Introduction

Welcome to my blog. This first entry will tell you a little about me and what to expect. First, let me explain the name. I don’t really consider myself “grumpy” or “old,” but the name seems to fit. My wife and kids are always rolling their eyes because I go into a “tirade,” or “get on my soapbox,” as they call it. One of my favorite things to say is, “If everyone would just shut up and listen to me, the world would run much more smoothly.” I would run for President except for:
a) I have been arrested at least once in my life;
b) I have smoked pot at least once (and admittedly inhaled);
and most importantly,
c) I don’t want to age 10 years for every year in office.

I’m in my mid 40s, so that’s not exactly old, but I’ve always been very mature for my age and I’ve been told that I have an “old soul,” whatever the hell that means. No matter how many times my kids call me a “dinosaur” or make fun of me for listening to classic rock music, I don’t think I’m that old. But I hope to be one day. I was born in 1964, which is defined as the last year of the Baby Boomer generation. My goal is to eventually be known as the last surviving Baby Boomer, so I plan to be around for a very long time.

I wanted to include Chicago in the name of my blog because I love Chicago. I grew up in the Midwest and I have only lived in the Chicago suburbs since 2000, but I have always considered Chicago my town. Working downtown is a blast, except for the commute. (You can expect to see a rant or two about the commute sometime.) In my opinion, Chicago is the greatest city in the world. We have world-class restaurants and hotels, art and theater, diverse architecture styles, and the best sports fans in the world. Our weather is incredible, too. California? Florida? Hawaii? Boring! What’s the fun in 85 degrees and sunny every day out of the year? We have our share of beautiful sunny days in the summertime, but we also have spring, fall, and winter. Oh boy, do we ever have winter! It’s never boring in Chicago. But I won’t be limiting my posts to the Chicagoland area. If you don’t live in Chicago, you might learn a little about it, but don’t feel as though you have to live here to read this blog.

I’ve been married for nearly 20 years and am the proud father of two children. I was a stay-at-home Dad for the first 10 years or so, back before the “Mr. Mom” fad became cool. (I really hate that term, by the way. Men are just as capable of being parents as women. Be prepared for several rants on that subject.) We moved around a lot when the kids were little, living overseas for a few years. We have settled down in one place now, but I will have a lot to say about my travels before and after children.

One quick note: have some fun with this, because I plan to. Am I totally serious about this? Maybe I am, and maybe I'm not. Remember, Steven Colbert is actually a Democrat in real life. So before you send me death threats because I said something bad about your fluffy kitty cat, give it a rest and get a life.

So that’s about it for the introduction. Bored yet? If so, fine, go read someone else’s blog or write your own. If not, keep posted, the posts are just starting. Between the commute, kids, winter, and the idiots in Washington, this blog practically writes itself!