Posts Tagged "texting"

Rain, Traffic, and It’s Not Worth It

Dear Kid,

It was raining (hard) as I headed for home last night. It was about 9:30pm as I existed the Norwood Lateral and turned north on I-71. For anyone who is not familiar with the area, the Lateral runs east/west [I was heading east] and 71 runs north/south on the east side of Cincinnati.

Usually it runs. Last night it was a parking lot.

I’m a girl who likes information, so I called Dad.

“I just turned off the Lateral onto 71 and it’s a complete standstill. Can you see if you can figure out what’s going on?”

: Actually, I don’t know what his understanding was—I just know it didn’t match mine. DearKidLoveMom.comMy understanding of the situation: I wanted to know A) what the problem was, B) where—exactly—the problem was, C) whether I should be considering an alternate route, and D) how long it would take me to get home.

Dad’s understanding of the situation: Actually, I don’t know what his understanding was—I just know it didn’t match mine. I know this because he said, “Was 75 backed up?”

“What? I have no idea. I’m on 71. Can you see if you can figure out what the issue is here?”

“Did you see if 75 was backed up and then decide to take 71?”

“75 is on the west side. I’m now on the east side. I just want to know what’s causing the problem.”

“Why did you go that way?”

(In my head, “Why does that matter? Just see if you can figure out what the situation is!”)

What I actually said, “I always go this way. I think maybe I see flashing lights, but I’m not sure.”

“So you’re moving, just slowly.”

“No, at this moment, I am l literally not moving at all.”

“I’m listening to NPR and they haven’t said anything about a problem on 71.”

(In my head, “No, I wouldn’t think this would hit the national news headlines.”)

What I actually said, “…”

Dad hung up to research the issue.

Traffic crept forward 3 car lengths.

“Well, Sweetie, I can’t find anything.”

“I’m pretty sure I can see lights.”

“You can always get off at the next exit and take Ridge.”

“Well, I’m going to be delayed.”

“Just turn on the news, take a deep breath, and enjoy the time.”

(In my head, “’News’ and ‘enjoy’ are generally not words I put together.”)

What I actually said, “See you in a while.”

I feel sorry for the officers who were standing out in the rain making sure the cars didn’t exceed the speed limit while they inched along. DearKidLoveMom.com6 hours and a quarter mile later, I reached the next exit. There had been a terrible crash—at least three cars totaled—which blocked the entire highway. We had to take the exit whether we wanted to or not.

The highway just north of the exit was fine. So we could get right back on. Except at that particular exist, there is no such thing as “right back on.” You have to go aaaaalllllll the way around the exit ramp, up two blocks this way, over a couple of blocks that way, across the overpass, and then take the long entrance ramp back to the highway. Lots of red lights. It took a while.

Still it was better than taking unfamiliar back roads.

My twenty minute drive home took about 45 minutes.

I hope no one was badly hurt in the crash.

I feel sorry for the officers who were standing out in the rain making sure the cars didn’t exceed the speed limit while they inched along.

I don’t know what caused the crash or what the circumstances leading up to it were. I do know that far too many accidents are caused by people texting, or rushing, or rushing and texting.

It’s not worth it.

Neither is trying to explain some things to the HusbandPerson.

Love, Mom

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Ridiculous Messages from Facebook

Dear Kid,

Facebook said “Today is Little Annie’s 16th birthday.”

I said, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Facebook said, “Really, it is her birthday.”

I said, “Oh, I believe it’s her birthday, but not that she’s 16. She’s Little Annie because she’s a little girl. If she were all grown up she’d be called All Grown Up Annie.”

Facebook said, “Maybe you haven’t seen her for a while. She’s definitely 16.”

I said, “It seems more probably to me that you miscounted.”

Facebook said, “That’s not how reality works.”

I said, “That’s one of the reasons I form my own reality. Yours keeps causing improbable things to happen. Like little girls growing up.”

Facebook said, “Perhaps you should look in the mirror.”

I said, “I am still as young as ever.”

Facebook said, “You’ve taught your mirror to lie well.”

Facebook is impertinent.

I’d like to say Facebook and I aren’t on speaking terms anymore but that’s even more ridiculous than Little Annie being old enough to drive. Especially since I plan to send Annie a FB message that says “Happy 12th Birthday” so that we can return reality to the world.

While we’re at it, you don’t need to grow up so quickly either.

Love, Mom

P.S. Annie–do NOT text and drive. EVER.

 

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Strange Text from a Stranger

Dear Kid,

There was a text message on my phone this morning.

It was sent at a not-unreasonable hour last night. Even if it had been sent at a ridiculous hour it wouldn’t have mattered because I typically don’t bring my cell phone upstairs with me. (Translation: in case of emergency, you should probably try the house phone.)

The text was from a number I didn’t recognize.

It read:

Hey boy where u at?

You might want to read that twice. I did.

My first reaction was to giggle. Not very much, but a little.

My second reaction was an urge to text back something like “I don’t think you meant me since I am most assuredly not a boy. I am, however, sure that you would never have passed High School English with a sentence like that.”

I do not want to live in a world where everything I do and say is recorded. That is not something I am willing to support or live under. Edward Snowden DearKidLoveMom.comMy third reaction (final answer) was to write a blog.

Now I’m sure whoever sent the text was not targeting me in any way. I’m guessing it was a case of mistyping a number. It didn’t feel obnoxious or threatening or any of those other adjectives that might cause someone to get upset.

I’m equally sure the writer was not aiming for the Queen’s English (the area code was decidedly US) and I recognize that we live in an area of the country where “Were’d you git that at?” is perfectly acceptable conversational English (it just makes me throw up in my mouth a little every time I hear it).

I’m can even talk myself into believing that the term “boy” referred either to the writer’s offspring or BFF.

I was watching a comedian last night (don’t ask who, I wasn’t really paying all that much attention) who was talking about finding out more about his dates by scrolling through their computer browsers and email texts. Funny, but a little scary when you think about it.

My point is not that one must always talk as though one were dictating Shakespeare.

The point is that you can never be 100%, absolutely positive who will see what you’ve written.

Who knows, you might even inadvertently send a text to someone’s mom who will then write about it for the whole world to see.

Love, Mom

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