I.D.K.W.T.M.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS
When I was seventeen, my sister’s boyfriend came home from his first semester at a New York acting school.
He had a new word. “Heavy”. Like in, “Those jeans are so heavy.”
I was a lifetime proponent of “Cool”. But oh, “Heavy” was so cool.
So I went back to high school, dropping “heavies” all over the hallways. I was very heavy (except that I was 96 lbs, and I feel I need to include that fact, since I adore saying it.)
Then about six months later, on “The Mod Squad”, Linc uttered this emotional phrase: “Heavy, man.”
And I knew it was all over. Back in those days, the term “jumping the shark” hadn’t yet been coined. But the concept was there. If it was already on TV, it was already passe.
And that was the last time I was ahead of the curve on colloquial language.
If I said “cool”, the cool kids said “hot”. Then the hot kids said “fine”, and the fine kids said “smokin'” — and the smokin kids said “sick”.
And I gave up.
I can pretty much guarantee that if I even hear an expression, it’s outdated. If it finds its way out of my mouth, it’s ridiculously old.
For example, my little factoid about being 96 lbs is called a humblebrag. But I am sure it only used to be called a humblebrag. Since I know that word, it’s OUT.
A few weeks ago, a nice blogger suggested very politely that I use PFA instead of the words I did use, “pulled right out of my ass.”
But acronyms are even worse for me that outdated words. Mostly I don’t know what they mean, but if I do know, they are either incredibly dated or make me look like I’m trying to be sixteen. I won’t even use OMG, because I will immediately become (in my mind, and probably in the reader’s mind) a teenybopper airhead. (but I better not say “teenybopper”.) (or “airhead”.)
I know ROTFLMAO. But I can’t say that every time. Sometimes I am not ROTFLMAO. Sometimes I may just be chuckling a bit under my breath. (CABUMB?)
I read the stuff my cool (hot, smokin–I don’t know anymore) niece posts on Facebook, and it’s full of ” *** ” and “wifeys” and “Bwahahas”, and I guess I can figure it out, but sometimes I’m not sure whether it’s a fabulous (blazin, sick) new expression or a typo.
I’m old. I’m sticking with “Cool”. And I will suppress the urge to respond to TRDMC with LSMFT. (For those notquiteold, that’s “Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco”. ( See–We had acronyms back in the olden days.)
notquiteold 
I like “cool,” too. How about: we used to say: would you be up for going to the movies? And now people say, “I’d be down for that.”
Beyond lol and omg, I can’t figure out any of the facebook shortcuts. Old and don’t care!
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Your post had me laughing. (Oh, and after I was out of school and working my first job, I heard another meaning for LSMFT.) But what I really thought of when I read this is one of my older relatives evidently thinks LOL means something like “lots of love”. Because a couple of times, she’s written something about a family member not feeling well or a relative passing away, followed by LOL, Betty. That’s funny!
Thanks for the chuckle this morning!
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I think someone needs to tell your family member what LOL means.
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Well, IATAWY (I am totally agreeing with you) on this post. I try to be hip, I really do. But when my grown children tell me to not use a phrase or word or something it makes me realize that I am just a 51 year old with no knowledge of what is hip and what is not. So I guess IWSWWIK ( I will stick with what I know) and that is that “cool” is still cool.
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When I was in high school and lived in FL on the Atlantic Coast I was horrified to hear friends say “b*tchin”. When we moved more inland, we didn’t hear it. Yes, back in the 60’s those surfer types let loose some kind of expletive. I like omg…but prefer to write it out oh my goodness.. or po’d I used to think was “put out”, then blushed when I learned otherwise. I’m not opposed to colorful language, just find it easier to scoot past administrators, parents and students by not using it. Yes, I’m a bit Pollyanna with my language being a teacher and all.
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You mean “neato” is out? Oh, horror! This was such a funny post, and I heartily agree with what you’re saying. I don’t even know what some of those acronyms mean that you used. I know I am just an old fart who is behind the times, but I’m cool with that. Totally.
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Great post! Being a language purist, I tend to spell out the entire words when texting, though an occasional WTF sneaks in. I still use the cool words from my youth since I don’t care much about being trendy.
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I don’t text, but I do spell out entire words in my emails. Just the other day, I started a sentence with “Seven” – because I don’t like to start sentences with numbers. Well, “Seven” is not exactly an odd word – but autocorrect changed it to “Semen.” It just slightly changed the meaning of the sentence…
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Jeepers! Keen post, Nancy!
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Golly gee, thanks a bunch.
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I know exactly what you mean. And used to worry that I lost my “game” since I couldn’t keep up today’s culture. Until I figured out that we are still the coolest and it’s the young’uns today that can’t keep up with us. We have class, something this generation will never have in my opinion. Really, do you see any of us walking around holding up our pants so they won’t fall to the ground?? And that makes me LSHMSFOAIDMT = laughing so hard my sombrero falls off and I drop my taco.
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I’m sticking with “cool” too. And you’re right…I can only say cool at this point. I can’t actually be cool!
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Coolio
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Dude!
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I was a hippie in the late 60’s but never really comfortable giving the peace sign or exclaiming “far out” until way into the 70’s. And now? I just stay away from texting as much as possible. Great post!
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Oh, I was overflowing with “far out”. With a really long “faaarrr”.
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I, too, am a lover of “cool.” I don’t try to keep up with the rest of it. However, I don’t know HOW I survived in the days before “WTF?” Seriously. It’s my response to just about everything.
But that’s just how I roll, dawg.
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CABUMB
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I’m trying to ressurrect “Ob”. This was, back in the 80s (at least where I went to school) short for “obvious”, but it meant yes, or Duh. For example, “Want a beer?” “Ob!” or “He’s totally hot!” “Ob!” or “Nancy’s post was funny today.” OB!!!
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Then there is SWAK a favorite when I was a tween. Our generation didn’t invent that one, I believe it was our parents.
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Cool post!! And I am now going to use CABUMB all the time!!
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Bwahaha! You nailed this topic!
For more information on texting symbols and abreviations (for us dorks!) see
http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php and
http://slodive.com/freebies/texting-symbols/
SYL and TA
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Well, gag me with a spoon! (thank God that one’s dead!)
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Awesome! 😮
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Word..
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Ha! Oh, I’m glad you’re sticking to the classics. I’ve never even heard of humblebrag.
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Wowsers! Great post.
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OMG what a cool post. Glad there are other cool women and men still alive and kicking.
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Groovy. I’m down with that.
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Great post! I seriously think we need to start a CABUMB campaign! Seriously. Dude.
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So sweet! So fine! 🙂
peace.
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Great post! I did a post on texting acronyms and I hear you about the latest words used to mean things that other words used to mean. What is happening to our language? Is it even our language anymore?
At the very real risk of sounding old, I don’t use the LOLs of the cyber world. I spell everything out. I don’t swear either. It drives my son nuts. It’s worth it! 😉
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Nancy, you are so RAD!
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That’s heavy, man.
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OMG . . . PMSL . . . WTG
or
Very Cool! IMO 🙂
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Was going to post something really catchy like “wow man” or “outta-sight” but the words just failed me …..
Nice job.
DS
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I tried to wean myself off of “awesome” but it was too hard. What’s the point? It’s clear from looking at me that I grew up in the 80s no matter what I say.
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Yeah and some of the acronyms are LONGER than words. I can’t pretend to guess at them. It’s too much work trying to keep up with the lingo that the younger generation come up with. I’m just not that hip but I’m cool with it. Ha ha.
Great post.
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