I'm a Chicago 'lifer' who studied English at DePaul University and started my editorial career at "Consumer Guide Automotive." I joined Cars.com in late 2011 as a reviewer and manager of the Kicking Tires blog. How I wound up in automotive journalism is something I still ask myself, often out loud, in moments of both awe (piloting a Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG through Napa Valley's twisties) and annoyance (slogging through rush-hour traffic in a Dodge Caliber).