The: Importance, of Punctuation;

As an English major in College, I was indoctrinated skillfully taught by my professors that punctuation was important. However, nothing drove this home more than my personal correspondence with a certain young lady. I think this speaks for itself.

A letter she sent me a few months after we met:

Dear Ched:

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy -- will you let me be yours?

Leigh Anne


A letter she wrote me 8 Months after we were married:

Dear Ched:

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,

Leigh Anne


How would you punctuate the words, "woman without her man is a savage"?

How I would perhaps punctuate: Woman, without her man, is a savage.

How Leigh Anne would punctuate: Woman: without her, man is savage.

If you're still unconvinced regarding the importance of punctuation, read about the comma that cost a company 2.13 million dollars.

Disclaimer: The abovementioned correspondence between my wife and I is completely fabricated. She still whole-heartedly affirms the sentiment of the first letter, I think. However, I'm pretty sure she would still take the second punctuation option on the "woman without her man" example! 

--------
And now an obligatory and most likely completely unrelated randomly generated advert designed to make you feel like you're on a "real" Web 2.0 webpage. Cheers!