# Am I embarrassed or bored? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278 "2003-01-17T19:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/1 "2003-01-17T19:14:35Z")
I’m talking about this little guy: :o When I first saw it, I thought it was a yawning smiley. Then I noticed people using it in a context that would indicate chagrin or embarrassment. So I decided to use it in that way. But now, I’m worried that other people see it as a yawn and may attribute nonchalance, weariness, or even _gasp_ apathy to my words when I mean to convey sheepishness or remorse. Because, you know, I couldn’t make my meaning clear enough using words alone…I must spice up my post with a colorful little face. So what exactly am I saying with :o ? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/2 "2003-01-17T19:16:49Z")
You are saying you are embarrassed, put your mouse ontop of it and keep it there. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/3 "2003-01-17T19:26:04Z")
I’ve never thought that smiley looked very embarrassed; I think it’s the closed eyes that ruin the effect. I think “embarrassed” should have eyes sort of like :eek:, an open mouth, and a yellow face with little blushing cheeks. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/4 "2003-01-17T19:26:10Z")
Ohhhhhhhhh. I have seen the light! :o Thanks, **Meatros**! ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/5 "2003-01-17T19:27:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scarlett67 \* > \*\*I’ve never thought that smiley looked very embarrassed; I think it’s the closed eyes that ruin the effect. > > I think “embarrassed” should have eyes sort of like :eek:, an open mouth, and a yellow face with little blushing cheeks. \*\* I agree Scarlett67. No problem Gallows. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/6 "2003-01-17T21:51:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gallows fodder \* > \*\*Ohhhhhhhhh. I have seen the light! :o Thanks, **Meatros**! \*\* I think a lot of people have different and unclear uses for that one. The open-eyed one is the “eek!” smiley. The closed-eyed one has also been used as… … the blowjob smiley. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/7 "2003-01-17T23:35:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monstre \* > \*\*I think a lot of people have different and unclear uses for that one. The open-eyed one is the “eek!” smiley. The closed-eyed one has also been used as… > > … the blowjob smiley. > > :eek: \*\* The little blue guy could also be known as: The accidental anal smilie ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/8 "2003-01-18T00:14:30Z")
**Biggirl** , **Monstre** -um…nice…uh… … I’ll never look at a smiley the same way again… …(this _would have been_ where I put the scary smiley… ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/9 "2003-01-18T21:29:00Z")
**Biggirl** I think that last smiley would go something like this: ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/10 "2003-01-18T22:11:43Z")
I thought it was more like this: 😕 …:eek: …😃 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/11 "2003-01-19T04:53:24Z")
In my opinion, the embarrassed smiley isn’t very clear, and doesn’t convey embarrassment. The next time the mods are in for a smiley party, instead of finding a new smiley, fix that one. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/12 "2003-01-19T17:42:15Z")
**Biggirl** – good one! I hadn’t thought of that… ::: trying to get rid of mental image now ::: ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/13 "2003-01-19T21:30:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gallows fodder \* > \*\* > So what exactly am I saying with :o ? \*\* Not being a smiley fan, at best guess you’re waiting for the Great Pumpkin? Veb ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-embarrassed-or-bored/149278/14 "2003-01-20T05:48:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monstre \* > **Biggirl – good one! I hadn’t thought of that…** I’m just happy I wasn’t the only one who’d thought of it. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one.