A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

Pre-BLOG, I had a crew of friends who would have lit this blog up with our respective shenanigans as we spent lots of time together from 1995 – 2000 (or so). We met these folks through Chandra and Tata – the bridge being they worked with a young lady named Troy who was friends with some awesome, ambitious, single, successful, African American professionals – including Linda, Laura, Tatia, Curtis, Royce, Danielle, etc. And to Ern and me, they became big brothers and sisters with whom we would do Thanksgiving dinners; fight parties; networking socials; etc. Then, one-by-one, these ladies got married (We attended most of the weddings and I sang in a couple of them). And from there, those couplings would go on to have children. After that, some divorced. Some moved away. And though we’ve all stayed in touch electronically, we rarely get to see each other inside of our busy, respective schedules. But one of the gang Tracy (through whom Ern and I met our Dallas couple Patrice and Keron) who recently married and had a kid in Detroit (She used to live in Jersey) came back to town with Tate and Reed in tow and she inspired a reunion. We all gathered at Linda’s place and had a GREAT TIME! It was so good to introduce them all to Ant for the first time. And he enjoyed meeting them. Plus, Miss Danielle and her beau Bernard had news of nuptials come Fall 2009 (in Barbados. Hopefully Destination: Abundant Checking Account will be able to accommodate this Destination wedding which Danielle has asked me to participate in some way. Maybe a song... some reception hosting... something. We'll see what shapes up. CONGRATS DANIELLE and BERNARD. We ALL will do better to stay in touch.

Several other friends (and even family members) are working on cool projects. Let me do a quick round robin of shout outs:

• My cousin Sonya Riley (out of Flint, Michigan) informed me that film work is picking up in Michigan due to tax incentives. As a result, she – a fab hairstylist – has been working on a film project “GIFTED HANDS”. She worked on the set for a week and change and worked with top hairstylist Julia Walker (www.imdb.com/name/nm0907909/).  Too, my Sonya got to meet and work with Cuba Gooding Jr.; Kimberly Elise; and Aunjanue Ellis. The movie is based on Dr. Ben Carson’s life (www.drbencarson.com/) and is scheduled to air on TNT (www.tnt.tv). CONGRATS CUZ!!!
• My girlfriend Dynelle Skinner who I met years ago when she worked at one of my favorite boutiques in Brooklyn MOSHOOD (www.afrikanspirit.com) now has a BLOG as she is an entertainment publicist in New York City. Check it out: - http://mylifeonandofftheguestlist.blogspot.com/.
• Stephen Beasley is a consultant of my friend Marcia Pendleton (www.blacktheatreonline.com) is working on a new online project. It’s the music of The sbP-The Stephen Beasley Project. He’s been able to keep these guys and the rent paid over the last couple years and the album comes out soon. The sbP4 man soul, rock, blues and funk experience explores the issues we all have in living through life... in the world we've come to live in. But he says it manages to be entertaining as well. Hear for yourself. These songs were mostly recorded live for an audience here in NYC:
  
  Here's where the masses can find The sbP:
• Click to play Songs from The Music of Transition:
• http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/862275
• Click to become a fan of The sbP:
• http://www.reverbnation.com/thesbp (They can buy the album here later this month!!)
• http://www.myspace.com/thesbp

• You know how much Ant and I love hairstylist-of-the-stars Ted Gibson and his partner Jason Backe, who too is a hair colorist. Well, he is now adding blogger to his busy schedule. It’s on a great beauty site called www.DailyMaker.com. And he is writing about his adventure in his beauty universe: http://www.dailymakeover.com/blogs/in-his-beauty-universe/2008/10/love-the-way-you-look-or-change-it.html; meanwhile, Ant and I were not able to join Jason Backe for his latest accomplishment (as we were busy working on respective shoots).  But Mr. Backe is currently celebrating his new role as Color Director of Perfect 10: Nice ‘n Easy (www.perfectcolorin10.com/). CONGRATULATIONS! Too, last night, Ant received an invite for us. Since he worked on one of the creative teams at new talk-show hit 'The Wendy Williams Show', he had a big hand in booking Rihanna and Michelle Williams’ stylist Ursula Stephen. We were invited to her birthday set at L’Oreal Professional Products Institute in SOHO (www.megamanagementinc.com).
• My friend April just told me about www.hulu.com. You can see many of your favorite episodes on this site.
• He’s not a friend of mine per se, but I LOVE NEYO’s MUSIC and I LOVE his spin on the classic “Big Red” jingle: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZeajvtqunI.
• My Chicago friend Kevin’s wife Jaci Coy Gist is working on a project that promises to take off. Her site is in progress: http://whatareyoufabat.com, but I assure you her campaign is going to take off. Already, she’s designed these fabulous Obama-inspired T-shirts, blinged out with Swarovski crystal. STAY TUNED!
• I just got word from my buddy Chico DeBarge that he is now investing in THE 9s Magazine (www.the9smag.com/) and that he has chosen my blog to be in its November feature story: "The Top 9 Blogs On The Web"! Stay tuned... and THANKS TO YOU, CHICO. I will look forward to our hang in the studio (I’m working on my falsetto as I write this. LOL!).
• And a final shout out of sympathy to Jennifer Hudson and her family. As you know, I’m most fond of her and heartbroken over the tragedy of losing her mother, brother, and nephew. Ironically, her mom Darnell Donerson (and most of her family) attended the event at which I interviewed her a couple of years ago in Indianapolis, IN for NABJ (www.nabj.org) - captured here by Jason Miccolo Johnson.