So ...

Many people (be glad I didn't write 'alot of') of my age or thereabouts are busy complaining about others beginning a sentence with "So",  as in the answer to the question of how I've spent my day so far being "So this morning I have already packed up the boxes for tomorrow's market" when the sentence doesn't follow from anything.  It's one of those grammatical developments that are causing the most angst with people currently. 

There are others which bother me quite a bit; I'm still definitely a less and fewer pedant and would like to be a 'beg the question' pedant were it not for the fact that I suspect half of those reading this blog won't even know what I mean.  It's literally (yes, precisely that) years since I heard the correct use of the phrase and since I've heard it misused even in philosophic circles where it should have a valuable function and indeed had to explain to Mike what it used to mean (and he was a great thinker, philosopher and wordsmith but didn't know) I will probably give up with that one.  I'm sad about it though.  The phrase 'to beg the question' is a nice (in the proper, original use of that word too!) way to express the concept that it does.  If you don't know it and would like to, I recommend Wikipedia. 

But you'll have noticed that I do break many other grammatical rules, such as beginning a sentence with a preposition.  Indeed, I'm fond of writing incomplete sentences.  When it seems appropriate.

You've probably guessed where this is leading.  I have realised that these days I frequently start sentences, paragraphs, stories and the like with 'So'.  I make no apologies.  It makes a change from 'Well' and I find it really hard to just launch into speaking without at least a minor preamble.  If you hate it, you probably hate sentences starting with 'Well' also, but ask yourself which is worse?

If you hate both equally, then possibly you find this post upsetting and I am sorry for that.  I won't be stopping, though I hope to continue to resist "from the get go".