LOL…really?

No expression of this internet and texting age seems to be as overused — or as inappropriately — as "LOL".

Oh, I have absolutely nothing against laughing out loud. In fact, I have been cultivating the practice for quite some time, overcoming my WASPish reserve or embarrassment to laugh loudly in movies or even walking down the street. I rarely use the terminology in my texts, e-mails or status updates, however.

So then you will understand how it rubs me the wrong way when I see the expression overused. I know you're not laughing out loud, you're just at a loss for words expressing your appreciation of something. The worst version of this experience is to be observed in live video chat. I'm probably talking about one of those websites that I'll have to talk about in another post, but you know what I mean: you can see the person grim-facedly type "LOL" in response to a comment from someone else.

Are you kidding me?! You didn't even crack a smile, let alone laugh out loud! But far from just recommending that you find something else lame to type, I want to suggest instead that you let go and do the laughing out loud your fingers are pretending you are doing. It will do you a world of good.