Pamela Vanden Bos

       Over the years, to cover-up what I was talking about, I would spell out words, you know…in front of the children. All adults were on the same page. We knew what SOS stood for. We knew what BYOB meant on that party invitation, and consequently after the party, we would all be talking about the same SOB, who had one too many drinks.

     Recently a fresh young man looked me straight in the eye, and asked if I had an URL.  Ohmygawd. How bold. I was so offended, I mumbled a curse word under my breath, and quickly marched away. Later I discovered, he was not asking me if I had a sexually transmitted disease, he wanted to know if I had a website address. Say What? How was I to know?

     Times are a changing. Therefore, in order for me to communicate with the younger generation, I’m painfully aware, that I must learn the meanings to the annoying computer lingo all the kids are using. Did you know that schools are actually teaching these acronyms in the classroom?

 

Here are a few of the more common acronyms that one might use:

 

BFF- best friends forever

BTW- by the way

DIY- do it yourself

EG- evil grin

FB- refers to Facebook

IMHO- in my humble opinion

JK- just kidding

KEWL- cool

LOL- if someone tells you a joke you can respond LOL, laughing out loud

MSG- message (makes me hungry for Chinese food)

NOYB- means none of your business

NIFOC- nude in front of the computer (TMI) see below

PAW-has nothing to do with animals, it means parents are watching

POS- parents over shoulder

QL- quit laughing

ROTF- If the joke is hysterically funny, you can say rolling on the floor laughing

SIL- sister-in-law

TMI- too much information

TOY- thinking of you

TTFN- ta-tah for now

URL- web address, example: http://pvbos.com is my URL

 

     After scanning the 15-page printout of acronyms and their meanings I think, “Sheesh, how simple”. Then I received this message. “BTW my SIL does not want to go. Good! JK ROTF.”  Say What? Dang it, I’m forced to go find the definitions, as if I’m de-coding some stupid encrypted sentence on the back of a cereal box.

     Why does it seem as if youngsters are born with little computer chips in their heads? And if it is true, would someone please explain why these geniuses’ can clearly learn and memorize the definitions to infinite pages of acronym abbreviations, yet the little darlings can’t remember to take out the garbage, clean their rooms, nor call if they’re running late.    

     You know how I said we use to spell to keep our children from knowing what the adults were talking about. Well it has now come full circle. Because now, the kids are using acronyms to keep us, the parents, from knowing what they are talking about. (How rude.)

     BTW, does this mean, after we learn this confounded-acronym-lingo, it will qualify as knowing a second language on that next job application?  TTFN!