Texting Etiquette

I'm not sure if Alexander Graham Bell had text messages in mind when he invented the telephone. But it makes things so much easier and helps us all escape the dreaded phone call. Text messages make it easier for people to keep in touch and keep up to date with social situations. However, with anything there are definitely pet peeves that I have or rules that should be followed when sending messages.

Do's:

• Flirt via text. You just got that cute guy's/girl's phone number. You now have an opportunity to win him/her over with witty conversation while sober. It's also a great way to stay in that person's mind and keep them interested. Much better than coming across as creepy/needy/psycho with multiple calls the next day. Beware of sarcasm though. Unless the person knows you well enough to get your sarcastic sense of humour you may come across as an ass. (There really should be a special sarcasm font.)
• Send quick confirmations. Telling a person you're on your way or will be there in a couple minutes is a great way to make use of the text. Calling people twice within 10 minutes with little pieces of information like this is not only annoying, it's unnecessary. 
• Keep it short and sweet. Telling me a life story about how you and some buddies played a hilarious joke on your friend doing this and that is really more of an in person anecdote. Or going on and on about the prices of meat. Sometimes phone calls really are better. (Or just keep certain information to yourself).
• Reply back. There is nothing worse than when your friends don't reply back to something you've said. The chances are you received it. Even if it's hours later, I appreciate a text back - even if it's to say sorry, I couldn't text I was driving/at the gym/making out. No one likes to be ignored. (If you are however trying to ignore that person because you don't wanna talk to them - continue to ignore them. Or send a note saying "Sorry, I didn't text. I was ignoring you.").

Don'ts:

• Text on a date. The same rule applies for phone calls. You just don't do it. Everyone knows the phone call is for emergencies only (or when a date is going poorly and you need an exit strategy). Give the person your full attention for a couple hours. You can live without your phone for that long. If you really need to talk to an outside person, excuse yourself to the bathroom to text. Keep it classy.
• Use short forms or slang. This is one of my personal pet peeves. Shortening words that otherwise are short tells me you're either a douche or you don't wanna take the time to put in that extra letter. You will come across as uneducated and lazy. These are just some examples:
• C (see)
• U (you)
• N E (any)
• K (ok)
• Y (why)
• B (be)
• L8R (later)
• 2nite (tonight)

•  Using text words in real life. This is more of a personal pet peeve of mine. Having a conversation with  a person that is all like: "O.M.G. Can you believe she did that? I was like W.T.F!" I'm not sure if you're trying to keep your word count for the day but saying oh my god (or gosh) or what the fuck (or fudge) is totally appropriate.
• Text in public, all night. So...you went out to a restaurant, bar or bowling alley. Instead of enjoying the company of your present friends you decided to have a text marathon with people who aren't there. There's nothing worse than seeing a bunch of people sitting in silence in a very loud place.
• Send text after text after text. I get it. You want to talk to me. I don't need 7 lines of information that could have been made into one cohesive sentence. 

So, those are just a few of my personal rules. I'm sure I've broken some of them before. But I really do try to be a polite text messager. I think we are all thankful for opposable thumbs.

The Burning Question

I've seen the movie "When Harry Met Sally" probably a dozen times. It's up there on my list of favourite movies. But with this movie comes the question - Can men and women be friends?
I'm not sure the movie really answers the question. Or it answers it with a negative, proving that men and women cannot be friends. I mean in the end - spoiler alert! - Harry and Sally eventually consummate their relationship and this ruins their friendship. Although they realize that they are in fact perfect for each other.

I really don't think this movie sets out to try and answer the age-old question because it really is just a love story. I like to think that yes, men and women can definitely be friends.

The fact is, I have many different friends, both male and female. I truly believe there are many benefits to having both sexes as friends.

Girls are great at listening and being there when you need it. They will be a shoulder to cry on. They are the first ones to offer a hug or a much needed glass of wine.

Guys are great problem solvers. They will fix what's broken. They are all about action.
They are the first ones to offer to beat up anyone that threatens your happiness.

Of course, you can only maintain this friendship if it is truly platonic. This is where it can get complicated. If one friend secretly wants more from the friendship then things can get messy. Or if you have a past together it's not a truly platonic friendship because there was obvious attraction to one another. I'm not denying you can't have a friendship with an ex or past lover but let's be real - it's not the same.

There have been numerous times when people have questioned my friendships and went as far to declare that I should just date them anyway. These people simply don't understand that it would be like dating my brother. I mean I love those boy friends of mine but they already know too much about me. I can't have the chance of a horrific break up occurring and all that secure information be threatened. I'm also pretty sure that this voids their interest in me. I may not exactly be 'one of the guys', because let's face it, I'm a girl. But they've seen me at my worst so I'm sure they don't see me as much of a girl either.

If however, there are men or women out there that befriend the opposite sex in hopes that someday you will date. Stop it. At this point you've probablye entered the friend zone. If you really think being someone's friend for years is gonna get you a girlfriend/boyfriend....there are much faster ways. Try online dating, post an ad on kijiji, go to a bar. Don't hit on your friends.

I went on a dinner date recently and was asked about my male friends. I assured him that there is no romantic level to my male friendships. We are simply friends and have been for over 20 years. I have many relationships like this. He couldn't fathom the idea that any man would just want to be my friend. I'm not sure if this was suppose to be some sort of compliment toward my personality or an insult to my friendship.

Sadly, I told dinner date man I liked him as a person but not romantically, but we could still be friends?! I won't be expecting a friendship Facebook request from him anytime soon.

Bulletin Boards are for Losers

I caved a short while ago. I had been fighting the urge to do it for a long time because I knew I would get addicted. All my friends were telling me how great it was and that I should just do it. Get on it. Once the offer was put out to me, I couldn’t say no. So I did it. And I can’t get enough.

Hello, my name is Cheddar and I’m a Pinterest addict.

This is another big time waster that most of us try to justify. Whatever you’re into, you can find it. And you can pin it for later use (which you probably never will because you have pinned hundreds of things and will never find the time to do them all).

This is truly an ADD’s dream world. You go from fashion, to movies, to fitness, to food, to laughing, to crying, to saying wtf? All in the matter of minutes.

My time spent on the site does something like this:

8:00pm Whoa...what a babe. I better start working out more.

Yup, tomorrow morning I'm gonna go for a run and then I'll do yoga. I'm gonna be so fit...

I love this song! Better add this to my running playlist.

HA! That's so funny. I better pin that one so I can look back on it and laugh.

OMG! That looks amazing.

sfdhfksdfklsdfdsf

Oops I just drooled on my keyboard. I'm totally gonna make this. When there are other people around to help me eat it.

Aw these pregnancy pictures are so cute. I better save these so that 10 years when I have a baby I'll know what I want in pictures.

10:00pm zzzzzzzz

I haven't quite gotten the routine of pinning and actually doing. Apparently there's not enough time in a day to go to work, workout, make dinner, spend time on pinterest and actually get those things pinned completed. There's a flaw in this plan.

This website doesn't really help my issue of making big plans and not following through.

Genuinely Insincere

Ah technology. We now have the privilege of staying in contact and meeting new people through so many different portals I can't even keep track. Facebook, Twitter, online dating, forums, blogs, pinterest. It's overwhelming and exhausting.

Especially when you get messages from people you don't know like this one:

"have been staring at your profile picture speechless and in awe for the past hour or so. That deep gaze in your eyes, your perfect smile, all of your features just seem to all come together so well, almost an...gelical in a sense I suppose.

The reason I am writing this is to let you know that I think I have found the most beautiful woman to grace us with her presence on our planet, and I am of course talking about you.

I know this might mean absolutely nothing to you, and you probably get many of these types of messages/posts here and in real life BUT please understand that I am being as genuine as ever when I say that you are the ultimate dictionary definition of perfection, and I hope that one day God can bestow me with a woman as beautiful as you, I would be forever grateful.

I hope that this message finds you well, I do not care if I get a response to this, I am just simply stating the obvious and had to let you know how I really felt"

Well, person I don't know...Thank you. But there is in no way that I believe you think this about me. I mean your instincts must be great because yes, I am pretty awesome. But people need to get to know me before they realize this. I'm not even sure if people would say this type of thing about Brad Pitt or Megan Fox.

A person can't be genuine if they're talking about your perfection. It's the flaws that make us beautiful. But thanks for the ego boost.