Heh. Smiley faces are a little too cutesy for some people, it is true. As a 40-something monk, I tend toward a wry smirk more often than a bright-eyed smile, anyway. But there should be some way to communicate a positive intent or differentiate a kindly tease from a spiteful jab, <smiling>don't you think?</smiling> Written posts can be so cold, without those little non-verbal cues that expose the mindset of the author.

Of course, in the case of some authors, I'd just as soon not have any insight into their minds. :)