Signing text messages

[jack]

I realised I've always had the habit of signing text messages with my name or initial, and "love" if appropriate. But I recently noticed that most people didn't.

Should I stop?

I feel like I'm shortchanging someone by not adding a pleasantry. I don't want any message to my family to be the first one that doesn't say "love jack".

And it's mildly useful if there's any chance the recipient may have a new phone without my number stored.

But on the other hand, it's an extra 3-11 characters that don't really serve any purpose at all.

Comments

[gerald_duck]

I sign text messages if — and only if — I have reason to believe the recipient won't know who I am. I have my classic "--Clive." programmed into my phone as a macro for when I need it, but that's rare.

In the unlikely event that I'm in love with someone, I'll stick an "x" or two at the end of SMSes to them.

I can abbreviate SMSes, where necessary, by using a precise but obscure word instead of several others. (-8

[jack]

"I can abbreviate SMSes, where necessary, by using a precise but obscure word instead of several others. (-8"

LOL. Yeah, that too. Although I rarely get to do so so deliberately :)

[pseudomonas]

You could try varying the signoffs from text to text; then at least if you stop it's not so abrupt.

[jack]

Or tell them by a back-channel on dreamwidth :)

[pseudomonas]

Or that :P

[azurelunatic]

If it makes life more pleasant, doesn't cost much effort to you, and isn't bothering anyone, why change?

That being said, perhaps you should check in with some of the members of your family to see if they enjoy it; I have no way of predicting whether they find it sweet or embarrassing.