My name is Lee Steinebach.  I was born in 1968… before the moon landing, disco, Reaganomics and Starbucks.  I entered the world in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and, while I’ve had momentary notions of find other corners of the world to hang my hat, I continue to reside in the area.

In my five decades on this planet I’ve been many things: a busboy, a teacher, an accountant, an actor, a musician, a disc jockey and a journalist.  In 1995, I invested my geek cred and started my own computer consulting firm, running it ever since.

My life has seen its rewards and challenges.  Connections have come and gone, though some of the good ones have persevered.  I often spend some time looking back with a question of “Why?”, and a great deal of time looking forward with a question of “How?”  Halfway through life, I still grasp for answers that forever seem elusive.

I started this blog for several reasons.  I have been journaling privately on and off for most of my life, never sharing the narrative with anyone.  I have recently felt the desire to express myself a bit more openly, and recent events in my life have spurred me to take action.  Social media, for all of its benefits, seems an inadequate way to do so: competing for fleeting visibility in a sea of memes, selfies and heated opinions.  Having a blog provides a way to throw more esoteric thoughts against the wall and having them stick there for a while longer and ferment a little.

I can’t promise high entertainment value here.  Nor can I promise deeper meaning or epiphanies.  I may even upset some of you.  If you would rather keep your predetermined vision of the person that I am, then you may wish to exit this site.  I will not think less of anyone who does.  This blog is mainly for me, but if you feel the need to peruse the deeper recesses of my mind, then here you go.

So what’s with the blog name?  Many people my age and older (or those that still read actual books) may understand the reference.  It is the primary quest of Don Quixote, a highly noble (if very misguided) man who self-stylizes as a knight out to bring chivalry back to the world.  In his eyes, he saw the windmills of his time as fearsome giants in which to do battle with.  In our lives, we all have our personal giants in which we struggle with, though often even those closest to us may only see the battlefield for the windmills.

It is also a nice reference back to my company’s name (also based on the noble character).  And being mostly of Dutch heritage figures into windmills a little bit, too.