The key to success is a real cool looking Alpha Team Lettermen jacket.

Wait an hour after you eat to go swimming.

I've lost a lot of good friends who didn't listen.

THEY DIDN'T LISTENN!!!

Well - My thoughts would be that it's easy to earn, or at least the mechanics of it.  Guns can be built - and it's all pretty mundane. You get some respect for doing well with it, but putting in your time is all you really have to do.

 Communication, building relations and earning trust are the things which I would say are important.  Live a little, laugh a lot and listen to the stories that people have.  They might serve you well one day.

BeastVixen was strolling towards her favorite wall in her favorite neighborhood when she noticed a small crowd gathered around.  Hoping nothing was amiss, she rushes to find out what was going on.  She sees a few people she knows and made her way through the crowd towards them and asks what they were doing.  When they told her about the wall, she thought that was a great way for everyone to leave their own personal mark...  She thought for a moment, then decided to move in and grab a brush for herself.

She wrote quickly and elegantly the words she had lived by for several years.  She couldn't remember who said the words to her, but she felt they were the truth: 

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!

Satisfied with the words, she nodded to the bodyguards protecting the wall, and quietly strolled away.

MasterMind was about to leave the wall when he noticed the words BeastVixen is writing, it was very nice words indeed, he wanted to approach her to express that it is wise words, but he did not have time, he had to leave immediately for some work, so he decided to remember the name so he can tell her that later. He is quite sure they will meet in the future some where.

You live by the gun, you die by the gun. Sometimes, slick tongues are better weapons than guns. *blends with the crowd, bringing along the gold-colored brush*

Bespoke picks a bit of lint off his suit and proceeds to light up a cigarette while addressing the people...

"Number....

1. <font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)">Work hard and </font>consistently<font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)"> throughout the day.</font>
2. Send up plenty of cash donations to the boss.
3. Get a CA as soon as you can!
4. Be respectful...remember you're an ambassador for your family!
5. Don't be lazy when it comes to SR or WS reporting.

And have fun!"

At the end of the day, who's the authority on what it takes to be a successful wiseguy? Someone makes it because he can earn, some other guy makes it because he can shoot, and the third guy makes it simply because he is smart enough. For example, I make it because I'm cigar-smokin', whiskey-drinkin', fedora-sportin' embodiment of pure epic awesomeness.

 “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” - Winston Churchill

     This quote goes a long way in this world of ours. You will never get anywhere if you stop to scrutinize every little thing you hear on these shores that you do not like... Whether it is an angry letter, something someone staples to the light poles on the street, or just something little like someone wearing the same 'suit' as you... If you get mad every time you get frustrated, you will do irrational things, and irrational people do not live long around these parts.

     You have to learn to use reason, laugh a little bit, and keep an open mind..

With love and respect,

C.B.

Respect, Power, Money, and Respect. Yes, I said respect twice. No matter how rich or powerful you are, you become disrespectful, and you WILL be brought down, no matter by who or what the cost. And that's something to remember.

It was quite late in the evening when MasterMind was driving by the Wall of Mafia, so he asked his driver to stop the car and he stepped out of it and looked at the wall, there were a lot of dust on the wall and apparently no one has wrote anything on it recently. It was a shame, he invested a lot on building the wall and buying the land next to it to expand it, but it was normal and expected, he has not been free lately to make sure everything was going well. But that shall change soon. He asked one of his guards to make sure the Wall gets back to what it used to be. He ordered some new painting and decorations to be done.

He had a final look at the wall before he goes back into the car and asks his driver to go on.

Truthfully, it seems now that even words can make or break you in this time. I have seen a few people be removed from this life just because they said something others did not like.

I have always been one to let my actions speak for me. I will use words when I feel it is necessary and will NOT let others drive me away just because I have different ideals or opinions.

But, on the flip side of that coin, this is the mafia. Death is just a part of our world. It is not a big issue really. If you die, your family can push on, take revenge, or whatever. But ALL consequences should be accepted and taken if a person decides to take revenge.

Wade strolled up to the now almost completely covered wall, found his own little corner to write his own inspiration...

"Life is good, life is great.

Do not leave this life to fate.

Take this advice, live life with honor.

Or it'll come to pass, you'll be a goner.

Loyalty is not so bad.

It definitely is not a fad.

Think it through before you rogue.

It definitely is not so vogue. "

He nods his head in approval, takes another swig, and stumbles off.