Texting Leads to Sexing?

How is it possible that teenagers sending text messages and indulging in risky behavior such as sex, drinking, and drugs is related? A new study suggest that there is a link. Especially among "hyper-texters" who send out more than 120 text messages a day.

While 120 text messages at first look may seem substantial, it really isn't that alarming given the average day of a high-schooler. If the average teenager has eight hours from the time they get off of school until the time they go to bed then 120 messages equates to 15 messages per hour. This could well be a back and forth conversation with one friend.

The study, conducted with 4,200 students from 20 high schools in the Cleveland, Ohio area,  found that one in five students were "hyper-texters" and one in nine "hyper-networkers" who spend more than three hours a day on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Minorities, girls, and those whose parents have less education as well as teens living in single mother households were more likely to be "hyper-texters" or "hyper-networkers". Another study, done by a female psychiatrist, may explain the higher rate for girls. In her book, Dr. Luan Brizendine's findings show that women are three times more talkative than men.

Teenagers engaged in extra curricular activities, participating in sports, or various arts and classes are likely to be preoccupied. Students, whose parents are not able to afford the fees and cost associated with these classes are likely to find their social interaction through other means, texting and networking.

Could it be that the modern day "social butterfly" lives in a cocoon expressing themselves only through strokes of a keyboard, web chats, and tweets? Is this study simply stating that children who have enough time on their hands will find ways to entertain themselves and texting is just one way where sex, drinking and drugs possibly others?

In this era, where teenagers have embraced technology like no other, there is sure to be many studies on the social effects and trends of this "Electronic Generation".

Playing With Fire (A Visual Poem)

He walked around the house

Nonchalantly

No care in the world

I glared sharper than the blade in my hand.

He didn't notice 

or didn't seem to care

The water boiled

As he went on and on about how great Monday night football was.

I envisioned the knife slipping from my hand

in a possessed fashion

Striking him in the back

Then we would be twins

He stated something bout the Jets (I think)

and how Cal had lost the bet

He threw a Benjamin on the counter and smiled

"That's for you Babe!"

I seasoned the beef

But only after I beat the shit out of it

I wanted it to be tender

My silence must have made him deaf

Cause he didn't hear it

I heard him complain about the table 

He would buy me a new one soon

This one, he was bored and tired of.

DITTO!

Red Pepper was a good choice

Reminded me of red panties

Found underneath seat of his car

Potatoes were also in hot water

A glance out window verified that 

Dog was in doghouse 

...or should be

I noticed that ribs cooked previously

Had stayed out all night

I guess they were on his schedule

They were trash

Not any good

Neither was he

Phone signaled text message

He looks, blushes, & responds

I look at mines 

Picture shows him & a stranger I know not

One who was happy in love

I mashed potatoes furiously

Hmmm... needs cream

Funny...so do I

He kisses me on cheek

"My girl can throw down in the kitchen!"

He yelled proudly

I smirked

He had no idea

"Who forgets panties?"

 I questioned the asparagus as they steamed

Then added more lawrys to the meat

As if I wasn't salty enough

"His Slut Bitch!!" they answered

No sugar in the house

So I couldn't bake the cake from scratch

Similar to the ones on his back

That I didn't make

I remember when he was fine to me

Although he has always been 

Rather average

Wished I would've baked the potatoes instead

Garlic toast

signifying last meal I would make

Everything was DONE

So it was time to eat

He cared for his phone intimately

Always nestled in his pocket

Close to him

So no one could meddle 

Treated it with more care than me

Crushed ice in his glass

Red wine was appropriate 

One wine glass 

This bottle was much too mature

Served him punch

He searched for a straw

But never cleaned up his messes

It was the last one

And he left the box on the table

Meal 

Perfect!

I was good!

No! No! Better yet! I was great!

He never much deserved perfection

Although he ate it up greedily

and had the nerve to state that although it was delicious

Another side dish would have filled him up.

He already had one too many!

Although I hadn't eaten much

I was full

To the point I felt I would explode

He was full of pride

Satisfied

He didn't even noticed the ice pack 

I had placed on the spot where I got burned

He never even seen the wine bottle coming

Wonder if he now realizes that all my belongings are gone

~Nicole "Emoshen" McKinley

  

The Nuclear Family added to the Endangered Species list

I have just received a bulletin from the Endangered Species Committee that states that a new "Animal" has been added to their list.

The Nuclear Family

Coming from a nuclear family structure, in which all nine of the children were raised in the house with our biological parents, shared the same last name, and didn't have any half-brothers or sisters, this was the environment I was use to. It would seem that I should have become a product of my traditional environment, right?

Hmmm.... Well, It DIDN'T HAPPEN!!!

My household has three different last names (I shudder whenever I think about that!), three out of four of my children have the same dad (the last one is by a different man!), and I currently find myself 30 something and never married!!! Where did I go wrong?

Out of my eight siblings, I am the youngest and the only one who has NEVER been married (one of my brothers had his Single's Club Card revoked in Sept 2009). Not only am I the only person to never exchange nuptial vows in my family, but most of the women I know are EXACTLY LIKE ME!!! Crazy thing is, we are all 30 something, never married, kids by a man/men we are no longer with and confused!

Yes I said it CONFUSED!! The one thing that we don't want to admit but it always has an eerie way of slithering up our spine, entering our ear canal and embedding itself into our brains. Which causes us to turn to each other for support, guidance, and just to plain old vent about how STUPID the current brother we're dating was for not recognizing the treasure that laid before him. We have become a tribe of loveless-heard-it-all-been-through-that-before-if-it-don't-fit-don't-force-it restless natives. Wandering in our own wilderness of club scenes, restaurants, movies, walks through the parks, and "Un-huh, yes I'm listening" conversations trying to decipher the code for bullshit.

We come with play-books and reference cards. Voices in our heads scream to us "GIRL, DIP LEFT BEFORE YOU GET TACKLED!" In our dating arena, the team is missing one of the key players but he has to fit perfectly within the coexisting team. There is no reformation or trades that can be made at this stage in the game, and we're aiming for the CHAMPIONSHIP! We want the ring, bragging rights, and the glory!  We are ready to sing to the losers "Nah Nah Naaa Nah, Nah Nah Naa Nah, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye!" as we watch their sorrowful faces indicative of the epiphany that just received due to the loss of "The one that got away!" Hey! Beyonce said it best "If you liked it...you should have put a ring on it!!!" Don't cry now!

But, truth is... Prince Charming never arrives on his trusty white Porsche and if he does, his goals are not aligned with our goals (at that time), or he's unwilling to deal with the tainted person we have become through experience. Better yet, he is too fresh out of a previous situation and not ready for another one. He just wants to be "Friends"! You know, the kind with benefits.

As I look at my parent's 60-years of marriage I smile. It took a lot of dedication on their part to maintain a union for 6 decades. Sometimes I wonder if I took the easy route out of Dodge County and gave up too easily. When the going got tough should I have gotten tougher?  Maybe my husband is right before my eyes, yet i fail to recognize him or I'm afraid of putting my all into another situation that will leave me scarred and bruised if it doesn't work out! Am I expecting the worse to happen so often that it does? Is that one little thing he does that irritates me always a deal-breaker?

"If you always do what you've always done then you will get the same results!" is a line that I hear frequently! also "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!". Well, where is my STRAIGHT JACKET!  Maybe it's time to do something differently! Women of the world who find themselves in this same place in their lives, I challenge you to do something DIFFERENT!!  I will do the same and maybe, just maybe, even though we are past the nuclear family stage, we will be blessed with the BLENDED FAMILY of our dreams!!

Take Care Beloved!