In the beginning was the word...
--Old and new testaments of the Bible
The average person speaks about 6,000 to 20,000 words a day; of course, this depends on certain variables, like a person's gender, age, job, etc. And with this amount of word usage during the course of weeks, months and years, it's only natural that we take these instruments of communication for granted.
But being a novelist, writer and a wordsmith...or fancying myself one, I've always seen the magic(k) in these vocal tools we oftentimes use so thoughtlessly.
Now, this will probably sound kinda' glib and hyperbolic, but words have given me everything. They've of course been a means of communication; but they've also served as companions, intimate friends, and a tool that's provided me with my life's work. Oftentimes, the experience of learning a lovely new word is like biting into a champagne truffle; it's wholly sensual. Unfortunately, most people underestimate the power of words due to their overuse and abuse during the course of a day. But, I'll always owe a debt of gratitude to this gift and how much it's given me.
And I come from a culture steeped in the love of language. 'Rap' music is by far one of the most prominent examples of the power of words and their predominance in any and every culture. This music also illustrates how 'cool' and sexy words can often be; check out this lyric from the MC Sauce Money:
"Street knowledge amazes the scholars when we coin phrases for dollars."
That pretty much says it all.
So, I hope you will join me in this celebratory endeavor of sorts when it comes to the love of words, language and 'blogging'. Hopefully I can network with like-minded folks who love this gift as much as I do. And I hope you find something here that not only entertains but edifies as well. Thanks for listening and do leave a comment or two if you feel so inclined. That pretty much says it all.
Lionel Drummond
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