The last Word on Cosmo

Well…it’s been a long time since my last update. I have to really work on making more frequent updates. Thanks for the emails encouraging the blog, but don’t worry the blog doesn’t end until I’m a certified millionaire. Actually all of this is just the prequel.

Well I would like to quickly touch on the Michael Richards, aka KKkramer, as he is now affectionately known as. I know everyone is tired of it by now, as I am too. The problem is that he represents a certain majority of the rich successful population of America. This is why I still support Affirmative Action. If nature was allowed to take it’s course, mixed sex and races would slowly settle into society making the USA a global melting pot on all fronts. Rich powerful racists are doing their best to keep things segragated, working against the grain. They have the power and money to make a difference for their cause (which usually supports white women's roles as permanent housewives).

If what was revealed wasn’t bad enough, Michael Richards actually said some additional statements before the camera began to roll. He stated, “When I wake up in the morning I’m still rich but you will always be n---a.” He also made statements that he had enough money to buy them (referring to the black audience members).

Now if there was a punch line, then it would at least be acceptable in that environment, and possibly dismissed as bad judgment. I have been the butt of many a black joke at a comedy show. I’ve been called Dark Vader, Dark Gable. I’ve actually heckled a comedian when in college….his rebbuttal was "that when I get out of the car the oil light comes on." He was a white comedian, and he was funny. Michael Richard’s was not funny that night, nor was he trying to be.

As shocking as the incident was, it’s no surprise to me. I don’t think he needs to be sued, or apologize. He can apologize 100 times but it doesn’t change who he is or what he’s done. I can apologize to the officer for speeding but I will still speed because he can’t convince me with 100 tickets that 10 miles above the speed limit is going to cause me to get in an accident. I just got caught so I apologized. Cosmo is still a racist, he just got caught. He can apologize 100 times but he will not understand that he is wrong.

We all know that there are still people who think this way and I feel sorry for them. Now that I know that one of those people is Cosmo, I won’t support him. Will it affect my life or how I look at people or Hollywood? Hell No. I already knew. I’ve been a professional black person my entire life. I’ve seen it all and heard it all. I am just waiting for the rest of the world to get a clue.

As a big Seinfeld fan, I will not watch another episode.

I’m done. NO SOUP FOR YOU

-MJL

Thomas' Tip of theDay

Well, last week I had the pleasure of working with the infamous Mr. Thomas, and as usual I walked away with a golden nugget of advice. He told me that someone once told him, "that at the end of the day, all this is, is a bunch of guys playing factory. "

That is a true statement. Part of what holds people in their current surroundings is the fact that they get caught up in all of the hype. They build their jobs into something that absorbs all of their time and energy. It becomes this enigma that awes your family and friends. At my job people walk around like they are ER Doctors! Their families think they are out saving the world. We make auto parts for crying out loud. People are wheeling in bags with binders and laptops, we have teleconferences for silly szhit and enough meetings to think we were designing the next IPOD.

Part of me understands the hype. Who wants to come home at the end of the day and tell their wives that they spent the day filling out paperwork to allow the plant worker to add a piece of felt on a plastic beam; or better yet, "Honey they made me move my cube today". A real man wants to say, "Honey, I rolled out my new Corporate restructuring program and the board loved it. I just got the corner office with the bathroom"

Our job as future millionaires is not to get caught up in our jobs. This doesn't mean not to kill it. You still have to be the best, but don't waste unnecessary time obsessing over it or expelling extra emotional energy. During a recent episode of the Tyra Show (yes, I watch it...I am well rounded...in touch with my inner hoochie) she interviwed Puff Daddy. He explained how he used to clean bathrooms during his unpaid internship. At the end of that statement, he said that he was the best at it. That's the the mindframe that we have to keep. That's the perfect analogy. He knew he was on to bigger and better things but he still had to be the best at what he did. I'm sure at the end of the day, he didn't call himself a Sanitation Engineer, or a commercial disinfectionist. He was a kid cleaning bathroom. His energy was spent on bigger and better things.

This holiday I will go to NJ/ NY for the holidays. People there are killing it. If you think you are busy and stressed, forget it. People in NYC are in the gym at 6:00 AM on treadmills, talking through their bluetooths closing deals before the market opens. That's busy! That's stress! People are earning and gaining personal fortunes while you are still in you PJ's and bunny slippers.

If you are bigger then your job, then act as such. Kill it and get out. Save the energy that you spend worrying about your job or getting frustrated about your co-workers for the bigger things. Bigger things could mean raising your kids, coaching your son’s baseball team, or spending time with your family. Whatever defines you, deserves that energy. For me it's simple; becoming a mogul. If I get caught up in this small nickel and dime hustle, how can I handle a million dollar hustle? The small hustle is exactly what it is, a 32 year old man, sitting in a cube, playing factory. I'm ready for bigger and better things. Drop the unrinal cake in the urinal and go home.

-MJL

TAKING IT BACK TO 1997

Year of the mogul?.....Year of the chump stain. I have been taking it in the shorts everyday for the last two weeks. I have actually gotten used to weekly "bend overs" now I'm getting bent daily, and I was actually tolerating it. I finally realized what I need to do.....

TAKE IT BACK TO 1997

Hmmm......1997.

Best 5 films of 1997:

1. Titanic - The competition wasn't even close.
2. As Good As It Gets
3. Men In Black
4. Air Force One
5. Cop Land

MTV top Videos
I'll Be Missing You..............Puff Daddy
2. Mo Money Mo Problems.............Puff Daddy & Notorious B.I.G.
3. You Were Meant For Me............Jewel
4. Men In Black.....................Will Smith
5. One Headlight....................Wallflowers
6. Fly..............................Sugar Ray
7. Breathe..........................Prodigy
8. Hypnotize........................Notorious B.I.G.
9. Virtual Insanity.................Jamiroquai
10. Wannabe..........................Spice Girls

Biggest News Story: The world says the death of Lady Di, I say the Death of the Notorious BIG.

Back in 1997 I was in my last year of college. I had overcome every stereotypical odd out there to graduate with and Engineering degree, 5 job offers, no kids, no jail time, no venereal diseases, no abortions and no drug addictions. Big Deal...That's what you're supposed to do. I was an atheist, the only higher power I believed in was myself. I ran wild on the campus of Rutgers.

I didn’t sit back on anything for anything. There wasn’t any praying to God and waiting for my prayers to be answered. I didn’t believe in God so I had to make it happen. Period. The fact that I am taking it back to 1997 doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in God or prayer, but I think God has already answered my prayers. He’s given me everything that I need to get what I want out of this life. I will reserve God for things I can’t change or affect, like health issues for family and friends. I will pray for other people's salvation and things I can’t control.

1997 for me was survival of the fittest. I did what I needed to do to get where I wanted to go. If you were in my inner circle you benefited, if you were out, you were screwed. Run with me or get run over was my mantra. It was a much happier way of life, because I’m a control freak and I had control. I was much happier and very successful.

I’m not saying that I will take advantage of people become a prick or be rude, but I will not walk around giving everyone the same respect that I have been. I will respect no one unless they have earned it. If I see opportunity I am taking it. If someone can get over on you 8 times out of 10 they will (lately it's been 10 out of 10). People outside of your inner circle don’t care about you or your situation. They are protecting themselves and their inner circles, if y ou are not doing the same you are a diservice to yourself and those you care for.

The public portrays successful people as friendly, always smiling, shaking hands and laughing. These son of bitches are friendly and smiling because they are rich. Bill Gates is a ruthless dude. He is out to put his competitors out of business. Tiger Woods is one of the most ruthless people in the world. He doesn’t care about your feelings. No, scratch that, he wants you to feel fear when you are on the course with him. He is looking out for his career, his family, his friends and their well being. To accomplish that he must annihilate his compettitors; destroy them without any regards to their feelings, or the impact on his career.

Adopting this attitude will benefit and has benefited me already.

My truck for the small business was in the shop to the tuned of $1449.00. That’s fresh off a $2300 car repair. Those things you can’t control- that much. The first quote was $1600. After some advice from my Pops and a few calls, the price was down to $1449. The truck was finished and ready for work on Saturday. My operations manager picks the truck up on Saturday and it won’t start. He goes into the dealership and the guy says, “ It’s Saturday, sorry there is nothing we can do, there is no mechanic on duty”. He said all they do is oil changes and light repairs. My operations manager calls me and I’m furious; but I’m also back to 1997. All I care about is getting this truck on the road and my guys working. If we don’t work my inner circle suffers. When I hit the dealership I look at the dude behind the counter. I told him I need to talk to his boss. He said he was the boss. I proceeded to tell him how he was going to get someone somewhere to fix this truck. He could see it in my eyes that someone was going to get hurt if that truck wasn’t fixed.

Now before I got there he didn’t care. He was at his little 9-5, with his little title, and little business cards. My operations manager wasn’t a cute girl or had nothing to do with him, so why go out of his way. For a split instant he could see that none of that mattered to me. I could care less, and I would make his life hell. Complaints to his upper management, letters to the dealership owner, whatever I needed to do to make his life hell. He could see and feel all of this in our 30 second conversation. So what happens? They push the truck inside, take off the engine cover and find a loose wire. He sprays some sealant in it and the truck starts.

The old me would have told my guys they have the weekend off, and I would wait to Monday. 1997 me went in with his foot cocked and came out with a running truck. Everybody back to work.

"1997 me" would have never married my first wife. 97’me is "no joke". With God on my side and a new attitude will "2006 and beyond me" be stronger then 97 me? Only time and the blog will tell.

-97 MJL