ReconTEXTualizing

More answers to your questions on texting:

When should I text someone? Hmm. A good, and very personal, question. There are several factors that you should consider.

First, consider time of day and the person's relationship to you. Texting after 7 pm is generally fine for even passing acquaintances. Coincidentally, this is also the perfect time for mass text messages. You want to know where people are going tonight, and more importantly, if someone can give you a ride. This rule holds up until about midnight, possibly 1 am, when we start getting into the booty call / ambiguous text relationship territory. Daytime texting is usually used for friends from college that don't live in the same city and who have gainful employment, and for daytime emergencies (i.e. "Im starving. Lunch?" or "So hungover. Ugh."). Now, of course, these rules of thumb can be adjusted depending on time zones, national holidays, etc.

We're entering philosophical territory again, however. Perhaps you're wondering when you should text someone over calling them. I cannot tell you the "right" answer. For me, I find that I cannot connect with some people over the phone. One, or perhaps both, of us needs the time associated with texting to compose ourselves and a response. Generally, these are people I've had drunken heart to hearts with, or seen in some sort of compromising position. Taking this one step further, for me, it is a function of where I've met someone, how often I've spoken with them, whether I've seen them naked, and if the sound of their voice makes me cringe. That said, later, I'll answer questions about appropriate texting topics. Happy messaging.