Sunday, May 17, 2020

Beware of emojis

Do you use emojis? I've been slow on the uptake partly out of snootiness at the start, and partly because I was so late in getting a smart phone. According to my iPad, these are the ones I use most frequently:





Actually, the ones encircled are the ones I use most frequently. I do not use the middle row fourth from the left at all, and I only encountered the one with the blue arrow on Friday when Wendy told me people have been sending it to her for a year, and she was puzzled as to why they would send her an emoji of a man with a turban. Then someone explained it was a man with an exploding brain and it all made sense. 

The one with the green arrow has been a favourite of mine, expressing, I thought, surprise, amazement mild horror. Now, when it's enlarged, I see that  the person is blushing, so it probably means embarrassment. Oh dear. 😳

You have to be really careful with emojis. Early on, I sent an affectionate response to a family member on Twitter using a peach emoji, because I often say to people 'You're a peach!' She told me that a peach emoji means a bottom, and I was never to even think of using use an aubergine. OMG - the thing is fraught with difficulty.

I was asking Isaac and Wendy last Facetime, what was the emoji for a hug. Hugs are in short supply these days and I miss them. I'd seen a friend in the open air at a safe distance the other day, a friend who under normal non-pandemic times lives happily on her own and who was missing the lack of normal human touch, from friends, from her daughter and grandchildren. We both bemoaned the loss of hugs. And yesterday I saw someone else and I yearned to give her a hug because she plainly needed one. 

And so it was that I asked Isaac and Wendy what was the emoji for a hug. They sent me this:


which is what someone else on Twitter also told me meant a hug.

That is not a hug!

I always thought it meant JAZZ HANDS. Doesn't it look like jazz hands to you? How can it possibly be a hug? if it were a hug each hand would be pointing in the other direction. There is no way I am going to use that to mean hug. I voiced my objections to Isaac, the fount of all internet wisdom, and he sent me this:


Now that makes sense. But we need it now! Not in the second half of 2020! Not that I'll be seeing my chief suppliers of hugs - Lux and Cece - before next year, if then. But I'm not going down that very sad rabbit-hole.

Last bike ride I didn't go on the Trail as there are now too many people on there who plainly don't know or care what two metres looks like. I cycled up behind the village, a route I've neglected because of my love affair with the river. It was lovely and quiet and I took this shot of the village for you:




On the way back up our lane at the end of the ride I saw these guys (yes Pete, I know that at least one of them is female - guys is commonly used as a non-gendered term these days):




And that night I found this on the net - a review of my new book, DAYS ARE WHERE WE LIVE



which is the first review I've ever had which has been written before the person has finished the book. Isn't that great? I think for most people, this book is a slow read, which is why I haven't yet had many reviews.

Here's another recent one:

And here are two I had earlier on and have already shown you, and don't care if I have, because this is my blog and I can do what I like on it!



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely blog today Sue, with another nice change of header photo and a lovely one of the village nestled in the dip. But I feel moved to comment on your reference to 'guys' in the cattle photo. Why is a masculine term used for a non-gendered situation? Was it coined by a man, and would men object to the use of 'gals' for a mixed group of females and males? Of course they would. Here in Belgium, although the law requires equality there is still the use, in legal texts, of "en bon père de famille" to mean sensible management of family assets. My dear wife says that this shows that gender bias will continue as long as it is enshrined in words. Why on earth do actresses now want to be called actors?

Congratulations on the latest reviews of your new book; I am impatiently awaiting delivery of my copy.
Peter

Chris Smith said...

I’m with you, Sue - these emojis are a minefield. That one is not a hug!! I hesitate to use a lot of them because I can’t work out what they mean and I don’t want to embarrass myself or the recipient. I also find it a bit squirm-making, probably because I’m a bit reserved about displays of affection, although I love a good hug. We had a foray to a local country park today and it was ok, although quite busy. It was good to have a change of view and we kept ourselves at a distance quite easily.

Sue Hepworth said...

Hi Pete,
Thank you for your comment. You are right. I should not be using the term 'guys.' I will try to remember.
And I am glad you like the picturs.
x

Sue Hepworth said...

HI Chris, thanks for your comment. I'm glad it's not just me who finds them difficult. I do, however, like some of them very much.
I'm glad you an get some fresh air and exercise and not feel vulnerable.
x