Job Basics 101 - They Never Change

Whether you work for yourself or others. Some things never change, like 

the sun rising each day and the changing weather each season. 

The expectations for a job remain the same, they never change.

You can add technology or fancy names to a job title, but the basics remain the same.

You are expected to be on time, be productive, provide the best 

quality service and cooperate with your leader and co-workers. 

My first job was working in a car wash in the middle of winter. If I was 

not on time it affected the  productivity of the team. My job was to 

squeeze in the back of each car and clean the rear window. It would

seem like a simple job. Yet, the cold and different sizes of cars meant

I was a contortionist all day, squeezing in and out of the back of cars.

There was also the problem of having a clean cotton rag that could

properly remove dirt in those corners of the window. On many days

as the temperature dropped, I could not feel my fingers. This made

it more difficult  to clean the windows. In addition on weekends 

and after a snow storm I had to work faster because it was important

to keep the cars moving and not lose customers.

If a customer complained, I had to jump in the back of the car again

and get cleaned to their satisfaction, no questions asked. If I did 

not function I peak performance others were always in there to

get your hours. This is a dynamic of low skilled work, more people 

available because less skills are involved.

Working in a car wash co-workers may grumble a bit, if you can’t keep up

or you always complain. There is not a reason to complain,  because everyone 

is working under the same conditions. So if you do you job well, it makes

it better for the entire team.

Job basics 101, they never change. Be on time, be productive, provide the best 

quality service and cooperate with you leader and co-workers. #Thutmosejanic

Almost a Year....

It has almost been a year since I resigned from my job. At times I think I should have never left, but the lessons I learned and continue to learn are priceless.

At this point I have higher expectations than when I started out. The main reason is because I see so many problems that need to be addressed in our society. What better way to deal with these issues than to write about them.

My advice for any inspiring entrepreneurs, do you research and homework. If you have a mentor or family member that is already doing what you want to do all the better. It would be ideal to have funding in place.

I work harder and longer on my own work than when I worked for the Census Bureau, but my work is more rewarding because it is mine. I have developed a good work flow now, I continue to work on branding myself and building my audience after almost a year.

Dr Llaila Afrika --- We Are Different

                         

Check out this video. I just found out about Dr. Llaila Afrika.
He is a great teacher, but I never, ever knew this about melanin. This video will change your perspective about the importance of melanin and how it makes a difference.

How You Like My Blog Now?

I explain the title of my blog from time to time for my new audience followers. Someone who may not have a clue about the blog title. I refer to all of us that have been moved to the middle class as sophisticated slaves. Census Bureau statistics will show how many people are at or below the poverty line. It is political correct to place us in the middle, this way the powers that be, don't have to be responsible for us.


Did you know the etymology of sophisticated in the late Middle English meant 'tampered with' or 'mix with a foreign substance' Yes, yes, it is not just bad enough to be a slave, but to be tampered with, my, my, my.

So where is the middle class entrepreneur? My argument is that the system is set-up against the entrepreneur (there are pockets that are more lucrative). Please read about some insights of blacks that I have heard recently about the black man's plight.

Professor James Small gives an overview that the African should be able to provide food, clothing, shelter, security and safety. Dr. Randell Pinkett believes blacks must enter the marketplace and remove the 'glass ceiling' he argues blacks must adjust to the systems changes.

Author Don Onukogu expressed the importance of the thought process to write and produce a book. Willie Cooper expressed passion in writing about his ancestors from the civil war. He even walked around with a proudness as if his every step was on his ancestors shoulders.

Author Kofi Ayim with his reflections and unsolved
mysteries of Jack Cudjo, a black revolutionary soldier 
whose history has been forgotten shows tremendous respect for our ancestors. Professor Nashid Al-Amin talking about the black Vikings reminded us again that blacks have done so much, but have not been given the credit.

Finally former mayor Sharpe James (Political Prisoner) shared his stories, but made it clear if you go to high, people will pull you down. He has lived thru the most recent history to prove it.

I will give my insights next post. I am working on keeping these post short to increase my readership.
I also have to add photos and other good stuff. I have something very insightful to say.

Do You Have Any Power?

It is clear. It is plain to understand. Our power comes once we control our economics, politics and culture. If you look around where you live, if your economics, politics, and culture is not controlled by your community, guess what, you have no power.
No power.

This is why a blog like this is so important.
It is a dissenting voice. It is a voice that differs from mainstream media. This is important. This is why I say again and again
that Africans must start their own businesses so that they can begin to control the economics of their community. Why do I say this? I say this because we have no power.

It does not matter if you go to the NBA and become a superstar. It does not matter if you
become a singing sensation in the world. It does not matter if have a storefront or mega church. What matters today? We must control the economics, politics and culture in our communities. Else, we have no power. So, do you have any power?

Do You Know How to Get Power?

One of the best feelings in the world is that moment after you make a decision, you can say to yourself, I made the right decision. Priceless. For many of us,  including me that process of making quality decisions has developed from making the wrong decisions. This is the life process, live and learn.

I resigned from my job in December 2013. It was a great job from many peoples perspective. A government job with good benefits. Layoff was probably not going to happen because of the nature of my work. My boss. I can live without him. But was happening inside me was I felt I was short changing myself. Everything about life was so predictable and boring.
I also had talents that lay dormant without any ability to
express them in my job.

The frustration built up in me like I was being tormented by a demon. I felt driven to start my own business. I had no money, I knew I had God's gifts in me, some people would say, I am God. Semantics, semantics. I wanted power. Power that would make me feel good about myself. What I realized is that Webster's definition of power never was the power I wanted.

What do you think about this definition of power? Power is the ability to define your reality and have everybody else accept your definition of your reality as the only definition that defines you. If you don't do that, then you are a slave to any and everybody else. This is a quote from Professor James Small. Click on this Link: Culture vs Religion

I am glad I named this blog 13 years a Sophisticated Slave, as we see ourselves in the true reality (conscious ) then we can take actions to acquire power. Come along, but it is not for the feeble at heart.

The Power of Words

Come back with me during my time in grammar school. Do you remember the saying at that time? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. It implies that if someone cursed at you or spoke indecently toward do not be ready to fight because words cannot hurt you, right? After all it is just a word, how can a word inflict punishment on someone? When you are hit with a rock you can see the mark and if hit with a stick you can see the mark where you have been hit. How do you show the marks of words that are said to you? 

I can remember to this day the words I was called. The kids would call me “lips” this is because I have very large lips. At that time because the word stigmatized me I always was offended and wanted to fight. The word lips has no power until it is comes through a persons world filter. World filter to me is how a person views the world. Some people view the world with a filter of anger and bitterness others have a more realistic view of life and their filter is less clouded. The other word the kids would call me is “soup”. It was a reference to my last name being the same as the Campbell soup company. This should give us so incite to how the words people use have power. The words in most cases attempt to make you feel uncomfortable with who you are and make the person who used the word feel empowered if you respond to the word
.

The power of any word is its ability to break your perceptions of yourself or an idea and replace it with a new line of thinking whether positive or negative. Listen to the language and the words in the Gettysburg Address from President Lincoln” Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” Can you see how the words are used to imply and change perception depending on how the hearer accepts the word? Words have power only as they change your world filter and touch your soul or personality, the Greeks called the soul your personality.

How do we explain the power of degrading, of abusive words? It has an affect on anybody because encased in certain words are negative energies. And it is not healthy to absorb this time of abusive over any period of time. As a matter of fact if you enjoy hearing and accepting abusive words, it is very likely you esteem is very low. Years ago I use to work in a residential treatment facility counseling dually diagnosed teenagers. These kids the secret to creating trouble and possibly getting their way was to start using abusive words to staff to set them off. If a staff responds through their emotions then more likely they will retaliate with abuse and get in trouble. The point is the creator of the abuse knows fully well the intend and purpose.

The power of words lie in the how a person translates the word through their word filter. Regardless of the tone or placement of the word, if the word is not translated right Any response can result. I can same “I like you” to a young lady and she may be going through a drought (lack of sexual activity) and she can have misconceptions that I want to start a relationship. Someone else can say “I hate the way you do that” those words can be taken as hating the person and not the action. However I hope you can see there is extraordinary power in words, but it is the mature person that allows words to have power when they should and minimize their power if needed.