HELP...I can't keep up with kids these days

One thing my new found adventure of online dating has made me grossly aware of is that I am so old school when it comes to technology. I’m an emailer and a texter…but that is about as far as my technological realm stretches. I thought I was doing well and keeping up with the” kids”…you know…being cool and all with my blackberry that gets Face Book, emails, texts, pictures, movies and music…but oh no…what I have come to realize is that I am behind the time…in a major way. I sometimes feel like Drew Barrymore’s character in He’s Just Not That In To You when she says this,

“I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work, so I called him at home and then he emailed me to my blackberry and so I texted to his cell phone and then he emailed me to my home account and the whole thing just got out of control. I miss the days where you had one phone number and one answering machine that housed one cassette tape and that one cassette tape either had a message on it from a guy or it didn’t. Now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies…it’s exhausting! “

My new found form of communication has become Instant Messaging. I don’t like it, but it seems to be the thing to do with potential mates from Match.com. It’s a way to have an instant, quick conversation with someone to see if there is some kind of connection. I don’t know what kind of potential connection you can have with someone via online chat, but hey, I’m willing to go with the flow and see what happens. But what I’m learning is that I have absolutely no clue about the “language” used…all the abbreviations for different terms…I can’t keep up. Lucky for me, I work with High School kids and if there is any one group of people that knows more about the language of texting and instant messaging it’s these guys. So I recruited a couple of kids to give me a breakdown of this new language. I was overwhelmed with the many different terms that are used…and I though maybe you guys would be interested in this very “in depth research” that I have done.

Check these out…

ABT2- About to
AIGHT- All right
AKA- Also known as
ALOL- Actually laughing out loud
AML- All my love
B4- Before
BAK- Back at my keyboard
BB- Be Back
BIF- Before I forget
BI5- Back in five
BBL- Be back later
BB4N- Bye bye for now
BRB- Be right back
BBL- Be back later
BD- Big deal
BWDIK- But what do I know
B4YKI- Before you know it
BTWITIAILWU- By the way, I think I am in love with you
B/C- Because
BTA- But then again
BFFTTE- Best friend forever till the end
COS- Change of subject
C U L8R- See you later
CSL- Can’t stop laughing
CYA- See Ya
CMU- Crack me up
DKDC- Don’t know Don’t care
DEF- Definitely
DGTG- Don’t go there girlfriend
DUST- Did you see that
DND- Do not disturb
DIY- Do it yourself
ETA- Estimated time of arrival
EZ- Easy
F2F- Face to face
FMTYEWTK- Far more than you ever wanted to know
FYSBGTBABR- Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride
FTR- For the record
FYI- For your information
FWD- Forward
FF- Friends forever
FOAF- Friend of a friend
FAWC- For anyone who cares
GF- Girlfriend
GTG- Got to go
GNBLFY- Got nothing but love for you
GRRRR- Growling
GL- Good Luck
GOI- Get over it
Grats- Congratulations
GFI- Go for it
GR8- Great
HSIK- How should I know
HIG- How’s it going
HO- Hold on
HB- Hurry back
IDC- I don’t care
ILY- I love you
IDM- It doesn’t matter
IDK- I don’t know
IYD- In your dreams
ILU- I love you
IDGI- I don’t get it
IM- Instant messaging
JK- Just kidding
JW- Just wondering
JP- Just playing
K- OK
KMP- Keep me posted
LYLAS- Love you like a sister
LYL- Love you lots
LOL- Laughing out loud
LMK- Let me know
LYLAB- Love you like a brother
L8RG8R- Later Gator
MLAS- My lips are sealed
NBD- No big deal
NM- Nothing much
NMP- Not my problem
NM- Never mind
NW- No way
NE1- Anyone
NTK- Nice to know
OMG- Oh my gosh
POS- Parents over shoulder
PAW- Parents watching
PLS- Please
QT- Cutie
QFT- Quality friend time
RUT- Are you there
RU- Are you
RBAU- Right back at you
Sk8r- Skater
SLAP- Sounds like a plan
SUP- What’s up
SUS- See you soon
SWDYT- So what did you think
TOY- Thinking of you
THX- Thanks
TBC- To be continued
TAFN- That’s all for now
TIFN- Ta Ta for now
TFLMS- Thanks for letting me share
TTG- Time to go
TBH- To be honest
TTY-L Talk to you later
TMI- To much information
U- You
U2- You too
UG2BK- You’ve got to be kidding
VM- Voice mail
WE- Whatever
WBS- Write back soon
WDYT- What do you think
WU- What’s up
WUWH- Wish you were here
WAYD- What are you doing
WITW- What in the world
WFM- Works for me
XOXO - Hugs and kisses
YA- Yeah
ZZZZ- Tired, Bored

So, BIF I CSL and wondering WITW WFM in this day and age of IM, VM, and FB. HO, IDM B/C this form of communication really just CMU. IDK if anyone else really cares, but FYSBGTBABR B/C this new language is probably FMTYEWTK, WDYT? So with that said…I’m ZZZZ! GL 2U and TFLMS this important information with U. TTFN, XOXO…

BTW…it only took me 10 minutes to write that paragraph…