National Punctuation Day

Today is National Punctuation Day (NPD). The NPD website is full of interesting and fun tidbits and resources about punctuation. There's even a listing of punctuation products--including t-shirts, mugs, greeting cards, and posters. They have a free newsletter called The Exclamation Point!

Not sure how to celebrate NPD? I sure wasn't. The NPD web site offers the following suggestions:

• Sleep late. (I've already messed that up...)
• Take a long shower or bath. (...and this one too...)
• Go out for coffee and a bagel. Or two. (Does making my own coffee at home count?)
• Read a newspaper and circle all the punctuation errors you can find (or think you find) with a red pen. (A whole newspaper?!)
• Take a leisurely stroll, paying close attention to store signs with incorrectly punctuated words. (Such as the place near my old apartment complex with menu on the door offering both egg rolls and egg rools...)
• Stop in these stores to correct the owners. (Ha!)
• If the owners are not there, leave notes. (Ha ha!)
• Visit a book store and purchase a copy of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style. (Please, of course I already have this book. You should too!)

• Look up all the words you circled. (The dictionary is a great friend.)
• Congratulate yourself on becoming a better written communicator. (Good job, self.)
• Go home. (If only...)
• Sit down. (Maybe on the bed?)
• Write an error-free letter to a friend. (Because snail mail is better than e-mail.)
• Take a nap. It has been a long day. (I wish.)

Hmm. Apparently, in or order to properly celebrate NPD, it is essential to take a holiday from work. Mental note to self for next year!