Background (1/15) - MP

My name is Matt. I’m 25 years old, from Chicago, IL, where I’ve lived since I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008, briefly before the economy tanked. Despite living in three states, as I grew up in the Twin Cities, I’ve never lived more than 15 miles from I-94. That Midwestern identity has defined me - as has my Jewish cultural background. I grew up with proud Jewish parents and joined a Jewish frat in college, although I’ve increasingly struggled with some aspects of that identity lately. Most recently, running has begun to define me – but I’ll get to that later.

Directly out of college, again convinced that the economic failure was about to crush my future and I’d be bankrupt if I failed to find a job that I could learn immediately and easily (thanks, CNN and dad), I ended up in the hospitality industry.
I now run a hotel during the overnight hours, and I’ve done that now for almost four years. Being nocturnal – literally – is a drag. It’s difficult not to feel like an outsider when you’re the only person in a social circle self-denying the right to sleep after the sun has set, although the lifestyle and job can, very rarely, have their advantages. Overall, it has left me very dissatisfied with a major part of my life at the moment… but I’ve made it work and have learned to deal with it effectively. Usually.