There is no rest for the wicked and despite being everyone's favourite VIP credit distributor and all-round paragon of nicety, I have also been busy, which seems unfair. Still, having completed my duties as a modern man accompanying Lady -07 at the hospital for the last couple of days for the birth of little Grin-07 Jnr, I thought this would be a good time to provide a couple of thoughts and updates on things.

The easiest to disclose is that I've decided everyone who has not taken their oath or had the books opened for them is free to join/leave Chicago as they see fit. Provided any Wise Guy or below let's either myself or Taps-Man know and they have earned at least $250,000 for us, they can leave our organisations at any time if they do not find it to their liking. I don't want people who are half-in and sometimes you just don't gel with the setup in a city. So, if you want to see how things work in Chicago and were worried about being stuck here with Elodin, fear no more. You can go.

In a similar vein, my people and I have tried quite hard to make an effort with the would-be mobsters in container crews and will now be recalling our representatives in these crews over the coming days. To clarify what we've done here, in addition to making a speech directly to all recorded container members and sending representation from my family who have been speaking with members directly, my door has remained open the entire time. I also sent a description of The Grin Gang to each CL several days ago with a request that they publicise this on their HQ notice boards, which I'm hoping they did. I also asked them to let their people know that Taps-Man was not a temporary auth and has been officially given the nod to lead a crew for me in South Side, Chicago. Accordingly at this stage, I feel the majority of these members are old hands or at least know what their options are. Their decision to remain in container crews is not due to ignorance and therefore, I don't think I can help further.

The only other thing I wanted to touch on was the small explosion of abuse towards storytelling monologues in public, particularly as I may have been a contributory factor in that after my visit to Scott McCall's outpouring several days ago. Now, I'm not a fan of this type of activity where there is no real attempt at interaction with others, especially where it is supernatural nonsense, but I also probably shouldn't have bothered wasting my time on commenting about it. It was not my intention to implicitly condone the deliberate derailing of every storyteller, more to point out the absurdity of some of our worst culprits. Whilst I'm of the opinion that this activity is very much money for old rope, I'm not sure the onus is on me and the fellow bosses to stamp it out as these rewards come directly from our VIP overlords and they have no issue with it. Who am I to trifle with the will of the Gods?

I think we will leave the philosophical musings there as I still need to pay a visit to a certain forest whilst I still have some words left in me. If you would like to share your thoughts on my thoughts, crack on. I'm around.

Thanks for the update Grin-07.  I just want to say, that as far as I'm concerned, I am 100% loyal to Chicago.

I'm an ass-hat from Chicago, and I'm proud to be one.  I plan on living, and dying, right here in Chicago.

Unless you send me somewhere else, in which case I'll do it there.  But let me take this opportunity to reemphasise my unquestioning loyalty to you.

I'm sure there are some who would not have given me a home, given the nature of my father's crimes.   But you looked beyond that,and here I am, tributing, joining in, and enjoying life in Chicago.