I’m not one to Kiss & Tell, but…

What’s with the excessive smiley faces at the end of every text? If there’s a hint I’m supposed to be taking, I have no idea what it is; I’m not sure how I’m supposed to interpret excessive smiley faces: happy texter, eager coed, horny frat boy, 30-year-old virgin…

Being the over analytical creature that I am (woman’s cardinal flaw), I can’t help but wonder, “What does it mean!?!?” as if men are as complicated as they think women are.

Maybe I was delirious from the lack of sleep I’ve been getting, or perhaps my mind was merely playing tricks on me with a little thing the French call deja vu, but I couldn’t help but notice a pattern in a series of text messages I had recently received. By the fifth text message, I thought, “What’s with all the smiley faces?” Some had one, others had two of them.

I’ve seen this pattern before; I have. I most certainly have. Click here to view online dating flirting at its best, and tell me how many smiley faces are one too many when your flirtexting with someone.

What message do you think people are trying to send, or convey, through the use of excessive smiley faces? Smiley faces can be used to lighten up a mood (=)), express a profound amount of excitement (=D), or illustrate your sense of humor (;p), but they should also be used in moderation.

There comes a point in time when the excessive smiley faces become overkill, especially when you’ve only just met the person.

Flirtexting Rule of Thumb

Don’t go overboard with the smiley faces. Use them sparingly and strategically, and only when you want to alter the meaning of your text message. Before you craft your perfect text and get your flirtexting game on, you must first determine what reaction or response you are looking to elicit. Are you expecting no response at all? A smiley face only response? Or a three-word response (“I love you” or “Let’s have sex”)?

Once you have determined your desired response, then you are ready to craft your text message with a specific objective in mind.What kind of call-to-action will your text message convey to the receiver?

Well, that’s just my two cents on smiley faces and flirtexting. Have a great Easter everyone!

For more dating insight from the LA Singles Examiner, check out her personal dating blog, Dating is a Payne.

• Kiss & Tell