> That's the right way, at least American-wise. What gets confusing for me is this sort of thing: "My 72-lb 'cat', who really looks more like a giant porcupine, just had a heart attack." Now, I think the comma in that case goes outside the quotation mark (after 'cat'), but then again maybe it doesn't. Every time I type something this way, I stare at the keyboard for a while, agonizing. Maybe someone can clear this up.
>
> Vida

I believe that is correct. The comma is not acting on the word you are quoting but on the entire phrase, "My 72-lb 'cat'". (One, I hope never to meet this cat in a dark alley; two, yes, this *IS* a correct use of semicolons, to all you out there who think semicolon usage is always incorrect*) Also, the word "cat" wouldn't have any punctuation acting on it were it all by itself--as opposed to quoting a sentence in which you would replace the period with a comma--so for that reason, too, the comma is OK outside. I would think, anyway.

La"That was definite, wasn't it? :-P"Zorra

*Just venting frustration about my Beginning Drawing teacher going through my art paper and marking wrong EVERY BLOODY SEMICOLON in it. So maybe I overuse semicolons, but every one in the paper was used correctly. Argh.