Thanks 2009!

I know Thanksgiving was a few months ago, but I wanna say thanks to the following people that have made 2009 such an incredible year:

--Thanks Dana for making my February and March just awesome. You were an awesome girlfriend and I understand why you left. Sucks we don't talk anymore, but I guess the whole Upper East Side versus Lower East Side thing was gonna disconnect us altogether.

--Thanks to the bar staff at The Cubby Hole and Lucky Jack's for making me feel right at home, away from my reality and the stress that comes with everyday living. Major props to Geeta and Liam for always giving me that extra pint or that extra shot when I needed it. Also thanks to Jenna for being an awesome bartender and friend, and I'll follow you into whatever bar you end up next, but please stay where you are. Also thanks to the fine folks at Donnybrook for making the most awesome Irish Breakfast in NYC!

--Thanks to my Inner Circle for being there when I needed a little encouragement or a drinking partner. In particular, Mutzie (you've always been there, regardless of where you are), Lesley, Katie B. You girls are awesome!

--Thanks to my concert crew and the very musicians I go see show in and show out. Music is what drives my soul, and I wish I could write the songs that they write, because, well, a good deal of those songs reflect my life and what's been going on in terms of love gained, love lost, and everything in between. Keep doing what you do.

--Finally, thanks Lynn for being such an awesome friend and soon-to-be Rock Boat Cabinmate. I'm definitely gonna get you to come out to some DC shows when I'm down there.

2010: I get two words for you. BRING IT.

Hello Blog, How Are You?

Sorry it's been a long time since I blogged. And there's so much I need to update you on, so we'll see how far I get through today. Fortunately, things have slowed down in the office and my boss is at a conference today, so that leaves me w/ some time to reflect on the past. Let me start off by telling you that my Inner Circle has changed. For those that don't know, my Inner Circle is a small group of friends I hold near and dear to my heart for whatever reason. Some come and go, and not because I've kicked them out or whatever. Circumstances change and things happen. But I'm still glad to have these peeps in my life:

• Lauren (my Mutzie): even though I don't speak to her as much as I used to, we're still fairly tight and I can lean on her whenever I need advice on something.
• Lesley (my drinking buddy/brunch partner/Glee Recap buddy): thank God I can rely on someone that just wants to hang out and have a few drinks w/ me, and all I have to do is text her
• Jenna (my Muffin): whoda thunk a chance encounter on a late Sunday afternoon would bloom into a great bartender/patron relationship? I've followed her into a 3rd bar this week, and I love how we can just talk about anything over a few beers and some whiskey.
• Katie (my Sunday night drinking buddy): another person I can rely on to help me de-stress from my Sunday afternoon ritual.
• Claire (my sidekick): she may have moved to Dallas, but we'll reunite on The Rock Boat, and all will be back to normal.

So I've been on a social tear as of late. So much of a tear that I rarely get nights of sobriety. For my Rock Boat friends, yes, I have begun my training! Night in and night out, I'm always out and about doing something, whether it's a show or I'm de-stressing or God knows what. And I'm doing more of my hanging out on the Lower East Side and East Village now...and staying put at Lucky Jack's, only 10 mins. away from my shoebox apartment...

Speaking of which, I had the place to myself last week! Momma went on vacation, which meant party in my place! Well...not really. But it was good to have the place to myself for a change.

Oh! Did I mention I went on a date lately? Went well, not gonna lay out the details and such, but yeah, I'm putting myself back out there!

And don't worry, I'm still going to shows, like a good concert whore would! October has been filled with shows. Let's see: Tyrone Wells, Erin McCarley, Will Hoge, Alternate Routes, JT Spangler, Nina Storey, Michael Tolcher, Hanson, Marc Broussard, Ernie Halter....it just keeps going!

Other than that, I'm prepped for my Rock Boat trip, which I can't wait for (as always!). And if I have any more stories to tell, I'll make sure to blog about it.

oh wow, half of 2009 is just about OVER.

Wow, it has been quite a year thus far, and we haven't gone through Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! I feel as though The Riz Experience took off on a much different level since The Rock Boat Niner. So, let's recap.

The Rock Boat Niner was an amazing getaway from my reality. A concert whore's dream. Being stuck on a boat w/ 30+ acts, rocking out and getting crazy at all hours of the day...I mean, really, it can't get better than that! And to be w/ other music lovers makes it better! I made some awesome new friends, and hopefully they'll all be back for Rock Boat X!

Another major highlight was the one thing I couldn't stop talking about, and I think it made my friends puke. And that was the fact that I entered into a relationship. For anyone that's known me over the years, when I fall in love, I fall HARD. I met an amazing girl the night of my birthday, and after trying to find ways to see each other, we took the plunge in the back of a cab after a night of drinking and said we were dating. For a little over a month she was an amazing girlfriend, and believe me, I cherished each and every single day we were together. I know she's happier in her current relationship right now, and all I can do is wish her all the happiness she desires. As for me, I'll be alright. I can go back to being the troublemaker that I am. Or be that guy that makes things happen. And yes, I'm still getting into my share of trouble.

One highlight from the year thus far that should also be noted is that I've expanded my Inner Circle of friends. The people in my Inner Circle are those I trust my life with and talk to about anything. And thanks to them, I'm becoming much more of a social butterfly now than I have been in the past. My social calendar gets filled up rather quickly, and it's not just shows now (even though the shows thus far have been AMAZING, and yes, I still take that damn Bolt Bus to DC and back). It's also my Tuesday Sessions, my Saturday Sessions, my LES Sessions, and it goes on and on.

Oh yeah, I love Citi Field. LET'S GO METS!

My church life, you ask? Well, someone called me out for my outside activities, which prompted a meeting, which prompted me to actually take a sabbatical from everything. That was fine. I was free to enter and leave as I pleased. I did somewhat come back, but I still do my vanishing act once Sunday Service is over. I've taken a liking to NOT LEAVING THE CITY.

Work? Well, I still have a job. Thank God.

I think that's the first half of 2009 in a nutshell. Where did the time go, really?

Blogging fron 36,000 feet above sea level.

If you can't tell, I love Virgin America already.

RIght now, I'm flying over Lafayette, Indiana, en route non-stop from NYC to San Francisco via Virgin America. Let's stop right there for a moment.

Why am I going to San Francisco? Originally, it was to have some fun w/ a friend on her bday weekend. Unfortunately, she's a tad bit under the weather, so the celebration has been limited to one day, and that'll be on my last full day on Sunday. So, for the most part, I'll be a solo tourist, doing the fun SF stuff (again) and going out for a run or two w/ all the hills SF can throw at me.

Ok, back to the real reason why I'm blogging this.

I LOVE VIRGIN AMERICA.

First off, when I was looking around for direct flights to SF, Virgin America was offering flights for 99 bucks each way. That is WAY LESS than taking an Acela Express train from NYC to DC, and WAY MORE LESS than taking a shuttle flight from NYC to DC. So there.

Second, they're trying to save on resources efficiently. For example, my boarding pass is no bigger than a standard 3x5 postcard, maybe smaller perhaps. That goes a long way in saving trees.

Ok, the flight itself. I'm listening to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" on the in-flight entertainment system (which also has some TV channels, video games, and seat-to-seat instant messaging, along w/ a map of the flight path thus far [we're flying over Illinois right now in a bit of turbulence]), and my macbook is connected via WiFi (which costs 12.95 per flight). Oh yeah, and there's an outlet for my macbook to remain juiced. The internet connection is AWESOME. I IM'd a few people, no problems. I also uploaded a few Photo Booth pics onto Facebook w/ very little waiting.

Well, that's my quick and dirty review from high above the ground. I'll be blogging from San Francisco this weekend.

Thanks Mom for everything

My mom and I don't see eye-to-eye on a number of things. Sure, we may have similar beliefs when it comes to Christianity, but I take a more liberal approach to it than my mom does. Yeah, we're both outgoing, but her social circle is her church, while my social circle is...well...my social circle consists of many different circles. My mom has her view of who I should marry, while I already have my idea of "the one" would be for me (if you must know, Momma wants me to marry an Indonesian girl, but all of you know what I prefer). And yeah, we argue about all the stupid basic beliefs we each hold.

But regardless of the differences, my mom has always supported me. She hated the fact that I went to DC for college, but she let me do it. And when things went south down there, she told me to head back home up north so she could offer her own bailout package, and she did bail me out. Recently I told her about my last relationship, and she kinda objected to it, but she let me go ahead w/ it only because I was truly happy. For the most part, she supports me and we get along in our own unique way.

In all earnestness, without her, I dunno where I would end up today. So happy Mother's Day, Mom.

Making 4 hours go by seamlessly.

I love it when there are shows I can go to away from NYC on a Saturday. Just so long as I can get back to the City by Sunday afternoon. And as of late, I've been hitting up quite a few shows in the place I once called my Second Home for a few years. DC was where I honed my concert whoring skills and thus deepened my appreciation for good music. Music that I could connect with. Music that could end up being the soundtrack to my life.

The only hassle about doing these DC trips is all the travelling! Get to/from DC can sometime drag me down physically. Let's list all the ways I've gotten to and from DC.

--Amtrak. Expensive as all hell. But sometimes I need to get back to the city uber early (mainly to take care of church obligations), so I'll take the 3:15am train from DC, which gets me back to NYC around 7am. I once did an Honor By August show on a Saturday night, got on the Amtrak at 3:15am, made it to NYC around 7am only to take a disco nap and then get ready to lead a worship service by 4pm (w/ rehearsal at 11am). Never again.

--Ghetto Greyhound. At the time I did this, it was a bit cheap, but not as cheap as the Chinatown buses. Sure, Greyhound was relatively clean, but almost every bus was crowded and filled w/ people I wouldn't trust my life with. Those 4 hour rides seemed like an eternity. Oh yeah, doesn't help that the Greyhound terminal in DC was in a sketchy part of town. Never again.

--Aeroplane. I once flew from DC to NYC for a Michelle Branch show, and then took a Greyhound back afterwards. At the time I did this, it was some time after 9/11 and people were still afraid to fly. Airfares were uber cheap (yes, even cheaper than Amtrak!), so I took advantage and made it home in less than an hour. Holla! But in this economy, never again, unless it's an emergency.

--Chinatown bus. I did this ONCE. The bus smelled, and again, filled w/ people that I couldn't trust or were downright annoying. NEVER AGAIN.

--Megabus. It's probably the cheapest of the lot, but everyone takes it now and the wifi didn't really work. I rode their double-decker one time, that was interesting.

So yeah, basically all these methods of transportation to get to my weekend getaway destination just wasn't doing it for me. At least until Bolt Bus came around. It's relatively cheap and has fairly reliable wifi. On my way to DC yesterday (Will Hoge was playing in Annapolis, MD), I rode the Bolt Bus down and didn't even realize I was on the bus for 4 hours. I didn't pay much attention to the road, as I was facebook and twitter stalking. It's a comfy ride and the service is pretty darn good. The people that ride Bolt are friendly people that I could have convos with or whatever; mainly they're like me, facebook/twitter stalking along w/ me on their laptops and macbooks.

Anyway, I'm heading home now on Bolt. Back to facebook/twitter stalking. I'm in Baltimore as I'm writing this.

Quick updates time!
--Won almost $200 on the Kentucky Derby!
--Happy Birthday Emma!
--Julie, here's to closure!
--And I'm still working hard and playing harder! This weekend: three nights up, three nights down. Last weekend: same deal. Karaoke included. Yes my friends, please welcome back The Fabulous Life of Riz!

Back to Basics.

Lord knows you deserve better
But she deserves no less than the best that you can offer up
You deserve better
But what becomes of you when the best has left and gone and slipped away
--"Better," Honor By August

I finally decided I needed to seek closure and move on from what I consider a really awesome relationship. She's happy where's she at right now, and I can't stay stuck at neutral. Life has to continue, one way or another. So I've decided to go back to doing what I've been doing all along, and that is to lead The Fabulous Life of Riz. There are some adjustments that I've made in terms of what I believe and how I approach things post-relationship, but most of the aspects are pretty much the same as it has been all these years. So here we go. Time to restructure my life!

I will always be about working hard and playing harder. I keep doing what do best on the job, and when the opportunities present themselves, I'll keep having as much fun as possible. I still love how I'll intend to hang out for a couple of hours and end up staying at the same place until about 4 in the morning.

As of recently, I now have two home bars. The Cubbyhole will always be my main home bar, and I will continue to go there (yes, we need to work on bringing back those Saturday Sessions again!) on a regular basis. But I figured I needed another place to hang out at that's closer to home. Saves me some cash on those cab rides and such. Plus, I've become buddies w/ one of the bartenders there and I've started getting to know a few of the regulars. So yeah, two home bars!

When it comes down to love, I'm gonna stick to what works for me: True Love Waits. The best friendships and relationships I've had were ones that just came out of nowhere. Those were the ones where fate plays a crucial role. My last relationship is a perfect example of that. Neither of us expected to be dating each other when we first met, but it clicked, and it worked (at least while it lasted). And every time I chased after someone, it never ends up the way I wanted things to end up. Mostly it'd be some hookup and that would be it. So I'm going back to my no expectations approach to love and let the chips fall where they may! And if my last relationship was any indicator of anything, it goes to show that there is definitely someone out there who will come out of the blue to steal my heart and take my breath away. And when that happens, I'll be just as happy, or even happier, than the last time.

So raise your glasses w/ me and help me toast to the comeback of The Riz Experience!