User talk:Michael Sebastian

Michael Sebastian is a Chicago journalist and humorist, who -- through his primary blog, Ready Bare Chested -- has attracted a loyal audience of readers and fellow commentators and journalists.

Born Oct. 20, 1980 in Park Ridge, IL, Sebastian attended Maine South High School and later earned a bachelor of arts in history at The University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign. Sebastian was a music critic for the University's student newspaper, The Daily Illini, and frequent contributor to the now defunct weeklies The Octopus, CU CityView and The Hub. Upon graduation, Sebastian began working as a reporter with the Journal & Topics Newspapers in Des Plaines, IL. During his time at The Journal & Topics he covered a wide variety of subjects including obituaries, police beats, features, restaurant reviews and sports. He ultimately became editor of the Niles Journal and Glenview Journal newspapers rising to the role of political reporter in those towns. His investigative reporting on the Niles Police Department directly led to an Illinois State's Attorney's investigation. A September 2004 piece that Sebastian wrote titled, "His Love for Life Lives on Always," a first person account of the murder of his best friend, Brett Harman, was nominated for an Illinois Press Association Award for Excellence in Journalism.

In June 2005, Sebastian left The Journal & Topics to pursue freelance writing and fiction projects.