T-pisode 200: Grown Man Shit

When I started T-blawg I obviously focused on my prime “jerk” days as opposed to my later and more current “gentleman” days. That’s why that catchphrase in the corner up top to the left of “from jerk to gentleman” resides there. Actually, I was more of an asshole than a jerk but that’s how T-blawg started. The stories have changed but my storytelling has remained the same. Consistent, honest and entertaining. If you go back and read T-blawg from the first post in December 2009 up until now at T-pisode 200, you will see one hell of an evolution. One hell of a story. That I guarantee. Throughout the history of T-blawg you will see a lot of Bro Code. A lot of advice on life, women, clothes, dating, business and money. You will see a lot of “grown man shit” thrown around. Because to me “grown man shit” encompasses both the jerk and the gentleman in one phrase used to describe the level in life I have reached and I am currently living on. A level most men try to reach. A level a lot of men lie about achieving. A level where some men have actually achieved without boasting about. I have achieved “grown man shit” status. Mentally, physically, financially and emotionally. Here’s how I know and how you can tell if you have or have not achieved “grown man shit” in your life fellas.

I had to grow up fast and in some ways I didn’t have a normal childhood. That’s fine. My father was obsessed with money. Obsessed. We didn’t have much but for some reason he was always talking about money. He licked his fingers to count the money knots in his pocket. I can still hear the elastic come off and then the paper flipping in my head as I write this. It didn’t matter if those Eastie rolls were thick or thin. He was always counting his money. I never wanted to be like that. My mother didn’t care about money. At all. She just wanted to make sure her kids had enough to live and to be happy. I never wanted to be like that either. My parents were the exact opposite yet they were the same two types of people that you can and will still find in East Boston. So I had both of that in my blood and decided to find my own way in life at an early age. And that way was to work for everything I wanted and if I couldn’t get it that way then I would just take what I wanted. I lived on the basics up until the age of 18 with simple clothes, shit box cars, living paycheck to paycheck socking as much money away as possible and after high school I got what I thought at the time was my “grown man shit” on by any means. I helped out at home but I always had nice clothes, nice cars, nice watches, nice sneakers, nice hats, nice shoes…nice everything. After college it was all tables, bottles, models, no lines and VIP lifestyle. I didn’t need to know everyone because I knew the right people. Then that spun into the corporate America years of going legit and having another type of hustle. Work all day, write all night, party in between and ladies, ladies, ladies. But none of that was actually “grown man shit.” Oh no youngin’ it is not. And you are a fool if you think so. NOW what I’m about to say is key. Listen to me here. “Grown man shit” is not the money. Not the lifestyle. Not the material things I had or have. NO. I had to tell you how I got here. What I learned on the trip to this destination. All the money, cars, trips, women, VIP service in the world doesn’t make you a grown man. Doesn’t make you important. Doesn’t make you a baller. Doesn’t make you any better than the next man. THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU GAIN LIVING YOUR LIFE AS A REAL MAN PUTS YOU ON THE LEVEL OF “GROWN MAN SHIT.”

You’re on that “grown man shit” if you know how to treat a woman like a lady and not a piece of property or as a piece of shit. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you drive a new Honda Accord with zero debt and a large bank account instead of driving a used BMW while being in debt out of your ass. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you pay the tab in cash instead of putting it on your credit card then having to make the minimum monthly payments. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you have real equity and a high credit score instead of a pointless social media Klout score. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you have the right watch, not the bright watch (Jay-Z). You’re on that “grown man shit” if you own or rent a place on your own instead of still living at home or splitting the cable bill with 3 other roommates while still placing socks on your door when you hopefully have a lady over. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you pull out the chair, open the door, send flowers for no reason…just because. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you’re married, working hard, paying the bills and have a wife and kids who love and respect you as a man, husband and father because you put them before yourself. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you can walk away from a fight. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you know when you have to fight. You’re on that “grown man shit” if you have pride about who you were, who you are and who you want to become. “Grown man shit” is all of that fellas and if you can’t see that, then you are not on your “grown man shit” yet. Hell, you’re not even close.

PS….thank you for reading the past 200 Mondays. You guys are the shit.

Until next time. Always take it there.

T