Thursday, June 19, 2008

Reflections of an Artist:Text Messaging (Sigh)

Is anyone else annoyed with text messaging? Maybe it's just me but this texting thing can become way too stressful at times. Don't get me wrong I love to text (sometimes), especially when its your only means of escape from work or a boring staff meeting, or maybe you don't care to talk, yet you crave the social interaction of a friend or loved one. And I'm sure we can all agree that texting has gotten us through some crazy situations LOL, (ladies yall know what I talking about). But when did texting replace a good old fashion phone conversation. Everything seems like it's done via text and I mean everything including "text sex" yes people "text sex". I mean there's nothing wrong with that, I may or may not have partaken in a little text sex myself here and there but the problem I'm having with texting is how it can be so misconstrued.

Have you ever gotten a text from someone perhaps a potential mate/crush or someone you haven't spoken to in a while and really could not decipher or decode what the mood or tone was behind the text. You really want to call the person but your not sure if you should for fear that maybe mistaking for a nuisance. So you text back and forth making sure to keep sweet and simple and the whole time your have no idea what his or she is really thinking. Here's an example:

Step:1 Read the following text in a friendly manner from both parties.

You: Hey wassup?

Them: Hey!

You: haven't spoken to u in a while:)

Them: yeah!

You: what r u doin?

Them: Chillen, u?

You: nothin much, chillen!

5 minute pause

You: whats nu?

Them:Nothing much...whats nu wit u?

You: Nothing much...we should hang out sometime!

Them: yeah.

Step 2: Now read the same text only this time read "Thems" part in a not so friendly manner!

See what I mean? Maybe people should incorporate a mood section at the end of their text like I do my blog entries. Just kidding but thats not a bad idea now is it?

I've come to the realization that people who only use texting as a means for fraternizing are completely lame and uncomfortable with themselves. I had this guy tell me "I just prefer to text it's much easier, instead of calling and saying what's up you can text it". I spoke to him a total of ONE time, ever other technological interaction was via text message. I guess you can kind of figure out what happened with him. Fellas... from a woman to a man, here's a bit of advise, if you genuinely like a girl and want to get to know her better, pick up the phone and call her. There's no reason why after 9 o' clock when your no longer using your day time minutes and you now have free night minutes that you should be texting instead of talking, that's just wack. And another thing if you are going to text please let a sista know what's up. how your feeling; Am I bothering you? Are you busy? Adding a little (LOL) laugh out loud or smiley face (you know the colon symbol followed by the right parenthesis) at the end of your statement would suffice :). That just lets us know that you are happy to "hear" for us. I'm not saying I'm perfect or anything, lord know I can be a crude texter without the person even noticing. The whole time I'm responding I'm rolling my eyes as if to say " If this dude don't stop texting me" and sometime my (LOL) laugh out loud's weren't meant as a flirtatious giggle but meant rather in a LOL "this loser" type of way. Anyway these are just some of the thoughts that go through my mind...the mind of an artist.

Mood:Abstracted