Emote or Con?

If you're not going to run home to Mama and cry after the big bad bully has had their sadistic way with you, or even if you did shed a few tears but wiped them away before anyone would notice, finding humour in a difficult situation can be one of the best antidotes to ruffled, shuffled feelings. Wow! I know, what a revelation! No one told you about that one, did they? Thank God I'm here to educate you on the art of turning lemons into...Zzzzzz.

The cyber bully situation I witnessed and experienced began on a blog where the owner constantly promoted juicy gossip "Exclusives" that always ended with "Developing." They never "developed" and few were actual "exclusives" worth more than a teasing headline. After a flock of regulars fled to another site, the owner and his bully-puppet were discussed, ridiculed, and mocked. It was easy to find sarcasm in words when the message board lit up over his lack of professional credibility and unwavering public support of cyber bashing. However, it was even easier to make hay about both of them through the use of emoticons.

Emoticons?  Yes, the sophisticated form of "Smiley's" - those happy little yellow faces serious or jaded people want to slap into oblivion. Have a happy day my arse. For years I avoided those so very un-cool cutesy additions in all Internet correspondence. Only young kids or geeky adults would use those irritating things, I thought. I wouldn't be caught posting them any more than you'd find me wearing a pink polyester jumpsuit on Rodeo Drive.
That is, until I discovered the diverse, amazing and smaller multi-colored versions labeled "emoticons." There are hundreds of them out there - beautifully crafted little refrigerators, chef's flipping pancakes in a pan, tiny characters being tossed out of a door by a sometimes seen angry spouse; other's having sex under a colorful textured blanket in a rocking bed.

With a plethora of emoticon options, I began inserting these expressive gems into small posts at the new location with few words to mock and flog the objects of ire to some, disappointment to others, while satisfying a need to release my own feelings, exercise a creative muscle, and do what I love to do most - entertain.

Imagine how much fun it was to unearth the little devil child within to begin creating what I believe is the first emoticon-based comic strip on the interwebs, combining a few funny lines with an appropriate-to-the-story emoticon to express feelings and attitudes many shared but could not put into words. Suddenly, the sour taste in many mouths turned to sweet laughter. Yes, it was silly. Wacky. Childish. Clever. Bold. Honest. Crass. And, at times, dare I admit, "cute"?

Over time, the little posts became bigger posts as the stories were given headings akin to the brash "Exclusive" banners of the other site's trademark hype. A format evolved naturally, and I found myself fervently searching as many emoticon provider websites as I could locate to add to what I already had to work with from the existing emoticons the message board I was on provided. It was a challenge I delved into with passion. I was on a treasure hunt, and I was having fun creating the stories, playing with my new toys.

The question is: was I bullying through mockery via a cartoonish source? Was I a bully behind the little dancing, slapping, laughing figures? What is the difference between when a comedian on stage disses Paris Hilton's latest drug bust or Mel Gibson's growling, screaming tirade on the phone, and a plebeian like me creating jokes out of those who have placed themselves in the public domain via the Internet where all can read their words, and some can feel their "vain."

The answer may be clear to some, muddy for others, and somewhat enigmatic to me at the moment. Or is it?

Developing........