It’s been nearly 2 months since I checked in with yall and it has been crazy. Been working a lot, been to some theatre, went to a couple concerts, hurricanes, hung out with friends, earthquakes, created drama, started dated someone, had some extended family visit, continued with my improv classes, drank, made new friends, stopped dating someone, built ikea furniture, watched a lot of breaking bad, and generally have been keeping on keeping on.

Mostly my time is spent working and sleeping. Which is great. I do like my job. Hours are long, but it is worth it, and it keeps me out of trouble and my bank account afloat. I have recently been toying with the idea of taking a sommelier class to actually get some real wine education. I hate not being able to answer questions that I should know. I even started training people at work, crazy right!?

Lately I have been missing people. I have some good friends here but only a couple good ones, not to offend anyone, but it takes time to really build the relationships and the closeness I have with people speckled throughout California. I guess I am bit homesick, natural I suppose, I did spend my whole life there. I gotta find a few days when I can get back to visit, I just dont know if I feel ready. Like I am not established enough here to leave for any time. I have just been having some anxiety set in about everything recently. Even though things are still great in New York; I make good money, have friends, and have a great place to live, but I’m still adjusting. This was the plan, and it was never supposed to be easy, and if this is the hardest part… I suppose I’m fine.

I was dating someone for awhile, a 27 yr old who was a customer. It was going great for a little bit multiple dates, some sleepovers, some meet the friends and family, then as per usual once I finally got invested we ended things. So I’ve already had my first (of many) failed relationships in the city. Only a couple years until I have to leave this town too I chalk this entirely up to New York dating experience.

Fall is beginning and everyone tells me this is the most beautiful time to be in New York, and I love fall anyways so I am excited. But the glean and the newness of this adventure is wearing off and the real life is beginning. I have already done a fucking ton in New York in 4 months and I need to keep at it and do more and more.

And it’s my birthday next Monday october 3rd and I havent planned anything. Its weird having my birthday here. I really just dont know what to do at all.

I’ll give you guys more details soon on everything. I really just needed to post something to break the dam of my writers block. feels good to be back yall.

Everything has been going great, I have been working 5 or 6 days a week at Grape and Grain, aside from a few procedural fuck ups I make (I am terrible at counting apparently.), its going super good. Starting to have regular customers and I am getting more and more familiar with the menu. I even started working some private parties. I had three this weekend. Including a gay wedding rehearsal dinner! Then they invited me to come the reception the next day. Which I did and it was awesome.

Home sickness is setting in. I just want to be at the river at paradise beach in Sacramento with a 4loko right now. I am missing my friends plays. I am missing families birthdays. Perhaps worst of all, I am missing friends weddings. Trina and Victoria got married last week and I wish I cold have been there. My friends were all there and then drunkenly called me from the bar after while I was walking home from an extremely hot and long shift, and I had a moment of “why the fuck am I not there with all my friends in my bar celebrating my friends wedding?” The feeling comes and goes, but generally miss everyone. and this will only get worse. Especially when its snowy in winter. ugh. Not looking forward to that. at all. And I am going to have to miss at least one major holiday. That is going to be terrible.

My life has been so busy lately. Mostly I just work and sleep, which is fine for now, just trying to  work my ass off and get myself comfortable here. Oh speaking of which I just bought a bed! Well just the mattress. My roommate had an old IKEA frame that I seem to be missing a part for. So I’m just put my mattress on the floor now. Makes a big difference in my quality of life. I want to get my room set up. get like a desk and shelves and shit. it kinda just looks a bit like hobo squat right now. The empty coors light tallboys dont help.

I am making a good amount of money, but I have so many bills and much debt. Rent. Electricity. Phone. Paying my mom back. more classes. And I need new head shots. oh yeah, and I eat and drink. its like? where the fuck did all my money go? Welcome to being an adult not living at your moms house Devin.

I finished the 2 week intensive at UCB. I signed up for the next 301 class starting in late August. I’m ready. I think a couple week break will be good. I’m meeting a few of the girls from my 101 class for dinner tonight.

New York has been amazing to me so far. I got a great room right away. A great job. And a great group of friends. its only been a couple months. I dont want this to sound like bragging. I am thankful and amazed and blessed. I am a big advocate of appreciating the good times when they are here. and this is it. I dont know what tragedy or shitstorm will hit me next, and I’m sure I will complain, but for the time being everything is beautiful and I just want to appreciate that. I am a fortunate person I just want to thank the universe for that somehow. I am counting my blessings right now. I am just terrrrrible at counting.

and I’m seeing Sufjan Stevens at Prospect Park on wednesday. oh AND I have a date with a customer on tuesday lol.

Love yall,

peace

My mom came and visited for a week which was great. I got to do all the touristy shit in New York. Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Ground Zero, Broadway shows, Top of the Rock, etc etc etc. It was super fun, and it was kinda my last week before I dive into working and a new class. Not to mention we got to see WAR HORSE. Which was epic. I cried. It was so fuckin good, I cant even. Generally it made every other play I have ever seen a piece of shit. Not to over hype it. The puppetry, the acting, the lighting. damn. And it is such a simple script. Boy misses his horse and tries to find it. Thats the plot. But its so good. Then we saw Cirque Du Soleil’s opening night of Zarkana at the Radio City Music Hall. Which was also awesome. Cool stunts, beautiful staging, and great music. But its still like a glorified circus ya know? Basically a series of stunts and tricks that somehow tried to be tied together by a storyline. Which was not needed really. Still super cool.

I also had a figure modeling job for an art class. Sitting still naked for four hours a day. Not a terribleway to make money. And there was some sweet paintings done of me. Not the most flattering

This is one of the less revealing paintings...

position, and its not quite done, but you get the gist. Pretty cool experience. I probably wont have another class until the fall semester.

I finished the improv 101 class at Upright Citizens Brigade, I got to perform on the UCB stage for the graduation show which was RAD. Sure it was at noon and pretty much no one was there, but we still rocked it. I felt like I had a pretty good fucking show too. I started the 201 intensive 2 week class 2 days later. This class definitely  has an overall higher skill level and requires trying harder. I dont feel like the best. At least not right now. The current format is also frustrating and hard for anyone to really shine at. I have one more week of classes and then another show at UCB. and then hopefully I can find a 301 class pretty soon. I also applied for a diversity scholarship through UCB. I’m not all that diverse… but why not apply? I am trying to bang these classes out this year, up my skill level, find some people and get performing. It’s a lot happening pretty fast.

Me and Yecenia about to rock UCB!

I have been working a fuck ton at Grape & Grain. I am making more money than I had anticipated to this early on in my New York life which is so amazing I cant even say. I love the job. This is exactly what I wanted to do in a sweet area, awesome customers, good wine, good food. shit yeah. I have been there about 3 weeks and I am still getting used to the wines, beers, food, prices, procedure, and dont even get me started on the artisanal cheeses. I am not quite the rockstar I wanna be yet. Once I get a little more familiar with everything and a bit more confidence it will be good. I hear a lot of people saying how slow it is because New York is so dead in the summer. I’m like wtf? it gets better than this? sweet. I’m working 5 days next week, but today starts my three day weekend. woot.

I am saving my pennies right now. Trying to recover debt to my mom and maybe put some money away. I need some stuff though. Like a bed. I am comfortable though and can afford food and rent and then some so it is time for celebration yo.

I’m gonna go get a beer with cousin brian and enjoy my weekend.

Peace.

2nd amazing thing is that I just got HIRED at a cute little restaurant and wine/beer bar in the East Village called Grape and Grain. It is so perfect I cant even tell you, I just had my first day of training today. Its mostly being a waiter and bartender (only wine and beer). Small plates. Some sandwiches, salads, cheese plates etc… that sorta thing. My shift started with tasting through the wine list (…careful devin) and some beer. Some pretty high-end stuff, and I didn’t taste any of the food but it smelled awesome! A little rustic, a little exposed brick, T-shirts and jeans people, good music, great location only like 5 stops away on the subway on Avenue B. They are gonna schedule me for like 4-5 shifts a week. I will totally be able to make rent and then some. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF. It is such a huge weight off my shoulders to know I have a paycheck coming. AND I like it. Win.

The icing on the gay marrriage passing- job getting weekend is my Mom is coming in the morning! (shit more like 4 hours away…). She is visiting for a week, were gonna do New York touristy stuff (which is great cause I totally havent yet), Statue of Liberty, 30 rock, Ground Zero, AND see our first Broadway show! Oh no a big deal, just the Tony award winner for Best Play 2011 War Horse! So excited just to catch up with my mom and hang out and show her around and introduce her to my friends.

This weekend will be tough to beat, we had Maggie’s birthday party on Friday at the house and we all surprised her with our own portraits of her and tales of her infamy, I hosted it around the campfire in the backyard. As partys go, I drank wine and we danced until 5am. Great times.

If feel extremely lucky to have landed so great in New York. I haven’t even been here 6 weeks guys! and I was a beer can last week! I really could not have imagined or asked for better first few weeks here. I’m blessed.

Maybe I’m just having a good week, but I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Fuck yeah New York, fuck yeah Devin Ritchie.

peace.

One month down. So far the New York experiment is a going well. My house is rad. I love my room mates, the location, and I love having my own room now(!). I have been busy applying for so many jobs, trolling through craigslist, sending resumes, and walking around finding places. While I am applying for regular jobs, I am also apply for one time event gigs. The first response I got from anything was to be A can of coors light at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. $150. Literrally. I was a fucking CAN OF BEER GUYS. It is actually pretty embarrassing, but nothing embarrassing about $150 for 4 hours of work. Just not the something to write home about. And no, I didn’t get free beer. (wtf right?) I just had to walk around with 5 other guys just to be a presence there. No tasks/coupons/free shit involved. And of course it was Coors Light, that is like ALL I drink lol. Since then I have gotten a few more leads on real jobs. I went on an interview for a new swanky bar and lounge on the lower east side that seemed promising. Last night I auditioned to be a karaoke host at some bar in midtown. Kinda rocked it, but it was hard to say because it was such a dead night. I did two of my classic karaoke jams I Just Died in You Arms Tonight and Red Neck Woman. Hopefully they will call? I also just got a call from the Studio School of Painting and Drawing to be a figure model, I go tomorrow for orientation and shit. I’m pulling a lot of threads right now hoping something will lead to something substantial. I’m hustling doing whatever work comes my way be it modeling, serving, karaoke host, or literally being beer.

I cant believe I have been here over a month now. Things have been falling into place pretty beautifully and I really am acclimating to the neighborhood and weather. As long as one of these jobs comes in I will be fuckin golden. I have been trying to be good about spending money and have been doing pretty well. I still allow myself to go out and get a couple of drinks. Usually just at beauty bar just around the block. Sunday night karaoke is becoming a weekly staple in my routine.

I survived the ComedySportz audition, made it to callbacks, rocked it, and legitimately did not get cast. That really sucked. I have been with comedysportz for over 3 years and I like to think that I am pretty fucking good at it, but not good enough for here I guess. It is also the first time I havent been cast when auditioning for something improv related. I got a good taste of humility with this, and the fact that I am still in my basic improv 101 class. I feel like all previous experience doesn’t count at all. Its just the shock of moving from a small pond to the fucking ocean.

I didn’t get cast. I havent found a job. The only thing I found was being a fucking can of beer. There are times I get pretty depressed that this is all I have accomplished for the amount of time and effort being here. But this is just how it goes I have to remind myself. I hung out with Ryan Nicolls a few times, its good to have people like him and Maggie and Cousin here. It has really helped me to have a little taste of home and family here. I have some guilt about leaving. No one in my family has ever really moved far away. at all. So I feel a little bad for just up and leaving. Not being able to see my family or friends or support them with whatever they are doing. This feeling will probably get worse before its gets better.

I have been thoroughly swept up in this New York whirlwind, and suddenly somehow a month has gone by and I am renting a room and go on job interviews and parties and bars with new friends. I am suddenly so busy and on the move all the time. I have to pause and step back and be like “what the fuck…? I am LIVING in New York?! How did this happen? where has this month gone?” I have been having a lot of dreams that I am riding a raging river (my dreams don’t rely on subtly.) I have just been having the feeling that I already took the jump of moving here and the river is fucking moving regardless of how I feel. Just keep swimming haha. I’m cheezy.

Another reason I wanted to move so far away was for rehabbing. Gain some independence, drink less, stop taking pills. I went off my meds a couple months ago, I just wanted to be free of vices and have all the feelings back again. They helped for a time, but it wasn’t a permanent solution for me. It’s been good for me to have some space. The only problem is I am not getting clarity. I am inundated with so much new stuff to fill my head with and lose sleep over(I am getting used to the train sound though). It can be so overwhelming so I allow myself to occasionally sit back and just marathon watch TV and get chinese food by myself. Though I feel guilt about that too like “this is what I moved to New York for?” Ugh.

Really I am absolutely enjoying myself and I cant wait to have some sort of regular pay check. I cant wait to have visitors too. Yall got a couch to crash on now.

OH! crazy story. The other day I decided to go out and explore some midtown gay bars. by myself, and at like 1am lol. As I get off the N train to transfer and I heard someone say “Devin?” and its Mary Grace Estacio. I’ve known her since 1st grade, she went to a different highschool and we lost touch a little. Apparently she has lived here for a few years and went to culinary school. Moments like that just crazy and fateful. I have had a few of those amazing moments where I really feel like I belong on the path that I am on. Oh yeah, but I went to the bar alone and still managed to make friends, get drinks bought for me, and made out with a cute boy. #stillgotit

This weekend is pride and I absolutely intend on celebrating that. But just not getting too crazy. I dont yet have the safety net of all my friends in Sac to get my drunk ass home. Today I am just catching up on life and taking a day to myself after a long weekend. Feel free to call me and catch up guys.

Peace

UPDATE: I got a week long figure modeling job at the Studio School. Its not even naked and it pays super good!