BRB = Be Right Back!...

Most of my communication with others happens electronically, and a big part of that is instant messaging. It's pretty convenient since I mostly sit right here in front of my computer, plus with everyone having these fancy phones and such, you're all texting/IMing more. I use so many chat clients (because you all do) that I had to find a program that combines them all for me, Digsby. It really helps since I have an old, crappy PC, and running several programs at once doesn't work so well. Digsby combines my Yahoo! Messenger, AOL IM, Google Talk, MSN/Microsoft Live Messenger, Facebook chat, and MySpace IM, as well as giving me access to my emails (Yahoo!, Hotmail, Gmail), Twitter, and my Facebook and MySpace feeds. It also supports other sites/programs that I don't use. Digsby isn't perfect, and you can't use all of the features of each individual program (like BUZZ! on YM), and it handles audio/video differently, but for the basics of chatting, it's great. If I ever need to use any native features that Digsby doesn't support, I'll just log out of that account on Digsby and then load the actual program. An extra benefit of Digsby is that it can log your IMs, even from Facebook chat, which isn't natively supported.


I chat a lot, and I get that IMs are informal. I can handle the lack of capitalization (though "i" instead of "I" does bug me) and don't mind too much when people skip the apostrophes on contractions. I especially understand it when people are typing on their phones and the SHIFT or apostrophe keys aren't so accessible. I'm cool with the IM/SMS abbreviations for the most part, too. What I don't like, what I really, really, really can't stand, is when people don't say what they mean:

BRB = BE RIGHT BACK, NOT BYE REALLY BYE

When you send me a "brb," I'm expecting you to return relatively soon. I understand that stuff happens, that you could get busy with something else, that you're computer/phone might mess up, etc., etc., but if you don't actually intend on resuming to the conversation, just say so. Don't leave me hanging. Now, I'm not always just sitting, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for you to come back, but I do allocate my time and attention for your return. Too, if you're going to be more than 5 minutes or so, you're not really planning on being right back. Instead, say that you'll be back shortly or that you'll be back in awhile--"brb" implies immediacy!

This isn't directed at anyone in particular, it's meant for everyone who does this. And there are other habits that bug me on IM, too, like leaving a conversation without saying "goodbye" at all, or failing to conjugate verbs like "to text" (you know who you are! ;) ), but the "brb" thing probably irritates me more than anything as far as Internet chatting goes. If you don't know what something means, or, if you do know, but still don't actually mean it, then don't use that term. You have been put on notice! :D

BRB,
-B

P.S. (see, I said I'd brb, didn't I?)
For the record, I'm OK with using "lol" even if one isn't actually "laughing out loud." "Lol" has come to transcend it's literal meaning and is used to acknowledge something funny or to avoid an awkward pause or such. I do try to at least chuckle whenever I use "lol," though, just for my own amusement and attempts to be honest...lol :P

A little news, and a poem...

I don't have much to report for today. I did get those doctor appointments made. I am, in fact, scheduled to spend most of a day in an MRI machine in the near future. One scan alone is set to take 3 hours. Fun. Other than that, I didn't sleep well or much. I was online a bit. I caught up on some TV. I chatted a lot and had a particularly enjoyable and long couple chats with one person in particular. That was nice, despite the technical difficulties. I used the Google phone service, which works very well. I hope they keep that free. My cat caught a mouse and wouldn't let me take it from her. I held her back while my step-dad disposed of it. I ate BBQ ribs for supper. They were good. I felt a little icky today, probably from yesterday's flu shot, or maybe just because. It wasn't too bad.

I'm not sure how long I'll have an Internet connection, or when I'll be able to get it back should I lose it. It should be on until Saturday, at least. I can't be too upset about losing it since I haven't given my mom any money for it in awhile. I haven't really had it, but she hasn't asked for it, either (and she's not afraid to ask for it). I am a bit miffed at the lack of notice, though. The cable TV is danger, as well, and if it goes, there will be no TV watching here until it's back on. We don't have any converter boxes. Should that happen, I'll run out of stuff to do in a few days. I have some movies I haven't watched yet, and a few things on my computer I've been meaning to get to, but without the Internet or TV, I'm down to very, very few options. It would probably mean lots of Minesweeper and Sudoku for me. Hopefully we can figure something out. It would be awesome if I could get enough ad revenue from this blog to pay for my Internet service. I'm not sure how reasonable that is, and it's not at all feasible for my current situation, but it would be nice.

Since this post was light on details and a bit boring, I figured I'd add a poem I wrote to help even it out. Some of you have seen it (it's in a Facebook note), but I like it and hope you do, too. It's not about anyone in particular, and I wrote it my 4th or 5th year at ND, so around 2001. I was inspired a bit looking across the mall food court in South Bend and seeing a pretty girl, knowing how I was too shy to approach her (or any girl in a similar situation).

Shy
by: Brent Lee Smith

There she is, sitting over there

        Perfect body, lovely smile, long brown hair

Man, would I like to get with her

        Just think of all the good times that could occur

I need to go talk to her, I really should

        I'd really like to, but I don't think I could

You see, I'm the kind of guy

        Who'll love you all my life

                But I probably won't approach you

                        I'm just too shy

Why can't she come over here?

        I just want to have her near

I'd give her all of me if I had the chance

        Our love could be such a beautiful dance

Baby, I see my kids with you as their mother

        I could never ever love any another

Can't you see me looking at you

        Wondering what you'd like to do

I want to come over, tell you I need you

        Provide it all for you, clothe you and feed you

Oh my God, you're getting up

        And you're gonna pass me by

I should say something to you

        But I'm just too shy

Pretty decent day...

I got some stuff done today. I went to the doctor, got some medicine refills, explained the tumor treatment plan situation (I will be getting into that soon on here), and got a flu shot. My arm was sore for a little bit, but it's fine now. It had been a little while since I'd seen this particular doctor, so it was nice to catch up a bit. She's really nice and cool and you can tell that she really cares. She's yelled at me a lot to do (or to stop doing) stuff. She even asked me if I were dating. I told her that I was trying, doing the online thing (more on that another time, too). I talked a little about how dating is hard--I'm sick, broke, poor, don't drive, and live with my parents--and she replied that I don't have to get married. I got the distinct impression that she was telling me that I needed to get laid...lol...and I can't say that I disagree :P. Maybe I should have asked her for a prescription for that to see if works...what do you think? :D

After coming home and eating lunch, I made a few calls. I should get a couple replies tomorrow for appointments for tumor stuff. It sounds like they want a bunch of new MRI scans, so I'll be getting zapped for most of the day (several hours, anyway) if they do it all at once. I usually try to sleep during those, so it's not a big deal. I'm not claustrophobic or anything. That's not to say that I'll enjoy having my head immobilized and being stuck in the machine, but there are worse things.

I did the usual web surfing and some chatting before crashing and taking a nap. My hours have been extra weird the last while, and it's catching up with me. This headache medicine isn't helping with that, but oh well. Just as I fell asleep, I got a call from a case manager of my insurance plan (Healthy Indiana Plan). She was just checking in to make sure my asthma is under control (it is), then we got into the tumor stuff and ridiculousness of how I was treating by the clinic in Phoenix. It was nice to hear the shock in her voice as I explained things. There's nothing she can do about it (that's all on the Phoenix assholes), but she was sympathetic. I then went back to bed until my friend Miss TMI/Miss Incredible Pizza called me around 8PM. I was in the process of getting up, anyway, so she didn't disturb me at all, not even with our conversation ;). It was actually very nice to talk to her and hear how happy she was. I'm glad things are going well for her, she really deserves it!

I heated up the spaghetti my parents made, watched a good Monday Night Football game, and messed around on the web some more as I chatted a bit. Even though it got hard to keep up with everyone when I had 4 conversations going at once, I enjoyed the time with each person. I do feel a little bad that I couldn't give each one my full attention, partially from still being a little tired to go along with 4 open windows, but I prefer that over having no one to talk with. A couple of my chat partners were gals I just met online, so it was nice getting to know them a little.

Despite being so tired and not feeling the best, I'll take days like today. I got some stuff done, made some new friends, and didn't feel like complete crap. And I'm still here to tell you about it, so there's that. Tuesday is looking to be productive, too. I hope to have those medical appointments scheduled, or at least to get updated on their progress. The UFC itinerary for the events leading up to the fights comes out tomorrow, too. I'll be able to see when the weigh-ins are and if there is anything else going on that I'll be able to attend. From what I hear, there is a lot of free stuff that they do, and I'd like to go to as much of that as I can. It's looking like I won't be able to attend the fights, but I'll be watching somewhere, for sure. If anyone wants to hang out Saturday night, let me know.

Have a rockin' Tuesday,
-B