R. Rivera

Shay and her daughter dropped my entire record collection at my mom’s house yesterday. We haven’t spoken in months but ima always love that woman. She was there for me through everything. And I mean EVERYTHING.

But it’s all good. I got lawyers like shooters.

I learned that whoever gets to the phone first gets to tell the story that most people will believe regardless of it being true or not.

Ima just keep reading and journaling. Eventually Ima write something that sticks.

Even though The New Yorker rejected that story, I still read it with the same excitement I always have. Even more so because I’m glad they acknowledged my piece. Even rejection letters are hard to get from them.

I’m not the greatest author who ever lived. But from a technical standpoint, I’m the best author that’s alive today under 40 years old. That’s for damn sure.

The Lasalle/Van Buren stop inspired the entire chapter 9 of the Bridge Behind the Building. I literally wrote it because I got inspired by that particular section of the neighborhood and wanted to write something that reflected that. I know that neighborhood very well. So well.

What dude say in that Glengarry Glen Ross movie? “Coffee is for closers!” 🤣

There’s an alternate universe where R. Rivera is a millionaire banker with novels out taking his gf’s hair salon public. Oh for sure.

My soul is pure. Did it my way. Found Allah. I always move righteously. Even when I make a mistake, there’s integrity in there somewhere.

I told that branch manager in River Forest exactly how I felt and walked out. 8 months later he was fired cause I wasn’t there to do his work anymore. That’s the Raymond effect.

Learn how to play the game. Took me years to get somewhere I should have been a decade ago. But Second City was busy teaching me. Now I’m not shy no more.

Had bad bitches before Chicago Bulls players got paid.

Had stamps in my passport before baddies thought taking trips was cool.

My life story could literally be a movie. And I chose to write fiction. I’m Rivera fr.

I’m really the American Dream.

You wasn’t in the projects where junkies shoot up under the urine stained steps.

Beyoncé has officially wrapped on the Cowboy Carter tour. I streamed almost every stop online after she left Chicago. Ima miss her. Looking forward to Act iii.

Wait. What?