I’ve got to agree with Zoe Williams about people abbreviating words when sending text messages. It smacks of laziness, and besides, there’s no real need when so many new mobile phones have predictive text input. So using text abbreviations now is an affectation - and a rather droll one, at that.
There are only a handful of people who send me messages containing strange TXT shorthand - 2morrow, l8r, CU nxt wk and so on - and it bugs the shit out of me, for reasons I’m not entirely sure of.
What I do know is this - I usually take as much effort in replying to them as they have in messaging me in the first place - i.e. very little.
My other friends, however, the ones who know how to make 160 characters speak volumes, get the replies they deserve - full of care and attention and proper spelling.
While we’re on the subject, can I just point out something else about text messages that I don’t get? Those little books - The little bk of txt msgs and whatnot, which retail on cardshop counters for £1.99 and contain lots of little messages, chat up lines, insults and jokes you can put into your phone and send to all your friends.
The mind boggles. What lack of originality must a person have in order to require a book telling them what to send to their own friends?
I’m very much looking forward to seeing “The little book of postcards” for next time I go on holiday - full of such gems as “weather is here, wish you were lovely” and the like. *Yawn*
And another thing. I think I need to get myself a predictive text plugin for my boyfriend - I seem to spend an awful lot of time these last couple of weeks going:
Me: “Honey, could you get me the….the…”
Him: “The what?”
Me: “The…thingy…the…you know…the…the telly guide”
Him: [looks at me strangely] “Right. Where is it?”
Me: “It’s in the….the….”
Him: “Where? The kitchen? The living room? Where?”
Me: “…the….the bedroom! Aha!”
Him: “Sure.” [looks at me strangely]
Bless him, he’s trying so hard. I think I need a….a…you know…one of those things….a… bugger, you know what I mean…a….ah yes, I remember. A holiday.
