
Part of my job these days is to answer emails. Lots and lots of emails. I spend a lot of time thinking about my tone in response, and I have come to the conclusion that the exclamation mark is my blessing, and my curse.
Not so long ago, I was on the receiving end of those emails. Agonising over every single punctuation mark, tone and inference. Did they take me seriously? Was the content relevant? Am I beginning to sound circumlocutory?
I threw the question out there into my virtual Colosseum: Facebook. Most responses came from my female friends who offered up a similarly repugnant alternative. The smiley face.
