Yesterday, I met a cute boy and we exchanged digits. Today, I got an SMS text on my cell phone from him, asking what my plans were for tonight.  Has texting replaced actually calling someone, or even more boldly, asking someone face-to-face out to dinner and a movie?

It seems that more often than not, I get asked out on dates through text messages (not that I get asked on dates that often, but that’s another story!). When I got this boy’s text, I found myself disappointed and disinclined to respond. I’ve had relationships where texting had become the secondary mode of correspondence, after in-person talks, and to me, conversations via text seem prone to miscommunication and misinterpretation.

I was thinking that if I answer his text, I would be enabling that form of (mis)communication, which would continue into the future. I had a momentary crisis that required girlfriend intervention.

So, my girlfriend *Lori* explained that texting for a guy is less risky because it puts rejection at a distance. Translated, to me it sounded like a nice way of saying that texting is for the timid.

My happily married younger sister Casey argues that texting is fine as long as both parties find it work-able and that communication beyond the texting exists as well.

Is there a consensus in the dating world as to what is or is not kosher when it comes to texting? Or is text-tiquette still being formulated?

I reluctantly text back (no way is a woman to call a man), and lo and behold, he says he’ll call me when he gets out of his meeting. And he does.