Punctuation!

The value of punctuation cannot be over emphasized.  Proof once again came to me last Thursday.

I was in the doctor's office for my annual check-up.  I was bemoaning the fact that I had lost all that weight and have put so much of it back on.  "I hate being fat," I said.

"You are not fat," she said.

"I hate the way I look," I said.

She paused.  "Whoa," she said.  "You are fat."

I looked up at her as she brought her computer to me.  She said, "Look at this.  You weigh over 1,000 pounds and have a BMI of 345."

She was laughing as she explained that her assistant had misplaced a comma or a period, which reflected poorly on my weight!  Gratefully, it was an easy fix.

So do not let anyone tell you punctuation is not important.