Get Off My Lawn While You Text

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Smart Boy recently decided he wanted to use the texting function on his cell phone, which he had previously been uninterested in.

Wisely, he chose to pay for the "unlimited texting" option for his line.

Wise, because last month he sent and received over 6,000 messages, averaging over 200 messages a day.

This is in addition to hours-long conversations with various and sundry.

200 messages a day. Really? When does he have time to do anything else?

I don't get it. And get off my lawn while you text.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a texting plan that I use, but not to that extent. It's mainly used to communicate with my (technically old enough to be my father, though he is younger) roommate, who doesn't like to use up cell phone minutes if he just needs to communicate a small bit of information. Also, to drop the occasional schmoopy note to CuteFilmNerd.

Otherwise, I hate texting. It takes too long because I have a horror of using most texting acronyms, insisting on spelling out words.

Once I get a smart phone with an actual keypad, though, all bets are off.

Random Michelle K said...

I love txting. I would much rather txt to someone than talk to them. And it's perfect because there are dead zones in my building (and often I can't answer the phone) but the txt can came in, be ignored, and responded to when I have a moment.

It's perfect.

I just checked, I sent 469 txts last month. I thought it would be higher, but then I haven't been harassing Nathan as much.

Random Michelle K said...

I talked on the phone about 140 minutes, which was unusually high for me, but with my Dad's surgery I was on the phone much more than usual.

Janiece said...

Michelle you should start texting bacon to Nathan.

Hee.

WendyB_09 said...

Um, people who text frequently seem to be able to multi-task, which means he's doing someething else whilest he's texting. Plus a lot of the messages may be one or two words.

As long as he's not walking or operating anything, he should be fine. Seems ERs around the country are seeing a huge jump in texting related injuries because people walk into walls, fall off stairs & curbs, burned themselves while cooking, etc.

Plus several states have had to outright ban texting and cell phone useage while driving. Apparently the general population is really that stoopid.
WendyB_09

Janiece said...

Wendy, if the Smart Boy ever texted while he was driving, he would not be permitted to drive under my insurance ever again.

That was non-negotiable.

I spot check the detailed bill to ensure he's complying, too, as I follow the Teen Parent's Creed:

"Trust, but verify."

Random Michelle K said...

Actually, Nathan did receive a bacon related txt yesterday.

Steve Buchheit said...

Texting is evil. Just saying.

Jim Wright said...

I think I sent two txt messages last month, both in response to little miss gorilla thumbs, Michelle.

I. Hate. Texting. Hate. It. Hate. Hate.

Probably because my phone is not really designed for it, and that stupid 3-letters and a number per key thing just freakin' kills me. I type on a QWERTY keyboard at roughly 110gpm. Texting is just too fucking slow.

I don't mind IM as much, and I really like video chat.

Best thing for me though is the bluetooth headset and hands-free voice commands.

Nathan said...

Yesterday's Text from the lovely Michelle (1 of 3).

"Sitting waiting for John Hyatt & Lyle Lovett to start. This is MUCH better than bacon."

(Why should I be the only one to be kept up to date?)

Jeri said...

Both my smug sons text. A lot. But the eldest also runs up the voice minutes - about 2500 of 'em a month, mostly in the freebie Verizon to Verizon or unlimited nights and weekends category.

I don't even know HOW you'd talk on the phone 2500 minutes a month, and I'm on the phone many hours professionally.

Random Michelle K said...

Jim, you just need Dragon Naturally Speaking to convert your statments to txt.

What?

WendyB_09 said...

Sorry! Did not mean to imply that SB was texting whilest driving, just commenting on the irresponsibility of the general ADULT population that supposedly KNOWS better.

Suspect stongly the ones with the ER visits and text-wrecks are the ones that can't walk and chew gum at the same time either!!

and yes, we got our first text-wreck client a couple of weeks ago. Our client was NOT the one texting.

WendyB_09

Janiece said...

Wendy, I didn't take your comment amiss. I was just iterating our texting policy here at Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men.

Anonymous said...

Wendy, I love it that in California we had a new law that took effect on 1/1/09, outlawing texting while driving. This was after our hands-free cell phone use while driving went into effect on 7/1/08. My thought is - doesn't the hands-free law automatically include texting? Apparently not.

People? Are stupid.

Random Michelle K said...

(deep breath)

JANIECE IS THE MOST AWESOME HUMAN ON THE PLANET!

Janiece said...

:-D

mattw said...

Gone are the days of getting "Nintendo Thumb" here are the days of "Texting Thumb"