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The Burning Question*: Is the use of emojis by adults ever acceptable?

Let TheJournal.ie distract you from the ‘serious’ news with one of life’s REAL dilemmas. (*not really)

WE KNOW HOW you feel.

It’s a Bank Holiday Monday, the fear is about to set in and you’re already thinking about ironing shirts and making lunch.

So do like we do here in TheJournal.ie HQ and get stuck into a serious debate on one of life’s most pressing issues.

Possibly.

This week: How do you feel about emojis? DailyEdge.ie informed us last week that there is a faction of people mobilising against the little cartoon images. Some think they are for kids only, while others think they are dumbing us down.

But staunch users will argue that they can be more useful than words to convey emotions and avoid any awkward misunderstandings through texts (if she’s included a kissy-face or heart eyes, we’re not asking, “What did she mean?”), as well as just being a bit of craic. 

What do you think? Is the use of emojis by adults acceptable?


Poll Results:

Yes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (7886)
No, absolutely not (1288)
Yes, except for the cry laughing face (794)

The Burning Question*: Can couples/married people go on dates?

The Burning Question*: Milk, white or dark chocolate?

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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39 Comments
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    Mute Kris Ertz
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:51 PM

    What’s wrong with the crying laughing face?? That’s about the only one I ever use! Do much better that ‘lol’

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    Mute donal
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:01 PM

    Exactly ! That’s pretty much the only one I use also.

    105
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    Mute David Maughan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 5:28 PM

    The crying laughing face is clearly the sparkling jewel in the emoji crown.

    116
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    Mute Joanna
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Emojis add context that can be hard to get across through text alone. There’s a difference between “feck off! >=( ” and “feck off! =D “

    208
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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:20 PM

    I’m lost.

    26
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    Mute Anna
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:14 PM

    Sinead are you messing with us with the picture of the aubergine? Is that not the International cover up for d$ck pics?

    135
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    Mute Rónán Ó Hallúin
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:02 PM

    Yes. ^_^

    129
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    Mute The Girl
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:10 PM

    long live emojis ;-)

    115
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    Mute Niall O' Sullivan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:13 PM

    …………………./´¯/)
    ………………..,/¯../
    ………………./…./
    …………./´¯/’…’/´¯¯`·¸
    ………./’/…/…./……./¨¯\
    ……..(‘(…´…´…. ¯~/’…’)
    ………\……………..’…../
    ……….”…\………. _.·´
    …………\…………..(
    …………..\………….\…

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:54 PM

    :’(

    20
    See 1 more reply ▾
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Oct 26th 2015, 8:03 PM

    The hand of a pianist.

    12
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    Mute TommyRyder
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:17 PM

    Interesting choice of emoji there.
    There’s only one thing solanum melongena is known for online……….DICK.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:19 PM

    The cactus?

    5
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    Mute Liz Finn
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:34 PM

    Emojis devalue the written word…. Errgh, you’re reading a text message, it’s hardly going to be Dostoevsky!!! Am campaigning currently for a mallard emoji because I don’t know what this is supposed to be, but it is most certainly not a duck!!

    53
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    Mute Niall O' Sullivan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:59 PM

    ___§§§§
    __8_()__§
    _88____ §
    888___ §____ $$$$s
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    52
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    Mute TommyRyder
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:38 PM

    Back to school tomorrow Niall?

    (thank goodness)

    34
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    Mute Niall O' Sullivan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:07 PM

    No. Maybe I’m snobby but I often won’t even read a text sent to me in full if I see one in it as it usually signals the sender is a dumb and the text itself worthless BS.

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    Mute John Ward
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:12 PM

    @Niall O’ Sullivan: I agree. By resorting to that nonsense it devalues the written word.

    19
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    Mute Niall O' Sullivan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:13 PM

    It usually means it’s a pesky niece or nephew, or a teenager.

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    Mute Wrath of Cheney
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:31 PM

    Now imagine a supposed news outfit conducting entire interviews through emoji, modern journalism.

    53
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    Mute Niall O' Sullivan
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:34 PM

    That was pathetic, Wrath. That really was bottom of the cesspit gutter tripe.

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    Mute Kieran Dowling
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:41 PM

    Yes, you are snobby.

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Oct 26th 2015, 6:23 PM

    Yes – and it is to be celebrated that we look to convey the aspects of communication that would be left out of text.

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Oct 26th 2015, 8:14 PM

    Or perhaps it compensates for a limited vocabulary….

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    Mute Mark Miller
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:59 PM

       ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) :-D     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))        (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))        (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))        (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))        (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  ͡° )      (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )° )       (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))        (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)      ( (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )     (   (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )    (   ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )   (   ͡° ͜ʖ (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )  (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° (   ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) (   ͡° ͜ʖ

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    Mute the sheikh
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:32 PM

    Slow day at the journal newsroom

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    Mute TommyRyder
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:38 PM

    It’s just a lighthearted piece.
    Anyway, nothing ever happens on a bank holiday. Everyone knows that.

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    Mute jane
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    Oct 26th 2015, 5:01 PM

    Is it ok to have a few glasses of wine on a bank holiday? It’s sort of the weekend.

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    Mute Daffy the Bear
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    Oct 26th 2015, 3:21 PM

    8==D– ( * )

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    Mute James
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    Oct 26th 2015, 9:06 PM

    Bit small isn’t it..

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    Mute Ian Begley
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:32 PM

    Absolutely hate this one :L

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:04 PM

    Depends on what you do with them?

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    Mute Mad Mike
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    Oct 26th 2015, 7:58 PM

    I have used smileys in emails since 1987 in College – they weren’t for kids back then. I don’t see what has changed in 28 years to make them I unacceptable now. (And I suddenly feel old.

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    Mute Karen Clelun
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:12 PM

    wtf kind of article is this !?!

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 26th 2015, 4:15 PM

    did you not read it before you commented ?

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Oct 26th 2015, 8:36 PM

    My emojis never appear on my comments here on the journal!!!

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Oct 26th 2015, 8:37 PM

    See..!!!

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    Mute iDunno
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    Oct 26th 2015, 11:14 PM

    Why don’t they work in comments section :-/

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