One Hell of an Away Message - Forget IM'ing. The latest trend is AM'ing.  "Away messaging" is the fine art of communicating when you aren't present, in the form of the away message you leave posted in your instant messaging software when you step away from the computer. The Post had a recent article on the phenomenon which described macabre rumors of a college suicide note left that way. My own best AM story dates to September 11, 2001. (I actually learned about the terrorist attacks via AOL Instant Messenger.) Since phone lines in DC were overwhelmed, I posted an online message declaring that Jamie and I were safe and then left the house to meet him on his hike home across the river.  Not sure whether or who actually ever read it, but I kept it on my AM list as a reminder of the day.