usvi-on-line
I don't use emoticons
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Boston Mike
- Posts: 974
- Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:41 am
- Location: Boston, MA.
EXACTLYSJfromNJ wrote:Lex - who is Andy Rooney?
His post actually made me
as I was reading it. Visions of Andy Rooney kept popping up and the 
that Lex was actually the Rooney dude. I had to 
that thought and realized I was not 
.I read the post again and was
on the floor 
.Think twice, act once, play
.Life begins where the land ends!
I pondered this yesterday while breathing in fumes from a can of varnish.
Here's my thought and how I do things...and if you know me, then you know to do the opposite.
When I'm writing: My horrid blog for example, I don't use emoticons. That, to me, is considered a writing space and there's little need for back and forth. You read what I write and we both move on to better things.
A forum however, is a conversation being held 4 sentences at a time. And, were we to converse in person, you'd be able to see my facial expressions and hear my tone etc. That's where I feel the little sarcastic smilies and tags come in handy.
But, they don't belong in real writing. I'd never put them in an email at work, but a winking little face is OK for a work IM.
The medium of these message boards has taken off and, with it, a new language has been created. Having grown up just on the edge of the internet wave, I find myself straddling the "old world" and the world of kids who can't create a sentence made of real words.
And, with that, I realize that, as usual, I have no point
Here's my thought and how I do things...and if you know me, then you know to do the opposite.
When I'm writing: My horrid blog for example, I don't use emoticons. That, to me, is considered a writing space and there's little need for back and forth. You read what I write and we both move on to better things.
A forum however, is a conversation being held 4 sentences at a time. And, were we to converse in person, you'd be able to see my facial expressions and hear my tone etc. That's where I feel the little sarcastic smilies and tags come in handy.
But, they don't belong in real writing. I'd never put them in an email at work, but a winking little face is OK for a work IM.
The medium of these message boards has taken off and, with it, a new language has been created. Having grown up just on the edge of the internet wave, I find myself straddling the "old world" and the world of kids who can't create a sentence made of real words.
And, with that, I realize that, as usual, I have no point
I am definitley in favor of emoticons for reasons like Pipanale mentioned...
The same words in a personal conversation that include facial expressions and tone of voice can be easily misinterpreted when written.
And while I am capable of writing very well, I really don't want to have to sit down and use my fabulous writing skills every time I communicate on a forum.
The same words in a personal conversation that include facial expressions and tone of voice can be easily misinterpreted when written.
And while I am capable of writing very well, I really don't want to have to sit down and use my fabulous writing skills every time I communicate on a forum.
"Sponges grow in the ocean...I wonder how much deeper it would be if that didn't happen."
What may have prompted me to post about emoticons was realizing that not only do I not use them, I don't pay any attention to them when others use them. It's not that I deliberately ignore them. My mind just doesn't recognize them as anything relevant to me and skims over them as it would with writing in a different alphabet. I don't look at them or see them. So if anyone is relying on them to convey or clarify tone or emphasis or intent, it may not be a guarantee that everyone picks up on it. Unless, of course, it turns out that I'm the only one who doesn't attend to them when reading posts.
Another thing that interests me, which I've mentioned before, is "signatures". I don't necessarily read them when I'm reading a post, anymore than I check tickers when reading posts. It seems to me that people often forget about their own "signatures", too, because once in place, they're automatically added to posts. This can be kind of amusing or jarring on occasion. I've sometimes seen serious posts about serious topics that conclude with a silly or lighthearted "signature". When read as a continuation and part of the post, it can be quite bizarre. A fictional example:
Our cat is quite sick. We're taking him to the vet today and hoping for the best.
---------------------------------------
"Don't worry, be happy"
The info about the cat would be the post, the slogan would be the "signature", which is just added automatically to the post without the poster even thinking about it. Happy tickers can also seem strange things to have tacked on at the bottom of some more serious posts.
Usually my mind edits out tickers and "signatures" , just doesn't even notice them. Like with emoticons for me. But when I consciously look at a serious post and a funny "signature" as linked, it can be quite weird.
To be clear: I'm not trying to make a point here. This post has no point. It's pointless.
Another thing that interests me, which I've mentioned before, is "signatures". I don't necessarily read them when I'm reading a post, anymore than I check tickers when reading posts. It seems to me that people often forget about their own "signatures", too, because once in place, they're automatically added to posts. This can be kind of amusing or jarring on occasion. I've sometimes seen serious posts about serious topics that conclude with a silly or lighthearted "signature". When read as a continuation and part of the post, it can be quite bizarre. A fictional example:
Our cat is quite sick. We're taking him to the vet today and hoping for the best.
---------------------------------------
"Don't worry, be happy"
The info about the cat would be the post, the slogan would be the "signature", which is just added automatically to the post without the poster even thinking about it. Happy tickers can also seem strange things to have tacked on at the bottom of some more serious posts.
Usually my mind edits out tickers and "signatures" , just doesn't even notice them. Like with emoticons for me. But when I consciously look at a serious post and a funny "signature" as linked, it can be quite weird.
To be clear: I'm not trying to make a point here. This post has no point. It's pointless.
Like Lex, I rarely notice the emoticons, or the tickers. I never really thought about it until he brought up this pointless thread. As to signatures, I like to change mine up now and then. I think it's a place in space thing with me. When I put up my present one, I guess that I was making a statement, for all that didn't know, that I'm a crusty old curmudgeon that often doesn't think that all "progressive" changes are necessarily good things.
Gee, sorry about your fictional cat, Lex!
Gee, sorry about your fictional cat, Lex!
When you find yourself in a hole.... quit digging.
You know Lex, at first I didn't buy the whole "I don't see the emotions" thing--I figured on some level you had to see that happy smiling face, wink, or frown. BUT I really do miss the signature lines. How long was JT using the bright button on the floor for his signature line? I missed it until it was pointed out. And tickers--I hardly ever notice them unless I make it a point to see when they are going.
no point
but here are my favorites
no point
but here are my favorites
