The Curse of the Comma

All my life I've been told I am a good writer. It is something that I enjoy (in most cases) and something that my mom, in particular, has stressed as being one of the most important skills necessary for success. This supposed skill for writing, however, does not always extend to the proper uses of grammar, or spelling for that matter. The comma, and its uses, I am convinced will frustrate me until the day I write my last word. It is the uncertainty and the inconsistency of the comma that irritate me the most. I can remember countless instances of being directed by an editor to insert or replace a comma only to be told the complete opposite by a teacher. Cazort's section on the comma splice has certainly furthered my understanding, yet there is still a nagging feeling of uncertainty. I clearly understand the rules and tips Cazort suggests, but the sense that audiences' feel differently about its uses still bothers me. I wonder if this general widespread confusion regarding the uses of a comma, springs from an ignorance of the rules, or from rules that are simply unclear. I would assume, that the more lucid rules surrounding the uses of the comma, are the cause of the confusion.