My name is Dan Billings. Who am I?
Born in 1982, as my grandmother reminds me every year, I was premature. Surviving that struggle, I grew into a real boy. I graduated from Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, IL in 2000.
I went to college and got a degree in politics and government and mathematics from Ripon College. Then went to Chicago-Kent School of Law, where I focused on environmental law and intellectual property. After a few months of trying the life as a practicing attorney, I turned to legal publishing. I began my career writing content about tax laws. Now, I basically work for the man.
However, through all of that, I continued my love of politics, studying, and writing. I started Rock the Western World with my first tax refund when I started to work. I do not make a penny off the site and spend money each year to renew the website and its hosting services. The $200 a year or so is worth the investment. The blog or website has had its ups and downs. But I enjoy writing in it whenever I can. The title came from an episode of the cartoon Recess that I watched with my brother. The nerdy character Gus, for whatever reason, started saying that he “rocked the western world.” I liked the line and stole it.
For the past four years, I have been with the most wonderful person I have ever met. He moved me down to Lexington, KY, where we have started our life. We have ourselves a dog named Max and a wonderful home.
Why I Created This Particular Page
Most recently, I quit Facebook. I maintain a presence on Twitter and Instagram for the time being. So if you’re looking for Dan Billings from Mount Prospect or Ripon or Chicago-Law – this is the best place to find me.
I found myself spending too much time flipping through my phone and not thinking in full sentences. I wanted everything written in bite-sized portions. And I also realized that Facebook did not build a community or a dialogue. It just allowed for yelling – and I did a lot of yelling.
This site will allow me to think through my thoughts, stories, and life. It may never become a bastion for information or a content trend, but I have spent a lot of 2017 working on it. And I’m quite proud of my work.
For 2018, the goal has shifted to writing more fiction – with occasional political rants, book reviews, and hopefully comic book talk. I love to write. I love to read. And I love the freedom I get from writing and reading here.
So, if you’re a family member, a friend or someone who just stumbled upon this site, welcome. Say hi. And it’s great to have you in my life.