Sloth, and its consequences

If I embark on a 3-week holiday, this means that the to-do list won't be mentally unfolded and tackled until the least week. And that means that the last week is busier than I'd like it to be. Which isn't such a bad thing, because the transition from last week of holidays to work becoes a little easier. 
So I was rather busy on Monday and Tuesday, Monday's activities being slightly hampered by the fact that I had spaghetti alle vongole for lunch with nephews, and they weren't quite ok (vongole, not nephews). The afternoon was unpleasant. It was fun though, because I called Daniel, who'd eaten the same dish, and we contemplated ways of murdering the cook.

shiv5468 and lillithjhaving updated By the Book did help, though. I had to hurry off after I'd finished reading, and so was unable to leave a review. But they're both on my friends list, and will be able to read it if I leave it here. Pimpin' doesn't make much sense, since shiv's friends list is much larger tan mine, but I'd like to start all the same by telling anybody who reads this entry to go there (Digital quill, author's name is Scrace) and read this fic immediately. Be careful though, to keep a fire extinuisher near you, because the screen might spontaeously combust, and since there's a considerable risk that you might combust yoursselves, keep another person near you and make sure they know how to operate the extinguisher. By the Book is witty, funny, so hot that the room doesn't need additional heating, and the characterization of both Lucius and Hermione is absolutely brilliant. What I find most amazing is the way they build up the relationship between Lucius and Hermione. There's physical attraction, to be sure, but they also like each other and handle one another very carefully (although Hermione commits one or two gaffes), and that's whatmakes the story so lovely.  I think the sentence that cracked me up most was Draco saying to Hermione,'You and the old pater are becoming quite familias, I see.' Just can't resista Latin pun... Go, read it. If you're not fond of Lumione, you'll certainly be once you did.

Ze Boyz wil be taken to the vet for vaccination today or tomorrow (knowing me, tomorrow)  It's a bit early, but I prefer taking them to the vet I've known for almost 20 years. It's all the same to them, but I feel better this way.

Trip to London in June is being planned, I'll be there from 11th to 16th. *nudges shiv5468*

A post that starts with 'I know I'm going to regret this' shouldn't be posted at all

... but this is my LJ and I need to rant.
I know I'm going to regret it, because people are going to read it, and tell others about it, which latter group my contain those against whom I'm ranting.
So. What shall I do? One of the many points of ranting in a way other people can hear/read it is to be patted on the head, told you're right, and generally cosseted until you've cooled down again and may be able to see that things aren't so bad after all. And it isn't really bad, and I'm also inclined to think that I probably am feeling entitled where I really shouldn't. Rational arguments don't seem to help, though.

OK, I'm going to ask a simple question, which I hope will be answered by some of you, and please don't hesitate to tell me if I'm wrong. Because I might be. (Not bloody likely, but it does sound good)
So the question is this: There are rules of punctuation, which have to be observed. But in certain cases I feel that punctuation is highly individual, especially when it comes to the decision whether to use a comma or a semicolon. (That holds true for both my native German and English, btw) If e.g. I mean to give a passage of text a certain breathlessness or urgency, I won't use a semicolon but a comma, even in a place where the rulebook says I'd have to put a semicolon. Mind you, we're not speaking of reports or business letters here, but of literary texts. So tell me, please: Am I correctly assuming that the choice is mine, or aren't I?