Be Gentle, It's My First Time...

I wonder how many times a blog has started with that as the title of the first post.  Anyways, it's true.  This IS my first attempt at writing a blog.

Over the past few years I have spent a lot of time reading blogs, mostly those that focus on the Chicago Theatre Scene.  The title of this blog, for example, is a complete rip off of Don Hall's blog An Angry White Guy in Chicago.  Actually, Don is a friend and one day on facebook, after a status update where I said I was starting to feel like An Angry Mexican Guy in Chicago, he told me to "Start that blog!"  


So, I did!  

No, wait.  That is not entirely true.  I have been toying with the idea of starting a blog for a long time, that was just the straw that broke.  

Before we get into why I am writing this blog, though, I want to fill you in on the source.

Who am I? Why does that matter?

There are few things from my days at St. Ignatius College Prep that I remember.  One lesson that has always stuck with me is to consider the source.  When gathering information, one must always consider the source and then weigh the information gathered accordingly. 

If you are going to take the time to read what I write, you should know who I am. 

I was born and raised in Chicago.  Expect for 3 semesters at Michigan State University I have lived in Chicago all of my life.  I love this city with every fiber of my being.  It has molded me and shaped me into the person that I am.  Outside of my family and my friends nothing means more to me than this place.

I am a first generation Mexican-American (Spoiler Alert: I prefer American of Mexican decent, but we will get into that in a later post).  

I was raised by a single parent. 

I am a theatre artist.  Chicago Storefront, to be exact.

I love music.  Chicago House, to be exact. 

Politically, I am best described as a Liberal.  I voted for Obama, think women have a right to Choose, believe that Gay people deserve equal rights under the law, and that Racism is alive and kicking.

I am an atheist.  

I over use commas and I confuse they're/there/their all the time.

I contradict myself, from time to time.

What is this blog going to be about:

Mainly theatre, Chicago, music, religion, art, politics, my friends, my family.  Basically anything that interests me at the time I am writing.

Also, I really want to do interviews,

Back to the why.

Why I am writing this blog:

I've been thinking about starting a blog, for a while now, because I feel that within the blogosphere I see myself as a part of, I think there is a voice missing.  That is not to say that I think that anything that I have to say is more important than what anyone else has to say, I just know there are not very many Mexican guys, from Chicago, writing blogs about theatre.  So there is that.

Also, I am opinionated as fuck (and I swear).  I see the world around me and I have opinions about what I see and I want to share them with people.  I am not trying to change minds.  I just want to be a part of the debate.  I think that we have gotten to a point in this country where people have stopped listening, stopped considering each other's points of view -- in theatre, politics, society, etc.  I want people to listen to me and I want to listen to people.  Nothing is black and white, lets dive into the grey. 

Finally, I want to become a better writer.  I think, as I am sure many other bloggers do, that if I force myself to have a place to write for, then I will write more things.  Writing more things, hopefully, will allow me to become a better writer.  At least that is the idea.

Lets wrap it up:

How is that for an origin story?  Not as good as the first Iron Man, but definitely better than that crap Wolverine:Origins movie.  That was a real piece of shit.

Anyways, in the days, weeks, and months to come I am sure the blog will go thru many changes, eventually hitting a stride that I, as yet, can not see.  Until then...

...be gentle, it's my first time.