How Chelsea Handler Handles It

Chelsea Handler's new collection of essays has become my most recent obsession.

It's hilarious of course (as to be expected) but I agree with most everything she says.

She touches on everything from ill-spirited jokes played on her highly-gullible boyfriend to her friend Lydia's redneck wedding to her take on Gingers (shout out to Cara). However, my favorite excerpt thus far is her take on the new lingo of the technological era, in which people insist upon using frequent abbreviations that I, in turn, must translate. The use of hieroglyphics, morse code, and other forms of secret languages in a text message or any other form of computerized communication irks me to no end. I agree whole-heartedly with Chelsea's rant:

"You wouldn't say LOL if you were out to lunch with someone, so why would you write it in an instant message or an e-mail? Just laugh alone in your office or house. I don't need to be notified that you're laughing. If someone is busy laughing, then how do they have the time to be typing the letters LOL?"

Now, I am a huge fan of emoticons, not because they are entirely cute (they aren't, in fact) but because I have found that one's tone does not translate in a text message. Therefore, a smiley face will let the recipient know that I was attempting to be sarcastic, genuine, or entirely mean. It really saves me from a lot of misunderstandings in the long run.

I also use a tremendous amount of "haha"s, so this post could be read as somewhat hypocritical by some. However, let me differentiate between the two: a "haha" is chuckling mildly to oneself, which yes, I do indeed do. On the other hand, I would bet good money that no one is laughing out loud at any text message they receive unless it is from Chelsea Handler herself. Otherwise, you are just chuckling.

I'm terribly happy to get that off my chest. TTFN, LYL, TTYL, BBL, etc. etc. etc. to those of you who LOL.

xoxo e