As a writer I look up to my wife and sisters, they just have a way with words. The emotions I go through in just the short period of time, are amazing. I do not know how they do it. I do know that my wife frequently tells me I am a "list writer." And frequently grills me on spelling, grammer, and flow.
Putting all of that aside, I just have a few concerns in regards to the new wave of family communication via cell phone. Being the last in my family to obtain my own, I feel I have an insight that others do not.
Six (Sechs auf Deutschland, Danke Du) Simple Rules of Family Cell Phone Etiquette:
1. Whenever a family members calls you should answer. There is nothing more FOF then trying to reach someone, anyone in your family, and it as if they all know you are trying to call so they purposely don't answer. So eventually you call the busiest family member, a bishop, and DA and sure enough he answers every time. Thanks Dad, if for no other reason, you have my thanks.
2. If you are calling and the family member cannot answer, do NOT leave a message, unless it qualifies as IMPORTANT. There is nothing worse then wasting minutes and your time checking a voice mail mid day that says, "Hey, hows it going, just wanted to chat, call me back."
3. Now number three is closely tied with number two. If you see someone has called, you call them back as soon as you get a chance. If you do not, the person who originally called will think you do not understand proper cell phone etiquette. (Which could lead to bigger problems)
4. If S. Hales or S. Bjork ever call, you answer no questions asked.
5. Texting, wow I could go on for a long time on texting, but I will keep this short. In the beginning I was anti-texting. But now I am in love, even though I am still the slowest texter ever. It is email on you 24/7, you cannot find a more convenient way of communication. You do not have to respond unless the text you received prompted a response. If you ever receive a text reading something like this, "Whats the score, I need an update, double time." Stop what you are doing, find the score and text back immediately. It usually means someone has been stuck in a shopping trip of sorts, and needs a score update! Anything dealing with sports, trash talking, or a quick update is top priority.
6. Lastly, Sunday is the official call and get the family update call day.
I hope this was helpful, I have wanted to do this post for while, but have not really thought about what I was going to write, so sorry if it is not as well thought out as some of the blogging legends. I am also sorry if I sounded lazy, since we are blessed with this wonderful way of communication, but we just need a few basic ground rules. One more thing, if you call someone you have not talked to in a while, you the caller are responsible to directing the conversation.
6 comments:
Ev - you put in to words what we were all thinking. Sorry that mine and Trevor's texts usually fall between the 1:30 - 4:30 pm time frame on Sunday....but hey, they're always in regards to a score update.
Great insight, Ev. I know we could all do better with our cell phones. In fact I have recently commited to Adrienne to start carrying mine... I also sent my first text message last week. It was invigorating (sp?)! --Steve
Amen. Impressive insights. And I love that photo of Whit.
Your post has inspired me to call today and add a texting plan to my phone. I'm slow but committed to learning to text...I've found that's the best way to communicate with my Young Women at church.
Just want to put in my two cents that Steve wasn't joking about committing to start carrying his cell phone. I periodically call him to check if he's carrying it. Although he can't really use it at work so I'm trying to get him to start doing more texting.
Wow, I probably violated a blog rule by the length of this comment.
fear not adge. Add the texting plan, its only $5, and you have broken no blogging rule, the longer the comment the better.
Ev and Whit! AWESOME posts! You know that I check all the time...
And YES. Cell phone etiquette necessary. Now I just need to get my dad to start carrying his cell phone with him all the time. ;)
Ev,
Just wondered if you know about the T9 mode of texting. Nathan showed me how to use it a while back and it's so much easier/faster! You probably already know that, but if not check it out. You enter a word by only tapping one letter on the keypad and the phone sort of guesses - um, predicts - what you're trying to spell out. Who am I to tell you this? I suppose you already know, but I think it's totally awesome!
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