MARK MAYNARD: Texting becomes part of routine 030710

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March 4, 2010

Anonymous The Daily Independent Thu Mar 04, 2010, 11:46 PM EST

I’ve been texting so much lately that I had to up my cell phone plan.

I never thought that would happen but have found, like many of you, that texting is a simple way of communicating a quick message without bothering someone with a phone call.

I text and receive texts at a somewhat alarming rate.

Alarming for me, not teenagers.

A friend of mine said he walked into the AT&T; store the other day and told them his name. They associated his last name with the person who holds the monthly record of more than 20,000 texts. It was his daughter. I’m sure he was so proud.

I’m a mere rookie texter when it comes to those kind of numbers but I am using one of life’s newer conveniences on a regular basis, sad to say.

It seems that everybody has a cell phone, even down to the elementary age children. My wife teaches fifth grade and most, if not all, of her class carry cell phones with them.

Of course, like at most schools, rules have to be put in place.

I can understand that. The kids are so good at texting they would easily be able to text an answer across the room and nobody would know it. You’ve seen them work with two thumbs going at a ridiculous rate of speed.

I’d take any of them on in a speed keyboard typing contest but wouldn’t think of challenging them to a speed texting contest.

It would be no contest.

I text with my index finger as fast as it will go. It’s almost too big not to hit the letter beside the one that I really wanted. I don’t like the way it suggests words for me either.

I’m also not yet into all the abbreviations that go along with texting. I haven’t figured it all out and there’s no how-to guide that shows you what to text.

As someone who works with words on a daily basis, I sometimes cringe at the abbreviations that come from text messages. Like, for instance, see you later can become cya. Even OK is shortened to K. Whatever it takes to save a letter is good.

The other thing that my wife and I both have had trouble with is how to end the conversation whether it be in texting or chatting on the Internet.

Texting, much like chatting, can be very conversational. But unlike a phone call, when someone says goodbye, text messages it seems are more open-ended. Therefore the closings are often awkward. Who gets the last word? Does it matter?

Like I said before, I’m pretty much new to the texting but I’m learning every day.

Text messages are meant to be short but that’s not always the case. I sent one to a reporter the other day that was several sentences long with all the proper puncuation and capitalization. My texting still mostly spells out words (although I’m learning or un-learning as the case may be).

Anyway I figure texting is here to stay. I’m sure it won’t be long until my plan becomes unlimited.

Cya.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.

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