As usual Space is propping up the bar at his local watering hole, he had become very accustomed to drinking, it had become one of his very many vices in life. The taste of a Jack on the rocks just made his insides grumble with delight. In his drunken slumber he sets about thinking………..

My linage has done the rounds, we have many, many years of repeated family ties to this thing we hold so close to our hearts and for most parts we have had a successful time of it. The Space-Pole name or any other derivatives of that name is, id like to think, a known-(ish) name, a name that has built many relationships, successfully. And at some point in our histories we have held every position that this world offers, semi-successful I would openly say. Time and time again we visit these shores to re-live the lives our forefathers before us didn't manage to.

Do I have a tried and tested method, no, not really. Its not as simple as some algorithm, there is no perfect approach to win at life here but there are certain approaches or ethos(s) that can only aid your existence or your progression here, in my experience. With that said I present to you a question or rather a two pronged one. 

Firstly, I suppose my question is more directed but not exclusive to the longer generations of lines that this world possess. When you get your land legs back after the boat trip across the big blue, what aspirations do you have for that life? Do you have a set-out plan of what you want to achieve and who you need to know to make it happen? Do you already have the correct connections to get a step-up in life? If this is the case does anyone think this approach is morally wrong? Does it happen more than it should do? Or is it a simple case of this the life we live?

Could it be a case of back to basics and simply find a family for protection? Could it be that you aspire to just survive, lie low and make friends? is it that you that your father had a taste for killing and you want to carry on that trade? is it a case you like to earn money and donate it upwards? What ever it maybe, do you think it all out before hand? Or is it a case of winging it, see what life presents and what happens in the first few days of your new life?

What do you think is the best way to attack your new life, wing it, or aspire to do something and make it happen?

Likewise though, as a Crew Leader or a GodFather and you make contact with someone fresh off the boat, a line that has never stepped foot on this land before and they tell you their ideas of grandeur, how they want to be the next you, would you encourage such behaviour of walking before they can crawl, embrace it and show them how to get there? Or, would you see this as arrogance, would you make them serve their apprentice first or reward such bold behaviour? Should we encourage newer lines to take the bull by the horns?

It would be interesting to hear thoughts on this from across the board, from the newer lines to the old hands, Crew leaders and GodFathers.

With that Spacey, throws back his last jack on the rock, he stands up, just about and wobbles towards the door. With a huge burb that could only have come from his toes he stumbles home to get some rest. People know that when he thinks too much is hair combusts!
 
  

Katniss listens to Space--Pole speak for a bit and then can't help but give him a smile. 

Space I haven't know you that long to be terribly honest, my ancestors knew of you but some how in all the years we both roamed this thing of ours we hadn't really spoken till your father had become my right hand. I took a chance on you knowing who and how you were and I can say that I have made a life long friend from the experience. 

She kinda of looks off in the distance a bit and then back at him. 

I really can't say much as to your first question as I suppose it all depends on the time, place and what has all taken place to what and who or how I become. Hell I look at my grandmother and she had full intentions on being just a bum in her family then Mako had made her step up. 

Laughing she contiunues to speak, I will say though that nothing has ever really changed on when I am a cl, sponser or any position where either myself or my ancestors have had dealings with the newer people to our shores. I always take them in teach them a few things and then see from that where they want to go and how ambitious they are. The more they want to learn the more I teach and push on them. 

She looks at Tish and BigBlack for a bit gives a massive smile to each. There are many here that I think can attest to that as everyone of them have earned where they have gotten and they have done it all by themselves because they wanted to and they wanted to envelop the information that was given to them. Not everyone embraces things all the time so you have see what the individual is doing and wanting, hell even taking interest in  and  you go from there. 

Katniss shrugs a bit and then pulls her jacket tightly around her. 

Must you have decided to speak on such a damn cold day Space?

Ivan listens to the space--pole on his thoughts of coming to this land. Ivan thought to himself about his own past and what brought him here all those years ago. It was mentioned in his own street conversation about Ellis Island. However what space--pole was asking was unique...

Space--pole, your question is truly intriguing to say the least. I hope this gets much attention as I'd love to hear other's responses.

I for one tend to be in between the wing it and aspire lines. What I mean is, I am never too sure what my aspirations are when a relative of my bloodline comes to these shores from generation to generation. I do know that just winging it gets my bloodline far. I am a firm believer that past fathers or mothers have no say until their next of kin proves to be something. Every starts fresh with the new bloodline entering these shores. In my eyes these step ups that others seem to grab hold to and not let go are a bad taste. Its so disdain and disrespectful to others in the recent of times. 

Like I said before, I am in between the wing it and aspire lines. Everyone should have their own goals and if not, why even live the life? The way how this life is so unpredictable, you should have at least one or two goals set in mind. May it be, becoming a hand. Or make so much amount of money. Or even have so many notches in ones belt from killing other mobsters. Goals are meant to be had, and even challenged to get towards. 

I'm going to let others speak before I give my other stance on your last question space--pole. I hope my comments bring something to the table after all.

Thanks guys for responding, I think it would be a strong assumption that most will be in between both, after all who knows what's around the corner, who knows the minute you land here that you wont be shot, Jesus we all know how unpredictable this life can be. Your plans could change daily, goal posts moved by the hour, some times it is best practice sit in the middle and adjust ones plan. I think a lot of time plans/ideas/aspiration could be very subjective to the time in which you start this life.

While I understand the whole clean slate ethos, is this something that is really practiced? You know, Im drafted here by a friend who has managed to find themselves sitting on top of the dog-pile, im headhunted from the get-go because, firstly I have a friend who can influence things and secondly, my father was known.... is this a bad thing, im not sure. I think mostly id put it down to the nature of the beast.

Like my lovely katniss has so beautifully said, she expects people to work for their collar numbers, for the right to be able to make a plan, to follow through with their aspirations, for the right to be considered for bigger things and going off history, those who embrace such tuition tend to be the ones who do well.

Aspire! Aspire! Aspire!

If you're here and you don't have plans you're a bit of a muppet in my eyes. Having doesn't always have to mean taking over the world though. Plenty of the generations of my family have often come here with the sole intention of revitalising the streets, other times to cap a few bodyguards or cause a little bit of mayhem. Usually it's something that gets the pulse racing a little.

When it comes to choosing a family is where my blood usually wings it... we'll scout around see what tickles our fancy, sometimes joining bosses who's blood is closely intertwined with my own, but just as often joining a family they know absolutely nothing about.

One thing my blood has never aspired to since coming to these shores is to be Godfather. The title seems far too easy to get to if you just manage to sit on the fence long enough.

I almost kind of agree, I think a person has to come here with an idea of what they would like to achieve and then work out or understand how they achieve it. I mean, for any perspective Crew Leader, you will want someone who wants to get on in this world, someone who shows some interest. The last thing I imagine Crew Leaders want is a member of their organisation who has little to none interest in whats going on around them.

Personally, I always have a few targets and aspirations but I section them off into; quickly reachable and in the future. So I split them into task that I know I can do quickly to tasks that will take time and dedication and obviously no plan ever goes to task, I will always wing the middle bits. But something I have always done is set the stall out right away, tell any perspective cl on what route I am hoping to take, if it be building a gun, being a cash cow etc. I always find this stands me in good stead, as a starting point at the very least.

If I were a boss, I'd be looking for those type of people exactly. The pro-active sort that wants to be and do something, I don't need a sheep, I need the wolves. The ruthless criminals who will scrape, scratch and claw their way through this life. Some people will say that you're less likely to end up with a family you can trust that way. But after all the 'backstabbing' my blood has witnessed over the eons it is clear that you can never be sure of everyone in your family. That's just part and parcel of this world. It'd be upto me to WIN my family's loyalty regardless of how the recruitment process went, so I'd rather be trying to win the loyalty of a pack of wolves, than a flock of sheep.

That is a good way to go about things, there are some things you cannot achieve straight away and it's always nice to have a goal to work towards to keep the interest ticking over. Honesty is not always the best policy if you're an unknown quantity, ideals and words can be misinterpreted very easily when you're surrounded by guns, drugs, cash and most of all... power.

When I returned to this life of crime after a failed attempt at being a 9-5ers, I had no game plane. I knew two things, I had to survive, and I had to keep my mouth shut to survive. Once I was accepted in as an associate, I started just winging it to get by. At that time, I was just on cruise control as they say. Doing the bare minimum, spending too much time dicing and whore chasing. But that old father time started to change that.

I got the motivation to aspire to be something more, to a pillar of support for New York. Once I set my mind to it, I stopped winging it, and started to give it my all. Hopefully if I can continue to beat father time, I'll reach my aspirations and ascend to the plateau of a goal i have set.

Seated nearby, Demon had refreshed himself after a long speech response he'd made in the Streets earlier to DaKurlzz, when he overheard Space--Pole mention the topic of aspirations upon arriving on these shores. Demon knew he'd slightly touched on the same topic earlier on and the consequence that may come from poorly layed out goals.

I personally am all for laying out your aspirations upon first setting foot on these shores. This 'goal setting' as such, gives a sense of direction throughout ones time here on this earth. You can ask for advice and overall just begin your journey to the path you want to walk at a later date...

However, sometimes it does help to just 'wing it' on your first few days while you get on your feet. Know the layout of how things work, Who is who and where your place is. Placing aspirations from an early age to one day fill your crew leaders shoes is one thing, but don't disregard all the freedom and time you spend at a young age. Enjoy the little things...

I find that when people set goals a little too high they may not have the patience required to correspond with this.

Demon turns back to his table leaving his final lines hanging.

"Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre, Good things, come to those who wait."

 

When my bloodline landed on these shores a year ago, I have to be honest and say there was no clear cut goal, no aspirations to be anything special, nothing I can definitively say I wanted to achieve. I had some basic guidelines of the do's and dont's from other family members, then leaped blindly into the pond with all the other little fishes. I guess you can say I wing it. with no clear cut goal in mind, i just do a bit of everything, which leaves me room to change direction if needed. When I found a place to call home, I was  perfectly content to stay an unknown bottom feeder, earn cash, pull my weight, and be there to help if asked to do so..I talked when spoken to, but didnt put myself out there overly much, didnt reach out to my CL with any intentions to be anything other than what i was, the bottom of the food chain..For what ever reason The Great Batiatus took notice of me and he and others in the crew nudge me to do a bit more, to push the boundaries a bit, to be more than just an unknown fish and I'm ok with that too..it just proves you dont have to be an over achieving goal setter to be noticed..

To Wing it or Aspire...thats the question!!!

Well space--pole our generations have worked together going back many moons. We have been blessed to be raised by some of the best around these parts and then we did a little bit of mentoring ourselves. And bang! Here we are today, a product of years and generations of striving to be great mafioso's. Does that mean we get everything in a plate due to our forefathers? Hell No! But there is a certain level of comfort for people when working with older/seasoned blood. 

In my case for example my fathers bloodline has never worked with my current crew leader today. Ive only ever heard of BlackBetty in journals of my forefathers, about how hard of a worker she is and her never ending desire to be the best. And its been a lot of fun working with her. When I was first asked to stand as hand for her, I wasn't expecting that challenge; nor was I aching for it. Just so happened I was available, she asked...bang were a team. So I never really aspired to be in this position, just it was offered to me, I liked the prospects...took the job! So partially I was winging it for a little bit. But even when I say winging, i can't say I was just being driftwood, there is always a desire to be a good mafioso. Someone that your family can lean on when necessary. 

Now being in this position at RHM, I've had the opportunity to mingle with a lot of new blood coming to our shores. Guys that do have aspiring dreams, dreams to wanna make a name here for themselves. And some of those guys...you know there all talk, because their actions speak louder than words. Some rarely ask and perform to the point where you almost have to offer them opportunities. Over my years if there is one thing I've learned, if someone wants it that bad...and they're willing to work for it! Give it to them! They usually deliver when given the opportunity. Im not gonna take any names, but one of our current Chairman was like that...someone I know from a long time ago. Someone that had the desire to want it, and boom here they are running a whole city! Sometimes thats really all it requires the desire and work ethic...

So to finish up, I would certainly say don't necessarily just 'wing it' because that could also entail just being lazy and sitting and watching till you are offered an opportunity. Do something with the opportunities you have at hand, create some opportunities...and deliver. Believe me the boss's will get to know you, and when they need you...bang! You'r in business! Just curtail the time frame of your aspirations somewhat. The climb up the ladder may seem easy, its not! It takes a lot of time and effort, just stay at it...and anythings possible!!!

Phantom listened eagerly and with close attention as Space—pole began to speak. Space—pole then raised a question to the audience. Whether to Aspire or Wing it? Phantom pulls out a Cuban cigar from his inside blazer pocket, he had to slip his hand past his sliver drinking flask which he got free when he bought his 1930 Ford model A, a few weeks ago. The flask had a detailed picture of the car in it. Phantom began to smoke the cigar. Before Phantom spoke he held the cigar and put it by his side. The smoke was still rising out of the cigar as Phantom cleared his throat and began to assemble his words and thoughts.   

“I personally always aspire; I always choose the highest possible goal I can think. When I give myself these targets, I normally make them as hard as I can so even if I didn't reach my goal I still would have progressed extremely far.  My high standards positively increase my work rate and it encourages me to fulfill my goals.  I always try to better my father’s attempt in this world of ours. Either by surviving longer or generally becoming a better all rounded skillful Mafioso.  Although I do see why some people would to wing it. They like to check their best options and look around before deciding where they want to do.”

Phantom finished talking. The cigar had burned almost to the bud. He brought the cigar from his side and takes a drag of it. He held his breathe for a brief couple of seconds before an extended exhale was released from his mouth. The smoke floated quickly to the ceiling. Phantom then crushed the cigar bud into the palm of his hand smothering the lit end of the cigar. Phantom sat down and watched as other people talked about their views on the question at hand.

After taking a hit from a joint, marijuana coughs. He clears his throats and speaks.

You know, this smoke got me thinking. Fuck it, I would say wing it. Now, just because I'm stoned doesnt mean I came to this conclusion.

I find that, most of my ancestors that came to this shore, most just wing it for the hell of it and succeeded. Others that took their time, and planned it out usual ended up dead before they hit the rank of Boss. Now that I got your attention, I'll give you a bit insight. You dont need to aspire to achieve something. If you been in this thing of use for awhile, and just enjoy yourself. You end up having the greatest time of you life. No need to stress out from the get go. Be yourself, dont aspire to be something your not. 

marijuana takes another hit, holds it in, then exhales quicker.

Though.. thats some good shit.

marijuana clears his throat again

I meant, in this thing of ours. Sorry this weed got me a bit confused.

He chuckles abit

I wing nothing.  Once my feet hit the ground I'm running.  And I won't stop ever until I'm dead.  I've always been lime that.  My bloodline has always been like that.  Winging it to me is just another word for death.  

A good leader should look to inspire all of his members & associates. However, some people are ambitious in only a few practices in this world of ours. When my ancestor was a RH in New York he understood this, and he accepted that not everyone was looking to build a potent gun, but they compensated by earning plenty for our leader. 

Thus I think everyone should aspire to excel and accomplish something.