I have an aversion to exclamation points. I do my best not to use them. Best case scenario they’ll pop up once a quarter. Worst case, I’d say one a month. Even when considering the quantity of communicating I do electronically I feel it is imperative to avoid them.
I’m not a particularly enthusiastic person.
“Rachel, are you excited to go see the Yankees this week?”
“Yes.”
I feel as though my any written communication should relay my tone for the recipient. That and although I prefer proper grammar as a rule – I do tend to write this blog, any non-work related email and text *exactly* as it sounds in my head. Therefore things that really make me happy are illustrated differently.
Instead I choose to utilize extra words (super) and modify spelling (vowels only) to demonstrate interest.
“I reeeeeeeally want some cookie dough ice cream.
“It would be super if Dairy Queen delivered Blizzards.”
Additionally as a flair for the dramatic I like to end statements in “right this second.”
“I wish there was some ice cream in my freezer right this second.”
And sometimes. I just write out the words.
“Exclamation Point.”
They do sneak into my writing from time to time. Ya know, if I’m super upset about something. And they are, in fact, acceptable in the form of “!?”
And if necessary – when there are not enough words in the English language to articulate a specific emotion I will include them in parenthesis (!!)
Otherwise I’ll leave their usage to those much more animated than I.
Yes!!! <--see what I did there? Our IM conversations are very one sided on the ! front. However, I have seen at least one or two exclamation points drop from your IM in the past year or so. I felt honored to read them.
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