Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - Jan. 29, 2010
Send me to texting sch
I know I should "get with the program" by joining Facebook, setting up a Twitter account, starting a blog or all three. But I can barely keep up with e-mail messages on my computer and text messages on my cell phone, let alone add anything else to the mix.
Daughters Mariya and Katie chortle when they see me struggling to send a text message one painstaking letter at a time. Using both hands, their fingers fly across their tiny phone key pads. And so it is with others in their generation. It's rare to see students who aren't either talking or texting on their phones as they walk from class to class. I'd trip on a curb or run into a tree if I were to attempt such a feat.
Kenny, my first husband's brother, often cooks for son Taylor and his friends. But he has a rule that they can't text during the meal. He said it doesn't work well as they can look him right in the eye while texting under the table!
I do try to keep up with what the girls are doing, though. When Katie drives to school, I text her to see if she has made it.
"School?" I write.
And the reverse at the end of the day. "Left school?"
Some of my messages are more complex.
"Text me when you get there."
"Have a great day! I love you!"
"Foggy. Be careful coming home. Call after pizza party."
But sometimes I hit "send" before my message is complete.
Hence, I've inadvertently sent the following nonsensical messages:
"Sch" - my unintended shorthand version of "School?"
"Ye," "At arn," "W," "ImJustcall" are similarly unfinished variations of "yes," "At Aroy Thai," "When," and "I'm just calling to check."
I have problems for several reasons. When I start to write "and," the texting program thinks I want to write "anderson" and so it spells the longer word out. When I want to write "got," it immediately goes to "gotta." And "where" becomes "wherever."
A different problem arises when I backspace to delete something. The "clr" (clear) button is oh-so close to the "send" button.
But I'm apparently making progress.
Last week, Katie wanted to use my parking spot on campus for a short time while she rehearsed with the Cedar Vista Orchestra. So before she left school, I sent the following text:
"Call me when u leave school this afternoon. I'll have to give u my parking permit. Ok?"
Katie's response was immediate.
"Kudos mom a text that had everything correct. And ok. =]"
I assumed the "=]" was a symbol for a smile so I smiled, too - a real one. I'd have texted one back, but who knows what I would have sent instead!