DevinRitchie.com

hey yall. 3 day weekend right now! trying to catch up on my life (clean, do laundry, etc…), get money shit in order, and try to relax.

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

Hey guys! I have been super busy lately so I havent had too much bloggy time. Lets catch up.

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.