I think therefore I bees Aunties chatting on Saxtibook By Cecil Pinto
The Beta Version of Saxtibook, a special version of Facebook for South Goans, is going through its trial phases. Typical potential users, three aunties from Salcete - Felcy, Rosy and Joaquina - are learning the intricacies of Saxtibook with a hands-on approach. Here is an excerpt from their chat sessions, with Facebook’s software developer Flavia Lobo playing guide. Rosy: What means “BM :-) :-)”? Flavia: That’s an example of an emoticon. Rosy: Moti konn? Who bees fat? Flavia: No! No! By using symbols on your keyboard you can convey moods or emotions. For example “:-)” means happy and “:-(” means sad. Or for example “:-o” could convey surprise and “:-D” could convey laughter. Most emoticons have to be looked at by tilting your head sideways to the left. Felcy: Ya! BM Rosy: Again she’s doing for it. What means BM? Flavia: Felcy has ‘coined’ a new shortcut acronym. BM stands for “Best Murre!”. Some common Internet slang acronyms used while chatting are, FYI – For Your Information, BTW – By The Way, IMHO – In My Humble Opinion and LOL – Lots Of Laughter. Joaquina: You knows what we call somebody who does LOL all the while? Flavia: No, tell me. Joaquina: Lollo! Flavia: That’s cool. BRB. Rosy: Bee arr bee uuuu? What means that? Felcy: She means she Bees Right Back. She bees busy with some other work. Rosy: Ok tell me Joaquina have you heard about the Mickey case? Felcy: It makes me ROFWL Rosy: I thought it was Ratol? Felcy: No men. Roll On The Floor With Laughter Rosy: That woman is dead and you are laughing? Felcy: I am laughing at the people of Benaulim. They votes for criminals every time. Rosy: Do you know Lydia joined the Mickey Support Group on Saxtibook. Joaquina: How much you have to pay? Rosy: You are not paying. They pay for you. Felcy: This I likes! BM :-) Rosy: Have you seen Mickey’s Profile. His Relationship Status changes every day. Married, Single, In a Relationship, Dating, Engaged, It’s complicated… Joaquina: How he can change his profile if he is in hiding? Flavia: I’m back girls. Doesn’t matter where anyone is hiding. You can access Sashtibook even from a cellphone. Rosy: What hiding? Mickey came to notary office in Margao, no? Joaquina: I heard he’s roaming around openly in Margao wearing a burqa. Rosy: I saw two women in burqas in Benaulim yesterday. Joaquina: Was one short and the other tall? Rosy: Yes! Yes! Joaquina: It is them. Mickey and Lyndon! Joaquina: Shhhh! Don’t talk about Lyndon. He’s online Rosy: So what happens? Joaquina: He can’t see what we are chatting? Flavia: Of course not! Felcy: You know so many people wants to be my friends! Rosy: Really? Felcy: Ya! Everyday I am getting six to eight Friends Requests. Joaquina: You are knowing these people? Felcy: No. Joaquina: Maybe they wants to be your friend because you put a photo of Aishwarya Rai as your profile photo. Felcy: And so many people are inviting me to Events. Flavia: Do you have to pay to enter those events? Felcy: I don’t think so. Flavia: Do you have to pay for food and drinks? Felcy: I suppose so Flavia: Then those are not invitations. They are advertisements. Those are not friends they are marketing people. Joaquina: What is all this about Mafia Wars and Farmville? Flavia: Those are third party games developed for Facebook that you can play in Saxtibook too. It’s very easy to understand. Did you see the news report about Churchill and Valanka distributing fertilizers to farmers in Benaulim, which is Mickey’s constituency? Felcy: Ya! BM! Flavia: That’s Mafia Wars and Farmville. Two for the price of one! Joaquina: All these shortcuts like ROFWL and ASAP are strange to us. Can we make our own shortcuts using Konkani? Flavia: Sure. Why ever not? Felcy: PBH Rosy: Kitem? Felcy: Pot Bhor Hansta Flavia: That’s the spirit! Joaquina: How about ANB – Amka Naka Bangoddi Flavia: Cool! Felcy: I likes this! TMI - Ters Mhuntoch Ietam or BAR - Back After Rosary or else FM - Falea Meunchem Rosy: VBB - Voch Bore Bashen, MA - Mog Asundi Joaquina: The boss is coming. PIMU - Patrao Ieta, Mager Uloitam. He is DX - Daed Xanno Rosy: KSAT - Khuimchea Sonvsaran Asai Tum? Joaquina: VMS – Vicharlam Mhunn Sang Rosy: DBK - Deo Borem Korun Joaquina: MN - Mention Not MOD- Mhaka Oshem Dista PP - Paad Podom DB - Double Best DBDD - Deo Boro Dis Deum VSJ VSJ? Viva Sao Joao! VIVA SAO JOAO!!! ---------- The column above appeared in Gomantak Times on 24th June 2010 ====== * * * IS YOURS one of the stories of Goans on board the S.S. Dwarka, or at the Strait of Hormuz, Basra or Bahrain, Dubai, Swindon, Mombasa, Poona or Rangoon? Selma Carvalho's new book *Into the Diaspora Wilderness* docks at many other ports. Get your copy from Broadways, Panjim [9822488564] Rs 295. P&p extra. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
