topic Re: Communication frustration in Among Friends

Communication frustration

TX-starlight — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:24:26 GMT

I have several family members & friends who are terrible at communicating. It drives me BONKERS! Does anyone else have this frustration??

The friends either wait forever-sometimes days before responding to a text msg. Plus one friend refuses to wear her glasses most of the time, & WHEN/IF she responds, I can barely make out what she is trying to say. I would never hurt her feeling, but this irritates me to no end. I'm always punctual in responding on ANYTHING, texts, calls, or whatever communication. It's frustrating not to get an answer. I don't make it a habit to send msg very often, so why is it so hard to get a response.

I'm probably going to be attacked for even posting this, but I think it's bad manners to not respond.

Re: Communication frustration

AuntG — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:31:58 GMT

My gripe is when all you need is a simple yes or no regarding attendance at a function.

Re: Communication frustration

on the bay — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:39:28 GMT

@TX-starlight-

No, I totally agree with you.

I just don't get it and I try to think well thats just how they ( some family members are) but its not that hard and yes I can't help but think its rude too or just -"Oh Im so busy, I can't be bothered" but then would be hurt if you didn't respond to any of their random texts about something, not communication just something they thought is interesting.

Or they might make a quick text, and you answer and it needs a quick response and then nothing!

🤨

And if it was just a one time thing it would be understandable. Everyone cant respond all the time but if you have the time to text something that needs at least a little "conversation", don't text if you arent going to answer back!

And thats my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Re: Communication frustration

shoptilyadropagain — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:43:52 GMT

If I can't understand a garbled text, I have NO problem in replying and telling them so.

Re: Communication frustration

TX-starlight — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:44:01 GMT

I thought it might be cuz I'm Capricorn,lol.. I JUST got a reply from the friend who I can't read her texts. Honestly, if I didn't know her so well, I would have no idea what she was trying to say. You know the ole saying, we've known each other so long we can finish their sentences? That's us! But still sometimes, it is unreadable!

Re: Communication frustration

on the bay — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:47:37 GMT

@shoptilyadropagain wrote:
If I can't understand a garbled text, I have NO problem in replying and telling them so.

@shoptilyadropagain-

I have been know to send what my kids call "mom texts"

Not my intention-honestly just a phone with a mind its own.

We have had some great laughs over them though.

Re: Communication frustration

Chicagosuburbangirl — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 20:46:13 GMT

@TX-starlight I will tell you what a friend told me when something is totally out of your control:

Kiss it, bless it and give it up to God

Re: Communication frustration

RedTop — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 20:51:32 GMT

Just this week, my best friend responded to a text I sent her last Friday, by sending 4 texts within 4 minutes. I answered her right back, and no response yet after 3 days. She does this all-the-time.

A friend from work shortens her texts too much, to the point they make no sense. I have pointed this out many times and she just doesn’t get it. So, I have started doing the exact same thing to her, which then spawns an in-depth email from her wanting the rest of the story, because she “didn’t understand my text”.

These are the same people who were poor at sending cards for any occasion, or writing letters. I accept that some people are poor communicators, period.

Re: Communication frustration

on the bay — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 21:10:10 GMT

@RedTop-

Are we talking about the same person?!

I wonder if it is a control thing or a "passive-aggressive" way of saying, "I am making you wait, and my time is so important, I can't respond" or what?!

Or maybe just having the last text and not caring that much about leaving people in the twilight zone, or even enjoying it?

But after all this I pretty much have to do what @Chicagosuburbangirl-

said!-"

Chicagosuburbangirl

"Kiss it, bless it and give it up to God"

Or I would go nuts too!

Re: Communication frustration

chrystaltree — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 12:55:21 GMT

Huh? It seems obvious to me, the people you are talking about aren't into texting. You know, some people haven't jumped on that bandwagon. I don't even see a problem. They don't text....so....call them. My middle sister is like that, it's not a matter of age, she's only 51 but she's not tethered to her cell phone like most people are today. She takes her cell phone with her when she goes out but it's really just as a safety measure. When she's home, the phone is on but it's in her bedroom or her handbag. My guess is, she checks her texts every few days so when any of us has something important or timely to say to her; we call her on her land line. And hope it doesn't go to voicemail because she doesn't check that very often either. We have to take people as they are.

Re: Communication frustration

LTT1 — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:10:06 GMT

@TX-starlight

I think there are some rules of polite digital communication that I am unsure of, and maybe others are too.

I can ask DD, who usually knows what these rules are, but who do you ask if you don’t have a young person around?

Remember hearing that email messages have rules for use? (Especially in business situations)

Maybe you could “clue” your friend in somehow.

Maybe she is scattered and doesn’t realize she is being rude?

Re: Communication frustration

151949 — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:27:21 GMT

Not everyone is completely addicted to their cell phone , wearing it on them 24/7. If you NEED to communicate with me that badly - just simply call me , either on my cell or my landline phone and if I'm available I'll answer , and if not you can leave me a message. Recently , I was taking a bath and a lady who schedules us at a volunteer job I have called me. DH answered and told her I'd call her back when I finished my bath. She was really agitated that he would not take me the phone in the tub.

Re: Communication frustration

ValuSkr — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:31:55 GMT

Yes, it is rude not to respond - or to respond a month later. I still like to email but it seems the rest of the world has moved on to other forms of communication so guess I'll give that up.

Re: Communication frustration

TX-starlight — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 22:54:16 GMT

@ValuSkr I have a few friends who do not do Facebook, we still communicate via email. They usually respond back within a reasonable time.

*I forgot to mention my #1 friend who doesn't respond to texts, when we are together, she is constantly checking to see if her daughter has texted.

Re: Communication frustration

on the bay — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 23:04:20 GMT

For me, and perhaps for others, I'm not talking about me sending a text and someone not answering.

I'm talking about someone sends me a text that needs an answer and I might text back with a further question or something needing a little more conversation. And their original text might be a group text or just to me.

So that person decides not to text back until next morning or even a few days afterward.

My complaint has nothing to do with people who don't keep their phones on them 24/7! I don't either and I don't check my phone over and over when I'm with others.

My complaint is if you have time to send a text that needs conversation, finish the dang conversation rather than making people waft in the wind for days!

If you don't have the time or courtesy to respond like others have to you, then text another time.

When someone does this over and over it is rude and inconsiderate.

I think some people did not read all the above well because its not just texting people who don't like to text. Its them not responding to a text conversation they started, at least for me anyway!Or not just a one time thing but doing this all the time.

Re: Communication frustration

missy1 — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 23:13:30 GMT

I can relate. I have one friend who don't respond for weeks. It's not that hard to reply to a text.

Re: Communication frustration

CalminHeart — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 11:16:34 GMT

I'm sorry this is so frustrating. Some of us (me too) are Type A when it comes to these things and others are laid back. You can't control others but you can control how yiou react. Life is so short. Do the best you can with responses and deal with the delays. Or pick up the phone and call.

Re: Communication frustration

hckynut — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 15:57:08 GMT

@TX-starlight

I don't text for my own reasons, and not because I am an electronics illiterate. My primary way of communicating, behind face to face of course, is via a telephone call.

Should I get a person's Voice Mail, I wait a reasonable amount of time, which to me is 2-3 days, depending on their profession. If no response, I repeat the above.

No reply? I cross them of my memory bank, if/and until I hear from them. Do I get frustrated? No! Don't care if it is a direct family member/good friend or just an acquaintance.

They don't have time for me? Oh well! I don't waste my energy on anything or anyone with negativity, not the way I live my life?

Re: Communication frustration

AnikaBrodie — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 16:36:12 GMT

Texting? Rarely do it and I mean rarely

Phone? Sometimes, if I have to

Face to face? There you go.

Note: We've really lost the art of communication.

Hello @hckynut ... Hope you and your wife and all the felines are doing well. Happy spring.

Re: Communication frustration

proudlyfromNJ — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 16:41:53 GMT

@AnikaBrodie wrote:
Texting? Rarely do it and I mean rarely

Phone? Sometimes, if I have to

Face to face? There you go.

Note: We've really lost the art of communication.

Hello @hckynut ... Hope you and your wife and all the felines are doing well. Happy spring.

@AnikaBrodie. Sometimes it's not that easy. My small family live 4 states away and in another country across the world. If it wasn't for texting and FaceTime and phone, I would be out of luck. You do what you have to do.