Pet Peeve Rant

Ok, I'm betting that a lot of you out there are going to disagree with me, but I've got to say it. I hate "LOL." For those of your rare few who may not know what I'm talking about "LOL" stands for laughing out loud and is used as a response in texts, e-mails, chats, etc.

I didn't hate LOL at first but now it has become overused and used in contexts where it makes no sense. Just because you agree with something someone said or it made you smile doesn't mean you need to use it. I mean did you actually laugh out loud? If you didn't don't use it.

The other day someone responded to a listserv comment I made telling me they remembered a book I had mentioned reading as a kid. And at the end of her sentence she put "lol." I was immediately bothered. Did simply remember reading this book actually make her laugh? I doubt it.

But what if you did actually laugh? Was it a loud laugh, a long laugh, a belly laugh, or was it just a chuckle? If it was just a chuckle I don't think it deserves an LOL.

Why not haha? That's only one more character and I think is more expressive of a smaller laugh.

Or should I invent a new abbreviation... how about COL (chuckle out loud)?

Maybe I'm just being a crazy Gemini, obsessing over communication. But I really want my communications with people to be clear, regardless of whether I'm talking to a person in the flesh, over the phone or via some electronic means.

Therefore, if I didn't burst out laughing, I'm not going to use LOL because to me I would actually be lying.

Ok, rant over...