DevinRitchie.com

2 week down in New York City, while I’m still not Carrie Bradshaw I am making a lot of progress. First and foremost… I moved into my awesome new room! (pictures below). I dont have any stuff besides my 2 bags of clothes, and no I dont get to keep the bed. SO it will be the floor for a little while. The M train goes right past my window and is pretty damn loud and has woke me up a few times, but I am told I will get used to that in time though. Having a room makes all the difference in the world, I have somewhere to call my own and somewhere that I can decompress and not be in anyones way. So good.

Rooftop sunset ft. Mitch and Madeleine

2nd awesome news… I have an interview on Tuesday! It’s at a temp agency that Ryan Nicolls hooked me up with. I am super excited about that. I have been passing out resumes and applying at a lot of craigslist jobs for the past week. I might actually take a job being a figure model for art classes, why not? Its good money. For art. Right? But hopefully this temp agency will be able to get me some consistant work soon.

3rd awesome thing… I got a call back to ComedySportz NYC! Even though I have been doing it for like 3 years in Sac, my recommendation from Sac CSZ only got me as far as the invite only auditions, then I thought I did pretty poorly, and asked to stay late, but this wasn’t a good thing exactly, it was the people they needed to see more from, some bad and some good. But I made the callbacks anyways! They had 34 invited to audition and then cut it down to 12 for the callbacks and I was one of them! The competition is pretty fierce so I gotta bring my fucking A-game this Wednesday. I heard about both the interview and the callback today #winning

Other than all that, things have been going generally great. My classes at Upright Citizens Brigade are getting better and I believe I am beginning to prove myself. I also realized I have a lot to fucking learn. It’s humbling to go from a little pond to the fucking ocean.

Earlier this week when I came home from my audition I was in a bad mood(mostly because staying late at the audition caused me to miss the play The House of Blue Leaves which I had a free ticket to and features Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ben Stiller and Edie fucking Falco CARMELLA FUCKIN SOPRANO. So pissed). But Maggie and some friends Naomi Solomon, and Cousin (Maggie’s

Brenden, Cousin, and Madeleine

cousin Brian who everyone just calls “Cousin”) were making dinner and a few other friends including my roommate Naomi came over with beer and cheese and we had a cute ass dinner in our backyard that totally turned my night around. Thats what I love about the place I live. Not to mention there is always something to do, whether its just going to Beauty Bar, or little skips(the coffee shop my roommates/friends work at/run), or some party somewhere. I definitely couldn’t have landed any better in New York.

That being said, I really do miss my California family. I still want to be at those parties making people take shots, getting in trouble at the club, or just sitting around smoking cigarettes and eating pizza at Danny’s. I wonder about Pam casting The Full Monty and what Mayhem is up to. It really just hit me the other day that I will not be at my brother and sisters birthday, this kills me. This is the first time this has happened and birthdays are kind of a big deal to us. I have to do something like super extra special for them. AND THEY ARE HAVING A CANADA THEME PARTY. I COULD HAVE DRESSED LIKE A MOOSE. But these things are gonna happen I guess, its just settling in that I actually moved to New York(still doesn’t feel totally real) But it’s for the best in the long run. I need to be doing this shit right now.

Danny BBQing

It still feels a little like summer camp and I am trying to switch out of vacation mode into I live here mode. Which is difficult. Especially when meeting people and trying not to spend money or buy drinks. But I have been pretty good lately, (have hardly gotten all that drunk here at all!) I have been tagging along with Maggie to social things, BBQs, art shows, parties, or just walking dogs. Rooftop barbecues watching the sunset with friends that I hardly know yet. It feels pretty amazing. I want to soak up this feeling of newness and vigor while it lasts before I get used to it and jaded.

Regardless of how the jobs, auditions, money, or anything serious are … this will be an amazing summer. and maybe, this might actually work and I can survive here.

My Room! (bed not included)

Me and Cousin Brian urging Tim Muldoon to move here.

Oh, you know. Just being epic.

Heres the new coldplay, totally a Brian Eno track. pretty sweet.

Peace

Wow, long time no blog. A lot of shit to cover lets get to it.

This next paragraph makes me sound like a diva.

First and foremost I have been so busy with Blithe Spirit, the play I’m in. I have been trying to take being a lead seriously and concentrate on nothing else. I have to be perfectly honest in saying that the experience has been frustrating. This is my first time being a real lead lead, so this is all new for me, and I’m being treated as if I am the old veteran. There have been some line learning issues and beginner problems for the entire cast, I feel like I already have so much on my plate I cant deal with anything less than spectacular from my fellow actors. I know that is a lot to ask. But it all comes back to the point that I am very insecure about my own abilities even on my best day, so any other problems are just kicking I’m when I’m down. I am a hash critic of acting, directing, and art and its weird to have my ass on the line for once. I’m just supposed to be the funny supporting character, if the show is bad, that’s not my bad. But now it is. I have a lot of anxiety about it.

Moreover, I have had some serious doubts about acting lately. To begin with IT’S FUCKING HARD. I have to sit back and ask myself why I am doing such a thing. Why am I being someone else? Do I just like being the center of attention? I have the distinct feeling that I do love performing, but this traditional linear story telling just to amuse. I want to get people to feel something, I want it to mean something, I don’t want to do it for vanity, but most theatre and film and entertainment lately is like 90% for the performers sake. I’m just very confused and angst ridden about the whole matter.

I am almost done with all my DUI shit, I should have my license back in about a month. I have actually started enjoying my mandatory DUI group meetings, if I have to pay for them and go, I am damn well going to get something out of them. I talk and call people on their bullshit excuses. I sort of wonder if  would maybe like to be a drug and alcohol counselor, I know that sounds ridiculous, but the topic of addiction and recovery interests me and I am not going to be a doctor, and I have had always had a special place in my heart for the seedy characters who inhabit such places. Just a thought.

I applied at a couple wineries in Livermore, but as time passes and other opportunities arise  I begin to think of the impossible and the stupid adventurous ideas. More pipe dreams and unintelligent plans from Devin Ritchie.

This is why I haven’t been blogging, I haven’t been able to form cogent thoughts, and really have nothing important to say. Not to say that anything I have ever wrote is important.

Last time we checked in ignoring my life and running off to Vegas, the next weekend I went to South Lake Tahoe with my brother Kyle, Rachel, and Josh. Basically doing the exact same thing again. Except being in debt to my brother now.

I have been being a good boy all of 2011 besides those two indiscretions I don’t party or drink as much. I have been single and abstinent the whole year, I have not even thought of relationships or anything in a long time. But I did kinda hang out with someone over the weekend. So we shall see. I’m really bad at these sort of things.

I am just at a loss for what to do after this show is over. I will have no Sacramento obligations. I am actively not auditioning for shows in the area just for that reason. Right now, I am just getting back to working out, finishing this show up, getting license back, and then….??

Happy holidays everybody! (especially you, Marc Berman )

My family has had a lot of good fortune lately. MY MOM BOUGHT A NEW CAR TODAY!  Its a really sexy car, its a ford fusion and brand new. This is so great, she desrves this so much. Merry Freaking Christmas right?!? And we are gonna give the Scion to Kyle… well at least until I get my license back, around March.

**this blog gets very Christmas lettery**

Everything has just been fucking excellent recently, grandma had some sweepstakes luck, which helped with getting the car. My friends are all home for Christmas, the winery is doing great, my mom is happy, jenny and kyle are well and its christmas time. I got the chance to hang out with some “old school” ARC people, including my good buddy Dustin York who powered through school and just graduated from CSU Long Beach.

Our tree was real pretty

We are going to do the Christmas the traditional Ritchie way, Chicken enchiladas for Christmas eve dinner, wake up Christmas day, open presents, have champagne and tea and coffee. Then we have mimosas and eggs Benedict and watch elf. But then were gonna change things up a bit, were gonna drive to my cousins Suzy’s place in San Francisco. She has a beautiful little townhouse in the heart of the Castro. Lots of family will be there. We have never really done a big family Christmas, its usually just the 4 of us. So that’s new. AND its my first Christmas with little kids! My cousin Mira is 2 and my new cousin Ash is 6 months. It’s gonna be real fun.

Then I will head back to Pleasanton or Hayward with Jenny or Kyle, work at the winery on Sunday and then join Maggie and Tim Muldoon for our yearly tradition of drinking beer and playing wii golf. Where me and Maggie will sing Islands in the Stream really loud over and over again to annoy Tim.

It has been a great month off of doing plays and I have wholeheartedly embraced the holiday spirit, and I was at least able to get my family presents this year.

Jenny took my Grandma and Mom out to the Rockettes Christmas show which they all enjoyed. She recently got her business license for

before the decorations....

her nannying, Jenny is a legit business owner now . Kyle has been working non stop at Any Mountain and at the winery. He is still living in Hayward with Alex and Tim. The winery will open its new tasting room in the next few weeks and were all real excited about it. My mom is still working for AT&T although she had to switch departments. Hey at least we didn’t move to Georgia like we thought we might have to. My mom is elated to have this new car and have everyone happy and healthy and home for the holidays. Grandma spends her time painting and drawing and watching god awful soap operas, she got a suprise visit my cousins Tom and Jody who drove all the way up here from LA just to surprise Grandma, super cool. And me? The usual, been doing a lot of plays, had a great year of theatre and just got my first lead! I work for the winery doing their webmaster stuff. I’m still a socialite lush of Sacramento but I am much more responsible these days, learned some lessons this year.

I’m usually much more emo and depressing around this time, but I have NOTHING to complain about right now. I’m happy to report that I am actually starting to do real good. I want everyone to know that I am extremely thankful for all the good fortune we have all

AFTER!

been having. I don’t have the words for how well Slaughterhouse 5 went or how over the moon I am about Blithe Spirit. It’s time to sit back with my family and be thankful and drink champagne and watch elf. I hope I get cool presents I haven’t been this excited about a Christmas in YEARS. Well I hope this blog finds you well. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

heres one of the cards I made

peace!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is the traditional end to my birth month. I got scraps of fabric from my costumer Gail and started draping and sewing my Peter Pan costume on to myself (while watching project runway no less haha). I always make my own costumes. make my own versions of characters and things. It turned out awesome!

I picked up and got a criagslist ride share out to my sister Jenny’s place in Pleasanton, drank champagne and got ready. A few of our friends and our brother kyle met us up and we went to a few parties and the Livermore bars. Needless to say, we all got pretty trashed. Had a nice hangover day the next day watching How I met your Mother ALL DAY. and then go out again.

This time the Ritchie Kids went out to San Francisco and hit up bars in the Castro. Sadly, this was actually my like 4th day in a row of partying hard and my body couldn’t take it much more. I puked before I got on BART. And after. So we all just had one beer each and were pretty tame. But we walked around and got several great pictures of all the FANTASTIC COSTUMES! We called it a pretty early night but it was an awesome weekend.

Peace

Me, Kyle, and Alan. Brothers.

I have been having deja vu constantly lately. I always take that as a good sign. That my life is on the right track.

I got over being a diva for a moment and decided to do Slaughterhouse-5. And I’m going to kick its ass. YEAH! I’M TOTALLY GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF CUPS AND ICE!

I spent the weekend back in the bay staying with my brother. Saturday we got back to our Scottish roots and went to the Highland Games in Pleasanton. Ate pasties, drank scotch, watched some cabers get tossed, and watched the bag pipes and drum competitions. Trust me if you have not heard 0ver 600 people playing pipes and drums at the same time, you haven’t heard Scotland the Brave done correctly. WALL OF SOUND.

Then I got a call on Sunday morning asking if I wanted to help my friend Josh’s winery at the Livermore Harvest Festival. And get paid. Absolutely. My job for 2 strait days was pouring wine at Concannon Winery, shmoozing with people, and selling wine. I was in my element and I loved it. And I got to drink the whole time! Awesome. The winery is Lavish Laines. Mostly hires veterans and marines. Obviously neither of which I am…. But they like me and I’m going to continue doing some stuff for them. Yay, exciting

I am now back in Sac and in full mode of doing readers theatre. I am asst directing and performing in it. Last weekend in September, I’ll be sure to let you know! oh AND! I am hosting Cafe Noir open mic night this Sunday at 7 at ARC. Woot. full plate what what.

And I have been still working out everyday. whomp.

peace out.