18 Nov 2025 I blame ChatGPT for this email

Last week in my email about exclamation points, I jokingly asked if anyone cared what I think about em dashes. I was being silly … but apparently there is interest.

So …

Once upon a time, I used to sprinkle them everywhere — like confetti at a grammar parade That was even before I knew there were different kinds of dashes. I thought an em dash was just a double hyphen. And en dashes? I found out those existed, like, five minutes ago when I started writing this email!!

And then came ChatGPT.

Now every time I reach for one — I hesitate. Will anyone believe this was actually me? The poor em dash went from “writer flair” to “AI fingerprint” practically overnight.

The punctuation trust crisis

We’ve somehow reached a moment where punctuation carries social meaning. Too many dashes? You’re a bot. Too few? You’re frosty. Too many exclamation points? You’re forcing cheer.

Well, I’m a real human — and sometimes my thoughts genuinely move in dashes. It’s what happens when my brain shifts gears mid-sentence.

So I’m reclaiming my em dashes.

ChatGPT can keep the clichés. I’ll take personality — the messy, human kind that wanders, rambles, and overuses things simply because it feels right.

Because honestly — if I ever start sounding too polished, please check on me.

(And yes, this has nothing to do with house cleaning. I’m just in a punctuation mood today.)

Cheerfully,