So I went ahead and wrote the code for graphical smileys.  But then I saw the color of them and just couldn't have yellow smiley faces on my site....so one by one I edited the smiley's (thanks MSN!) and made them look like they belonged on my site!  the ones that work right now are:
  I'll make more as time permits.  The code it's self wasn't even that hard...I just had to stream the body of a post into a function that searches for the combination of characters; read : - ), and turn it into .  I have to admit...when I want to be I am one smart mo-fo!