When did THIS happen???

"All across the metropolitan and USA, everybody with a mouth's talkin' 'bout DJ *MIXMASTER* DJ Ice, to be precise, the boy is nice...." - UTFO

"He's the greatest of the great, lets get it straight, he's great. Claims fame 'cause his name is known in every state. His name is Jay to hear him play will make you say 'G-d damn that dj made my day'"  - Run DMC

"My DJ, Grandmaster Dee, he raps on the mic, with Extacy and me" - Whodini

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh, I'M BAD!" - L. L. Cool J

"I'm bigger and better, forget about deffer. Every time I rock the mic, I left a stain in your brain that will remain, stuck in the back of your brain until you see me again!" - Kool Moe Dee

"MCee, Rapper don't FIT with me, fit's with YOU, that's why you're SCARED of me!" - Daddy O



"Well, I didn't succeed, but I sure gave it my best shot!"  ...... Said NO REAL RAPPER/EMCEE EVER!!

Participation awards? Are you kidding me? Is this what we fought so hard for? Is THIS what Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince boycotted the Grammy Awards for?  We have become a nation that gives out "participation awards" to EVERYONE, including wannabe rappers. "You sure gave it your all, MC Mumblefuck, here's a ribbon".
In just 30 short years, look what rap has become.  Lip-service.  Ain't no one real or loyal anymore, under the age of 40. But hip hop began to be overtaken and changed by the corporations (pezzanovantes and government puppets) in the early 90s, when Public Enemy began touring the WORLD and talking about the race issues in America.When Professor Griff, X Clan, and others, began teaching TRUE history, not His Story. When white suburban kids were addressing race issues, and learning names like Malcolm X, Hon. Min Louis Farrakhan, W.E.B. DuBois and more. When Eric "Eazy E" Write attended a dinner with the president of the United States.....

When black men and women "forgot their place", and began to have a voice.

Suddenly, it all changes. We go from rap being about who's the best MC or DJ, or what neighborhood parties the best, to social consciousness for all of like 3 seconds, then the onslaught and backlash begins.....and the government steps in with it's continuation of COINTELPRO. This time, rather than "beat 'em" they chose to "join 'em, and kill them from within".  Rap began to get a new face.  It was no longer the party-animal, or the wise words and guidance, it became gangbangers, drug dealers, sloths, babydaddys, gold diggers, pimps, hustlers and whores.  I was so very disgusted when I heard "Still Fly" ....seriously talking about having no job, no money, live in his momma's house, like all that is something to be proud of. Having fucked up priorities.  It's got worse and worse, to the point that someone with wisdom to share is ignored, because the kids cant see past the "bling" and "twerkin".  For real?

And while I'm at it...what's with using other people's lyrics and making songs like you made the shit up? ANYONE ELSE remember when BITING was the worst thing you could do?

Listen, kids. Give hip hop back until you can learn to act like you got some upbringing.  I'm telling you, the True School artists of hip hop, as well as the consumers, have had enough of your shit. Watch, Public Enemy, Professor Daddy O, Black Thought, and even some of your peers like Jahi PE2.0, are coming through and going to take it back by force and remind hip hop where it came from.

Let's review -
- No one gives a fuck about your "try". Success has a million fathers, but failure is an orphan.
- There are NO awards for 2nd place
- Learn your history and that of the music you claim you love
- Stop being proud of being a broke mamas boy
- Get your priorities straight
- Give me back my music, because you're only fucking it up
- Your rhymes suck and so do you.
Did I cover everything?

You can bet I'll have more on this topic for another blog.


.....NOW, GET OFF MY LAWN!

Late Night thoughts

BOY am I ever about to become unpopular....


What would you do, John Q. Citizen, if an occupying force decided that the way we lived and treated people was inhumane and that we needed to live according to their ideals and doctrines? What if they came here and forced us to do things their way.....would you sacrifice yourself, your life, for your country, freedom, family, way of living....? Is there anything that you WOULDN'T do?

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France.
we shall fight on the seas and oceans
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air.
We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
We shall fight on the beaches
we shall fight on the landing grounds
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets
we shall fight in the hills
we shall NEVER SURRENDER!"
-Winston Churchill

We all took inspiration from this speech.  We did as much as the British did.

soooo....why are we all acting so incensed and surprised that they are doing the same in the middle east? Would we do ANY less, if they came here the way we have gone there?  And yet we act so high and mighty, so indignant....as though WE didn't commit the same and worse atrocities when we came to what is now the United States, and raped, and murdered our way across the land, subjugating the native people until we had stole all that was theirs and claimed it for our own.....

Daily we hear the cries of "You don't come to OUR country and try to change things to suit your way of living! We aren't going to just change, because you are here. You don't like it? Then get the fuck out of the country!!!!"
Funny......isn't that the same thing that our enemies are saying to us?

Fucking hypocrites!!

Yeah, I said it. Combat veteran, proud american....but not a hypocrite.  Let's stop pretending we wouldn't act the EXACT same way to protect OUR homes!!

PEace.

Lion

.....you're kidding me, right???

Dear America......

 What the fuck is wrong with you?
No, seriously! What the fuck is wrong with you?

I'm not going to name any names here, you can do the research on your own. However, there is a very popular British hat company, who needs some type of machinery brought to the US for the purpose of manufacturing head-wear. Now, to be clear, i'm not attacking that company. In fact, I own several of their hats and have done a lot of business with them. They're doing their thing, and as a businessman, I get it....

However, in order to fund the acquisition of said machinery, they have started a "kickstarter" fund. That makes perfect sense to me! If you can get your customer-base to help you in your time of need, and offer you monetary support, why, I say "GO FOR IT"! In less than a DAY, they have already had 25 Backers bring $2488.00 to the table!! Good for them! I am so not mad at them.....

I'm FUCKING FURIOUS with YOU, though, America.

In less than a day, you have committed $2488.00 of your dollars to get hats manufactured, but in 15 days since the StopLoss22 Foundation gofundme acct was set up to help address veteran suicide, not ONE DOLLAR has been contributed! Here, since the 22 veteran suicides PER DAY we are addressing aren't enough for you, allow me to share some OTHER statistics about the men and women who fought for your rights...

23% of homeless population are veterans
33% of male homeless population are veterans
47% Vietnam Era
17% post-Vietnam
15% pre-Vietnam
67% served three or more years
33% stationed in war zone
25% have used VA Homeless Services
85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
89% received Honorable Discharge
79% reside in central cities
16% reside in suburban areas
5% reside in rural areas
76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems

....but you can fund a HAT COMPANY? You can buy into their "create american jobs" tagline bullshit, if it makes you feel better. But, the fact of the matter is, they are creating more profit for themselves. THAT is the ugly truth.

However, your fighting men and women didn't do what they're doing and have done, for profit. They did it because they believed in a country that leaves them homeless, destitute, reliant on alcohol, drugs and medications, to numb the pain, whether physical or emotional, and feeling so lost and alone that they would sooner take their lives, than to keep on trying for one more day.  We leave as ONE person, but we return as someone else altogether, and our government does NOTHING to help them. The VA has, on average, an 8 month waiting period, before a bed opens up for them to help a veteran who is at risk for suicide.

But you're funding hat companies and allowing Syrian refugees to enter the country.....

THAT'S your priority, America? HATS!? As a veteran, i'm saddened by this. As an American, I'm ashamed and disgusted by it.

Get your shit straight, America

Let's address the thousand pound god in the room....

I'm not exactly known as the guy who keeps his opinions silent, so i'm going to say this here and now....There are huge differences between the words "Religion" and "Theology". I keep hearing ignorant blanket-statements about Islam, from people who have neither cracked open a Q'ran nor spent more than 7 seconds in a mosque.  "Islam teaches this. Islam teaches that." Absolute non-sense.  Islam is not representative of those who twist it's scriptures to justify their actions or teach hate. That's not ISLAM, that's THAT TEACHER.  Just like you christians wouldn't want the entirety of christianity to be represented by the actions of the Jim and Tammy Faye Bakers or Jimmy Swaggarts  of this world...that not to mention the countless other "preachers" who have been proven to be liars, hypocrites, cheaters, and thiefs. Hell, I'll tell you about a preacher in Columbus, Ohio who pisses on the very name of the so-called "christ" he represents.  Rod Parsley is a well-known (at least in the midwest) tele-evangelist. He holds telethons on LESEA fairly often.  I was watching one, when I saw something that disgusted me. "For Donations Call 1-800-XXX-XXXX"   on one side of the screen. "For Prayer Call 614-XXX-XXXX" on the other.....do you see that??  So, if i'm calling to give you money, that call is toll-free...but if I need prayer, I have to call you long-distance at my own expense?? That's how you represent your god?? Now, should I judge ALL of christianity based on that experience? Of course not!  But yet, it's fully acceptable for you to hate all of Islam, because of the teachings of the extremists? Come on, get real.

By the way, while you're being so "holy" and all, remember THIS. Christianity isn't a religion of peace.  In fact, your Jesus himself said "I didn't come to bring peace, I came to bring a sword". Your god ordered Saul to go into the land and "slay every man, woman, child, and beast. Leave nothing alive". Christians have committed countless murders and mass-slayings in the name of their religion, for centuries......Stop being hypocrites.

Ya Done Forgot.......

There is an interesting thing that I have noticed, in my time in the music industry.  The ones who were once young, broke, struggling to make it, screaming "never forget where you come from".......

Forget where they came from.

They don't remember that feeling of being broke...like trying to make it happen, stretching it all out. Sleeping at the Port Authority, scrapin together for a meal....all in the name of getting that one break...just that one chance is all they need. They forgot.

"If all of your problems can be solved with money, you don't really have a problem"
- Carlo Gambino

Easy as pie to say, when you're a powerful multi-millionaire mob boss.

You see, when you speak to and deal with people who have tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, they really stop looking at the price tags. They buy what they want. That's nice. I hope to be there one day, myself. But when someone who is NOT at your station or level says "I'm broke", that doesn't mean "I had to break into my last $10,000"...no, it means "I don't have two simple nickels to rub together, B". Now, that isn't to say that you should necessarily bail them out or HELP them out...some people don't actually want "help" they just want the money.  Some people need help and are too proud to ask.  It's the hardest thing for a man to go to another man and ask that man to help.  It's bad enough just KNOWING that you don't have a way to make ends meet...without lowering what's left of your pride to ask for assistance.

On the other hand, there ARE those cases where a helping hand is EXACTLY what they need to just get them back up and on their feet.  Granted, you may loan a hand and get paid back in fingers. You might not get paid back at all! But the good karma will come back to you.

- "I have always believed it is in every way profitable to invest in your fellow man" 
- Don Michael Corleone

Yes, I'm aware I quoted a fictional character....but it was a human that wrote that
Thank you, Mario Puzo

Personal Accountability - WARNING: CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND HARSH REALITY

"I'm gonna say a few things....I'm gonna use some bad words....you're just gonna have to deal with it"

-Tony Soprano




PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY-

I want to brush on a couple of topics. Accountability is the key to success, regardless of the endeavor. If you answer to no one, you have no reason to push for results. Even when that someone is you. My friend Sir Mixalot, coined a phrase a very long time ago and put it on a record. I have shared it with countless others and frankly, it has become a battle cry of my life. "There are two types of people. Those who look for ways to succeed, and those who look for EXCUSES NOT to. YOU decide which of those two you are".
It's true.
You don't have to like it,
but it's true.

This applies to diet, exercise, addiction, work, family, marriage, parenthood, etc. You have to be accountable for your choices. Every meal decision, every snack decision, every fast-food decision, I know that tomorrow, I'm going to have to answer to my scales, first thing in the morning. Do I want to see success? If I do, then I find a way to enjoy my foods in a responsible manor.

"Dieting is so hard!"

Fuck you and fuck your excuses.

I have gone from 298.9 Feb 1st, to 238 this morning. Know what I changed in my food intake? Nothing.
You didn't hear me.
NOTHING.
For dinner last night, I had steak and potatoes. The night before was home made rigatoni in red sauce with hot Italian sausage in it, covered in mozzarella. Not fat-free bullshit, not low calorie nonsense.
How?
I don't add salt at all. Period. None. "It will taste bland". Tough shit. Use Accent, use Mrs Dash, use garlic. That and portions. I cook just enough for myself and my girlfriend. If there happens to be leftovers, they are packed away before I sit down to eat. There is no such thing as "second helpings" in my house. Do I WANT more? Absolutely!! Tough shit.

"I can't give up soda/pop/coke! That's my one vice!!"

Fuck you and fuck your excuses.

Fine! Enjoy your Dr Pepper and keep struggling with your weight. How many alternatives are there? I drink coffee, unsweetened iced tea, or water. Do I WANT a cherry coke? Absolutely. Know what I want more? Success.

"Ways to succeed, or excuses not to"

"Well, ya have to reward yourself now and then, and splurge"

Fuck you, fuck your excuses, AND fuck any of your friends who feed you that bullshit.

No you don't. You have "rewarded yourself" into the weight you struggle with now.
Why do we think this is an acceptable mindset?
Here, let me fix this up a little.

I'm an alcoholic. I have been sober for 4 yrs now. Should I "reward myself", and go enjoy a nice scotch, like I want?
I'm also an addict. I have been clean since 2001. That's a long time!! Should I "reward myself" and go buy an 8ball? Come on! I showed restraint, and I deserve it, don't i???
I quit smoking cigarettes 7 months ago. Should I "reward myself" with a smoke? G-d know I WANT one!!

Why did any of you say "NO! You CANT do that!!"? I EARNED it, didn't i?? Why? BECAUSE THOSE THINGS WILL KILL ME!! Guess what, sweetheart. So will that fucking ho-ho!! Your reward is looking down and seeing your dick, instead of your belly (ladies, I don't know....your new shoes, I guess). You'll see your reward on your scales every morning!!

I'll end with this final thought.
"Ways to succeed, or excuses NOT to!"

Which do you choose?

Which 5,940 Deaths Over The Next 9 Months Is Acceptable?

Where do I even begin? There have been so many things that have crossed my mind to write about in the last few days, but I have been far too busy to even relax much LESS do any writing.  Ya know, you never really quite know what goes into a thing, until you're the one putting in the time.  There is more behind establishing a non-profit than one would ever think.  I swear I didn't go through THIS much hassle to sell drugs.  There are more hoops the government has in place for me to jump through to do something good in the community.

We are now standing at the crux of StopLoss22  getting off the ground.  Everything is starting to move into place, and there is even a senator's office showing interest. However, it's bizarre to me that people who claim to have such a passion for this cause, seem to take their own sweet time about getting things in place to move forward.  Let me point out a fact.....to establish a 501c3, the filing with the IRS is 28 pages long AND with all the addendum, can go as long as 50 pages. After that, you can wait up to 9 months before you're even THINKING about getting an answer.  270 days.  At an average loss off 22 veterans to suicide per day, that is 5,940 vets LOST, just so you can jump through government hoops and bureaucratic bullshit.

5,940 dead warriors

Dear lawmakers,
 YOU choose which 5,940 of our combat verans' lives aren't worth saving, so that you can make sure that all the lines are filled in properly.....

In the meantime, if any of you know of a non-profit that is already established, that is willing to act as fiscal sponsors to save lives, please, send me an email, or respond here.  Thanks.

Meanwhile, HUG a veteran. Let them know that you're there, that you care, that they're appreciated and loved. It might just save their life.

p.s. "Thank you for your service" is fine, "Welcome home" is more appropriate....but that's it. Don't ask stupid and insensitive questions. We don't want to answer them and wont....but more importantly, we shouldn't be being put in a position to HAVE to.

"I refuse to justify myself or my actions to people who sleep under the blanket of freedom that I provide"

Suicide Prevention Awareness, PTSD and the Combat Veteran Mind.....

So, for those of you who didn't already know, September was National Suicide Prevention Awareness month.  But here's something else you should know.  We are standing at a rate of 22 Veteran Suicides per month.  22!

These are the men and women who fought for this country, and on it's behalf. On YOUR behalf.  I'm a combat vet, and these are my brothers and sisters in arms.  They are my battle buddies.  So, suicide prevention awareness needs to be EVERY month.  22 vets we lose per day is far far FAR too many. What is the cause?  Well, in WWII they called it "Shell Shock". In Vietnam and Korea they called it "Battle Fatigue". Today it is known as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD).  It's that final little "screw you" that war leaves behind on it's participants. The Army is who I will take to task here, because that is my experience.  I wasn't a Marine, Sailor or Airman, so I don't know as much about their training methods, but the Army's I know intimately.  You see, for an armored crewman, the training cycle (OSUT) is 16 weeks.  !6 weeks with the same peers, the same Drill Sergeants, the same barracks, the same training environment.  For 16 weeks, you are taken and broken. Every remnant of the uncivilized, disorganized, knucklehead of a civilian you once were "back on the block" is destroyed, decimated, and removed from your life, and in it's place is built an efficient killing machine. An armor-centric, egotistical, billy-badass who is more than ready to put steel on target

.....until the day he does it. Until the horrific reality of what an APDS, HEAT or HEP round does to another human being is openly displayed before our very eyes, along with the knowledge that that was a father/son/brother/uncle moments earlier, before you pulled your trigger. You see, when you volunteer to be part of a wartime army, you don't realize that it's a lifetime of memories you'll wish you didn't have, when it's all over.  

Not everyone is mentally or emotionally equipped to accept that.

 

Not everyone is mentally or emotionally equipped to live with that.  There are many of us that live with the memories, the nightmares, the inconsiderate civilians who ask insensitive questions like "did you kill anyone?". Some of us can't handle the hatred displayed by the peace-creeps, the lack of understanding from our loved ones when we come home. NO we aren't the same person you knew before we left. How COULD we be? How do you expect that we could live through all we have, seen the destruction, held our friends as they gasped their last breath, had others leave and never return and be at peace?.

 We've smelled burning flesh, watched the aftermath of this war we never asked for

.....and we can't return to you the same as we once were!  Some of us just want the visions, fear, nightmares, to end.  

Suicide Prevention Awareness month is not only about veterans and veteran  suicides....but that is the part of it that effects me the most, and I am most passionate about.  I have been one that wanted it all to go away, and in fact, I still am most days.  I just wont choose that permanent solution. At least not today.

Love your veterans, hug your soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. Let us know that you're there for us, even if you can't necessarily UNDERSTAND what we feel, that you WANT to, and love us regardless 

To ANY and ALL of my Battles, no matter your service, before you make that ultimate decision, call me. I'm here, I've been there, and i'll listen while you talk, yell, scream, cry...I'm here. I love you unconditionally and I share your pain.  Anytime, day or night, I'll be here for you

574-849-4494

SSG Wade C. "Lion" Lindwedel

19X3PB4

USA (Ret)

Here, Let Me Quarterback This....

Hang on, kids. This COULD jump around a bit, because there are several things on my mind, and well, this is where I get to voice it all. Let's get started, shall we?

First and foremost, while I'm occasionally guilty of using it, I would love to see the elimination of the words "Old School".  It indicates retirement.  The fact is, there are rappers who actually HAVE retired their mics, and they STILL know more about true Hip-Hop, than most of these kids today.  DJs who actually spun VINYL, producers that actually made original BEATS.  Managers that know what it means to shop your act for a deal, shop your act for a gig, shop your act for an endorsement.  It's funny to me when I see idiots say that older emcees should just retire and be quiet.  Ummmm, WHO do the networks hire to do color commentary, announcing, pregame shows, player interviews, etc.? Who? Former quarterbacks, linemen, coaches.  Your ass runs to the TV Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and if you like college ball, even Saturday, to listen to the people who know the game best, the veterans, to break down each and every part of the game. Analysis, commentary, all the above, all brought to you by none other than those OLD SCHOOL CATS. Sit your young asses down, shut up and pay attention to what's being said and you MIGHT learn a thing or two.  All of my life, I have been the kind of person who could sit at the feet of my elders for hours and hours, just listening.  They have seen so much and have so many experiences to share, and I would never THINK about telling them they're too old to learn from.

"WE NEED STRICTER GUN CONTROL LAWS!"
Shut up, seriously. You sound stupid, for real.  Listen, criminals do not give a shit about laws, changes in laws, or stricter laws.  The simple fact is, if you outlaw guns, you will turn hundreds of thousands of honest, law abiding citizens into criminals, because they aren't going to give theirs up. Nope. Not happening.  99% of lawful gun owners don't commit mass murder.  Oddly, we wont see any news today about the millions of us that did NOT kill anyone.  It's better to sensationalize the insane morons who actually DID.  Well, you'll not be taking my weapons any time soon. And if you DID, guess what.....the army made sure that I'm just as deadly with my hands.  Are you going to take those too? Stop making yourself sound so ignorant.

Lastly for tonight anyhow, is loyalty.  Do you have any idea what that means? It means that you stand by him, her, it, whatever it may be.  I have no time for game players, nay-sayers or any OTHER kind of "ayers". Either you're on my team or you're not. No half-way, no fence-riding. In or bloody out.  My resume, track record and clientele/associate list has spoken for itself for 17 years now.  So, that being said, my tree has some branches that aren't producing fruit.  Time to lop those branches off, so fresh healthy ones can grow in their place.  This doesn't mean I dislike you, it means that we aren't meshing well. Some flavors fit together, but one doesn't put salt on their cornflakes. You don't put mayonnaise on your grits.  Those things aren't BAD, they just don't work well TOGETHER.

Enough for tonight.

Peace

Pay The Iron Price (Get Off My Lawn Part I)

So, I have a confession to make to you all.
I have joined the madness....I now play World of Warcraft.
Hey, before you mock me (as I have done COUNTLESS others), have you played it? NO? Then how about you run your mouth elsewhere, because you're speaking out of ignorance. I understand, believe me. I used to do the same thing, just ask my other half.
Then, very recently, I decided to create a character and try the game. My logic was sound: My S.O. loves WoW. I wanted to have something that we could do together! If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Then the unexpected happened. I found out it was fun. Before you could say "Lok'tar Ogar", I had not one, but TWO characters.....DragonsTears (a Level 38 Blood Elf Hunter) and GrollGmar (My level 35 Orc Warlock) and I'm having a grand ole time, questing, running through dungeons, and exploring this super-amazing world, that so far, I have not found the edges of. Really, I must give the fine folks at Blizzard a lot of credit for the detail and depth.
You're probably wondering why this is relevant and why I'm not just hiding my shame at becoming the WoW nerd that I have mocked for more than 10 yrs now. Funny you should ask.

I was running around Orgrimmar (the main city for The Horde) (I KNOW...me? Dark side? whoda thunk it?!), when this level 99 Blood Elf approached me and reared the horse he was riding. I did the same and laughed (you can make them actually laugh out loud!), then his horse sprouted wings and flew up in the air.......and I reared mine again from the ground. I didn't laugh that time, but he did. What a jerk. You see, my Hunter is not Level 60 or higher yet, so while I am able to have a mount, I can not yet have one that flies.
A moment later, he lit back to the ground and said in in-game text "Follow me, we're gonna get you leveled up to 60 so you can fly". I thought, huh! Cool!! He's gonna help me run through some quests and dungeons, so I can level up faster! How nice, right? We were off like a light-switch, and before you know it, we had entered Ragefire Chasm (the dungeon under the city). "Follow me," my new friend yelled, and off we ran.....he much faster than I. But, everywhere, instead of enemies to fight, there were dead enemy bodies. Then I saw my friend up ahead. As he would run up to these level 14 enemies, his level 99 Elf simply waved it's hand, and enemies just kinda fell dead.
BORING! I said "Stop". He stopped running forward, and I said "This isn't how I want to level up. I want to EARN it! But, thank you anyhow" He simply disappeared and left me in the dungeon alone. What's the point of playing the game, if you're not gonna, you know, PLAY it? This is why cheat codes make no sense to me. Where's the fun in that? I digress. I texted Jennifer about the incident, and she said "That's what people do. Level up fast so they can get end-game content and go on raids".
Really?

It got me to thinking about a whole generation of people who just want everything handed to them. They don't want to have to work for it. Just give me my reward, and let me be on my way. Granted, NOT ALL of you are like that, and thank you for being the exception, and thanks to your parents for raising you better! But somehow, I buy into my Dad's lectures about working hard for what you want. There is such a feeling of satisfaction from doing something and accomplishing it through hard work and dedication. I have never had life handed to me. I've had crap handed to me. I've been SPOON-FED heartache and misery! But all the positives in my life, I have worked hard and long for. And at the end of the day, I have the love of a beautiful woman, the respect of my children, the joy of grandchildren, and more stories to share, than I can shake a stick at. I could go on and on about kids who have things handed to them, and don't care for what they get. It has no value, because they didn't bleed, sweat, or cry, to get it.
It's sad to me. Call me old, call me crazy, call me the Get Off My Lawn Guy! But, i'm sad that mine was the last generation to be able to play outside until the streetlights come on, without my parents freaking out and worrying that I had been kidnapped. Of course, my parents would both say "Let them take you! They would only get you in the light and let you go". Thanks Mom and Dad. My self-image has never been the same! haha!
Anyhow, my own children will tell you, that I am full of that same crap that my father was. I have tried my best to give them a solid moral compass, and protect them from the harm of this world, while NOT shielding them from the realities. I have tried my best to make MEN out of my two sons. I think I've done a pretty good job of it.
Know why?
I WORKED for it.
I appreciate that reward.

End of Rant....for now

"THAT THING" (Get Off My Lawn Part II)

“That Thing”


Yes, That Thing. You have it, or you don’t.  It’s that passion, that drive that presses you forward, beyond obstacles, in the face of fear. Fear of death, or worse, fear of public failure.  That “Devil may care” attitude.  Do you have it? The only thing that propels you forward or stops you from success, is “That Thing”.  It works no matter if you believe in it or not.  That’s the first Natural Law.  I am absolutely the WRONG person to tell “I always wanted to *XYZ*”, because my first response will be “No, you didn’t.  You never wanted it, or you would be doing it.  You might have thought it sounded like fun, or sounded like a good idea, but you didn’t WANT it.”

As you get to know me, you’ll hear me repeat a (paraphrased) quote from Sir Mixalot (Anthony Ray), “There are two types of people in the world. Those who look for ways to succeed, and those who look for excuses NOT to”.  Listen to me…you are ONE or you are THE OTHER. There is no in between.

Don’t tell me you can’t, because I’ll call you full of shit.  My father didn’t raise, and my drill sergeants didn’t train a “yes-man”.  You say you cant? Really?  I have former soldiers who lost both legs in combat to IEDs.  They didn’t stop and wallow in what they “couldn’t” do.  They pressed forward.  They did the physical rehabilitation, they got the prosthetics, and now they walk, and even RUN, some of them.  I trained a paraplegic in Tae Kwon Do/Chung Do Kwan. He is now a 3rd Dan (Black belt).  Don’t tell me you can’t.  Don’t tell me you “always wanted to”. I’m uninterested in hearing it.

Example 1) - I was 7  years old, and my father was a singer in a local band, and he played his guitar in the living room at home often.  I told him “I want to learn to play guitar like you, daddy”.  For my 8th birthday, he gave me a guitar and a chord chart and gave me the ONLY music lesson I have ever had in my now 44 years.  That lesson was a simple sentence.

“If you want to learn, you’ll learn”.

I now play guitar, bass, keyboard, saxophone, trumpet, violin, flute, theremin, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, and I have been lead singing in both Hard Rock and R&B bands since I was 13 yrs old.  I have never taken any other music lesson, than the one my father gave me that day.  “If you want to learn, you’ll learn”.  I have “That Thing”.  Do you?

Example 2)  A young man  asked me a while back “Can you teach ME how to be a bodyguard?”. This guy was 6’4”, and a good 375 lbs.  He would be ideal club security.  That’s not the same thing.  Being a bouncer is very different from doing close-protection.  I answered him, “I can teach you the skills.  I can teach you self-defense, ground fighting, how to do threat-assessment as you enter a room, and how to identify all points of egress.  I can teach you how to watch body-language, how to tell if you’re going to be able to use diplomacy to cool a situation, or if it’s going to get physical.  I can teach you to disarm a threat, how to safely extricate yourself and your client from a situation, or a closed in spot.  I can teach you how to drive defensively, and what answers to give in court, when you have to defend your actions or driving. I can teach you those skills.  What I can NOT give you, is ‘That Thing’.  That thing that makes you fully and completely willing and prepared to jump in front of a bullet, for another person, for a dollar.  You HAVE that, or you do NOT”.  It’s “That Thing”.

It makes or breaks the strongest, tallest, hardest of men.  It makes successes stories in the least likely of places and people. It takes the simple and makes it extraordinary.

Example 3) - Professionalism says not to say the name, but there is a particular rock band that is WILDLY successful, for 40 years now.  They are NOT talented musicians. Their music is sub-par at best.  But they’re AMAZING SHOWMEN, and their leader is a GENIUS of marketing!  That is the element of their success. That is “That Thing”.

Do you have it????

Extraordinary Thinking

  I want you to see what happens when you stop letting people tell you what you can't do.  Who am I? I'm some 1983 breakdancer from a little town in the north part of San Diego County, now grown and transplanted to the Midwest. And if I had kept that mentality, it would have been a shameful waste of talent and ability.  I could have continued to work at LCI or any number of other places that are here. After all, this is the RV manufacturing capitol of the WORLD!  At my last job, I used to joke with my coworkers when they would complain about work. I would say to them "HEY! As long as Jason Lippert gets to buy that new yacht this year, then I'm happy! That's what we do this for! Keep your heads up, lads!!" And we would all laugh (I was going to tag Jason in this, because I actually respect him in spite of my joke, but it wont let me).

I had a thought just the other day. I NEVER cared for Kanye West until today. It occurred to me that the problem with Kanye, the problem with ME, the problem Mr. Lippert, the problem with so many that I associate with is this.....we're extraordinary people. Of COURSE ordinary people don't understand us. They only know how to think ordinary thoughts. They are too busy reading the numbers, when we're talking in COLORS. Local brains simply can NOT think globally. The opposite is also true. Those of us who are extraordinary can't wrap our heads around ordinary thinking. Listen, I'm not bragging when I call myself extraordinary. I am acknowledging who I am, and frankly, some of you need to acknowledge this same thing about yourselves. Stop feeling bad when you're not understood. Recognize that you're dealing with average people, and they can only see through average eyes. If they dislike you, it's actually their unhappiness with their own choice to not live up to their potential. They're scared of their dreams, so they don't like seeing you reach out for yours. Now, if you allow them to stop you, then it still comes back to YOU have a problem, no one else.  I am learning that even when my loved ones, family members, etc. don't understand my methods or reasoning, it's because they're not supposed to. They're average, everyday people with average, everyday thoughts. 
My mother said to me not long ago "You're coming off like a conceited ass, lately", because I posted on Facebook that the reason I work 70-80 hrs a week, the reason that I am getting an average of 4 hrs of sleep every day, is because one must pay the cost to be the boss.  I will rest down the road, but for now, I have to keep on this grind, to get where I want to go and be successful.  I replied to my mom "I'm baffled that you of all people, only got THAT out of what I said.  YOU'RE the one that instilled in me that you have to work hard to get what you want. That is the whole message".  The problem is, my mother worked hard her entire life...for another man's dollar.  I loved working at Lippert, because they showed incredible care for their employees, and they earned my respect for that. But the fact is, as long as I was there, I was earning another man's dollar. Sorry, I need to earn my own, until someone else is earning my dollars for me, and *I* can get this year's newest yacht.
I asked one of my mentors in the music industry "do I sound like I'm getting a big head?" His answer was "No.... you sound like you took off the bib. When you were a baby in this industry, you were SUPPOSED to sound like a baby.  But you're an 'adult' in the music industry now, and you're thinking and speaking like one. You don't sound conceited. You sound mature".  I'll never forget the day I learned a valuable lesson in the industry.  Grandmaster Dee (DJ for legendary rap group Whodini) invited me to go with him to the Zulu Nation Anniversary Party. I was to meet him there at 7.  Well, the line for the party stretched about 4 blocks, and so I got in line.  About 7:30pm, my cell rang. It was Dee. "Where are you?". I said "I'm holding a spot in line for us". He said "I'm at the door. Get up here" and hung up.  So, I walked up to the several blocks to the door and there was GMD.  He said "We do not wait in lines!". He then went to the person doing the guest check in and said "Grandmaster Dee of Whodini". The check in person looked and said "I'm sorry, you're not on this list" to which he replied "Then write it in. Grandmaster Dee plus one" looked at me and said "Come on" and turned and walked in the door without so much as waiting for a reply. In we went. No line, no list, no nothing. Dee explained it to me very simple. "We're NOT THEM! THEY wait in line, THEY buy tickets, all that. We MAKE this music. How do we look waiting to get in?".  Another conversation that I had recently was after the event I put together for Kangol Kid's baby-shower.  What was said to me after the rather successful event was, "Your days of ratty t-shirts and blue jeans are over.  You can no longer leave your house looking like anything less than who you are.  You represent names like Chuck D, Kangol Kid, Daddy-O, and many more. You can't look like crap, because you then make them look like crap and no one will take you seriously."  That is why if I so much as run to the grocery, my jeans and shirt are pressed, my hair is styled, my face is shaved and I look good.  I've lost 70 lbs and quit smoking. I look good, feel good, smell good, and guess what, kids? My thoughts are now healthy, along with the rest of me.


Know this about me.  I'm not meant to be ordinary. I'm not an average person. Yes, I put on my pants one leg at a time like everyone else, but i'll be damned if I'm going to not chase (I started to say "dreams") the reality of who I am, just because someone else is scared to chase theirs.


"Who do you think  you ARE?!" you might be thinking.  I'm ME. I'm an extraordinary-thinking person, and I can't understand how YOU think, EITHER. Who do I think I AM? Here's a better question...why am I doing this and you're not?! No No No...I'm not saying that. You're thinking ordinary again. Stop it. Get outside of that box.  What I'm asking you is this....is what you're doing ALL you're worth? Look, if you're happy coming home from work covered in car grease and you just want to take a shower, eat dinner with your family, and watch a little TV before you go to bed, so you can get up tomorrow at 4am and get back under another car, then salut. I'm happy for you.  Continue with that average everyday life.  But don't hate me for not following suit.
Lastly, I'll repeat myself. If you disagree with me here, if you think "you're head is getting too big", I will simply smile at you. I get it. You don't understand, and you're not supposed to. But the extraordinary, above-average people who read this, will.

BECOME YOU