Bruiser sits at his desk in BAM thinking about the olden days.  As he gathers his thoughts he grabs some paper and a pencil from his desk drawer and begins to jot down a few things. 

Back when my ancestors landed on these shores almost 2 decades ago, things were much different here.  A street presence was absolutely a must if you wanted to make it in this world.  In fact, reading through old journals, if you wanted to get your button, you were required to make at least one street speech before a promotion to made man was even considered.  It seems this is a tradition long gone.   Here in FIA we have other requirements to becoming a full pledged member and when one of my guys or gals are ready to be promoted we hold a private event in a private location for him or her to take their oath and make their pledge to the family.  I will then post a transcript of the event in the HQ for all to read and pay their respects and congratulations, as this is a tradition that I was first introduced to all those years ago and enjoy keeping alive.

I look around and I still see kin of mobsters that either were friends of some of my kin or at minimal known by reputation, so I ask, Are there any old traditions you keep alive in your HQ?  Are there any traditions you'd like to see brought back into our world?  Are there any new traditions that you would like to share?

The 'Mobster's Anonymous Gazette' passed through the halls of Duke Yankee's royal court every week. This week the questionnaire set forth by a "Bruiser" brought a smile to the face of Octavius, as it reminded him of entries in the journals of his forefathers.

Reaching for his pen and stationery he was lucky enough to have stashed in his locker; he decided to throw in his two cents.

As the ink stained the parchment his thoughts poured out on the paper...

     To whom it may concern,

     The journals of my forefathers have fascinated me by the things they speak of from a bygone era.
     Many mention, similar to you, of trying to keep secret ceremonies alive in recent history.
     The emphasis of 'This thing of ours' seems to be a repeating theme that is mentioned.

     The thing that stands out most to have changed from the world around them as it is compared to ours today,
     Is the modus operandi of their colleagues and themselves. There appears to have been an emphasis on living their lives to a standard of               decorum that feels lost in our society today. All while holding a vow of secrecy close their hearts.

     I long for a day when our world may to return to their way of life, but I fear this is a wish that shall never be granted.

        -O

With a heavy sigh he slid the paper into the return envelope before going back to his daily routine of keeping the duke's stables cleaned and equipment polished.
 

Staring at the paper that she had snatched from the streets, Nivora could only think of the many traditions that had come and gone in the journals of lore. Some she was thankful were not currently in play and others she felt a loss at. Taking her own pen, she wrote down some of her own thoughts on the back of Bruiser's. 

I am grateful that we no longer have the long gone tradition of needing to create a speech that people would be forced to write and state among the streets for their button. That seemed to have created way too much that lacked a lick of quality to them. Just to appease a crew leader that demanded they speak. However, I think that much can be brought back and remain in the streets such as those long forgotten protection orders, or perhaps those nation wide events such as poker. Those seem much better suited for the streets than flyers that get stuffed into mailboxes of people that merely throw them out. 

I do miss seeing the rooms in headquarters where the family could gather around for a bit of a break. Perhaps this is why I am so attached to the idea of a round table here in The Duchy. 

Scribbling the last remnants of her thoughts, she let the paper drop and carried on her way. Someone might pick it up and read them farther down the street. 

Nivora, you are absolutely right about not missing the "you must make a street speech if you want to be promoted" tradition.  Early pages of my ancestors journals speak of fear and anxiety the first time they jumped up on the soap box to give a speech.  Some people just aren't built to stand in front of a crowd and speak and some here are masters at it.                                    

Bruiser, what are you doing to change it?  That's right: *NOTHING*

Why not restart the Commission when.gr6d.mlcknf 

"Restart the Commission and get things moving"

KevinRowland perhaps you can point me to where exactly I said I wanted to see any old traditions brought back?  I was simply asking people if there were any old traditions they would like to see make a come back.  I do appreciate your response though, it reminds of the old ways when a mouthy goomba would speak disrespectfully to a Don in the streets he would find himself fitted with cement boots by his own crew leader.  But unfortunately you don’t see that happen much these days.

I am all for making new traditions because the past belongs in the past. Times change and the past cannot be!

Bruiser, also in the past, a fellow crewleader would approach another leader in confidence to discuss grievances relating to the conduct of members of that family. That is a way of showing respect. Calling that person out in the streets yourself, while taking a subtle swipe at that person's leadership, is not respectful, and is duly noted.

DickDickman, it was certainly not meant as a swipe at Don DetroitSimons leadership. None of us can control everyone all the time.

I didn’t feel that this encounter rose to the level of getting DetroitSimon involved.

Kill all Godfathers, last GF standing runs the game. Prevent, by force, the promotion of Dons to GF in cities across the country. How can there be more than one "Godfather?" How can there be multiple "Godfathers" in a city? Ridiculous.

Grow some nuts. Prevent people from taking that rank. Because lets be real, it's just a title and nothing more. Let the Dons run the cities as CLs. Sissy ass

The crew my kin was in did this very thing!   Opened the books, took the oath, lived the legacy!

One that I remember reading about was not just getting auth from your CL, but having to contact all the CLs to see if they approved of you becoming a leader, and getting auth that way, which would invariably lead to the oft maligned street post announcing that Auth. For example, it was the kin of Optimus Prime who first authed my Kin, more than 2 decades ago.

I remember you needed admin auth to set up as a CL!   I was CL briefly for about 3 weeks, long time ago, needed to get auth from admins to even do that. 

Long ago… yes… he was there...long Always there watching.
People had.... rules then... Customs. Blood... yes bonds meant... something yes. long time...Family meant something.

You stayed loyal… or they...rules.. carried you out cold. Box… river… didn’t matter much after. 
I remember...long time... the speeches too. Men standing high.. above the crowds… shouting... promises.. while everyone stared up like... frightened little things...some partook ...in the speeches”
.......................................Things felt more...honest.....real..yes real like me..
....I would like to... remember...reminisce those nights again... with an old friend...yes friend...lets remember once more...to the back alley...come friend.

I remember a time when there were writing competitions that captured the imagination of the collective society.  I remember a time when the value of a man wasn't measured in the strength of his gun, but the prose he constructed.  Or she.  

Do we want to see this tradition return?

this new tradition that seems to have become more prevalant is when people attempt to run a OTB while standing on the streets as opposed to getting the proper permits and opening one in the respective cities.

another new tradition seems to be simply talking to grow within this world of ours but not actually contributing anything of substance and hoping they get a visit from the fairy of hustle.

i remember reading tales from my ancestors where speaking on the soapbox was taken seriously and expected from everyone, but i guess gone are the days where people do that or enforce certain standards