Texting, I'm gonna start making people eat their cell phones.

[Regnent]

I know there's mixed feelings on the topic, but seriously, texting?!?

<rant>
How do some of you people expect to develop a relationship over f'ing texts? Let alone maintain an existing one?

And I don't buy this 'generational' bullshit. I see adults,kids, nearly everyone texting away.

Do you realize that texting is a complete fricking disconnect from the person you are -trying- to communicate with. You loose eye contact, voice tone/pitch, physical presence, and a whole slew of other things that are crucial to any type of relationship.

While I'm sure it's very convinent to just blip of some words to someone without having to look them in the face, you're going to end up loosing alot of coping skills, be it expressing yourself in person, to dealing with conflict and rejection.

I'm not the first to run up and get rejected, don't get me wrong, but seriously? What in the heck is wrong with you people? Is the person you're trying to court, or engage seriously only worth words on a screen? Is your time so valuable that you're can't stop what you're doing to talk, or to turn off the fricken phone to have a date?

Please keep in mind this isn't directed to everyone, I'm sure there are people who use texting as a non-primary method of communication, but to those of you who sit there wondering what you should text...
Nothing, don't text a god damned thing, pick up a phone, track them down in person, get them out for coffee.

If you're uncomfortable, you need practice, and you need to keep doing it.
If you don't have the time, then make some fricken time or stop wasting their time.
If you're afraid, suck it up.

Arg some people get me so bloody frustrated.
</rant>

So yah, discuss, argue with me, whatever.

And yes, I am very much aware this is text. I'm also not trying to get in any of your pants, or have a relationship.

[Take2]

Huh? Everyone I know texts in addition to the other types of communication we already had. So now, I can text good morning to let my bf know I am thinking about him. He is at work so I couldn't go get coffee or even call him, but now I can text him and h knows I am thinking about him. My ex-husband can text me a question about our daughter's shoes or whatever, and I am ecstatic that I no longer have to answer 50,000 ridiculous phone calls and have that number of 2-sentence conversations with him! Sure, some teens seem to use texting as a primary mode of communication, but most adults have a whole slew of communication options and use each as it is appropriate.

[cohen_girl]

My last boyfriend and I texted each other every day (except when we were together in person). Not that I didn't want to have conversations with him in person, we just had opposite schedules, I worked nights, he went to school during the day, and the times we saw each other were limited. So with texting we could still communicate and get back to each other more quickly than me waiting for a break, listening to a voicemail, calling him back and hoping he was available, if he was: talking for 5 minutes, if he wasn't: leaving another voicemail for him to get back to. In that way texting was very convienient. I also found it kind of nice to text him all day, it's like I had the sense he was there with me, even when our schedules wouldn't allow. Of course, hearing his voice and seeing him were very much preferred, but given the choice of waiting for the next time we were both available to contact him or texting and getting an almost immediate response (however informal it may be) I'd choose texting.

[Regnent]

I can see texting being sliced bread when dealing with an ex. Agreed.
On the other hand, is it necessary to text good morning if you can't find the time for other forms?
I've sent maybe.. 10 texts to my wife. I call when I need to, and I surprise her when I can. I am neither (or even want to be) available all the time for blather.
When I'm at work, I'm working. I'm getting paid to do my job, not checking a phone for 'good mornings'.
If I want to tell her something, I wait till I can tell her in person, or over the phone.

I might be in the minority on this, but I really don't give two hoots about getting texted. It's meaningless garbage, and I would rather forgo the step completely, then waste time checking it.

[Regnent]

Hm, the reasons make sense, but it still doesn't seem worth it. Doesn't waiting make the time you have worth more? Didn't you ever find you didn't have enough to talk about face to face?

[cohen_girl]

Hm, the reasons make sense, but it still doesn't seem worth it. Doesn't waiting make the time you have worth more? Didn't you ever find you didn't have enough to talk about face to face?

Not really, we only got to see each other once a week, without texting him i would have felt distanced from him. When we got together face to face it was still worth a lot, I wouldn't tell him everything via text, so i could still retell funny stories with the emotion and voice inflections that would make them funny, and looking into his eyes wasn't any less powerful because we texted the day before, we still couldn't wait to kiss each other and have physical contact. Texting, It was convienient, a way to stay connected without getting lost in our busy schedules.

In regards to the other stuff, my job involves a lot of sitting and waiting around so texting helps keep me sane and free of boredom during the inbetween times, it's not like i neglect what i'm suppost to be doing to text. Again, it was nice in our relationship when we were on different schedules. We'd wake up at different times, so it was nice to wake up and get a good morning text from him, whereas if he'd called me to tell me good morning before he went to class i would've been groggy and no-so thankful, lol.

[Gribble]

I use my phone for quick bursts of communiction and as a means to arrange face to face meetings. I used to be against texting, but honestly, I abhor talking on the phone. I'd much rather forgo a long, meaningless conversation when all I really need to say can be summed up in one simple message: "Dinner at 8?" We can do our talking at the restaurant.

[Regnent]

I'd much rather forgo a long, meaningless conversation when all I really need to say can be summed up in one simple message: "Dinner at 8?" We can do our talking at the restaurant.

Ok, this I can connect with. And trust me, I love simple questions with simple answers.
At the same time I can't help but getting irked at the idea of more than a few things being simplified down to 3 or 4 word questions, with 1 word answers.

Maybe part of my irritation is the fact that I have no need, I live, and have lived with my spouse for a long time.
Plus, I just hate cell phones. Our household has 1 pay as you go phone that goes with us when we go into the city. And the woman takes it to volleyball to call for a ride.

[smackie9]

I hate cel phones and texting because many people are rude on how they handle themselves. I was getting a pedicure one day, sitting there relaxing in the chair, when this loud mouth bitch starts loudly talking on her phone. I was so pissed off. The whole frickin world doesn't need to hear their conversation. As for texting, I'm a manager and I run a warehouse. Employees ( the 18 to 24 year olds) start texing in the middle of work. I have to constantly tell them to save it for breaks or I will send them home without pay. The Ipod business is another one. I have to give orders and direct crews....they can't hear me because they are just sitting there zoned out listening to their Ipod when they are supposed to be working grrrrrr. They are banned now because some could get run over by the forklift that's constantly running around. I do text, but it's rare. But my husband on the other hand, his black berry is constantly going off at night and he's there texting away like a teenage girl with his boss. I had to freak on him a few times and told him to take it out of the room. I say to tell them it can ****in wait til tomorrow.

[Regnent]

See that's kinda how I see them. I'm a geek at heart, and I love tech, but I cannot stand the over reliance on mobile devices. Most people do not -need- to be available all the time, and I think it compounds impatience in people.
OMG I texted hir, and they didn't reply within one minute. They hate me.

I personally think it's almost an addiction for many.

I visited a friend a couple years back, one I hadn't seen in 2 years. By the time I was done, I wanted to feed him his black berry.
A) He spend the better part of an hour trying to show me how cool it was. I had to tell him that I cannot afford crap like it, so I don't give a f.
B) A quick run out for some wine (he had a few and wanted some more for him and his wife) turned into a 45 minutes jaunt because his normal store was closed, and whap, out comes the black berry and maps, and he's calling places. Stores closes, go home, pick some up tomorrow for cripes sakes.

I visted my bio-dad for christmas about 4 years ago, and my half brother, who I hadn't seen in, oh, 10 years was there. kinda.
He spent most of the visit (he was in from the US) on his lap top doing work.
We're getting ready to leave, he's on the phone with a client, and our half sister ended up giving him shit to put it on hold and say goodbye, get pictures, etc.
He hat a fit about about clients needing stuff done.
Only thing I could think was, so f'ing what. Politely tell your client that you have some personal things to deal with, and you'll call them back in 20 minutes, you're on a vacation for frick sakes.

Secretary at work sends/receives I bet you over 100 texts a day, while at work.

I really don't mind cell phones, or even texting. I think it's the fact that people -cannot- put them down, or turn them off.

I know my dad (the other one) hates it when he's talking to someone, and they answer the phone.
I've been out to dinner with him, and his phone will go off, he'll check it, and unless he's expecting the call, or it's security or something else important, he will -not- answer the phone.

[Gribble]

You're like a poster child for the generation gap, no offense.

Yeah, I go to the liquor store, it's closed. I whip out my Droid, bring up navigation, say "Nearest liquor store" Browse the list. Call to see which is open. Punch in the coordinates and let the phone guide me.

I hate to break it to you, but smartphones are the future. These things are going to become more and more prolific. All ready I use mine for just about everything. GPS/MP3 Player/PC Remote/Email/Text/Phone/Camera/Photo Album/Flash Light hell, the list goes on. One of these days I won't need car keys. When I get near my car with my phone the door will unlock. Place the phone in a dock in the dashboard and hit a button to start the ignition. The phone will replace personal computers entirely. Go home, slap it in a dock connected to a keyboard, mouse and monitor. Punch it into a laptop shell if I'm on the go. Hell, I'll probably be able to use it in place of a debit card at the store. By that time it won't be a smartphone anymore because the phone will be only one small piece of the pie, as it more or less is now.

[Take2]

Yeah, I can't see how a phone assisting you in figuring out how to get wine (or anything else you need or want) is a BAD thing. I mean, my grandparents used to complain about convenience similarly, how it was outragious that people expect stores to be open in the evenings and on weekends nowadays-if you run out of toilet paper on Friday you should just get more on Monday at 9am! But times change, generally in the direction of convenience because people LIKE convenience and will pay for it.

Do I need to tell my bf good morning and I love him at 7am? Absolutely not, he will make it until 5pm when I can talk on the phone or even the next afternoon when I see him. But it makes him feel good and it makes me feel good, so I cannot see a drawback to it. It's not really any different from how a phone is less personal than face time, yet more convenient.

[JadenMia]

I have different views on this i guess, I think when you already know someone, E.g, boyfriend, friend, family or husband/wife.. I dont really think texting is a bad thing at all. In fact i love waking up to a nice text from my boyfriend on a morning! Its a nice gesture of him thinking about me to text me letting me know he was thinking about me..I do the same for him, i know him, i know the intentions are good and he means what he says!
Getting to know someone by text is different.. You dont know anything about them, their intentions or how they are as a person and texting can usually mask that. My friends that text someone they just met.. That seems kinda pointless to me.. but to each to their own i guess?

Also, we use texting to spice up our sex life too, nothing like reading what your partner wants to do to you when you see him! It raises the intention through a boring day at work, until you just want to jump on them when you get home!
Texting is a good, quick way of communicating for me, i have a toddler, and there is no way she would let me sit down and chat on the phone, usually i am busy with her so a quick text here and there lets me get on with what im doing plus acheiving what a 10 minute convo would!
Plus.. its free for me !

[Boisdevie]

I"m 46 and very comfortable with technology - in the 90s I worked as a technology journalist so no problemo there. But I agree with the original poster about texting all the bloody time. I send my GF a text every morning - just a short something to let her know I'm thinking about her. Would I waste my time texting everyone when I am with my GF - no way.
I also laugh about those who think because they can 'talk' to someone via MSN who is on the other side of the planet that they have a 'relationship'. GET A LIFE - a real one.

[VincenzoG91]

Texting is my least favorite method of communication. I'm really fast on a conventional keyboard, but the buttons of handheld devices are so small, and texting requires me to hit the same button an average of 2 times per character. And sometimes there isn't enough space on my screen to see even two sentences in a row, so I need to read a long text message as a series of texts, punching more buttons to navigate from one message to the next. So it's just annoying to use such a slow and unwieldy technology, when I could instead just hit a couple of buttons and actually talk to somebody. But texting does have some advantages... sometimes it's too noisy to hear, like at a party or a nightclub, and sometimes you don't have anything to write down with, so it's good to have a text that you can look up again.