From the Bottom Up

So you've come to this blog and reached the bottom, the spot at which we're supposed to give you the reasons why we're doing this now and for the foreseeable future. And it probably wouldn't hurt to have some context for the title, either.

I'm not sure why I picked 6:30 a.m. on a rainy, freezing Sunday October morning to finally sign up with Google, except that this is something that has been on my to-do scroll for months, ever since my wife Jill brought it up during dinner.

Listening to the four kids chatter relentlessly, intermittently interrupting the proceedings to show off a new dance move, sing a song, or do some standup, she looked across the table and said, "Our life should be a reality show."

Jill has a point, especially now because we are living in two different cities with kids who have only five years separating them in age, yet attend four schools in three states. (I'll explain later...)

At the same time, I'm not quite ready for cameras to stalk us relentlessly or for my bride to get a short blond haircut and a sudden attitude. And I don't want to be forced to explain, ad infinitum, why three kids are exhibitionist wannabes while the fourth refuses to go on camera, preferring instead to look at the fine print of the non-existent contract with some fourth-rate public access cable channel that is following us around.

But I do think, at least in part, that we have a life worth chronicling. So here we are... We hope those of you who are top-to-bottom readers have enjoyed it so far. For those who read from the bottom up, welcome.