Thursday, December 31, 2009

Texting Derby


My cell phone chimed receipt of a text message. It was early afternoon on a Friday, the last day before winter vacation began for my middle-school kid. My high school daughter had already finished her term, and she was hanging out with me at home.

Who would be texting me?

My friend with benefits sometimes sent dirty text messages mid-day when she felt that special friskiness coming on. (As a single parent, I’ve pretty much forgotten all about spontaneous sex. These days my liaisons are well-planned in advance). And you never know when a drunk texting marriage proposal might show up from an ex (hey, it happens!) Or an ex-fling getting me back with a dirty text message joke. If it was any form of sexy texting, I certainly didn’t want my teen daughter to see. Not that my daughter would check my phone, but you can’t be too sure…

Just then, my daughter’s phone chimed receipt of a text message, as well. Prank texting from her brother? Couldn’t be. He was in school.

We both checked our messages. Sure enough, it was her brother.

Who won the superbowl in 1979? It’s trivia day in science class.

Ok, first of all, cell phones are off limits at my son’s school. If he gets caught texting in a classroom, the phone gets confiscated for the rest of the day. Plus, he has to walk the campus picking up trash for an hour.

But I’m competitive as hell, and I figured there’s no way my son is going to lose a trivia game. He’s sly enough to not get caught (I didn’t say that!). Either that, or the teacher was allowing cell phone usage during the game.

I googled the answer. Pittsburgh Steelers.

Before I typed even two keys on my Motorola Razr – you know, one of those cell phones with a numeric keypad to send SMS messages? Hit “2” three times to get the letter “c”? – before I typed two keys, my daughter snapped her phone shut.

“I just texted him the answer,” she said.
WTF? How had she done that so fast?

“My cell has an actual keyboard,” she said. “And I have fast thumbs.”

My son scored major points on that question. And he didn’t have to pick up a single piece of trash.

(If the dean at his school happens to find this post, please know it’s fiction! My son would never text in class! And I would never aid and abet him!)

L8R.

19 comments:

The Peach Tart said...

I know I want one of the phones with a real keyboard.

Nicki said...

Yeah, I have a keyboard. It is the way forward, D-rex. ;)

Better luck next time.

Cristin said...

Hubs and I have just discovered the wonders of texting... that's some good dirty fun.

Finally left some bloggy love about my Hot Mama status. ;)

chocdrop said...

I have to admit that both my girls can text lightening fast. Its scary...I wish they could type that fast.

Unknown said...

I could never use anything that doesn't have a keyboard. I am not a texter but I do tend to write a lot with my blackberry (what else do you do when your stuck in line at the grocery?)

Joanna Cake said...

I had a keyboard but Im a qwerty trained touch typist and it's just too small for my fingers! My teenager regularly mocks me for my 'slow thumbs', I havent told her that Im actually still trying to use my fingers...

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

Lol...my nieces have written 3 texts back and forth b4 I finish mine...

And I'm on my BB right now typing this...hence the texting/twitter type spelling!

Unknown said...

The moment I got a full keyboard, I never looked back. I can not txt with regular cellphones... can't and won't :)

MindyMom said...

Dude. Dont you know about T9? It's the only way to text if you dont have a full keyboard!

I've had a full keyboard now for about a year, but prior to that my kids had to teach me how to text. I'm surprised yours haven't brought you up to speed - pun intended!

Not a soccer mom said...

I have a dinosaur of a phone, dont like the T9, it guesses wrong too much, but I have a pretty fast text finger. Impresses my teens!

Congrats on the win.. I couldn't even come up with the answer that fast...
I would have been wrong.

Anonymous said...

My 17 year old just went on a cruise...couldnt use her cellphone for a whole week. When she got home, I asked her the normal questions, did you have fun?was it relaxing? Her first comment..."My thumbs got a rest cuz I couldnt text!" What did we ever do without them?

Anonymous said...

You need to switch to t9 or predictive text then it helps fill in the word as you type much faster. I admit I am a texter, and its much more convenient at work nobody has to hear the conversation.

My 8 year old taught her grandma to text. It was pretty cute, now grandma texts them and sends them pictures.

LB

TentCamper said...

That is too funny. Our high school daughter texts all day during class.
She said that kids use their iPods and Blackberrys to cheat on tests and such. It has gotten to a point where the school is trying to install a cell jamming device.

At the middle school if they are caught using their phones they lose them for the duration of the semester.

We've only gotten one text from our middle school daughter.

Rob said...

Isn't a razr what you shave with. LOL. I thought everyone had a cell with a full keyboard. I am 35 and have a Blackberry Curve and I email and text often. I love texting. LOL.

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WOW! it's great! I also need a cell phone like this........

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New Hampshire's law also bans Twittering, typing on laptop computers or electronic devices while driving. An exception is made for entering a name and number in a cell phone to make a call.

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The distracted driving law more typically is used to ticket drivers for failing to clear snow from vehicle roofs and windshields in the winter, he said.

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I'm going to watch it in an hour and of course by now I found out who won, but I don't know who was the last player and what to expect so if you know anything to look forward to please tell me.

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