On Writing, With a Comeback Twist

I was a writer.

In middle school and high school, I developed a love for writing that has never really faded. Always liking to do it, never being sure I was good at it, but it qualified as a passionate topic for me when I was a younger man.

But as a cousin once so eloquently stated about your shifting priorities, “Life gets in the way”. And the writing portion of my life was soon put on the shelf for, mainly: work.

For those who will read this who don’t know me, I was brought up in a pre-dominately Italian American household, the grandson of immigrants who came to America from the southern part of Italy and Sicily. They struggled in their new home and culture, like many others, working in blue collar factories doing what my grandmother used to call piece work.

With some help, they became what we now call entrepreneurs, succeeding in the demanding world of the restaurant business. For the next four decades, that business was the family identity. Within that framework, when my school days were done, it also became my identity.

I worked the long days and nights like the rest of my family, having fun, making money, building a business…but finding no time for that love of writing. Working with my family members was very rewarding, but after many years of doing it, I had to make a break, and find my own way.

With now having a young family of my own, the restaurant morphed into something that was taking me away from them, stealing all my time. In order to spend that time with my wife and daughter, I had to abandon ship.

But I look back on that time now as something I would never change, a very memorable part of my life. Working with my grandparents and parents taught me many things, some of which I’m anxious to explore further in this blog. Their values, work ethic, and that slice of Italian Americana should invoke fresh material every time I choose to put on my creative hat.

I hope to offer something of value to at least one person reading this blog,  giving you glimpses into subjects that I love—stories of  impactful people and their inspiration, personal development from a fresh perspective, my take on current events, sports, and trying to retain old school values in a modern world that spins far too fast for my taste.

Glad you’re reading. Please comment, because without readers and their feedback, this is just an exercise in narcissism. And who needs one more blog in this crowded internet just being read by its author?