I... have a problem.
If you talk/post/interact with me on a somewhat regular basis, you may have already noticed, but it's gotten to the point that it's driving me a little bonkers and that always seems like a good time to share.
You see, I can't seem to make a comment anywhere and be satisfied with a complete thought. Instead, I end every blog comment, status comment, AW comment, email, etc, with an ellipse. (Not to be confused with Eclipse, of course, which I'd really really like to have more of in my life). Those three little dots are tormenting me. I've started catching myself more often and get frustrated that I can't just end the statement like a normal person. I also put way too many emoticons so the last line of each paragraph in an email from me tends to look like this:
so anyway...
really great. :)
so we wait...
that's what she said. ;P
I'm sure there are more than a few of you nodding your head and thinking, Hmm... she's right. I'm so glad she brought this up because I was about to send a virtual slap her way. ;)
I really don't know how it started. I never used to use web slang - lol, rofl, imo... - and never EVER used more than one exclamation point, but the more time I spend interacting with people online, the more juvenile my "dialogue" has become.
Is there a crutch you find yourself leaning on waaaaay too much? How do you suggest I rid myself of this bad habit?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
23 comments:
You are becoming a victim of easy.
It is way to easy to use a short few characters then a few words.
I would think this is something to worry about when you are a writer.
However, part of a writer is being able to convey your thought with text, so is it bad that you have started to use the easy way?
I echo all Penguin says.
And I'm just as guilty... ;)
Penguin, you're probably right, but the good thing is I don't use them in my "formal" writing (if you can call it that). Maybe I use all my brain power for that and run out of words for daily correspondence? :P
Janna, I know I tend to imply things - to be more subtle and let the other person figure out where I'm going, so maybe that's where it's coming from. I don't know...
I really didnt notice Melanie. To me your blog is your journal. A written conversation. Your thoughts on paper. So you just write how you feel comfortable. There are no rules.
I didn't notice, either! I have a problem with exclamation points in my comments. It's just that I talk like that... I smile at the end of each sentence (nauseatingly so) and my voice tends to go up. So how else am I supposed to make a comment sound like me?
Oh, man, I totally didn't notice I did an ellipse up there. *sigh*
Momcat, I don't really do it much here... it's the social places where I'm chatting with people that I catch myself doing it all the time. :)
(yes, I'm cracking myself up now)
Spy, I have noticed that you're very enthusiastic, but like you said, that's how we express our personality. So I supposed I'm just showing my ambivalence... ?
lol.
I could do this all day. :)
I use LOL like it's going out of style, and I often use more than one exclamation point - I've noticed it and tried to edit sometimes before sending.
For the LOL, I use it because I am usually am laughing out loud - I'm a happy giggling person like that.
Same with the exclamation points. Sometimes, one just isn't enough!!
Nadine, I think it's in my emails to you that I started to notice it.
Every. Single. Paragraph. ends with some sort of !!! or ... or :).
I really do laugh out loud a lot, so the LOL applies for me as well. If I write ROFL it's because I nearly peed my pants (another phrase I find myself writing with alarming frequency).
ROFLMAO.... ;)
:D
I hope you didn't hurt yourself!
I think we should adopt this: LSHINFOOMC
Laughing so hard I nearly fell out of my chair.
Simple. Let us give you a virtual slap until you stop.
Even if I notice myself doing the same thing... ;o)
That's what blogs are for...
Janet, I'm noticing it SO much now that it's driving me bonkers. It hasn't made me stop, I just giggle a little and carry on.
Amy, you may be right...
I suffer from this same affliction. I don't know where it came from or how to get rid of it besides thinking very conciously about it.
I LOL all the time, I can't help it. LOL
See? *giggles helplessly*
Oh, btw, I gave you an award. Thought you might like to know. :)
I LOL'd at this one! It's so tempting to do the face thing. I never noticed that you do it "too much", though, Melanie.
I say "totally" too much. I'm a freakish 45 year old Valley Girl. It's totally hideous.
I can't believe you've never seen The Unit! :p (Hahahahaha!)
Jen, an award? Hmm...
I LOL a LOT too... it's getting bad.
Robin, I'm glad no one noticed my overuse, but I'm sure you all will now!
Stop worring about what things appear like and accept you wonderful ability to communicate. Leaving a thought dangling at the end of something invokes either a question, thought or you fill in the blank...
Gary, I'm not worried. Just musing...
Post a Comment