42 Minding the marks, tightening the dashes or ... I'm gonna punctuate you in the face!

Today, my wife and I visited a used book store in nearby Quakertown. From the first whiff of stale paper I was in love.   It was intoxicating.  Or it was dust mite allergies ...  I'm not sure which.

We could easily have spent hours mining through poems by Cummings or pictures by Steiglitz. There are recipes from Bobby Flay and writings of Jack Kerouac.  Today, though, I found a surprise treasure ... something completely unexpected.  I found a new hero - Lynne Truss - who wrote, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves".   (There is a picture of panda bears on the cover ... get it!?!)   For those of us who enjoy writing, this book is a must-have aid.  The manifesto of a self-confessed 'stickler'.   Her writing is addictive and she's helped me discover the stickler inside myself as well.  My personal punctuation policeman.  My grammatic street sweeper.   No more furtive grimaces over errant apostrophes.  Now I will pull out pencil or keyboard and perform even the most major surgery ... without anesthetic.

The unexpected consequence, however, has been that what used to be an almost stream-of-consciousness flow has become constipated as I become aware of my grammatical indignities.  My backspace key has never seen so much action.  Hmmm ... well the noblest of causes have always come at a price.

More tomorrow.

Blessings all and peace,

Glen

PS - the image for today was taken in upper Bucks County by a little stream bed.  I had shot for an hour or so and was walking out when I spied this little guy up against the wet rocks.  The sun was setting so I had only a minute or two.  This was the result.  I adjusted WB, desaturated it and ran curves.  As I study it now, I think I need more WB.  Hope you like it.