#tony2016

[musclet25]

Today at work

10/14/16 Today at work was not so bad. What am I saying! I've chosen to be a positive person so I have to talk and act like one. Ok I'll start over. Today at work was a marvelous experience lmaooo ( hey you can call me Corny all you want but I'm changing for good 😊) So I got to work today and guess who I saw.... (rhetorical question). I saw Demetrius aka Dee who used to work at Amf with me. Gary, Dee and I ended up catching up on old times when we were slaves of the Amf workforce lol. Anywho, there is this new girl that joined our team for the time being who worked at another Lids Locker room in Pembroke lakes mall. Her name is Isabel. (If your wondering if she's cute..... I guess you could say that.... I don't Fuckin know. I usually fall for personalities than what a person looks like but I digress lol). This girl knows her shit and I love it. Most people in my position would be insecure and try to show who's boss but not me. My ego is tiny. I thought to myself this would be a great person to learn from. So I decided to pick her brain. What's also great is shes a talker and is always smiling so she was very easy to talk to and get along with. Gary(my boss) decided to leave the store with me again and he said you got this. I'm like hell yeah I got this! Bounce my nigga lol. In a serious note he left somethings for her to do but I took it upon myself to do them. Yeah I should be focusing on sales but I seriously need to understand the products we sell and where the fuck they are. Because people ask me for shit and I'm looking at them like (bruh....... fuck is you talkin bout lol). Anyway she had to take down all the jerseys off the wall and reorganize them and move this jersey in this place and this jersey in that place but I said teach me. So for awhile she was like the assistant manager and I was the employee. I messed up a lot but I kept working at it. Then Tyler came in who is another employee. This boi is as quiet as a mouse 🐭. Sometimes I just want to yell, " SPEAK NIGGA! 😂" but that wouldn't be very assistant manager like of me. Anywho I had Isabel tell him what to do. I feel so weird telling them what to do and I realize it's because I'm working with people who have been at this job for a year or more and they have all this experience and knowledge that I don't have. I spend a lot of my time asking them questions which doesn't bother me. It just bothers me when I have to tell them shit but I'll learn. Anyway Isabel left at 6 and I was with Tyler. I'm glad we were somewhat busy and I was still doing the wall of jerseys cause it would have been quiet as fuck. I need to get a book on communication so I can better handle people like that. Getting info from them is like pulling teeth. But I'll get there. Gary calls me later around 6 or 7 and he's like be careful with Isabel. I'm like what do you mean? He's like remember your an assistant manager so be careful what you say and this girl likes to talk a lot and to different people. I'm like Gary don't worry 😉. I got this and if your concerned about me doing anything else with her don't worry cause 1. I don't know her 2. I'm not attracted to her 3. My main focus is on becoming a better man so, as that wise black woman once said," Ain't nobody got time for that!" Last but not least there are some things I need to work on since I decided I was going to be the best assistant manager I can be. By best I mean, becoming knowledgeable of everything, being able to answer all if it most questions and being able to lead my staff. I've got to work on the leading and the knowledge which will happen over time and since I'm willing I know I will. Also I have to pay attention to the time. It was 8:30 and I didn't even start the shit I was suppose to do as a manager. Butttttt I'll get there. I promise!

[musclet25]

Back Broken/Happy Birthday

10/4/16 Today was my second day of work as an assistant manager and I am not doing so well. My mind is all over the place but I’ll get to that later on. Happy Birthday to my little brother Elijah who turned 24 today 🎉🎉🎉🎉😊!!! While I was at work I found out that my dad was taken to the hospital. He was non responsive, foaming at the mouth and vomiting. The ambulance came to pick him up and I just found out that he broke his L1 Vertebrae on his lower back. Any sudden movements and he could be paralyzed. Earlier he was cutting branches off of the tree and the branch was going to fall on my cousins car so he tried to prevent that from happening and fell off the ladder thus breaking his back 😔. I’m just glad he’s ok. I want him to get better. Because my dad hurt himself, he couldn’t pick me up so I asked my friend/boss Gary to give me a ride. On the way home he gave me a reality check!! He said to me, "You have to take charge of your life and while it's admirable that you try to take care of your family and everyone else; You have to take care of You first!! The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I hired you because you have so much potential. You have the right mindset and you understand. You have to take your life more seriously!!!" He said," I bet you wouldn't have left the job if that girl didn't act the way she did. Tell me am I wrong?" I told him I don't know. I wanted to leave anyway but I stayed because I wanted to befriend and date said, "girl". But when things fell through I had to make some changes. She was my friend and choosing to ignore me the way she did made me realize that I never wanted to feel the way I was feeling ever again and I would never again treat my friends with indifference. I wanted to connect again and I learned to appreciate those around me. I came because I wanted to be around friends and enjoy being around those who cared about me. He said, " Dude your like my brother but you have to take a look at your life. Your 26. 4 years away from 30 and you don't have your license, you spend your time taking care of others. Your wasting your 20's. Are you gonna still be there 30 years later taking care of everyone? I'm 36 and I work at a mall!!! You don't want to wake up one day and ask yourself,"what the fuck have I done with my life??" Tony you read all these books. You train your body religiously. When your determined to make something work I've seen you do it. You make no excuses, you just get it done. No one is gonna tell you what's possible for you because you show them. But out of all the positive and knowledgeable things you've read, what have you got to show for it???? Where are the results?? There's knowing and then there's practicing what you know. Sit down and seriously plan out your life. Prioritize what's important and begin right away! Focus on being the best you can be. I tell you all this because your my friend and I'm being real with you! Apply yourself at the job! Get off your phone and start acting like an assistant manager. Get your life together and take care of yourself first. It seems to me everyone else is and they are not thinking of you. Family and friends. It's nice to get rich for your family and friends but your not here to take care of them. Be you, do you!" I consider Gary to be a true friend because he's real and he stays true to his word. He got me the position at Lids. He has bought me food and even bought my work shirt because I'm dead broke (hate using that word😒). He is almost always spot on and he's wise. I've messed up so many times and he's called it so many times. This time I will listen. Anyone who takes the time to call me out on the decisions I've made and is blunt about how loser like I've been is indeed a true friend. I'm off tomorrow and I am going to sit down and examine my life and prioritize what's important. No more tv, no more thinking about her, no more games, porn, poor eating, procrastination and negativity. My friend spoke from experience and he doesn't want me to become like him. I will make a decision about the direction of my life and it will be for the betterment of myself. Deep down I know what I have to do. ✌🏾️

[musclet25]

Dear Tony #4

9/26/16 Yesterday was awesome because I learned how valuable I was. So peep 👀 this. I get my cardio done to train the body. Makes me feel good. Then train my mind by listening to the right things such as rev Ike, Tony Robbins etc. which puts my thoughts on the right path. Now it's time for work so rather than complaining I say to myself today is going to be a great day and I'm grateful for having a job. So I'm feeling awesome. I'm about to leave and I realize I'm forgetting my letter to put in my two weeks. So I print it out (thanks Shay) and I leave. I get to work and my boss is not there so I tell my coworker Cerise who reminds me so much of my grandmother 👵🏽that I'm leaving. Of course i told her what position and she got on top of me lol. Told me that I have to apply myself and do the best you can at everything that you do. 😎Real boss advice. Anywho I meet the new girl they hired to work the snack bar and no lie she was pretty good but it turned out she wasn't staying because she got a better offer at the Casino and I don't blame her. Good luck Sophia👍🏾 Anyyyywhhhooooo, boss finally walks in and before Sophia says she's leaving, I give him my letter. He says,"is there anyway we can get you to stay?" I'm like nah it's time for a new journey. I felt bad for him because I like him and I know he's fucked because there is no one like me that does what I do as effectively and efficiently as I do it. Me = no worries!! But he has to be hella worried now because dark times are headed his way😈. Anyway an hour passes and he comes to where I'm at and pulls me in the back. I'm thinking what's going on?? So he tells me he just got off the phone with the district manager and they are willing to offer me $12 an hour to stay. Mind you it took me 3 years to get to $9/hour. A raise at my job is 21 cents. Yeah I just said that👆🏽lol. So I'm standing there completely shocked that 1. He went this far to try to get me to stay and 2. Just a week ago he offered me 10 an hour. I said I had to think about it. My new assistant manager position at Lids is paying me 10.90 but money is not the problem. Pros: asst. manager looks great on a resume, new challenges, new abilities to grow, create new friends, new environment, and I'm working with my friends. Con: I have to travel and I don't have a car For my current job. Pro: I live 5 min from the place, I'll be getting payed more plus tips, no need for a car and I'm already good at what I do. Also the money will really help my family. Con: I don't want to cook anymore and I want to venture out and do something different So I called my friends and family for perspective. Even called my friend Gary/new boss and he was like hey I'll call my boss and raise you up to $11.25. I'm like 👏 ok 👌🏾!!! He was like they should have been gave you $12. It took them 3 years to realize what they had? Mind you Gary tried to recruit me the second he got his job and left the job that I'm currently at. As a true friend he stayed true to his word. And even when I didn't come after 4 months he still gave me the opportunity to get the job. 😭😭good friends are not hard to find. Just pay attention to their actions. You'll know who's real!!! Anyway he made a valid point and wow did I feel incredibly valuable. Long story short at the end of my shift I told my boss that I was gonna have to decline. Why??? 1. If I was worth this much to you then I should have been getting payed what you were offering me. It took me leaving to get a $3 raise in less than 5 min. 2. I don't make decisions based on money but based on my happiness. What's the point in doing something if it makes me unhappy regardless of how much I get payed. After I told him I felt bad because I know the blow he's about to get. And I know who ever is reading this is thinking that I should do what's best for me but I'm always thinking about how my actions affect other people. And In that moment sitting in his office I realize that's how I've remained stagnant all these years. I'm always putting my wants and needs aside to please other people rather than just being ok with saying no sometimes. To give myself permission to have the things that I want. And I did that when I applied for this new job even though I didn't have the proper qualifications. LESSONS LEARNED: I learned that I have to give myself permission to do the things and have the things I truly want in life. I learned not to talk myself out of things and go for what I want unapologetically. Regardless of how it may make someone else feel. The opinions of others and my circumstances are irrelevant. What matters is what I think and the things I tell myself. I also learned that I am more valuable than I realized and being my best is the best thing that I can do for myself. I learned that you have to treat people better and that if you truly care about certain people and their value , then it's important to show that through your actions. Lastly I learned that life will give you only what you ask of it so I'll continue to aim high and improve. And if anyone is reading this then perhaps some of these lessons may help you in your journey called life 😎✌🏾️

[musclet25]

Dear Tony #3

9/25/16 Hey self!!! Keeping track of my days and drawing lessons from the things that happened in my life is very therapeutic. I usually write most things in my notes but I don't go to my notes often. Neither do I carry my diary either. So here is such a great avenue to express myself and if it can help someone else that's going through something similar, why not! Anywayz lately I've been making a lot of new friendships. It's weird but it's almost like I'm attracting them. Then again I am da bomb so it only makes sense😎 lol! I I've already been invited to a house warming party and to aid in the development of another party. That is kind of awesome. Soooo yesterday I was at work and at this point I'm just counting down the days I have left which is exactly 4 shifts. But yesterday was a Saturday like no other. Customers came in waves. I walked in to the snack bar at 6 and didn't stop cooking till about 11:45. 5 hours and 45 minutes of straight cooking. We had parties, no lane servers ,people were impatient, it was crowded and I had like 25 tickets!!! Even with everything going on I told myself I am in control of my emotions and I won't let any of this get to me. I held myself to a higher standard😁😁! In stead of complaining I focused on what was the next step to take. Totally bossed that shit yesterday!! It's almost like they knew that it was my last Saturday there lol (I doubt it) We did 2500$ on sales as oppose to the usual 1500$. It was tough but I felt awesome knowing that I was cool and calm throughout the whole ordeal. I didn't even complain. Instead I embraced it. And I spoke to every customer calmly and with respect. I even joked around..... I'll repeat that..... I joked around. Here's what I learned from yesterday. I realized how much value I can add to the world simply by making better decisions and taking action. I got hired at Lids as an assistant manager and my friends and family were happy for me. My actions then inspired some of them to improve by making some changes of their own, like my friend Shay getting a interview, or my friend Tyler making improvements in his life for his daughter. I thought that words and all the positive ideas I learned in books would help change people's lives, and don't get me wrong it can. But as the old saying goes, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS EVER COULD!!! Which got me thinking 🤔🤔🤔. If I can shake things up and alter the course of my life and others in the span of a couple days. What can I do in a week? What can I do in a month? What can I do in a year? Leading by example is what it's going to take in order to help change the lives of people. The idea I have is great but IT ALL STARTS WITH ME!! When I change everything will change for me and if anyone is reading this the same goes for you too. If you would change everything would change for you. It's time to get going😏

[musclet25]

Congrats!!!!!!!

😆😆😆😆😆Shout out to ma girl Shay for making it happen. Getting an interview the same day she applied. You are gonna do awesome😁😁😁😁😁 We are both moving on to bigger and better things😎👍🏾

[musclet25]

Accomplishment of the Day

Soooo I took the advice of some of my favorite motivational speakers and friend. I decided to hold myself to a higher standard and applied for a position I've never had or been. Say hello to the new assistant manager of Lids😆😆😆😆😆😆!!!!!!!! Weird thing is before I got the call I was having a dream that I didn't get the job and then the phone rings and he says I have great news😎😎😎. Congratulations self for betting on you and trying. Now just do your best and improve the other areas of your life😊9/24/16

[musclet25]

Pain 9/24/16

Omg, woke up this morning with pain in my shoulder.....ummmm why??? Haven't even touched shoulders in my workouts. On a brighter note I did wake up this morning😊😊😊

[atmidnightcc]

What people who can afford orchestra seats at Hamilton can also afford.