WHWB (What Have We Become?)

A co-worker asked me to email a copy of a report I'd written. I complied, along with a brief note that went something like this (names have been changed to protect those involved): 

Good afternoon, Sally - Attached is a copy of the global warming report we discussed in this morning's weather meeting. It has multiple tabs, so the 1st one is a snapshot/overview and the other tabs each speak to one of the topics. Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else. 
 -- Myrtle 

A few minutes later, I received an email back from Sally. Here's what it said, in its entirety: 

ty 

I stared at the screen for a minute. Yes, I knew she what she meant. She was thanking me for remembering to send her the report we discussed. She was thanking me for what has, sadly, become more and more rare -- doing what you say you're going to do. Perhaps, she was thanking me for sending her this report (even though I'd sent it before and she apparently forgot or misplaced it) without any judgment or snarkiness. But there it was. Two letters expressing her gratitude. 

I don't know why I couldn't just let it go, but I replied back to her with an equal response: 

yw 

And then it happened. The  of an alert notifying me of another email from Sally. 

np 

No problem, Sally said in her electronic shorthand. But there is a problem. A couple of decades ago, we, as a society, got too busy to actually write out "thanks" and we abbreviated it to "thx." Now, we're down to two letters -- ty. What's next? I'm afraid I know the answer. And it's no LOL matter.



Top 50 Most Popular Text Terms, from NetLingo.com

Editor's Note:  I never even realized a need for #24:  NIMBY. But I am making it a personal goal to use that one today.