THIS FORUM IS DRIVING ME CRAZY...

Daily life is punctuated by forum language, creating comical and sometimes disconcerting situations when expressions are taken out of context.

There are days when you wonder if the line between online and offline life is blurring until it disappears. I'm not talking about the hours we spend glued to a screen; that's a given. I'm talking about how words, expressions, even ideas born in those virtual spaces, end up creeping into our day-to-day conversations—sometimes so naturally that we barely notice it.

## The Echo of Foreign Words

You spend years sharing impressions and ideas in a forum, and suddenly, it's the other way around: what happens on that forum escapes into real life. I remember a guy, a speech therapist, who had discreet tattoos on his arm. One day he appeared in a tight shirt and a gold chain around his neck. The sight spontaneously made me exclaim: "¡¡¡ Mazadura & Golden Cadenas !!!". His look of confusion was priceless. Or the time a friend, married to a woman from Cádiz, brought us a bottle of organic extra virgin olive oil from there. When I picked it up, I read aloud: "Disheartened Organic Olive Oil." He, puzzled, looked at the label and asked, "??? Disheartened ???"". With a smile, I replied, "Of course, extra virgin," and we burst out laughing.

## Investments and Misunderstandings

Sometimes, economics—that stubborn beast that intimidates many of us—lends itself to peculiar interpretations. Recently, I shared a meal with an old colleague, also a psychologist. Afterwards, while having drinks, she mentioned that her godfather, a small businessman, was anxious about the "return on investment" of a joint venture. He asked for my explanation. I tried to be clear, but she couldn't quite grasp the idea. So, to make it more vivid, I said: "Look, today I made an investment. I spent money inviting you to eat and then more at the cinema and drinks. In return, I seek a return on investment: that you spend the night with me."
She looked at me, as if doubting my sincerity. I insisted, suggesting that my flat was nearby and we could go "to chill out," or at least have a "churrupaíca" (a type of fried pastry), since she was divorced. Her response was laconic: "But you're so tacky, man."
I tried to salvage the situation by exclaiming: "¡¡¡ But come on, I'm a romantic like Don @sinosuke !!!". Her face showed total intrigue: "??? Don @sinosuke, who is that ???"". I laughed and explained he was a pure soul, an ardent romantic, a poet who dedicated entire volumes to La Raquelita." She pondered for a few seconds and declared: "I bet he's one of those guys who posts photos of ladies in bikinis on the forums you visit!!!"
I replied that they weren't completely nude, but that they "devastate us mercilessly."

## Language Crosses Borders

These kinds of situations, where expressions from a virtual environment transfer to the physical world, are more common than we think. Sometimes it's just a wink, an inside joke understood only by those who share that space. Other times, like in my case, it can cause a moment of confusion, nervous laughter, or pure disbelief. Slang coined in those forums becomes a shared code that, when it leaves its context, can have unexpected effects. It's as if a part of our digital life has slipped away and is now walking among us, sometimes subtly, other times making itself known.