National Punctuation Day: Stop Dragging Your Comma Around

Do you cringe when you see round brackets used in a square bracket place? Do you snort and choke when someone incorrectly uses a possessive? Do have an opinion on the use of serial commas? If you said “yes!” to any of these questions, you’ll probably be happy to know that, not only is there a national celebration of punctuation, it’s today.

Founded in 2004 by journalist and noted newsletter guy Jeff Rubin, National Punctuation Day is intended to shine an international spotlight on the use -- and misuse -- of punctuation around the world. The day is marked by various contests and events -- like the National Punctuation Day Baking Contest, where contestants send and a recipe and sample of their punctuation-shaped baked product to contest judges.

Clearly, it’s too late to get your school or library involved for 2009. However, take note now for next year. This would be a terrific celebration to plan a program around. Meanwhile, it might be pointed out that it’s never really too late for good punctuation and, the National Punctuation Day Web site takes a friendly approach to explaining all the rules.