Will Who?

Since many blogs and news organizations don't like linking to unidentified authors, I decided it's time to write a reference post about who I am. Besides that, my focus has changed a bit since I started this as a campaign blog so it's time for a new statement of purpose.

My name is Will Reynolds and I'm one of those community organizers Glenn Beck warned you about.

It's a little excessive. Organizations I currently volunteer for include:

Sierra Club Illinois Chapter - Elected member and Vice-Chair of Executive Committee. Political Committee member. Clean Cars campaign chair.

Sierra Club Sangamon Valley Group - Chair

Illinois Stewardship Alliance - Executive board member

Liberty Brew & View - A monthly movie series on political or social issues, usually combined with speakers and opportunities to take action. In 2009 the Central Illinois ACLU honored me with the Larry Golden Award, primarily for establishing this independent forum for the exploration of civil liberties and other issues.

Disclaimer

All opinions written on this blog, ridiculous or otherwise, are mine and are not written on behalf of any organization unless specifically stated.

Watchu talkin 'bout Willis?

I usually write about the environment and Illinois politics with a focus on Springfield, clean energy, the coal industry and whatever project or event I'm working on at the time.

Some jobs I enjoyed to varying degree

Community Volunteer Center for central Illinois, Director

National Parks Conservation Association, field organizer.

Dennis Kucinich '04 Presidential Campaign, Deputy National Field Director.

Project Vote - Arkansas voter registration drive director.

Political campaign and online organizing consultant.

SEIU organizer in Southern Illinois.

Steak n' Shake bus boy.

And several others

Places I lived, in order:

Springfield, IL

Carbondale, IL

Knoxville, TN

Cleveland, OH

Manchester, NH

Little Rock, AR

Chicago, IL

Springfield, IL

Family History Anecdotes

Thanks to my genealogist parents, I can trace by family roots in rural Central Illinois back to the 1840's. They were mostly working class farmers, coal miners, Democrats (they supported Douglas over Lincoln), and occasional troublemakers. I have great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers on both sides of my family who mined coal in Illinois and Indiana. Other ancestors were part of Colonel US Grant's first unit of command in Illinois and some followed him all the way to Georgia. One of my earliest ancestors to reach the Americas was an Englishman kidnapped from church by pirates. After congregation members raised the ransom, he instead chose to join the pirates, terrorizing the Caribbean, before he eventually settled down to become a colonial Governor.

A little more about myself

I've seen blogs with quirky, entertaining "get to know you" questions but I couldn't find any good ones. Instead, my search turned up "100 questions to ask your boyfriend before you get married." Although, it could be called "100 ways to annoy your boyfriend and get him to change the subject to something more appealing, such as slime molds." Here are my answers to a few of them.

If I had an accident and be left with terrible scars for life, would you still love me?

Oh no, these questions must have been written by a 19 year old girl.

What is it of me that you like the most?

That you're reading my blog.

At what age do you plan to get married?

Five years older than I am at any given time.

What are your plans (goals) for the future?

I'd like to see if I can haul a truckload of cheap bootleg beer from west of the Mississippi to Georgia while evading smokey and picking up a runway bride along the way.

Would you leave me for a celebrity that really really liked you?

If she's on my "list of five" then yes, absolutely.

How would you react if the doctor told me that I have a deadly disease? Would you still love me?

Deadly disease, accidents, scars... someone has issues to deal with.

How do you visualize the perfect woman? What are her attributes?

A mix between Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Drew Barrymore.

What would be your best reason to break up with me?

You don't wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I'm a loner. A rebel. So long.

What is your mayor goal in life?

I have no goal of running for mayor.

What are your mayor flaws?

I'm not very good at sucking up to the Chamber of Commerce.

What has been the most important decisions in your life?

Deciding to take jobs I'll enjoy that have meaning to me, even if they don't always pay the most. Going to school and learning basic grammar skills.

Who is your hero?

My former professor, Paul Simon. Many others.