4 Ways Text Messaging Changed Dating

If you've followed this Tiger Woods scandal (and, it's everywhere, so how could you not?), one helpful tip you've likely gathered is that billionaire celebrity pro-golfers enjoy their raunchy text messages as much—if not more!—than your regular, run-of-the-mill horny dude. Texting Sex Ed

Indeed, it was a string of steamy sexts that in many ways unraveled Tiger's harem of opportunist cocktail waitresses/porn stars and gave us all visual proof of his seedy intentions. Tiger Woods And Rachel Uchitel: Love or Lies?

The New York Times printed a story about the wonderful world of text messages and how they've revolutionized cheating. Tiger Woods actually followed in the footsteps of other high-profile philanderers like former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Senator John Ensign of Nevada, who were both caught in an electronic paper trail of texts. Illegitimate sexting has become so commonplace, in fact, that the The American Bar Association now offers seminars for marital attorneys on how to use electronic evidence—text messages, browsing history and social networks—in proving a case.

Which got us to thinking—we spend more time then necessary dissecting texts, waiting for them and brainstorming funny ones, that there isn't a way text messaging hasn't revolutionized dating, too. Dating Advice: What To Do When He Doesn’t Call

1.) Nice Ice-Breaker: Gee, how did people break the ice before text messaging? Seriously. After the phone number exchange, if you suffer from a bout of insecurity, there's no better way to get the ball rolling then a simple little witticism. Nice, non-evasive and rejection-free, that text message. It's for all those times where a phone call might be a little over eager. If you get no response then you can almost pretend it never happened. Hell, we've conducted entire relationships via text message—granted we're still single—which brings us to our second point.

2.) Barometer Of Interest: The Times brings up "younger cellphone users" who are more likely to text than talk and how text messages now outnumber voice calls three to one. Fair enough, and maybe we're old-school, but among our hen circle if a guy never listens to a ring tone and has nary an idea of your voicemail message, the relationship is headed nowhere fast. We'd love, love, LOVE to contradict this, but an informal poll of all our blissfully coupled friends all but reinforced the importance of an actual voice.

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3.) It Has Made The Booty Call Oh So Easy: This is one of the best and worst things about texting. Websites like textsfromlastnight.com immortalize alcohol-induced sweet nothings, and if you happen to be the object of someone's 2a.m. poetry (or a person who becomes very interested in your phone once your BAC reaches a certain level) then you likely have mixed feelings about an early morning ping. But if you hit a sweet spot, where you truly are two stumbling ships an hour before sunrise, then that text sure does help. One Night Stand Dos And Don'ts

4.) Bad Syntax Is A Turn Off: We'll admit. We read some of the Tiger Woods text transcripts (our procrastination is an artform) and were appalled by the level of poor grammar and childish acronyms from a grown man. Granted, it's a text not a college essay, but still. Nothing is a bigger buzz kill then a future date who can't seem to figure out a cooler response then LOL or (even worse) LMFAO. Uh. Yeah. To that we say, CU L8TER.