Communication Made Easy

Since the arrival of my smarty-pants phone, I've discovered a new way to communicate with my sons.  Some days, we simply swap emoji-icons.  The eldest downloaded this app for me, full of more than smiley faces.  Much more.  Flowers, hearts, coffee cups.  High-heels, airplanes, hand gestures.  It's the best cut-to-the-chase technique for a worrier like me.  If I text the college boy, "How did the quiz go?" and get back a row of happy faces, I'm ecstatic.  A row of sobbing faces means I better get on the next plane north.  For an over-reactor like the SJG, emojis can be a little dangerous.  Some times, I need hubby to talk some sense into me.  "Honey, I just got a frantic emoji from Santa Cruz.  I'm heading to the airport."  At which point, he talks me off the ledge and I unpack.  Some days, the working son sends me a random series of emojis that tell me his state of mind.  A coffee cup means he's tired.  A slice of cake means it's someone's birthday in the office.  An airplane means he wants to move to New York, where he just spent a week, and found the female population far superior to the one in Los Angeles.  I answer his airplane with the most unhappy face I can find, my way of saying, "Leave and I'm going with you."  Come to think of it, the Japanese emojis are a bit limited, from my emotional standpoint.  So I'm coming out with own app:  Emoji-Oy-Cons, perfect for mothers everywhere.  The faces show a broader range of hysteria, worry and fear.  It'll be out in time for Hanukkah.  Enjoy!