Swan Wings - What's behind the name?

To be entirely honest with myself, "Swan Wings" was not the phrase I immediately came up with when I was asked to choose a title for my blog. My fondness of mysticism and the abstract made me want the name of my blog to reflect that quality of my persona. So, my first try for the URL of my choice was "infinity.blogspot.com". Oops, a short check revealed that someone already uses this word in his or her URL. I tried variations - infinite dreams, visions of infinity, but none were quite acceptable - either because they were already taken, or simply because I didn't really like it much.

My intention was to find words that created visions in the mind, but didn't really say much - in other words, words that left open for the readers a plethora of interpretations, words that would make one's mind flow and fly. I tried names of flowers, gemstones, and birds, for each of which in general I have a special feeling of awe and wonder in my heart.

chrysanthemums.blogspot.com? Nope.
emerald.blogspot.com? No, thank you!
sparrow.blogspot.com? Eh! Absolutely not! (I'd rather have an eagle; but on second thoughts, eagles are too arrogant and haughty by their looks.)

What about "Ainulindale"? The word in Quenya (one of the languages created by J.R.R. Tolkien) for "The Song of the Ainur". The first chapter of The Silmarillion, and quite fitting my requirement of a perfect title having the aura of an undefined mystique. A song that goes on and on; a song of creation; a song of unending possibilities. But this too turned out to be a word that had already been taken by someone out there in Blogger.

At this point, I was quite exhausted, having been fed to the back of my teeth with hopelessness trying to find a "unique" title for my blog. "Hell with it" seems to be an appropriate expression that describes how I was feeling at that point of time. I came up with my last attempt - "Swan song" - standing for what it does - "A final performance or effort". Honestly, that was my final effort in trying to create a "catchy" title. Alas! This, too, happened to be taken by someone.

Then, with a sudden inspiration and a minor variation of the last title, "Swan Wings" struck me incredibly beautiful. Swan is a magnificent bird, exuding splendour and grace in its majestic demeanour. And truly, on the wings of the swan I would love to fly to the world of unending opportunities, the world of discovery, the world within myself. A world of dreams it would be, where the swan will be my guide forever.

A weblog, finally

After constant nudges to start a blog from insistent friends, and contemplating the same for over a year, I began to seriously consider this about a week ago. There was a shadow of persistent doubt in my mind whether "blogging" will be worthwhile, and more importantly, whether I really have *something* to write about.

I confess, a fear of failure, of "not being up to the mark" kept me from taking the plunge. But when I stop to look back, all these seem rather foolish, immature inhibitions. Sure, there are a lot of things to write about when I come to think of it, and instead of being a slave of my inhibitions, I choose to be a master of myself. I convince myself - "I have nothing to lose", and here I begin, with a tribute to the new year 2009, my own blog!

Huzzah!