About Emoticons
1) if you are seen to be using a "p" instead of a proper Icelandic thorn character when you stick you're tongue out at me, I will dismiss all of your output and pray for your speedy enlightenment.
2) I generally don't appreciate emoticons. I can handle the text versions but detest those horrid little yellow .gif balls and will find a way turn them off if there's any reason to continue reading. Their presence usually indicates to me that no, there isn't any reason to continue reading.
3) They fascinate me in the way that language related things do and I spend far to much time wondering if they are actually words or indeed merely symbols as everyone seems to think they are. And if I were to write my own dictionary would I list them before "A" or after "Z".
4) When I find myself about to use one, I'll stop and ask myself if there isn't a better way for me to convey my thoughts. Am I expressing myself clearly? Am I belabouring the obvious? It also causes me to rethink my relationship with my audience. If I need an emoticon in my message perhaps my message is inappropriate. Am I trying to weasel my way into a different level of intimacy/familiarity? Are my jokes that bad?
5) If someone uses a word I don't understand or uses a word in a way I don't understand I will always try to figure it out. I almost never bother to do this with an emoticon I don't understand. They just don't have the same weight with me.
6) Emoticons are one of the main reasons I avoid internet forums and seldom use chat services of any kind.
7) Rather than adding to the tonality of messages, I find they generally degrade conversations. Lazy and fake are the two words that come to mind.
8) I wear glasses and am happy.
