Saturday, October 11, 2025

The 50 Street Code Laws

1. Stay quiet after they answer — silence makes ‘em talk more. People expose themselves when you give ‘em room.

2. Nod slow while they talk — it pulls more outta them without you saying a word.

3. Ask, “What makes you say that?” instead of arguing. That’s how you make ‘em reveal their weak spots.

4. Mirror how they move. People trust reflections of themselves more than strangers.

5. Get three yeses before your real ask. Small wins make big ones automatic.

6. Ask for help instead of approval — folks ride harder for the ones they feel useful to.

7. When they diss you in public, stay cool. The crowd will check ‘em for you.

8. Give choices that still lead your way — “You wanna handle this now or later?” Either way, you win.

9. Match their talking pace — fast talkers respect energy, slow ones respect calm.

10. The one asking questions runs the room. Control comes from curiosity, not noise.

11. If they get defensive, ask “You good?” It cuts past ego and hits truth.

12. Talk slow, pause often. Calm makes you look like you know something they don’t.

13. People fear being left out more than being wrong. Show ‘em others agree, and they’ll fold quick.

14. Praise effort, not talent — it keeps ‘em working for your nod.

15. Make your idea sound like the “right” thing to do — most folks chase being good more than being smart.

16. Ask about their dreams once, then back ‘em up. You’ll live rent-free in their loyalty.

17. Close the gap slow — space creates distance, closeness builds trust.

18. Drop a small truth about yourself — they’ll overshare trying to match your “realness.”

19. Say what you see — “You seem upset.” People chill when they feel seen.

20. Ask deep “why” questions — it makes shaky people crumble.

21. Say, “You can say no.” Freedom tricks folks into saying yes.

22. “I need your help” works better than orders — people love feeling needed.

23. Add fake urgency — “I only got a minute.” It gets answers faster.

24. Don’t always be available — people value what they gotta wait for.

25. Use their name — it hits the brain like a spotlight.

26. Say, “You probably don’t wanna hear this…” — watch ‘em lean in every time.

27. Ask something personal, then shut up. Silence pulls secrets.

28. Speak first in a deal — your number becomes the anchor.

29. Ask, “What would you do if you were me?” — empathy exposes honesty.

30. Talk how they talk — people vibe with what feels familiar.

31. What they brag about is what they’re insecure about. Listen close.

32. End the convo first — mystery’s louder than words.

33. Ask, “What’s something nobody knows about you?” Curiosity digs deeper than trust.

34. Compliment something random — it throws ‘em off balance.

35. Let silence hang after a hard truth — they’ll fill it with confessions.

36. Boundaries ain’t always verbal — your body speaks too.

37. Drop your voice when things get heated — power whispers.

38. When emotions rise, say less. Calm is king.

39. Ask for small favors — help builds attachment.

40. Watch what makes ‘em defensive — that’s their wound.

41. Make your idea feel like theirs — people fight harder for what they “own.”

42. Say, “I respect your opinion” before asking — it softens walls.

43. Share one secret — it tricks ‘em into sharing two.

44. Say, “You probably already know this…” — it makes ‘em listen twice as hard.

45. When someone vents, don’t fix it. Just repeat what they said. Validation builds loyalty faster than advice.

46. People repeat what made you react — control your face and you control the game.

47. Never explain too much — mystery builds power, talking drains it.

48. The calmest one in chaos always wins — panic is loud, power is quiet.

49. Loyalty ain’t said, it’s shown. Watch patterns, not promises.

50. Respect is currency — spend it wisely, and you’ll never be broke in influence.

Friday, October 10, 2025

Touch Grass: A Reflection on Technology, Trust, and Real Life

Man… the world has changed. I get why some people use the virtual world for interactions — phobias, shyness, social anxiety — I get that. But it’s not going to help you grow or connect in a real way. FaceTime? Facebook? Instagram? TikTok? None of that replaces human interaction. You can’t read someone through a screen. You can’t gauge their reaction, feel their energy, or truly understand who they are.

Take my recent experience: someone charged $19 to my account from a virtual card I didn’t even know I had. Unauthorized. I froze my cards, started a dispute, and now I have to wait for my bank to do their thing. The money isn’t the problem — it’s the principle. That someone got access to something that’s mine without permission. It’s aggravating, and it’s made me think a lot about the digital world we live in.

Platforms like OnlyFans? Not for me. Personally, I see them as virtual prostitution, and I’m not here to sugarcoat it. People selling themselves to strangers online isn’t empowerment — it’s exploitation disguised as opportunity. You can’t read a person, you can’t trust a screen, and you can’t replace the human experience with a subscription.

I’m not saying everyone should unplug forever, but people need to step outside once in a while. Take a walk. Touch grass. Feel the sun. Experience life outside of notifications and pixels. Back in my day, my mom would have to search for my ass to come back into the house. Now, kids have to be dragged out of their rooms. There’s something wrong with that.

Phones tracking you, apps broadcasting your location, platforms luring attention from every angle — it’s convenience at the cost of your autonomy and your connection to reality. TikTok? Attention-whoring. Stupid challenges that can get someone hurt. Instagram? A filtered illusion of life you don’t really have. Facebook? Everybody has the most perfect life, they're so happy with their significant other and their life is just picture perfect which is a bunch of bs.

Yet, technology isn’t all bad. I love platforms that provide knowledge, efficiency, and curiosity — YouTube videos about history at the push of a button, tools like Google that help me get answers faster than I could on my own. That’s tech done right: it empowers without replacing humanity. That's what the internet was created for in the very beginning information gathering. 

Life isn’t lived in notifications, subscriptions, or pixels. It’s lived in people, choices, and experiences. Knocking on doors, reading body language, showing up, being present — that’s what builds character, trust, and real connection. And yeah, I’ll say it again: sometimes, you just need to touch grass.

And for the record, some memories stick forever. Like my mom yelling from the yard down the alley: G.T.F.I.T.H.R.N.B.I.B.Y.A — “GET THE FUCK IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW BEFORE I BEAT YOUR ASS.” That line, burned into my brain, is a reminder of what real presence felt like: authority, urgency, and love all at once. You can’t replicate that through a screen, no matter how high-res the video is.

So yeah, unplug occasionally. Go outside. Talk to people. Experience life. Use technology to enhance, not replace, the very thing that makes us human. And the biggest question I have where do you draw the line between convenience and outsourcing a piece of yourself?

Wednesday, October 01, 2025

Onlyfans

I want to talk about something that’s been bugging the shit out of me for awhile, OnlyFans. You’ve seen the headlines: “So-and-so makes more than professional athletes,” or “This person got rich overnight.” But I want to cut through the hype and give you the reality. Because in my eyes, platforms like OnlyFans aren’t empowerment — they’re exploitation disguised as freedom.

On the surface, OnlyFans looks like autonomy. A woman, a camera, a smartphone, set your price, set your rules. It’s marketed like entrepreneurship, like you’re your own boss. But let’s be real. This is a mechanism of exploitation. Marxist feminist critiques nail this point: “free choice” is a smokescreen. Most women aren’t logging on because it’s their dream career, they’re doing it out of financial necessity. And when the system boxes people into selling themselves to survive, that’s not empowerment. That’s exploitation, plain and simple.

Let’s look at the math. The average creator on OnlyFans makes between $150 and $180 a month. That’s it. Not life-changing money. Not even bill money. Meanwhile, the top 1% of creators take home anywhere from 33 to 60 percent of the platform’s entire revenue. That means the headlines about million-dollar payouts? They’re outliers. They’re bait. The reality is most creators are hustling for scraps while the platform and a few celebrities pocket the big cash. That’s not entrepreneurship that’s a power law distribution, where the rich get richer and everyone else stays broke. And the money isn’t the only problem. The work itself takes a mental and emotional toll. Studies show sex workers, including OnlyFans creators, report high rates of depression, anxiety, and even PTSD.

Why? Because the job isn’t just uploading a picture. The real money comes from interaction. Constant chatting, custom requests, roleplay. For some creators, 70% of their income comes from responding to messages. And what are those messages? Harassment, abusive comments, vile fantasies. That’s the daily reality. Again this isn’t empowerment. This is emotional labor at its most toxic where your paycheck depends on how much abuse you’re willing to tolerate.

So who really wins here? Not the average creator. Not the men paying for a false sense of connection. The winners are the platform itself raking in fees and commissions and the celebrities who treat it like a side hustle. Meanwhile, the women selling their intimacy are left with digital footprints they can’t erase, psychological scars, and no retirement plan. Someone younger, someone hungrier, will always be ready to replace them.

So let’s stop pretending OnlyFans is some revolutionary path to empowerment. It’s the same transaction that’s been going on for centuries selling intimacy for survival just dressed up with hashtags and smartphones. If you want to call that empowerment, fine. But I call it what it really is: a system that preys on loneliness, desperation, and instability, while the real money flows upward to the very few.

Sunday, September 28, 2025

The Meme Myth Manifesto

We live in a society that has traded wisdom for punchlines. What once were stories, myths, and parables meant to guide us toward virtue have now been replaced by memes cultural snapshots that spread faster than wildfire but carry no light. Instead of elevating us, they drag us down, normalizing dysfunction under the guise of humor.

Memes are the myths of our age, but they don’t teach courage, patience, or honor. They glorify pettiness, excuse vice, and turn toxicity into entertainment. Wrapped in irony and shared for laughs, they weave themselves into our collective consciousness. Before long, we don’t just laugh at them we live by them.

And what drives this circus? Strings. We’re all puppets now, tugged and pulled by algorithms that feed us whatever sparks the loudest reaction. Not wisdom. Not truth. Not growth. Just division, outrage, and the endless scroll of distraction. People argue not to be right, but to be heard. They disagree not out of conviction, but out of compulsion.

The saddest part is that we’ve accepted it. We’ve mistaken noise for dialogue, trends for culture, and memes for meaning. Our myths no longer point us upward; they keep us stuck, clapping and booing at the same hollow stage show.

But here’s the thing: we don’t have to be puppets. We don’t have to mistake dysfunction for identity. We can choose to build new myths stories worth passing down, lessons worth remembering, truths that outlast the trend cycle.

Monday, September 15, 2025

The 30-Year Rule: A Glimpse into the Past, A Leap into the Future

The world of 1905 moved at a slower pace. Horse-drawn carriages, gas lamps, and telegrams still define everyday life. The Wright brothers had just taken flight, and the automobile remained a luxury novelty. Daily routines still felt tethered to the 19th century.

Just thirty years later, by 1935, that world was unrecognizable. The Great Depression was in full swing, but technology had already transformed society. Cars were mass-produced, reshaping cities and mobility. Radio had become the dominant form of mass media, pulling news and entertainment directly into living rooms. Airplanes were no longer experiments they carried passengers across continents. All of this unfolded against the backdrop of a world reeling from World War I, with politics and perspectives permanently altered.

The cycle repeated. From 1935 to 1965, humanity endured a second global war, rebuilt shattered economies, and launched into the Space Age. The shift from radio to television defined an entire generation, forever changing culture and communication.

Then came the next leap. From 1965 to 1995, the world saw the rise of personal computing, the birth of the internet, and the end of the Cold War. Music, film, and fashion evolved at a pace that made the 1960s feel like a distant memory. To someone from 1965, the world of 1995 would have seemed impossibly futuristic.

Now, in 2025, we look back at 1995 and feel the same astonishment. A world without smartphones, social media, broadband, or GPS feels almost alien. The digital transformation has been so complete that it’s difficult to imagine daily life without it. What was once cutting-edge is now a relic.

The 30-year rule reminds us that “normal” is always temporary. Each generation lives through revolutions in technology, culture, and worldview that feel both sudden and inevitable in hindsight. The only constant is change—change faster than we expect.

The real question is: what will 2055 look like?

Thursday, September 11, 2025

9/11

The Tribute in Light rose into the night sky, meeting the clouds above and forming an umbrella-like glow, almost as if the heavens themselves were sheltering the memory of 9/11. 

Friday, September 05, 2025

Hey Pop

It's been 6 years today since you passed away God damn do I miss your crazy ass. 

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Story Time

I just got a copy of my background report for the Home Depot job. I know they don’t call on weekends, so I’m expecting a call after Labor Day. But as I flipped through it, something hit me, every single charge on my record has one thing in common: women. Ex-girlfriends, to be exact. And I remember every one of those situations like it happened yesterday and I'm like damn dude I sure have a habit of picking the "perfect" woman don't I! I was thinking with the wrong head at the time.

Positive outcome though it's been almost a decade since my last charge and I ended up moving up to Pottstown years later and actually miss the damn area, it grew on me.

So, pull up a chair, grab a drink, and let me tell you the story of how three women managed to get me booked. Each one had its own chaos, its own drama, and somehow, a little bit of me thinking I was smarter than I really was.

April 2008, age 25 – Dade City, Florida: Grand Theft Auto. A buddy of mine hits me up and says, “Hey, your girl Amanda’s in Florida visiting her family, want to pop in and surprise her? Have some fun in the sun?” I said, “Yeah, but how are we getting down there?” He goes, “I got a car.” I thought nothing of it, he had the keys and even the insurance card. So we drove all the way to Florida. Had our little fun in the sun. Two weeks later, we got pulled over and that’s when I found out the car was stolen. That was my first arrest. All because I wanted to surprise a girl who, honestly, was probably the worst thing in my life at that time.

August 2016, age 33 – Pottstown, Montgomery County: I went up to visit Jessica and her family. She has always been a weakness of mine since I first met her anyway I'm up there for a few days and then we decided to hit a bar for a couple drinks, we are in the bar for maybe 15 minutes and some drunk dude starts arguing with me over a seat. I tried to de-escalate, but he kept running his mouth. I went to walk away, and he hit me with, “That’s what I thought.” I turned back, told him not to say that again he won't like the outcome, he pushed me, I hit him, and then I left. (More on that later.)

July 2017, age 34 – Roxborough: By this time I was dating a girl named Lauren, who I got with after Jess and I broke up the first time. We’d been together about 8 months, living in her apartment that her daddy paid for. One day we got into a shouting match in her apartment complex over something so small I can’t even remember it now. Cops got called. She put on the show like I was threatening her, and I got booked for “terroristic threats.” Her dad owned a beer distributor in Jersey, had money and connections, so of course I got the short end. I took 3 years of probation just to get her and the whole situation out of my life.

But right after that, I found out I had a warrant back in Montgomery County from that Pottstown bar fight. Turns out the guy I hit was an off-duty cop. They extradited me back, charged me with aggravated assault. Luckily, Judge O’Neil heard me out, brought the cop in, and the cop surprisingly was honest. They dropped it to disorderly conduct with a year of non-reporting probation. I’ll take that over an aggravated assault any day.

So, to sum it up:
1. GTA in Florida, visiting a girl.
2. Disorderly conduct in Pottstown, visiting a girl.
3. Terroristic threats in Roxborough, living with a girl.

You know I'm starting to think that everybody is actually right when they tell me my life is a goddamn movie. It is what it is, c'est la vie.

Friday, August 29, 2025

West Virginia

Man, it’s crazy how you see something on Facebook and it pulls a memory straight out of the vault. I just saw that post about someone dropping everything to go on a random trip, and instantly it reminded me of one of the wildest times in my 20s.

So, back around 2005, Chuck hits me up like, “Yo Don, what are you doing?” I was just chilling, watching some TV. He was like you wanna go to West Virginia? I'm like why would I want to go to West Virginia? He says there’s this female I’m going to try out, she’s got friends for you to try out too, and I heard they got some good food down there. A couple hours later we were in the car, hopped up on “enhancements” and driving from Philly to West Virginia on a whim, all this when we could’ve just went up the Ave for a hooker and down South Philly for a cheesesteak. 😂 But nah, not us. We needed the adventure.

Now here’s where it gets wild, every time we cross into a new state, I’d pull out my piece and shoot at the “Welcome to” signs. Yeah, I know, reckless as hell, but that was my life back then. Eventually Chuck gets pulled over, his face caked like a powdered donut, I got my situation under my lap, and he’s mouthing off to the cop. I’m sitting there thinking, Bro, shut the fuck up, I am NOT going to jail out here in the sticks. Then Chuck looks in the mirror, realizes what his face looks like, and he goes ghost white, whiter than he already was. The cop comes back, looks us over, and just says, get out of here. I told him GO before Chuck could even put the car in drive. To this day I still don’t know how we skated on that one.

But the trip wasn’t done with us yet. Later, driving through the mountains, we both got sick as hell and had to pull over. Another cop pulls up behind us like, what’s going on? I told him, Officer, I’m lightheaded, nauseous feel like I'm going to pass out. He goes, it's the change in altitude. Happens all the time to people not from here. I saw your PA plates and figured that’s what it was. Super cool dude, no issues at all.

Meanwhile, Chuck’s flying down mountain roads at 100 mph, steering with his knee while doing lines. Holy shit, man. Looking back, I can’t even believe that was real life. But that’s the thing for most people, this would be the craziest story they ever tell. For me? Back then… that was just a Tuesday. 🤷‍♂️

The post that sparked this memory. 

BORN TO FLY

Upon the sky, a monarch soars, the eagle vast, whose spirit roars. A shadow streaks, a jealous cry, the brazen crow who dares to fly, and land upon that regal spine a pecking pest, a desperate sign.

It squawks and claws with petty might, to drag the noble bird from flight. But wisdom’s path the eagle knows: beyond the pain, beyond the blows. It does not turn, it does not fight, it climbs toward the sun’s great light.

Higher, higher, through silent blue, where winds grow thin, where skies are new. The air turns cold, the breath runs short, the crow’s weak effort comes to naught. With one last gasp, it starts to fall unnoticed by the eagle, all.

So let them peck, those envious souls who cannot reach your soaring goals. Don’t waste your strength in useless strife, on the petty battles of their life. Just rise above, and find your peace; let all their noise and malice cease.

For you were born to chase the sun, not wrestle with a squawking one. The sky is vast, the peak is high, and you, my friend, were born to fly.

9 Months Away

Friday, August 22, 2025

The Creed of Knowing

Know LOVE 💜 † NO loneliness 🥺
Embody love and compassion, rather than loneliness and isolation.

Know JOY 😊 † NO sadness 😢 
Choose joy and happiness, rather than sadness and despair.

Know LIGHT 💡 † NO darkness ⚫
Seek light and understanding, rather than darkness and ignorance.

Know WHOLENESS 👌🏻 † NO emptiness 😔
Cultivate wholeness and integration, rather than emptiness and disconnection.

Know NOW 🔮 † NO past 🙁
Live in the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past.

Know TRUTH 😊 † NO lies 🚫
Embrace truth and authenticity, rather than lies and deception.

Know STRENGTH 💪🏻 † NO weakness 😦
Develop inner strength and resilience, rather than weakness and vulnerability.

Know 🇮🇹 SELF 🇷🇺 † NO other 🖕🏻
Focus on self-awareness and personal growth, rather than seeking external validation.

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Thursday, August 14, 2025

The Day the Rain Got Personal

I should’ve known something was up when the clouds started looking at me funny. I had procrastinated all afternoon, debating whether I should walk to the store. Finally, I decided yes, now is the moment. I got dressed, opened the door, and took one single step outside. The sky must’ve hit a big red “GO” button, because instantly plop, plop, plop, raindrops. No warning. No drizzle warm-up. Just an immediate “and we’re live” downpour.

Fine, I thought. I’ll tough it out. But as I walked toward the store, the rain decided tough love wasn’t enought went full power mode. My shirt was sticking to me like I owed it money. When I finally got to the store, the rain politely let up. It was like it just wanted me soggy enough to squeak with each step. I came back outside, bags in hand, and guess what? Yep! Storm round two. The rain apparently didn’t feel its work was complete without a dramatic closing scene. I made it home drenched, staring at the now-clear sky. I swear I heard the clouds laughing.

Friday, August 08, 2025

Hit Hard

This picture stopped me in my tracks today. My Aunt Toni Beideman sent it over, one of the last photos ever taken of my dad. I’ll be honest seeing it hit me hard. There’s something about a final image that carries a weight no other picture can. It’s not just a face, it’s the last chapter of a whole story. A story filled with laughter, stubbornness, lessons, and love.

This picture isn’t polished. His hair’s a little messy, his body tired. But that’s him. That’s my dad. Even here, he’s looking straight at the camera with those same eyes that saw me grow from a boy into a man. The same eyes that taught me, without words, how to be strong even when you’re not feeling strong.

Grief doesn’t fade it just changes shape. And today, this picture brought all those memories and emotions rushing back. I miss you, Dad. Every day. I’ll carry you with me in every meal I cook, every lesson I pass down, every moment I stand tall. Until we meet again.

MaryAnn DiGiacomo Tribute Page