It seems like people just want to find other people and hold on to them. We find someone we’re comfortable with and we don’t want to let them go. We call these people friends, girlfriends, boyfriends… pretty much the same thing just a different level of connection.
I guess my “problem” is that I don’t feel like I need somebody in order to survive. I’m not saying I’m better. It’s actually a miserable life because there are not too many things besides enjoying the company of others that we can really do in this life. So my life goes on and I realize that I should mingle a little more, but mostly what I can see is just dollar signs and a tunnel that leads to either a one night of passion or nowhere.
I don’t know about this world I live in some times. It can really be a boring place and dying is not an option because maybe something better is just around the corner…
My report: I was excited to see this movie because I have been thinking about Muslim women and how much free will they actually have, but this film didn’t help much. What happened here? This movie had a beginning, but no end. Cual fue la moraleja? It moved very slow. It seemed like all the scenes were dragging. As if the producers tried to make a movie out of something that should have been a 30 minute documentary at the most. I think there was a budget problem on this film. Everything took place in basically two places: a bus and a space next to a stadium about 20′ x 10′ long. At the end of the movie I was left wondering what happened to every single character in the movie. Really, what happened here?
Rating:
About it: A handful of girls struggle to make their way into the man’s world of an Iranian soccer stadium in this comedy from writer and director Jafar Panahi. World Cup season is just around the corner, and Iran’s team is playing a game against Bahrain that will determine who will be competing in soccer’s greatest tournament. Nearly everyone in Tehran seems to be abuzz with excitement over the game, through officially soccer in Iran is quite literally for men only — no women are allowed inside the stadium, and women’s interest in the game is severely frowned upon. But that doesn’t stop a number of girls from all over the city from trying to crash the game dressed up as boys; while some succeed, others are unable to fool security, and are sent to a holding bullpen in the stadium where they can hear the cheers of the crowd but can’t see the game. One of the policemen watching over the girls (who range from rowdy tomboys to quiet and bookish types) is sympathetic and keeps them updated on the score and key plays, while another is a petty bureaucrat who suffers the mockery of his “prisoners.” Offside received its North American premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
This is part of the project I’m working on right now for my Marketing class. It’s on ethics:
Company X has been barred from entering the market in a large Asian country by collusive efforts of the local bicycle manufacturers. The company could expect to net $5 million per year from sales if it could penetrate the market. Last week a businessman from the country contacted the management of Company X and stated that he could smooth the way for the company to sell in his country for a price of $500,000. If you were responsible, what are the chances that you would pay the price?
Just by reading this summary it seems Company X has more to gain than to lose from paying the businessman and selling in the foreign country. However, if this was a real life situation, I would need more information before I could make a decision:
1- What does the $5 million represent to the overall profit of the company worldwide? It could be that the company is neting over $100 million a year. If that’s the case then risking being on the bad side of the foreign country is not worth it. Bigger investment opportunities in the future with the country could be lost.
2- Who is this businessman? Is he reliable? What kind of contacts does he have? What happens if this man decides to double-cross the company? Could the company end up paying him more money? And what does “smooth the way” really mean? Will the company be able to enter the market or just be a step closer? I definitely need to know more about this person.
3- How much would Company X have to invest to enter the market? Are we looking to import or set a division in the country? I need to know what the company will be left with after all expenses are paid.
To me this is a numbers decision and not an ethical one. Be ethical to whom? If Company X is entering the market then it means local customers can expect to get same price as before or better. The government will continue to charge their taxes so they don’t have anything to worry about. If anyone is being unethical it would be the local businesses for not allowing a free market to prosper and the local people to get better prices at a greater quality. Company X would be creating new job opportunities, we are the good guys. As for the businessman, if he checks out to be trustworthy, then it’s 100k now and the rest when the job is done. Money.
Dave Smith is developing an advertisement for a new housing development his firm is about to start. The development is located in a low area which has flooded in the past. The company has recently done some work to reduce the danger of flooding in the future. In the preliminary advertisement, Smith has included a statement indicating that the firm has solved the flooding problem. The fact is that if a flood occurs, the homes are still likely to be flooded with up to five feet of water. If you were Smith, what are the chances that you would include the statement in the advertisement?
Stop! What is Smith thinking? He has got to think about the long term image of the company. My number one rule is “everything is possible,” and in this case what is possible is not good at all. Sooner or later the development is going to flood. What does he think is going to happen next? Let’s assume for a second the homes never gets flooded, he still has to live with the possibility that it could and the company could be in big trouble then. Unless he 100% solves the flooding problem, he shouldn’t say the problem is solved. Better yet, he shouldn’t say the problem is solved, period! Well… not unless people already know of the problem. Why tell people they would be buying houses in an area that could have been flooded? Smith is suicidal, he needs medical attention, STAT!
The chances that I would include the statement on my advertisement are zero. The chances that I would stop investing in homes on that property are very good, at least until the flooding problem is completely solved. This should have been taken into consideration before buying the land. This is not so much an ethical problem, but one of stupidity. What bank lent money to Smith? This is exactly why we are on a recession.
Joan Brown is vice president of marketing for Tangy Spices, a large spice manufacturer. Brown recently joined in a private business venture with Tangy’s director of purchasing to import black pepper from India. Brown’s private venture is about to sign a five-year contract with Tangy to supply its black pepper needs, but the contract is set at a price three cents per pound above contracts available from other spice importers that provide comparable service and quality. If you were Brown, what are the chances that you would sign the contract?
First of all, there wasn’t a non-compete clause set by Tangy Spices? That was a big mistake. I was a little confused as to the roles Brown and Tangy are playing. If Brown is going to be importing and then supplying the black pepper to Tangy, then he’s got nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if Tangy is the one supplying to Brown, then he should never sign that contract. It doesn’t matter that he works for the company. Whomever is on the receiving end of the deal is going to lose and should not sign. The price is higher yet the quality and service are lower than the competition? That’s a no-brainer.
Ethics… where does it play on this one…? Well, buying low and selling high is not unethical, it’s business. Given that this is B2B, ethics are even less important. Businessmen should know better. Eventually somebody has to go out of business even if it is by getting duped. The party supplying the black pepper has everything to win, but it could also damage the relationship on the long term. Luckily they will have five years to come up with a solution.
Antonio Bullen John Garcia is working in product development for an auto parts contractor. Garcia’s firm received a large contract last summer to manufacture transaxles for use in a new line of front wheel drive cars. The contract is very important to Garcia’s firm because prior to obtaining it, half of the firm’s employees, including Garcia, had been scheduled for an indefinite lay off. Final testing of the assemblies ended last Friday and the first shipments are scheduled for three weeks from today. As Garcia was examining the test reports, he discovered that the transaxle tended to fail when loaded at more than 120% of rated capacity and subjected to strong torsion forces. Such a condiditon could occur with a heavily loaded car braking hard for a curve down a mountain road. While the driver would not lose control of the car, the resulting damage to the car would cost several thousand dollars to repair. The manufacturer’s specifications call for the transaxle to carry 130% of its rated capacity without failing. Garcia showed the results to his supervisor and the company president both of whom indicated that they were aware of the report. If they did not deliver the assemblies on time, they would lose the contract. If you were Garcia, what are the chances that you would notify the auto manufacturer of the defect?
What’s that smell? Smells like something burning… Oh I know! That’s the rubber burning after my Bridgestone tires exploded! Sounds familiar? This is a simple case: Garcia’s company shook hands on 130% not 120%, they need to live up to their word if they plan to stay in business over the long term.
What the company needs to be doing is figuring out how much time it will take them to fix the problem and deliver the parts as contracted. Can’t deliver on time? Fine, setup a call with the auto manufacturer and let them know before the due date comes around, but not before having at least one solution for the problem on hand. After all, Garcia’s company has some leverage on this situation: they could argue that it would take them less time to fix the problem than it would take another company to start from scratch. They can even use this opportunity to build a better relationship with the auto manufacturer by reducing the price, of course, offer only if it came down to it.
Since the question was about Garcia, I would say he doesn’t need to notify the auto manufacturer. That is not his job. Ultimately it is not his responsibility, but that of his supervisor and the president of the company. What Garcia needs to do is make sure his ass is covered and find a new job. With contract or not, the company is already in bad shape. This Titanic is sinking, grab a life vest while you can and jump! Sooner or later this thing is going to “explode”, and Garcia needs to make sure he has prove he notified his superiors.
I spent most of my day running around the college campus trying to get my classes for the summer registered. Got it done though and I start May 28th. It feels good to know that I’m that much closer to finishing. At the same time I also recognize the necessity to act more. I’ve been wanting to learn as much as possible about many things. Recently my biggest infatuation has been music. I called it an infatuation because usually once I learn something well I tend to jump into doing something else, something I don’t know yet. But music feels different. It is as dynamic as computers yet it has a larger connection with people, and that’s the reason why I believe music will become a life affair and not just a short term passion.
I want to believe that my biggest problem has always been self discipline just so I can prescribe myself something that will take me to where I want to be, but the truth is that I’m disciplined in my own way. Nobody has ever had to tell me to keep pushing. I do that myself. Nobody has said “write every day so you can become better at it.” I prescribed myself that medicine and I’m following it. No… my biggest problem, which I also believe believe is a great strength, is my need to have everything be perfect. I can’t put shit out there that is not right to me. The same way I can’t be that guy wearing fake jewelry. There’s people for that and I’m not one of them. Things like that just don’t set right in my mind. Either I have/do/am the real thing or I’m working on it, if I want it that is… So does that mean that time is really my problem then? That motherfucker just keep running up on me. Ticking when I would like it to stop or at least slow down for a… second??? How could I ever have time stop for a second? Imagine that… asking time to stop for a second, so time stops and measures a second… then keeps going. As if a second wasn’t time itself still running…
Hmmm, since time is always going to be moving what I need to do is make everyone else’s time less precious. And I only know how to do that by increasing the speed by which I take advantage of time. Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice… until what I do is so much better than what my neighbors do and I can do it that much faster. Some people say quality over quantity. I like to say quality in quantity.
Anybody wanting to be somebody will find the need to take a stance. I’m talking about firmly believing in something. Whether that believe is good or wrong is up to subjective interpretation that translates into the potential outcome of that particular stance. Sometimes we pay with our lives and other times we get the glory it deserves. You will never lead, nor will anybody ever follow your lead if you don’t first believe in yourself. People just don’t like to lean on rotten trees.
Now, as a leader, if we want to make good decisions there are three steps we need to follow:
Know the problem: I know it sounds stupid, but many times we make wrong decisions because we don’t understand the problem.
Know the ins and outs: we don’t always have the luxury of having the time to figure out the causes to all effects, that’s why practice makes perfection and experience is wisdom.
Make up your mind: and more importantly, stick to it. Don’t ever change your mind while you’re making your stance. You shouldn’t if you did a good job on step 2. Also, never doubt yourself while you’re fighting your case. Again, you shouldn’t if you did a good job on step 2. If you forgot to take something into consideration while you were on step 2, then wait until you’re by yourself and then start doubting, change your mind if you have to then make sure you state why; and be prepared to lose credibility as a leader. It’s that whole thing about the rotten tree again. Nobody said leading was easy.
One of the reasons why we live unhappily is because we are not willing to make the right decisions. All three steps necessary to make good decisions don’t take into consideration something that to all of us is very important: emotions. The more we can separate ourselves from our emotions the better our decisions can be. Too many of us have been unable to get out of bad relationships simply because we let our hearts take over. Emotions are such a strong part of our lives that just about everybody is using them to influence the decisions of others.
Stand tall and strong like a tree when you believe in something and don’t let anybody change your mind when you believe it’s good.
Immigration has always been an important factor in the functioning of the American economy. With the advent of highly competitive industries, new technologies and globalization, businesses thrive to find the right candidates to meet their needs. We all know that the number one goal of a business is to make a profit and while many businesses try hard to operate within the moral standards set by societies, others will do whatever it takes to meet that number one goal. Yes, this does include the price of labor and yes I am talking about illegal immigration. One of those hot topics that continues to widen the divisions amongst American politicians.
The editorial board for the USA Today newspaper published an article that rejects current American policies on immigration laws while congresswoman Sue Myrick published an article in the House of Representative editorial in favor of strict immigration laws. The purpose of this article is to rhetorically analyze both arguments in favor of logical, emotional and ethical appeals.
The USA today focused their argument on pathos, the “simple humanity” aspect. Their main argument in pro of illegal immigrants is that while they are here illegally, most do not brake the law and are only looking for a better chance at living. They state that state laws on immigration show no mercy on “immigrants with steady jobs, deep community roots, a history of paying taxes and children who are citizens.”
Most of the logos used by the USA Today editorial board is mainly to fuel the emotional appeal they are trying to build on the reader. For example, they state that 25,000 illegal immigrants have left the state of Oklahoma after the implementation of stronger laws in the state against immigration and end with the statement that families are being “uprooted, and parents are separated from their kids” because of these new laws. They further use logos to communicate that according to a study, Oklahoma’s new laws could end up costing the state’s economy about a billion dollars. The source for such study was not given.
The overall tone is one of compassion. However, little credibility is established. As a national newspaper, the article is targeted to all Americans. The conclusion offers “President Bush’s immigration bill” as an abandoned yet best solution for current immigration problems, this was one last attempt to appeal to the reader’s emotions.
The first positive aspect any reader might find on Sue Myrick’s argument is in ethos, her personal credibility. As a congresswoman, the reader expects her to know what she is about to argue. As a representative of the state of North Carolina, she makes sure to establish full credibility on the subject of immigration through ethos by stating “North Carolina has the 8th largest illegal alien population in the country.”
Mrs. Myrick wastes no time in appealing through logos, the basis of her argument. In making a strong argument, she provides the source of her statistics, a report titled “Dropping Out: Immigrant Entry and Native Exit From the Labor Market, 2000-2005” and written by Steven Camarota, of the Center for Immigration Studies. Her statistics include numbers that support her argument such as the low composition of immigrants in the 473 major occupations in America and the high percentage of illegal immigrants with no more than a high school education.
Mrs. Myrick tone is defensive and unapologetic. Her audience is first and foremost the non-immigrant citizens who reside in the state of North Carolina. This is a clear because she always returns to statistics involving the state and, of course, the title of her article. After stating her argument through the use of statistics, she goes back to pathos by providing solutions that she believes will benefit her audience: “American workers would find jobs, and obtain wages that would help them get off government programs. Businesses would create new technology that would lower costs, and could actually help our economy expand further.”
In the subject of 12 million illegal immigrants living in America and the effects this causes on the rest of the population, judging strictly on a rhetorical analysis, congresswoman Sue Myrick makes a much stronger argument than the editorial board of USA Today. However, as an immigrant I can’t help but add my two cents to the debate. Yes, illegal immigrants must be punished, but before we try to round up and deport the 12 million illegal immigrants that are now part of the force the keeps the American economy moving, let us study the full outcome of those actions and other possible solutions. In my logic, illegal workers would not try to call attention on themselves by taking jobs away from people who rightfully deserve them and might get them deported. They are not drinking from our glass of milk, they are collecting the cookie crumbs that fall from the table. Congresswoman Sue Myrick said it best:”immigrants (legal and illegal) compose the majority of workers in just four out of 473 major occupations in America.” It seems to me we have enough time to come up with a plan that will put an end to the problem of illegal immigration once and for all.
One of my cousins gave birth to her first child this morning at 1:30 a.m. I’m an uncle, even though it’s hard to feel that way. I think it’s only because I’m not close to my cousins or anyone else outside of my immediate family, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about them. It’s still a little crazy that it feels like it was just yesterday when we were playing Nintendo and watching E.T.. When the biggest worry was getting to level eight on Mario Bros. and having a birthday party at Chucky Cheese.
Even though it has been so many years since I last saw my cousins, I can still remember the thoughts going through my mind at the time we were closer. Before I even turned eight years old I remember, for example, that I wanted my mom and dad to become American citizens. This was because my country, while it was occupied by the American military, had territories that were limited to Americans, primarily military personnel. With my uncles being part of the American military, it always bugged me how they could easily cross into Panamanian territory without needing id’s, but for my family to go to their side of the fence it was always much harder and pretty much impossible without the vouch of my uncles. Even at an early age I realized how unfair things could be. Why did I need permission to explore my natal country when others born outside didn’t?
My determination to get American citizenship grew even more when I started traveling overseas. Everywhere I went it seemed like the dark-blue American passport would always open doors much quicker than my light-blue Panamanian passport. At times I was embarrassed of my nationality because it didn’t seem to do anything for me. My American friends were always more at ease crossing borders than I was. They knew that everywhere they went they were well represented. I knew that if something happened, I was on my own. But this the world we live in, isn’t it? It’s not always fair. After 20 years of wanting that American citizenship I finally got it. I used to look at the United States of America from the outside, now I write from within. And in my heart there will always be a special place for that country who gave me my first breath of air, who thought me so much with so little. It’s hard to describe the way I feel about my beautiful Panama, but my eyes water when I think of her like this. I wish she could have given me everything I ever wanted…
I came to America with a different reality. A reality that broadens scales a bit further than the average born American citizen. This reality is the one that tells me that poverty goes well beyond not having a good education, and that dictators, not citizens, really do control the destiny of nations at times. This dark-blue passport I own represents a lot more than a greater freedom to cross imaginary borders. It represents more opportunities and the accomplishment of a life dream.
I would be a fool to not take advantage of the opportunities that have been given to me. It is true that every day presents itself full of opportunities, but if we can’t see them then how can we take advantage of them? We just don’t see things the same way if we’re accustomed to them. We don’t think of every breath unless we’re gasping for air the same way we don’t think of every heartbeat unless we’re having heart problems. This is our world, and as unfair as it can be, it is also a beautiful experience, and I know my nephew already holds the better hand. Welcome to this world nephew.
I just finished watching the first season of the reality show “The Apprentice.” It’s a T.V. show about 16 candidates competing for an apprentice position with Donald Trump, one of the most successful Realtors in the United States.
Several times Donald asked the apprentices if they thought they had the genes for becoming a leader. I’ve always dismissed that thought, but now I’m wondering. Could it be possible that certain people are born with gifts that go beyond physical abilities? Like the way certain people process thoughts, the reason why babies know to hold their breath underwater and to suck on a nipple, and being able to learn sciences at faster rates than most?
I know what my gift is: I have a great mind when it comes to imagination and creation. This is something I know I can use well in business, where the true rule of the game is to make a profit by solving problems. I also know that my gift alone is not enough to be a good businessman. I still have/had to figure out how to persuade people, learn accounting, use a computer, etc. In other words, I still have to learn how to use the tools that would make me the greatest businessman of all times. It’s the same with being an artist. I still have to learn how to play instruments and write music.
I am lucky to have discovered my gift. Something tells me a lot of people don’t get to do that. The question is: do all of us have gifts we are born with? And are these gifts genetic? I guess the answer to the second question in many ways is the opposite answer to the question “do you believe in God?” Many would say our gifts come from above and not others.
I realize I am leaving a lot of questions unanswered and I do want to know the answers for these questions. I found a good article that explains why parents don’t have total control over how their children will turn out. I still need to research more, but if this is true, maybe it will help me understand why I’ve never liked going to church. Even though my parents forced me to go every week. My brothers never complained and many people even if forced, after 21 years of going to church every Sunday they end up with something. I moved to the U.S. and never stepped foot on a church again. It never became a habit, but maybe some day I will go if I want to.
Is being a businessman coded in the genes of Donald Trump or is simply from watching his father when he was a kid? I don’t care, but I do want to know more about my genetics. Figuring out won’t really do anything in terms of where I’m going, but it does help in answering where I came from.
What I like: by now I think it’s pretty clear that I’m into brunettes. She’s got beautiful skin, good height, born in Hawaii. She’s 29 and seems to have the type of body that will stand the tests of time. I actually like the dark colored eyes on her.
What I don’t like: I was going to say that she seems like she would have a lot of attitude when she’s off camera, but after looking at some more of her non-music videos on YouTube, I can’t say I still feel that way anymore. I don’t know what I don’t like about her, yet…
I read that the first two singles on her new album didn’t do well. I listened to them and I liked them. Could be a marketing problem…
My report: I rented this movie because I saw it had comments from Russel Simmons, Whoopi Goldberg and Damon Dash in it. I wanted to know how black people in power felt about the word nigger, and it turned out to be interesting.
The word nigger or nigga is used among black people in the U.S. in many different ways. When I first came to this country I only knew one meaning for the word. It is that same racial slur most people know the word by. But when I heard on T.V. and on songs, people using the word nigga so freely I thought maybe it is OK for anybody to use it. So I tried using the word, but every time I did it just didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel right because in my brain there was already a symbol associated with that word. It also didn’t feel right because no everybody, not even all blacks, feel the same way about it. The first and only time I heard my mom use the word nigger, she used it as a derogatory term towards my dad (when he wasn’t in the room) because they were having an argument. And even then it didn’t make sense that my black mom would try to insult my black dad by using the word nigger… they’re both black! It’s like this one time I was fighting with my older brother so I called him an “hijo de puta,” a common insult in Panama that means “son of a whore.” You see where the problem is? We’re brothers! By calling him a son of a whore, I was calling my own mother a son of a whore. As soon as I said, my brother smiled at me and said “we have the same mother you dumb ass,” we both laughed and that was the end of the fight. Never again did I use that same phrase on any of my brothers.
Here is my problem with the world nigger: it divides people. It divides blacks from all other races, and what’s most important, it divides blacks who are against the use of the word nigger from those who favor it. If you ask me, I would say the use of the word today in Hip Hop is mainly serving the same purpose it did when it was first used on blacks. I heard Chris Rock, a black comedian, say that there are black people and then there are niggers. I say niggers are blacks. He was trying to say that a nigger is a dumb black person who is ignorant and likes being ignorant, they like to “keep it real.” I am against his way of thinking because, again, it does nothing but cause more division.
I’ve heard people say that “nigger” is a racial slur, but “niggaz” isn’t. What? That is confusing, and the truth is that it is just another way to try to make the word OK. In Hip Hop lyrics, the word nigga is used all the time. These lyrics are not being heard by black kids, they are being heard by every race and culture on the planet. As artists, we black people are telling the word that it is OK to use the word nigga, but many times when we hear non-blacks use the word we get mad, why? The reason why is because the word, in many ways, still holds the same meaning it had many years ago.
The word nigga is a double standard and at the same time a form of empowerment. To the black person it could mean “I will use the word nigga because I want to, and no white person is going to tell me I can’t,” it could also mean “the word nigga is for us black people ONLY to use,” or “I am better than that other black person who looks just like me.” If you are a black person using the word nigga, you are using it to rebel or distinguish yourself. Either way, the true outcome is division.
I choose not to use the word nigga because it divides. If I use it it will be in a sense of unity amongst black people and knowing that everyone in the room is comfortable with the word. I truly love my race too much to help shred it apart. I don’t care what nobody, aside from all blacks, think of the word “nigga”. Let’s get our own black culture to unite so we can have a unanimous vote.
Rating:
About it: The biggest names in show business come together to offer their opinions on one of the most inflammatory words in the English language in filmmaker Todd Williams’ revealing and thought-provoking documentary. In its long and complex history, the word “nigger” has gone from a cutting and derogatory racial slur to a term of endearment frequently used by African-American youth culture. Though the word has in a sense been “taken back” by the very people that it targeted, it still has the power to anger and enrage when taken out of its new context. As a variety of celebrities including Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, George Carlin, Damon Dash, and Bryant Gumbel offer their opinions on this polarizing word, the taboo of language is broken to reveal an ever-changing society that is constantly attempting to make sense of a dark past while simultaneously attempting to build a brighter future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Hypocrites, have you seen one lately? If you think not it is because you are being fooled, but at one point or another in your life you came to see one so you know exactly what a hypocrite does. These backstabbers, good-for-nothing double-crossers spend their time pretending to be something they are not. They smile at you when they see you and when you are not around you are the victim of their endless mockeries, insults and negative criticisms. The worst part is not their hypocrisy, but what happens when you realize their “wrong” doing. Looking for approval from your so-called friends you start criticizing your new discovered adversary: “I can’t believe she would do that to me, I would have never done that to her.” But you are doing it, right there and then. You are talking about another person behind their back. You just feel it’s different because “she started it.” The truth is, there are two sides to everything. Which side is good or bad is subject to interpretation. Perhaps, the best approach to the problem is to look at things from all perspectives before reaching conclusions.
How often are children told not to play with fire? The child usually learns not to play with fire after that first contact with an object heated at over one hundred degrees of a new experience. The day my child comes to me screaming and crying because he/she just got burned, I will take care of the wounds and ask: “Do you understand now what I was trying to tell you?”
Isn’t it much better to know why, than to follow the beaten track? To know exactly why things happen the way they do is bliss. What’s even better is that by understanding that there are two sides to everything, we can take a negative and turn it into a positive. With this type of thinking, we are not just destined to have a glass that is always half full, we are also now wired for success. Can you imagine if we focused all that energy we spend getting angry with those who critic us and put it into something else? Find out if what your critics are saying is true and then use that information to get even better! People with negative attitudes are always ready to tell everyone else what is wrong. They make for much better friends than the ones who smile but never tell the truth.
There is no reason to experiment on the two sides of everything though, you got to be smart. If you decide to rob a bank and you get shot and die, you won’t have a opportunity to try something else, unless you believe in reincarnation that is. Know that there are two sides to everything and learn to make the right decisions. It is just as dumb to believe there is only one way to everything as it is to believe in single-sided coins.
I like what Will says starting on 4:43 when Charlie asked Will how he decided to do the roll of Muhammad Ali. Will says he had doubts at first because he couldn’t see the road from doing the T.V. show “Fresh Prince of Belair” to becoming a legendary and world renowned boxing champion on the big screen. That was until he was given the blueprint, or the step-by-step guide to how he was going to reach that goal.
Having a plan is very important. To me, there’s nothing great about going from point A to point B if you can’t do it again and again. If that happens, it means there’s a great amount of luck involved, and how many times can one person get lucky?
I’ve been thinking about the “wall” metaphor Will uses to answer the question on 22:25. He says his parents thought him not to build a wall, but instead to concentrate on laying out one brick at a time the best way possible. Soon enough there will be a wall. I learned about concentrating on the small picture a while ago, but I still think it’s important to know where I’m going. I like to dream first and then lay the first brick. I feel that without well-thought goals there might be a problem later on in terms of self-motivation. Suddenly we lose interest in something or we just stop because we don’t know how far we actually want to go. My problem, as I see it right now, is getting into the habit of following my plan without interruptions. I’m always working, but I’m always dreaming too. It’s hard for me to continue working on something all the way to the end because I get excited about new ideas and I can’t wait to start working on those too.
Right now, for example, I’m reading the scriptures of John from The Bible, Malcolm X, Pablo Neruda Poems, I’m working on the design of antoniobullen.com, I write poetry and music, I am trying to market geecho.com and I write about all these things. I want to do every single one of them and I also have the responsibility of going to my classes and soon I will be working again. I do spend most of my days on my music so that’s a good thing.
To me dreaming is important because that’s how I have set the standards to be not just number one, but also the first to do something never done before.
Will says something really good around 30:04 when he says that he hates the feeling of fearing something. The fear to pitch an idea or meeting with someone for the first time; and that he didn’t want to even take that meeting because of that fear. So he developed an attitude of attacking things that he was scared of. I admire him for that and I wish I had that at my age. I realize that’s a problem in my life and I’m working on it. In my case I feel like I will only attack things when there is no other route to take. In Spanish there is a phrase: “entre la espada y la pared,” it translates to “between the sword and the wall,” and that’s when I usually start pushing back.
It’s been a while since I have written anything about my music. Basically, through a lot of practice and forward thinking I’ve figured out how to compose beats much faster. Being able to get my thoughts into notes faster is good, but it’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is the quality, and I do think I’m preserving that level of quality I expect.
Writing is still a problem, but not as big. I have decided that I shouldn’t be thinking things too much. Instead just let my thoughts be, the same way as I’m writing right now and I’m not over thinking anything, I’m just writing.
My biggest problem though is performing. I can’t speak very fast in English and I attribute that to my few years of experience speaking the language. Keeping the pace is very important when rapping, I would say that a good definition of rapping is talking in rhymes over a steady pace. I have to train myself to speak faster so that I can rap better. It won’t happen over regular conversations because I’m already doing the necessary tempo required to speak normally. The only solution is to keep practicing over the beats. Just keep working on it until it sounds natural and is to my standards.
I keep thinking things are coming together though, and I can’t force the speed, all I can do is make good use of my time. That’s why I stop when I don’t feel like practicing. There’s no point in doing something when my mind is not in it, that’s called a waste of time. Besides, anything I decide to do, I know is going to be a learning experience and that’s important ’cause I can use that in my music later on.
