Chris and I were reminiscing on our way home tonight about the olden days when AIM was the thing to do. Not only was it the very first thing you do in the morning, but you spent hours during the day trying to remember inside jokes, compelling songs, interesting quotes, and funny things that happen throughout the day, in order to put them online for the friends who were there for the inside jokes, compelling songs, etc. In case you were in a coma 5 years ago, this is what most mornings looked like:
6:30 Snooze
6:40 Snooze
6:50 Snooze
7:00 Snooze
7:10 Snooze
7:20 Climb out of bed.
7:22 Turn computer on.
7:23 Check out who's already online (you didn't have to actually open AIM because it was set to open automatically, of course!).
7:24 Read away messages, most of which you read the night before for the final half hour before you went to bed.
7:40 Think up clever away message about being tired and late for class YET AGAIN.
7:53 Decide on the most clever away message and post it.
7:55 Throw on clothes, grab ponytail holder, and RUN to class.
This schedule was repeated in similar fashion throughout the day. You actually could not sit down at the computer again without posting a new away message, or adding to one (they get to be quite lengthy. You could probably use this blog post as an away message, come to think of it).
Those were the good times.
As much as I <3 Facebook, it really ruins the effect of the clever away message. Most Facebook Statuses are boring, unfulfilling, non-thought-provoking, and remarkably short.
What a shame.
I was thinking about this a few weeks ago as well!
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