There's NO TEXT like the Holiday's

“Happy New Year’s Everyone!” “OMG!!! HNY!!!”


I wanted to get this thought out before New Years for a couple of reasons. 1) In case I may offend anyone we can simply say that it was something that I had written last year and it is now far behind us. 2) Because I can already feel the onslaught of anxious text messages preparing to launch, filled with good tidings and well wishes.


Here is the deal:


I know you’re excited about the holidays and you want to share your excitement with all of your friends, particularly the ones stored in your phone. The problem is that everyone else is doing this too. So now, like clockwork, every holiday is filled with a slew of good cheer in the form of the IBTM or, Impersonal Blanket Text Message. You can almost hear the sigh of weary phone batteries being drained, absorbing the brunt of an unending stream of ones and zeros, beaming through the night like the Starship Enterprise. You may even have your message pre-written and saved as a draft just for New Years! This way you can watch the ball drop and all you have to do is hit send. (No one wants to deal with a nervous finger, shaking and sweating with anticipation, awaiting the exact moment to crush the send button, connecting all of your friends to your excitement simultaneously.) Look, I am guilty of this too…we all are. That is why I feel it necessary to take this moment, just before the New Year to ask, plead, and beg you…stop, for all of us.


First, admit that you have a problem. “My name is Chris and I…I, uh, well uh……I IBTM!!!” Second, challenge yourself to write and individual text message this year to a few select friends…make it personal. Trust me, no one is “feeling the love” when they receive these messages…in fact most people feel obligated to respond or worse, they feel like they should be doing the same thing! They begin flying through their phone, “selecting all recipients” or worse, they take the time to go through their phone, feverishly clicking everyone’s name just before they hit “send”. STOP!!!


Need a New Year’s Resolution??? Don’t be an IBTMer this year…take a moment and really connect with someone.


Just a thought…