I admit I use text messaging on a regular basis. Yes, I have been known to carry on long text messaging conversations. Yes, I use text messaging in order to make plans, or otherwise use it as a supplement form of communication. In the last six months or so, I've been weaned off text messaging based on my change in lifestyle, and I have to admit, I don't miss texting one bit.

When I moved I left 23 years of friendships, relationships, and meet-cutes behind. I started fresh with not much of my old life to compare to. I had a sister and brother-in-law, a job, and a few of my sister's friends to look to for a weekend outing. This is beginning to sound depressing. This scenario sounds like one of those rom com movies where Katherine Heigl's character is based on me. YIKES! I plead the 5th, your honor. Without a doubt, the drastic change in my social calendar had it's own challenges, but it also brought about this epiphany, which is that I really don't like the idea of texting.

After moving several states away from all my close friends and those who I talked to on a more than regular basis, I soon realized I was texting less and less. Most of my text messages are about meeting up for a drink, sharing a r̶a̶u̶n̶c̶h̶y̶ captivating photo to my parents about what I'm up to, pets, or insides jokes (WHOOPS, sorry mom and dad I was drunk...), or to keep tabs on my close friends, when it's hard to have conversations longer than 5 minutes on the phone. I still operate that way even with all the distance between us. As you can guess, text messaging to me is not a core form of communication. Since I'm no longer a few blocks away from my best friends to make plans, I found texting to be a bit foolish, since that's mainly what I use it for.

Nowadays when I get a text message that encourages a conversation longer than about 5 texts, I get annoyed. More than annoyed actually, I become irritated that someone thinks punching a bunch of electronic keys is easier than slightly moving your mouth in real conversation. Any text conversation that isn't strictly for making plans or checking in briefly, is a waste of time and energy.

Have you noticed how much time can be consumed by a text conversation?? I'd much rather sit on the phone for an hour with someone and that be the end of it, instead of being interrupted every 5 minutes all afternoon long by texts. Many claim texting is such a time saver. REALLY?? How is text messaging saving you time??? It's such a time suck. It sucks more than a Dyson vacuum!! At least that's what my evidence points to.

Pictures are worth a thousand words and I can't believe I'm caving into the slippery slope, but Snapchat, Instagram, etc., may have it right. At the present moment, I feel I can have more of a conversation with my friends via Snapchat than a text message, and believe it or not, it doesn't consume my life. Snapchat is something I can check once a day or once a week, but it lets me see what my friends are up to without having a constant interruption throughout the day.

After all these years of having a smartphone I truly only use it for 3 things:

to make phone calls
to play my more than exceptional music in the car (don't trust that statement? Ask my parents... it's good shit man)
to send pictures to friends and family

That is it. Nothing more. I'm making a pact with my own conscious, from here on out, I will no longer type my life story. Wait, aren't I being a bit hypocritical...??

Anyways moving along, you can ask about my life via a phone call or over a cocktail. I'm open to either option, just as long as a cocktail is involved.

So who wants to get a drink?!?! First round is on me.