My mother is 84-years-old and for her birthday she wants an iPad, not a little one, a big one, so she can surf the Internet. She just mastered the art of text messaging and now she wants to take it to the next level. I really want to be more like my 84-year-old mother in a lot of ways. She was brought up in the 1950s where manners were taught, communication via typed letters was a resume skill you could bank on (she didn't even need White-Out for Pete's sake) and today, I'm still mastering the art of text messaging. I understand how the technology works, but it's the "art" or "etiquette" behind it. Most times, I still prefer to talk on the phone, because I can hear the person's voice and I know straight off how the content of the conversation is going to go based on tone of voice. We don't have that with text messaging and because of that a lot of feelings can be hurt, mixed messages can be sent (inadvertently) and a host of other issues due to voice text, multi-tasking, and the list goes on and on.
Text Etiquette. My wise daughter told me, a text message doesn't always need a fast reply and sometimes no reply at all. Really? That makes no sense to me at all. My feelings are always tweaked when someone doesn't reply. I then think to myself: Did I say something wrong? Is this the end of the conversation? Agony. Pure Agony. I still don't know the right answer, but if I see the text message, I almost always reply. If I send a text message and I don't think they need to reply. I will say "no reply needed." I now understand that is totally unnecessary.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text message.
How we feel when we expect a text reply but don't get one.
The LONG text message. Hidden message, you should have picked up the phone if you have a rolling text requiring an individual to pull over or delay their ATM transaction to read your rambling thoughts.
Except you don't have time to call or for whatever reason it's not convenient to call. So you ramble via text message.
Well, sometimes a long text message is kinda nice, right?
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text message. They should pick up the phone and call, unless of course, that's not convenient for whatever reason and then, they should send a long text that is either going to be irritating, deleted unread or cause an accident.
The voice text message. You better edit that one before you hit the "send" button. Better make sure it pulled up the right contact person too. Sending the wrong text to the wrong person on your contact list can be funny, but it can also be misinterpreted.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text, unless you're my 84-year-old mother, in which case, you can darn right do whatever you want and won't be sorry.
Abbreviations, spacing, Emoji's. All of these are used to either help illustrate your message in an abbreviated way because you're too busy to write out the word or you want to clarify your mood/intention if the message has questionable content or could be perceived in a bad way, a negative way, as a complaint, an order, a feeling that is hurt, sad, mad, etc.
Solution: I don't have one. People over 50 shouldn't text. It's just downright scary. Happens all the time even when I don't expect it.
Which Is why I probably keep writing "books" and only get a "chapter" so get a life, save a life and stop text messaging!!
And, if you send a text that was misinterpreted...follow the above rules...
The people who text you regularly... Well, if you're like me you have a handful of good friends who check in on you regularly (some daily), definitely kids, for my this includes my 84-year-old mother, her boyfriend (yep, I said boyfriend) siblings, extended family, people from work and possibly someone "of the opposite sex".
These are usually pretty short text messages, but still require a reply.."milk, eggs, bread and I have a headache do I have to go to school tomorrow????"
"Cheryl.can.you.stop.and.bring.in.my.mail? Thank.you.baby.girl.from.the.heavens. Love, Momma
(that's my 84-year-old mother, who texts like she's sending a Western Union Telegram). I'm used to it.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text. Except for these people in your life, because for the most part, they love you anyway even if your texting the wrong person, que the wrong emoji, purposely joking around or not..it's simply not going to matter. They may laugh with you, at you, but they are still going to love you.
If you don't reply, they understand. If you reply with a long, rolling text, they understand (and read it).
Most importantly, the people who truly love and care about you totally negates the purpose of this entire blog, because when your little text message shows up on their phone, they smile because it's you.
It took me a long time to figure this out, but I finally did and it's good advice. If you have to hesitate or factor in any of the above rules they don't fit into this last category and you probably should just not text them. Especially if you're over 50, like me.
Or, you can just text away and adopt one of the following attitudes:
Lastly, if anyone in your life falls into these categories then never, ever, ever, ever text message them. It's always going to be an Epic Fail, whatever that is.
.jpg)
And when you feel like texting someone in that category, find these people to text, they love you more and it's more fun anyway...maybe.
Text Etiquette. My wise daughter told me, a text message doesn't always need a fast reply and sometimes no reply at all. Really? That makes no sense to me at all. My feelings are always tweaked when someone doesn't reply. I then think to myself: Did I say something wrong? Is this the end of the conversation? Agony. Pure Agony. I still don't know the right answer, but if I see the text message, I almost always reply. If I send a text message and I don't think they need to reply. I will say "no reply needed." I now understand that is totally unnecessary.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text message.
The LONG text message. Hidden message, you should have picked up the phone if you have a rolling text requiring an individual to pull over or delay their ATM transaction to read your rambling thoughts.
Except you don't have time to call or for whatever reason it's not convenient to call. So you ramble via text message.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text message. They should pick up the phone and call, unless of course, that's not convenient for whatever reason and then, they should send a long text that is either going to be irritating, deleted unread or cause an accident.
The voice text message. You better edit that one before you hit the "send" button. Better make sure it pulled up the right contact person too. Sending the wrong text to the wrong person on your contact list can be funny, but it can also be misinterpreted.
Solution: People over 50 shouldn't text, unless you're my 84-year-old mother, in which case, you can darn right do whatever you want and won't be sorry.
Abbreviations, spacing, Emoji's. All of these are used to either help illustrate your message in an abbreviated way because you're too busy to write out the word or you want to clarify your mood/intention if the message has questionable content or could be perceived in a bad way, a negative way, as a complaint, an order, a feeling that is hurt, sad, mad, etc.
Solution: I don't have one. People over 50 shouldn't text. It's just downright scary. Happens all the time even when I don't expect it.
Which Is why I probably keep writing "books" and only get a "chapter" so get a life, save a life and stop text messaging!!
And, if you send a text that was misinterpreted...follow the above rules...
The people who text you regularly... Well, if you're like me you have a handful of good friends who check in on you regularly (some daily), definitely kids, for my this includes my 84-year-old mother, her boyfriend (yep, I said boyfriend) siblings, extended family, people from work and possibly someone "of the opposite sex".
These are usually pretty short text messages, but still require a reply.."milk, eggs, bread and I have a headache do I have to go to school tomorrow????"
"Cheryl.can.you.stop.and.bring.in.my.mail? Thank.you.baby.girl.from.the.heavens. Love, Momma
(that's my 84-year-old mother, who texts like she's sending a Western Union Telegram). I'm used to it.
If you don't reply, they understand. If you reply with a long, rolling text, they understand (and read it).
Most importantly, the people who truly love and care about you totally negates the purpose of this entire blog, because when your little text message shows up on their phone, they smile because it's you.
It took me a long time to figure this out, but I finally did and it's good advice. If you have to hesitate or factor in any of the above rules they don't fit into this last category and you probably should just not text them. Especially if you're over 50, like me.
Or, you can just text away and adopt one of the following attitudes:
Lastly, if anyone in your life falls into these categories then never, ever, ever, ever text message them. It's always going to be an Epic Fail, whatever that is.
And when you feel like texting someone in that category, find these people to text, they love you more and it's more fun anyway...maybe.
No comments:
Post a Comment