illustrated glossary of terms

i know better than anyone that peeping The Riz can sometimes get confusing.  this page may help you sort through the organized chaos.

abuelita - see “charo”

andrea (aka “a” or “babe”) - my beautiful wife; tovia’s mom

andrew (aka “uncle andy”) - megan’s dude; potential future brother-in-law if he doesn’t screw it up

ashley - my sister-in-law; sam’s wife

auss - awesome

beast - awesome or robust

ben (aka “furnas,” “furn,” “furny,” “the niz,” or to a select few “ben vaj-li”) - a good friend from The Radius; jackson’s dad

brett (aka “ramos” or “ramulus”) - a good friend from high school and college; one of three Killer B’s

brian (aka “stearns” or “bubby”) - a good friend from high school; one of three Killer B’s

brizcariz (aka “briz” or “b”) - me

brut - brutal

cameron (aka “cam” or “uncle bubba”) - my younger brother; dad and cindy’s son

carly (aka “car”) - my sister-in-law; tommy’s wife

cerdo - see “christin”

chafe - anything that really sucks

charo (aka “mama charo,” “abuelita,” or sometimes just “ita”) - my mother-in-law; andrea’s mom

chillax - to chill and relax

christin (aka “cerdo”) - my younger sister; meemo and deeder’s daughter

cindy - my stepmom

clutch - awesome; exactly what is needed

dad (aka “stu,” “stu jr.,” “STU2,” or “pop-pop”) - my dad

deeder - see “dob”

dob (aka “deeder” or to normal people “tommy”) - my stepdad

dom - dominate

duke - duke university, where i am doing my pediatric cardiology fellowship; merciless sucker of life energy

durham (north carolina) (aka “the dirty D” or “bull city”) - our current place of residence

ellie (aka “ellie-belly”) - michael’s dog

fulton - see “michael”

furn - see “ben”

gammy (aka “gam”) - my grandmother; stu’s mom

grandad - my grandfather; stu’s dad

grandad hunter - andrea’s grandfather; mr. h’s dad

(the) hurtbox - a condition of extreme discomfort

ita - see “charo”

jacked up - unnatural; messed up; unfortunate

jackson (aka “jack attack”) - ben’s son; tovia’s boyfriend

josiah (aka “joey” or “jo-jo”) - my nephew; tommy and carly’s son

katie (aka “KC”) - my younger sister; dad and cindy’s daughter

loudoun (county) - the once rural but now increasingly suburban backdrop to purcellville in northern virginia

mama charo - see “charo”

mama mama - andrea’s grandmother; charo’s mom

mans - see “zack”

meemo (aka “meems,” “mom,” or to normal people “julie”) - my mom

megan (aka “megs,” “aunt megs,” or “maney”) - my sister-in-law; andrea’s sister

michael (aka “fulton” or “fulto”) - a good friend from The Radius; ellie’s dad

miller (aka “lil’ mill” or “miller lite”) - zack’s son; tovia’s penpal

miz - miserable

mr. h (aka “papaw” or to normal people “tom”) - my father-in-law; andrea’s dad

nanny (aka “nan” or to normal people “lee”) - my grandmother; meemo’s mom

ninny - andrea’s grandmother; mr. h’s mom

papa papa - andrea’s grandfather; charo’s dad

papaw - see “mr. h”

peep - visit, scope out, or read (as in “peep The Riz”)

pookie - see “tovia”

pop-pop - see “dad”

poquoson (virginia) - andrea’s hometown

purcellville (virginia) (aka “p-ville”) - my hometown in loudoun county

(The) Radius - a small geographic territory within the limits of durham, north carolina; also our closest group of friends therein

ramos - see “brett”

RDU - the raleigh-durham area

ridgewood (new jersey) - the town i lived in for most of my childhood

(The) Riz - brizcariz.com

Riz Nation - an enlightened group composed of everyone who has ever peeped The Riz

sam (aka “uncle sam,” “smeag,” “smeags,” or “smeagy”) - my younger brother; tommy’s twin; mom and dad’s son

sapo - an exhilarating peruvian leisure sport in which competitors toss golden coins into the mouth of a small bronze frog

smeags - see “sam”

stearns - see “brian”

Summit church - our awesome church family in durham

sweat - to covet or admire

tapas - a spanish dinner style featuring numerous small plates intended for sharing, rather than large single entrees

tommy (aka “uncle tommy” or “tom-yo-woo-lay”) - my younger brother; sam’s twin; mom and dad’s son

totes - totally; completely

tovia (aka “tovs,” “tippy toes,” “pooks,” or “pookie”) - my daughter; gold standard for children

unc (aka “carolina” or sometimes just “chapel hill”) - university of north carolina, where i did my pediatrics residency

(the) Unit (aka “PCICU” or “PICU”) - the pediatric (cardiac) intensive care unit at duke hospital; a black hole where time has no meaning

UVa (aka “virginia”) - university of virginia, where i went to college and med school

waleska - tovia’s nanny; our awes housekeeper

zack (aka “mansfield,” “mans,” or “my blogging Yoda”) - a good friend from The Radius; miller’s dad; now living in NYC