We Are Whoever We Say We Are

Well, you can't really say that I've improved in post frequency. The outrage over me not posting on Wednesday could be felt in all reaches of the Roller's work desk. I must admit I did have a post worked up about who we are but Roller and I disagreed about the info in it. He said that the info could be used for potential identity theft. I said identity theft was something made up on CSI. Before this thing got scrapped before it started, we arm wrestled for it. I won. Here is the gist of what I was going to post:

Roller and I met in high school. We played lots of basketball together. His mom's maiden name is Ilgauskas. All critical points to understanding The Loop and The Lou dynamic.

Anyway, Roller and I did meet in high school and we gravitated towards the same group of friends. It is those friends that probably get most of the jokes from that very first post. High school for both of us was in The Lou, but my life started in the Loop, or at least a suburb of it. My folks both grew up in the Chicagoland area and on my mom's side my family we can trace our heritage back six generations in Chicago, giving me ample credentials to represent the Loop. I'm not as clear on Roller's Lou credentials. I'm pretty sure his grandfather is Yogi Berra, but I'll let him fill you in on that.

After college, we both came back to The Lou to start our professional careers. While I continue to search for mine, Roller seems content is his life as computer programming bounty hunter. He tracks down fugitives through Google Maps. Unreal. I moved (back) to Chicago in 2001. I have never really lived in the city before, always in the one burb or another.

Roller and I have started this blog pretty much just to write. We have no specific direction for it but we plan to use it as a space for us to record our thoughts whether they be op-ed pieces or fantasies about Ryan Howard actually remembering who my Dad is. I'll give you a take from a single, big-city bachelor. Roller will give you a take from married, suburban proud papa.

You'll also probably see your fair share of sports talk on this site as I endured my years in The Lou and remain a loyal Chicago fan. Roller, true to his roots, joins the rest of our friends in supporting the St. Louis franchises. Any acrimony in our friendships dissipated as we moved into early adulthood. Check that, one Al Moore still reminds me that the Cubs suck. Even though I tell him every time, that I am aware of that point.

So check back once a week or so and we should hopefully have something vaguely interesting/comical/infuriating up here. Feel free to leave comments, as we're attention addicts and will likely respond with flowers and chocolates.

Until then, in the immortal words of Pope John Paul III, "Peace out, y'all."

All apologies

I have to say that almost two weeks between posts wasn't my intent when I signed on for this thing, but I've been hard at work at, um, work.

My next entry was to be a little about the history of the two people who manage this blog and what makes them tick. Unfortunately, I'll have to table that post for a time when I actually feel like writing about myself.

I don't know what it's like in the Lou but Chicago Winter is rearing it's ugly head. It seems like it has been an on and off mixture of snow and ice since Saturday. I feel kind of bad for the poor guy whose delivering my food right now. No way he should be out on the street in this weather

So the question is Roller, when do we bring this blog to the people, i.e. you e-mailing to almost every person you know and me e-mailing it to my parents and Nana?

Tune in Wednesday for an exclusive story about how this blizog got off the grizound and the two home skillets who started it. Peace.

Happy Anniversary TLATL!!!

Well, I can hardly believe that it's been ONE WHOLE WEEK since The Loop and The Lou burst from blogger.com's cyber-womb. I mean, it seems like just last week.

You may not remember, but Timmy kicked this machine into gear with.... let me find it.... this wonderful christening. Somewhere along the lines I chimed in with something like this and from then on we've been pedal to the metal.

I'd like to take a quick moment to say thanks for all the support we've gotten out there from everyone. We might not see that support in the form of comments or e-mails or money, but that support is there none the less.

I don't want to jinx it, but what the hell - here's to another week of The Loop and The Lou!

...taptaptap... Is this thing on?

I have to admit that I was hoping Coovo would kick this thing off. Mostly because he's a much more creative writer than I. Don't be surprised if a lot of my posts are just a rewording of his - but I'll try not to swear as much.

I suppose I should somehow describe my intentions with this blog. In the past year or so I'll have a thought pop in my head. I might dwell on it a while. Perhaps a prediction about a world event, a reflection on society, or a dirty joke that my Aunt Ursula told me. All of things that people like you, the masses reading this blog, need to hear.

Before, I'd have that thought, get distracted by some other driver talking on the phone, spill my chicken wings all over my lap and then all my energy had to be focused on ROAD RAGE! Now, I'll continue driving normally, pull out my Blackberry, surf my way to this blog and enter a new post - like I'm doing right now! Accidents may happen, but bones can heal. And posterity is forever.

So anyway, I don't think my entries in this blog will have a specific theme, purpose, or arguably, a point. Hopefully Coovo's do, so people actually have a reason to visit The Loop and The Lou.

Good night, and God Bless.

What's in a name?

Hey there Matt, World.

Boy Matt, this blog thing is a great idea. I have so many thoughts, concerns and emotions pent up and I feel relaying them in a forum like this can really impact people, provoke discussion and God willing progress. By the way, you should see the size of the dump I just took. It looks like the Hindenburg.

All serious thoughts aside, right now the blog begins and ends with it's name. I mean this isn't like naming a child where it is acceptable to choose from popular ones and even use your exact own. This is a blog. Our first-blog if you will. I mean with the right name, we could get our 1/2 hour spot on Tech TV!!

The Cub-Cardinal themes jump at you right from the start. But like an NBA fourth quarter comeback, it's cliche. Besides it could pigeonhole us into being a sport's site and attract the Werkmiester's of the world who could talk non-stop about the size of Pujol's thighs. Definitely keep the Chicago-St. Louis theme on the board. It has too much potential to ignore.

This blog could be seen in several circles as the reuniting of the Webster-wide famous duo who brought you such classics as "What it's all about" and "Huntin' Squirrel". They might even remember our first song with Ryan McCabe, "G's going to Namibia". Searching the lyrics to any of our songs could bring us a word or phrase that might best sum up this leap into the prepositional unknown.

Of course what would our relationship be and that of our group of friends be without fantasy baseball. And the easy transition from there to here is simple: "Chicks Dig Fantasy Bloggers" So we could be "Chicks Dig Real Bloggers". Whoops, here I am in a typing frenzy, not taking into consideration that you're married. Us advertising to Nicole that chicks dig us, might not go over so well: "Chicks Dig I Real Blogger and Dutifully Respect the Other"?

We could be the "Odd Bloggers"? You: married, kids, lefty (sometimes), home in the Burbs, Rams fan. Me: single, 0 kids, righty (always), apartment in the city, Bears fan.

Anyway you roll the dice, slice the pie or pick your nose, I'm excited Matt. It's about time our friends productiveness at work slowed down. GE shareholders beware.