I Need to Start Practising Safe Text

Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1307593

I try to proofread most things that I type. This includes articles and blog posts, of course, but also tweets, Facebook status updates, emails and text messages. If nothing else, I try to at least glance over them and make sure that they are coherent and without the kinds of glaring mistakes that will see them end up on Damn You, Autocorrect or leave me open to the kind of ongoing ridicule that I experience from a friend who received an email where I mentioned our recent Vulvan Mind Meld.

Today, for the second time in less than 3 months, I’ve been reminded that it is important to check not only the text, but the recipient.

My first misdirected text was sent when Miss11 was in Sydney for a school excursion. She had borrowed her brother’s mobile phone for the trip and had been texting me occasional updates of their progress coming home. When I received a text letting me know what time the coach would return to the school, I didn’t even glance at the sender before replying with the following:

Great. See you soon. Love you. xxx

Unfortunately, the text was from the teacher accompanying the trip and apparently my affectionate response to his update amused the other staff and students on the mini-bus a great deal.

Today I slipped up once again. I received two texts in quick succession, one from Mr13 about to head into his yearly exams and the other from writer Tania McCartney (also, fortunately, a friend) who was organising for me to take care of an update at Kids Book Review while she was attending a NYR12 event.

Hoping to reassure my nervous son, I sent the following warm, fuzzy mothering text:

You’ll be fine. You’ve worked hard. Be calm. Say a quick prayer. Love you. xxx

Unfortunately, once again the text didn’t end up quite where I intended. Fortunately, Tania has a wonderful sense of humour and thought my text was cute rather than inappropriately affectionate.

It would seem it’s only a matter of time before I send something to the wrong person and really get myself into trouble. On the up side, I now have a track record of mis-sent texts, so I could always use that as evidence if I ever send a text to someone that causes offence. ‘I’m so sorry. That wasn’t meant for you. I do that all the time.’

Alternatively, I need some kind of setting on my phone that pops up with an ‘Are you sure? Are you REALLY sure?’ message whenever I used the word ‘love’ in a text.

Anyone else with an amusing misdirected text story so that I don’t feel quite so silly?