Sign Of The Times: Case of The Serial Texter

I was lying in bed when I heard the familiar chime of an incoming text.

Opening one eye, I opened the message to see two letters: GM. Still, in the stupor that slumber often puts you in, I scanned my brain to register the meaning...ah yes...Good Morning. I clumsily keyed in "Hey" and hit the send button. I kept my face deep in my pillow listening for another chime. Nothing. I switched my phone into silent mode and caught another hour of sleep before waking up again.
This is a typical day in the life of a serial texter. I text a lot. I text because it's free (on my cell plan). I text because it's convenient. I text because it's a great way to have a conversation without actually having a conversation. But what happens when you actually WANT to speak to the other person with whom you are texting? How do you break the pattern? After months of texting, a phone call may prove to be awkward and break the momentum you built through texting!

This has happened to me before. I finally made an effort to call the person I had been texting with for weeks and our phone call was cut short once we realized that traditional, verbal conversation was not in our favor. For one, my fellow texter had zero reception in the house. So, our call dropped at least twenty times in a ten minute period. Next, we really didn't know what to say. I couldn't say "OMG I am so LMBO right now b/c u keep saying things that make me SMH." The text lingo doesn't translate into the traditional conversation even if you define the acronyms. It was weird. We both agreed that we will continue texting. It made me wonder what kind of conversation we would have if we ever spent time together face to face.

So, I am still texting. I feel as if I have joined a generation I vowed to never become a part of, a generation known as Generation teXt. What I once viewed as impersonal and pointless is now my primary method of communication. I often tell others, my minutes are free after nine but until then... TEXT ME. GM, GN, LOL, and :-) are frequently used in my everyday communication. I am quite fluent in internet acronyms and I am embarrassed when I am unsure of one. I fret quietly to myself as I wonder when did "that" one come out, what does it mean? Should I ask someone else, or just look it up?

I would find it difficult to finger knit however I believe I could easily kill someone with one of my thumbs. The strength I have in my thumbs from texting is amazing. If I ran a race, I could beat a sprinter if I ran on my thumbs.

I guess socializing these days is totally different. If I ever met a man who asked me for my number and handed me a piece of paper and a pen I think I wouldn't know what to do. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I have written anything with the exception of signing my name on a receipt for a credit transaction. Perhaps banks will start to text those authorizations. Then I will really SMH.