#InvasionoftheHashtag

The original #Hashtag. hehe.

Recently I realized that "hashtagging" has crept pretty far into my life. For those of you not deeply addicted to social media like myself, a hashtag is a word or an unspaced phrase prefixed with the hash symbol (#) and it's typically used on social media to lump posts together (e.g., if you tweet #ILoveCheese, your tweet becomes part of the "ILoveCheese" search result (current #ILoveCheese Twitter example HERE!)) But more than a functional purpose (last night during the Grammy's, searching #Grammys would have allowed you to be part of a real time conversation with fellow tweet-ers about the show) people often use hashtags as their own personal slogan or funny tagline... and this is where I've seen the creeping... my friends and I have started using hashtags in emails and text messages, when there is no purpose other than to say something ridiculous as a summary to how you're feeling.

For example:

* after a text message about a wild night out with the girls, one might say: #Iwokeupwithabagofpretzelsinmybed

* in an email about loving vacation: #vacationrulesworkdrools

* when texting about having to go bathing suit shopping #dressingroomfluorescentlightsmakemecry

As you can see, this can easily get out of hand, and I just can't decide what I think about the proliferation of hashtagging in my life. On the one hand, hashtags can be pretty hysterical (#Ilovewittyoneliners), but on the other hand, what the hell are we doing!? (#selfproclaimedcomedicgenius). I guess we'll just have to wait and see if hashtagging is here to stay or if it will eventually fade into internet trend history (#Istillmissaolinstantmessenger).

I'm not the only one who is giving hashtagging a whole lot of thought!!