Breaking Rules

Breaking Personal Rules

Yup, I did it! I used a highlighter to mark in a book. Till the day before, I have never made any sort of ink mark in a book. At the most, I allow myself discreet marks in pencil in the margin. I have often castigated people for their barbarous practice of leaving their inky pawprints in books. Their comments for future readers reek of patronization - 'Hey, this was really funny, okay?'

Of late, I have fallen prey to the joys of using a highlighter. I use it primarily for marking out stuff in printed out copies of journal papers. It is really useful if you have to revisit the material and it is a more efficient use of time to have the good stuff marked out. Most sentences and words are redundant and repetitive (you shouldn't be reading this!) and wielding the highlighter like a rapier I reduce pages and pages of stuff into what can be condensed in a few short paragraphs.
So I got carried away the day before, and a few hours later I have this book full of fluoroscent green marks all over. I was horrified!

'Technically speaking, I was well within my rights since this was a 'textbook' and highlighting can be an indispensible aid for efficient and quick review.'
'Couldn't you have used a pencil?'
'Ya, but what's a plain ole' pencil got compared to the razzmatazz of the highlighter?'
'There you go again - rationalizing your behaviour.'
'Anyway the deed is done, the rule has been broken.'
'So, is nothing sacred anymore?'