A panda walks into a bar….

Recent Journ lectures reminded me of a fantastic book that I cherish. Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves (the title relates to a joke about a panda and incorrect punctuation) is a book that takes a very entertaining and intelligent look at something that affects all our lives (especially training media practitioners): punctuation.

Now, most people don’t fully understand my strange preoccupation with punctuation. Words like “pedantic” or “nerdy” come to mind. But when I see a sign that’s broadcasted for the world to see – particularly if it’s some huge billboard or fancy advert that clearly took time and money to produce – I need to know that the comma’s in the right place, folks.

It’s incredible how quickly someone may lose all credibility in my eyes when I notice a stray apostrophe recklessly forced into a plural, looking lost and forlorn with no actual purpose but to make the word very obviously INCORRECT.

Lynne Truss understands my torment, the anguish I feel when I see a sentence slashed apart by irresponsible and aggressive use of semicolons. The book even comes with its own “punctuation repair kit” consisting of stickers that may be used to repair incorrect signage, along with tips on how to do it sneakily and without getting caught. She’s an inspirational writer with a noble vision of a world where punctuation may live without fear of misuse or exploitation.