I grew up just north of Bowling Green, Ohio. Whenever anyone asked me where I was from, it was always just easier to say “Toledo.” People know Toledo. M*A*S*H put Toledo on the map thanks to one Jamie Farr. The Mud Hens have also contributed to the Glass City’s fame. And if you hadn’t heard of this little town before Katie Holmes became larger than life, you have by now.

I spent most of my teenage years and early twenties talking about how I was going to “get the hell out of Toledo.” I thought I was destined for so much more than this city. I almost made it a couple times. If it weren’t for a canceled flight in 1996, I might be living in Los Angeles right now. Arrangements had also been made to relocate to Columbus less than a year ago. Yet here I am, perched thirteen stories above the heart of downtown Toledo, Ohio. And ya know what? There’s no place I’d rather be.

For the past few months, I’ve slowly been falling in love with Toledo. I think it all started with a series in the Toledo Blade about the history of gambling in Toledo. Looking at pictures of speakeasies and gambling halls gave me a sense of nostalgia from a time long before I was born. Every time I came downtown, I tried to go past the former sites of these magical stories. Every picture I saw of downtown from about the 1920’s through the 1950’s just captivated me.

When Katy and I discussed going our separate ways, I knew there was only one place for me. As luck would have it, the rent at the Commodore Perry is much cheaper than anything I could have found in the surrounding area. I looked at one apartment before committing to a one year lease. I knew I wanted to live right in the heart of this history-rich environment. I’ve been here for about a week and I get more and more excited to be here every day.

I’ve been on vacation since last Sunday. On the days that Noah is with his mommy, I could sleep as late as I want. Instead, I’ve set my alarm for 7:30 am every morning so I can make a pot of coffee and sit by my window, watching and listening to the sights and sounds of rush hour. This morning, I walked over to the Farmer’s Market, then browsed the Libbey Glass Factory Outlet and the neighboring antiques mall. As I walked past abandoned storefronts and warehouses, I couldn’t help but wonder how amazing this city must have been in its heyday. Images of a bustling port city filled my head as I approached Fifth Third Field. That structure represents the changing of the guard for me.

Even though it saddens me to see some of the old buildings razed to the ground, it’s also a good thing. Fifth Third Field and the upcoming arena are revitalizing a city that had been slowly dying for decades. This afternoon, my dad and I ate lunch at a new Tony Packo’s that only exists because of Fifth Third Field. While we were there, my dad filled my head with stories of the Glass City from a forgotten era. Unbeknown to him, he was feeding a hunger for knowledge that has become all-consuming as of late.

So, this little rant is getting a bit wordy. I guess I’ll wrap it up for now. I have a lot more to say about Toledo, but I’ll break up my thoughts into separate posts as I discover more about it. I’m going to try to document my discoveries in images and share what I find to be fascinating about the city that I just couldn’t shake. I hope you guys come along for the ride. Hey, it’s better than reading about me moping around with my woe is me attitude, whining and crying about the “changes” in my life, right? That actually kinda sounds like denial. Hi there. You’re still reading? This stopped making sense at least a paragraph ago. Why are you still here? Loser.