Have you heard of "emoticons?" They're icons – typeable with standard keyboard characters – that show a face expressing an emotion...hence, "emot-icon." They are written sideways, like the standard smiley face that uses a colon and a parenthesis...like this:

:)

Well, Gaye and Dan together have invented something we call "hugicons!" (That's pronounced HUG - i - con, not HUGE - i - con.) It all started when Dan would illustrate a big hug to Gaye – say, in a greeting card – by drawing a stick figure with a smiley face and VERY long arms (as if stretched out for a big hug)!

Then, he figured out a way to do it in e-mail, incorporating an emoticon smiley face:

>------------ :) ------------<

Thus creating what Dan has started to call Big Hug Guy.

Well, of course, one thing leads to another...and now we have a full set of them:

>------------ :D ------------<

Laughing Big Hug Guy

>----------- 8:) ------------<

Big Hug Guy with his eyeglasses on the top of his head (because Dan's nearsighted, and it's easier to see Gaye up close that way, and she likes how he looks without his eyeglasses)

>------------ 8) ------------<

Big Hug Guy with his glasses on

>------------ :)8< ----------<

Big Hug Girl!

>------------ ;) ------------<

Winking Big Hug Guy

>-- :) --<

Bitty Hug Guy (much easier to type out in a text message)

>------------ :) ----------<>------------ :)8< ----------<

Big Hug Guy, and Big Hug Girl, holding hands!

You're welcome to use them, too...we won't charge royalties!