Quitting My Addiction: How I Got Over My "!" Obsession

[Lisa!]

I have to admit that I get addicted to "!" ! You know I've always liked "!" and use it in every opportunity I get.
But you know I always tried to use it when it was appropriate. I liked it so much so I chose 'Lisa!' as my username.(Of course it have another reason why I had to add it to "Lisa" and I explained about it before.)

How my addiction get started.

You know I chose "Lisa!" as my username in almost every site. We were playing "say something about the person above you" game. Whenever they wanted to say something about me, they always talked about "!" and how much I love it. So I strated to use "!" in every sentence instead of "." .And all of us like this idea. But I get used to it and now I continue doing this even in other sites.
Now I'm going to get rid of my addiction. But I don't know how.

PS: I have other reasons to use it sometimes but you may not understand why I do it.
PS: I've decided to quit my addiction because I'm tired of answering to your question about that. In fact I couldn't be argumentative as much as before because I have to type as less as possible.

Now do you have any suggesstion? Do you have any experience in quiting addictions?

 

[mattmns]

I have noticed that I have been using it a lot lately too! Mainly for emphasis though.

 

[Moonbear]

Well, there's always the "edit" button or just going back through and re-reading after you type. If you've used ! at the end of every sentence, unless you're writing about something that has you bouncing in your seat and bubbling over with excitement with every word you say, you could just go back and change them back to periods. That's sort of the easy way to do it. We could just remap your keyboard so the ! key doesn't work anymore and force you to go cold-turkey, but you might have trouble logging in then.

 

[Lisa!]

But no one asks you why you use it alot. Am I right?

 

[Moonbear]

But no one asks you why you use it alot. Am I right?

Because we all know it's your fault spreading the contagion around. It's hard to reply to a post all covered in !s without using a few yourself.

 

[mattmns]

True no one has asked me about it. Just do not worry about it, no need to change your writing style for these punks here at pf

 

[Lisa!]

Well, there's always the "edit" button or just going back through and re-reading after you type. If you've used ! at the end of every sentence, unless you're writing about something that has you bouncing in your seat and bubbling over with excitement with every word you say, you could just go back and change them back to periods. That's sort of the easy way to do it. We could just remap your keyboard so the ! key doesn't work anymore and force you to go cold-turkey, but you might have trouble logging in then.

What? going back and re-reading my own post? I'm too lazy to do it. I prefer not to post anything here to re-reading my posts.
About your second suggestion, are you going to kill me? I can't live without "!". Oh my God! I already miss it! Oops, I didn't want to use it but I did! oops, again...

 

[Moonbear]

What? going back and re-reading my own post? I'm too lazy to do it. I prefer not to post anything here to re-reading my posts.
About your second suggestion, are you going to kill me? I can't live without "!". Oh my God! I already miss it! Oops, I didn't want to use it but I did! oops, again...

I think you're too far gone for us to save you. You still might mellow with age.

 

[Lisa!]

True no one has asked me about it. Just do not worry about it, no need to change your writing style for these punks here at pf

Aha! You're wonderful, mate. I added you to my buddy list and you have my support all the way. I don't know why I have to answerlots of questions all the time. This site is really strange. I hav never seen anywhere like here!

 

[JamesU]

the only way to get her to quit is to use it so much that she gets tired of it:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lisa!]

Excellent! You're a psychologist, aren't you?

 

[JamesU]

I like to think of myself as one

 

[Lisa!]

I like to think of myself as one

Good! I think you will be successful.

 

[Math Is Hard]

When I see a "!" after a sentence I assume the poster is shouting or being very emphatic about something. It is annoying and confusing when it is used arbitrarily. When used frequently, it tends to nullify any meaningful emphasis that is intended in other posts which include a "!".

 

[Lisa!]

You're right. But since mattmns, arildno and my psychologist(yomamma) let me to use ! if I want, I think I continue my way. But be sure that if I use ! alot, I have good reasons for that. Even if my reasons wouldn't be understandable for others.

 

[loseyourname]

The compulsion of the junkie is rarely understandable to others.

 

[Lisa!]

You may think of it like that, but you know it's not true. Using "!" at the end f some sentences make them sound sarcastic. Sometimes I use it at the end of a sentence when I'm not sure of what I'm saying. I mean it's not my idea. It's what others expect to be like that.There are lots of other reasons you know, but anyway I'm not using ! as mush as before.

 

[loseyourname]

Sarcastic, eh? So you're trying to make fun of people that use too many exclamation marks?

It was you who said you became addicted to it. I didn't make up the junkie thing.

 

[Moonbear]

Using "!" at the end f some sentences make them sound sarcastic.

It doesn't have the desired effect then. Sarcasm is best dealt out dead-pan, with a simple period at the end, and then a carefully selected smiley, like the rolleyes one.

Sometimes I use it at the end of a sentence when I'm not sure of what I'm saying.

Consider a question mark for that purpose. It conveys the uncertainty much better. An exclamation point makes it sound much more emphatic, like you are absolutely certain of what you are saying. Several question marks can emphasize uncertainty, or just use this guy --->

 

[Lisa!]

Sarcastic, eh? So you're trying to make fun of people that use too many exclamation marks?

It was you who said you became addicted to it. I didn't make up the junkie thing.

Yes, you're right. I didn't expect some people to take it serious.(I'm not talikng about you for sure) You know I wanted to start a thread about addictions, so it was the best chance.

 

[loseyourname]

So are you or are you not attempting to make fun of people that use too many exclamation points?

 

[Lisa!]

It doesn't have the desired effect then. Sarcasm is best dealt out dead-pan, with a simple period at the end, and then a carefully selected smiley, like the rolleyes one.


Consider a question mark for that purpose. It conveys the uncertainty much better. An exclamation point makes it sound much more emphatic, like you are absolutely certain of what you are saying. Several question marks can emphasize uncertainty, or just use this guy --->

Your suggestions are always great. But you know I use for different purpose. And I have to add ! because if someone ever asks me why yu think it's right, I'll say I donn't agree with that. It's never happened here and it means no one thinks like me about theses sentences. Perhaps I need to explain a lot more about it but I prefer to cut it here. You need to understand my purpose to say something, to understand my writing style. Anyway I try to be less confusing from now since my way doesn't work around here.

 

[Lisa!]

So are you or are you not attempting to make fun of people that use too many exclamation points?

Not really. I'm just trying to make fun of people who think stupidly or strangely in my idea.

 

[Moonbear]

Yes, you're right. I didn't expect some people to take it serious.(I'm not talikng about you for sure) You know I wanted to start a thread about addictions, so it was the best chance.

Woohoo! That was a perfect example of combining a proper period with a smiley to make your point. Not a single exclamation point in the entire post, and it all made sense! (I'm just trying to get you addicted to smilies instead of exclamation points you see. )

 

[loseyourname]

Not really. I'm just trying to make fun of people who think stupidly or strangely in my idea.

You were doing this from the outset. At that point, who was thinking stupidly in your idea?

 

[Lisa!]

Moonbear, I'm addicted to smilies even more than ! , you know I can't reply any of my friends' mails without them You know if they wouldn't be ready ( it happens sometimes not very often) I tell them "I really don't feel like writing to you now because I can't use them now." and that's why I never give my friends my gmail. Anyway you should ask Greg to creat more smilies, because I really can't stand some of theses smilies andI think they're not enough at all.

You were doing this from the outset. At that point, who was thinking stupidly in your idea?

People whom I meet in my real life and think like that.

 

[Manchot]

I leave you with this portion of a Seinfeld episode:

Jake: I got a few messages, I wrote them down.

Elaine: Where are they?

Jake: Let's see, they are...here they are.

Elaine: Thank you. Heh, I'll call you back.Ooh, Myra had the baby! Oh, my God that's wonderful! Who called?

Jake: She did.

Elaine: She did? Oh, that's so great!

Jake: Where do you keep the corkscrew?

Elaine: In the drawer on the right. Hmm...

Jake: What?

Elaine: Oh it's nothing.

Jake: What is it?

Elaine: It's nothing.

Jake: Tell me.

Elaine: Well, I was just curious why you didn't use an exclamation point?

Jake: What are you talking about?

Elaine: See, right here you wrote "Myra had the baby", but you didn't use an exclamation point.

Jake: So?

Elaine: So, it's nothing. Forget it, forget it, I just find it curious.

Jake: What's so curious about it?

Elaine: Well, I mean if one of your close friends had a baby and I left you a message about it, I would use an exclamation point.

Jake: Well, maybe I don't use my exclamation points as haphazardly as you do.

Elaine: You don't think that someone having a baby warrants an exclamation point.

Jake: Hey, I just chalked down the message. I didn't know I was required to capture the mood of each caller.

Elaine: I just thought you would be a little more excited about a friend of mine having a baby.

Jake: Ok, I'm excited. I just don't happen to like exclamation points.

Elaine: Well, you know Jake, you should learn to use them. Like the way I'm talking right now, I would put an exclamation points at the end of all these sentences! On this one! And on that one!

Jake: Well, you can put one on this one: I'm leaving!

 

[Moonbear]

I leave you with this portion of a Seinfeld episode:

I remember that episode! Yes, it is very fitting to this thread.

Lisa!, if you have suggestions for more smilies, you have to suggest what ones you want. Keep in mind not to add ones that can be abused in the serious forums (none of the ones of a smiley holding a sign saying "duh" or anything like that). Greg did try replacing the current smilies with those fat ones like MSN uses once, and they were met with great protest (especially since they didn't quite match up with the expressions on the current ones as well as hoped, especially since a lot of us use them according to how they look rather than what their names are). But he's willing to add new ones if someone suggests ones that are reasonable.

 

[loseyourname]

People whom I meet in my real life and think like that.

You use exclamation points in real life? Like flash cards?

 

[Lisa!]

You use exclamation points in real life? Like flash cards?

I wish I could! You know my voice is sarcastic, but some people can't understand it and take it serious. I mean some people think I really agree with some stupid comments. They think I agree with them because they agree with them themselves not because I look stupid.
By the way, has my explanations helped you to understand why I use ! a lot or not?
For example why I used ! at "The lack of Danger" thread?

 

[Moonbear]

By the way, has my explanations helped you to understand why I use ! a lot or not?

Nope, that's why loseyourname is still asking questions trying to figure out what you mean.

 

[Lisa!]

Nope, that's why loseyourname is still asking questions trying to figure out what you mean.

You're talking baout yourself or him? Sure I don't expect you to understand the reason of using them in every case(and of curse I wouldn't let you ), but I meant whether my explanations have helped at all?

 

[JamesU]

I wish I could! You know my voice is sarcastic, but some people can't understand it and take it serious. I mean some people think I really agree with some stupid comments. They think I agree with them because they agree with them themselves not because I look stupid.
By the way, has my explanations helped you to understand why I use ! a lot or not?
For example why I used ! at "The lack of Danger" thread?

this is exactly why PF needs a voice conversation feature.

 

[Lisa!]

this is exactly why PF needs a voice conversation feature.

Do you think we can hear anything when lots of people are talking or shouting at each other?

 

[JamesU]

what I mean is like a chat room with a voice feature, for people who are smart enough to have a mic for their PC. and then we can have video conversation!

 

[Lisa!]

what I mean is like a chat room with a voice feature, for people who are smart enough to have a mic for their PC. and then we can have video conversation!

Smart enough?

 

[loseyourname]

I wish I could! You know my voice is sarcastic, but some people can't understand it and take it serious.

There are people that take you seriously?

By the way, has my explanations helped you to understand why I use ! a lot or not? For example why I used ! at "The lack of Danger" thread?

I'm still not too sure. You began by saying you started to use them as part of some inside-joke thingy or what not, and then became addicted. Now you're saying that it is an extension of your natural sarcasm. Perhaps an attempt to ensure that people don't take what you say too seriously? Is that what you mean?

 

[Lisa!]

There are people that take you seriously?

Yes, people who don't know me good enough.



I'm still not too sure. You began by saying you started to use them as part of some inside-joke thingy or what not, and then became addicted. Now you're saying that it is an extension of your natural sarcasm. Perhaps an attempt to ensure that people don't take what you say too seriously? Is that what you mean?[/QUOTE]
I admit that I use it sometimes as inside-joke thing but not in this site. In another site I always put ! instead of ".". But I told you why I said I got addicted to it.
I don't agree about all of what you said but well you can put it this way, because it could be true somehow.

 

[loseyourname]

I think I'm starting to understand. Let me see if I can phrase this more clearly. I get the impression that at some in the past, when you were not using exclamation points at the end of every sentence, people became upset at certain things you said. You didn't mean any harm, but they were taking you too seriously, not realizing that you often spoke lightheartedly or even in jest. To remedy this, you began to use exclamation points at the end of your sentences to demonstrate that there should be no heavy weight attached to them. Is that about accurate?

Note: This does not necessarily have to have been taking place on the internet. It is entirely possible that you say sarcastic or lighthearted things in person as well, and people are often offended when they take it the wrong way.

 

[Lisa!]

I think I'm starting to understand. Let me see if I can phrase this more clearly. I get the impression that at some in the past, when you were not using exclamation points at the end of every sentence, people became upset at certain things you said. You didn't mean any harm, but they were taking you too seriously, not realizing that you often spoke lightheartedly or even in jest. To remedy this, you began to use exclamation points at the end of your sentences to demonstrate that there should be no heavy weight attached to them. Is that about accurate?

Note: This does not necessarily have to have been taking place on the internet. It is entirely possible that you say sarcastic or lighthearted things in person as well, and people are often offended when they take it the wrong way.

Well done. You get one of my main points. I mean I explained other cases which don't apply to what you said.

 

[BobG]

If you're going to have to deal with this addiction to ! for your entire life, you need a mentor to help you!

I'd recommend Dayle Record! While she doesn't have any particular fondness for !, she has raised the , to a level of art unattainable by even Charles Shulz, the master of artistic punctuation himself! Dayle has made, in spite of the, generally, gramatically inhibited community here, the , the penultimate, non-pareil, absolutely awsometastic, favorite punctuation mark, used by the majority, or at least the core, of PF addicts at least once, or twice, or maybe even three times or more, and sometimes even thirty-eight times in one post!, in almost all of the replies, ruminations, and brilliant thoughts disgorged, expelled, and spewed by their fast, and furiously flying, fingers. Long time members still recall, with a profound awe, at that, the time Dayle was able to use the , as a verb, noun, adjective, and adverb in a single sentence, a feat more remarkable in the fact that she didn't use the , as a punctuation mark even once!

Oh, no! MIH was wrong! There is an evil Bob!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Careful - we may have to strip you of your Bob moniker.

 

[Moonbear]

Careful - we may have to strip you of your Bob moniker.

Can't we just strip him?

Hey, Lisa! Look! I'm visible again!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Can't we just strip him?

I like the way you think, sis.

 

[Lisa!]

BobG, thanks because of !


Hey Look Moonbear is visible again I was really tired of invisible Moonbear.


You're an (did you like this idea? I use or instead of !
which one is better or ?)

 

[BobG]

Can't we just strip him?

I like the way you think, sis.

Hmm, that just isn't quite right. Maybe :!) ? Wait, one of you knows how to use strange electronic devices. Hmm, I think Greg needs to add a couple new smilies.

 

[Moonbear]

BobG, thanks because of !


Hey Look Moonbear is visible again I was really tired of invisible Moonbear.


You're an (did you like this idea? I use or instead of !
which one is better or ?)

Okay, okay, you can use exclamation points!

 

[JamesU]

! moonbear's visible! must...print...screen!

 

[Lisa!]

Okay, okay, you can use exclamation points!

Good. I was afraid that you'd say it was a good idea. Then what would happen to my username?

Lisa or Lisa (I prefer Lisa )

 

[honestrosewater]

Don't worry, Lisa! I think I'm developing an addiction to the semicolon; It's more than a comma but not quite a period; It really keeps things flowing. :!)
I say embrace your eccentricity; I don't want to be alone!