Your 2009 Overview Spreadsheet
	At the start of each year I prepare for myself an overview spreadsheet for the coming 12 months. On it I record holidays, important dates and other information. I find it very useful to have this ‘helicopter’ view. You might too.   In the UK version – I’ve added the state school holidays and the Bank Holidays. In the Rest of The World (ROW) version – these dates are NOT highlighted.
If you’d like your copy of the spreadsheet – just mouse below    Mouse here for the UK version                    Mouse here for the ROW version

"Perhaps it does matter - after all!"

Hello  

A good friend of mine is a teacher. And just a few weeks ago he told me a true story about an event that happened in a school classroom. I laughed out loud – as have the other friends I’ve told the story to – since hearing it.

Here it is...

Oh by the way – there’s more than one valuable insight to take from it - but more of that in a moment.

One day:

A school inspector turned up to sit in various teachers’ classes to evaluate their performances.

In one class the teacher was conducting an English Language lesson and explaining to his pupils the importance of correct punctuation. He set the class an exercise to do and as they bent their heads to their books - the inspector called the teacher over to him.

“I think there is far too much emphasis on punctuation these days – it’s just not as important as it used to be what with text messaging and email – can’t you de-emphasise it a bit? The inspector said.

The teacher...

Was taken aback – and without replying walked over to his chalkboard – signalled the class he needed their attention and wrote the following on the board:

As you can imagine...

There was a collective gasp from the pupils who had already rated this particular teacher as – not only one of their favourites but one who ‘really knew his stuff!’

The teacher...

Paused for a moment to let the full effect of the written sentence sink in – and then with a slight and knowing smile – stepped again to the board and added two commas. Now the words read:

Turning...

To the class he remarked “What a difference just a couple of commas can make. Can you now see why punctuation is just so important?”

The class...

Nodded their agreement

The inspector...

Stood and left the room.

Oh to have been a member of that class – and see the look on the inspector’s face!

And so...

There’s an obvious point to make about punctuation – and it’s – we need to be careful out there lest our messages are misunderstood. But that was obvious.

Perhaps less obvious is...

This:

It’s certainly true - punctuation changes as time goes by – it takes me minutes to read text messages from my youngest son – a fun yet challenging exercise.

Language changes too – the English we speak today is not the English of our grandparents and certainly NOT the English of hundreds of years ago. But that’s just the nature of language – it changes over time.

Maybe...

You too could consider adding in more of what I strangely call: “Spoken Punctuation”.

I use it when I create the scripts for my various audio recordings whether that’s the tgiMondays messages, The monthly Achievers Edge programme – or even my other audio/DVD training modules. It helps me to ‘voice’ the programmes as if they are NOT scripted.

You’re aware...

Of the ‘spoken’ style of punctuation I use in these Monday messages – as I do my level best to write as I speak – pauses; gaps – emphasised words, and even words said; with tongue in cheek – or with a s m i l e!

And so...

Could you perhaps take a fresh eye to your punctuation – both normal and vocalised to see if there are some changes to be made?

You probably could – couldn’t you?

Yes?

Me too!

Go on then...

Peter Thomson

Editor and Punctuated Publisher

tgiMondays
 

PS: Feedback, comments and reciprocated "New Year Greetings" to: peter@tgimondays.com