Communication Rules Used To Be Simple
1) Don't call friends after 9:30 PM.
2) Say "hello, this is Margot, is blah blah blah there please"
3) If someone calls you, call them back. If someone gives you a gift, write a freaking thank you note.
Which brings me to the question of the day: What's ok in the text message world?
Is it ever ok to not respond? Is it ok to get annoyed when someone takes a day to write back? And then send them a message that says "Why the (#@)(#&@ didn't you reply to my text?" My mom never taught me these rules. And sadly, she never taught my ex boyfriends these rules either. Likely because my mom has never sent a text message in her life. So I'm gonna have to fend for myself here.
Unusual Stuff
A friend: "I just got in a car accident" = CALL BACK ASAP (AND TEXT BACK IF CALL NOT RECEIVED)
Random creepy dude at 2 AM: "What are you up to?" or "Thinking of you" = IGNORE IGNORE!
Good for Text Messaging? Probably not, but keeps life interesting.
Long Conversations?
Because I'm a texting curmudgeon, I think having a long conversation via text message is silly. If you want to discuss long details of something, unless you're Stephen Hawking or we're at work, just pick up the phone and call me. I can talk like 60 words a minute. That's faster than can I text. And I bet it's faster than you can text too.
Good For Text Messaging? Not really.
Figuring out location or logistics?
Love it. Unless it gets complicated.
Good for Text Messaging? Abso-freakinglutely
Mass Texts?
These are usually either religious / motivational, fundraising, or to wish you a "Merry Christmas!". I have no idea what the etiquette is when clearly someone texted their entire phonebook. Maybe to SPAM your whole phonebook too. Pay it forward.
Good For Text Messaging? Unless it's a Holiday wish, you're probably annoying your friends.
Response Time?
This is a tricky one. I feel in most instances, a response within a couple hours is the way to go. But I'm also guilty of responding to people a day or two later. It's easy to see a text and then forget about it. But most people have their phones on them all the time. And replying takes like two seconds. So if you regularly reply to me 5 days later, you are communicating that I am the world's lowest priority to you. Or that you're a time traveler and it's hard for you to keep these things straight.
Intended For Someone Else:
Probably best to tell them they got the wrong number. Although I've always been tempted to play along and see how long the person takes to figure out they texted the wrong person...
Sooooo....
Agree or Disagree with mah texting policies?
Anything text related you want to vent about?
What's the most ridiculous message you remember getting?
