【冲浪英语】Are We Really So Busy?

I guess that many people have noticed the same thing and some must have already written or blogged about it eloquently. However, today I just cannot help writing this down and asking ourselves: Are we really so busy?

This afternoon, I was in a video conference, where a manager at our site said to some colleagues at another site via the Internet phone, "Just one sec." Of course, everyone understood what she meant. I just wondered how much increase in productivity really resulted from saving the three letters "ond", though.

Similarly, there are acronyms everywhere nowadays, especially at work. For example, everyone wants to get things done "ASAP". Here, when speaking, one is not supposed to pronounce the "ASAP" out as "as soon as possible". In the 21st century, it is no longer soon enough. Instead, one should say it as a word, something like /'eisep/. Well, you know what I mean. And, sure enough there is one or more acronyms for each of those terms and jargons at work, so much so that an important part of new employee orientation is the familarization with all those pseudo words with all upper-case letters.

This fast pace inevitably affects personal styles as well. Actually, without thinking much about it, I myself have changed the finish of my emails from "Best wishes (or regards)" to simply "Best" in order to save a fraction of a second each time. It may be kind of late to change it back now - I don't want all my colleagues to feel different or strange when they notice this. Incidentally, some of my colleagues are using the simplified finish "Regards" instead. It seems as if we are reminding each other what we have omitted.

Well, I am for simplified, casual greetings, especially in emails that are sent back and forth so frequently, and I am for improved personal efficiency. However, I do not want this to be over done. In the end, are we really so busy?

2011.1.24

所有跟帖： 

• 哈哈，要把杂谈彻底搞杂 :D -冲浪潜水员- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/24/2011 postreply 22:36:22

• 搞杂还是搞砸？哼哼 -笑比哭好- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 05:07:36

• 哈哈，看事情要阳光、积极一点，就像，就像俺的电脑上的拼音输入法 :D -冲浪潜水员- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 21:37:20

• wazzup? heehee -松风阁主- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/24/2011 postreply 23:53:38

• 想起一个相声，说半夜上厕所。。。 -讲不清- ♀ (43 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 08:48:24

• 看来俺是老啦。这相声到底听过没？拿不准。得找来听听 -冲浪潜水员- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 21:38:57

• Thank you for the English class! -圈外闲人- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 09:14:15

• 这个，你家小盆友写书一会儿一本的，咱们在网上灌水也有压力哈 -冲浪潜水员- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 21:39:54

• 哇噻，这洋文说的，忒好咧~~~~~~ -金色的麦田- ♀ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 11:06:00

• 谢谢鼓励哈，还要继续折腾才行啊 -冲浪潜水员- ♂ (0 bytes) () 01/25/2011 postreply 21:40:50