@#$%&*!

Why didn't somebody tell me?! August 22nd has come and gone, and I didn't know that it was National Punctuation Day! Oh yes, National Punctuation Day is very real. It has its own Web site featuring ways to celebrate the day, as well as information on about a dozen different marks of punctuation and their proper usage.

The guy who created the day seems to have done it in good fun (just read his list of recommended activities for the day), but it also calls to our attention--and asks average citizens to call to others' attention--the problem of improper punctuation all around us: on billboards, in newspapers, even in our own written communication. Perhaps you'd like to advertise your concern for correct punctuation by purchasing and wearing a punctuation T-shirt?

I, for one, am excited to add this new holiday to my calendar. Is it just because I'm an English teacher that I find National Punctuation Day amusing and worthwhile? Are there any amateur punctuation mavens out there who are excited about National Punctuation Day? Share your comments and let me know!