G-Chatting

Keeping up with friends when you are a stay-at-home-dad in Shreveport can be difficult. Because my life revolves around Annie, the time that I have to correspond is most often during working hours for normal people. I learned after a couple of months that when someone is sitting at their cubicle they don't always want to talk about tornadoes, my golf game, pooping, and the other topics that dominate my specialized lifestyle. I soon realized though, that people are always willing to IM when they are "working" at their computer. This is the one time waster that is universally acknowledged as private enough to pull off at work (bonus points given for ability to curse freely) and casual enough to reply to my inanities at the worker's leisure.

IM'ing is especially great, because Annie can help. Below is one such instance where we chatted with a family member, in this case our cousin Adam, who is living in Israel for the year.

me: \][[\[[[[[[
-555-9--9+9955959598*99
89999
-------************
Adam: what is that
me: --
annie is saying hi
Adam: are you and kristen having sex
well don't let her see what i just wrote
me: 665+*----+---------------------------------------
she isn't such a great 9type*r ye+-t+
Adam: hello annie
how are you doing
me: ++++++++*/*-5
gre
9at
+++++++++
han+ds*+ a lit+9l full
how are you/.
Adam: seems like it
i am doing well
tired though
me: --yeah- yo'-ll+ 9be 9ha9mo-+ soon enoug1h
-+++++66666
.
3
i
i hophe that we see you this summer
89+++++++9
6
Adam: i can't imagine why not, unless kristen shots out the next one soon
me: --------------------------------------------------------------
+
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
yeah that would be tough...we'd have to stay i LA for a while
okay, just wanted to say hi from annie...I'll talk to you soon
+-++++++++++++2
++
6+
Adam: peace brother