I stopped worrying about my e-mail sign off 10 years ago, but according to this NYT piece, many people are still trying to figure it out.  But I find now that my habitual “Best, H.” sign off isn’t admired by all.

She may have been the only one who thought that. The return message closed with the dreaded “Best.� It left her feeling as though she had misread the evening. “I felt like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of formal. I don’t think he liked me,’ � she said, laughing. “A chill came with the ‘Best.’ � They have not gone out since.

“Best� does have its fans, especially in the workplace, where it can be an all-purpose step up in warmth from messages that end with no sign-off at all, just the sender coolly appending his or her name.

“I use ‘Best’ for all of my professional e-mails,� said Kelly Brady, a perky publicist in New York. “It’s friendly, quick and to the point.�

If you get an e-mail from me, here’s hint: Don’t read too much into “Best, H.”