Hello world!

Holy shizzlesticks, you people are alive! With a disappointing number of subsections stuck in January, admittedly, but nothing that can't be fixed in time. I assume that most of you will be aware of me from PersonalityCafe's INFP boards, so I will spare the usual long, rambly introduction and try to be as succinct as my spontaneous typings allow.

I'm 23. 24 this year, actually, which is a fairly sobering thought and not one I wish to dwell on for any length of time. I've been of a literary bent and loved both reading and writing for as long as I can remember. Though I had all intentions of working as a computer games programmer and, in actuality, do work in the IT field, I would consider the artistic and creative capacities of language to be far closer to my heart. In terms of achievement, I was the first pupil in the history of my school to achieve a grade of EP (Exceptional Performance) in Key Stage 3 English. When the rest of my grades were suffering, I still managed to keep my English from dropping below an A all through my A Levels through a combination of passion and plain stubbornness. While I would hesitate to call myself a grammar Nazi as the Gods only know how many run-on sentences I have written over the years I am predisposed towards what I would consider the 'correct' use of language.

I actually think the evolution of the English language, while from a practical point of view has made communication more efficient and continues to evolve in its ability to reflect an ever-changing culture, has actually had a negative impact on the potential for expressive and evocative phrasings present within it. While perhaps during the Shakespearean era, such language was exclusively the domain of the privileged and the aristocratic, I also feel that the level of profundity and sophistication inherent in those writings was a level above what I believe is possible today. That is not to say, of course, that there are not people who continue to push the boundaries, and perhaps that viewpoint is a little ignorant in its wistful wishing for a return to an ideal that likely never existed. Still, I do feel it is a shame for language to become purely utilitarian if one cannot enjoy wit, wordplay and double-entendre for instance. Perhaps that's why I ramble so much, even when intending not to!

I make no promises in terms of levels of activity here, however I consider this a declaration of intent to write. I have overcome the largest hurdle in recent history which was my lack of a computer. I do feel though that writing is something that I was born to do and I believe I would be doing myself a huge disservice by not making the effort. I have no intention of doing anything constructive with it rather than writing for the sheer fun of it but it would be nice to see if anything happens and to do that, you have to make a start first.

So hopefully I'll see you all around!