*Apparently I wrote a post in the dead of night last night in a semi-conscious state. It is somewhat lucid so I'll keep it up. Mental note - no internet after 1am.
Facebook, and the internet in general has been taken by this 30 Day Challenge fever, where everyone is posting music and movies (well fine, only me) and some have turned it into a poetry challenge and god knows what else. Then there's Cadence, who is on a 'Game Plan' to shed 14kg in a ludicrous time-frame, and then there are these GoodReads book challenges, and I AM SICK OF THESE CHALLENGES!!
Well not really, I'm just really bad at them.
My GoodReads challenge is as good as dead (I've read 2 books out of my allotted 15 book challenge. I may not reach 5) and I have decided to abandon my 30 Day Movie challenge out of sheer boredom (I watch too many movies; every question required hours of agonising and recollection). The only 'challenge' I seem to have conquered was my plan to return to regular gym work-outs, but I don't want to label that as a challenge in case I jinx the whole thing.
Despite all this, however, I have decided to take on.. another challenge.
The hardest habits to break are the ones that sort of sneak up on you when you're looking the other way. It starts off as something inconsequential, and then into something minor, then to something necessary, and before you know it you've incorporated it into daily life. Breaking these habits are hard because, really, you see no real need to do it and also because it's become so normal.
Yes, I am talking about - smileys!
I was rather alarmed when it dawned on me that I use those little faces way too often during chat conversations and text messages. It's not like I drop a punctuation mark 'face' after every sentence, but they do appear rather liberally in my conversations. Now, there are several reasons for this; one being, I use sarcasm. A lot. And in these situations, smiley faces are essential.
Sample chat statements:
Friend: Hey my girlfriend says hi!
G: She said more than that last night..
Friend: Dude.. WTF?? That's not funny!
Friend: Hey my girlfriend says hi!
G: She said more than that last night.. ;) :P :D
Friend: HAHAHA oh man, that's hilarious! You're the best friend ever..!
Friend2: .. and after that we're going to Galle Face. Do you know where Galle Face is?
G: No
Friend2: Really?? Oh you're from Kandy, you don't come to Colombo no??
G: No
Friend2: You really should machan, what is there in Kandy?? You spend all day in city centre no?
G: Yes
Friend2: I knew it!
Friend2: .. and after that we're going to Galle Face. Do you know where Galle Face is?
G: No :P :D
Friend2: haha just checking, okay anyway..
Also, those smileys are always useful in getting out of a sticky situation when you may have accidentally said something you weren't meant to.
Friend3: I might skip dessert, I don't want to put on any more weight u know?
G: How could you possibly put on any more weight?
Friend3: How dare you!! Are you implying that I'm.. (rant)
Friend3: I might skip dessert, I don't want to put on any more weight u know?
G: How could you possibly put on any more weight?
[realisation strikes]
G: :D :P :D
Friend3: hahahaha very funny! :P
As you can see, there is a distinct advantage to using them, but as I grow older I fear that I may end up being taken as seriously as a text-addicted high school kid by my peers, and that is not something that I want to happen. So, dear readers, it will be a challenge, but I am up for it! From now onwards, my use of smileys and other emoticons shall be reduce by (pause for effect) 99%!! The ground rules:
1. All emoticons with any form of punctuation mark are not allowed
2. One smile :) is allowed per chat conversation, and can be used either for a hello or goodbye, for courtesy sake
3. LOL's and haha's are allowed, as long as they are not too liberal
4. No implied smileys (such as "[smile]") or any other variant allowed.
There you go then. Lets see how long I can last in the cyberworld without my trusty icons, and feel free to join me in this quest.
If you dare...!
(Too much? Never mind..)
Cheers!
8 comments:
Sour Grapes :P Some of us actually succeed you see. And mine I'd like to think of it as a goal and not a challenge. Challenges are pointless , goals aren't.
I got 3 to go! :D
You're so silly babe.
:P:P:P:P:P:P:P:P
What Sabby said
(:P)
I'll have you doubters know that I have used no more than 5 smileys in all forms of conversations since I wrote that post!
The tongue sticking out smiley at the end of that statement is implied.
Damn Gehan, you just undid yourself by saying that 'tongue sticking smiley implied part' in that comment! tongue sticking smiley implied here too.
I'll allow it!
Haha! as someone who uses sarcasm alot, i totally agree with you. Unless you're talking to someone who'll get it, smileys save the day (and energy explaining!)
:-P
(couldn't resist)
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