Emoticons

I am a huge believer in using punctuation and smiley/frown faces to convey my feelings. I'd blame instant messenger for this, but I'm pretty sure I used smiley faces to make a point even when I was sending snail mail. That being said, I don't think I believe that it is an adequate way to convey feelings. I have a 14 year old client right now. We were discussing communication and how her family communicates. She told me that she communicates her feelings best through text. I argued that you cannot adequately grasp the tone of voice someone is texting in and it is better to communicate in person. To which she replied, "Yes you can. Smiley face. Wink face. Frown face..." So, apparently we no longer need to communicate face to face. Just so you know. In case you were wondering why I start texting you while you are standing right in front of me. It's just how I communicate!