Emoticons

Emoticons, I have found, make you a lazy writer.

I don't use many different emoticons, in fact, I only use three:

:)    ;)   :(

But recently I have found myself sprinkling them in my emails and comments with abandon. They are useful - you can indicate a sarcastic sentence with a quick ;), or lighten up a criticism with a :). But you cannot always use emoticons (Dear prospective employer ;), I...), and then there is the pesky parantheses problem.Also, since you can't expect people to know the more obscure ones :-{>, you limit yourself. Furthermore, I think I (and everyone else, are you listening, youtube-commenters? [Commenter - obsolete, or so the OED tells me. Commentator is the word.]) should be able to communicate sufficiently well by writing to impart the more complex emotions without resorting to crutches.  How, I ask myself, can you develop your writing skills when you are making no effort, you idiot ;)?

To be sure, emoticons have their uses, when you are working with a character-limit for example. But I am trying to wean myself off.

Seriously ;)