Boo.

Boo!

Instant messaging is a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because I can "talk" to so many of my friends more often.

A curse because sometimes these conversations can be so goddamn annoying.

I've got friends who are faraway. I've got friends who are language cranks. I've got friends who like to interrupt. Frankly I'm one of them. Things get passed over that warrant notice. Things are subject to misinterpretation. Sarcasm and potential snidenes abounds. I don't like print, sometimes. Someone who is a friend and a client starts asking questions, then starts discussing sketches and drunken revelry. I need to copy out the whole IM and chop out the work product. I've got a faulty connection that flips in and out, and I spend minutes reconnecting, explaining, wondering when I left off and hoping no one was insulted (or thought I 'left in a huff.' Which I am perfectly capable of, thank you. But often, it's not me. It's my modem.). That being said, it's nice to be in touch. And sometimes it's nice to be invisible. But then people don't believe you when you really are away.

Sometimes it's great fun to play virtual hot spot with someone a million miles away. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass to park behind the computer and IM someone who's five miles away. Or five blocks.

That being said, it's one of the weirdest and most intriguing little communicado-blips on the 20th/21st century radar, I think. I think I had this pre-millenium. How will this affect us, culturally, socially?

That being said, I'm not a big smiley-fan. Same with LOL and heavy acronymizing. And my spelling is getting worse, and I am ever-vigilant about that.

That being said, I cannot begin to tell you how freaking weird iChat is. Especially when only one of you can chat and the other is typing.

Ok, enough. How much time can one woman waste?

Plenty.

LOL.

BRB.

CYA.

: )