Text, text, wink, wink
Texts and emails have become pivotal in modern flirting.
These days, if a girl who I’m chatting up sends me a text or email that doesn’t make me laugh, I feel pretty apathetic about them.
For example, any text that starts, “God, I’m so stressed at the moment,” immediately makes me think, “Maybe I should pretend I left my phone at someone’s house rather than get into this.”
And any emails containing insipid digital banter – such as ;) lol !!!!!!!! – make me feel like I’m grooming someone, rather than chatting them up.
So this is just a nudge to all emailers and texters that the bar of digital conversation has been raised considerably over the past few years. If you don’t start trying that little bit harder you’re going to be left with only emoticons to keep you warm at night.
We are listening to Elbow
it wasn’t until last year that I realised lol meant laugh-out-loud, not lots of love. I need to befriend more teenagers.
Comment by benc — 23/02/07
I’ve always maintained that if you can’t get your point across with a single exclamation mark, you need to work on your communication skills.
Comment by sam991 — 23/02/07
I once received an e-mail from a girl that was ghost-written. It said, “Can my friend Nikita (who’s typing this) have your e-mail please? She’s a very pretty, very intelligent, 19 and a half, budding actress.” After I’d decided that I wasn’t talking to someone with dissociative identity disorder and that this didn’t count as internet dating, I responded, “I’m not sure I believe that description, can she send me a picture to prove how intelligent she is?”
Comment by Benjamin Knight — 23/02/07
pet hate: c u l8r m8. this beautiful and sometimes complex language has evolved over hundreds, maybe thousands of years. so for a bunch of spotty little oiks to come along and fuck with it, whilst speaking in acronyms, is a fuckin insult. don’t even start me going on punctuation, or lack of it, cunts.
Comment by tom.hills — 23/02/07
Text and email acronyms are a good thing for the mid to late twenties males who understand the acronyms but don’t use them! Think about it! The M generation can’t communicate on a social (conversation based) level anymore which means someone who can articulate a conversation will ultimately attract the nicer ladies in a bar, whilist they’re younger counterparts will be left floundering in the corner hoping to bluejack the lady in question…….then we’ll be the ones laughing out loud….softc*cks
Comment by andylevis — 24/02/07
I was having this conversation with my housemate the other night, and in our opinion, you’re absolutely right. If I receive a text or email that takes about twenty minutes to work out what the hell she’s on about it puts me off straight away, although to be honest, it does also depend if she’s a looker or not.
Comment by Chew — 14/05/07
Good post. You make some great points that most people do not fully understand.
“Texts and emails have become pivotal in modern flirting.
These days, if a girl who I’m chatting up sends me a text or email that doesn’t make me laugh, I feel pretty apathetic about them. ”
I like how you explained that. Very helpful. Thanks.
Comment by Evaine — 22/04/08