The Comma Talk

Before we move forward, there's something you need to know.  I'm sure you've noticed already, but I have a love/hate relationship with commas.  I love them, because they are so helpful in forming sentences.  I dislike them, because there are so many rules surrounding them!  Who could ever remember them all?  It is very out of character for me to go against the rules, but in this instance, I am conflicted.  

I have always had a love of words.  I am intrigued and entertained by learning word origins and alternative uses of familiar words.  I am an avid spelling bee watcher.  Is there anything more captivating on ESPN, like ever?  And, sit me alone at a bar with a cup of black coffee, a sharpened #2 pencil and a crossword puzzle, and I am in complete heaven.  I might not surface for hours. 

I also have always had a love of music.  Learning to feel when the notes are short and long, and why the composer made those choices.  The crescendos and when you must slow things down are all intended to make you feel something.  I love how you can manipulate your voice to accommodate those directions.  I'll actually never fully understand the voice as an instrument, but I will forever enjoy using mine as a form of expression and art.

Just like a well-written piece of music is art, sentences are, as well.  Instead of bringing together whole notes and dotted halves, a sentence combines words.  As in music, it is up to the artist to arrange them as they see fit.  They can be arranged to evoke feelings of peace, anger, sadness, love, humor, rage, beauty, and you get the idea.  The words chosen and the way they are strung to one another is the artful expression of the writer.

So, please excuse my misuse of the comma.  It is not always unintentional (my "artful" run-on, overly full, wordy descriptions), and it is also not intended to send those who rejoice in perfect grammar batty.  I leave them out, I include too many, and I am aware of this.  The cause, in the end, goes back to the words. I hope that the words I separate with too many commas help you to see what I see.  I also misuse the comma, because of those darn rules. So. Many. Rules.

I apologize in advance, and hope we can move past this together.

Now, what's on the agenda this weekend, folks?  Here's my bulleted list:

*House of Cards
*Dress Making
*Bread Baking
*Taxes
*Park Playing 
*The Beach

See you Monday!