Ish You Should Know - The Billion Dollar Man

Far too often African-American history lessons are reduced to the same laundry list of black “firsts” only taught in February. Even more often as of late, it seems the accomplishments in the fields of sports and entertainment have been given more light. Today black judges, politicians, and CEO’s don’t get much press until it turns bad. This has got to change. Those who follow me know I loves me some money, so naturally I’m all over anybody gaining wealth. We all know the billionaires Bob and Oprah, but I would like to introduce you all to Reginald F. Lewis, the first black billion dollar businessman.

Being born in 1942 and growing up in East Maryland definitely didn’t afford Reginald any of the opportunities that most of us have taken for granted. Yet at age ten he set up his own newspaper route to deliver a local African-American newspaper. He started with ten stops and flipped it to over a hundred in two years and then sold the route for a profit. I don’t know about you but at 12 I was flipping off of mattresses not flipping a profit on a business. Sounds like a bad mo fo right? You don’t know the half.

Never out of work Reginald took a standard job at the time washing dishes at a local country club. There he worked with his grandfather who spoke to him the simple words, “know your job and do it well.” So often in life we tend to over complicate things. These seven words are ones you can live your entire life by. After beasting in high school to the tune of being the starting quarterback, shortstop, small forward, (oh yeah…captain of all three!) and student body vice president the real fun began.

College was at Virginia State on a football scholarship that got cut short by an injury. But an ACL can’t stop your grind! Reginald generated so much business as a photographer’s sales assistant he was offered a partnership. He turned that down and went on to become a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Inc. and graduated on the dean’s list. Reginald F. Lewis knew he wanted to be a lawyer but little did he know he would be much more.

Out of all of his accomplishments this is the one that continues to blow me away. The summer after graduation, the Rockefeller Foundation sponsored a program at Harvard Law School in an attempt to introduce some black students to the fine art of law. After lobbying for and gaining acceptance, Reginald was invited to attend Harvard Law School in the fall. BEFORE he applied! I repeat. A black man in 1965 was admitted to Harvard Law School before applying. The only man at the time to hold that distinction. Think about that for a moment…

1965!

Some people were still sharecropping in the South. And he’s talking his way into Harvard! Brilliant!

This is where things get big. Two years after graduation and working with a prestigious law firm in corporate law, he and a few others set up Wall Street’s first African-American law firm. Being a NC boy it warmed my heart to see that he represented the Wilmington Ten and was instrumental in getting them more of the money they were owed. He sure is racking up a lot of “firsts” considering most people never heard his name.

His next move was to establish an investment firm whose first move was a 22.5 million dollar buyout of a struggling textile company. Using the same acumen that flipped that newspaper route for him, he led the company to it’s two most profitable years ever. Selling the company in 1987 for $65 mil, making a 90 to 1 return on his own investment. Guys on Wall Street would slap their grandma for a return like that now.

Before 87 was done, Reginald added another first to his list. But not just an African-American first this time. The $985 million buyout of Beatrice Foods (renamed TLC Beatrice Int’l) was the largest offshore buyout by an American company….ever. Just as steadily as he worked his way into Harvard, he worked down the company’s debt and brought the company’s revenues to $1.5 billion.

And there it is folks… The first black owned billion dollar business.

TLC Beatrice made it’s way up the Forbe’s 1000 and was the largest African-American owned company in the U.S. The richest black man of the 80’s (estimated net worth was $400 million) was not Michael Jackson or Jordan. He was a hard working businessman who needs his own shoe, shirt, or line of something so more kids can want to be like Reggie.

–Seymour Monet

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Subconsciously…What Are You Looking For?

It happened again…

I seem to be on a bit of a streak. It’s a good thing. But sometimes even good things can come at the wrong time… And then they become a bit annoying.

I’ll explain:

I’m out with the fellas on Friday night. We hit a local spot because we felt like keeping it mellow (it has nothing to do with the fact that this spot is only 3 blocks from the crib, making it easy to get girls back to the house…nothing to do with that at all). I speak to a few different girls, but one stands out. She’s cute, has good conversation, drinks (a must) and perhaps most importantly…thinks I’m HILARIOUS. Sounds good right? Wrong. Here are a couple of other things I notice:

1. She’s showing all of the preliminary signs of a datable chick.
2. I won’t be sleeping with her tonight.

I know. I know. Those are all good things! How awful is Preston, that I’d be annoyed by these things? How awful is Preston that he wouldn’t want those qualities? It’s not that I don’t want them. I just don’t want them now…

I’ve got a lot of things simmering in a lot of different arenas. None of them are boiling yet, so I have to keep my 9-5 for a little while longer. I’m married to my work and my hustles right now — so a jumpoff is really what would work best for me.

“Our time together is our time together and our time apart is our time apart…so love Jay with your mind girl, and not your heart” –Jay-Z

Yeah, I need one of those. Ironically enough though, I’m having a slightly difficult time finding a solid jumpoff. Not that a woman who is also busy, loves her own time, isn’t jealous or emotional about things and is looking for just the physical pleasures…..is ever EASY to find…..I’m just sayin’.

But this whole thing got me to thinking:

Everyone has heard the stats about how if you’ve been in an abusive home growing up, you’re exponentially more likely to go through an abusive relationship of your own. I remember reading a study in college where a psychologist put forth the theory that the physical differences between all of the people we date were incidental and far less important. We’re really just walking around picking up on each others subconscious. The study claimed that if you look at a guy or a girl’s last 10 relationships or extended dating partners—despite looking different—at least 6 or more of them would have an overriding personality trait in common.

Put simply: You may say you like a certain ethnicity, shade, height, body build, whatever — but if you look over your love life, the tie that binds isn’t ANY of those things. Instead it’s neediness, self-consciousness, over-aggresiveness, shyness, etc.

It’s traits.  Basically there’s something in people that attracts them to others without them even knowing it.

Take a personal review. Have all of your boyfriends/girlfriends possessed a trait in common? Something that wasn’t readily visible until a few weeks or months into the relationship? Maybe there’s something in you that attracts, or is attracted to that—whether you want it or not? Or maybe that’s all bullshit.

What do you think?

Also, if you know of something I can do consciously or subconsciously to increase my jumpoff encouter rate…speak up.

–Preston

PS — Over at the Truth Merchants Election Site — there’s a great video on why it’s the Jews fault if Obama doesn’t win.  I happen to agree with the video.

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Jump on the Pole Poll

The other day on The Fly Guy Chronicles, there was a post dealing with 5 Lies All Women Tell. Naturally a lot of people had a lot to say about this. But in the comments (as they often do) a few other topics came up for discussion. One of which was this:

If I have a “guy’s night out” with the boys and we hit the strip club, when I get home, can I still nudge you in the back, wake you up, and talk to you about some things…

Now before you finish forming your opinion, let’s establish a few things that were also established during the discussion over at Fly Guy:

1. This is an every once in a while thing. I’m not talking about a dude who is hittin the club up weekly. Not even monthly. Truly an every now and then scenario

2. When I get home, I take a shower.

So let’s get into it - (Fellas, vote on what the girl should do…and when you do, consider how you’d feel if the shoe was on the other foot). And as always, feel free to elaborate in the comments:

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Why You CAN’T Be In Love BEFORE The Sex…

First of all, thank you to everyone who swings by here and reads the site.  Even more thanks go to the people who comment.  It really is a cycle.  I inspire you to share your thoughts and opinions on a subject.  When you do it inspires me to write even more.  That’s exactly what happened yesterday.  Here are a couple of excerpts that precipitated this article.

Swag, I am going to have to disagree with you on this one! If that was the case, a chick that blew your mind and sucked your heart out would be the girl for you. But when true love comes into play, that’s when you sit back and think to YOURSELF (not even realizing it)….about how good of a wife and mother she’ll be… –Silkie

And one more while we’re here:

…but seriously, I’m in love, or at least “in heavy like”, long before any sex. First of all, this is all beyond the physical. For me, it’s about the interaction and communication. If I can vibe with a woman and we don’t have any substantial problems, then I can see myself falling in love… –Anthony Taurus

Anthony — I couldn’t agree with you more.  In fact, do you want to know one of the MAJOR tests I put possible girlfriend candidates through??  The girls I’m feeling a little bit…but I’m not sure if they are wife-type material…  Do you know what I MAKE them do??????

Nothing.

Nothing at all!  If I can just lay around with you on the couch or in my room.  No plans, no topics, no agendas…and just chill with you.  Feel absolutely comfortable and happy just shooting the shit with you.  Then you’ve just taken a HUGE step forward in the my book.

But that’s still — as Anthony so eloquently put it — just “heavy like”.  The fact is, if your “in love” you’re probably in a relationship (I should hope…if not then you’re just a stalker aren’t you?).  And no matter how you look at it, a relationship can be divided along 2 lines…

Physical and Emotional

Now here’s the thing that will blow your mind…  Those two parts are EQUALLY important.  But everybody writes the physical part off as if it’s a minuscule part of the equation…

I can teach a man how to please me
If he’s got everything else we can work on the physical stuff

Stop that.

Ladies close your eyes and think about the last time you rolled over…sweaty…looking up at the ceiling…breathing heavy…with an ever so slight smile you just couldn’t wipe off your face…took a deep breath and thought….

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go ahead……I’ll wait.

Yeah, try teaching some sexually incompatible fool how to do THAT.

I know that since this is coming from a male writer they’ll be a natural inclination to want to keep a grain of salt handy.  “A guy writing about the importance of the physical side of the relationship….how original”.  Sure…being a guy makes me biased…but it doesn’t make me wrong.

If you haven’t had any significant physical interaction with a person, then HALF of the relationship still hasn’t been explored?  How can you experience half of anything and claim to know it…let alone LOVE it.  Physicality is important…even more so now that we’re living longer and old heads are poppin Cialis like flintstone vitamins.  Time will still take it’s toll on us, and eventually the physical side of the relationship will change.  Surely hugs and kisses mean more to our grandparents who no longer have sex.

But what if they couldn’t hold hands?   That’s still the physical side of the connection.

Unfortunately, I’m down to just one grandparent…but I know for a fact that my grandmother would trade anything in this world to hold my grandfather’s hand again…if only for a few minutes…even if they couldn’t say a word. Tell me that’s not the physical side of a relationship…

1 person + 1 person = relationship.

Relationship = 2 parts.

No Sex (physicality) = 1/2 a relationship…

1/2 a relationship cannot = REAL LOVE

–Preston
(I told you there’d be math!)

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Ask A Guy - Do men only fall in love AFTER the sex?

Q: Do you guys only fall in love after you’ve got the goodies?

A: Nope. We’re in love WAY before that.  We’re in love with the possibility of you…

I think this is a people thing more than a “guy” thing.  At first we all fall in love with the possibility of someone.  We size you up and see what we like.

———-

Note — Ladies if you want an idea of what the guy who’s checking you out is into — follow his eyes.  If we size you up from toe to head we’re mostly likely a feet, legs, or ass man.

*Preston looks around…raises hand*

If we go from head to toe we’re probably more into eyes, lips/smile, breasts.  Not saying that the total package isn’t important — because of course it is –but our eyes float to what we like best, first.  But this too, I think, is more human than “guy”.  Ladies let me know if I’m wrong on that one…

———-

But I digress…

So we see you wherever and whenever we see you.  You’re lookin fine as hell and we begin to talk a little.  THEN you…say IT.  IT is something that is exactly what that particular guy wanted to hear:

Yeah, I love to cook
I LOVE watching football
I’ve been called a nympho, but I don’t think it’s true.
I used to be a gymnast

Well hello there…

Remember that movie - There’s Something About Mary — where Matt Dillon sets Cameron Diaz up with perfection?  He opens his car door and the blueprints come out and she’s like, “oh you’re an architect”…and then he asks for quarter because all he has are Nepalize coins and she’s like, “oh you’ve been to Nepal?”.

Everybody hopes to find their dream guy or girl.  In reality we know there is no such thing.  But there’s a brief time when you might just be perfect…

And we love that…

I’ll tell you a secret ladies: you know how you meet a guy who you think really might have a shot with you?  Really might be as cool as you think…really might be stable and without issues…really might have a chance at hangin around for a while?  And you smile when you see his name on the caller ID.  And you make your girlfriends sick talking about him…and you have that little glow that makes your friends laugh at you and your haters envy you…

We feel that way too.  We just hide that shit like hell!!  C’mon…I’m a grown ass man dog…how do i look glowing??  So we don’t say or show it much…especially around the fellas.  But we feel that way too.

“Every time your name was brought up, I would act all nonchalant in front of an audience” — Jay-Z (Frontin)

Now I know this isn’t real love.  But just from a sequential standpoint…NO ONE falls in true love BEFORE sex.  Typically you have sex with someone after a few weeks or months — and typically you don’t fall into real love that fast.  But that getting to know you infatuation.  That high that comes with the possibility of new love.  We feel it too.  We like it too. And that happens before you give us your goodies…

Peace, Love, & A Sweet Tooth,

–Preston
**Voting Fixed** Please throw us a vote or two for the weblog awards. You can vote for us HERE. And THANK YOU to whomever nominated us!

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I’m Certified…

OK, so Mandii over at Robots Ate My Grandmother tagged your boy as a Certified Honest Blogger.  This is high praise because you know how we feel about telling people the truth.  A requirement of the award is that I tell you 10 random things about myself.  So today you learn a little bit more about Mr. Swagger…

—————

The Rules:
1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who gave it to you and link them back. (check)
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in their content or design. (workin on the list)
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing them they were prized with the Honest Weblog Award.
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you gave the prize to, (optional). (shout out–check)
5. Then you pass it on.
6. The guys before me added 10 things about themselves & I’m keeping with the trend, (optional).

—————-

1. I’m a Jersey Boy.  Born and raised.  I’ve lived in California (San Diego & LA) for over 5 years now.  Every girl that I’ve seriously dated since I’ve moved here is NOT from California.

2. People in California love Avacados.  They try to put it on everything.  A chick tried to sneak one onto my Turkey sandwich the other day.  Fuck an Avacado…

3. Every drinker has their liquor of choice.  Mine is Grey Goose.  Throw some Red Bull in there, orange juice, grapefruit juice…whatever…and I’m good.  Shit, throw it over the rocks with a lime wedge.  Even better.

4. I spent some time overseas last year and got to enjoy plenty of Cuban Cigars.  Are we the only country left that has a trade embargo with Cuba?  We need to do something about that.  The Cuban Monte Cristo is sex wrapped in cigar paper.

5. I went to college in the south (North Carolina).  I still have a weakness for southern girls.

6. It’s hard to get me to commit — but once you got me — you got me.  I’m not a cheater (anymore — there was a little phase in college).

7. I think Tina Fey is the funniest woman on this planet and probably a few others.  The shit she writes for Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin on 30 Rock is hilarious in the most ingenious way.

8. I don’t think Sarah Palin could lead a girl scout troop — let alone the free world.

9. I’m a Jay-Z stan.

10. I work in Hollywood.  I haven’t been corrupted yet.  I plan on taking this town over…

–Preston

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Monthly Awards - Morton’s Make It Rain Award - September

I hand out this award each month to one ornery individual who shows me his/her continued focused anger over one month’s period.  August was a problem though.  Not for lack of nominees mind you.  You had McCain and his nah nanny boo boo pick of Palin.  DMX for general lifetime achievement.  It was due to lack of focus.  My chi wasn’t centered.  There was a disturbance in the force.  My mojo was off.  Something, something just aint right.  I couldn’t put my finger on it until I realized that I was angry. (well angrier than usual).  There was so much rampant fuckery abound recently, it was hard for me to see past it.  I said to myself, “self, tell ‘em why you mad!!“  Then the light bulb switched on.  Mr. Icabod Maceo Haight is the only deserving recipient of the Morton’s Make it Rain Award for the saltiest person of the month.

So, I’m going to tell you why I’m mad son!

(stepping on my soap box)

Heeeere we go.  Once upon a time not long ago when  people wore pajamas and lived life slow…  Sorry, I’m an old hip-hop head and couldn’t resist.

(officially stepping on my soap box)

First, I loved the Olympics but I’m still pissed at “No Blacks and Mongols”.  How did we get lumped in with Ghengis Khan?  I’m saying!

It has been mentioned before, but needs mentioning again.  Why in the hell do dudes today feel the need to show their ass literally and figuratively?  Pull them damn pants up!  If you think about it fellas, this style defies a basic black male need.   Food, water, and the ability to haul ass at any moments notice in case some shit pop off!  You can’t tell me that you are running anywhere when you are waddling right now.   Just stop it.

While I’m at it these damn tight pistol leg jeans I see everywhere are the worst.  A man saying he has on “skinny” jeans is like calling another man Delicious.  It just aint right!  And I hate it when people just slap a new name on some shit and call it a Nutty Buddy.  Tight jeans are tight jeans.  Calling jeans skinny doesn’t even sound right.

This is random but damn sure pisses me off.  How in the hell are you going to go from being the new Omar on The Wire to being adopted by a white family on 90210?  I understand you don’t want to be typecast but damn!

With football season in the air naturally all men puff their chests and talk about “their” team.  You’ve heard it.  “We’ve got a chance this year!”  “We crushed yall last game!”  Excuse me what?  Do you have a W-2, a playbook, or anything showing some affiliation with the team?  Exactly!  Stop saying “we” like you go to board meetings.  I understand if you’re talking about your alma mater.  I’ll give you that.  Other than that be a fan and not The Fan.

Why in the hell don’t bike riders feel like they have to obey the rules of the road?  I don’t know what was going on around my neck of the woods last month but I ran into more Armstrong wanna be, fake Tour de nothing racing, helmet look like the spaceship from Flight of the Navigator wearing….woo sah.  Let me move on before my blood pressure goes up.

(Flight of the Navigator)

As I mentioned earlier, McCain tried to make a splash last month.  Pissing me off all the while.  The day after Obama’s speech you pull a “hey look at me!  I picked a woman!”  Come on man for real?  I won’t start on any tirade on Sarah Palin (yet) but McCain’s timing was a bitch move plain and simple.

Not to sound cold but why are we giving a billion dollars to Georgia when there are over half a millon homeless in the US?  (And over 30,000 newly homeless in Texas)

There are tons of places on the web where men are getting bashed right now.  I won’t argue that it isn’t deserved.  What pisses me off is the lack of recognition when a real man is in your face ladies  Yeah I said it!.  Where is my motivation?  Preston touched on maturing and wanting more out of a woman and I say Amen.  You do know you can look sexy without your ass hanging out right?  Umm, you’re aware that if you are interesting enough I will offer to buy you a drink, you don’t have to ask.  You do know that you can offer to pay every once in a while.  I might not let you but that would  still feel great.  I’m not God’s gift to women by any means but I’m light years ahead of Leon in Waiting to Exhale so I’m good!

And don’t get me started on the younger generation!  Breakups on Facebook, this whole tight/baggy phenomena,, every dude is thuggin or borderline choreographing, Souljah Boy (enough said right there really) and his f’ing dance (sorry not a fan of line dancing), shit just the general taste in music now.

Speaking of.  I’m so hood and I got money because I’m out here grinding to get put on for a milli so she can give me the business cuz she got it and she can have whatever she likes so here I am you better get like me.

Trash it all!

(Editor’s Note: 7 of those songs mentioned in that run on sentence are on Billboards Hot Rap Tracks)

I will admit that some of these songs are actually ok but they all follow a blueprint.  I love that hip-hop artists are making money now but hate that my favorite genre of music has become strictly business.

Believe me when I say I’m not done by any means.  I’m just cutting this short to allow you to add some things that pissed you off.  Get it off your chest, you’ll feel better.  I know I damn sure do.  I actually missed you guys.  So let me hear it!  Hi Haighta!

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BEING (Eddie) BLACK in Corporate America

The gentleman in the picture is Eddie Black (played by Casey Washington).  He’s the star of the internet series BEING Eddie BLACK (notice which words are in all caps).  BEING Eddie BLACK is a brilliant comedy that explores the lines that black men and women have to walk while working in corporate America.  I had drinks with the show’s creator/executive producer the other night and he said one of the most accurately poignant things I’d heard:

White people can be white anywhere…

When it comes to speech, mannerisms, vocabulary, and dress — 90% of the white people that I’ve encountered in my several years in corporate America aren’t drastically different outside of work than they are at the office.

90% of black people are

I don’t mean to imply that once black people step out of the office it turns into a 40 ounce drinking ebonics-fest.  But there are differences.  Sometimes subtle…sometimes not so much.  My father taught me to be comfortable in my skin from the barbershop to the boardroom…and I am.  But I act differently in the two very different places.  I have to.  It’s a plight still pretty unique to minorities in general and African-Americans specifically.  Check out the site and watch a few episodes.  I think every black person who’s been anything from a temp receptionist to a vice president will be able to relate.  I definitely do…more than I do to…say…“House of Payne”…

I’m just sayin…

–Preston

P.S. This won’t be the last time you hear about this show.  We’re gonna make a few moves with this……AND SPEAKING OF MAKING MOVES

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Merchant Expansion — And Preston’s Promises

Exciting times around here.  Stay with the boys…you’ll be glad you did!  If you haven’t noticed the new links in the sidebar, allow me to catch you up.

MERCHANTS ON SPORTS — Self Explanatory.  Plus, since Preston is a gambler, we’ll be taking a look at point spreads, parlays, teasers and everything else you can think of.  We’ve already got a gambling 101 post for those who want to learn.  We’ve also got our special guest writer SugaHiL holding it down for the female sports fans!!  When she’s not hangin with us, you can catch her at her usual spot — I’m About It All

So….you thought that one of the most historic elections of our generation would go down and we wouldn’t have anything to say about it huh??

Well, you’d be wrong.

Tobias Hustleman has supplied us with supplemental election coverage at Toby’s Hustle.  Complete with live feeds from MSNBC AND Fox News — Yeah Fox News — We’re keeping it fair and balanced.  FUCK FOX NEWS

Sorry…that slipped.

So keep coming to Truth Merchants for the real and then hop over to the rest of our network for Sports, Politics, and Letters to Suge Knight, Mexican Joints and Tom Brady.

Now…I’ve got some obligations to fulfill…

Because there was no official post yesterday, I offered to answer any questions asked by readers.  So let’s get to it.

1. From loveliesandmusic:
Why do men have a problem telling a woman exactly how they feel? What does keeping it to yourself do other than protect your ego if things don’t go the way you planned. I mean…if you don’t tell the woman how you feel are you less hurt when you realize that she doesn’t feel the same?

Answer: We have a problem telling ANYONE how we feel.  I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but guys talking about feelings just wasn’t kosher.  To be honest I’m not sure if it ever was. The fellas don’t wanna hear about your feelings…

Fuck outta here wit that!

You’re exactly right about it being a defense mechanism though.  Your typical guy is great at self dillusion when it comes to women.  If we never told you we loved you, well then we can pretend we never did and you can’t prove us wrong now can you.  Leaving us to front like we weren’t hurt and then go home and cry in the dark…lol.  So if we aren’t telling the guys and we aren’t telling the girls — then who ARE we telling?  Nobody.  And we get used to that.  Some guys will open up and confide in their girl.  There’s probably a feeling of comfort and release when they do.  Odds are though, that’s the girl who abuses that trust…

2. From Bahama:
Uh how about a post about stupid ballers and their jumpoffs i.e groupies and why won’t they learn to just leave the bust it babies alone?

Answer: Because it’s easy!  Eventually the guy will learn and grow and realize that the quickest, most readily available thing isn’t always the best for you.  Think about how much fast food you used to eat when you were younger or in college.  You get a little older, heartburn starts kickin in, that gut starts expanding and you begin to realize if you keep that shit up you’ll be dead at 42.

Groupies and Bust It Babies are fast food!  People just let go of it in their own time…

3. From Silkie Trickz:
dudes have no problem commenting on phat asses, sex appeal, etc when it comes to seeing women on tv (for example) while watching TV with their chicks. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have those jealous tendencies - which I think is okay and men really love that to an extent - but I don’t take it over board. I know you’re looking and it’s cool that you can express pretty much whatever when we’re together, but sometimes I don’t want to here that shit! REALLY, I don’t!!! I’m thinking guys don’t really think that deep about it……..but my question is, how do guys really feel when their chicks comment about other guys. I throw it in there ocassionally - just b/c LOL - and even though ya’ll try to act chill about it, it’s really tearing you up inside, ain’t it???

Answer: Nope.  It sure isn’t.  Now if you start running off at the mouth about your cute boss or co-worker — maybe that would get under our skin.  But we know yo ass ain’t bumpin into Morris Chestnut at the grocery store and running off with him.

Guys don’t look at the dudes on the cover of Men’s Health and feel selfconscious.  It just doesn’t happen.  Women on the other hand compare themselves to every other thing with a vagina whether it’s the girl in the next cubicle or the one on the cover of US Weekly.  Did you ever see Dave Chappelle’s first stand-up “Killing Them Softly” where he talks about how the feminist movement was killed by all the chicks on the covers of these bullshit magazines making women feel inadequate????

BINGO.  You know what guys think when they see Shemar Moore on the cover of some shit?

I’ll still knock his punk ass out!!

4. From Anthony Taurus
what are your views on marijuana legalization? heh heh heh Here’s mine: Marijuana Mondays: Ep. 4: LEGALIZE IT

Answer: Anthony how are you gonna set your boy up like that?!?  lol.  Yo that was the most informative and convincing argument for the legalization of marijuana I think I’ve ever come across!  If you’ve ever put a joint to your lips just once — you need to read it.  There is really nothing I can add to his article!!  Nicely done sir.

5. From Mirth Nadir
Why don’t you put up a post on what is the right age for a man to get married and a woman to get married?

Answer: For the record Mirth posed a few questions in his comment and I think I’m going to expand a couple of those topics into full posts in the very near future.  For now I’m going to tackle this one.

Statistically, marriages do better when the man and woman are a little later in life (closer to 30 than 20).  In this country you’ve got just over a 50/50 shot — so increasing your odds any way you can is probably a good idea.  I don’t believe ANYONE should get married before they can legally take a drink or go to Vegas.  Hell, I would need a drink and a trip to Vegas just to decide WHETHER OR NOT I was gonna propose.

In this area, things are changing drastically from one generation to the next.  People are living at home longer, staying single longer and trends show we’re living longer as well.  So I guess it’s balancing out.  But I can’t recommend an age for marriage in good conscience — I’m not sure I can recommend marriage itself in good conscience…lol.  I’m just waiting for a girl to come along and change my mind about all that…

Who knows how old I’ll be when she gets here!

Thanks so much for the questions!!

Peace, Love, and a trip to Vegas,

–Preston

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Control The Swagger

What’s up world,

Crazy day today, so I couldn’t hit you with an official post BUT we’re gonna have a little fun anyway.  Holla back at me and you’ll choose the next Preston Swagger post.  Hit me with a comment on what you’d like me to post about, and it shall be done tomorrow…ANYTHING GOES.  It can be an “Ask A Guy” topic…it can be something personal (they’ll be limits on that shit though…lol) anything you’ve wanted me to get into and I haven’t yet is fair game.  Feel free to leave your comments anonymously if you wanna stay on the low.  I look forward to what our readers will come up with.

I’m also a little scared of what our reader will come up with…

Also check out the new DEAR YOU about when I ran into Suge Knight on Sunset…

Plus a whole lot of announcements coming tomorrow (it’s what’s got me so busy today)…

Peace & Love,

–Preston

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