Friday, November 03, 2006

NetPets/The Kids' Room/ Emoticons

NetPets/The Kids' Room/ Emoticons

Hey! Were you serious about that, or just kidding??

Have you ever had an e-mail conversation where you kind of wondered how a person meant what they "said"? Maybe you couldn't tell whether they were kidding or serious, happy or sad, excited, or bored??

"Talking" on the computer is really neat, it's fast, you don't need stamps and you don't have to get a stiff neck from holding the phone. But, something is missing. When we talk to each other in person, a lot gets "said" by the expressions on our face or by the tone of our voices. As great as e-mail is, all of that non-verbal communication is missing.

The solution is "emoticons"! ... E-what-icons?! Emoticons – it's a new word made up of two other words, emotions and icons. When you mush them together you get emoticons which are little face-pictures made out of letters, numbers, or punctuation marks from our computer keyboard. So what good are they? Emoticons let people know how you feel without saying "I am happy" or "I am bored".

The only weird thing is, you have to get used to "reading" them sideways. Once you get used to that, you'll see that emoticons are a fun way to help get your message across! ...

So just turn your head over on its side and check out these emoticons. We put explanations with them, but you won't need those when you put an emoticon in your messages. Some of them are really silly, but they'll let the person you're talking to know exactly how you feel!

:-)

Your basic happy-face, this little face means that you're saying something with a smile – maybe to show that you're joking, or just happy!

;-)

This wink means you're kidding or teasing.

:-D

Ha ha! You're laughing hard at something funny!

:-I

Indifferent. It's like, well whatever. Either way is O.K.

|-O

That O-pen mouth is yawning or snoring.

|-I

Way beyond bored – asleep.

:-/

Skeptical. You're not so sure about that. In fact, you're pretty doubtful.

:-(

A frown – uh oh, you're not happy about something....

>:-(

Beyond frowning ... angry!

:-&

You can't get the words out the way you want to! You're tongue-tied.

:-@

Screaming. Another way to scream on-line is TO WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS! AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!

:-C

Oooooh, someone is really disappointed about something.

:'-(

Oh dear, someone is crying.

:-O

Uh-oh! I can't believe that happened!

:-X

My lips are sealed! I won't tell anybody, I promise!

:-P

Nyaaaah! Giving the person a "raspberry"!

}:-)

This is a devilish, mischevious face ... look out!

O:-)

This face, on the other hand, is angelic. Nice halo!
Sometimes emoticons describe things other than emotions, like what a person looks like or what they're doing:

B-)

I wear glasses.

:-#

This emoticon wears braces.

[:-)

Can't tear him or herself away from the music – wearing a Walkman.

:-{)

This is a guy with a mustache.

:-)=

This guy wears a beard.

:-)>

This is a guy with a goatee.

8-)

Cool cat, wearing sunglasses, man.

8:-)

Casually wearing sunglasses on your head.

(-:

A left-handed e-mailer.

%-)

This is what happens when you spend too much time in front of the computer. You get googly-eyed! Go outside and play!

:-)~

Maybe this one's about a baby brother or sister, it drools! (Girls rule, boys drool!)

:-9

Mmmm, talking about something like good food makes you lick your lips in anticipation! Chocolate chip cookies ... ice cream ... lima beans – NOT!

:-~)

Aaaaah-choo! Someone has a cold. Bummer!

&:-)

Whoa! Bad hair day!

*:o)

This goofy little face is just clowning around!

:*)

Another way to "clown around" is like this ...

[:]

I. Am. A. Robot.

:-[

Yikes! Scary! A vampire! Happy Halloween!

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