Paul Geiger grew up browsing at Honolii and not left the water even if he moved to Chicago.
The 1984 St. Joseph graduate performed tennis, was once at the swimming and diving crew and gained the BIIF diving identify as a freshman. He additionally bowled for a 12 months, however the waves at Honolii saved calling him again. He performed Little League baseball, but if he grew to become 12 years previous, he returned to browsing.
Within the curious case of the place are they now?, Geiger, 53, owns a legislation apply in Chicago, the place he nonetheless surfs and enjoys the heartache of being a Bears fan.
He and his spouse Maureen have two youngsters, Paul, who’s about to graduate from Minnesota and Maddie, who’s at San Diego.
Like maximum Bears lovers, he laments normal supervisor Ryan Tempo’s resolution to draft Mitch Trubisky over Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Geiger can take just a little of convenience that the Chicago Cubs broke the Curse of the Billy Goat and gained the 2016 Global Collection. He’s additionally keen on the White Sox — which is kind of like being a soccer fan of UH-Manoa and BYU — the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks.
“We were given Billy Donovan at the Bulls,” Geiger stated. “I really like the entire Chicago groups, however I’m no doubt a Bears fan.”
Geiger does salary and hour class-action circumstances in the course of the federal courtroom machine.
“I ensure other folks receives a commission, specifically extra time within the federal courtroom machine,” he stated. “I do numerous exertions paintings. For 11 years, I used to be normal recommend for the police union in Chicago.”
He grew up underneath the watchful care of his folks, the overdue Dr. Paul W. Geiger and Jen, who now lives in Florida, two sisters and a brother, Hans, who has his personal manufacturing corporate in Hollywood.
It was once a miles other and more effective time when he attended St. Joseph, which crammed him with amusing recollections.
“I be mindful St. Joseph was once an extraordinarily amusing position to visit college. I in point of fact loved myself on a daily basis. It was once very a lot a group,” he stated. “I be mindful I went to a Halloween dance, dressed as a witch and no one knew who I used to be. My biology instructor was once Andrew Yuen and I remembered I surfed with him at Honolii. There aren’t too many puts you surf with a instructor. It was once the easiest position to develop up.”
After Geiger graduated from school in Chicago, he was once aimless, running however now not going anyplace. His mother advised him to take the LSAT take a look at. Geiger did and were given into legislation college. His lifestyles grew to become round in a while thereafter.
“That was once that. I married a neighborhood woman and right here I’m. I’m nonetheless seeking to get again to Hawaii someday,” he stated. “In my senior 12 months of legislation college, I began relationship my spouse, were given married, and settled down right here. The humorous factor is I used to dread the iciness. However it’s a long way and away the most efficient season for browsing.”
Geiger began a membership, Chicago Waveriders, which has 550 contributors. Most commonly, contributors hit Fb to glue on the most recent browsing date and publish movies.
“There’s an enormous surf scene right here,” he stated. “I attempted it in school within the ‘80s with a brief board. I didn’t pick out it up once more till 8 or 9 years later. My neighbor was once into it giant time. I used to be like, ‘No matter dude.’ Positive sufficient, I were given again into it.
“Chicago, it’s contemporary water. You don’t have to fret about sharks. The waves are sand backside. There’s so much much less juice than Hawaii.”
There’s one catch about browsing in Chicago, particularly all over the iciness.
“The waves gained’t kill you. It’s the chilly that may kill you,” Geiger stated. “We put on numerous tools, boots, hoods. We’re coated from head to toe. You cross out in 15 level climate and put your head in 35 level water and it hurts. It’s like an ice cream headache instances 10.”
When his youngsters have been younger, the circle of relatives used to discuss with Hawaii once a year. Once they hit highschool, the vacation spot modified to Europe. Now that they’re in school, it’s Hawaii once more. Geiger ultimate visited the 50th state six years in the past.
His son will graduate with a biology level and volunteered at a charity that serves inner-city Hispanics.
“He loves it,” Geiger stated. “Possibly, he’ll paintings for a nonprofit. It’s high-quality through me so long as he’s glad.
“My daughter is learning behavioral science. She will tear up the ukulele. She’s self-taught. Either one of them discuss Spanish.”
Geiger has so much on his plate, fascinated about a long-awaited go back to house at the Giant Island, lamenting the Bears’ perennial misfortune and browsing in chilly water. When he is going house and shakes off the chilly, Geiger can experience his Chicago sports activities groups.
“I like NFL soccer,” he stated. “I really like each baseball groups, the Cubs and White Sox. I just like the White Sox possession higher. I hate the DH (designated hitter) rule. It’s a horrible rule. I just like the Nationwide League greater than the American League.
“When I used to be a child, I’d watch the Braves or Cubs. The ones have been the one groups at the channels on TV.”
The ones have been the times for Geiger, who’s reminded that browsing at Honolii was once the place the whole thing stared for him.