Posted by: Zrim | September 24, 2008

The Semicolon Is Not a Surgical Procedure: September 24 is N.P.D.

That’s right; it’s that time of year again: National Punctuation Day. Do you think an ellipsis is when the moon moves in front of the sun or that the only use for a colon is, well, a private matter? Then you need an in-service with Jeff Rubin.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not always the best practitioner of the stated rules, but that is no excuse to go soft on them.  Anyone who has the audacity to write anything without aid of credentials or all things professional and legitimate and make it public (i.e. blog) should at least be familiar with the holiday which falls on September 24. Personally, I think the exclamation point is way over used. It appears Jeff might agree.

For those of you who think this Calvinist-Amillenial-Two-Kingdom-Confessionally-Reformed-Christian-Secularist is too under-realized in his eschatology as evidenced in his disdain for all forms and expressions of activism, sacred and secular, over more institutional means (deep breath), here is my idea of a better way to wag fingers in faces. If I must promote a cause to prove that I don’t ignore the third use of the law, here you go. Quit calling me antinomian.

If nothing else, you must admit, National Punctuation Day sure beats National Ten Commandments Day.


Responses

  1. Where did it had it is beginning?!

  2. Punctuation Day wouldn’t be complete without watching Victor Borge.

  3. Does anybody else hate it when people “use” “airquotes” with their “fingers” as if “everything” they’re “saying” is “metaphorical”? I’ve also seen it in writing- people think it emphasizes a word. That’s what italics, underlining, capitalization, or bold are for!

  4. I just thought of something else!!! Let’s add excessive punctuation to the list!!!! It’s so annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Just don’t forget to follow it up with at least one emoticon!!! :)

  5. Considering that I had eight feet of small intestine removed 8 years ago following a very bad car accident, I’m quite proud of my own semicolon…

    That Victor Borge routine is fantastic (didn’t have to watch it today, seen it many times), though I’ve always liked Inflationary Language better.

  6. Stuff,

    You mean like when Dr. Evil gives the command to bring in the “laser”? That’s just plain funny.

  7. [...] September 24, 2008 in Grammar and Writing | Tags: grammar, punctuation, writing Zrim explains. [...]

  8. I am a fan of emoticons :)

  9. John,

    Emoticons are to punctuation what moralism is to the gospel.

  10. Z, where is your profile pic?!!!

  11. Rick,

    It’s a casualty of my laziness.

    Remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine complains about having to shake her fruit drink, that she’s tried of having to shake everything before she drinks it and Jerry takes it and modestly tips it back and forth, saying sarcastically, “Oh, yeah, that’s a real pain”? Well, I’m Elaine complaining about having to log in everywhere.

  12. Everywhere as in every computer you use or every blog you go to?

    because if you just tell check the “Remember me on this computer” box when you log in, then the computer remembers you for every wordpress blog you go to.

    “Another round of Strawberry for me and my friends!”

  13. This is a test to see if you are blocking all my comments or just the ones that contain impervious arguments demonstrating the absurdity of the extreme Klinianism you are trying to pass off as mainstream historic reformed orthodoxy.

  14. Ron,

    What if this had been an actual emergency?

  15. huh?

  16. That was more for Rick’s benefit.

    You know, “This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system, blahblahblah, if this had been an actual emergency…”

    Anyway, the OH is not in the habit of blocking comments.

  17. k, thanks and sorry. It must be because I had too many links in the comment.

  18. If this had been an actual emergency, it would already be too late.

    Kline Rocks. Even more than Cleveland does.

    Did anyone free Ron’s comments from purgatory?

  19. Yes, instead of paying for his doctrinal sins for an indefinite time in quarantine, Ron is back to parading them around here on earth.

  20. All I am parading is the fact that Rube can’t defeat a simple argument. Two actually. But for some reason he feels free to go on making assertions concerning my alleged “doctrinal sins” and leaving said assertions unsubstantiated.

  21. It’s called a joke, dude. Lighten up.

  22. Oh, so you don’t think my positions on law/gospel, grace/obligation, humility/exaltation, etc. are doctrinally sinful? That’s good to know, bro.

  23. It’s funny because it’s true

  24. Ok, I can lighten up.

    Hey remember when we were at Yosemite and Kazooless started singing “Great is Thy faithfulness”, only he slipped and sang “Great is *my* faithfulness”? And then you said, “That’s the FV version,” or “That’s Ron’s version,” or something like that. That was funny. Good times, bro… :)

  25. I forgot about that. That is pretty funny. Speaking of pretty funny, when are you going to give up and rule me the winner of your tagline contest?

  26. Hey, you can consider that Jeff’s entry in your tagline contest!

  27. K, you win. I’ll send you a Sola Fidelity T-Shirt for you to burn or maybe you could use it as a napkin or something. :lol:

  28. Nice new avatar — why is your wife kissing Robert Downey Jr.? (I almost said MORTON Downey Jr — I always get those two mixed up!)

  29. Ha! You are the first one ever to mention the likeness of that goatie and Stark’s. Good eye. :lol:

  30. !


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