i m ME & i wont chng 4 ne1 like U

Last post for a while...seriously this time!

Me, a few weeks ago: "Who is Brittney Cleary??" (note: I already knew who she was, this is intended for dramatic effect)

Me, today: Oh, it's Nikki Cleary's real name before Jive made her change it. Jive: "We already have a Britney!"

So while you scrounge up change to buy your June 3rd Frosty and then TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, you can play Brittney's debut single "I.M. Me" in the background. Sorry if you have a Pavlovian response to the door-opening sound at the beginning.

The lyrics so you can sing along:

Let's meet at the same time
Same place
Send your jpeg, I wanna see your face
Girlfriend, send an I.M.
TTYL
No time to spell
Oops, there goes that little bell
Bye, bye for now
BBFN

[Chorus]
Hey LOL, G2G
I gotta go, but baby watch for me 'cause
I'll be right back, BRB
So sign on, and I.M. me

Mom thinks I'm doing me some homework
Yeah, research
But I can't help it I've just got to surf
I gotta chat with my girlfriends on line,
We're digital diva's
Believe us
This Girl Wide Web is hot stuff
My buddy list is growing all the time

[CHORUS]

[GIRL TALK CONVO COSTARRING GIRL TALKERS CARLY BARTELSEN AND ALYSON MADELL]

I got a web page
A domain
Sign my guest book with your screen name
Check it out, then send an I.M.

What's your profile
Favorite quote?
Hey! This is just like passing notes
It's easier to type than use a pen

[CHORUS 2x]

And the mid-song breakdown (transcribed into IM-speak and backtranslated where appropriate):

Brittney: wassup QTs ;)
girltalker1: [carly or alyson, "stephanie" in this exchange] not much here :)
girltalker2: [alyson or carly, not "stephanie"] same here :)
Brittney: did u c that note stephanie got from mike? :o
girl2: no what did it say
girl1: omg[osh] he said our relationship wasnt going newhere
girl2: he doesnt evn no what thatmeans >:o
[girls roffle :D]
girl2: did u get yr hw done?
girl1: i was tryin 2 but billy imed me
Brittney: OMG[osh] hes such a hottie ;)
girl2: hey guys i g2g
girl1: yea me too my mom was yellin
girl2: bye babes lyl
Brittney: ok ttyl sweetie [actually spelled out t-t-y-l] ;)
girl2: ttyl :)
girl1: bye

And FINALLY, the liner notes:

Hi! My name is Brittney and if you're anything like me, you LOVE to instant message your friends. When my producers asked me what I wanted my first single to be about, I knew right away. I wanted to sing about talking to my girlfriends online. I love I.M.ing and I even have my own website where you can learn more about me and my music. Listen to my new song and let me know how you like it! Check out my website: www.brittneycleary.com I'm waiting to hear from you! ♥ Brittney

While I'm gone, I would love to see a discussion happen about the role of IM language in music, culture, conversation, whatever else. Which artists use IM-speak in their songs? For what purpose or overall effect? Should there be more or less IM-speak in pop music? Can you think of better questions than the ones I've posed?

And to give an EXTRA incentive to say NEthing at all, here's that Ashlee/Missy remix. LOL! Oh, LOL! Oh, Vee! Eeeeeeeeee!

Brittney Cleary - I.M. Me

Ashlee & Missee - L.O.V.E.

PS - you could also have a discussion about the use of acronyms -- ones that stand for several words (being an NBL that TCB, for instance) or merely spell out longer words or any tangent resulting from this idea -- in the comments section or in the privacy of your own home with a loved one. Not that they're mutually exclusive. You could also talk about the weather or Prague or how many pounds of oat groats constitute "too many oat groats" (only Miss E and I know the secret answer, but she's in Spain and I'm not telling).