Why I started a blog ...

For a long time I've had thoughts of putting my musings, observations, rantings and ravings in some written form instead of just having them as wild thoughts flying around in my head.

There are many things that I observe in the surroundings, then if thought provoking - I would be musing about it. If sufficiently irritated, then I would be ranting and raving. Hence the title of my blog: MUSINGS, RANTINGS & RAVINGS for me to ventitlate in virtual space instead of taking it out on all and sundry around me.

In the Bible, there is an apt verse: Psalm 141:3 - Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

So instead of an actual nag or the shrill tones of my frustrations, I put my thoughts in the written word instead of spoken - could be better for peace all around if you ask me.

I have also been encouraged to write as I have been told that I speak well. However I can tell you that speaking well and writing well are the opposite ends of the earth. People who write well may not speak well.

We have a friend from church who is a publisher of trade journals, who by her own admission hates public speaking. She admitted that she would prefer to scribe instead of sprout. In reality, she does not speak well.

The pen is mighter than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy.

The Story behind It: In Act II of Bulwer-Lytton's play Richelieu, Cardinal Richelieu learns of a plot against him contrived by a friend and confidant, the monk Joseph. Since as a priest he could not challenge the monk to physical combat, Richelieu issued a written statement which contains the following:
Beneath the rule of men entirely great,the pen is mightier than the sword.

The Greek poet Euripides, who died about 406 B.C., said, "The tongue is mightier than the blade." In 1600 Shakespeare had Rosencrantz in Hamlet say that "... many wearing rapiers are afraid of goosequills." Thomas Jefferson, who in 1796 sent a letter to Thomas Paine in which he wrote: "Go on doing with your pen what in other times was done with the sword."

It is easier to write well than to speak well - you can edit your words for clarity and preciseness, check your spelling, re-arrange your sentences and whatever else you do to make your written word look good.

As for speaking well, - I can tell you there is no return after you have said it. Hence the Bible verse from Psalm 141:3. In Singlish we say: Engage brain first, hor! Otherwise we have the "Oops! I put my foot in my mouth" moment to mortify us forever. The situation may be OK if there were no recordings of the proceedings, so the moment will pass. However in these days of "I must protect my reputation" and libel proceedings - you will also have to guard your mouth.

So there you have it - I started it to practice my writing skills instead of my oral skills.

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