Introduction

Here it is: my first official blog post on Riffs and Rhymes. It’s funny, for being a young communications professional, finding the right words to say comes harder than one might think. That’s always been my biggest restraint in doing a blog. It’s not that I don’t know how I feel, because that’s the easy part. Instead, the part that has always troubled me as a writer is the need to make sure everything that comes out is absolutely perfect. But anybody who has done some sort of writing or any other form of a creative job on a regular basis knows that trying to be a perfectionist will turn out to be your biggest obstacle. Of course, quality matters. But if you want to be something you have to make the choice to become it. So that’s why I’m here, doing a blog about music.

I’m skipping the part where I tell you how I picked up a guitar at 5 and never looked back (only because it didn’t happen). Truth be told, I’ve never played an instrument, although I am slowly making the attempt at learning a six string. I wasn’t born a musical prodigy, but there is no doubt that music holds a sacred place in my life, right alongside pizza and baseball. Recently, I finished my undergraduate studies and have since made a full time transition into a career as a public relations pro in Southern California. The first few weeks of my job really got me thinking about a few different things.

First, it made me think about the trajectory of my career, the skills I needed to acquire in order to become who I want to be, and what I had to do to obtain them. Going through the process of applying for and landing a real job makes you evaluate yourself in a genuinely honest way. Second, it made me question my interests and the things that I thought I care about. It made me ask, “what am I really into?” and “what are some things that I am passionate about that I really want to pursue?” The latter questions led me here to this point. I love talking ’90s hip-hop. I could do it all day. I play the shit out of the air guitar every time “Peace of Mind” comes on in the car. I chew my girlfriend’s ear off when she’s trying to go to bed because I can’t decide which Mac Demarco album I like the best. I love music…and I love talking about it.

I’ve always appreciated good journalism. No, that’s not the driving force behind me finally making a blog. But interesting conversation and refreshing ideas keep frequently debated topics relevant and fun to revisit. I love hearing other peoples’ takes on what they love and why it’s great, or who they love and why they think they’re the best. Whether I agree or disagree with an opinion, at the end of the day I’m always looking to soak up more knowledge. With this blog, I want to reciprocate that intake. These are just some of the perspectives I’ve formed through my experiences with the riffs, rhymes and sounds of the beautiful world of music.

Really looking forward to sharing some great think pieces and exploring all different kinds of ideas. Until my next post, take it easy. Stay tuned!