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