Aunty Acid by Ged Backland for June 15, 2020

I’m an old dude and I don’t know how to text.

Don’t bother texting me, I don’t answer them.

I hate texting. Every second text I get has some dumb autocorrect mistake in it that makes the message unintelligible. Also, text cannot convey the nuances of conversation. I tell everyone if you really want to get in touch with me, phone.

I’m jealous of my neighbour- he never got a personal email, doesn’t own a cell phone or a computer.

I can see texting for a short message, but some want to hold a conversation that way, despite the fact it would be easier to speak on the phone.

Texting leaves out the “feelings”, Aunty!

I read texts. My fingers are too fat to respond. Also, I have “zombie fingers:” I can tap a control 25 times and it doesn’t register. I have a tough time operating touch pads on point of sales systems.

However, even though I own one of the cheapest smartphones on the planet, it has excellent voice recognition. I dictate most of my messages.

The only callers to your wireless phone, Aunty, are robo callers. They don’t text very often.

I often text on my iPad. It has a nice keyboard for an oldster like me.

What I’ve really noticed during this time of physical distancing is how little people of my generation use the technology available to us to “keep in touch.” I have a few very close friends who call every week. NOBODY answers the emails I send, nor do any of us text. In past history, there were always bundles of letters and personal journals and notes and such stuff to get a finger n what regular folks felt, but it seems there will be a dearth of such primary sources. Interesting. Perhaps we don’t like social mixing as much as we claim to. . .

Hi! This is Michael. My # is 555-328-7448. If you attempt to contact me, I will track you down. You can imagine what might follow when I find you. Have a nice day!

OH, pleases, I don’t want the spam callers sending me texts either.

sometimes i would rather have the voicemail than the text. this way i know how the message is suppose to be meant by the tone of their voice.

I’m with you, Aunty! I loathe, abhor, despise, detest, & abominate talking on the phone, & if it rings I let it go to voice mail unless the caller is on my contacts list. OTOH, unlimited text is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hardly ever even email anyone any more; I just text them unless they only have land lines.

I can say in one minute what would take me 30 minutes to text.

Pretty deaf so can’t hear phone ring unless it’s really loud and then my wife objects – so only reply to texts if they show up on the computer screen via Airdroid. Don’t much like talking on phone either, so Please, Please use email me!!!! (Signed 50+ year email veteran)

In all seriousness if a number pops up and I don’t know it, I let it go to voicemail. Scammers don’t leaves messages.

Most meetings could be an email, too.

Autocomplete is going to totally revamp the lanuge.

Ditto!

My only phone is a land-line, that’s why!

The hierarchy of getting my attention:

An in-person visit takes priority over a phone call, which takes priority over an email, which takes priority over a text. Send me a text and you likely won’t get a response because I’m busy with more pressing matters.