Mixed Signals › Every message

Mixed Signals · No. 8

What does “Fine. Go. Have fun” mean?

From Jamie, your partner, after you said you’d go to a friend’s birthday party without them

Fine. Go. Have fun.

It could mean

PorcupineI’d read it a few ways:
  • Upset, and letting you go anyway
  • Hurt, and hoping you’ll stay
  • Truly fine, and wanting you to have fun
Nobody could know from the words alone.

What was going on

Jamie had been hoping for a night in together and felt left out, but didn’t want to be the reason you stayed home.

This message and its story are made up. Real messages don’t come with the story.

Ask before you answer

Text loses tone, so a short message can read harsher, or softer, than it was meant. Before you answer, ask what they meant. That’s Check before assuming, one of the principles Porcupine is built on.

Got a real text like this? Run a Quills Check.

Paste it. I’ll show you a few ways it could be read, and what you could ask instead of guessing. Writing your own? Switch to “I’m sending it” and I’ll show you if the quills are up.

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Find the words with Porcupine

The Quills Check helps with one text. Porcupine helps with the whole conversation, from what you ask through their reply. It’s coming soon, and we’ll let you know when it’s ready.

Every message and story in Mixed Signals is made up.