol!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Cute Babies =-.
Linda: Never say never.
Anne: That is what I am afraid of as well. If I don’t spell it out they can’t know what I am saying. It drives people crazy. Hell, it drives me crazy. But, I’m a mom, and I need to have everything (everyone) under control.
Alison: You are smart woman. Funny that your mom texts but she won’t get on a computer. She must have a busy life.
Comedy Plus: You crack me up. I would have thought with all your travels you would at least have a cell phone but then that is probably why you have such a great time when you do travel.
Mother: You are lucky and you have taught him well too. But who knows, one day we might be reading all of our print articles on our phones, oh wait, we already do that.
One of the Guys: Haha (that means it’s funny).
Don: Thank you and I am feeling better, just afraid to eat any real food.
I don’t text at all – I refuse – I don’t send em and I don’t read em. People are lucky I finally learned how to email.
As far as the whole spelling thing, it reminds me of the “invented” spelling that my kids do in pre-k and kindergarten – you know – you just rt wut u hr.
.-= Sheila Sultani´s last blog ..No Surprise Here, Another Charity Under Fire =-.
Lisa: You might be on to something. I didn’t do all that well in Spanish or Latin though I can ask for a beer and inquiry as to where the bathroom might be located.
Sheila: That surprises me that you don’t text. I assumed that you of all people would be posting to your blog from your cell phone. Something I have considered, at least until I get an iPad, but the keyboard is too small. I love when kids make up words. Most of the time they are far more logical than the real language.
Feel better Jen! I’ve started texting my 17 yo daughter in the house – it’s much better and less damaging to the coronaries than screaming. Also I think I’m such the texter – fingers flying over the keyboard of my blackberry, but there’s this annoying thing where the return button also means “send” – it’s especially embarrassing on twitter!
.-= Margo´s last blog ..Unexpected Weather for Your Average Family of Weather Weenies =-.
I, even at a ripe old age of 41, do text but I refuse carry on a conversation. If you have more to say than ‘hi’ than just call. If you’re texting me to hash out a plan to meet up somewhere, and I don’t know where ‘somewhere’ is, than I’m calling, and if you don’t answer, than I’m not showing up.
.-= Ron Wells´s last blog ..Stonie: My Personal Urbandictionary =-.
Oh dear. Am I getting too old to text? But it is so much better then making a friggin phone call. I hate talking on the phone.
It’s funny because my dad is one of those “teen” texters using the text lingo and everything, makes me laugh!
I hated, and refused to text until I got my iPhone. Now I can happily text longhand, WITH punctuation with no trouble at all. Now I text often 🙂
.-= babs – beetle´s last blog ..The empty page =-.
I am exactly the same way as you.
I have to spell it all out in correct English grammar.
k
.-= Joe Cap´s last blog ..Pediatricians Want Redesign of Hot Dogs to Curb Kids’ Choking =-.
I have to type everything out in a text message. Have no clue how to abbreviate. Frustrating! lol
.-= AmyLK´s last blog ..Boy am I GRATEFUL! =-.
I type out every word when I text too.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Immunization Records =-.
Ah, I loved that prince song. I’m starting to abbreviate in my texting. Who knows what evil teen techy thing I’ll pick up next…
.-= Maureen@IslandRoar´s last blog ..Spin Cycle: Confessions =-.
If ever I text you, very unlikely, I will make sure I spell out the whole words. I just text differently for different people; when I need to do it formally, I would usually type the full message instead of shorthands. Otherwise it will be ‘U’, ‘R’ etc. 😀
.-= BK´s last blog ..Invictus by William Ernest Henley =-.
Margo: I love that you text her in the house. I’d love to be able to text my daughter but that would mean I would have to buy her a phone.
Ron: I like to use it when I’m with someone but lost them, as in, at the mall with the boy and his friends who don’t want to hang out with me, I can text him to find out where he is and tell him it’s time to leave. I agree tho, if it’s going to be a long conversation make a call, it’s not like they don’t have a phone with them.
Pooba: I prefer the phone, I like getting an answer when I ask a question. I often walk away from my phone, or leave it in the car, so texting me is like the worst way to get a hold of me.
Babs: I have one too! Don’t you love it? And, if you flip it on the side it is so much easier to hit the keys.
Joe: K. Actually, “k” is okay with me since that is what we say anyway. The funny thing about my son texting is that he texts me using Scooby Doo language…ROR (LOL), Ro Roh(uh oh), and that kind of thing. It makes me laugh but no more likely to answer.
Amy: I don’t either which is why I have become a Text Nazi.
Stephanie: Do you use emoticons?
Maureen: One day I might learn them all and figure it out but since the correct way was drilled into my head it hard to get it out.
BK: If any of my blog friends texted me I would be tickled just to get the message and wouldn’t care.
If anyone wants to text me you can at 651.271.0257. I live in cell hell so can’t receive any calls but eventually the texts do show up. I’m only leaving this up for the next couple of hours so go ahead and text me, even use abbreviations if you want.
Funny! It works well with teens and parents. And my 70+ year old mom even does it. She just told a story today how I kept responding to her messages with my first initial. Then she finally figured out what I really meant by “K.”
.-= WaistingTime´s last blog ..Is Food a 4-Letter Thought? =-.
My wife has become an expert at texting. I, however, am not…I feel like my father on Facebook: “How does this thing work again?” 🙂
.-= Unfinished Rambler´s last blog ..The more things change, the more things change… =-.
I am a texter. Mostly because my kids never answer their phones but they always read and answer texts. I have to spell out the words. I had a conversation once with the 23 year old and tried to use the ‘lingo’. She couldn’t figure out what I was talking about so I had to do it again anyway.
.-= Buggys´s last blog ..WW- Giveaway! =-.
OMG! I am cracking up, because I too spell out every word when text messaging but, my 13 year old son replies back with crazy abbreviations and initials that I do NOT understand. I usually end up calling him and asking him to decode his response!
.-= meleah rebeccah´s last blog ..Honest Scrap =-.
Admittedly, am not so fussy about the grammar part. Perhaps because I don’t text very much. So let me ask a question. Is it rude if I get a text and don’t respond with “k?” For example, if a meeting location changes and my colleagues text me, is it Jen etiquette to acknowledge?
.-= Sasha´s last blog ..I Like You Very Much…Just As You Are =-.
I hate texting but I’m learning. I even started tweeting but it’s not going so well. I guess it is harder to learn things after 30. Started following from Friday Follow.
I’m getting lots better with texting, but I still a rather antiquated phone according to my kids – LOL! So I have the kind where each key is 3 different letters, so it take awhile to write it out in LONGHAND! Using as mne shrtctz az i cn. :))
.-= Nancy at The Chic Boutique Blog´s last blog .. =-.
Your son is hysterical.
I am over 30 — okay, 40 — and text though I do write things out. I use “u” and yes I feel like have to follow it with some witty Purple Rain reference… not a real word, or is it now?
Fun post!
I have never done a text message and like you..If I was to try I would go with the long hand.
I am almost 40 and I simply cannot text. The only time I send my husband a text message is when I am at the computer and I send it by email. I don’t know the short form for words yet. I am sure by the time my kids are teens that I will have to use it more. I enjoy your blog and have given you a blog award. You can check it out on my blog.
.-= Mom To The Power Of Three´s last blog ..Beautiful Blogger Award and Sunshine Award =-.
ur funy! ;o)~
😉
I’m both lazy in the texting line (prone to thumb exhaustion) and I like proper English (well, I am a writer). Bad combination. However, my solution is to change my phone dictionary. Thus, if I type R it comes out as Are, and so on. Perfect. However Twitter’s constraints of 14o characters, combined with the fact that I am a mouthy tweeter, mean that I have learned to be a ruthless shortener of retweets so that I can have my own say. My daughter (15) is keen on ‘k’k (meaning that’s really fine, dear mother) and other such textual delights. I put up with it as I know she is articulate really. She’s just speaking a different language when she texts. My son (18) is monosyllabic in his texting. I get ‘Fine’ or ‘Yes’, which is ‘k’k when he’s at home, but not so ok currently when he is in South America (Bolivia, not Chile, thank God). Very funny as always, Jen. I really appreciate your posts and try to catch up often, even if I don’t always comment.
@lucycoats http://www.scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com
I was a very early adopter, so am perfectly happy texting – started in the mid 90s. But it wasn’t Prince who started it – it’s been around for ever. If you look Churchill’s correspondence with his wife-to-be they used txt speak, too 🙂 And they weren’t the first….
.-= Anne Rooney´s last blog ..How orphaned is an orphaned work? =-.
I do the same for the most part. I know a few abbreviations, like LOL or BTW, but not much more than that. To top it off, I don’t have a text plan on my cell phone because I only use it once in a blue moon. A few weeks ago, I couldn’t send pic messages, as opposed to text, and had to call AT&T. Let’s just say the rep got a really good laugh at me because I didn’t have the first clue how to switch between capital letters, lowercase, and phone numbers. It took me 5 minutes just to compose one short test message.
Moral of that story: should I ever know enough people that texting becomes a regular event in my life, I need to switch to one of those keypad phones. Even then, I’ll still probably do what you do, which is type everything out, and carry around some kind of cheat sheet in my purse so I know what the person is saying back should that person abbreviate.
.-= Staci at Just Bloggled´s last blog ..I Have a Honey-Do List a Mile Long & No Honey To Do It =-.