Are there any foolproof ways to indicate humor around here?
…and interpret your question seriously. I think we can get people to know when we’re kidding around online, but we have to work at it a little harder. A problem with just using a smiley is that even that can be misinterpreted! Are you smiling with me or at me? Are you grinning? Forcing it? Smiling a smug little smile that just begs to be smacked? I’ve got such an open, readable range of expressions (in person) that I’ve actually tried to tone things down a bit. It’s nice when I’m telling a joke, but when I don’t want to let something slip it’s a real bummer! But when I started using the internet more and more, it became pretty clear that my open-book face wasn’t doing me a whole lot of good when I was trying to be cute about something on screen. Another problem: the people who know me in real life can read something I’ve written, and they likely “hear” me saying it. When you know someone well you can read what they’ve written and take their “tone of voice” for granted. So if I really
