Emoti-conscious

I’ve noticed the increased part emoticons are playing in everyday e-mail correspondence.

However, there is a definite disparity between the frequency with which my guy friends and girl friends use them. :->

Firstly, let me be frank: I don’t use emoticons. I’ve never used emoticons. I’ll never use emoticons. I'm an "emoti-conscious" man.

Call me conservative (which I pretty much am). I’ve never thought emoticons are particularly appropriate for men to use (we are less prone to acting on our emotions in all situations. You know that, Ladies). So you can imagine my relief when a German colleague of mine confirmed he felt the exact same way. :-)

On the other hand, it’s amazing the frequency with which my female friends or colleagues use them, even when addressing clients on company e-mail. This behavior leaves me utterly :@

For example, imagine my dismay when I was cc’d on this e-mail a female colleague sent out:

Locating in-house colleagues who are fluent in Italian; my two semesters of Italian will not be that helpful. :(

Or this one:

Flight was delayed at LaGuardia. Will miss meeting as rush hour traffic is heavy :.(

Now I’m not the type of person who wants to be overly disparaging [T_T]. My belief system is firmly rooted in the inalienable right to speak without censorship and/or limitation.

Nevertheless, I draw the line when (men) use emoticons in a business context (hint: Guys, please don't use emoticons when writing me.)

What ever happened to one’s choice of words to relay one’s happiness, sadness, frustration, anger and the entire gamut of human emotions? And is it too much when one goes overboard with the exclamation points?!!!!!

I shall concede that emoticons can help disguise overcoming one’s shyness, particularly during the early stages of corresponding with a potential love interest. But will the recipient necessarily understand the difference between a flirtatious :-{} or an even bolder show of :-><. ? (notice I had to separate the emoticon with a space before the ?)

Is it possible to convey, as directly as possible, the one doing the flirting might just leave you completely -_-? In that situation, you might just be saying to yourself: “Man, I wish this person would just (_X_)”

If that’s the case, I’m not so sure I’d be able to understand the more surreptitious signals someone may or may not be trying to send. It would probably leave me feeling 8-|

IOHO, I’ll just remain :^D when someone :-{}me. d:-o!

Now excuse me. I have to go feed my (=^;^=), ^_- !