Emote With Style

I never let an opportunity escape to express myself with personal style. Developing a consistent, signature style is key to branding yourself, a necessity for successful long term promotion. At the end of this post you will have a style assignment, a personal mission if you will, to express yourself with your own unique emoticon. Let’s do some research first.

The exciting thing about American English is its acceptance of new words. Sites like the Urban Dictionary allow anyone to post a word they’ve made-up. Look under my user i.d., sassy/swag, and you will see the word Cheneyesque. Definition: A cold, uncaring attitude. Callous, unsmiling, condescending. Example of usage: I knew Bob wouldn’t care about the starving children in Ethiopia, he is completely Cheneyesque. I was annoyed with Dick Cheney that day so I decided to immortalize him.

The Urban Dictionary is not for sensitive types. It is a completely uncensored, gritty place where language smolders, festers and thrives like a virus. Don’t go there if you can’t handle an f-bomb.

Americans don’t attempt to protect our language like the French, for example. L’Academie Francaise has one overriding goal – to protect the purity of the French language at all costs. Franglais, the Hollywood influence, and even regional dialects are not accepted easily. Frequently, the Academy makes up a word in French to squash a foreign language threat because, well, they are French. Those forty appointed ministers need something to do. As many of you know I was a French minor in college, I read and studied the literature intensely, and I cannot argue against its beauty. My point is, Americans let the language grow and flourish, and we see this maturation as a plus, not as a threat to our national unity.

Recently, my daughter sent me an email and at the end was a little kiss. I went crazy

– how did she do that? It turns out there is a program called Emolji, which is free by the way, that allows you to send the cutest emoticons. Unfortunately, you can only send them between iPhones. This made me think – how can I show some style to my friends who have not yet embraced the Apple Kingdom?

In the interest of personal style, I am designing my own emoticon. I will reference the pages that Wikipedia lists, but ultimately my signature will be unique. In the same way that one might sign a letter, Fondly, Sincerely, or Ciao, I will sign  } ; P  if I’m feeling sassy, which is frequently. Otherwise, ) :> D may be what you see. Can’t you tell I’m happy? And that it’s a good hair day?

Let’s play a little game. Make your own emoticon and put it below. Have fun.

Author: L. A. Lewandowski

Lois Lewandowski graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Political Science and French Literature. A passion for life lived well is reflected in her novels, Born to Die-The Montauk Murders, A Gourmet Demise, and My Gentleman Vampire, giving readers a glimpse into the world of the beau monde. Lois lives in Tampa, Florida. Learn more at her lifestyle blog, and her Amazon author page. View all posts by L. A. Lewandowski