> > * When you have a smiley at the end of a parenthical, should you close the parenthises after it or not? Doing so looks clumsy to me, but not doing so makes it difficult to tell if the parenthical has actually ended? Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone else care?
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> I care, and I'd be surprised if no-one else did... I tend to put a space between the two parentheses, but that's not a very elegant solution. But without the matching perenthesis, some things simply get confusing.
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> julian

Where there is an open parenthesis, there must be a closing parenthesis. If you (nest (your (parenthesis))), you must (close ((and open) each) one). If you don't (do (this and learn (how) to write) code, it will break.

Just like that last sentence would (if it was code).

Your other alternative is to just not use emoticons -- try to carry the meaning of what you are writing in your words. This can be difficult in the age of people using AOL-speak and sticking :) and :P to indicate that what they've just written is supposed to be humorous or sarcastic. I, for one, would think that Swift's "A Modest Proposal" would be ruined with emoticons sprinkled throughout the text.

-Faux "emoticon" Pas