404 (haven't a clue)

When I got my first online capable computer back in 1997 the only thing I knew about the internet was that there were chat rooms where you could have conversations with people around the world by typing what you had to say. This sounded wayyyyyy cool to me so soon enough I was plugged in, plugged up, and made my first attempt at communication, Chat Style.

It only took me about 15 minutes (what can I say, I'm slow) to realize that, in order to carry on a conversation in this way, I was going to have to learn the language of Chat Abbreviations. I would see LOL, and BRB a lot and was wondering WTF was going on. I quickly learned the best way for me to reply to the question
a/s/l? was to respond with "old as dirt/sometimes/LA" since I figured this was a polite way of letting them know that not all of my business was to be shared. This also gave those folks that were always sending these requests for PMs to back off.

Back in those days there were only a few abbreviations to learn in order to be able to carry on a half-assed intelligent conversation (although sometimes I had my doubts there too). It's not so these days, the abbreviation list grows and my memory shortens so I rarely venture into a chat room anymore.

ADN chat abbreviations could be declared a new language, right along with Ebonics and redneckese. It would be a short-hand language for communication where you'd just have to know your ABCs and be able to memorize a list of abbreviations to replace whole sentences of the English language. Long gone would be the days when you not only had to learn how to read, but learn how to spell. Dick and Jane would never be the same.

CDR (See Dick run.)

CJR (See Jane run.)

CSRw/D&J (See Spot run with Dick and Jane.)

BWTHDIK? (But what the hell do I know?)

CUL8ER!!!!