Troublesome by Skarr Akbar
“Troublesome” from Skarr Akbar’s “The Pursuit of Happyness” is a song I can follow. Skarr exposes you to the world from his perspective. He let’s you know how it is to live like he lives. And that’s exactly why he’s so popular in Baltimore. He tells a story that almost every young black man who was born and raised here has witnessed in some shape or form, from one perspective or another. And we appreciate that he understands how we feel and is able to voice it – for all of us.
I’m not saying that every young black man in Baltimore has personally been through hell and back, but most have been exposed to a situation similar to some of the situations Skarr raps about.. And the best part is his ‘Cinderella story’ is right there for all to see: he’s on his way to the top and no matter what comes his way, he’s going to make it. And we can relate to that.
But anyway, listen to the song for yourself and you decide how you feel about it.
“Troublesome” is a song by Skarr Akbar. I was listening to it and I felt like I needed to write about how it made me feel – especially after listening to Eminem’s “Cinderella Man” (read about that here).
You can find Skarr at his website here. You’ve got to check out the man behind the music.
*Cop Voice* Hold Up There, “Mr. Cinderella,” Lemme See Your Glass Slipper and Fairytale Papers
So Cinderella Man
What’s driving me crazy is what part of the rap was Eminem’s ‘Cinderella’ moment. When did his Prince fit his glass slipper to his foot? All I hear really is how Eminem got progressively more aggressive in his lyrics and message. And I think that’s how events truly unfolded; so, that doesn’t count as a ‘Cinderella story’, at least in my book it doesn’t count.
But, despite that slight lack of substance, it’s still one of the ‘most played’ songs in my iTunes Library. Probably because it’s like a little dose of caffeine. It’s upbeat and makes you nod your head in agreement to his ‘nuclear toughness’; his ‘thoroughness’. But only because you’re thinking, “I’m tougher than this dude and he HARDDDDD!!!,” and that get’s you through to the end of the day.
So yea, it’s a cool song. He just isn’t saying anything.
Peace.
I really do like the song.
“Changes”
I welcome the changes in my life.
Expose me, show me, fix me!
The changes in my life.I’m grateful for the changes in my life.
Endure me, teach me, embrace me!
The changes in my life.I’m forever in debt to these changes in my life.
Because they’ve lost me, they’ve found me and they’ve guided me.
These beautiful, welcome changes.
I don’t know if that’s going to mean the same thing to me in the morning or not.
I’m Chris. Yes, the Chris.
Later in life, I’m goin be able to explain that. But right now, I’m just in a mood to say what I have to say – before I never say it. But first, I have to get my laptop charger…
Alright.
So for all of my life I’ve been taught ‘trying’ is what mattered the most. Throughout school, I was babied: “aww, you tried, that’s what matters!” And that’s where I grew up – in school. But as I grew older, and things got more difficult, requiring even more and more ‘trying’, and I realized that it’s not ‘trying’ that matters.
And I’m surprised that I didn’t catch on to that earlier. It took me doing a lot of soul searching lately (and I’m just even noticing that I’ve been doing that) and a sudden realization that one of my friends has a very similar attitude towards ‘trying’ as my very successful and very rich bosses do to really realize that it’s not ‘trying’ that matters the most. Trying’s not getting you anywhere. It’s getting things done that matters. No one ever cried at Oprah because she succeeded in life. Noooo-no-no–they didn’t. They cheered her on – right on into the billionaires’ club. And the same for you. When you do whatever it is that you do well, does anyone tell you, “oh, you were’t trying right. You did. Trying is what matters”? Naw? Didn’t think so.
My point is this: I’m now in ‘getting things done’ mode.
So welcome back to my blog. This – what you see here – is my theme until I’ve gotten one done; it’s on my very short list. But there are more important things above it. Like creating content for my blog and it’s future readers.
Thanks for stopping back by and get ready for more of my ‘getting things done’.
P.S. – I gave myself an absolute bedtime of 1:30 a.m. and I’ve been sticking with it. It’s not the best time to go to bed knowing what I have to do in the morning, but it’s better than before. It’s 1:04 a.m.
3 best job sites for teenagers
Are you 16 years old and broke?
Or are your parents tired of funding every little thing you like to do with your friends? Or do you just want to earn your own money so that you can feel a sense of independence? Chances are if you found this post and are reading it, you answered “yes” to one of those questions.
So what’s a teen to do?
Your best bet is to win the lottery. But since you’re too young to even play, I suggest you go with the next best thing … which is to get a part-time job.
But as a teenager that’s certainly easier said than done. From age requirements to scheduling conflicts, teens face all kinds of barriers when trying to secure employment. Especially with today’s unemployment rates being as high as they are teens are even facing added competition from adults for jobs that are traditionally filled by teens.
How am I going to find a job?
Well you’re going to use the internet of course! From sites like “TheLadders.com” where employers can list jobs with salaries of $100K+ for $100K+ talent to “GoNannies.com” where families can find and hire household help like nannies and housekeepers, there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of sites on the internet where companies can post jobs in hopes of finding that fabled “dream employee” and job seekers can find that perfect position at that perfect company they thought only existed in their dreams.
But which sites are the best for me?
Let me help you answer that. I did a little research and these are the sites that I found to be the best sites for teenagers who are hoping to find a job. I’ve also included a few reasons why I’m listing each site.
Here’s what I found:
1. SnagAJob.com
Specializing in listing hourly positions, SnagAJob posts jobs from many teen-friendly companies such as Chuck-E-Cheese, Burger King, AMC Theaters, and many more. And that’s a good start, but the reason it’s number one on my list is because employers pay to list jobs on SnagAJob and they actually pay attention to the replies that they receive. Over the years I’ve gotten a response from about 60% of the companies that I’ve submitted an application or resume to via SnagAJob compared to about 20-30% with most other services.
Another reason why SnagAJob made the top of my list is because it offers valuable information not only on finding jobs, but actually securing the jobs that you find. Everything from resume writing tips to acceptable interview etiquette is available in their “Job Advice” section. So if you’re new to the workforce, SnagAJob can be a very valuable tool.
2. CareerBuilder.com
Like SnagAJob, CareerBuilder also lists a wide variety of jobs at thousands of companies nationwide. The difference is CareerBuilder specializes in more permanent employment. You’ll find more retail and customer service jobs versus fast food jobs.
Also like SnagAJob, you’ll find a lot of tips and advice on CareerBuilder. But unlike SnagAJob, you’ll find a lot of advanced tools on CareerBuilder like their free resume critique service which could be very valuable to newbies working with their first resume.
3. Craigslist.org
In case you’ve been living under under a rock, Craigslist is the web’s largest classifieds website and one of the most visited sites on the web. It is also home to the largest job board on the internet with over 1-million new job posts every month covering over 700 cities worldwide.
The main reason why Craigslist made my list is because of the number of locations, the number of jobs, and all the different categories they are sorted into. You’ll find a number of job posts that fit into almost any category. But the reason why Craigslist is number 3 on my list (and not number 2 or 1) is because finding legitimate posts can be a daunting task. There are a lot of scam artists who post on the site and are looking to take advantage of job seekers. But once you cut through the clutter, there are a lot of unique opportunities that you probably won’t find anywhere else. I’ve found everything from temporary jobs to design gigs via Craigslist. In fact, I found my current job at Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle via Craigslist.
Another great thing about Craigslist, like SnagAJob, is the response rate. I’ve gotten a response from most employers that I’ve contacted via Craigslist and I credit that to the fact that replies to an ad posted on the site go directly to the posters inbox. So if you’re willing to sort through the rubble, you can certainly find some diamonds on Craigslist.
So out of the thousands of sites and resources available online for job seekers, these are my top three. Do you agree? Or do you think I missed something? Or am I just completely off? Let me know what you think.