I'm in a meeting now.

I am away from the computer.

Zzzzzzzz

brb

What would people do without instant messenger "away" messages? They've become the digital version of the post-it on the door, and their own little vehicles for creative expression. Many people have ventured beyond the functional away message (informing parties simply that they are busy or elsewhere) and now provide snipets of song lyrics or favorite philosophical quotes. One person I know even uses the away message to advertise his blog (which I think is clever, so I've adopted that for one of my own away messages as well).

I have a few away messages I rotate for variety. They're not as funny as some friends' away messages. Of course, the best part of the away message is not humor; it's that it minimizes one of the inefficient aspects of the instant messenger medium. By making clear to your buddies that you're not present, you prevent that annoying suspended state where an initial message awaits a response for an uncertain amount of time.

Time for lunch. brb.