"True words aren't eloquent; eloquent words aren't true. Wise men don't need to prove their point; men who need to prove their point aren't wise" (Tao Te Ching).
And Lao-Tsu only wrote The Tao Te Ching at the request of his unelightened followers.
We are all walking the path, there is no first step. It certainly doesn't begin with the intellect. I think its funny that you keep asserting how valuable words are for pragmatic purposes: communicating, describing, expressing and of course pointing at the moon. Duh! Of course they are. As a matter of fact they are the essence of pragmatic, Newtonian reason. They are also the essence of our misery. Ever read the Siva Sutras? "Limited knowledge is bondage". And what is this limited knowledge? Good old words! Now if you take this as an attack on language you miss the point. Its an attack on the ego.
I imagine if Lao Tsu new you wasted two years dissecting his written "Tao" he would be most disappointed in you. Its not a product of the intellect and can never be grasped by the intellect.
***I think that somewhere you have gotten lost in the intellectual notion that there are no intellectual notions. If that’s where you are, and you are NOT experiencing the ultimate reality... then honestly.....what good is it doing you?***
My reply: I think that somewhere you have gotten lost in the intellectual notion that there ARE intellectual notions. If that's where you are, and you are NOT experiencing the ultimate reality... then honestly..... what good is it doing YOU?
You can go ahead and live in the world and rock ass Brian. I'd rather let the world live in me and rock ass 
