Social Convention

I have a friend who lives about 30 miles from me.  He once asked if he could borrow something and I said sure, come by anytime.  He then asked me if I would mail it to him.  I don't really spend much time with this friend mostly because he doesn't live anywhere near the rest of my friends and thinks that driving to hang out with the group is too far. 

This unlimited texting plan aids this friend in contacting me about once every 6 weeks.  I'll be sitting in my office on a random Wednesday wishing I was on the golf course or doing coke off of the 2001 version of Britney Spears and a text will arrive that says "How u been?"  My first thought is to not respond because I was always under the impression that unless it was your Dad and it was Sunday, dudes didn't chat with each other for no reason.  Either there's an invite or a story to tell.  Chicks chat it up, not dudes imo.  Eventually I'll respond and they'll be a 6-8 text meaningless exchange, but it bothers me every time. 

To my 7 loyal readers, I have a question.  Today is Thanksgiving and I received 4 mass text messages from friends wishing me a Happy Turkey Day.  A couple of them came while I was at my Wife's Mom's house listening to her relatives say "your life is about to change" in the most negative tones you can imagine in reference to the upcoming birth of my daughter.  Why the fuck don't these people just say, "man having a kid sucks" like they're implying or be normal humans and just say "congratulations" or "we're happy for you."  On a related note, one of these guys has the most annoying 12 year old child I've ever met.  I'm pretty sure I saw this kid sucking her thumb today.  I have already planned to tell these clowns on Easter how little my life has changed and how great it is to have a child regardless of how I feel.  Oh yea, I had a question.

So what's the social convention on mass texts?  Are we suppose to respond?  Do people like receiving them? 

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