Spellcheck is not my friend. I’ve decided that I’m tired of it always correcting me, like a little electronic stepmother in the wings, waiting to underline in bright, squiggly screaming red what I shouldn’t say and giving little hints about what I should say. How annoying is that?
What I’m really tired of, is Spellcheck altering my kisses and hugs at the end of my texts, emails and letters, capitalizing the kiss and keeping the hug all lower case, like it isn’t as important. Truthfully, I don’t mind, as I personally think kissing should be an Olympic sport – but I don’t like making the hug feel insignificant. Hugs are important, too. They have their place in the world.
Rather than bicker with the program, I started thinking that maybe I just should start making all of my x’s & o’s uppercase. Though I think it will come across a bit aggressive, you know… shouting my intentions of affection and caring at the parties receiving my missive. What if they’re shy? What if they’re not ready for such an outpouring of fondness? What about those that I just quietly want to distribute small hugs & kisses to?
As someone who is not uber-comfortable with the phone, I really do prefer to communicate eye-to-eye or via the written word and electronic communication has been quite the blessing to me. However, the guilt that comes with having my devices monitor my every keystroke is sometimes bothersome. Overall, I have handled it really well, but lately I find the whole x & o debate to be irritating. It’s as if I’m living out 2001 Space Odyssey and the heuristically programmed algorithmic computer (HAL, to his pals) is passing judgment on my expressions of love. Back off, Jack (I mean, HAL). I can handle this myself.
The thing is, if I’m in a hurry and don’t get a chance to override the computer’s decision on my closing, you might never really know what my true intentions are, versus the computer’s idea of what I should be saying.
Darn spellcheck. It has to go and complicate everything.
Xo – t.
[Make of that what you will.]