Dating Diary: It’s Text Free Friday–At Least On My Phone

(Photo Courtesy: Black is)

I like to talk.  Correction. I love to talk, so much so that my parents nicknamed me M&M as a child.  I wasn’t named after the candy-coated chocolates that melt in your mouth and not in your hands. The letters stood for Motor Mouth. Since then, I’ve formed friendships, built networks and entered romantic relationships through conversations. I spent hours on the telephone and rarely used the text messaging feature that became a primary mode of communications when I was in a long-term relationship.  The new technology didn’t have a major impact on my life…until recently.  When I reentered the singles scene, I felt like the female version of Encino Man. You may remember the movie about a cave man frozen in time. Centuries later, two high school students thawed him out and introduced him to modern-day life.  He was amazed and appalled by what he saw.  That’s how I feel about texting, which is why I’m proposing that today should be Text Free Friday.

Here’s Why I Text:

I Text When I’m Tired
After a long day and a long commute, I don’t feel like talking on the telephone.

I Text When I Want to Keep it Casual

Texting is impersonal.  Most people don’t share secrets or ask 20 questions via text messages.

I Text When I Don’t Want to Say the Words in Person

When it comes to saying something sexy, I feel downright silly at times.  Texting transforms me into a winking smiley face flirt.

I Text When I’m Afraid to Call

If I express interest in someone, and I’m not sure the feeling is mutual, texting is a good way to avoid embarrassment if he’s just not that into me.

Here’s Why I Won’t Text on Text Free Friday:  

I Won’t Text When I’m Tired

I find the time and muster the energy to pick up the phone and call someone I’m interested in.  A relationship is hard work at times.  If I’m too tired to talk, I’ll be too tired to do much of anything else.

I Won’t Text When I Don’t Want to Keep it Casual

If I want the relationship to be more than a casual connection, I want to hear his voice, make him laugh and experience that awkward silence in a verbal exchange when you’re thinking of what witty thing you should say next.

I Won’t Text When I’m Afraid to Call

Sometimes I must overcome my fears, risk rejection and take a chance on falling in love.

So my point is this—if you’re interested, you should call.  I’m not saying all texting should be banned. I like to receive texts that ask if I got home safely or inquire about my day. I like reading a message in the middle of a meeting that puts a smile on my face and gives me something to look forward to when I get off of work.  I just want to use the call button on my phone more frequently, hence why I’m celebrating Text Free Friday.

They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  The way to my heart is through my ears—whisper sweet nothings, vent about your crazy coworkers and confide your deepest secrets over the phone or in person, not through a text message.  That’s how you’ll sweep me off my feet.

Hey DFTM family—How do you use text messaging to communicate with the opposite sex?