As much as I say I don’t like seeing happy faces (the standard “:)”), super happy faces (add a lower-case “o” for the nose), or super-duper happy faces, (represented by the upper-case “D” for the mouth in place of the right, or closing parentheses), in digital communications, I have to admit they are better than not getting them.

While they do add a little splash of joy to the mainly succinct submissions, they are beginning to evolve, just as the technology to transmit them is. They began as effeminate abbreviations like LOL and OMG. Then, shortly began including the more masculine laugh: HAHA. Now, we’re seeing the elusive “z,” as in LOLz and ROFLz. Is anything really that funny?

Moderation is key, people.

When it gets to the point where I begin reading a text message and it sounds like I’m proofreading an eye chart, then I have to call it quits. I have only received a few blurbs that contain more than one LOL or HAHA, (JAJA if you’re from south of the Estados Unidos), or just making a typo, and some people abuse them by treating them like part of their signature on each message.

Hey you! Not everything you say is funny.

Instant messaging emoti(c)ons are evolving faster than text messages. IM programs like MSN Messenger and AIM actually have animated emoti(c)ons now. Fun for a little but, but after seeing a smiley face explode into 25 smaller smiley faces, you have to ask yourself: was I really that happy?

Instead of relying on the actual content to deliver the tone of the writer, we can write a sentence, or a fragment, and follow it with :). See, doesn’t that just make you laugh? No?

I draw the line with the ROFLs, LOLs and OMGs. No need to emphasize them with the optional “z” at the end of those lovely little laughter synonyms, the “s” works just fine.