Acronym, Abbreviation -- Long-hand and Short-hand

For some, life is getting easier reading text messages that come in short forms. Many people have stopped using pen/pencil to write on paper. Many others also prefer typing out their thoughts in words onto their computers. Once...I say once...there was the long-hand and the short-hand type of writing. Those were the days when the computer was not there in most of the homes. But now, it has become Finger-touch System. Tap-tap, pat the keyboard and the words are there on the screen.

Sometimes these Acronyms puzzle me, it becomes difficult for me to read out the full form just by looking at it. I think I belong to the old school and depend on writing the full words. I’m comfortable with Acronyms like LOL (laugh out loud), BTW (by the way), ASAP (as soon as possible), IMO (in my opinion), but raise my eyebrows when I see FWIW, FYI, ROTFL, IMHO, TIA, RTFM, and many more. I’ve to take the help of my sons in reading the full form of some of these – a test which I may not pass – test at this age! Hah! Trouble for me, but I’m trying to cope up with time.

Those were the schooldays when we learnt so many Abbreviations by heart. Abbreviation is also the shortened form of a word -- writing Dr. means doctor, ft. for foot (as in measurement), e.g. (example) – many-many-more abbreviations are there, but then I was comfortable. Was it my young age or school life that made it look easy? A question I think about and scratch my head to get an answer to justify my thoughts.

When text-messaging came around and gobbled up the words to become short, shorter and shortest, my problem started. Now -- You is written as U, can write 2 for to -- and carry on writing a message on the small screen – my god how fast these people type – I’m much way back with them and the present time…present time (scratch my chin)…no way I’m running with the pace, not like Bolt the world record holder sprinter but can run my 100 meters quickly…here I am!!!

Then as thoughts cross my mind I feel I’m demeaning my coping nature. Why...I’ve adapted to my use of computers and internet…feel comfortable using them and sharing with others my thoughts and words in this wide world through this modern technology…the World Wide Web (www)…useful isn’t it?

Again, I’m still a learner in this area, new electronic products are spreading their arms in the market. I feel so tired in being an everyday learner, but the buck doesn’t stop there, and then I’m up on my feet with all my energy to run the rat’s race that’s going on.

The long-hand and the short-hand will still be there. When technology fails due to some effect, maybe nature can create one, then these long-lost use will let the wheel turn. Even the type-writer which was once in demand was locked up in the attic when the computer came up smartly. Computer hackers have created difficulty in many sensitive areas, so sensitive documents are typed out on type-writers and kept in secret places…some reports say.

So much has changed but life moves on coping with changes …that’s what we call LIVING LIFE.