Nebuchadnezzar Guidelines

8FEB2021; 2245, MON

I'm just jamming out to J. Cole's new(?) playlist on Tidal, and I randomly realized that it's been a New York minute since I've posted an actually original list; and after a three-peat in The Swamp "community", I figure why not a change of pace? So, "let's kick the ballistics"!

1.) I've read "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason (1926) at least several times between paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats; and it's debatably my fav book. Def top ten.

I digress. One of the key takeaways from that invaluable short tome (at least for me) was to always save at least 10% of every single "copper" that you earn, and invest it wisely (along with its proceeds) until you don't have to work to earn money anymore.

2.) Keeping with the financial theme—most individuals who are even the least bit insightful know that we're more or less supposed to give the best of the fruits of our labor first and foremost. In short, followers of certain belief systems are expected to tithe and/or donate to the less fortunate in our communities.

3.) According to a financial and cultural icon that used to be strictly known for his club bangers (jamming tunes), Akon, we're not supposed to purchase anything that costs more than 10% of our liquid(?) assets. Rather, if you only have $200 in your (checking) account(s), but the new handheld vacuum you have your eyes on costs $21, "that's a No-Go", as we used to say back when I was in!

4.) Speaking of Brothas "doing their thang", at least 10% of your disposable income ought to be spent with people who look like you and/or those that actually uplift your community. I read somewhere about a decade ago in "Black Economics" ('02) by my all time fav author, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, that African Americans only spent "roughly 3% of their annually earned $600 billion with each other."

Thankfully, the "Buy Black" and "Unapologetically Black" movements (originally "Unapologetically African") are starting to turn the tables a smidge (so I believe). As the living legend, JAY-Z rapped last summer on the Pharrell Williams song, Entrepreneur, "For every one Gucci, support two FUBU's" (For Us, By Us).

5.) Switching gears a bit— at least 10% of your support system ought to be "ride or dies", as the adage goes. None of that all depending on a single individual crap, if you will.

6.) Considering that the previous admonishment put me at almost exactly 420 words (at least on my rough draft), and the marijuana plant (often consumed when the clock strikes 04:20 [AM] and/or 16:20 [4:20 PM]) is becoming more and more attractive to the American public, I figure why not touch on it? I recently learned the concept of "filler", or extra pot with little to no psychoactive properties, being "mando" for many in the world of "chiefing" in order for them to partake on a blunt (marijuana cigar) or what have you; and I'm of the opinion that ~10% of your "grass" ought to be filler and/or CBD (cannabinoid), rather than just straight THC (the [get] high chem [not what it actually stands for of course]).

7.) Seeing as "Listening to music while stoned is a whole new world"- MF DOOM (Rest In Power), I'll use that as a segue into the world of audio. At least 10% or so of your listening pleasure ought to include insightful and/or inspirational material; be it a podcast like The Potter's Touch, or classic jams by the phenomenal gospel rapper Sho Baraka.

8.) Speaking of which tho, at least 10% of your reading throughout the year needs to be inspirational and/or insightful, IMHO (in my humble opinion). If you can, read a chapter or so of some of the books that are known for their wisdom, daily; especially off the early morning tip.

9.) In relation to more or less conventional wisdom, a bare minimum of 10% of your daily caloric intake needs to be raw fruits and veggies. That's a gem essentially straight from a book that I'm reading these days called "Satan, I'm Taking Back My Health!"- also by Dr. Kunjufu (2000).

***

While it may have been a cool ideal to end this list with ten items, it's ten minutes to 02:00 (AM) and I am determined to quit sleeping in so much. Prayerfully, someone somewhere gets something from this post.

Either way, stay blessed and free. Peaceful tidings.

Edit:

Seeing as how the global economy is more or less on a precipice of monumental proportions, I figure that I might as well include a bonus guideline that I just read about a hot minute ago in a book called "The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse" by Fernando FerFAL Aguirre. Without further ado—

10.) Always keep at least 10% of your liquid assets divided up between a couple of safes at home. One safe oughta be just decent enough to be a decoy (with a convincing amount of cash and/or bullion in it), and the other is ideally going to be fireproof as well as hidden behind a false wall or a trapdoor.

I'm pretty sure that very few people saw the housing market collapse of '09 coming, and even fewer in regards to the economic collapse of Argentina in 2000 that Aguirre writes about. As the adage goes, "Do what you will with that information!"