Pluggers by Rick McKee for March 05, 2025

Or if U spl fll wds

?

try that with a flip phone

Also, if one uses proper spelling for all words.

Um, you’re not supposed to?

Yes, I text in complete sentences.

These days, you’re functionally illiterate if you can’t read Emoji. A version of Shakespeare plays will probaby appear in Emoji. (If one has not already!)

What is this Text thing of which you speak ;-)

since I am not young or cool (insert comma) you mean you’re not supposed to (insert question mark)

My grandson has commented to me about how my texts always have necessary punctuation. He either sends one word answers, or a run on sentence.

I don’t use Emoji or punctuation marks, too much trouble on a flip phone.

I stick to the grammar, punctuation, and spelling that I was taught in school. I am definitely a Plugger.

I prefer texting to calling. Having worked under bosses who went crazy when they got their Blackberries, demanding instant responses [even though we underlings only had desk phones and home phones], and also having only two hands and the silly little pockets that designers put in women’s clothing, I generally can’t get to the phone before the ringing stops. And, because at least 75% of the calls are scams and solicitations, I don’t frantically try to get to my phone anyway. People can leave voice mails [amazing how few actually do]. But voice mails mean having to listen to a very soft/crackly voice talking rapidly, often rattling off an address or phone number faster than you could write it down even if you had a pen and paper in your other hand. It often takes several listens to get that information.

Texting is nice. You can check for messages and read them, at your convenience — when you aren’t driving, washing dishes, digging in the garden, or typing a comment on your computer. And whatever instructions and numbers they include — like appointment times and places — will be there later, easy to find. Grandkids learn to communicate grandma style when emojis and slang yield responses of “?” or “can’t figure out what you are asking so I have to answer, ‘no’.”

My only gripe with texting is that the AI genie [not short for genius] used to anticipate and correct my words is somewhat brain-damaged and I always have to carefully check what is written and then try to remember what I intended to write and make changes.

What! You’re not supposed to? Hey, I don’t write like Gertrude Stein or Cormac McCarthy.

I guess that makes me a plugger!

Proud to be a plugger! My texts leave no confusion, and my plugger friends treat me with clear and understandable texts in return. (They went to school too!)

you don’t need formal punctuation in informal text spaces shrug emoji

Wait, what? Writing without punctuation? Wow, technology really is replacing our intelligence and civilization.

Been there. Corrected by a patient ‘youngster’.

I do use them, but they are somewhat questionable in their accuracy. ;-)

welp I’m officially a plugger now

Guilty!

Guilty as charged.

I’M A PLUGGER! I was an English lover in high school and it stuck with me. Hard to read when they don’t use it….I always have to ask what they meant…LOL!

Then I’m definitely a Plugger.

Sadly I punctuate even just to Google something b

I do… and I always check every text or comment for propper gramer and speling….

What!? “Other” comics (ones I do not like) are unacceptable to me- – – -

y txt long if u can txt short smh

And one-finger texting means you’re also a plugger!

I guess, that must be me. I simply hate texting, but, on the very rare occasions I do it, yes, I use punctuation, capital letters, and full words. I abhor “text speak.”