An Old Dog Tries to Text Message

I used to think I was pretty savvy when it came to technological things. I taught myself word processing and other computer related things. When we got our first computer at home I was the one that set it up, then taught everyone in the house how to use it. I've always been the one in the office that everyone comes to when they can't get the computer, copier, or some other piece of office equipment to work. I am an inquisitive person and love to learn new things. I pride myself with being able to stick with something until I've figured out how to do it.

Now comes the era of text messaging on your cell phone. I watch these teens who have grown up with technology use their thumbs to type messages at a rate faster than the speed of light. How do they do that? I try to be cool and send a text message which takes me about 10 minutes to type one sentence! When texting you have to press each key on the phone until you get the letter you want in the message. Half the time I've got the message part way done and realize that I haven't pressed fast enough so the message looks like jibberish. I have to go the clear key to backspace to the mistake then start all over again! Then there's something that Grandson #1 tried to teach me about a setting on my phone that will put a word in if I type the first letter. Supposed to make my texting go faster -- NOT!! All the while, Daughter #2 and Grandson #1 are rolling on the floor in fits of laughter at my attempts to message.

Last night I signed our family up for a family share plan with unlimited text messaging. All of the people that have phones on our plan are over the age of 20 so we are all text impaired. Did I think that maybe just by signing up it would be make things easier and we'd all be text wizards?

This morning Daughter #1 calls me because she wants to download a new ring tone to her phone. You have to send a text message in order to do that. She and I are on the land line with our cell phones in front of us and I'm trying to walk her through how to do the text message. We get to the part where you have to enter a "1". In text mode when you push the one you don't get a one. You get all different kinds of punctuation marks. Daughter #1 asks if Daughter #2 (who is the text queen) is awake. I say no but am thinking of waking her so she can help us figure out this stupid text thing. Then Daugher #1 figures out that if you hold down the "1" you actually get the number one! We've made progess. The ring tone starts to download and then it says you have to click a link to get the tone. How in the world do you click on a link with your cell phone?

We both gave up. The ring tone is downloaded in the in box on her phone and we'll wait until Daughter #2 wakes from blissful slumber to get us out of this text nightmare.