ASK RICHIE FRIEMAN '01 what he does for a living and he'll answer with a laugh, "Where do I begin?" A consummate multitasker–his résumé combines professional wrestling, writing and illustration–he is the creator of an award-winning Web site and a published author.
Interested in sharing the stories of other creative types, Frieman launched PensEyeView.com in 2006. Videos, sound clips and photos supplement the feature stories he writes. A new article is posted every 48 hours. He hopes that this free exposure provides musicians a broader audience. The Computerworld Honors Program, which recognizes those who use technology to benefit society, bestowed laureate status to his site in its 2008 annual awards
One of Frieman's own stories, a children's picture book named "Terple," was selected as a finalist in the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards. It is the story of a turtle who yearns to explore life beyond his pond. Frieman says that its "believe in yourself" lesson seems to resonate with readers. "It's been really well-received," he says. "I do a lot of outreach work, talk to children." Frieman is working on a second printing.
He says that his ability to find joy and success in myriad projects stems from his experiences at Maryland, where professors encouraged the art major to explore. "The community at Maryland has so much going on and there are a lot of interesting people," he says.
While in school, Frieman experimented with several creative outlets. He painted and wrote a little bit. Frieman even began wrestling right before his senior year as Buster Maccabi, "the thrill from Israel," in the Eastern Wrestling Alliance. He retired as a promise to his wife when their now 20-month-old daughter was born.
Now, in addition to PensEyeView, Frieman also writes a column for theBaltimore Jewish Times called "Tuned In," an idea he pitched. Constantly looking for new opportunities, Frieman admits that his career path looks a bit schizophrenic. "There's no connection … but whatever it is I do, I put myself out there 100 percent." -MAB