Dating via Text message? Really?!?

Texting has changed the way we communicate. This, I understand. Some of us, myself included, text while driving, at work, in bed, during class, and really anywhere else you can imagine. When dating someone we look forward to that text from “her” even if it is just, “Good morning (winking face).”  We even place certain values around the text itself based on how long it takes them to write back and what kind of crappy face we can make with the symbols. I'm guilty of it. We all are.

So while looking up some dating articles, I somehow came across a series of articles regarding dating via text messages. I mean, really?!? I understand texting while you're dating, but dating by text? How in the heck does this work?

At this point, I'm imaging something along the lines of:

Texter 1: Hey, babe, wanna meet for dinner tonight?
Texter 2: That sounds nice. What time?
Texter 1: How about 6pm?
Texter 2: Wonderful. See ya then.
So around 6pm, rather than physically meeting, it would be some sort of kindred text chat as they both eat together yet separately?
Texter 1: So, what's for dinner tonight?
Texter 2: I made bowtie pasta with garlic alfredo sauce and it's delish. You?
Texter 1: I made steak with some grilled corn.
Texter 2: Mmm, that sounds great. Are you eating at the table or on the couch?
Texter 1: I'm at the table.
Texter 2: Wow, that was terrific. I'm gonna wash dishes now. Thanks for the joining me.
Texter 1: Anytime. Let's do this again. Chat later.

Whew! With a dinner date like that, I wonder how the sex would be. Because I am fairly sure that isn't what really happens, I decided to pull on my waders and read the articles. Interesting, to say the least.

The articles claim that text message dating is dating at your pace with less emotional risk. Hmm, isn't the emotional aspect what draws people to date someone to begin with? The articles even talk about virtual gifts and text flirting. Are people afraid to actually hear someone's voice these days? From personal experience, the worst is when you craft the gushiest, most awesome lovey-dovey text and it runs the risk of just getting, “LOL” or a smiley face in return.

Understand, I'm not against texting the one you are dating. This whole rant was about dating via text…not about communicating via text. Totally different things. Perhaps I'm a bit old-school but I think if you're going to go out on a date, you need to physically see that person. Just a thought...

What if failing was not an option?

“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” -Robert H. Schuller

Many of us have heard that quote before at one point in our lives. But how many of you have ever taken the time to truly consider it? Did you let it wash through you? There have been several times I have considered what I would do and each time I decide I want to smile more and lead a life filled with all of my deepest desires. But who can really do that while maintaining a life full of responsibilities? At some point, we all have to do things we don’t want to do or have to refrain from doing things that we are not capable of doing due to reasons outside of our control.

Today, I decided I wanted to analyze it again. What is it that I want out of life? Success, sure...who doesn’t want that? But on a deeper level, what do I want? I can tout about adventure, mysticism, romance, and respect. Of course, I want that but - Borrrrring. No, I want to fly. I want a freedom that the average individual cannot achieve. I want that life experience you get when you find out you don’t have much time left. You know, when you love deeper, live easier, and play harder. I want to regret nothing and do everything. But I’m digressing here and kind of moving all over the place. Allow me to get back on topic.

What would I do if the chance of failure was off the table? Here is where I want to say that I would take the first step in one of the many directions I am looking at but...would I? Would you? Isn’t the fear of failure part of what keeps us all on track? If there was no chance of failing, would it not be considered easy? And when things are easy, do we not take them for granted? And when we take them for granted, are they not just another meaningless task that we have accomplished in our lives? Without failure, there would be no success, no adventure, no risk, and no romance. So really, if failure is such a key to success, why do we let it weigh us down? Simple answer is because it’s easy, the more fulfilling answer lies within you.

Lessons...

So we learn lessons in life through experience. Hindsight is bullshit, despite the hype it gets because really it's just another way of saying "oops, I should have done this instead of that." And really...who needs yet another reminder that you screwed up in the first place, right? I can totally see you nodding your head right now. Don't worry, you aren't alone.

Speaking of lessons, I've been learning a lot of them lately. First off, I've learned that patience takes a LOT of freakin' patience. Second, I've learned that sometimes I'm a really slow learner. I'm actually grinning right now as I'm typing this. Not because it's amusing...no, that's not it at all. So why am I grinning, you ask? Because right now, I'm not really sure what else to do. My brain runs a million miles a minute usually. Today however, my brain is comatose. I'm not even sure it's still in my head right now. *sigh*

I don't really have much else to say today. Another time perhaps.

Words...too tangled in my brain?

It's been awhile since I've put something out there but the oddest thing has happened. Odd even for me. I'm a writer. It's a part of me...a part of who I am. Yet lately, I've had so many emotions, thoughts, and feelings that I just can't seem to put into words. It's like they are tangled up in my heart and in my brain and I just can't express them. You must understand that for someone who can usually put pen to paper rather easily, this is outrageously frustrating!

I can feel them, taste them, nearly touch them - they are thumping from within so hard. However, when I try to write them down, I feel inept. The words I write seem too simple. Not nearly descriptive enough to give them credit. I'm frustrated enough at myself and my ability that it weighs like a stone in my chest.

Why? Why am I having such difficulty? I asked a good friend that same question. In return, she repeated it back to me as if hearing it phrased in her voice would allow me to provide an answer. Not so much. Epic fail...still no idea. All I can think is that they are so new - so foreign - to me that I simply cannot describe them. Did I mention how frustrating this is?

You know that feeling you get when you reach your hand into an unexpected spider web (without the spider)? If you try to describe it, what do you get? Try it right now. You get these words that just don't do it justice. It's nearly indescribable. It's sticky, yet silky. Gross, yet weird. I could go on but you get the idea. That's what this is like for me. So tangled, so intense, so...yeah...that I just can't put them on paper. Ugh. Ugh. Double ugh!