Google Hangouts’ hidden emojis will ruin the rest of your work day

This is a strange place for confessions, but I laugh a lot. And when I'm at work, many of those laughs happen virtually. You know, the occasional "LOL" or perhaps a "haha" over Google Hangouts.

Well, today a co-worker sent me something really funny. Funny enough for a "hahahaha," which was quickly followed by a "WTH!" By way of accident we discovered a hidden batch of interactive Google Hangout emojis that are just too darn cute not to share.

According to Android Police, these excited "Easter egg" emojis follow Hangouts' pony streams and pitchfork mobs (which I also did not know about). Here are a few key commands that will set these little guys in action:

• Laughing: "hahahaha" or "hehehehe" or "Rofl" or "lmao"
• Cheering: "Woohoo" or "Woot" or "Yay!!"
• Birthday wishes: "happy birthday"
• New Year's wishes: "Happy New Year"

Here are the other Google Hangout hacks that go beyond the Easter eggs.

• /ponies will send a pony running across your chat box.
• /ponystream will send an endless herd of ponies running across your chat box (type /ponystream again to turn them off).
• /pitchforks cues the angry pitchfork mob.
  
• /bikeshed changes the background color of your chat box.

And there goes the rest of your work day. Sorry.