How I came to say בְּרָכוֹת every day, and the seduction of theistic language

Eight years ago I never uttered בְּרָכוֹת (benedictions) outside of synagogue or festive meals on Shabbos or yomtov. Within about five years, I was saying בְּרָכוֹת many times a day, and davening a minimum of once a day too. I don't think I've ever blogged about how this happened, or the insidious theistical shift it resulted in in me without my even realising it at the time.

( So how did it come to happen? Read on! )