Reach Out and Touch Someone

On Saturday I had dinner with my dad to celebrate, like I usually do around this time of year, that I have turned another year older.

*Shameless Alert* Go, go, go shorty it’s your birthday! We going party like it’s your birthday. So what’s the number one Zodiac sign? GEMINI!

Anyways… somehow or another, dad and I got on the subject of text messaging. I like to text my parents, you know to keep them hip. But also, more truthfully, some times I don’t really feel like talking to them…think wishing for the voicemail to pick up. Tee hee. So my dad was like I just can’t get into text messaging, my hands don’t move that fast and I don’t know all the acronyms. So I was like dad, it’s the easiest and breeziest form of communication. You can connect without connecting. But at the end of my spiel my dad pretty much sighed and stated that this type of technology is pretty much lost on him.

I’m thinking that’s usually how the older generation feels about most of the gizmos that come to improve our lives. My paternal grandparents had a rotary phone...that was used until 1998. No. Bull! And it’s only because my dad bought the cordless one that the rotary was retired. Now I am not the most technologically savvy person on the planet, I mean I did just get a camera phone like 2 months ago... So I’m not of the thinking that technology is evil, like the Native Americans who believed photos captured their souls. But these new advancements in the way we are able to keep in touch with each other has allowed for certain decorum to go out the window. I mean some things should not be done through a text message.

For example:
Marriage Proposals- No one should ever send a message asking someone to spend the rest of their lives with them using emoticons and the following: Will u mrry me? Some things require undivided attention folks. And maybe an eyeball to eyeball conversation.

Birth Announcements-I don’t need to learn that a new person is in the world on my cell phone! There is no reason I should get an en masse text message of: We on da way 2 hospital 4 baby. This is not the business. Voicemail works to herald the good news that Junior or Nay-Nay are here.

And I need to also just touch briefly about Nudey Pictures. *Sigh* I know camera phones are fun, especially since you don’t have to shake them like a Polaroid picture…but when you send nudey pictures of yourself, could you please be kind and make sure you are sending it to the right recipient. I was recently a victim of a nudey picture sent in error and I was ready to get all Oedpial and gouge my eyes out. He claimed that he sent it to the wrong person. Tee hee. Okay, I’ve used that line too in my recent immature past. “Ooops! I didn’t mean to call you.” Or the classic “My phone dialed your number by accident!” *stupid flip phones messed that excuse up. But I’m saying, when you are sending pictures of yourself in compromising positions or merely sans clothing just make sure that you are caring and sharing with the right folks. I mean technology is dangerous that way people. There’s no instant double click way to get rid of your embarrassment.

Now I’m not saying we need to go back to carrier pigeons and messages in bottles…but let’s connect and text responsibly.

See You In Seven