PATRICKRILEYHEADSHOT2.JPGWELCOME to "The Life of Riley" which will include periodic chronicles of pop culture and possibilities that flow out of Patrick L. Riley's day. That's me!!! Through blogging (and soon some other technological features on which I'll keep you posted as they launch), I will pull experiences from my busy life to entertain and inspire all of you. Through this site, I will share my observations and insights. 

Some features to look forward to:

1.) "PATRICK'S POP UP(DATES)" will feature stories from pop culture, music, theater, fashion, and the entertainment industry at large. 

2.) "The Life of Riley" will also introduce a "take-a-look-at-your-life" section (READ: sort of an advice column), where I will help readers come up with their own questions and answers around what "ways of being" are working (or not working) to have them acheive their respective goals and live their best lives. This section is called "WHO YOU BE?".

3.) Additonally, there will be a free-flowing, organic section called "TESTIFY" from which I will pull from my own life's journey to share and hopefully inspire. Some of the fare may be new musings and experiences. Other times, I may pull from my journals and past sharings to shed light on some uncomfortable truths that I've experienced and that may perhaps play a role in healing someone else's wounds as the real-life experience did for me. From my experience of covering 9/11 as a freelance journalist to courageously coming out (as gay) to my family, "TESTIFY" promises to move those who choose to read it.

4.) And a section titled "PR" (like my initials, but also like "public relations") will include press clips from any coverage I get. 

5.) And anytime pictures or video can support an entry (in the blog, and perhaps in the subsequent podcasts, my space, and website), those visuals will keep things aesthetically enrolling. That section will be called "MY TUBE".
PLAYING TO THE POP IN POSSIBILITIES!
Patrick L. Riley

 

Entries in Glee (1)

MY GIRLS

As I wrap one project with recurring client BET, I’m excited that another is publishing TODAY my latest assignment that I wrote and filed a couple of months ago: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/07/living/gay-best-friend/.

The editors at CNN.com reached out to me to write this story as I’ve been shopping a book proposal for a few years on the very subject.

I’m currently remixing the game plan for my project (“Big Willies & Amazing Graces: gay men and their best girlfriends”) to include portraits and video (either documentary or on-line viral series [TBD]).

Meanwhile, as I do more on-cam/print pop culture analysis and event hosting, I am EXCITED to celebrate a group of women who – all my life – have been very special to me.

Indeed, my mom and my sister set the sweet tone before I even knew what the melody was. LOL!

But the ladies of whom I am speaking rounded out the metaphorical score of my adolescent and adult years. And through each of them, I HEAR A SYMPHONY.

You’ll meet Natalie and Nichole in this piece, but my AMAZING GRACEs run deep.

I’ll shout out a few of them here (in alphabetical order here, but no order in my heart):

Audrey

Bernie

Carla

Chandra

Elise

Itika

Jakki

 

Lisa

Mara

Patrice

Sidra

Tata

Tish

….and so many more! I LOVE YOU ALL!

 

As always, THANKS to each and every one of you for your support.

And a special shout out to CNN.com for assigning me this piece: I filed something for the site back in the fall of 2011 for its Martin Luther King Jr. Monument coverage (on MLK, Morehouse, and the Morehouse College Glee Club): http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/14/us/mlk-memorial-morehouse-glee-club/index.html.