Just Relaxed Blog

Tag: digital communicatio

  • My Love-Hate Relationship with Voice Notes (and Why I Still Send Them)

    My Love-Hate Relationship with Voice Notes (and Why I Still Send Them)

    My Love-Hate Relationship with Voice Notes (and Why I Still Send Them)

    The Day Voice Notes Almost Ruined My Life (It Wasn’t That Serious)

    Picture this: I’m elbow-deep in a bag of chips, engrossed in the latest true crime documentary, when my phone buzzes. It’s a voice note from my best friend. “Ooh,” I think, “juicy gossip!” I press play, expecting a thrilling tale of romantic mishaps or workplace drama. Instead, I’m subjected to three minutes of incoherent rambling about a sale at the grocery store. Don’t get me wrong, I love my friend, but three minutes of my life I’ll never get back! That, my friends, is the double-edged sword of the voice note.

    Voice Notes: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious

    We’ve all been there. Sometimes, a voice note is a godsend. Need to relay a long, complicated story on the go? Voice note! Want to share your excitement about finding the perfect avocado at the supermarket? Voice note! However, like any powerful tool, it can be misused.

    Take, for instance, the time my dad sent me a voice note instead of just answering my question. “Hey Dad,” I texted, “what’s the wifi password again?” What followed was a 47-second audio odyssey, complete with dramatic pauses and heavy breathing, as he navigated to the router and read the password out loud…one agonizing…character…at…a…time.

    And then there’s the infamous “accidental voice note.” We’ve all sent them (or been on the receiving end). Those snippets of background noise, muffled conversations, or worse – embarrassing singing – that make you want to disappear into the floor. Yes, voice notes can be a minefield of awkwardness.

    Why I Still Hit “Send” on That Voice Note

    So, why, you ask, do I subject myself and others to this emotional rollercoaster? Well, despite their pitfalls, I can’t deny the appeal of voice notes. Here’s why:

    • They’re personal: Hearing someone’s voice adds a level of warmth and connection that text just can’t replicate. It’s like a mini-conversation, without the pressure of real-time responses.
    • They’re efficient (sometimes): Let’s be honest, typing is so last century. Sometimes, it’s just faster and easier to blurt out your thoughts into the void (er, I mean, to your friend).
    • They’re entertaining: Let’s face it, some of my most hilarious conversations have been immortalized in voice note form. From silly accents to dramatic retellings, they’re like little audio time capsules of laughter.
  • The Great Phone Mishap: Why I Can’t Be Trusted with Autocorrect Anymore

    The Great Phone Mishap: Why I Can’t Be Trusted with Autocorrect Anymore



    We’ve all been there. You’re firing off a text, fingers flying across the keyboard, feeling like a digital Mozart composing a symphony of words. Then, you hit send without a second glance, only to be blindsided by the most embarrassing autocorrect blunder known to mankind.

    The Day Autocorrect Nearly Ruined My Life

    It was a typical Tuesday, or so I thought. I was texting my friend, Sarah, about meeting for our weekly pottery class. “Can’t wait for pottery tonight! I’m dying to try that new glaze, it looks fire,” I typed, feeling super hip with my slang.

    A second later, Sarah responded, “Wait, what’s wrong with your grandma?!”

    Confused, I scrolled up. There, in all its autocorrected glory, was my message: “Can’t wait for pottery tonight! I’m dying to try that new glaze, it looks dire.”

    Dire? DIRE?! My phone, in its infinite wisdom, had decided that “fire” (meaning awesome, obviously) was far too pedestrian. Instead, it opted for “dire,” a word that conjured images of my poor grandmother on her deathbed (she’s fine, by the way, thankfully not dire at all).

    After I sheepishly explained the situation to Sarah (who was, thankfully, laughing hysterically by then), I vowed to be more careful. But, alas, the autocorrect gods had other plans for me.

    The Case of the Mistaken Identity (and My Very Confused Boss)

    A few weeks later, I found myself in another autocorrect-induced predicament. I was emailing my boss about an upcoming project, feeling very professional and on top of things. “Just wanted to update you on the presentation. I’m putting the finishing touches on it now and will send it over shoon!” I wrote, eager to demonstrate my efficiency.

    Except, it wasn’t “shoon” I intended to type. Oh no, it was “soon.” But my phone, in its never-ending quest to spice up my vocabulary, decided that “shoon” was a perfectly acceptable (and professional, apparently) word.

    My boss, being the wonderful and understanding human he is, simply replied, “Shoon? Is that some new project management term I’m not aware of? 😉”