Who IS This Guy?

Me in 500 words or less. Or so…

Or not…

(I tend to get carried away with……. oh, just about everything I do…….)

I’m a writer. Thought that since I was 12 when I wrote my first short story. Worked for a community newspaper while in high school. That was my last professional writing until releasing my first book, Four Simple Steps to Healthy, Happy Holidays, in 2014.

I’m a recovering CPA. Certified in 1981. Began defining myself as a CPA then. It was difficult to stop.

A health crisis eventually led to getting certified as a personal fitness trainer in 2004.

I still practice both of these professions.

I have an unquenchable thirst for wanting to help you, to motivate you, to inspire you. I think I’m a much better writer than speaker, but I also feel called recently to do more public speaking. My interests are as varied as the days of the week and the seasons. I think God wants me to share about my Catholic faith, so I’m doing it.

I’m a lifelong sports fanatic, thanks to Dad. I have always been an intense hockey and Chicago Blackhawks fan since I was a little kid.

I’ve lived and died with the Chicago Cubs, too. They broke my heart in 1969, ripped it out in 1984, and left me for dead in 2003. And to paraphrase Harry Caray, 2016 “might be, could be” the year. Or more punishment.

And the Bears? Well, they won their only Super Bowl the year we lived in Arizona. Love, love, love the memories of Football Sundays with Dad, though.

Some of my favorite lifetime memories are watching or playing sports with Dad. Watching the Blackhawks’ last two Stanley Cup victories in 2013 and 2015 at Mom and Dad’s house and playing in the annual St. Martha golf tournament with Dad and the kids are my most precious memories of all.  Priceless. Beyond priceless.

Played recreational sports my whole life. Still do. But was not a health and fitness fanatic until I was past 40.

If you want my philosophy of fitness, check out davekfitness.com.

If you want my philosophy of life, you’re in the right place (thephilosophyofdave.wordpress.com). And check out my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/davekwiecinski) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/dave.kwiecinski).

My wife, Kathy, and I have raised five kids. When we married in 1985, Sarah was 9 and Andy was 7. Doug, Stephen, and Martha followed in 1986, 1988, and 1989. Our oldest three are married. Nine grandchildren (so far). Imogen, our eighth and youngest, was born in September 2016. She is going to be a big sister. Her baby brother (or sister) is expected to meet the world in August 2018.

Triple G Camp (“Grandma, Grandpa, and Grandkids”) is an annual summer event. The grandkids gather at our humble abode and have to put up with us for a weekend. Camping in the backyard, weather permitting. Grandma gets a little more geeked out about it than I do (I worry about everything… ugh), but we all have a blast.

You will get to know my family. Read about Dad’s incredible health roller coaster. Check out the categories Family and My Dad’s Battle.

There are still stories to tell about Dad, our family’s tumultuous journey through his extended hospitalization and death and life since then, especially from Mom’s perspective. If you have not experienced the aftermath of a parent’s (or spouse’s) death, it’s not only your emotions. Even with a good estate plan, you’ll still deal with a number of financial and logistical issues.

We share our humble abode in far northeastern Illinois with five cats. Smokey is the oldest. Bun Bun (aka Bunny, aka “BUNNNNNNN Bunnnnnnn!!”) is the runt of the first litter born on our back deck. Bunny is a more than capable hunter. Shadow (aka “Ding Ding!!”), Kaner, and Chocolate (aka “Beebee!!”) are Bun Bun’s babies.

We’ve lost four other little guys. Kit Kat died in October 2011. Sandy ran away in August 2013 and never returned. Lady (my all-time favorite; don’t tell the others…) died in October 2016. Litta Kitten, Bunny’s mother, died in May 2017. Our hearts still ache for all of them.

You’ll get to know all of the cats, too.

My first fiction work, Underneath the Christmas Tree (The Adventures of Lady and Kit Kat Book 1), Lady’s story of her first Christmas with us, is available on Amazon.

This is where Kit Kat, Lady, and Litta Kitten are buried. R.I.P., Daddy’s little babies.