14 Comments
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Ruger Pearson's avatar

So glad I found your newsletter. I'm also using writing to battle the omnipresent anxiety, it does help! Also love the unexpected smiles photography. My dad's favorite spot in the national forest near our home is marked with a smile painted on an ancient tree

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Michael Wriston's avatar

Now I bet that would make an amazing photo!!

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Just Suzy's avatar

I enjoyed your essay very much, Michael, but I have to say the accompanying selection of photos is incredible! Thank you for sharing the 6 secs & a smile tip, too. It works :).

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Michael Wriston's avatar

Thanks, Suzy! I’ve been slowly collecting photos of smiley faces over the years, and have only just now found a purpose for them!

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Babycakes Romero's avatar

Great series. Put a smile on my face :)

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Michael Wriston's avatar

:)

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

What a moving essay. Thank you for sharing!

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Michael Wriston's avatar

And thank you—as always—for reading!

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Scott Symes's avatar

Thank you Michael

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Michael Wriston's avatar

Thank you!

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Gavin Bragdon's avatar

Thanks for this. I've been thinking a lot about some of the concepts here (shoutout to the Stoics) and how to mentally handle things- especially the shit going on these days. Reading stuff like this helps.

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søren k. harbel's avatar

Super collection of great moments! Very nice! Thank you for the smile....

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Mariann Makrai's avatar

Nice to have read this. And where the h did you find áll these smiley?

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Oliver Homan's avatar

I like leaving what I call "analog smileys" as part of my sentences. :) or :( or -:)

My source for a lot of this playfulness is a book that my dad had on his bookshelf and I like a lot. I am not a fan of autocorrect and modern "emojicons" being auto replaced on websites like Facebook.

Over 650, Compiled by David Sanderson, the "Noah Webster of Smileys" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/167167.Smileys

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