I am a semicolon junkie; I absolutely crave semicolons and use them as often as I can in my writing. Using a semicolon is a deliberate, stylistic choice; as a result, I love them. The semicolon is dual in nature; it resembles both the comma and the period, and its function is a little of both. When used in place of either, the eye flies over it almost as fast as it would a comma; however, it also yields for a nanosecond (but doesn’t come to a complete stop) like it would for a period. The primary function of a semicolon is to connect two closely related sentences (main clauses or thoughts); consequently, the savvy eye knows to search for the connection. It might be in the form of an extended explanation; it might be in the form of a comparison or a contrast (most often an antithetical statement). It mends the comma splice; it fixes the run-on sentence; it signals a pause when in the presence of a conjunctive adverb or a transitional expression. Sometimes the s