emote-a-con-job

what to do with emoticon users, and worse still (is it possible?) icon devotees? they stick smiley faces at the end of their emails and in the same emails ask, cause we're in an epistolary 'getting to know you, getting to know hells about you' phase,

'what pisses you off?'
(other questions too, better ones, 'what is the funniest writer you've read?' that sorta thing)

and i answer: 'on the trivial tip, public finger-nail cutting,' when what i want to say is: 'on the trivial tip, public fingernail cutting and also, the use of emoticons and icons in email.'

why, god, why have you let this scourge grow so popular?

and emoticon user, especially the manly among you, would you draw a heart over the letter "i" if you wrote a note by hand? would you scribble 'swak' on an envelope?

i remember once, in the pioneer or is it salad days of emoticon-age, my friend r showed me a hilarious one she invented. i share:

:(
L

you got to look at it sideways. like many things, to get the better perspective.