To help telecom-sters clarify just how humorous their postings are intended to be, here is a collection of the many faces of humor, emoticon-style.
emoticon: n. a figure created with the symbols on the keyboard that is read with the head tilted to the left. Used to convery spirit in which a line of text was typed.
:-) Humor
:-) (-: Masking theatrical comments
:<) For those with hairy lips
:<)= For those with beards too
:/) Not funny
'-) Wink
P-) Pirate
;-) Wink II
(@ @) You're kidding!
:-" Pursing lips
:-v Just another face (speaking) profiled from the side
:-V Shouting
:-w Speak with forked tongue
:-W Shout with forked tongue
:-r Bleahhh (sticking tongue out)
:-f
:-p
:-1 Smirks
:-,
<:-O Eeek!
:-* Oops! (Covering mouth with hand)
:-T Keeping a straight face (tight-lipped)
:-D Said with a smile
:-P
:-y
:-o More shouting
:-O
:-{ Count Dracula
=|:-)= Uncle Sam
7:) Reagan
:-# Censored
:~i Smoking
:~j (and smiling)
:/i no Smoking
:-I It's something, but I don't know what...
:-x Kiss kiss
:-< Alternate happy face
:-( Unhappy
:-c Real unhappy
:-C Unbelieving (jaw dropped)
:-< Forlorn
:-B Drooling (or overbite)
:-| Disgusted
:-? Licking your lips
<:>== A turkey
:-) :-) :-) Loud guffaw
:-J Toungue-in-cheek comments
:*) Clowning around
:-8 Talking out both sides of your mouth
(:-) Messages dealing with bicycle helmets
@= Warning about nuclear war
<:-) For dumb questions
o= A burning candle to start a flame
-= A doused candle to end a flame
OO Headlights on a message
:_) I used to be a boxer, but it really got my nose out of joint
B-) Batman
B-| Michael Keaton Batman
#:-) Someone with matted hair
:-o "Oh, noooooo!" (a la Mr. Bill)
#:-o Same as previous
|-( Late night messages
:^) Messages teasing people about their noses
:-{#} Messages teasing people about their braces
(:-$ Message indicating person is ill
(:-& Message indicating person is angry
(:-( Message indicating person is very sad
(:^( Message concerning people with broken noses
(:<) Message concerning blabber mouths
:-(=) Message about people with big teeth
&:-) Message from a person with curly hair
@:-) Message from a person with wavy hair
?-( Message about people with a black eye
*:* Message about fuzzy things
*:** Message about fuzzy things with mustaches
%-) Message about people with broken glasses
+<:-| Message from a monk/nun...
{0-) Message from cyclops...
(:-|K- Formal message.
...---... S.O.S.
@%&$%& You know what that means...
||*( Handshake offered
||*) Handshake accepted
<&&> Message concerning rubber chickens
<><> Message about/to someone wearing argyle socks
2B|^2B Message about Shakespeare
(-_-) Secret smile
<{:-)} Message in a bottle...
<:-)<<| Message from a space rocket...
(:-... Heart-breaking message...
<<<<(:-) Message from a hat sales-man...
(O--< A fishy message...
(:>-< Message from a thief: hands up!
I==I) A message on four wheels
:^{ For those with mustaches
{ ' Alfred Hitchcock
@>--->--- A rose.