Yep! Class of 1979, U of I in Champaign-Urbana. I guess that makes me an “Illini” or Illinus or Illinum… My degree was pretty much worthless, so I don’t bestow much credence on that fact, but yes. I’m from there. I have an applied fine arts degree in music (vocal performance).

I also attended two years at NIU in DeKalb.

I got my most relevant experience those years (at least, as far as this blog is concerned) as bartender at “The Bar” on Chester Street.