[Buizel]

:< :3 >_> <_< :D D:< >:O!!! ._. <:o X)

amirite?

WRONG.

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #10
8)

8) is an interesting emote; it is in many ways like :), but instead of regular eyes you have huge eyes. Or maybe they're glasses. Or possibly goggles, except we all know they do nothing so you're probably better off with :).

It had attained somewhat of a cult status here at TSC, with Rolken and Joshu using it often, and, from what I see in my old chat logs, SkyL, DsS, RPG, and even mike89 used 8) in conversation at times. With most its users no longer active in chat anymore, however, 8) has fallen into disuse for the most part; it is occasionally used, usually by DsS, but in general it's not something you see everyday anymore; in fact when flyby and I made our initial lists I had completely forgotten about it. However it was popular back in the day, and was the most often used emoticon of Rolken, TSC's former leader, no less! At least I think it was--doing a search of 8) in my old chat logs resulted in a lot of "<Rolken> 8)"; in any case Rolken is the person I associate with 8). Perhaps if it were still widely used it would be higher, but for now it is the #10 TSC emoticon.

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 ???
#8 ???
#7 ???
#6 ???
#5 ???
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

flyby's posting the next two later today so stay tuned!

[Aitamen]

I approve of this top-tens

[flyby]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #9
:D

We are not an overly smiley bunch at TSC. I remember one day long ago where I tried to convince everyone to replace their :(s with :)s, and it lasted for about an hour, and TSC seemed like such a happy place! Otherwise, you see lots of :)s from FF, and that is about it.

But when we do smile, we like to make it pack a punch. No sissy :)s. It is the real deal. :Ds all the way. A quick look through logs, or just having -ever- been in chat, you will notice that this emoticon is used most by DsS, and hey, as champion of the site, and with such epic skills, being in a community where such skills are so highly appreciated, why should he be anything but happy!

So smile away the day :D. This emoticon is for you! And for everyone else who's happy! :D

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 ???
#7 ???
#6 ???
#5 ???
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

8 to come very soon!

[Luxray]

I also approve of this top tens list.

[flyby]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #8
<_< >_>

Not to be confused with its separate parts, <_< >_> is a highly specialized animal, and is vastly different from its constituent parts <_< and >_>. It is ironic in that it is at the same time sneaky, and blatantly not sneaky. It is not sneaky in that it boldly declares "I am being mischievous!", but just because you declare it to be so does not mean it cannot be occurring also.

It adds a bit of an edge, and should not be over-used, but it definitely adds something that cannot be gained by any other combination of keystrokes. Use it, and use it wisely.

Oct 18 22:12:38 <Zeph> well it's still fun to look at old quotes >_>
Oct 18 22:12:52 <flyby> i guess it could be <_<
Oct 18 22:13:03 <Zeph> in fact I should go and look at old #soniccenter logs to relive the past <_< >_>

Well played.


O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 ???
#6 ???
#5 ???
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

[Spinballwizard]

:o #1 for sure. I mean it's not like it has its own titlebar or anything.

[Buizel]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #7
:/

:/ is a strange emote; how one is able to make their mouth slant at such at angle is beyond me.

It is generally used to express disappointment or disapproval. At the very least, it applies a somewhat negative connotation or attitude to what you say. You're not happy, sad, or mad, you're just...bleh. :/ can also be used to express sympathy, in a sort of "man, that sucks" sort of way.

SonicAD explained :/ like this once:
[06:35:48] <SonicAD> yeah :/ is more of a "kinda eh" thing

Today it is still frequently used in the chatroom; you're bound to see it at least once a day; after all, life is full of disappointments, and Tikal disapproves. In particular, this emote often appears when the subject is related to competition, like when mentioning strats, or when TAing, SAing, RAing, etc. This is because many of us at TSC have set high standards for ourselves; we know what we are capable of, yet often we are unable to attain what we think we could. Hearing a familiar setback can also invoke the usage of :/.

For example:
[13:44:12] <Werey> Dontcha just hate it when you gert an awesone run you never had before then you fuck it up
[13:44:37] <Flyingfox> yes
[13:44:53] <Flyingfox> always happens to me :/

Werey's typos aside, this is a common occurrence.

Looking at (fairly) recent logs, Cruizer seems to be the most frequent user of :/ nowadays, though Strong Bad, FF, and DsS also use it quite often. In fact, I'm sure most if not all of the regulars in the chatroom have used it at least once, and I see it often in posts here in the forum. As such it is an emoticon almost all of us at TSC are familiar with. It is, however, only at #7 because much of its usage occurs when the discussion is competition-related, and many of us are now retired from competition, moving on with life because we are too busy with jobs and college or because we don't care so much for competing anymore. But that doesn't mean it's something we all can't relate to every once in a while.

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 ???
#5 ???
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

flyby's got the next three (though only two of them will be revealed today), so you won't be hearing from me for a while!

[Aitamen]

I think sadface has to be #1

I hope I'm in here!

[Luxray]

:/

Really? I use it the most?

[flyby]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #6
:3

Yep, that's right :3 is coming in at number 6. Either you love it or hate it, but there is no denying that :3 is a huge part of TSC history and culture. The cute little curvy mouth that no human mouth could ever hope to recreate, the :3 has a distinctly animal look to it (looks almost exactly like a cat mouth to me). And it expresses that feeling of appreciation and joy that is written all over a cat's face when they are purring.

People generally use this emoticon with reckless abandon or avoid it like the plague, because they do not want to give the wrong impression. But this was not always so. It used to be used on occasion just to express a distinct feeling, rather than make a statement about furryism, but the usage of :3 has narrowed as it has increasingly been associated with furryism. We are, after all, a site based around a bunch of furry creatures. In the old days, there were perhaps some who thought TSC was better because it somehow escaped the furry mentality, but perhaps it was really it was all in the closet. In celebration of openness and transparency, Yay for the days of open furries and :3s abounding!

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 ???
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

[flyby]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #5
:o

The :o has a very specific meaning at TSC that do not go much beyond the four sides of the window in which #soniccenter resides. Outside of that small space, the difference between :O and :o is barely recognizable, if it exists at all. But the TSC eye can see the deeper shades of meaning. An :O is an exclamation, an expression of excitement, while :o is a thoughtful kind of "oh" without saying oh. It is acknowledgement of a statement with mild assent. It can be a question - :o? meaning, keep talking, tell me more. It can be an answer :o. There is nothing more to be said on this. Or it can be a conversation itself.

:o
:o?
:o.

But mostly it is an expression of interest. It is a part of the culture of tsc, this tiny corner of the internet where it has meaning, and we are richer for it.

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 :o
#4 ???
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

(It should be noted that #4 and 5 are pretty much a tie, so don't get your panties in a bunch about :o being #5!)

[Luxray]

(It should be noted that #4 and 5 are pretty much a tie, so don't get your panties in a bunch about :o being #5!)

Then if its a tie, why not put :o in #4?

[flyby]

Really? Because I already had the write-up for :o done. But either way, if it is a tie, you have to do one of them first >_>

[Aitamen]

clearly, we have two #4s, and they clearly should've been posted together!

but I don't have to write this, so it's clear that I've no right to judge!

[flyby]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #4
X)

While Zephyr and I were talking about this, he said that he thinks of each emoticon representing sort of a class of emoticons, where X) would stand for other iterations such as XD, and I suppose Zeup's version with xD, or others who use x). And while these other ones are good, there is a reason we chose X) as the one called to represent this illustrious class of emoticons. There is something distinctly TSC in nature to X), at least in my mind. XD you see all over. It is extreme jubilation, finding something hilarious, so much so that you are laughing and cannot keep your eyes open. The X) is a bit more subdued though. It is chill. I am amused, I am smiling, but you were not so funny as to make me laugh.

The use of X) is very widespread too. There are no most common users, as it seems like most people come to use it at some point.

It should also be noted, and celebrated, that X) has gained such a high place at TSC. What this means is we have some pretty witty people around! They're making us laugh and smile! So keep on with your wit everyone, and we will all show our amusement with a chorus of X)s. This could also mean we just have a bunch of people amused with themselves, as most people use it at the end of their own lines, but at least someone thinks you're witty! X) (Yes I amuse myself)

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 :o
#4 X)
#3 ???
#2 ???
#1 ???

[Buizel]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #3
>:O

Now we're getting to the really good ones. >:O is one of my favourite emoticons, as those of you who frequent the chatroom know so well. In fact, I like it so much that made my own emoticon based on this emote, which I affectionately call The Faec™. But I'm not writing here to talk about The Faec™.(...yet.)

The TSC Glossary states that when one says ">:O" that what is being said is "Are you questioning my authority?", though this (obviously) only applies to one with power.

In other cases, it is a sign of great anger or distaste. The following is an excellent example:
[14:30:32] <Flyingfox> that's it I'm getting fucking pissed off now >:O

Adding multiple >:Os to a line augments the anger expression:
[23:22:09] <mike89> being good at SA2B is overrated
[23:22:24] <RPG> Just cause you were never champ mike!
[23:22:31] <mike89> >:O >:O

Clearly mike does not like it when we mention the fact that he has never held the SA2(B) championship, which naturally means I'll mention that mike, unlike myself, has never held the SA2(B) championship.

>:O should not be confused with similar emotes such as >:( (which is a milder expression of anger) or >:| (which is totally bertin/sylux). >:O is a type of anger in which you feel like yelling (unless I stop you >:O); hence your mouth is wide open rather than closed. In one sense, it can be like saying "screw you" without actually saying it.

Like with :O and :o, outside of the realm of TSC, it's not likely that people distinguish between >:O and >:o, but we at TSC know much better-->:O is a much more extreme form of anger than >:o, though sometimes it is exaggerated. Unlike with :o and :O, however, >:O is the more popular form of the angry emote, though >:o does see a lot of use also.

Like :/, >:O is often seen in subjects relating to competition. >:O is seen in more severe cases, such as when a player is already agitated and an unfavourable event occurs during their gameplay. This is when a mere :/ is not enough; the player is quite angry and will let others know it.

Note that when using >:O, others may respond in kind. I would post specific examples, but they would take up about 3 posts or so, so instead I will provide a short example here and provide this link if you wish to read further.
[19:47:14] <flyingfox> if I can get that, another record for me :)
[19:47:25] <Zeph> not if I stop you >:O
[19:47:35] <flyingfox> >:O

This is a very common emote here at TSC; between someone having bad luck in their gaming endeavors, me stopping you (>:O) or someone just having a bad day, you're going to see it A LOT.

As proof of how much of an angry people we are I post this excerpt from my chat logs:
[10:30:59] <Zephyr> so how are people these days
[10:31:27] <SonicAD> ANGRY >:O!!!
[10:32:10] <Zephyr> YEAAA >:O!!!
[10:32:30] <Quartz> Yeaaa >:o

So yeah, we are an angry people. SonicAD even says so!

Anyway, looking through the logs shows that...it takes forever to look through each line that contains >:O. In fact that's the main reason why this was posted so late. I'm pretty sure I'm the most frequent user of >:O, though FKE, FF, and Werey use it quite frequently as well, though FF is most likely to use it in response to me. Any regular to the chatroom has assuredly used it or another in its class at least once; anyone who claims otherwise is a liar and a fraud. >:O Also, I shall note again that SonicAD, our current leader, also uses this emote a lot, so that must certainly count for something!

While I'm talking about the >:O-class of emotes, the others in this class are basically the ones that start with >, like the ones I mentioned earlier (though not necessarily). I could go on and on about >:O, really; it is just so awesome. But I think this is getting a bit long, so I'll stop here, unless I stop me >:O

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 :o
#4 X)
#3 >:O
#2 ???
#1 ???

#2 is going to be up tomorrow instead of today because flyby and I want to make sure we both get our say in what is posted~ (I think it's better that way anyway so as not to make #1 obvious or some such.)

[Zeupar]

When you announced this top ten, I thought it would suck. I'm glad I was wrong. :D

[yse]

Clearly mike does not like it when we mention the fact that he has never held the SA2(B) championship, which naturally means I'll mention that mike, unlike myself, has never held the SA2(B) championship.

>:O >:O

[Spinballwizard]

>:O

Clearly The Faec™ is a completely separate entity anyways.

Faec™ and :( for top 2 now. >_>

Also I need to appear in chat more often. Never mind that I'm actually having a bit of a social life now. (HEAVEN FORBID!)

(Projected response: >:O)

[Taillow]

I demand that you remove that forgery of my line at once!  <_<

[Buizel]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #2
>_>

Yes, >_> and its familiars are separate from <_< >_>. I should also note that this class of emotes only has one underscore, or a period. >__>, for example, is not included in this class.

It is an emote we are all familiar with: in fact, when discussing what to put here with flyby I joked that I should have just put something along the lines of ">_> is an emote we are all so familiar with. In fact I think I'll let it speak for itself:", and then add about 50 or 100 lines of <_< and >_>, and be done with it. Really, I think it speaks for itself, but I opted instead a more proper write-up.

For those of you who don't know what these emotes are supposed to be, shame on you! >:o And pay attention, Quartz! >_> They are what are commonly referred to as "shifty eyes". When translated into a "real life" discussion, you would avert your gaze when you use ">_>" or a similar emote.

When flyby and I were splitting up the write-ups for the Top Tens, deciding who would write about what, we were undecided about who would write this one. We both said there was so much both of us could say about it, so I suggested that we combine our ideas into one big write-up. However, when the time finally came to decide what to write about here, both of us were at a loss. How did this happen, after we both had said there was so much to write about earlier?

flyby said that "it has transcended it's _(sic) original meaning." What used to be a simple emote for deviousness or shadiness has become so much more here at TSC. Indeed, as flyby put it, there are "so many shades of meaning" to >_> now (I don't think the pun was intended; in fact I completely overlooked it until I was proofreading this >_>). It is often an expression of sarcasm, its mere presence indicating that you are not actually (or at least not completely) serious about what you are saying or have said. It may cast suspicion on what you have said, making others aware that your intentions are not what would normally be assumed; thus they will often respond with the shifty eyes in the opposite direction. This differs from <_< >_> in that >_> is usually used with otherwise normal conversation that wouldn't seem suspicious if the emote weren't there. <_< >_>, therefore, is extraneous, since what you're saying is already suspicious. It's...there for the sake of being there; I can't think of any other way to put it.

>_> can also be used to point out another's incompetence or lack of noesis:
[00:47:12] <ShadowJacky> fuck
[00:47:19] <ShadowJacky> I've actually heard this before
[00:47:26] <Sylux> Yes
[00:47:31] <Sylux> that's why I said "You should know this"
[00:47:33] <Sylux> <_<
[00:47:41] <ShadowJacky> >_>

I'm almost certain that the >_>-class of emotes is the most widely used class of emotes at TSC. It is so common I can guarantee that when that the chatroom is active you will see it at least ten times an hour. It is that common. However...over the years, I think it's lost much of its meaning. It's sort of become a general use emote, an emote to use when you feel like using an emote. Nowadays I think everyone just seems to add >_> to their responses without really thinking about it. In fact both flyby and I can recall several times in chat where there were literally hundreds of consecutive >_> and/or <_< lines. You thought what I posted for >:O was long? That's nothing compared to the walls of shiftyeyes I have seen. I think that is the reason why flyby and I had much trouble thinking about what to say. It is an important part of our culture at TSC, but it is also one whose meaning we take for granted, like so many things in life. Its loss of meaning over the years, in my opinion, is what keeps it from taking the #1 spot.

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 :o
#4 X)
#3 >:O
#2 >_>
#1 ???

#1 is pretty obviousto me, at least but don't go anywhere just yet! #1 is coming up within the hour...hopefully.

[Buizel]

Top Ten TSC Emoticon #1
:(

I really don't know if anyone should be surprised that this is the #1 TSC Emoticon. In fact, both flyby and I had :( as #1 in our initial lists (We also both had >_> at #2. >:O was #4 in both our lists, though I'm sure glad it was brought up to #3!). It is such an important emoticon in TSC culture, and it makes it second appearance in a Top Tens (the first is #6 here).

As with >_>, flyby and I both stated that there was a lot to say about it, but when it got down to writing about it, we were both at a loss about what to put down. In fact the only things I was able to get out of flyby regarding :( was "I'd rather have a tiger :(" and "It's #1 because we are a depressed people." So unlike >_> where I was able to draw ideas from what flyby said, most of this I wrote on my own.

Like >_>, it is one that we are all only too familiar with. Sadness is, after all, a part of life, just like happiness, anger, and mischievousness.

Unlike >_>, however, we use it with the correct context: it is not wasted. When we use :( we are genuinely sad or otherwise unhappy, whether it's because someone beat our hard-earned record, or because we may have irritated someone when we didn't mean to, or perhaps because a relative or close friend is ill or dying. It may even be because CherryMay would rather have a tiger :(. There are many things which can invoke the usage of :(, much more than pretty much any other emote on this list.

The Chat Stats page shows just how often we use :(, at least when GerbilEgg is in the chatroom. There are certainly many more uses that haven't been recorded, and as such I estimate that as of the time of this writing there are have been more than 50000 uses of :( over the past 15 months rather than the 46430 uses recorded by GerbilEgg. It is more than a simple emote, or even a fad or cult. It is even more than a catchphrase, a status shared by only one other emote. It is, I believe, the essence of TSC itself. Look back at #9, when flyby tried to have everyone replace their :(s with :)s. How long did that last? An hour! Actually I think it was even less than that! Even when we 'laugh' we often say "lol :(", which is sort of like, "I'm trying to laugh but I'm too sad." The way we associate ourselves with the essence of sadness is staggering. It is my firm belief that no other emote will ever envelop us in its essence the way :( has. I should also note that :( has frequently been used since even before I joined TSC in 2005, further exemplifying how in tune with sadness TSC has always been.

I think it goes without saying that, even though she isn't here often anymore, Cherry is the one that comes to mind when thinking of :(. Indeed, the Chat Stats page says that 18.1% of her lines contained :(. That's 1580 out of 8731 lines, and if you include the stats shown in the other Top Tens, she's said nearly 9500 lines with a :( over the past two and a quarter years, which is a lot of sadness. Even though she's not here much anymore, the essence of her favourite emoticon lives on in the rest of us. Really, does a day ever go by in which we don't see this special symbol which is the very essence of TSC itself?

O: TOP TEN :O

#10 8)
#9 :D
#8 <_< >_>
#7 :/
#6 :3
#5 :o
#4 X)
#3 >:O
#2 >_>
#1 :(

We're not done yet! Honourable mentions (and a dishonourable mention) coming up later!

[flyby]

I thought the first British spelling was in honor of Cherry, but really...when did you become British? <_<

[Strong Bad]

Well, that was retarded.

[flyby]

Excuse me?

[Strong Bad]

@ the top ten smilies, not you.

[flyby]

...Yeah I didn't think you were calling me retarded. <_<

[Spinballwizard]

Don't call flyby's (and Zeph's) list retarded! :(

[Strong Bad]

:(

[Buizel]

Okay, time for Honourable Mentions! For these write-ups, the text from flyby has a slight red tint and the text from me has a slight blue tint. Color codes removed because people actually use the Chaos Angel and Classic Cerulean skins! :O

<
The party hat. Examples include <:D <:o <:) <:(, etc.
This is the emoticon that has the ability to be given and received!

Mar 05 11:45:32 <flyby> here have a party hat: <
Mar 05 11:45:50 <Eisman> <:D

Occasionally we have a party at TSC, and then it is time to put on a party hat!

Mar 06 12:46:09 <Zephyr> so now we're having a random party! <:D

Mar 31 16:57:11 <RingRush> congratulations
Mar 31 16:57:14 <Carlos> :o
Mar 31 16:57:15 <Carlos> you win
Mar 31 16:57:15 <RingRush> party hats everyone <:D
Mar 31 16:57:24 <Carlos> <:O
Mar 31 16:57:28 <RingRush> also old
Mar 31 16:57:30 <Carlos> <:O!!!
Mar 31 16:57:46 <RingRush> <:O!!!

Zeph notes: I'd also like to point out that we don't have enough parties in the chatroom so let's throw more okay people?!

D:
flyby was supposed to do this one but she suggested just putting a large D:. When I asked her to elaborate a bit she came up with this: "The shock, the horror, how could that just have happened! How could they just have said that? How could -I- just have said that! This and many more are the various and subtle meanings of D:" That's a bit better, though I'd like to add that to me D: seems to represent a sort of bummed attitude. Translated (roughly) into English D: means "onos/oh noes." I'd also like to note that you'll see it a lot when Quartz shoots Dhaos.

>_<
I'm mostly including this because the person I associate it with is SJ, maker of the Funniest Comments of TSC. Indeed, it has been mentioned several times in chat that we would like to hear SJ comment while he's playing for our own amusement. If you haven't already, I suggest reading my old compilation of SJ's comments to see many of SJ's more amusing comments (that were made at the time of writing), as well as my personal top picks. While SJ is the most frequent user of >_<, it should be noted that others do use it too: other frequent users include DsS, FF, Achlys, and RR.

Some of my top picks for >_< include the following (go here for the full list):
[17:05:50] <ShadowJacky> omg, if I could kick my own ass, I would right now  >_<

[02:29:51] <ShadowJacky> wow, whats with all of the vids?
[02:30:06] <Zeph> ok fine SJ, no more vids ok >:(
[02:30:12] <ShadowJacky> NO
[02:30:19] <ShadowJacky> DAMMIT!
[02:30:26] <ShadowJacky> STOP THAT PK!
[02:30:27] <ShadowJacky> >_<

[19:15:38] <ShadowJacky> man I fail >_<

[01:54:02] <ShadowJacky> maybe I just suck >_<

[22:04:58] <flyby> this is what i said - In conclusion - meeting TSC folks is cool. Who will we meet next! Join us next time on Rolken & flyby: Wild Jungle.
[22:05:13] <ShadowJacky> will there be bloopers?
[22:05:15]  * ShadowJacky shit
[22:05:23] <ShadowJacky> *shot
[22:05:52] <ShadowJacky> who's idea was it to have "i" and "o" next to each other >_<
[22:06:40] <flyby> oh haha
[22:06:42] <flyby> i was like
[22:06:42] <flyby> what
[22:06:43] <flyby> lol
[22:06:48] <flyby> that is awesome sj

[14:31:51] <Spinballwizard> I don't remember the last time I game-overed in s3k >_>
[14:32:09] <Spinballwizard> I'm certain it's been years
[14:32:12] <ShadowJacky> probably because you gained a shot load of lives
[14:32:18] <ShadowJacky> *shit
[14:32:19] <ShadowJacky> >_<
[14:32:21] <DsS> lmao shot load

[16:58:23] <ShadowJacky> fuck this shit
[16:58:27] <ShadowJacky> love this game
[16:58:38] <ShadowJacky> but dammit does speedrunning ruin everything you love >_<

[22:20:08] <Koshi> Why's everyone think I have something to do with Yoshi >_<

[22:20:59] <Thorn> fuck the lot of you >_<

[17:31:46] <Minus> That song is waaay to seriously old to be referring to 69 like that.  >_<

[06:27:24] <FuzZerd> its because I used to be an idiot and thought 50 was a really good time >_<

[10:13:04] <flyingfox> god I'm dumb >_<

Yeah, I realise that list was a bit long but you have to admit they are so entertaining! Also I should note that I myself have never used it when irritated; all my lines that include >_< are either quotes or elements in a list.

O_o
I'm including this in here because I find it to be so amusing, and because it was #9 on flyby's initial list. It amuses me in that one of the person's eyes grows so comically (or does the other one shrink?) and that whenever I see it I mentally translate it into something along the lines of "what the...?!" Which is basically what the emote means, anyway; the person is weirded out by something. Unless both eyes are big, like O_O, which means, like, total awe or horror or something. o_o is also used on occasion, though it looks very strange to me because it looks like a zombie. Anyway I should note that these emotes tend to only amuse me when used by certain people, like SJ, FF, or mike. Don't ask me why, okay; it just does.

%^(
This is on here because it is probably the most unique TSC emote. According to my logs Upth used it first. I don't think it even became popular enough to become a fad, but most of us still remember it. As of this writing, the chat stats page has only 76 recorded uses of this emote over the last 16 months, so you know it hasn't been used much at all. I couldn't find many good lines with it so I'll post the best one I could find:

[23:38:49] <Stefan> this will be my !? replacement: %^(

A shame it doesn't see more use, see as how it's unique to TSC.


And now, our Dishonourable Mention:

>__________>
Perhaps the stupidest emoticon to ever exist, >__________> (and its friends of varying lengths) is pretty much just an admission that what you said was incredibly stupid. Of course, we all use it, because we all say lots of dumb things! But at least we'll admit it when it's true. And that's just what this emoticon is for. So go ahead and use it, and realize it is the stupidest emoticon out there, but be proud. Stupidity reigns!
Zeph notes: I should also note that a majority of its use comes from FKE, not that I'm implying anything. <_< >_>

Well, that's it for this iteration of the Top Tens! Hopefully someone will care enough to work on the Top Tens in October so we won't have to throw stuff together at the last minute!