Slashy and ‘Stachey

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This Sunday the New York Times ran an article on emoticons, which several people–apprised of this textual fixation of mine–brought to my attention. Perhaps it is because I consider myself something of an amateur emoticon-semiologist that I found its legend (see the multimedia sidebar) a little un-nuanced.

A lot of my g-chat conversations with Chris Giampietro have been devoted to the physiognomical deconstruction of emoticons. (This is important and undervalued work. We are both awaiting our adjunct faculty positions at the New School. In the meantime, we toil in obscurity…) It started with this conversation in March:

me: :-/
what does slash-mouth face express, anyway?
discuss
Chris: i think it’s a sort of, i don’t know what to do face
like, i think i’m in love with my sister, but she’s going out with that other guy :/
wait, i did it wrong
Chris: :\
oh, he needs a nose
:-\
no?
me: yeah, slash-y needs a nose
Chris: :-/
there we go
Chris: i like thinking up scenarios of when you would need slash-y now
me: right?
that’s a good project for at least the next 3 days
Chris: for sure
me: and we can call him slash-y?
Chris: oh for sure
actually, i think you could use slash-y after every new yorker cartoon
me: Slash-y Situations should be a blog
Chris: haha
Chris: like overheard in new york?
me: yes!

Then, one rainy day in July, when I was soaked, cold and self-pitying:

me : 8-\
Chris: wah?
me: (that was a big-eyed slashy)
Chris: hahah
me: trying to look plaintive here
Chris: 8-(
me: that’s better
me: (I wanted a wavery mouth)
Chris: 8-{
eh, that looks more like a ’stash
me: haha
:-{ the Italian chef emoticon
for when we want to evoke Chef Boyardee
Chris: hah
me: aw, Slashy and ‘Stachy
the crazy antics of those two…

A few days later, Chris sent me this:

And now, most recently:

It’s possible that no one will ever find these as funny as I do; I literally burst out laughing every time I even think about Slashy and ‘Stachey. In any case, I think we’re all a little richer for having them in our lives.

Go forth and emote.

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Filed under New York Times, cartoons, emoticons