Why Text Message?
I managed to say “Hi” to Derek Burress in my first ever text message the other night. That’s all I could manage without a mini tutorial from my daughter, Jackie. Of course my three daughters text message all the time. I just put text messaging on the same page as My Space…for younger people than I, until the other night.
My two modes of communication being some times you email sometimes you call, have well served my purposes up until now. I tried IMing once, until the little window kept popping up while I was trying to do a CMA. When determining the value of a house, and some other business functions, an interruption can send me back to square one. It’s like someone talking to you while you are trying to count. I shut down the IM as it was making too much re-work for me. I’ve always put text messaging in the same boat as IM, and felt it was Instant Messaging using a cell phone instead of a computer.
When Derek asked me to text message him, I was first filled with dread. Oh God, I have to learn how to do that now. Of course, I agreed. Derek Burress is hearing impaired. To get to two forms of communicating with a severely hearing impaired person, I had to use both email and text messaging. I asked him why people text message and he responded, so you can talk to people in the middle of the night without waking everyone up. LOL. Back to MySpace on that one. Can’t say I’ve ever had to worry about talking to people in the middle of the night crouched under my blanket in the dark.
I just picked up my cell phone and tried to email text message my daughter, Andrea because I haven’t been able to reach her on the phone. I get Andrea’s quote of the day from her sister, Tina. Yesterday Andrea’s quote of the day was “When I dress normal, my sandwich costs $6.00, but when I dress like a ho it only costs $2.00.”
So why text message? Andrea was diagnosed with cervical cancer last week. I find the need to tell her how much I love her more times in a day than I can reach her by phone. She’s only 19 and lives in L.A. Some of you will remember that she got her braces off just two short weeks ago. From braces off to cervical cancer. I don’t think it has really sunk in yet. But it’s definitey time for Mom to learn how to text message.
Thanks Derek for being the impetus for my finding a new means of communicating…when I needed it most. Even if all I ever manage to be able to text with my thumbs is: “Mommy loves you…dearly and always.”
Posted: July 19th, 2007 under General Real Estate.
Tags: text-messaging
About the Author: Ardell DellaLoggia
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Comments
2.
Comment
from Vicki
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:10 am
I am really really sorry to hear about Andrea’s cancer! Your last sentence brought tears to my eyes. As a mother, I can imagine how terrified you must feel. I will remember her in my prayers.
Vicki
3.
Comment
from Sandy
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:15 am
Oh Ardell, that is so sad about your daughter. I hope she will be okay!
I text message all the time because up here in Mukilteo the cell reception is…not so great. Text messages can be counted on to go through in those moments you really need to get a message to someone and you can’t get them on the phone.
4.
Comment
from Kevin Tomlinson
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:27 am
ARDELL,
I text’d you Sunday day and you didn’t respond. I was like—how could ARDELL be so “Miss type-type-type” and not text me back?
Texting is so much less intrusive! Quick. No, “Hi how are you” and all that stuff! It’s kind of like a “poke” on FaceBook.
Why didn’t you tell me about Andrea?
5.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:49 am
Kev,
When Derek asked me to do it I saw yours in there. Normally I wouldn’t have looked in there as I have always enabled texting for my girls, but not for me and Kim. We just added ourselves to the texting plan. Not sure why. Must have been an omen.
Yes, I agree it’s like poking in Facebook. If you ever see me poke someone in Facebook, just shoot me. Reminds me of the kid in grade school that used to slip the comb out of my uniform pocket every day, break it in half and sneak it back into my pocket, to get my attention. I can’t remember if it was Paul Bachetti or Ermano Pasquini, so I guess it didn’t work as to making him memorable.
As to Andrea…I only wrote it to help it sink in. Hard to speak of… I know I talk about most anything…but this is different. I just couldn’t hold it inside any longer. I’m not used to holding things in. But this one’s too close to my breaking heart.
6.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:55 am
Sandy,
I was wondering if text messaging worked when there wasn’t reception. I have a client who can’t get cell phone reception at work, and doesn’t always read her email quickly. I try texting and see if it gets to her.
I had to reach her yesterday when the carpet cleaners showed up at the house that’s supposed to get up on market by Sunday night. So I have more “urgent little messages” this week for her.
Does the text message make the phone beep when there is no cell phone reception? It goes through anyway? Instantaneously?
7.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:56 am
Kev,
I rarely contact someone to say “hi, how are you” and I rarely have any simple answers that take just a few words…as you well know.
8.
Comment
from Jessica Swesey
Time July 19, 2007 at 10:27 am
So sorry to hear about your daughter, Ardell. I hope you and your family can push through with strength during this difficult time.
9.
Comment
from Deborah Burns
Time July 19, 2007 at 10:40 am
So far I have not caught on with text messaging yet….but I know it’s inevitable!
Ardell, I am so sorry to hear about Andrea. Its’ difficult to learn about a diagnosis like that for anyone, but more so for someone so young. I know that she will have strong support and care from you and your family, and that everyone here will be thinking of you all.
10.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 10:48 am
There’s nothing we can do at all for a month or so when another test is run after she takes some medication first. Doing nothing is often the hardest time…waiting it out…so thanks everyone. It’s going to be a hard month to get through. Luckily I’m very busy!!! Helps to keep my mind off it.
11.
Comment
from Jay Thompson
Time July 19, 2007 at 11:54 am
So sorry to hear of Andrea’s diagnosis Ardell. Our thoughts are with her, you, and other friends and family. Don’t know what I could possibly do, but don’t hesitate to ask for help, even if it’s just a virtual shoulder to lean on.
12.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I appreciate all of your comments, emails and links to informational sites. It really has helped me get energized and make some progress.
Sometimes we all need a little help from our friends, even if it is just moral support. It has been very, very helpful.
Thank you.
13.
Comment
from Sandy
Time July 19, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Not sure if the text message goes through “instantaneously” in instances of bad reception (to answer that I’d have to have a better understanding of how the technology works). I think what happens is that it goes through “when it can.” Typically if you are somewhere that has bad reception it isn’t constantly bad, it’s kind of periodically bad. You might have 3-4 bars one minute and none the next. The text message will get that message out when it has the ability to do it. And I think it requires less signal than a voice call would.
The phone will beep when the message is received on the receiving end.
14.
Comment
from Rhonda Porter
Time July 19, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Ardell, my prayers are with Andrea, you and your family. My 14 year old son has me texting now…and it is a funny way to communicate with him. Sometimes when we (my husband, me and three teens) are all in the car driving somewhere, I’ll send him a text just to say “love you” when he’s sitting right behind me in the back seat. This usually results with a knee in my back (I know that means he loves me too).
I’ve had to get used to receiving text messages. My son’s girlfriend’s Mom is a Realtor and SHE texts me, too! I’ve missed a few until Tyler started. I now have it set up with a different tone than my ring or other notifications on my Treo. I also receive messages with rate updates throughout the day so I’m now glued to my phone. It’s a good problem to have.
15.
Comment
from Karen
Time July 19, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Ardell, I can’t imagine what you must be going through. The blog on Andrea getting her braces off was so recent and we were just chatting about her at the Roanoke, I feel so bad about this. Your family will be in my prayers. Please let me know if I can do anything for you.
16.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 4:43 pm
What’s really hard Karen is that when your children reach 18 you are a bit out of the loop where doctors are concerned. She’s too old to have Mommy take care of everything, and too young to handle it herself. My older daughter is trying, as they have the same doctor. It’s almost easier when they are minors and you can handle everything for them.
Are you coming to the party on Wednesday for Sellsius?
17.
Comment
from Karen
Time July 19, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I’m sorry for the delayed response, things are getting a bit crazy with class work/exams. Thank you for the invite, put me down as tentative, I’m not sure if I’ll be meeting my research group that night. I hope I can make it, and support Sellsius. It will be a fun time. The Ducks tour is something I’ll have to take my friend on when he comes into town to visit in a few weeks. Never done the tour, but it looks like a blast. Keep us posted on Andrea, I am still in shock over this. I’m glad your older daughter lives near her though so she has family nearby.
19.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 19, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Karen,
I paid her car insurance for six months. That cheered her up today! I have a feeling you know how someting like that off your plate can reduce someone’s stress level 
20.
Comment
from Brian Brady
Time July 21, 2007 at 12:12 am
Ardell,
I will certainly pray for Andrea’s speedy cure and your strength to see her through this.
21.
Comment
from ARDELL
Time July 21, 2007 at 12:17 am
Thanks Brian. Yesterday was a bad day, text messaging her helped and we finally got a date for her next calrifying test, which is August 9. I totally freaked out yesterday about the delay, and action took place as a result. I have a feeling there will be good days and bad days.
I sent the text message “Mommy loves you…dearly and always” she responded “I love you more”. I love text messaging now
22.
Comment
from April Groves
Time July 24, 2007 at 10:09 am
Ardell, many prayers…our family understands…
To lighter things…I am not a big text messenger. Like you, I never find the instance where I need to be cautious of waking people up. But, it came in handy…
One of the most stressful things about delivering a baby for me is keeping everybody in the loop. I am grateful to have a large circle of folks who care about me…but when you know your getting to the point, a ringing phone or returning a call is not high on my list of things to do. So, text a group message, “we are on our way to the hospital. Details to follow,” and turned off the ringer. We text a few updates through out and the big news after. Much easier…outside of that, I don’t use it very often.
1. Comment from Nickie
Time July 19, 2007 at 9:07 am
I never got the whole text messaging thing either until I lived in Taiwan. EVERYONE text messages there because it’s much cheaper than actually calling someone. In my whole year there, there were only a handful of times that I actually SPOKE on the phone - it was always text messaging.
When I came back to North America my coworker showed me a few short cuts on text messaging and now I’m hooked! Why interupt someone and have a long phone conversation when you can send a quick text?
Side note - I’m very sorry to hear about your daughters cancer.