The Hustleman Chronicles

Hustling in the concrete jungle of Atlanta, Georgia USA isn't easy. My goal? Simple... to go from net worth zero to the making of my first million. Will I flop, or rise to the top? Truth be told, failure is NOT an option. E-Mail your Hustleman at : thehustleman@hustleandprofit.com for some personal dialogue, comments or questions.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

A Rant From Your Hustleman: Relationships etc.

Peace Fam! How goes it? Your Hustleman is doing well and sitting up at 4am with some things on his mind so he decided to ink out these thoughts for you. Lately, for some reason, I’ve been ending up in conversations about Black Man and Black Woman relationships. Now I’m no expert on the subject but I damn sure can speak from a Black Man’s perspective.

When I was at Uptown Comedy Club, here in downtown Atlanta, listening to comedian Teddy Carpenter he brought up a few good points which I passed on to my favorite Lady who was there with me at the time.

One of the better points he brought up was that no man wants his girlfriend or wife in girlfriend or wife “mode” ALL the time. A man needs a good friend, someone not always trying to check him and watch and try to control his every move. A woman who when the car is broke down and you’re under the hood, she’s right there with you looking under the hood. When you see a big ass walking by you can say, “Damn baby. Look! Doesn’t that woman have a big ass?” and her reply is, “Yeah, she does have a big ass!”

Yeah they were jokes but you could see the light bulbs come on over the Ladies heads that were present. Most of the men were is total agreement. And this brings me to my realization or introspection if you will.

For a large part of my adult life I’ve struggled with maintaining a relationship with a woman. Most of the time, to be quite honest, I just lost interest. Once the interest was gone my mind and emotions were gone with it. The results of course were arguments, petty fights and squabbles because things had changed. Some things you can’t hide (not that I ever tried to).

When I was younger I went through all that “I’m a player” bullshit. Trying to fuck any and everything that opened its legs, just because I could. Once I got grown I realized I was wasting ALOT of time (and money I didn’t have). I mean seriously, what does pussy really do to advance your life? Sure you feel like you accomplished something (and in a way you did especially if it was hard to get), you can brag and boast to your boys about who you fucked and what you did to her but other than that what did you gain?

Once I got around True Hustlers I saw that most of them had very strict guidelines when it came to dealing with women. Simply put: Money over pussy, all the time.

Their logic was that by taking care of yourself and your home first the pussy would come to you; and even then it had to wait until after the business was taking care of. After all, what woman wants a man that’s not at least trying to better himself? She’ll lose interest eventually. No man or woman in their right mind wants to be with a bum. We can all do bad by ourselves, right?

On the other end are my natural desires as a man. I mean I love my Black Women; in all shapes, sizes and hues. As long as they look good with what they got, they’ll catch my attention. But once the conversation starts I look for intellect. Simple minded women turn me off; I gives a damn how good you look! Anyway, back on point…

So in searching for a woman I look for a friend. I mean a real friend. Someone who’s not always nagging. Someone who will let me watch a football game in peace or even watch it with me. Someone who knows damn sure that when a big ass walks by I’m going to turn my head and take a look. I respect you’re there Babygirl; I’m peeking, not staring.

My point is, I’m a man, let me be a man. If something I do bothers you then bring it to my attention in a way a friend would, not with all the attitude. Talk to me, don’t bitch at me.

No, you can’t have all my time and attention, I’ll give you as much as I can but there’s other things in my life that need my time and attention also.

Cook every once in awhile and make the food with love. Do it because you want to. Hell, I’ll even buy everything you need to hook it up.

Don’t be scared of the dick! You should suck it without me having to ask because you won’t have to ask me to return the favor.

Just because I missed your phone call doesn’t mean I’m out with another woman. I mean sometimes I do fall asleep, I work hard. And if we don’t live together, you’re not going to see me everyday. I’ll reach for you Babygirl when the business is taken care of.

Can we just chill out and enjoy each others company without having to go over every single detail of what I’m thinking about and why?

Yes, I do look at life different, especially relationships with other people. My thoughts and the way I do things come from another era. An era where directness in your communication counted for something. If you can’t meet me halfway or are willing to compromise on a few points, then we really don’t need to be together. I know you have a “wall” up around your heart because you don’t want to be hurt (and I do too). But don’t expect me to jump through hoops to prove my worth, feel me?

I overstand (stand over not under) that you may not be used to men like myself but damn, ride with it for a little while and see if this is for you.

When I look back at the majority of my relationships I realized that I lost interest in them because what I was looking for wasn’t there. It was there in the beginning, but when we put those “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” titles on, things changed. I lost my friend somewhere in that transition. Now I’m stuck with a whining, complaining, nagging, “Why can’t you read my mind?”, emotional wreck. Who wants to be around that all the time?

My reaction? “You’re stressing me baby, I need a little room to breath!”

Let me back up a bit. I’m not categorizing ALL my sisters out there, just SOME of the ones I’ve run across.

Alright, thanks for reading that. Like I said, I just had to get that off my mind. I’m always up for feedback, so if my female readers wish to add their perspective then leave a comment and holla at me. I would love to hear them.

Be good Fam, until next week. For those that celebrate on Monday, enjoy yourself. Do it big!

*** Unparalleled Business Game ~ Home Based and Small Business strategies, techniques and tricks of the trade straight from your Hustleman. Why? Because every business is a “Game” and every “Game” has rules. If you know the rules it’s easier to win. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Reachin' And Living Lovely

Welcome Fam, this is your Blogmaster AKA The Hustleman coming at you from the sunny cityscapes of Atlanta, Georgia. I’m going to keep this post short because basically I’m just enjoying life at the moment. Yeah, there’s a lot going on in the life of your favorite Hustler (now that I think about it, when is something NOT going on with me lol?) which I’ll start getting into next week. But for these last couple of weeks I’ve been taking it easy on the work tip and have been just enjoying life.

Sometimes I be on my Grind so hard I forget to enjoy the fruits of my labors (sometimes I can be a stubborn work-a-holic). I think most of us do. We get trapped in that robotic way of living. Wake up, work, sleep, take care of your family and fit a little time in for yourself when you FIND the time... wash, rinse, repeat. And in searching for that "me-time" we usually come up short. Either we don’t find it, or it’s so little time it flies by before you can blink. Then it’s back to the boring routine all over again. What kind of life is that? Damn, can I live?

So the rule goes: Don’t complain, change it!

Now me, myself, took a mini-vacation and have been out and about. The weather’s been lovely for the most part so I’ve been stepping out fresh and hitting the town.

Atlanta is an interesting city. Not as interesting as say, New York, but none the less summer and spring time is where it’s at! There’s always something going on. Whatever your tastes and whatever lane you run in, you can find something your speed.

I’m not much of a club person (although I do like the strip clubs), so I find other things to get into. Plus the club scene is a little crazy out here lately. People getting shot up and what not, so the best way to avoid a bullet is not to be there, feel me? About 3 weeks ago two young Black men got shot in the back of the head by the police of all people. They weren’t armed and posed no threat. What the fuck is up with these cops out here? They’re shooting at anything… even an 80 year old woman about 2 months ago… moving on…

So your Hustleman grabbed his favorite young Lady and has been doing it big. Dining at “Glady’s Knight Chicken and Waffles”, running through the Sweet Auburn Fest (a Black celebration) downtown.

Hitting up the sushi bar at Atlantic Station, which is for all you Ballers (big spenders) out there. Atlantic Station is built like its own little village; livable lofts and studio apartments on top of all the shops and restaurants. It’s has a cool vibe and a laid back atmosphere, imagine about 8 square blocks with a parking deck underneath and its own movie theatre and grocery store. I highly recommend it if you come out here for a visit.

I’ve also been jettin’ through the south side, the south west side and all through Clayton County getting my eat on. Trying new food dishes and desserts (within reason) just because that’s what I want to do.

I took in a couple of movies instead of checking out the bootleg copy. I’ve kicked it with my fellow Hustlers on their blocks just to politic with them and share life stories.

I took a stop at the Uptown Comedy Club, in downtown, to watch Teddy Carpenter who was headlining and that brother did his thing. I was laughing so hard I was crying. Check for him on BET’s Comic View and “Puff Daddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy”. He’s a genius in my opinion, almost up there with Katt Williams… almost.

I’ve been burning up $3.00 a gallon gas, but fuck it. I’ve been spending over my usual budget, but fuck it. That’s why I Grind (work) right? And everything feels damn good!

No clock to punch (yes, Hustler’s do “punch a clock” – we create our own work schedule’s), no whining from the customers and the workers, well I kept it to a minimum anyway; just laying cool in chill mode. Moving how I want to when I want to.

So enjoy the week ahead Fam because for me, mini-vacation is over and it’s time to get back on The Grind. But I’m well rested, laced with energy and ready to get back into doing what I do.

And despite everything that surrounds you Fam, please remember to take a moment out for yourself every once in awhile or you just might lose yourself, feel me? Peace!

*** Unparalleled Business Game ~ Home Based and Small Business strategies, techniques and tricks of the trade straight from your Hustleman:

Learn The Game. CLICK HERE.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Tales From The Block: The Unwritten Rule

Peace to the Fam! It’s your one and only Hustleman back again to let you know what’s going on in a world that’s just beneath the world you live in. Some coined it The Underworld. There are many different layers in it but its all done in plain sight but out of view to those that don’t know what to look for.

It’s funny because America itself was built on criminal activities (Does The Wild West ring any bells? How about the early 1900’s?) and by using loop holes in the system that they devised (and this is still going on today). Now when you or I use these same techniques and means of acquiring wealth we’re looked at as a shameful unproductive member of society.

So here I am in the grocery store looking at rows and rows of Lottery tickets and people in line trying to “Play the Numbers”. Then I look back at history when we were doing the same thing using the stock market totals. We were locked up and shut down. Now in modern times this is all legal. Go figure…

I’m not advocating illegal activity; I’m just making a point. Some people want their hand in everything, and if they can’t do it, it’s wrong. They shut it down, flip it and bring it back so it’s legal… same Game just with different rules. They get the money now, you don’t get shit.

One rule of the Game that has never changed is INTEGRITY. I’m talking about being a man or woman of your word at all times. Some people get it, some don’t and those that don’t never quite get what they want. Maybe a quick fix, but nothing that will last.

In a world where everything is temporary we should be making every effort to have things last as long as possible, especially our relationship with people. After all, no matter what you do or how you do it, other people will be involved in it one way or another.

Now, if you’ve been reading my Blog you know that my Hustling partner is named New York. We eat of these streets, meaning we hold no job; we live off what our businesses produce.

New York is well known, loved and hated at the same time. He’s put many people in “The Game” and when things are good they all smile and laugh. When things get rough they run to New York for help or a hand out. When things completely fall apart for them, well… let me explain.

Fat boy, as New York calls him, was one of the dude’s New York schooled in the ways of Hustling. I’ve met and chatted with Fat Boy on plenty of occasions. Can’t say I really liked him all that much but he respected what I do so I returned that respect. Once New York and I became cool, I accepted him as one of New York’s people. Don’t get it twisted, I never took Fat Boy as a friend and I never kicked it with him. Certain people I just don’t vibe with, feel me? Moving on…

So Fat Boy is a family man, he has a Baby Mama and 2 young children. They lived together in College Park, GA on section 8. And Fat Boy also turned out to be a Part-Time Hustler. Know what I mean? Fat Boy would only Hustle when he needed to and sometimes not even then. He also held no job so it was only a matter of time before the shit would hit the fan.

New York receives a call on his cell phone at around 9am one morning. No big deal, New York is an early person; he’s sitting at his kitchen table drinking coffee at this point in his day. On the other end of the line is Fat Boy crying out for help. Seems he has just been evicted from his apartment so now he, his Baby Mama and 2 kids have no place to go.

He wanted New York to come swing by in his truck and pick up everything he possibly could off the lawn; all his furniture and belongings. New York lives alone, so I guess he didn’t feel there would be an issue if Fat Boy stored his things over at New York’s place.

New York, being the kind of person that he is, agreed and rushed over. What did he see outside the apartment? A couple Fulton County Sheriff cars which of course would draw unwanted attention to himself. He honked the horn at Fat Boy and kept on driving. Fat Boy was confused and a little pissed off so he called New York on his cell phone. New York told Fat Boy that despite his situation, he couldn’t help him with his belongings while the cops were there. There was a personal reason also which escapes me as I write this, sorry Fam…

New York called up Fat Boy’s cousin and told him to help his little cousin out. His cousin already knew the deal and felt the same as New York. HOW THE HELL CAN YOU LOSE A SECTION 8 APARTMENT?

Rent is what? At the most $100.00 a month (more likely under $50.00), plus gas and electric for a whopping grand total of say… $200.00, probably less. New York and Fat Boy’s cousin were both confused and a little pissed. How can you call yourself a Hustler but can’t pay $200.00 a month in bills? Shit, you can make that in one day plus some.

Once the furniture situation was taken care of, the next request from Fat Boy to New York was to let him, his Baby Mama and 2 kids stay with him for a couple of days. New York thought this had to be a joke! Once he found out it wasn’t, he agreed to a compromise. Fat Boy could stay a couple nights with New York but not his family.

The next day was work day. I was already at the spot and finally New York showed up with Fat Boy riding shotgun. Fat Boy was playing “worker” that day, helping New York sell products on commission so he could have a little change in his pocket.

That’s a rule: When one of your people goes down; you have to help them get back on their feet.

That night things went normal at New York’s place. New York woke up in the AM, left his apartment, went to get his coffee, stopped to buy some scratch off Lottery tickets and put his Lotto numbers in for the day. He then met up to see one of his Ladies for a moment and headed back home to get ready for work. He went into his apartment and what did he find? Or better said, what did he NOT find?

Missing was a fresh quarter bag of weed on his kitchen table. Plus more that was stashed in his spare bedroom. He went into his room and found some other items missing. None of the big stuff was taken. The computer was still there, both his televisions and all his music equipment. Two plus two equals four, so New York called up Fat Boy on his cell phone because he was nowhere to be found.

Fat Boy’s defense was he didn’t know about any of that. Maybe somebody broke in after he left. New York knew better, if someone wanted some serious money they would have taken the big ticket items, not the little stuff you can quickly sell off on the street.

Rest of the story short, Fat Boy bit the hand that was feeding him and so now he’s starving, feel me? Integrity is rarer than diamonds, especially on the streets, which is why I limit my interactions with a lot of people.

I have trust issues no doubt, but it’s because of reasons just like the story above. One moment you’re helping someone and the next, that someone is helping themselves by taking from you (or using you). The unwritten rules we Hustlers live by are very simple and are in place for a reason. But in the end, only the True’s live and work by them. Me personally, I never deal with people without intergrity. See you next week Fam, have a fabulous one. Much love!

*** Unparalleled Business Game ~ Home Based and Small Business strategies, techniques and tricks of the trade straight from your Hustleman:

Learn this thing we call “The Game”. CLICK HERE.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

A Hustleman Introspection: The Rose And Sybolisms

Peace and blessings Fam! I’m amazed at how time is flying past us. I looked up and Bam! It was May already. I don’t know about you but my year has been pretty good so far. A few bumps here and there but hey, what’s life without those? It makes you appreciate the good times even more.

So after my encounter with Robocop it’s back to business as usual. I’ve been taking it a little bit easy over the last couple weeks. I’ve also been hell of irritable. Just a lot of things on my mind and a lot of things on other people minds that find their way to me. After hearing so much negativity it does begin to weigh on you after awhile. It’s all good though, it just comes with the lifestyle I chose. I just consider it Boss training; skills I’ll need in the future, feel me? Your Hustleman stays on point regardless.

On a more serious note, it’s getting REAL out here in America Fam! Have you heard what happened in Philadelphia? Welfare has been significantly cut down. Damn near cut off completely. Families are living in tents out there! Take it from me, this is just a small sign of things to come.

They’re slowly working to cut down welfare here in Georgia also. It’s going to get to the point of either you have it, or you don’t. No more middle-class… then again that’s already happening to an extent now isn’t it?

In this weeks post we're going to get off the "street" stories for a moment and briefly cover symbolisms. I like to get deep every once in awhile so walk with me for a few minutes if you would.

There are symbols all around us and many of us have no clue that they are there and what they signify. Take the Exxon (the gasoline company) logo for instance. The two X’s in the name are crossed in such a way as to make a double cross. For those that don’t know, the double cross is a religious symbol.

Take “Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital”, familiar with that one? There are two paths in Freemasonry also called rites; both take you to 33 degrees (which coincidently is 1 degree above freezing if you’re counting temperature by the “F” not the “C”). One of these rites (paths of advancement) is called the Scottish rite. I’ll let you put the rest together.

Have you ever seen a dome? Of course you have, it’s considered one of the strongest structures. In ancient times a dome represented a woman’s breast; a symbol of fertility.

How about a Sheriff’s star (Sheriff as in law enforcement)? Sheriff badges usually use a circle surrounded by 6 points. In effect this is a 6 pointed star which strangely enough, has many religious meanings. One of which being the symbol of a man. Top point is the head, the two side points are the arms, the two lower points are the legs and the final bottom point in the middle represents the penis. By the way, the upright 5-pointed star (not the upside-down one) represents the woman; top point head, two points for the arms, two for the legs and the womb is represented by the center of the two bottom points.

So what does all this have to do with anything? Just letting you know to stop taking things on face value. There are symbols all around us and people place these symbols there for a reason. If you don’t know, then you just don’t know. And they’re not going to tell you either, at least with my people (that’s another subject).

To quote The Capt.: “Question everything, that’s where the truth resides!”

Anyway… on to the symbol I would like to cover in this post; the rose. We all know the basics: A red rose symbolizes love, white for peace, pink for passion, and yellow for friendship. But did you know that the rose, as an ancient symbol (pre-organized religion), had an entirely different meaning? Let’s look at that for a moment.

The stem of a rose is covered in thorns. The stem represents the journey of life. The thorns themselves symbolize struggle, hardship and sacrifice.

As we go through life we travel up the stem of the rose facing all the hardships until we finally make it to the flower portion of the rose; where the beauty resides.

Simply said, if you can survive and push past all the struggle and strife, your life will be one of beauty. Like a rose opening up in the sunlight.

Many people never get to see the beauty their life can become. They never make it past the thorns. They figure hardship after hardship is just what life is about; there can’t be anything else. They mistakenly stay stagnant and never move forward (or up the stem) to arrive at the beauty. I hope this isn’t you!

No matter how bleak and hard things seem, just keep it moving. As long as you can keep enduring you will eventually push past all the bullshit and arrive at a place of love and peace. There’s more to it of course, but that’s the just of it.

I just wanted to pass along a little inspiration to my blog Fam because I know it’s seems hard out here and it also seems like it’s not getting any better. Keep your head up though; keep it moving and keep it simple, always. Be good all and remember the rose.

*** Unparalleled Business Game ~ Home Based and Small Business strategies, techniques and tricks of the trade straight from your Hustleman:

Learn The Game. CLICK HERE.