You, me, in the same space. Perfect for “parallel play” (wordless communication) or my favorite wide-ranging everything-and-anything conversations.

Text (or Messengering or other synchronous bits). Good for tactical exchanges, like “When will we get together and hang out?” (see #1)

Email. For when it absolutely, positively needs to be answered in a week. Or more, if you’re on vacation. OR maybe there’s something complex and threaded that needs email’s epistolary novel qualities. Direct messages inside apps are mostly email-ish. (I see you, Slack.)

Notes in envelopes, or cards. Because then I can use my cool stamps. And also holding a message is a little bit like being there.

Phone call/video call. Hearing tonal nuance is good and important. But there’s something about the phone I just don’t like. My Sweetie finds this bewildering… especially when I use the phone to approximate #1. (I go out of my way to avoid the phone for #2 approximations. “Oh, we’ll just drive over and see!”)

NOTE: #4 is aspirational. I don’t write nearly as many notes as I daydream. The cool stamps are waiting, nonetheless.