Hello, Operator?

Dear B-Reader,



Off to a late start this morning due to technical difficulties. The good news is that my home AT&T U-Verse system is functioning properly once again. Jeff and I are on our third, yes third, modem since beginning U-Verse service one year ago. Incredible! One would think we use them as soccer balls or something...



While waiting for the repairperson to arrive, install, and test the system, I was able to do a little housekeeping using my iPhone's 3G service. It's a wonderful tool for quickly reading something on the internet, responding in short bits, and sometimes making a phone call.



"A what?" you ask me, B-Reader. A p-h-o-n-e c-a-l-l. I, too, have become so accustomed to typing texts or emails that I had to remind myself about the older system of actually talking to someone. I tried it out this morning, with great success. It took me less time to call my friend about tonight's get together than to text her about it. Plus, I was able to find out important information (about dessert, of course) that I probably would have missed had I texted instead of called.



Mulling over my conversation, it struck me that the use of the cell phone for its original purpose, the phone call, is quickly becoming an obsolete mode of communication. It just is not right!



Raise your hand if you don't remember the sound of your friend's voice (you know, the one who moved to a distant land called Austin)?



Raise your hand if you are tired of long trails of typed messages that just confuse the situation because you don't know whether the sender was joking or being serious with that last line of text?



Raise your hand if you are ready for a change.



Today begins my campaign, Call B4 Type. In short, my platform is about adding more to the conversation. By calling someone, you speak with that someone, hear their voice, let them hear yours, pick up on key intonations and pauses that are oh so necessary for humans to understand the true meaning of language. I'm not asking you, B-Reader, to never type again. What I am asking is that you pause for a moment and determine whether you could get your message across just as easily or more easily by calling instead of typing. Of course, after making that initial phone call, feel free to exchange follow-up conversations with texts or emails.



Please excuse me, my phone is ringing and I simply must answer it. Viva Call B4 Type!