Emoticons are so 12 seconds ago...

In today’s world of communication mediums, we have instant messaging, texting, imessaging, emails, facebook posts, and even chat’s while playing games on your phone.  If you send an email to someone these days and they don’t respond within 10 minutes, you begin to wonder if they hate you.  It’s all a bit crazy, and to enhance these messages, or in some cases reduce the time it takes to say things like “laughing out loud” (lol) or “talk to you later” (ttyl), we have added these things called emoticons.  A series of punctuations in a certain order that make a smiling face, a winking face, a sad face and a thousand other combinations that I barely even know.

You can now download apps that provide you with full libraries of symbols to add to your 140 character commentary on your current situation on life.  While you would think that is helpful, I have found some of these emoticons lacking.  I have been known from time to time, to use small clips from commercials or movies to better convey my feelings on the situation.  Granted, if you don’t have the pop culture reference I am using, I probably come across like a loon to you, but to those who get it…so much better.

For example, if this upcoming football season, Texas A&M goes to the SEC and gets crushed, and someone sends me a text saying…

“Man, TAMU isn’t doing so well in the SEC…”

I might respond with this:

For some of you…you understand this 4 seconds for its awesome without any explanation required.  Others, perhaps the full context will allow you to fully appreciate the sarcasm that only a toddler explaining the virtues of financial investing can do…

Now in an effort to not have to track down these 4 seconds, I recently decided that I needed a quicker, but similar version of this available on my phone for text and emails sent from my phone.  So…It was in this fashion that I created this:

In then occurred to me, that you could do this with many other emotions that are much more personal and frankly, way cooler, than some clever combination of punctuation.  So…in an effort to liven up my text and email conversations, I have created…”Jon-icons”.  The best part is that the library is ever expanding, and should I run across a situation in which I need a new “Jon-icon”, its just a photo a way.

So without further a do…may I present, my Jonicons.  Aaron would be so proud!

  This one is very versatile, it can be used for genuine excitement, exaggerated excitement, or sarcastic excitement.  Its all about context people!

This was supposed to be a wink, but I apparently struggle with this because I look like someone just goosed me, and I'm not really sure if I enjoyed it, or if I need to go change my pants...

This is my "I'm so bored" face...this is one of those Jonicons that I have yet to see an equivalent emoticon for.  I am pretty sure it is because in today's overly PC world, we have to be careful not to offend people.  I don't believe ins such craziness!  If you are telling a story and this emoticon comes up...you can translate this as, in the words of my wife..."cut to the chase already!"

This is my "I'm not buying it" face.  When someone is explaining something, and my skeptical radar goes off...this is what you will see.  For example, when someone tells me that hanging water bottles full of water around your porch will keep the flies away, you will see this.  If someone else explains that it only works if there are pennies in the water bottles....this will not change.  I use this one a lot.

This one might be one my wife as seen, and not many others...

it usually comes right after I send a text saying "so...the guys want to play golf this weekend...I love you?"  yes.  that is how I typically ask to play golf.

You know that phrase "there are no bad questions."  So not true. If you discover one of the MANY bad questions, you might get this as a response.

Finally, this is how I picture myself at the end of the summer with my new son Aaron wreaking havoc into my life.  I refer to this as the "I'm a new dad, leave me alone" Jonicon...

I think you can see the amazing new element of conveying emotion using these that emoticons have yet to capture.  My hope, is that everyone adopts such a personal policy and the world of instant communication will forever be altered.  We can change the world people!  Oh...and remember that little video I started this with?  yeah...the toddler talking one...I'll just say this...I can't wait to be a dad!  Toddler videos coming soon to a Blog near you!  In conclusion, I'll leave you with this, you can have personal emoticons for specific days.  like xmas, thanksgiving, whatever.  My most recent one?  

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!

By the way...that's not me...it just looks like me...My doppelganger has subscribed to this Jonicon life philosophy...