You wouldn’t be the first. Online, text-based communication is quick, fun, and incredibly useful, but it is not flawless. One of the biggest drawbacks to any text-based communication (electronic or pen and paper) is that it’s hard to convey emotions the same way we can when speaking. For instance, telling someone you love her shoes may mean two completely different things if said in an excited tone compared to a sarcastic tone. Emoticons are an attempt to bring these same inflections to text, but they’re not perfect. If you’re trying to be sarcastic, you might add a wink at the end of a statement. Of course, wink can also mean you’re being flirty. Some emoticons are more clear than others, some mean different things in different contexts, and some don’t make any sense at all. If you’re not sure what someone it trying to say, don’t be afraid to ask.