For those of you out there that grew up in the in the 90’s, then you may remember a video game by the name of Maniac Mansion.
It was released on October 5, 1987 on multiple platforms such as Apple II, Atari and Nintendo to much fanfare and critical acclaim and was developed by the man who created Luke Skywalker and the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas, through Lucasfilm Games.
This was long before the iphone was released to worldwide sensation back in 2007, which was developed by another pioneer, Steve Jobs of Apple.
What I absolutely loved about this game was the character development. They were so much fun. Interacting with Weird Ed and Edna and the tentacles was a riot!
Even how the characters spoke to each other was hilarious. Let me provide you with this example.
However, as with anything, you have to look below the surface and take a deeper look. Therefore, I wrote this post focusing on the financial aspects of this game in regards to how you can relate money to the world around you. Even a video game.
And do not even get me started on the price of games today! Growing up we thought $60 a pop for one game was outrageous! Boy, were we wrong.
Today, you can spend $80 or more for a subscription to play your Playstation or Xbox console. Another subscription! Come off it marketing departments across America! You know people can’t afford to barely buy toilet paper out here, let alone video game subscriptions!
Don’t believe me?
When the longest government shutdown in United Sates history, it lasted 35 days, happened people were in line at soup kitchens!
Missing one check caused people absolute panic. And I don’t mean at the disco! One lady said that she was down to $1.26 in her checking account; that was all the money she had and she didn’t know what she was going to do.
You see back in the good old days, you would go to the store, buy an item, do the transaction one time, and like Cinderella’s fairy Godmother’s would say, “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo” and you owed the thing free and clear as the transaction was done, over, finito.
This post will show you how to save money, get rich, and maybe decide to put a down payment on some property, but it doesn’t have to be a mansion. So here we go.
5 Money and Life Lessons from Maniac Mansion
But first… What is Maniac Mansion?
Maniac Mansion is a 1987 graphic adventure video game developed and published by Lucasfilm Games.
It follows teenage protagonist Dave Miller as he attempts to rescue his girlfriend from a mad scientist, whose mind has been enslaved by a sentient meteor. The player uses a point-and-click interface to guide Dave and two of his six playable friends through the scientist’s mansion while solving puzzles and avoiding dangers. Gameplay is non-linear, and the game must be completed in different ways based on the player’s choice of characters.
MONEY AND LIFE LESSON ONE: MANSIONS COST MONEY
It has been over twenty years since a mysterious purple meteor came hurtling out of the sky and made a large crater in the front lawn of a large Victorian mansion belonging to the Edison family. Dr. Fred, his wife Nurse Edna, and their son Weird Ed were reclusive people who left the house very rarely, but the meteor’s arrival brought about a strange change in Dr. Fred. Now, a local cheerleader has vanished without a trace. Dave, her boyfriend, has gathered a few of his close comrades on a mission to invade the mansion and save Sandy!
However, if we just focus on the part about the mansion…basically, big homes costs big bucks! For fun, I looked up the cost of Victorian homes.
The Main House at Skywalker Ranch inspired the design of Maniac Mansion‘s setting, which is reported to have cost self-made millionaire George Lucas around $100 million dollars.
The Skywalker Ranch
So unless you are onstage with your two friends Kelly and Michelle or creating the next new franchise, you may want to stick with buying a home you can afford.
Let’s not forget that property taxes are forever! If you can’t pay your taxes, you can still lose your home, even if you own it free and clear.
Taxes are an ongoing expense to owning a home.
Let us not forget that even celebrities have to sell homes for unforeseen reasons and sometimes at a loss.
It was reported that Johnny Depp was suing his management company for $25 million and in the court filing it detailed his spending at at $2 million- a-month! He had considerable property holdings and it was also reported that he was advised to sell a family home located in Paris, France or something along those lines and possibly at a loss at that!
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was also recently in the news as his Connecticut manse was costing him $70,000-a-month to maintain. That basically is the cost of running a small boutique hotel or miniature bed-and-breakfast. He ended up selling the property at a loss, he paid $4.1 million and sold at $2.3 million, to stop paying the exorbitant cost of owning the place.
Lastly, Mary J. Blige was reported to own a couple mansion-style properties in New Jersey that were unable to be rented. You read that right. She is paying for properties that are uninhabitable, costing her money every single month night and day, and collecting no rent on the properties. In her divorce filing, she was reported to make over $300,000 a month so it is unclear why exactly these properties are unable to be renovated and sold without a closer look at her financial records and proper accounting.
The reason I refuse to buy a big home is because they along with cars can be wealth suckers.
Doing the math, if you buy a $350,000 at a 5% interest rate and take 30 years to pay it off it will cost you around $700,000! Or a $500,000 home could cost you $1,000,000. Yes, twice what you bought the home for.
And most people are working to pay for this behemoth, fancy vacations, and expensive nights on the town with bottle service meaning they are not even home enough to enjoy paying double the cost of it!
All good things come in time. Building wealth is no exception to the rule.
I started out with a toothbrush, a bag of clothes, and some books.
Now I have a home, paid off vehicle, stocks, investments, and even more books. The point I’m trying to make here is that you accumulate money and things over time. You may not have everything you want right now, but keep working.
Never let yesterday use up too much of today. – Will Rogers
If you are working towards something, the don’t stop or quit for anything. I turned a $450 car payment into $100,000. It took like a decade.
Come to think of it, it usually takes people 10 years or more to perfect whatever it is their doing so you may as well chill out.
The humorist Will Rogers (1879-1935) once told a young John Wayne some sound and simple advice. I will share it with you here.
After John Wayne (1907-1979) complained for a full 10-15 minutes of why he wasn’t being paid more to act on film, he asked Will Rogers what he should do? Will Rogers replied, “Well kid, are you working?” To which, John Wayne replied, “yes.” Then Will Rogers says, “keep working.” And then proceeds to walk away.
So my reply to anyone who wants something NOW, “have patience.” This is me NOW moving on to the next paragraph and lesson in this post, which is my equivalent to Will Rogers walking away. I have given you all the advice you need on that topic. Moving on.
MONEY AND LIFE LESSON THREE: MAKE FRIENDS NOT ENEMIES
One of the best things about the game are the characters. Each have different looks, mannerisms, ways of speaking, talents and abilities. This is part of what makes the game so much fun.
Dave is on a mission. To save his girlfriend Sandy. But he can’t do it alone. He brings along his friends to help him out and watch his back.
This is also sound advice if you want to build a fortune and an empire. Nobody does it alone. Eventually you will need to work with bankers, lawyers, businesses, investment professional, and tax attorneys.
It is always best to make friends than enemies as you never know when it is the next time you will see someone again.
When you are climbing that corporate ladder, those same people you tried to step on on the way up, you may see them again on the way down.
Hopefully, you offered them a piece of the pie instead of one to the face.
Mark Cuban said some great business advice in that if you start a company, then make sure your employees have some stock options invested in it as part of their compensation. That way if the company is successful and gets sold then the employees make money too.
This does two things: 1) eliminates wealth inequality (many of Mark Cuban’s former employees, 300 out of 330, became millions); and 2) encourages people to pay it forward through philanthropy and spend money that gets circulated back into the economy.
MONEY AND LIFE LESSON FOUR: RESCUE THE GIRL OR GUY FROM FINANCIALDUNGEONS
In the game, if you get caught snooping around the mansion, then you are sen t to the dungeon.
The game is notorious for constantly getting you thrown in the dungeon by almost every member of the household if you are seen.
Fortunately, the game has a cheat in which you can get the dungeon key and let yourself and others that have been captured out of the dungeon. Without this trick in the game, you are toast.
Speaking of toast, avocado toast is not causing millennial’s to be broke. It is the ever escalating cost of education, housing, and healthcare that makes it harder to save.
All wealth building starts with saving. Period. A good cash reserves is a must. Here is a tip for you. Pros have cash. Amateurs do not. Pros are not under any kind of financial pressure. They remove the pressure and make rational decisions because they have money in the bank. Only amateurs allow pressure to get to them. Remove much of the pressure in your life by having cash reserves.
I recommend that being $10,000 or more in savings. That is how you are able to rescue yourself from being trapped in a financial dungeon. Just have cash.
MONEY AND LIFE LESSON FIVE: ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
The video game Maniac Mansion has 5 possible endings. Depending on what players you chose to play and what actions you take.
The game allows you to have 3 characters for game play out of about 6. These are the people that have your back in case things should go wrong.
In addition, their different talents and unique abilities allow each kid to be an asset to the team. You must too do this in life. You must have back up…plans that is.
For example, I try to keep a minimum of 2-3 months or more of savings in the bank at ALL TIMES! Then I ramped it up to a goal of $10,000.
In addition, if you can save $233,000 in your 401(k), then you do not have to add another cent! After 20 years, with a return rate of 8 percent, you will have $1,001,857.35 in your retirement account. That’s Plan A. Cant’t envision making that happen? Then go to plan B. Save $168,000 in your 401(k), then do not add another penny. After 25 years, with a return rate of 8 percent, you will have $1,001,358.03 in your retirement account.
Are you starting to get the idea?
You can move the finish line and change your actions according to what is happening in your life, but keep the goal. If necessary, you can have a Plan A, B, C, D, etc. The point is to make it so that you are always moving forward by planning ahead.
Just like you have to do when playing Maniac Mansion.
So let’s get out there, have some fun, and start saving!
Like the show, Win, Lose or Draw you must decide your fate.
Financial fate that is.
Are you a fiscal gentleman or lady that manages your money well? Let this post help you out!
I do not care what anyone says or tells you, but saving is important. Supremely important, in fact. Why? Because all things first start with having money; therefore, you must save some.
Want to buy a house? You have to have a down payment. Want to start a business? You need to have the funds to pay employees and the lease on the storefront. Want to invest in your favorite company? You have to be able to put money in the brokerage account. And the list goes on and on.
I’ll give you an example of why you need to save money.
Every year for my birthday, I like to buy stocks.
Generally, shares in a 500 index fund. However, if you are broke, then there is no way to make this ice cream dream a reality.
Instead of an exotic vacation, new toy, fancy new set of wheels, or expensive birthday cake, I prefer to buy myself a $3.50 cupcake. Wait…in providing full disclosure I paid tax on that cupcake, so it really cost me $3.85.
I actually had about $500-$5,000 that I could invest. So, where did that other $496.15 or 4,996.15 go? Toward earning me interest of course!
We cannot all be like the jeopardy champ that has won a mind boggling 28 times in a row. His total winnings are now at the $2 million-dollar mark. Incredible!
However, we cannot base our financial futures on being able to answer in what year was the Louisiana purchase; 1803. Oops…I meant to say, What is 1803?
We need our money to work for us while we are sleeping.
I know the cast of Friends is still raking it in, but they are from a different time. When studios had to pay to play. That is, pay these actors on the back-end with royalties in order to get them to commit to playing the same characters for a decade or more. That is 12-15 hour days spend on a studio back lot that you cannot get back.
So I say kudos to them and the casts of the recently ended The Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones. However, we all can’t be Starks or Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, Dr. Koothrappali, or Howard no Dr. in front. Just Howard. 🤣
You must save because you do not know when the next check will stop coming in. Let’s examine this further shall we? In one of my posts, I wrote about why Academy Award Winner Halle Berry saves so much.
Because if you play spin the bottle with your finances, then it tends to land on BROKE!
It is no secret that here in the good old US of A many high school and college graduates know nothing about finances. However, here at Greenbacks Magnet we aim to change all that.
That is why I write cautionary money tales like today’s post.
For more cautionary money woes and tales, you can check out more stories on my website.
So let me give you some examples of why not to depend on big paychecks, royalties, or sequin jumpsuits.
A DIME ISN’T WORTH A NICKEL It was recently reported on May 14, 2019 that Brian May said that Queen hasn’t made any money from Bohemian Rhapsody. Now that’s a head scratcher. The film went on to gross over $900 million at the box office and its star, Rami Malek, with his performance as Freddie Mercury earned him the Oscar for Best Actor.
What do you gotta do to earn a few coins? Invent the wheel. Or in this case, invent music!
In yet another tale of musicians and money, David Lee Roth of Van Halen fame said the following in a December 2018 interview, “up until 18 months ago, I was making pennies in royalty on a $20 Van Halen record.” In addition, Roth stated, “I got butchered 40 years ago. I made over a billion dollars for Warner Bros. I watched my whole fortune walk off into another man’s pocket.”
However, now that he is no longer under a recording contract and owns his own business he is, and I quote, “I’m a free motherfucker!”
This is sad and confusing to say the least. I would be a disgruntled employee too if I sold millions of albums, t-shirts, spandex leotards, and headbands only to receive pennies on the dollar!
Check out how other musicians made fame and kept their fortune.
This reminds me of what I read in Pat Benatar’s book, she stated that she made her record label $75 million dollars and she felt used, abused, and thrown away.
After reading her book, I knew I better make sure to fund my retirement account like no tomorrow. When you see people work that hard for so many years talk about getting the shaft, then you know us regular folks in the salt mines better get it together.
Don’t even get me started on all the celebrities that owe the IRS! It just goes to show you that saving money has to be a part of your financial freedom equation.
There is no financial independence when you have debt obligations. More cannot go out than is coming in.
WE ALL MUST FACE THE MUSIC
Here’s the thing. We ALL are going to stop working someday. It is simply up to you to decide what you want to and ow you want to live.
You may think that adults should know how to manage their money. However, if you never learned how to balance $100 in your checking account, then how on earth is someone supposed to earn and build a million bucks!
I work under the impression and assumption that if most people can manage $1,000, then they can manage $100,000 or more.
If I still have not convinced you to save, then just let me share this last story with you. If you saw The New Edition Story, then you know kids get ripped off too! Recording a hit album netted these kids $500 and a VCR! They decided to start taking more control of their money and their financial destiny. And you should too!
Therefore, I have chosen to be the master or mistress of my fate like Elvira is Mistress of the Dark.
I own my image, whatever I do, my mistakes and my money.
I am Mistress of the Greenbacks Magnet. I’m ready for my financial close-up like the same way model and actress Cassie poses for a shoot.
If some company goes belly up and decides not to pay out it pension, then plan to make other arrangements. I don’t want to be left holding the bag for my retirement after giving my youth to some company who tells me to invest in their stock while at the same time cashing out their own chips like Enron.
That is why I save and invest.
I increase my goals EVERY SINGLE YEAR!
Doesn’t matter if every goal doesn’t get hit, I still have something to aim at.
This is what I have decided for my future. Here’s my financial close-up. 😉
Here is a peak behind my financial savings curtains.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Greenbacks Magnet savings goals:
2018: $13,333
2019: $14,000
2020: $15,000
2021: $16,000
2022: $17,000
2023: $18,000
2024: $20,000
2025: $25,000
As you can see, my ultimate goal is to save $25,000 per year. That would net me $100,000 every 4 years! It is all about planning and discipline.
I do not care if your goal is to be able to make rent next month or buy a private plane next year.
Whatever you do, win, lose or save; make a goal and stick to it.
As you may know, I am on a mission: financial freedom.
Therefore, I started to study the self-made.
How did they get so wealthy? What did they do? What do they
do with their 24 hours we are given in a single day?
Today we talk all things J to the L-O! Hello!
Let’s go!!!
STARTING OUT
Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in Castle
Hill, New York City. Growing up in the Bronx with her parents and siblings she
watched how hard her parents worked to make a living as Puerto Ricans living in
the richest country in the world.
She knew that she had a responsibility to do well because
her parents gave and sacrificed so much.
She was quoted in an interview as saying, “I had to do well.
I couldn’t let them (her parents) down.”
Jennifer says she was always training for something. And dance become her go to activity.
DANCING TO THE FRONT
In 1991, Lopez began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on In
Living Color, where she remained a regular until she decided to pursue an
acting career in 1993.
These are HER lyric from “Jenny from the Block.” Let J. LO tell you her story.
From In
Living Color and movie scripts
To On the 6
to J. Lo to this headline clips
I stayed
grounded as the amounts roll in
I’m real, I thought I told you
I really been on Oprah
That’s just
me
Nothin
phony, don’t hate on me
What you get
is what you see
If you have ever seen the Janet Jackson video “That’s the way love Goes,” then you will see a young Jennifer Lopez dancing and talking to Janet. She performed as a dancer for her while as pursuing her dreams of acting.
I love the lyrics to that song and how it starts out.
Like a moth
to a flame
Burned by
the fire
My love is
blind
Can’t you
see my desire
That’s the
way love goes
So you could say like a moth to a flame, J. LO gravitated towards acting. Haha
You also may remember her dancing with Puffy or P. Diddy, as
he goes by now, in the music video “Been Around The World.” That was in 1997.
Haven’t seen it. No problem.
JLoThis 1997 music video Puff Daddy Been Around The World
I have the footage right here thanks to Youtube 😉 Enjoy!
Jennifer Lopez HOT Dance Scene With P Diddy
HER BIG BREAK STARRING AS TEJANO MUSIC SUPERSTAR SELENA
In 1995, the world lost Tejano music’s biggest star Selena Quintanilla. Due to widespread reports of unknown causes of events that surfaced, her family decided to tell the world her story. That became the 1997 film Selena.
A story of a girl who had the spirit to believe in a dream and the courage to make it come true.
Movie poster reads: A story of a girl who had the spirit to believe in a dream and the courage to make it come true.
The film that made Jennifer Lopez a star: Selena.
Released in Summer 1997. Based on the life of Tejano superstar Selena.
In 1997, Lopez played the title character of Selena
Quintanilla-Pérez in Warner Bros. “Selena.” Lopez was 28 years old
when she portrayed the late singer.
After an intense media frenzy, auditions for the role of
Selena sparked applications from about 20,000 Latinas from around the globe,
one woman was selected that stood out from the bunch: Jennifer Lopez.
The role of a lifetime was won to play Mexican-American music star Selena.
People Magazine
Jennifer Lopez Reflects on Selena Quintanilla and Where She’d Be Now: ‘She Was a Star’
Jennifer Lopez in the film playing Selena.
Fun Fact: People Espanol was started because of Selena.
The real J. LO. She too likes to wear white.
Jennifer Lopez as Selena.
Jennifer Lopez wearing Selena’s iconic red lipstick in the film Selena
Fun Fact: Selena favorite lipstick was Brick by Chanel, she did her own makeup and her favorite shoe store was Payless. Favorite pizza: Pizza Hut thin crust double pepperoni.
One of my favorite scenes from the film.
If you watch Selena perform, you not she is doing tons of cardio.
Fun Fact: Selena would walk around her neighborhood EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
And don’t take no crap from anyone.
The real Selena Quintanilla Tejano singer and superstar
The album that put her on the map. Selena Live!
Nominated for a GRAMMY in 1994 Selena Live! Best Mexican/American Album
Selena won her first career GRAMMY for Best Mexican-American Album for Live at the 36th GRAMMY Awards in 1994, marking the first time a female Tejano artist won the category.
She was gone less than a year later.
Awards/Accomplishments. In 1987, Selena became a spokesperson for Coca-Cola. Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Best Female Vocalist running every through 1986 to 1996. Received 8 awards at Lo Nuestro Awards, 34 Tejano Music Awards, Kuno’s People’s Choice award, and first Tejano artist to win a Grammy.
Always smiling, laughing, and joking around. That was Selena.
So full of life and light
Selena Quintanilla 1971-1995 May she forever Rest In Peace.
The movie Selena would make Jennifer Lopez one of the highest paid Latina’s in film.
It was estimated that she received a $1 million payday for
the film.
Her life and BANK ACCOUNT has never been the same.
A STAR IS BORN TO SING
Just keep your head
down and work. Success comes when you work harder than everybody else. –
Jennifer Lopez
After wrapping the film, Jennifer Lopez decided her next
ambition would be recording an album. She set her sights on making this goal
happen.
She got a record deal and worked with music super producer Tommy Mottola of Sony.
In an interview she said that people did not believe in her
project; therefore, she had to put some of her own money into it.
You get what you give.
What you put into things is what you get out of them. – Jennifer Lopez
That pet project would become her first album: On the 6.
As reported by Insider, Lopez’s debut single “If You
Had My Love” was released in May 1999, and it immediately landed on the
Billboard charts. In fact, “If You Had My Love” became the first
debut single to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Britney Spears’ “…Baby One
More Time” a mere four months earlier.
One month later in June, her debut album “On the
6” was released, effectively solidifying Lopez’s status as a Latin pop
artist. Certified by the RIAA, “On the 6” is 3x platinum, selling
3.42 million units worldwide.
She never looked back.
AIN’T IT FUNNY HOW THINGS WORK OUT
When Jennifer Lopez was at her peak, in 1999-2002, she was deigning clothes, singing, dancing, performing, acting, starring in hit films, on the cover of magazines, and putting out perfume fragrances.
The iconic green Versace dress! GRAMMYs 1999.
Caused a sensation and put her on the top of the map. Every news outlet had a picture of THAT dress! A great way to get people talking about you, if they weren’t already.
Caused a sensation
One of the things that sticks out was when she started going by the name J. LO. She put out an L.P. of the same name. She said her mother loved that name and would say it over and over…J. LO J. LO.
However, what made her a household name was the infamous video
with Ja Rule “I’m Real” that was in constant rotation on MTV and BET Total
Request Live (TRL).
Fun Fact: Jennifer Lopez Says She Personally Chose That Juicy Couture Tracksuit for Her 2001 “I’m Real” Video with Ja Rule
I’m Real video
Here is the video just in case you have not seen it.
She also did the song “Ain’t it Funny.” Again featuring her
partner in crime (of making sweet music that is) Ja Rule. Together this pair
made magic happen. They just had great chemistry when working together.
Ain’t it funny dropped off the J. LO album on June 20, 2001.
Here are some lyrics for you.
J to the L-O
Hello
Well now you know where I got that from, which I state at
the beginning of this post. 😉
Here is the chorus
Ain’t it
funny
Baby that
you want me, when you had me
Love is crazy,
I’m glad I can smile and say
Ain’t it
funny
Then came “Jenny from the Block.” This song dropped on
September 26, 2002. One of her HOTTEST
music videos! If you had no idea what she was capable or of who she was, then
this video stopped all doubts.
The lyrics go like this.
Don’t be
fooled by the rocks that I got
I’m still,
I’m still Jenny from the block
Love my life
and my public
Put God
first
Then can’t
forget to stay real
To me it’s
like breathing
Ah yes, she
says to stay real or I’m real in this song. An obvious
reference to her song I’m real with Ja Rule. 😉
Here is the chorus.
Don’t be
fooled by the rocks that I got
I’m still,
I’m still Jenny from the block
Used to have
a little, now I have a lot
No matter
where I go, I know where I came from (from the Bronx!)
Check it out here.
JLo pictured in her 2002 music video Jenny from the Block
Unlike her previous studio albums: On the 6 (1999) and J.Lo (2001), Lopez had a more “hands-on” role on This Is Me… Then. The 2002 album also had more of an adult-R&B sound. Musically, majority of the songs on This Is Me… Then were lyrically “dedicated” to her relationship with then-fiancé, actor Ben Affleck.
All I have video 2002 featuring LL Cool J
The Age newspaper said the album was a “declaration” of love for Affleck.
The many looks of J. LO.
J. LO is Pretty in Pink.
During an interview,
Lopez said “I wrote a lot of songs inspired, in a way, by what I was going
through at the time that this album was being made, and he [Affleck] was
definitely a big part of that.”
MTV VMA 2002
Magazine Covers of Jennifer Lopez.
JLO $100 Million Woman
ON A WORLD TOUR WITH A MIC IN HER HAND
“I have to work,
for my soul.” – Jennifer Lopez
Nearly two decades since the release of “On the
Six,” Lopez has dropped seven more albums, and has a ninth album slated
for release this year.
Lopez has embarked on five tours, and that has undoubtedly added to her net worth. Her first tour, aptly titled “Let’s Get Loud” was in 2001 and she walked away with a reported $765,000 in earnings, according to Money Nation.
A decade later, in 2012, J. Lo set out for her first worldwide tour, the Dance Again World Tour. After 78 shows, this would be Lopez’s highest-earning tour, and she pocketed $50,362,300, according to Money Nation.
If you look at the difference in her first tour in 2001 and
her one in 2012 ($765,000 to $50,362,300), you will notice it took over a
decade to earn this type of money.
Angel Eyes 2002
What does that tell me?
That building wealth TAKES TIME.
It took me 6 years to go from saving $1 a day to $50 a month to $15,000 a year!
I make a goal and then chart a course to get there no matter how long it takes.
Just like Jennifer Lopez.
Between her current residency in Las Vegas and worldwide
clothing line, J. Lo is hardly short on funds.
On January 20, 2016, she debuted at Planet Hollywood Resort
& Casino her “All I Have” residency, dazzling fans with sequined
pieces and elaborate sets.
On August 13, her shows reached an incredible milestone: $1
million in ticket sales, the highest grossing show in Planet Hollywood’s
history, according to Billboard.
Between June 2016-June 2017, Lopez made $38 million dollars,
consequently landing her at the #11 spot on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Female
Celebrities of 2017. She’s also already made an estimated $47 million in 2018,
according to Forbes.
Jennifer Lopez performing with Pitbull
Given her newly announced acting project, anticipated 9th
album and a just-released makeup line, Jennifer Lopez will likely only see her
cash flow increase.
All I have to say about JLO is this: Veni, vidi, vici. Latin
translation: “I came; I saw; I conquered.”
Well Jennifer Lopez came, saw, and conquered show business.
In the illustrious words, and famous favorite saying of Selena: “You go girl.”
I have learned a lot from Jennifer Lopez. That with hard work, drive, passion, determination, consistency, and persistence you can achieve great things.
However, what I have learned most of all…is that she is still Jenny from the Block. 😉
For more posts I have written about the self-made you can
check out my other posts
I agree that beauty is not just physical. Beauty has many
forms, and I feel that confidence, self-respect, and loving yourself are some
of them.
These are some other beautiful things to behold:
A child at play; while living in a safe
neighborhood.
Reading a book on a beach at 1 o’clock in the
afternoon.
Taking a nap in a hammock.
Walking in Central Park.
Seeing the sun come up while vacationing on the
lake.
Seeing the sunset on the beach.
However, all of those beautiful things, albeit free; still
cost money to be able to do and enjoy them.
Many of these things require that you have some form of
prosperity or relative financial cushion to enjoy creature comforts that can
easily be taken for granted such as taking a nap in the afternoon beyond the
age of five.
Instead of having some semblance of wealth, you will need to
actually have a few coins in the bank in order to have any sort of comfort
EVER.
That being said, I had to stop and think. Why Do I Save So
Much?
I remember reading an article in which they decided to pose this similar type of question to Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry who is worth an estimated $80 million.
She answered that the reason she saves is because she knows
the business she is in (showbiz) this Hollywood stint may all come to an end
one day. Specifically, she says that she saves because she never knows
“when this trip will end.” And that she wants to have enough savings
to make sure she is secure, comfortable, and financially independent when the
paychecks stop pouring in and the fame starts to wane. In addition, she carries
tons of life insurance.
I too carry tons of life insurance!
If it’s good enough for Halle, then it’s good enough for me.
Halle is a saver.
Here is why I am a saver too.
WELCOME TO THE GOOD LIFE
When I was a kid, my
mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there’s no way you
could be a good winner. – Halle Berry
There’s a place in me
that can really relate to being the underdog. – Halle Berry
I always had to prove
myself through my actions. Be a cheerleader. Be class president. Be the editor
of the newspaper. – Halle Berry
By the time I left
school, I had a lot of tenacity. – Halle Berry
If you think money will change who you are, then think
again. Money just gives us a bigger stage to project who we already are.
Will Smith said it best: “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”
Many people may not know this but Halle Berry was elected Homecoming or Prom Queen at her high school. It was predominantly white. Not believing that she had won, the other contestant asked for a recount. Halle agreed. Halle won again. She demanded another recount. Halle refused. Halle then graciously accepted her crown.
If you think about that, you can see from a young age that Halle has always had to work for what she’s got. Being PRETTY is not enough!
I actually was on my school newspaper. It was one of the
only times in high school that I did not feel like I was being judged and I had
some say in what was going on around me. I too have always had to prove MYSELF!
I get it. No one believes what they can’t see. Seeing is
believing.
However, I was actually working towards my goals – buying a
home, getting a bachelor’s, finishing a Master’s – all tangible things that
people can observe my actions and see me doing such as studying, house
shopping, and walking across the stage to accept my diploma.
It was not until AFTER I had done all those things that people started to take me more seriously and show me SOME RESPECT!!
It just would have been nice to get a little more of it while I was the UNDERDOG and working towards MY GOALS with people around me that had WAY MORE PRIVILEGE.
I paid WAY LESS than $50,000 for a degree.
I paid WAY LESS than $1 million for a home.
I did that because I knew what I could afford and that I
didn’t want to be in debt forever.
I wanted freedom. And that doesn’t come cheap. You have to EARN your freedom through work.
CAREER IS IMPORTANT
Career is important,
but nothing really supersedes my roles as a mother. – Halle Berry
I never wanted to be a
model. My modelling career was nothing but a stepping stone to my acting career
and that’s all I ever saw it as. A pointless rock in the river that has to be
stepped on in order to get to the meaningful oasis of acting. – Halle Berry
Throughout my career I
have been talked out of things I wanted to do, and when I look back, I think I
should have followed my instincts. – Halle Berry
What’s the worst that can happen? If it doesn’t do well I can put on my big girl panties, deal with it and move on. – Halle Berry
I have learned that having a CAREER and not just a JOB is
important.
A job is what you do to pay the bills.
A career is what you do when you have passion for something
and can skip to work.
I decided at the age of 15 to get my degree as a STEPPING
STONE towards a career. I ended up working in Financial services which is right
up my alley as you can tell from this blog. 😉
However, I have mostly done the things I wanted to do and
rarely let myself get talked out of those things. Maybe that is why I am so
happy.
The secret to happiness: Do the things that make you happy
and don’t do the things that make you unhappy. The End.
No matter what. Good or Bad. MOVE ON. Keep moving forward. It’s
like Ariana Grande says, “thank you, next.”
I knew if I wanted to make more than minimum wage that I had
to get some skills or education. Not knowing what trade to do I went for the degree.
I knew not to just drift or stand still.
I didn’t want to end up at 35 with no savings, no home, no
family, and no decent job.
I had no shame working as waitress to make ends meet until I
could do better. I was making about $2.39 an hour plus tips.
Now I’m making and saving more than 40% of my income.
All things come in time.
BEAUTY FADES
Let me tell you something – being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory. – Halle Berry
While being called
beautiful is extremely flattering, I would much rather be noticed for my work
as an actress. – Halle Berry
A person’s self-esteem
has nothing to do with how she looks. – Halle Berry
Your preaching to the choir. Tell me something I don’t know.
Beauty is transitory alright meaning it is not permanent. CORRECT.
As you age, you will change. It is inevitable. So you need to be able to do something more than stand still, look pretty, and to quote Miss Congeniality, “be on stage with nothing to do but convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.” Haha
So enjoy your life! And pass me some more pizza 😂
INNER PEACE
The first step is
clearly defining what it is you’re after, because without knowing that, you’ll
never get it. – Halle Berry
If you set out to do
something and you give it your all and it doesn’t work out, be willing to
modify your goal slightly. Have the ability to look in another direction. A
small shift could guide you to the real purposes of your life. – Halle Berry
There have been so
many people who have said to me, ‘You can’t do that,’ but I’ve had an innate
belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach. – Halle
Berry
I’m not afraid of
portraying anything on-screen. – Halle Berry
I’m just going to live my life and be who I am. – Halle Berry
If you are a wrestling fan, then you have heard of the moniker BE FEARLESS from the Bella Twins.
And that is how you should live your life. Be fearless. Be
relentless in your pursuits. But always try to do the right thing.
During an interview for the cover of the April issue of
InStyle, which hit the Internet on March 12, Ciara said, “If you want to get
somewhere in life, you’ve got to have a compass. You’ve got to know where you
really want to get to.”
I have a pretty strong professional and Morale Compass. I
try to, like Spike Lee says, “Do the right thing.”
If you read my last post on The Rock, then you know that
being who you are can get you far in this world, but nothing happens without a
dint of hard work.
Academy Award winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones said in
the book Rise and Grind that she informed her parents at a young age she wanted
to be an actress. They did not approve until she got them an appointment with
her school guidance counselor.
They informed her parents that Catherine would never be
satisfied with being an accountant as she is too artsy. Let her PURSUE her
passion. Since Catherine was a good child and student, they agreed to let her
pursue her dreams and would support her!
At that point my mouth drops open. You could hear crickets and a pen drop. I could not believe it. All that from a conversation. WELL DONE! Never underestimate the power of your words.
AGE AIN’T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
I see women in their
30s getting plastic surgery, pulling this up and tucking that back. It’s like a
slippery slope – once you start you pull one thing one way and then you think,
‘Oh my God, I’ve got to do the other side.’ – Halle Berry
I’m not sad at all
about turning 40. – Halle Berry
I’m not a fanatic
about exercising. For me, it’s about moderation and balance. – Halle Berry
I think I am at my best when my hair is short. It’s easier to take care of and more of who I am. Women are conditioned to think we need long hair. – Halle Berry
I think it’s always
best to be who you are. – Halle Berry
Be who you are.
If you ever saw the 1997 movie Selena starring Jennifer Lopez, then you may remember the scene where Abraham Quintanilla (played by James Edward Olmos) says that he learned a very important lesson in life, which is that you have to be who you are.
That is not just wisdom in old age talk. That is the TRUTH.
Everything have that was GOOD came from me being WHO I AM. Whatever you do or whomever you are…OWN IT!!!!
SUCCESS AT LAST OR IS IT?
Don’t take yourself
too seriously. Know when to laugh at yourself, and find a way to laugh at
obstacles that inevitably present themselves. – Halle Berry
I know I’m only one
human being and I’m only making one tiny contribution and it’s nothing more
than that. – Halle Berry
I think there’s a
certain level of trust that I have with women. I’ve always been honest, even
when I haven’t had good times in my life or my movie bombed or I’ve had great
success. I’ve owned up to all of it. – Halle Berry
People win Oscars, and
then it seems like they fall off the planet. And that’s partly because a huge
expectation walks in the room and sits right down on top of your head. The
moment I won the Oscar, I felt the teardown the very next day. – Halle Berry
I repeat, whatever you do…OWN IT!
I’m told that I am sassy and dominating. I take that as the
compliment I know it is supposed to be. 😉
Well this sassy Miss started doing the following with her money:
Savings Year
Monthly Savings Amount
End of Year Total Savings
2013
$50
$600
2014
$100
$1200
2015
$150
$1800
2016
$250
$3000
2017
$333
$3996
2018
$1,111.04
$13,333.06
2019*
$1,211.09
$14,533.06
As of this writing, I am on track to save $15,000 for 2019.
I have already set a saving goal of $16,000 for 2020.
I always look to the future because it is coming one day after all. So I set savings goals for the coming years of 2021-2025 of $17,000+ each and every year. My ultimate goal is to save $20,000-$25,000 each year. That would allow me to save $100,000 every 4 to 5 years.
I also believe in donating money to good and charitable
causes like Halle.
This is what Halle told MainStreet: ‘Many people utilize
charitable giving as a great tax write off, and it is. But more than that, for
me, charitable giving is a financial investment in the human spirit. When we
invest in each other, we invest in ourselves. There is no single investment
that I have pursued that has brought a greater return, than helping someone who
needs it.’
Well said, Ms. Berry.
So now you know why I save so much and how much I save.
“Success isn’t always about ‘Greatness’, it’s about
consistency. Consistent, hard work gains success. Greatness will come.” –
Dwayne Johnson
Well unless you have been living under a Rock, then you have
heard of the name Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
One of the most successful wrestlers to come out of the WWE of all time.
The Rock is an inspiration to millions with his good
attitude, humility, and great sense of humor. One of the hardest working men in
show business today.
If there is a movies coming out, then The Rock either
auditioned for, saw the script, produced, or is starring in it. I mean the guy
has a movie coming out like every two weeks!
He recently made headlines in January 2019 for not getting
cast in Crazy Rich Asians?!!
As he worked with the film’s director, Jon M. Chu, in the 2013 sci-fi action film “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” with Bruce Willis.
Regardless, The Rock isn’t low on cash by any means.
He has an estimated net worth of over $150 Million.
On my continued journey toward studying the self-made, the
man du jour is Dwayne Johnson.
Full Disclosure: I located numerous interviews, read magazine articles, and reporting on The Rock. One of the best came from Wonderwall.
So here we go.
Get your popcorn ready cause this is a long one.
I’m about to open up The Rock’s wallet and give you a peek
inside.
Let’s smell what The Rock is cookin’ in his bank books shall we?
THE ROCK BEGINS: CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Dwayne Johnson, was born in California on May 2, 1972. Although he grew up poor in Hawaii, he is now one of the richest men in Hollywood, but the poverty he faced during his childhood is never far from his mind.
Case in point, On Thanksgiving 2017, The Rock revealed in a lengthy Instagram post that “there was a time back in ’87 when we couldn’t even afford Thanksgiving dinner and [were] praying someone would invite us over their house to eat.”
Due to his father’s work as a professional wrestler, the
family was constantly in flux and bouncing around from place to place.
Wrestling is in The Rock’s blood.
Wrestling is actually the Johnson family business — his
father Rocky Johnson was a star in the 1970s and ’80s, while his Samoan
grandfather Peter Maivia was famous in the 1960s.
As his mother was unable to keep a steady job because of this, they went through hard times.
HARD KNOCK LIFE
In another IG post, in May 2015, the wrestler-actor revealed on Instagram that “when I was 14yrs old we were evicted out of our apartment in Hawaii ’cause we couldn’t afford the $180 per week rent.”
In 2014, he told The Hollywood Reporter that a week before
they were evicted, he watched his mother’s car get repossessed. He reportedly
added to her troubles by joining a theft ring that targeted affluent stores in
Waikiki.
In addition, he stated in another interview that they were
so broke that his mother doesn’t remember walking out into incoming traffic
before he pushed her out of the way.
It was at that moment he decided to make changes in his life. He said to himself, “What can I do with these two hands?” That is when he decided to start working out.
“The successful men I knew were men who built their bodies.” – The Rock
He also stated while growing up people thought he was a girl and that they referred to him as one “all the time.”
KICK ROCKS
“I’ll never, ever be full. I’ll always be hungry. Obviously,
I’m not talking about food.
Growing up, I had nothing for such a long time.” – The Rock
The Rock is now one the biggest movie stars in the world.
But before the A-list super-stardom and even before his WWE debut, Dwayne
Johnson was just a guy that was down on his luck.
He decided that he wanted to play football. He worked
tirelessly and gave everything he had to the sport. His hard work paid off.
Johnson was a promising football prospect and received
offers from many Division I collegiate programs. After finishing high school in
Pennsylvania, he went on to play college football. He decided on a full
scholarship from the University of Miami, playing defensive tackle. In 1991, he
was on the Miami Hurricanes’ national championship team.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Johnson started only once, appearing
in 39 games with a total of 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks. With muscles on top of
muscles, he was a sight to behold. He was a physical specimen from Day 1.
It was once quoted about The Rock, “He was a
jack-of-all-trades, but only a master at wrasslin’.
Ed Orgeron, University of Miami defensive line coach
(1989-1992), once had this to say about The Rock.
“His uncle was Jimmy Snuka, he came from a wrestling
family. So we knew about that.
“I remember one-day walking off the field, he hadn’t
had a good day and I said something like, ‘You know, Dwayne, you should just
become a wrestler.'”
Warren Sapp, NFL pro football 2013 Hall of Famer, said this of
playing football with The Rock.
“So we used to joke with him by saying, ‘When you get
done with football, you’re going to go into wrestling, right?’
“And he’d say: ‘Damn right, bitch.’
Everyone always had the same thing to say about Johnson, he
was charismatic, humble, and down-to-earth.
The Rock would go on to complete a bachelor of general studies degree. But his football career was coming to an end around the same time his academic career did.
WRESTLING WITH $7 BUCKS
“1995. $7 Bucks In My Pocket. I Knew Two Things: I’m Broke
As Hell and One Day I Won’t Be” – The Rock
In 1995, Dwayne Johnson signed with the Canadian Football
League’s Calgary Stampeders at a yearly salary of $35,000. According to The
Hollywood Reporter, after just two months, he got knocked down to the practice
team, which paid just $250 a week.
That had to hurt!
During that time, he reportedly shared a two-bedroom
apartment with three other players, “eating ramen noodles and spaghetti
and sleeping on a filthy mattress he had found ditched outside a
pay-by-the-hour sex motel,” wrote THR. When he was cut from the team not
long after that, he had just $7 to his name.
This is when he decided to become a wrestler. He begged his
father to show him the ropes. Get it 😉
Dwayne Johnson made his WWE debut in 1996, becoming the first third-generation wrestler in the league. (His father, Rocky Johnson, and his maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, were both professional wrestlers.) He quickly became one of the sport’s biggest stars. According to Fortune, during his second year in the WWE, The Rock made enough money to accomplish a childhood dream: He bought his first Rolex. (He smashed the $35,000 timepiece in the ring just a week later.)
I mean, wow!
“When You Walk Up To Opportunity’s Door: Don’t Knock It.
Kick That Bitch In, Smile and Introduce Yourself” – The Rock
Dwayne Johnson officially transitioned to Hollywood in 1999,
the year he played a version of his father, wrestler Rocky Johnson, on
“That ’70s Show,” where he got to act out with Topher Grace as Eric
Forman.
The following year, he channeled his wrestling alter ego
(complete with cocked eyebrow) to portray an alien gladiator on an episode of
“Star Trek: Voyager.” A month later, he hosted “Saturday Night
Live” for the first time. Each of these television appearances — as well
as a few others — helped him prove his acting chops and win fans outside of
the wrestling world.
The people’s champ was becoming the acting champ.
Things started really moving steadily from there for The
Rock.
In 2000, Dwayne Johnson released his memoir “The Rock Says…,” which debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list.
Keep in mind, Writing isn’t generally a high-paying
gig—unless you happen to be the top-selling author.
Fun Fact: While this gains the coveted “NYT BESTSELLER” status for the authors, it doesn’t net a lot of money. There are weeks in the year where you can make the NYT list with as few as a couple of thousand sales.
According to Career Trend, Given the royalties of a standard
contract, an author selling 20,000 books priced at $25 would earn $65,625 the
first week on the “New York Times” best-seller list. This is not
quite the millions superstar authors bank, but if the book continues to sell,
these earnings add up to an impressive income.
Then The Rock hit pay dirt. He booked a starring role in a major Hollywood film.
In 2001, Dwayne Johnson made his feature-film debut as The Scorpion King in “The Mummy Returns.” He reportedly banked $500K for his brief appearance in the action-adventure sequel to 1999’s “The Mummy.” His work in the film was so popular, he scored his own spinoff.
THE BUSINESS OF BEING THE ROCK
The Road To Success and Greatness Is Always Paved With
Consistent Hard Work. Outwork Your Competitors, Be Authentic And Above All
Else. Chase Your Greatness” – The Rock
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson rose to fame thanks to his exploits in the pro wrestling ring and got his first big break in the movie business as the Scorpion King in 2001’s “The Mummy Returns.”
He holds the Guinness World Record for highest paid for a
movie debut, as he received a $5 million-dollar paycheck for his role.
In 2004, Dwayne Johnson left the WWE to focus on his Hollywood acting career. The following year, he earned raves for his performance as a gay cowboy bodyguard and aspiring actor in “Be Cool.” Further signaling his transition from professional wrestler to serious actor, he was credited as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson instead of just “The Rock” for his work in 2006’s “Gridiron Gang.” With 2008’s “Get Smart” — at the urging of his agents at CAA — he officially changed his stage name to Dwayne Johnson.
CAA, short for Creative Artists Agency, is also one of the
biggest entertainment agencies in the world.
GIVING BACK
“I Like To Use The Hard Times in The Past, To Motivate Me
Today” – The Rock
In 2006, Dwayne Johnson and then-wife Dany Garcia, who fell
in love while they were students at the University of Miami, donated $2 million
to their alma mater to help fund a renovation to the school’s alumni center. In
2007, they donated $1 million to the college’s Football Facilities Renovation
Fund, which was reportedly the largest donation ever from a former student to
the university’s athletic department. The University of Miami renamed their
football locker room in his honor: It’s now the Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson Football Locker Room.
If that is not karma coming full circle, then I do not know what is! From getting cut from a football team to having a university athletic department named after you. Totally badass!!!
PERSONAL DIFFERENCES
In 2008, Dwayne Johnson and college sweetheart Dany Garcia
divorced after 10 years of marriage and one daughter, Simone. The same year
they split romantically, Dany became her ex’s manager. “I was already
deeply involved with his agents, I was already commenting on scripts. It was a
very natural conversation, where he just said to me, ‘I would love for you to
do this full-time,'” she told Marie Claire in 2017.
PERSONAL DIFFERENCES ASIDE, KEEP ON TRUCKING…ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK
In 2010, Dwyane Johnson portrayed star police officer Christopher Danson in “The Other Guys.” He reportedly earned $9 million for his role in the action-comedy…. even though (spoiler alert!) his character gets killed off just 15 minutes into the movie.
Dwayne Johnson executive produced the 2010 documentary
“Racing Dreams.” The film, which centers around young drivers chasing
the kart racing championship title, marked The Rock’s debut as a producer.
I mean, does this guy ever stop working?!!! Now he’s a
producer.
In 2011, Dwayne Johnson parted ways with CAA, whose agents
had urged him to distance himself from the wrestling world. He signed with WME
and legendary agent Ari Emanuel (on whom Jeremy Piven’s “Entourage”
alter ego, Ari Gold, is based), and officially returned to the WWE that
February.
You see that. He trusted his instincts and listed to himself, not just the advice of his management team. Others may help you along your journey, but ultimately you make the final decision. ALWAYS!!!
He appeared in a number of big WWE events over the course of
the next few years and, according to some reports, banked $3.5 million per year
for his efforts. Apparently, he was worth every penny: “We set
pay-per-view buy-rate records and attendance records each time,” he gushed
to Fortune of his big return to the WWE. In April 2016, the league confirmed
that WrestleMania 32 set a new attendance record for the WWE with 101,763 fans
in the crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Would you look at that?
Setting records. Smacking down candy asses. Being eye candy.
Raising eyebrows and rising paychecks.
That is my description of The Rock!!
FAST AND FURIOUS MONEY
“Let Actions Do Your Talkin For You, (Unless You’re Telling A Good Dirty Joke)”
In an Essence magazine article, he was asked what he was wearing while talking over the phone. His answer: A thong. Backwards. 🤣Your boy has got jokes!!!
The Rock is now taking life a quarter mile at a time.
In April 2011, Dwayne Johnson made his film-franchise debut as Luke Hobbs in “Fast Five.” At the time, the fifth installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise had the top opening weekend of any film ever to open in the month of April, though that record has since been beat. He went on to appear in the next three films in the series and has become such a fan favorite that he and Jason Statham scored their very own spin-off movie, “Hobbs and Shaw,” which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2019.
SEVEN BUCKS PRODUCTIONS
In 2012, Dwayne Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia co-founded their own production company, Seven Bucks Productions — a nod to that time the wrestler-actor found himself with just $7 to his name after getting the boot from the Canadian Football League. The company has produced several of The Rock’s recent films including “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Baywatch,” “Rampage” and “Skyscraper” as well as the TV shows “Ballers,” “The Hero” and “Wake Up Call.”
One of my personal favorite television shows I have ever
seen The Rock do was the show “Wake Up Call.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: At 23, I Had Only $7 In My Pocket
— Then I Turned My Life Around
According to Business Insider, “In TNT’s new show “Wake Up Call,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson lends a helping hand to everyday people who are facing enormous challenges in their lives. From dysfunctional homes and dead-beat dads to sports teams that don’t gel and businesses struggling to survive.”
MILK DOES A BODY GOOD
Dwayne Johnson starred in a commercial for the “Got Milk?” campaign that debuted during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, 2013. He appeared in more advertisements for the campaign later that year.
He’s steady cashing them checks!!!💰 Cha ching! 😂
Dwayne Johnson made his reality TV debut on the TNT
competition series “The Hero” in June 2013. He hosted all eight
episodes of the short-lived show. The following year, The Rock returned to the
network with the eight-episode series “Wake Up Call,” which tracked
his efforts to help average Americans transform their lives. His third stab at
reality TV, “The Titan Games,” is scheduled to debut on NBC in
January 2019. According to an official synopsis, the competition series (which
is in the vein of “American Gladiatiors”) is inspired by the
wrestler-actor’s “desire to motivate global audiences to reach their potential
both mentally and physically.” Hopefully it fares better than its
predecessors!
You can say that again. He’s been cancelled more times than checks!
BLOOD, SWEAT, AND RESPECT
“Blood, Sweat and Respect. First Two You Give, Last One You
Earn” – The Rock
According to Fortune, movies in which Dwayne Johnson appeared made $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office in 2013 — more than any other actor that year. To be fair, he starred in four movies that debuted in 2013: “Snitch,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Pain & Gain” and “Fast & Furious 6” (pictured).
My absolute favorite film in The Fast and The Furious franchise is Fast Five. It earned over $500 million in box office receipts. It set the stage for the billion-dollar franchise. This was a huge record at the time in 2011 for the film and The Rock most certainly helped put butts in those theater seats!
In 2014, The Rock starred in Hercules. It was a big budget film that cost $100 million USD to make. It grossed over $244 million at the box office, but was not the money maker studios would have liked.
To be fair, I saw the film. I thought it was excellent.
Solid performances by The Rock and the whole cast. My absolute favorite was Ingrid
Bolsø Berdal. She was outstanding in the film. She was the Legolas of the film.
You know the role that made Orlando Bloom famous in The Lord of the Rings
franchise.
You know how it goes: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them.”
Or DC Comic Universe’s The Arrow.
Like Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games, she too uses a bow and arrow. You know it is always the coolest party people that use the infamous bow and arrow and that is because it takes REAL skill.
“With Drive And A Bit Of Talent, You Can Move Mountains” –
The Rock
In May 2015, Dwayne Johnson starred as a rescue helicopter pilot in “San Andreas.” He reportedly banked $25 million — the biggest paycheck of his career so far — for his role in the disaster flick. There are reports that the box office hit will get a sequel, though no moves have been made yet on the project.
Alas, as of this writing, it doesn’t look like the movie
pulled in enough dough to make that happen.
“Ballers” debuted on HBO in June 2015. According
to Variety, Dwayne Johnson makes $650K per episode of the series — more than
any other actor makes on TV aside from the five main stars of “The Big
Bang Theory,” who each bank $900K per episode of the CBS sitcom.
As of this writing, The Big Bang Theory (TBBT), will be
ending and going off the air in Spring 2019. This stems from Jim Parsons’
decision to leave the series at the end of the season if the show were to be
renewed for a thirteenth season. The series will conclude with an hour long
finale consisting of two back-to-back episodes on May 16, 2019.
In October 2015, Dwayne Johnson announced that he’d signed on to promote Ford’s service departments. Since then, he’s appeared in several ad campaigns for the motor company.
In November 2015, Dwayne Johnson reportedly donated $1,500 to a shelter puppy who’d been named after him. The 4-month-old pooch required expensive medical treatment for a heart murmur.
THE BRAHMA BULL GETS INK AND INKS A DEAL WITH UNDER ARMOUR
“Success at anything will always come down to this: Focus &
Effort, and we control both.” – The Rock
The tattoos are beliefs of his ancestors from his father’s side and mothers sides. His black culture, his Samoan culture, all cumulates in a belief that the spirit of his ancestors is protecting his family. These tattoos represent great struggle and about overcoming them.
The tattoo on his body comes down to 3 things; his family, protection of his family, and about having a true warrior spirit forever.
Dwayne Johnson launched his partnership with Under Armour in January 2016. The first item from his collaboration with the athletic brand, a duffle bag, sold out within 24 hours. Since then, he’s released everything from clothes and wireless headphones to sneakers through his Project Rock collection for Under Armour. On May 28, 2018, The Rock’s Project Rock 1 shoes for Under Armour sold out in 30 minutes.
NO FREE APPLE iPHONES OR APPS
Remember in my last post, when I talked about Taylor Swift putting Apple iTunes on blast about free music? No? That’s ok. Here’s the link 😉
Well, now The Rock is working with Apple.
In May 2016, Dwayne Johnson launched an iPhone app, The Rock Clock, that’s essentially an alarm clock that wakes up users with exclusive inspirational video messages from the actor-wrestler. Users can also sync their alarms with The Rock’s so that they too can rise and shine at 4 a.m. every day to start their daily fitness routines. “Our goal was create a free, direct, uncomplicated, cool, motivating app to help us all get after our goals every morning,” the superstar explained on Instagram.
And remember this? iPhone 7 | The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day | Apple. If you look closely, you will see that fannie pack pic of him while he ‘s driving the Lyft car!!! 😂And in the video his manager calls him DJ. I would love an uncle DJ that can treat me to an ice cream anytime!
AND YOUTUBE
In July 2016, Dwayne Johnson launched his own YouTube
channel. Original series on the channel include the cooking show “What The
Rock Is Cooking” and “Millennials: The Musical,” a collaboration
with “Moana” co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In January 2017, Dwayne Johnson launched Seven Bucks Digital
Studios, a branch of his Seven Bucks Productions focusing on developing new
original online content.
In April 2017, Dwayne Johnson returned to the role of Luke Hobbs in “The Fate of the Furious.” The eighth installment in the beloved “Fast & Furious” franchise opened worldwide to more than $541 million. At the time, it was the largest global opening of any film ever. (“Avengers: Infinity War” broke the record the following year.)
In July 2017, Dwayne Johnson starred in an ad campaign for
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Siri titled “The Rock x Siri Dominate The Day.”
In September 2017, Dwayne Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia
launched Seven Bucks Creative, a creative ad agency within their production
company, Seven Bucks Productions. In March 2018, the company released its first
campaign: two videos promoting The Rock’s Project Rock collection for Under
Armour, naturally!
In December 2017, Dwayne Johnson headlined “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” The reboot of the original 1995 family action flick “Jumanji” was a surprise sleeper hit, becoming Sony’s highest grossing film of all time domestically. It trucked along at the box office for months, becoming the first movie since 1998’s “Titanic” to open in December and top the box office in February. All in all, the film was so successful, Sony ordered another installment in the series for late 2019.
RAKING IN THE DOUGH BY THE TRUCKLOADS
In February 2018, before writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber had even penned a script, Universal and Legendary teamed up to win a bidding war for “Red Notice,” which Rawson describes as “a big international heist picture, that is tonally in the vein of ‘Ocean’s 11’ meets ‘True Lies’ by the way of ‘Thomas Crown Affair.'” The two studios agreed to finance the film at $160 million based on a pitch meeting and the fact that Dwayne Johnson is attached to star. (According to Deadline, the deal is the largest for a studio movie in Hollywood so far this year.) The Rock will reportedly bank $22 million plus backend to play “an Interpol agent who is tasked with catching the most wanted art thief in the world.”
In mid-July 2018, Forbes released its list of the world’s 100 highest paid entertainers. Dwayne Johnson came in at No. 5 behind Floyd Mayweather, George Clooney, Kylie Jenner and Judge Judy. “The former wrestler tallied the highest ever acting take-home in Celebrity 100 history, thanks to giant upfront paychecks and a cut of profits on blockbusters including ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.’ A huge social following allows him to negotiate an extra seven figures atop his standard contract for promotion, helping nearly double his 2017 earnings,” wrote Forbes. So how much exactly he is taking home in 2018? A whopping $124 million.
At this point, he is making money hand over fist. Just genius right there with his negotiations. I have no words.
Dwayne Johnson’s generosity is practically legendary. In
late July 2018, he took to Instagram to share a video of himself surprising his
longtime stunt double (and cousin) Tanoai Reed with a new truck. “Not only
does Tanoai represent our family and my career with relentless commitment and passion.
He also represents an entire Hollywood stunt community that is truly the
backbone of our business,” The Rock wrote in the caption. Giving thanks
where it’s due? That’s good business! Over the years, the wrestler-actor also
bought a Lamborghini Gallardo for one of his cousins, a Cadillac Escalade for
his dad, a Cadillac truck for his mom, a Honda Civic for another cousin, a
Lexus SUV for yet another cousin, a Ford F-150 for an uncle and another Ford
pickup truck for his longtime housekeeper.
As of August 2018, Dwayne Johnson is the most followed male
entertainer on Instagram with 112 million followers.
As of this writing, he now has over 136 million followers on
Instagram. He is the king of Insta!!!! He is the undisputed, follower for
follower, heavyweight champ of IG!
Two snaps for you Dwayne!!! You Rock!!
He’s the seventh-most
followed celebrity behind Selena Gomez, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, Ariana
Grande, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian West and Kylie Jenner. According to Forbes, The
Rock “insists on a separate seven-figure social media fee” for every
movie in which he appears.” Basically, his social media accounts are worth
millions in marketing and advertising dollars.
And that ladies and gentleman is how The Rock built his empire.
Here is his formula: Blood, Sweat, and Respect + Hard work and Consistency = Success.
The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all
children. – Jim Henson
If you ever saw the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then you know how much people love chocolate. And it can be a goldmine business or chocolate mine depending on how you look at it. 😉 People were losing their minds to get that golden ticket.
Chocolate Mania had swept the nation! 😂
It was pure marketing genius. They even commented on that in
the film. Wonka was making a mint selling those chocolate bars. It’s all about
marketing folks!
It’s sort of like Patron. They don’t have the best tequila;
they just have the best marketing. Get that money.
Just look at all the money the candy business makes! Billions!
Here are some of the top chocolate companies in the world.
They may have even helped spread the let’s have candy at every event or holiday cheer. If not, I am sure they somehow found a way to cultivate and capitalize on Halloween and even Christmas.
Who says you need a box of chocolate on Valentines?!!! Most people don’t even eat most of it. That box of chocolates is still bought and paid for!
If you ever saw the film Legally Blond, you actually saw her do what most do with a box of variously filled chocolates. That’s right. She took a bite and put it BACK in the box!
Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blond
Mondelez International Inc. even tried to cash in on this
love of chocolate. However, they have officially abandoned its pursuit of
Hershey Co., which would have created the biggest confectionery conglomerate in
the world.
Now that you have some background on the business of
chocolate, let’s get down to money affairs.
Back in 1990, the movie, The Witches, based on the 1983 children’s novel of the same title by Roald Dahl, was released in theaters. The movie premiered on 25 May 1990, in London and was scheduled to open the same day in the United States, but was delayed until August.
Sadly, it would be Muppet and Fraggle Rock creator, Jim Henson’s last film.
As in the original novel, the story features evil witches who masquerade as ordinary women and hurt children. However, a boy and his grandmother need to find a way to foil and destroy them.
The witches decide they will open up, get this, chocolate
shops to lure poor unsuspecting children.
This is where the story begins.
GUARDIANS OF THE MILKY WAY GALAXY
While on vacation in Norway, eight-year-old American boy
Luke Eveshim is warned about the witches, female demons with a boundless hatred
for children and various methods of destroying or transforming them.
Helga, Luke’s Grandmother, becomes his legal guardian after
the passing of his parents. They move to England. His grandmother is advised to
take a vacation for a summer by the sea for fresh air after discovering she has
diabetes.
Also staying at the hotel are a convention of witches, masquerading as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, with the Grand High Witch, the all-powerful leader of the world’s witches, attending their annual meeting under the name Eva Ernst (played by Academy Award Winner Angelica Houston).
Really? They have some nerve naming their coven the
Prevention of Cruelty to children. Hiding in plain sight like that, but open to
interpretation. Yes, indeed.
Let us examine the fact that Luke had a grandmother that not
only decided to raise him, but has the financial means to take a vacation by
the sea.
I have it on good authority that if you try to rent a house
on Virginia Beach for a week it can set you back $5,000!
I wouldn’t mind paying that if I had investments like
interest earned from stocks or royalties to pay for it.
If you have $25,000, you could earn over 2 percent in a high
yield savings account. That’s the ish I’m talking about right there. Making
money for breathing. That is the equivalent of doing a part-time gig and
earning $500 a year.
I find the idea of earning money just for having a pulse so sexy. I find that It’s like Beyoncé says in her song Rocket. Shhh. Just listen. To the words. Hell yeah, you the sh*t That’s why you’re my equivalent So sexy! Haha
Inside a ballroom where the witches hold their meeting, Luke
spies upon them as the Grand High Witch unveils her latest creation: a magic
potion to turn children into mice, which they will use on confectionery
products in sweet shops and candy stores to be opened using money provided by
her.
They know how to make their vision a reality.
You have to chart a course and follow that path to where you want to go. What path? You just point to the top and go! That’s what I learned from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson 😉
I have also learned that when you own something to hold onto
it.
It doesn’t matter of it is a taco stand, food truck, or blog. If you own 100%, then it’s yours to do with as you wish. Hold on to as much equity and ownership in your company as possible. I learned that from Shark Tank’s Daymond John. Like McDonald’s does to its hamburgers, keep grinding.
And try to be cash heavy. Meaning stay away from debt. I learned that from Warren Buffet. 😉 They say his company Berkshire Hathaway aims to keep $1 billion or more in cash to snap up businesses and be able to make quick decisions when buying stocks.
In addition, they say Apple does the same. The world’s first
EVER $1 trillion-dollar company keeps billions in cash.
Therefore, you should do the same and follow in their example. ALWAYS have cash reserves. NO EXCUSES!!!
Like Mr. Money Mustache once said, “Salads and barbells every day, no goddamned excuses!!!”
WE ALL WANT TO BE ROYALS
And I don’t mean Prince William and Kate Middleton.
I mean getting royalty checks in the mail.
I saw an article in which Don McLean owns only 2 stocks:
Google and Amazon.
I also recently read that Don McLean continues to receive
royalties off his music he wrote almost 50 years ago. Yes, this artist still
makes $300,000 per year from something he created in 1971.
In the article by Sovereign Man, it retells McLean’s story.
Early spring in 1971 when an obscure American folk singer
wrote a song that would change his life forever.
Sitting at a café in Saratoga Springs, New York, Don McLean
scribbled the lyrics to a long ballad about an experience he had as a
13-year-old boy.
It began with a radio bulletin that said that Buddy Holly
had died in a plane crash. In 1959, when this happened they called it the day
the music died. The boy was crushed. But the man used this emotion to write a
song that would take the world by storm.
Of course, that song was “American Pie.”
It stayed atop the Billboard music charts for more than a
year. And it turned this once obscure folk singer into a global sensation.
Ah yes, the power of the pen.
More than that – McLean was immediately set for life: he
still makes more than $300,000 a year from that song.
Imagine getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year
for something you did in 1971!
That is what stocks can do for you! That is why we must
invest. Unless you can write the next hit song for Beyoncé, you must invest in
the stock market to make money on your money. You already earned it and now
your money works for you and this is your equivalent to getting royalties.
This story holds the key to one of the greatest business
models ever invented: the idea that you can create something once and get paid
on it for life.
“The idea is not to live forever, it is to create
something that will.” – Andy Warhol
It’s the royalty business. That’s right. I did the work like
20 years ago. Now cut the check!
In case you’re not familiar with the term, a royalty is a
cash payment that you receive over and over again from an asset that you created,
developed, or own.
For example, songwriters collect a royalty every time a song
they write is played, purchased, downloaded or streamed. Some more than others.
That is why Taylor Swift was mad at Apple iTunes for giving away artists music, such as herself, for free for three months!
That’s why McLean still makes money from American Pie. You
have to pay to play. Music that is. In this case anyway.
Royalties are also common in natural resources. Royalty companies
often provide financing to oil and mining companies… and those borrowers pay a
royalty on every ounce of gold or gallon of oil that the land produces.
Authors earn a royalty every time somebody buys their book. Inventors receive royalties from their patents. Why do you think Beyoncé trademarked Blue Ivy, Taylor Swift trademarked Swiftmas, and Cardi B is trying to trademark OKrrrrrrr?!!!
The powerful cashflow of this model can be incredibly
appealing to investors, and there are even some companies that specialize in
acquiring assets that produce royalty income.
Therefore, if you are good at something, don’t give it away
for free.
Even though I am a HUGE Marvel comics fan, I actually got
the last comment mentioned above from DC Comics The Joker. 😉
It’s still true though. You have to admit.
If I could, I would tap dance on Twitter, if they paid me.
Me and my lipstick confessions charge a premium for the
really good stuff.
I would hand draw or smack lipstick stickers 💋on Kylie Jenner’s lip kits if she paid me $400.
Joan Rivers wrote jokes for days. She once said jokingly, that she would, “write for Hitler for $500.”
