Tangentially related questions/thoughts:
Do people ACTUALLY wink that much? The only times I ever wink are when I'm doing it ironically (like, "Gosh, what a shame that my horrible coworker got fired, I'm all torn up about it. I'll miss her so much." *hugely exaggerated wink*). I can't remember the last time I saw anyone - of any age, gender, or societal role - do it, unless they were doing it for a camera. But it shows up in manuscripts all the time. Do I just live in a winkless pocket of the world? Or is it maybe something people have begun doing more as a result of the use of the 'winky face' to help convey tone in casual written conversation?