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Text Message Flirting
The world is going through an explosion in technological advances. Email, social networking internet sites, and cell phone voice calling have become virtually ubiquitous. Perhaps no trend has so heavily changed the way we interact with others than the popularity surge of text messaging. Although the technology has been available since the mid-1990s, it is only in recent years that texting has virtually supplanted calling as a means of contact. Naturally, this popularity has given rise to a new phenomenon - text message flirting.
Text message flirting offers the best of both instant messaging and voice calling. The ability to hide behind a screen provides some of the anonymity of the internet, while the fact that it takes place between individual cell phones makes text message flirting feel more personal. Text message flirting is fun and there is no reason not to participate. However, it is important to follow a few basic guidelines in order to avoid awkward or embarrassing encounters.
1) Don't drunk-text. Drunk-texting is extremely common and generally leads only to regret. Among extremely close friends it may be nothing more than a source of amusement, but the safest policy is simply not to text when drinking at all. Remember that drunk-dialing, while potentially embarrassing, leaves no permanent record. Text messages, since they are written, can be saved by the recipient and conceivably used as blackmail or broadcast across the internet.
2) Double check the recipient's phone number before pressing Send. Several recent scandals have involved misdirected email and text messages, as written documents, have the potential to cause just as many problems.
3) Know when to end the conversation. Text messaging is not conducive to prolonged chats. Leave the person wanting more or take the conversation to voice call or email. Overly long text chats become repetitious and boring.
4) Resist the urge to go too far. As with the internet, the relative anonymity of texting makes it easier to become quite bold. Remember that you will have to see and interact with the person in real life and don't say anything that you will regret.
5) Don't try to be too hip or witty. Packing your messages full of complicated acronyms can be confusing and decidedly un-sexy. Sarcasm and dry humor will not transmit well through text and can cause trouble. Stick to simple but meaningful phrasing.
Text messaging is an excellent tool for communication. The ability to delay responding makes texting uniquely suited to situations in which a voice call would be inappropriate, such as at work. The blend of anonymity and personalization can make texting a comfortable medium for flirting. Just remember the above guidelines, and keep your wits about you when texting, and there is no reason not to enjoy the phenomenon.
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Resources for Cell Phone Numbers
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