I have never sent a text message. I am in awe of those who do, what with the fingers flying faster than anything. You'd think they were practicing for some sort of sport. I know: They're going to be adding it as an event in the 2012 Olympics. (Yeah, right. Text messaging is a sport like cup stacking is a sport. In other words: It's not.)

Lately I've noticed that people are text messaging like it's going out of style. I was at the grocery store checkout, and the clerk at the register actually ignored me and my six items so she could immediately read and reply to an incoming text message. I know that supermarket register clerks don't have access to their e-mail accounts -- like those of us who sit in front of a computer all day do -- but the whole act of taking focus off the task at hand to tend to a personal matter really rubbed me the wrong way.

Sure, I occasionally send personal e-mail during business hours, but I don't have a customer waiting while I'm doing it. And that's a huge difference.