I have wanted to jump on the twitter bandwagon since it first started to get buzz. I'm always the early adopter amongst my social circle. Sometimes the only adopter or I can get some people to use it then it's tossed aside (remember dogeball?). 1000+ friends on myspace and facebook and I have less than 10 friends who regularly update that I've known before signing up for Twitter.
Anyways this blog isn't about twitter hitting the mainstream, I just wanted to write about my own Twitter experience, specifically meeting up with people. Compared to when I first started meeting people from off of forums. If you're unfamiliar with twitter the following video explains it the best.
So hows it like in person? Lets say you work for a corporation that sent you to a conference where the after reception has food doesn't suck and the drinks are free. In a situation like that some people would argue thats where most of the business is done and some would argue that its just great social fun with people you have a few things in common with.
That is #SDTweetup for you. Theres a major amount of business going down but equal amounts of fun. Sponsors are actually companies that you would want to find out more about. I usually walk away learning something new and with a list of things to look up when I get home. I've also fell off where I've perched myself into a bush from laughing out loud at someones story.
SDtweetup is definitely an event I won't miss ever. I've been around since the first one and I plan to be there for the last one. If it ever stops that is!
Here I am at the last SDTweetup
I found this quote on someones Facebook and it made me pause in thought for a moment. as I debated the truth of the statement in my head. Recently someone gave me a lecture over my Facebook status messages. I posted things like "I'm the most anti-cock blocking person you can meet" (which is true, I feel compelled to wing for even strangers.) This person then sent me 3-4 paragraphs on my wall about how "once you ruin your reputation its very hard to fix" and warnings about future employment and what not.
Unknown to this acquaintance at the time, I don't have a good reputation to begin with. Everyone who is a part of the night life industry can't get away with a squeaky clean image because 1) All our activities are at night. 2) There is copious amounts of alcohol involved. 3) Sex sells the industry 4) Automatic judgments against the night life types.
Since I kind of just fell into The Life when I first heard the rumors floating around about me I went through a mini self identity crisis. I was very young at the time, under 21, and somehow oblivious to how most people viewed what I was doing as a promoter. Since I've been involved with events my entire adult life going back to being just 17 I thought everything I did wasn't a big deal.
I'm known for making private events better than any club you've been to.
Overtime I stopped fighting against the preconceived notions people had about me and staged things to boost my notoriety. I embraced parts of the bad boy archetype that I easily identified with. I started attracting women who were recently single or want to be single as part of my entourage. The culmination of going down this road was this summer of nonstop bottle service.
Do I enjoy The Life? Sure bet I do, otherwise I would have given up every time I've burnt out on the scene or stay settled with my desk job. Am I more free with my sullied reputation? In some ways it lets me get into hedonistic things without concern. I'm not worried about future employers snooping around my Facebook or the people in my inner circle looking down on me for going out all the time. I like how my professional and personal goals include out doing my own spectacles.
On the other hand I've become "the awesome friend that the rest of your friends find questionable." This year I've discovered that everyone close to me has at least friend that asks "why would you hang out with that guy?". While I'm defensible and all, its a little unsettling to know you have to be defended in the first place. Sometimes I end up winning them over but sometimes I don't get the chance. I'll always have this problem of friends of friends who buy into the disinformation floating around about me and adding their own second hand accounts into the mix.
While the title of this blog sounds awesome, it really seems like a defense of one of the people of ill reputation like myself. You've got to decide if you go down this path or not!
Recently my friend blogged:
"So in a conversation, an interesting idea was brought up. Why do we as a society try to do our best to cure heart, kidney, liver and other organ diseases without any reservation but when it comes to trying to improve the health of the brain through medicinal approaches, we decide to have this weird look on our face and cast down judgments even if they are unspoken?"
I'm on anti-depressants but never considered myself a depressed person. Compared to my friends who are known for being visibly depressed and people with worse problems and dealt a harsher lot in life, I laughed at my doctor when he brought it up. I originally went through the gauntlet of testing for ADD, which I was diagnosed with as a kid. So I got mix of both and a cocktail of medication.
While I embrace anything that will help me get the job done (and apparently so do 20% of the scientific research community although their actually illegally brain doping) there are people quick to attack the "realness" of your afflictions. Theres a positive difference between being medicated versus not being medicated! Why do you have to look down on it?
Anyways, it seems to add to the whole mystique of living this fast paced life.
Here's an AIM convo that went down recently:
Eye's Aim Status:club kid - not a club ho
richieisceoofrnc: i just noticed your aim status
richieisceoofrnc: true that
richieisceoofrnc: BIG difference
Eye: YEAH
Eye: xxxxxxxx was like
Eye: is that what you really want to be called?
Eye: xxxxxxxx thinks its the same thing
Eye: SO NOT
richieisceoofrnc: SO NOT
richieisceoofrnc: club kids are about the fun
richieisceoofrnc: club ho
srichieisceoofrnc: are hos in a club
richieisceoofrnc: LOL
Eye: lol yeah!
richieisceoofrnc: yeah!
My entourage, myself included, are club kids. We love the scene, music, and dancing. We're not aiming to get lucky but we're also not actively cock blocking anyone. We just let the night takes it course and we're more likely to end up getting food than getting laid but nothing wrong with the latter but that's not the goal so don't get it twisted!
Dennis Michael (of Silk Road Productions) had a blog that sums up a lot of feelings I've had lately. He says:
"The other thought I have is in this whole thing where people, and I am number one on this list, keep living their lives waiting for their life to start. Always waiting waiting waiting for their life to begin, neglecting that hey yo, you are in your life. It isn't going to come, it is here now. ... Life isn't going to get started, it is already here. If we (really, If I) keep waiting for it, it will never come. "
I wrote a lengthy response and my own blog about it over on myspace but I felt like sharing here that I think it's good to reflect on what it is in your way from achieving your ideal state of living your version of having "The Life".
Wow no updates since May? Horrible! I let myself get caught up for so long with so many things and this got neglected. I do have 7 pending drafts and lots of new inspiration but as a teaser I'll give you this story from the Hard Rock Hotel.
Being that we had a room we were running back and forth from Moonstone. Literally. Running. Like children let loose from an entire day on their kid leash. We like to call it taking over the hotel. Most people it would be immature fun. One group of my friends banged up on a door that said bacherloette party. I carried one of my homegirls on my back occasionally bumping into the walls.
The best (worst?) of the running is when our party group ran into another party group running around the halls and before their paths diverged they shouted "no go this way it's only 15 seconds!" and one of the girls replied "15 seconds to what?" and he said "till the BLOW!"
And just like you see in a scooby doo cartoon they applied the brakes and promptly u - turned.
I know I've posted tons about how I review events and multiple disclaimers about my event philosophies but I thought this was worth a post here.
Everyone has the following types of friends. (and lots of different friends to varying degrees of the following)
1) The one that complains about EVERYTHING that happens when you go out. On top of that he or she will also try to do their best to make you go somewhere you don't want to go or to tell you to take them home. This person even looks bored or sour where you are at a place this person likes or frequents.
2) Your friend down for ANYTHING. Even if the night goes bad and you get a flat tire on the way to a party and never make it to the club he or she will try to keep the spirits high within your group of friends. This is the friend that puts in the extra $100 when you're stiffed during bottle service or the one to take friend number 1 above home to come back later with more alcohol for the party.
When it comes to reviews I read on yelp or read on blogs I always wonder what kind of friends that person went out with. I'm going to pull some examples from the Hard Rock Hotel review from Yelp to further illustrate.
Wes F. says:
"A friend pulled some strings to get us past the huge mass of people waiting to get into the poolside rooftop nightclub @ HRH."
Right away I have to ask if this reviewer would still give 4 stars if he had to wait the massive line he said he was able to skip? Waiting in line is a big pet peeve for many a club goer. How would he have felt had he have to wait an hour?
Cindy C says
" i'll go somewhere else where i can actually have a good time with some real people and real good drinks.
You can't argue with $12 drinks being considered expensive for most people but when it comes to "real people" I would bet money she would have not complained if she was with a party of 20 of her friends in the club.
What to learn from the above:
1) Evaluate your night life companions. Why friend number 1 ever makes it out to a party is because someone forgot how negative friend number 1 is or they wanted to give him or her another chance that they don't deserve. Sadly, sometimes number 1 makes it out because the party goer has no one else to take with them. I understand that most people refuse to go somewhere by themselves even when they are meeting up with friends so why not make a friend that is good to go when you want to go out on the town? When you do find a number 2 treat them right! They deserve a drink or two for being good party people.
2) Evaluate your own night life attitudes. Are you a friend number 1 or number 2? Self reflection is the last thing you expect to do when you're about to out drinking somewhere but it's an integral part of your overall happiness not just how happy you'll be for the night. If a party implodes but you make it out with your friends intact go out and try to salvage your night!
If I'm not directly involved!
It is my policy to never choose sides and never follow requests to stop seeing one friend over another. I like giving the benefit of doubt because sometimes when I'm stuck in similar situations I wish I had it myself!
In all cases of drama between two friends where I'm not directly involved I refuse to choose one friend over another on these grounds:
1) If I'm not directly involved then it always becomes a case of what one person says versus another. On all occasions I"ve heard both sides I can see both points or I can never ascertain with 100% certainty who is telling the truth.
2) You're being selfish of your friends if you can't share.
3) I'm willing to give parties equal time. If I see someone more than you that you don't like it is most likely because you don't make the time to hang out with me or you end up just staying at home!
I seem to be in the middle of 3 feuds at the same time in my social circle. So far this policy has serve me well and I have kept more friends than most people who try to choose sides.
Here's my man Elroy aka DJ Rampage at Martini Ranch getting a song request. That night there was a group there for a birthday and being a group of attractive women the DJ's tried their best to make sure they had a good time and played their requests. Over the course of the night some of the DJs started to have conversations with some of the girls. There was one girl though that made it a point to cut those conversations short. Big BIG pet peeve!
1) If your friend is in a conversation with someone she can walk away if she's unhappy with direction the conversation is going. You all are adults (unless you have fake ID) so I don't believe in this "saving" bullshit. If you need "saving" then don't go clubbing!
2) If your friend is enjoying herself why stop her? If she has a boyfriend that's her responsibility to honor that relationship. What I really want to point out though is the woman who is single AND looking who has friends that will pull her away from guys who are NOT creepy! You can say whatever you like about meeting guys or girls at a club being a bad idea but it DOES happen and sometimes it DOES work! Are you jealous? geez! let her talk to the guy!
3) You would not cock block your male friends like this! WASSUP WITH THAT?!
I have to give it up to Red Bull for making a world series of events and raising people's awareness about a sport I didn't know existed. I think it's real classy that they chose an area where they can sell seats but also let people at Sea Port Village which is free to go to, be able to watch too. Convis was all over this event too promoting hotels that you can watch the air races from.
As for myself, I have yet to reach my goal of having a Red Bull Air Races party. Last year while my friend's were doing an event at Ben's some Austrian's left some travel ticket stubs on a table and I thought to myself "I got to have a Red Bull party." I went club hopping over to Thin and Onyx that night and noticed the influx of European tourists coming in just for the Red Bull AIr Races. The Air Races don't have much going for them as far as club after parties go. This year they had their own outdoor stage set up over a parking lot in downtown where I took these pictures of a Red Bull airplane.
Anyways what I wanted to muse about my attempt at having a party. I had a venue lined up and wanted to approach Red Bull about having a party or at least have the media rights to their logos to promote a party. The problem was that the corporate website was not updated yet so I didn't feel confident contacting Red Bull without being able to show them how the venue looks now with the remodel.
When I see an outdated website I think that a businesses operation is amateurish or unorganized. You don't need Marketing Melodie to tell you that. Granted, maybe there was just other priorities going on with the business or other circumstances I haven't seen but every time someone makes it hard for me to help them I get frustrated! I've been helping this venue book promoters for club nights and sometimes I do events there. It just makes me wonder if I'm trying to make you money, why make it hard for me?
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