Sunday, February 22, 2009

Broke? Nope!

It’s a big deal because people are forced to figure out how they are going to survive. If you just got laid off, then you are now forced to figure out how you are going to pay bills off of unemployment. Paying bills off unemployment? Are you kidding me? Last I checked unemployment is a portion and when I was checking that, I remember people just barely getting by on their paychecks. So where does that leave many people? Broke? Nope!

I don’t believe in accepting broke. Everyone has some kind of hidden talent; it’s a matter of looking deep within. If after searching, you still can’t find anything, go back to school. I am not an advocate of putting yourself into debt but a lot of these colleges offer certificates, workshops and seminars to help people get a feel of what they could be good at.

Take the time to try. Figuring out what you could do on your own doesn’t mean you have to quit your job. It’s just having security. We all need some kind of part-time somewhere for various reasons. Some are for savings accounts, vacation or just having a little extra to pay for the little extra. I know people who have part-time jobs to save in case they have a baby. Baby accounts? Others just need to keep the lights on, pay the babysitter or day care. Do not get me started on day care!

Another way to figure out your hidden skill is by thinking of what you like. I would have never agreed with anyone who told me I would some day build anyone’s website. If it wasn’t for my poor bum knee and unemployment status, I wouldn’t have been interested. But I always had an interest. I found out there were community classes at the Art Institute of Atlanta where I could take a weekend class to teach me a lot of intro stuff. I spend about six long weekends learning graphic design. The entire time in the back of my head I’m saying, “I hate this complicated nonsense!” But I did it and had friends that let me practice by working on their website, making their newsletters real fancy or designing a logo. After buying some of the books and borrowing some from the library, I made it through. I learned and am still learning. Of course it’s harder because I learned a lot in 6 weeks and everything is trial and error. But it wasn’t impossible. It’s been helping me quite a bit… financially speaking.

You owe it to yourself to try. When you finally get it be a professional. Do not slack off because your friends are your first clients; treat it like a legit business because it is. When you get your first sale, I want to know how you feel. I am almost positive that the feeling is a lot more thrilling then seeing a paycheck that you know is already gone. Best of luck!

Till Next Time
-MACKLEEN

Under-Privileged

When it comes to class, everyone at some point in his or her lives hope to either make it to the upper class or stay there. Anything else would be uncivilized! Why the upper class? Who wants to be rich and wealthy when you can struggle and live a full life? Because we all want privilege!
According to dictionary.com, privileged means: “a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most.” Where does that leave the rest of us? Unprivileged? No, that leaves us under-privileged.

We are underprivileged because it’s harder for us to get access to things. Not to say we cannot have access to things only the privileged have; it’s just harder. If you take a person like myself, whose family came from a “less fortunate” background, it’s likely in order for me to get ahead, the journey is likely to be harder and longer. Basically, I have to start from scratch. I have to work my way to meet all kinds of people, manage to win them over with my witty charm and with everything I have, “make it.” Take someone else whose parents are well established, known amongst the elite, well connected and can make one phone call in order for their loved ones to get ahead. That is privilege.

Before I am stoned on the way to the mailbox, let me make myself clear on where I stand with this. There is nothing wrong with being privileged. It’s likely the underprivileged eventually make it to the other side and bring others with them, and the cycle continues. The issue is making it across that benefits bridge. Going from under to options. Having that access, picking which door to open instead of trying to pry, kick down or break in the door! What is going to keep you strong enough to finally say those magical words, “I did it.” It’s very simple: faith.
Dictionary.com’s definition of faith is, “belief that is not based on proof.” People really don’t know. If nothing is guaranteed except death and we don’t know what that is either, unless you are a killer or suicidal, (which for the sake of the article, I do not recommend trying to find out) don’t try to figure it out. Keep pushing. Push until you can’t push anymore, rest and start that fight again and this time shove. Put your back to the word no and look forward. Forget the light at the end of the tunnel, what are you doing in a tunnel anyways? Get across that bridge by any means necessary. If you see yourself in it then it belongs to you. When something belongs to you, you cannot under any circumstances let anyone take that away. It’s all you can guarantee yourself at the end of this life, is trying.

The rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson before he was signed to a major label was on a CD by a DJ named DJ Clue; the album was called The Perfect Desert Storm. 50 Cent had a track on the CD called Good Die Young, which was also featured on his very first album "Power Of The Dollar." Anyways, in verse one he talks about how money makes people react and what should happen if he should die. The line that stayed with me for years is, “let my tombstone read I Tried ,and from the start, everything I wrote was from my heart, so it'll always be number one on my chart.” He’s talking about his art. No matter what happens, he did his best and that’s all that mattered.
Being underprivileged can be a moment, not a moment within seconds, but a moment in your life. In order to cross that bridge you have to believe in your heart that you are the best in whatever you do and actually BE the best. I know who’s number one, do you?


Till Next Time,
-MACKLEEN