Episode 34 - GenX Speaks Series: Marlon's Story Artwork

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GenX Adulting Podcast

Episode 34 - GenX Speaks Series: Marlon's Story

May 26, 2025 • Brian & Nicole • Season 1 • Episode 34

In this episode we welcome Marlon, a Genxer from Trinidad who became an American citizen. Marlon describes the differences between Trinidad and Tobago, known as the “Twin Islands”. He shares his family background rooted in both Hindu and Arawak, and how coming from a blending of both led to him being exposed to overt racism from his own family. We learn about his formative years in school in Trinidad, in addition to the sports, food, weather, government system and overall culture of Trinidad. A particularly riveting story Marlon shared with us reflects on the time he was “scooped up” and arrested with other men that resulted in a two week stay in prison before he was finally released. He shares about his years of being punk and being a member of a punk band, and how a moment at a party when he used a computer for the first time led to his first job at a newspaper on Trinidad where he started in classifieds and eventually worked on the front page. Working on a project that involved Mariah Carey gave him the opportunity to come to America for the first time which led to his goal of moving to America and becoming a citizen. We learn about his time living in Miami, as well as the time he was homeless but still maintained a job that had a commute that required a lot of creativity, determination and time, and even included having to hang out in the Miami Airport some nights. Marlon’s work ethic shines as we learn about the many positions he’s held at various businesses as he’s built his reputation not only in graphic design, but as an exceptional individual. We learn about his wonderful 11 year relationship with his girl, and how he makes time for his passions, one being his dedication to working out. In addition to the many creative outlets Marlon has, including music, he is currently working on a children’s book! We were very impressed with Marlon’s dedication to creating and making time for the things that are important to him, and enjoyed learning about what and who inspires him, one of which includes Tony Robbins. We were honored to hear Marlon’s amazing story of courage, determination, creativity and talent and are truly inspired by what he shared. We look forward to having him return in the future!

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[MUSIC]Welcome to GenX Adulting andtoday we have Marlon with us.Welcome to the studio, Marlon.Thank you for having me.We're so happy to have you here.Our first question isalways, what year were you born?I was born in the year 1973.So you are GenX?Yes, and very proud to be born.Nice. So where were you born?Trinidad and Tobago.Okay.The island, the Caribbeanisland, Trinidad and Tobago.So those are two separate islands.So just for people who don't understand,how would you explain?Because people say Trinidad and Tobago,but how would you describe?Tobago is the smaller island by plane.It's 15 minutes away off.It's an island off of Trinidad.Okay. So how big would you say Trinidad is?That I don't know.Okay. But do you average howmany people live on Trinidad?1.3, 1.4.Oh, wow. And then Tobago, how many?Much smaller, 56,000.Okay.Okay. And then whichisland were you born on?Trinidad.Trinidad.So is there a main city on Trinidad?There's a lot of the capital of Trinidadis the place called Port of Spain.That's where everything goes on.And is there a skyline, like tall buildingsand a downtown and all that?That's in Port of Spainwhere the high rises are,most of the businesses happen. So yes.Okay. And were your parents from there?Yes. I'm trying to think, yes.In the sense of my grandparents came,on my dad's side came from India.Okay.My mom's side was one ofthe original Trinidad people.There were two original Trinidad people,the Caribs and the Arawaks.If you've ever seen the movie "Apocolypto",it's the like Amazonian people.My mom was an Arawak, her family.Wow.So my grandmother cameas the indented laborer.Okay.And she had my dad and then,so my roots goscattered all over the place.So how did they meet?I guess my dad was ateacher and my mom, I guess,I don't know, was just a hot.(laughing)I know I have picturesof them, but I never.Yeah. Yeah.But he was a teacher. So doyou know what age he taught?He was an elementary school teacher.Okay. And do you know howold they were when they met?I know she was 16 becauseshe had me when she was 19.Okay. All right.So was that, at that time,I mean, we're talking 1973,was that normal on Trinidadfor girls to get married at 16?What was not normal was my momis what they call a red womanbecause she's mixed like that.And my dad is more of a Hindu looking guy.And back in those days,the mingling and the mixing of the peoplewas not as common as it is today.So that leads into anotherstory of how uncommon that was.And when they got together, alot of people did not like it.Interesting.So would it have beenyour dad's side of the familythat would have looked down onyour mom's side of the familyor reverse? So it's yourdad's side of the family.So was it almost like they were racist?Yes.Interesting.So there is, so theisland has its own racism.Because if you knowin, I want to say Hindu,I'm not sure, there's a class systemfrom the head to the feet and dependent,like my last name is Rampasad.It depends where your family line goes to,how you're treated.Interesting.Because if you look atmy hair or look at me,I don't really look full Hindu.I was the Khali out of place Hindu boyin the Hindu family.So yes, there was.So were they racist towards you?Yes.From the start?Yes.So did you?I was the first born, so yes.Okay. So did you spend any time with them?Like with familygatherings or anything like that?I was always placed like at the back.In Hindus, when they have like ceremonies,they give out food.I was always fed last.I was pushed to the side.That is so interesting.So when you're sayingHindu for our listeners,would it be morepicturing they look like Indian?Yes.And then-I don't want to get the confusion of Indianas an American Indian.You know what I mean?Yes.Yes.Well, it feels like theybrought the caste system to-Yes.They were indentedlaborers and you would knowindented laborers.They're not like slaveswhere they chose to come to work.So they thought theywere slightly better than-Okay.Okay.But then for your mom,she was right from the startin Trinidad.Right.So they were viewed morewhat, like tribal almost?Yes.Okay. And so the Hinducame over and looked downon the people that arefrom there essentially.The teacher hanging outwith this high school.Yeah.Cause how, okay.So what, how old was he?I honestly don't know.But older than her.So because he loved her obviously.You know, I mean,there's the answer right there.They stayed together until-How long were they together?I think 40 years until he passed away.Okay. All right.Is she still alive?Yes.All right.Do you get to see her very often?Last time I was in Trinidadwas probably 10 years ago.I talked to her every day, but-Yeah. And then do you have siblings?I have two younger brothers.And what's the spacingbetween how the age spacing?We're all six years apart.So my middle is six yearsand the last one 12 years.Okay. And were theytreated the same way as youby your dad's family?By that time we had moved on and moved out.The problem was whenthe relationship started,there were four houseson the same lot of land.So we were next to my grandmother.On your dad's side or your mom's?Yes, on my dad's side.So there's a lot ofstories in between the arm,but they pressured usenough that we had to move.They turned off the electricity.They stopped to run in water.Wow.Yeah.So they didn't want you guyson their compound, I guess.I have an aunt and I'mvery bold to say this.And I'm very happy that I'min Tampa that I don't speak tobecause she was, that's my dad's sister,that she was part of that.And what about cousins?The kids had nothing to do with it.I, on Facebook, onInstagram, I talked to all the kids.You're fine with them.So it's more the, so I assumeyou're not in touch with your,are your grandparents still alive on this?Okay.So you didn't have arelationship with them.And did this affect yourdad's relationship with them?Would you say?Yes.So that would kind of-I'm not very angry, but-Of course.I'm sure they becamefairly estranged over time.So where did they move?Just a different part of Trinidad?Yes.And then you're on this island,but you didn't ever saw them.Never really did anything with them.When there was like afestivals or stuff happened,you're bound to run into people, but yes.Okay.And it was more just like-And I have a lot of cousins.Like I said, there was alot of land with four houses.Some of the cousins were part of it.And some of the cousins weren't part of it.So everything was, it wascrazy back in those days.Yeah. Yeah.So would there be some situationswhere you might see some family members,but kind of act likeyou don't even know them?Exactly.That's so interesting.Yeah. Exactly.But then could you have,where they have asibling who was fine to youand you are straight with them,but then the othersibling was racist toward you.So you kind of ignore them or was it,was it the wholefamily act at a certain way?The first thing you said,I still deal with some of my cousins,but some I just don't,not because I'm angryor anything, it's just,they never brought it up to say sorry.Or so why am I bringingit up when you did it?And did everyone else inthe family marry within Hinduand stay in, was your dadthe only one that stepped?No. But of course stepped out.Okay.A lot of the cousins, the younger ones,I'm what they call a dogla,which is a mutt in Trinidad,because as time goes on,everyone started getting mixed up.But in the earlys, it was frowned upon.Okay.But then you're the next generation.Some of the cousinsstarted to look up at my,look up at my dadbecause he was paving the way.Yeah.And you know, stuff like thathappened with the four housesin the middle of the four houses,that's where we would placesoccer or cricket or whatever.And people would talk and you know,the people that weren'tpart of what was happeningwas sit on the side and watch.But as time goes on, youeither become part of itor get out of the way.Yeah.Yeah.And I'm sure, like yousaid, as time goes on,there were other families on the islandthat were going through similar things.So you just brought up sports.So that just brought, made me think,what were the sports on the island?Was it soccer?We call it football, but I've had people.Yes.For Americans.It's called FIFA.And then what else would?Cricket.I played rugby.There's any sport.Okay.Basketball, baseball is notreally that big of a thing,but they play.That's crazy now.They do everything.We've been Americanized now.Okay.Okay.So when you were growing up,it was more like British influence though.Exactly.Are the Brits still in charge of?Okay.So independent, turn itout into bag or independent.And when did that happen?1979, I think.Okay.So, all right.You were still a kid.Don't quote me on that.Yeah.We know.Eric Williams.Oh yes.Okay.So did you go to, howwere the schools set up?Was it like K through 12 or did you have,how it is in America,elementary, middle school,high school?Do you know how?It's elementary and from elementaryuntil like age 11 or 12,you do an exam, CXC, theCaribbean something exam.And then you,you go to like a five year,six year or seven year college.They called it college?That's what they called it.So where we call itmiddle school and high school.Yeah.They are like 13 to like 19.That's what they call college.They call college.And then is there college on the island?Like how we call college.There's a university thatyou can further your educationafter that.Okay.And it's like University of Trinidad.University of the West Indies, yes.All right.And then am I saying it right?Tobago?Tobago.Tobago.Do they have auniversity or is the universityjust on Trinidad?It's just on Trinidad.And.Is there just one university or is there?The big known one, yes.Yeah.Okay.Do they get people coming from.Trinidad is so small you can drive aroundthe entire island in one day.It's not that big.Now do they get peoplecoming in from other countriesto go to school there?Yes.And do you know what the drive,other than just living thereand having that experience,is there somethingthat school specializes inthat would draw someone?Honestly, I don't know.Okay.I know Trinidad is the most cosmopolitanand most technologicaladvanced Caribbean island.Okay.Donald Trump has been there.Yeah.(laughing)And then did you go to Tobago as a kid?I go to Tobago to relax.And can you describe the differencesbetween the two islands?Trinidad is known forhaving a good time, partying.You pull up anywhere where there's music,there's a party going on.Tobago is where you go to,there's the glass bottom boat,there's the coral reef.Everything's relaxed, you chill, you sleep.It's like a cruise shipcompared to like Trinidad,which is the party boat.So it's more like resorting.Yes.So there's people thatprobably go on vacationto both islands and haveboth experiences, right?Like their vacation is--People from Trinidad wouldgo to Tobago for a vacationbecause they're tired of Trinidad.And to get there, is it--It's a boat, you cantake a boat which is longeror it's like a 15 minute plane ride.That's amazing.Yeah.So you went to elementaryand then what you guys call college?Yes.And so you were there until,when did you leave Trinidad?I came to America 2004, Thanksgiving.Okay.Because that was the firsttime I saw Deep Fry in Turkeyand I was like, what the, what is that?Okay, so 2004, so we're talking,so when you graduated from college,what year would that have been?1990.1990, so--Don't judge me.(laughing)So what did you do after you graduated?I got in trouble.I was working odd jobs, textile factories,I'm trying to remember, tire shopsand hanging with bad peoplebecause there's not so muchyou can do back in those daysuntil I got into trouble.What happened?Hanging with the wrong crowd.I'm sitting on the basketball court,the entire court gets surrounded by cops,they scoop up everyone.They're looking, that's how it works,at least in that time.They throw everyone in a celluntil they question and they find outwhat exactly they need to find out.The problem with that is thatI was locked up for two weeksuntil they were figuring out what theyneeded to figure out.What are they trying to figure out?Who stole what or what went wrongor who was involved.So something was reported.Yes, and some of the guys got arrested,the ones that weren't got released,but I spent two weeks waitingfor them to figure that out.That's how it works.So what's prison like there?Imagine 11 guys in the size of a bathroomand you take turns closestto the door where the pail is.Don't ask what the pail is.The plastic.Like a bucket?Yes.And that's where you go to the bathroom?Yes.And then the size of a bathroom for real?Yes, there's like, I'm trying to remember,there's two bunk bedtype things, single beds.And there's like guyslined up on the ground.To sleep? Yes.You take turns sleeping type of thing?Closest to the bucket, yes.Yeah.Okay, so does a hierarchy developwhere certain people get the bed?The meanest, in thosedays they call it who?The guy that's called thepredator, he sleeps on the,remember the movie predator?Yes.The predator gets the top bunk, yes.And so--I remember thatbecause the guy told me that.Okay.How old were you again?Like 19. 19, okay, yeah.Jeez, so the people you were with,were they part of the scoop?Or were you put in with guys who were?The people I was with, some of them, yes.They were part of the scoop.The funny thing is, when we were remandedand we walked into theprison, someone shouts out,hey Marlon, do you know you?Does your mom know you're in here?I go, what the hell is going on here?Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.Were there other people in therefor much worse crimes in that little room?Since we're getting very in depthin this convicedemplane, but the first night,before they figure out anything,you're just put in a cell.Okay.And I was placed into the murder wing cell.The first night I was there, I got beat up.And it was, it's just how it is.And how do you havebeen absolutely terrifying?I can't even, honestly--The first night I got beat up,two guys held me down, I got beat up.But it was cool after that.So it's kind of like an initiation.Yeah, it's always something like that.So, and then they, aftertwo weeks, they're like,all right, you're fine, you can leave.Yeah, and there's nothing you can do.And you weren't, so it's not like America,where you get a lawyer.You have rights.No.Do you think that's changed,or do you think it'sstill like that over there?As far as the--No due process.No, no.Still no due process.So I have a question.Where it is geographically,it's near Venezuela, and--We can see a piece of Venezuelafrom a point of Trinidad, yes.Yeah, so what's thepredominant culture then?Is it British, becauseit's a British colony,and it already used to be, or--Well, it's funny thatyou bring a Venezuela,because right now,there's an influx of Venezuelanscoming to Trinidad, wheresome people don't like that.Yeah, yeah.But it's mostly African and Indian,Indian, Hindu people.Yeah.Okay, and what's the--There's Chinese, there's British,but the most people are--Is it, what's the government like?I mean, can you vote like here?Yes.For, is it called a president?It was just in, justcall it prime minister.Okay.Like last week, there was just an election,and there was a new prime minister,a female, a woman called,I don't remember her name,but anyhow--Oh, you got voted in.Yes.And she's a graduate of theUniversity of West Indies.I looked her up.Oh, okay.And this is like 10 years ofthe previous government, so.Is that the limit?10 years?Like, we have four.They could go on as much as they want.Really?Even the prime minister can go on.Yes, they can go on.Like our president can only do eight.There's no term limits at all.Is it pretty corrupt?Like, I don't wanna point fingers, yes.Yeah, and do they have,how we have aconservative side and liberal side,or is it just corrupt?They've been playing on the race,thinking that the Indian people,the Hindu people willvote for UNC, alcohol names,and the black people will vote for PNM,which is the politicalnational movement, anyhow.And they've been playing on people's race,which makes no sense, but--Right, that's interesting.From what I read, it is a two-party system.And that sounds likethose are the two parties?Okay, interesting.So growing up, were youand your brothers close?Yes.Even with the sixyears, that's a decent age,and was your mom a stay-at-home mom?And they borrowed all my CDs and my clothesand everything, so yeah.(both laughing)Well, you're one, the youngest, he's amillennial, actually.Plus I was working whilethe last one was still, yeah.And your mom was a stay-at-home mom?Yes.Your dad?She started doingprivate classes, tutoring,to help my dad, kids would come over.There was an extra roomin the back of the houseto where she wouldhome-school kids afterwardsto help them with their homework, so.Was there a certain subject?She was good at this?Everything is good, yeah.So she also had a little bit of a teaching.Yeah, she liked doing that.Doing that, and thendid he continue to teach?Yes.Elementary?Yes.And did you guys stay inthe same house the whole timeonce you moved?Yeah, yeah.And I think you hadmentioned something about,was there a fire or--Yes.So what happened?That's part of going back.When we lived in thefour houses on one lot,remember I told you theycut off the electricityunderwater.Yes.We had the neighbors throw a hose overso we could getrunning water to take showersand whatever else.Oh my goodness.And as far as the electricity,we had to use lanterns and candles.I'm doing homework with a candle.I'm reading lyrics on a cassetteback in those days on candles.Anyhow, there was a window open,there was a lantern anda curtain caught on fireand the entire dresserstarted to be in flames.I woke up and I picked upthe dresser and threw it outbecause my baby brother was sleeping.How old was he?I don't know, six or seven.Okay.And I know that because we had a,this is another story.We had a musical band wherehe would recite his poems.We were very close.Yeah.We were still very close, but yeah.So did the whole house catch on firebecause you got that dresser out.Yeah, I threw it out, no.And you wouldn't have hadwater to put out a fire.That's crazy.So the weather--I think around that time,I'm trying to remember,but it's around that time when my dad said,"This is, we need to,something needs to happen."Yeah, that makes sense.He's kind of like,"Okay."You win.We need it out of here.That was too close.Right.So is the weather kindof like South Floridawhere it's warm year round?Yes.So you guys without electricitydidn't really have to worryabout keeping warm from heat,but it was probably horrible.Would it get so hot?Yes.Without air conditioning or anything?There was no--Well, where it's at, right?It's between like theAtlantic and the Caribbean.It's very hot or very rainy.Okay.That's all we have.Very hot.Yeah, I saw something about it.So that's real.It says like what I read isthe first five months it's dry.The next seven months it's wet.Yeah, that's all we have.Okay.So after you were inprison for the two weeksand you get out, then what do you do?I said, "I need to change my life.This cannot happen again."I started working.I was at a party.Why hold back?I played in a punk band.So I'm at this party with nipple rings,with nose rings, with eye rings.And of course I'm the head of the partyand I see this computerat the back of the party.And I go to the guy, I go, "What's that?"He goes, "That's a computer.You've never seen a computer before?"And I said, "No."And I sat down at a partylearning to move the mouse.And I became friends with the guy.And he said, "Hey,Saturday we're having a meetingto launch a TV guide.You wanna come to it?Here's what we're gonna talk about."I took scrapbook paper and 17 magazinesand all the magazines from those days.And I made a four page magazine.I brought it to the meeting.And the people go,"Who's this guy?"And I got hired to work in newspaper.That's amazing.I started in classifieds for peoplethat know what that is.And after nine years,I was doing front pageand doing anything else.So you took themagazines, you cut out sections.I made a magazine.People came with Microsoft printoutsand we're here to have a meeting.But I had something topresent what it could look like.And how old were you?Little after 19, so it had to be like 2021.And so in your schooling,there were no computers.No.So that was your real first time.That would have been what, like early 90s?Yeah, 91.91.That's amazing.That's an amazing story.I remember it was 91because that's the party.And you were like this punk guy.Yeah.Kind of jeans and a swatch watch.I had friends from Englandthat would bring back stufffor me and they would,you know, the Mohawk.So that's legit.Right.It's coming from England.Yeah.Because we were inAmerica trying to copy them.Right, so.You know, and I thinkyou said something likethe Lost Boys.If you picture thecharacters from the Lost Boys,that's kind of how you look.The influence was, I wanted to be,at that time I wanted to be different,but I just wanted to be creative.But at that young age, Iwasn't sure what I was trying to be.But do you feel that youalways had something insideof you, a creativity insideof you that needed to come out?I realized over the yearsthat the freak lives in me.I don't need to walkaround like a Christmas tree.Interesting.Yeah.So your way of expressing your creativitywhen you were younger,which I think is truefor a lot of young adultsor adolescents, is outwardly.Yeah, I was called allsorts of names from colorfulto everything becausethis is the days where I hadmy whole face piercedbefore Cisco, before anything.I had AquamarineMohawks, I had blonde hair,I had, and nobody else,but I was influenced by English people.Yeah, and like the SexPistols and all that.Yeah, exactly.Yeah, that was it.No, I was sort of just gonna say,there was more British punk.For our listeners, it'sBritish punk, not American punk.Very different.Which is legit because American punk was,we were talking.Inspired, inspired by British punk.So you're doing that, you show up,do you have that look whenyou show up to the meetingor did you kinda make it a little more?No, I was still fine on myself.I wasn't, but once Irealized I had a certain skilland I can work, I realized I'm not scaredof being anything else but me.At an early age.Which is amazing and a giftbecause a lot of people gothrough most of their lifetrying to figure out who they are.So the fact that youdiscovered that in your early 20s.As pessimistic as this may sound,I realized if that isthe last scariest thing,nothing else could be that bad.Yeah, yeah, that's so true.So you get this job andthey put you in classifieds,which describe for the younger generation,what is a classified?We know what it is.It's just a bunch oflines selling somethingor promoting something.It's no design, it's a little,it's a white box with a black borderand it has a headlineand some words saying,in those days, VCR for sale or--Yep, yep.The original Craigslist.Or apartment for rent,yeah, the original Craigslist.But it was in thenewspaper and in every newspaperthere would be the classified section.Right, and there was pages of it.That's how you bought stuff.When we were kids,that's how you bought stuff.Right, I feel like it was in the backor towards the back, I can't remember.So from classifieds,then where did you move to?Within the company.I started hanging outwith the photographersbecause at that timethere were like 13 or 14differentphotographers that would come backand I was amazed how they kept their life.I practiced photographyalso, but in those days,I wanted to do more and Istarted mixing with other peoplejust to learn different stuffand people would giveme chances to do stuffand next thing I'm doing,I should have broughtsome things to show you,like ads for like,specialty ads for like storesand stuff like that, just creative ads.So you learned from the photographersand was there other forms of media?By hanging with the photographers,I also got to like weaselmy way into being in the adswith them, take a picture of them.So then you became a model.Yes, exactly.So yeah, because if they need someoneand you're right there, like why not?And this is all in Trinidad.Yes.Were the people you were working withall from Trinidad?Yes.Okay, so did they become friends as well?Yes.That's cool, so you had like a community.What happened was because the newspaper,television, radio, building I worked in,once there was acelebrity from any other countrycoming to Trinidad, aflock of seagulls or anybody,I would get to meet thembecause this is the news spot.Wow.The news has to have the story, so.So who were some ofthe people that you met?I met some, I don'tremember the girl's name,I met Bollywood stars, Imet the flock of seagulls.I'm trying to remember,what's the group thatsays everybody dance now?Oh, that's something company.Something company, like, yeah,someone's gonna comment what it is.It's like, it'll come to me.Everybody dance now.But you met them.I know who exactly you're talking about.Were flock of seagulls, were they nice?Yes.Okay, cool.That's part of, I triedto get my hair like that,but I don't have hair like that.Yeah, no, that's a whole thing.Do you watch Friends, the show Friends?Okay, well there's anepisode where one of the charactersdoes his hair like, it's pretty funny.Okay, so you're hangingwith the photographers.Did you, and then you'reworking in the ad department,I assume.And then from there, whatdid you, did that expand?Like, did you get intocommercials or did you?Yes, I was doing commercials and I started,also started helping lay out like storiesin the middle of the newspaper.Copyright and I started doing CD reviewsfor people who know what a CD is.When CDs came out, thatwas a big deal for all of us.And so you would, itwould be like an album review,but instead now it's a CD review.I would go to the CD shop,they would give me 10 CDs, Iwould review it and it was--But you get to keep the CDs?Yes.That's cool, that's a bonus.So do you still have all your CDs?I still have a bunch ofCDs home right now, yeah.I bet you have a lot of CDs.I can send you a picturewhen I get back home, yes.We have a lot of, Ihave a lot of the albumsfrom when I was a kid.And all of my 45s, remember 45s?Yeah, I have a bunch of those.So, okay, so you're working in commercialsand then I think you said eventuallythat led to you working on the cover?Yeah, the front page.The front page.Which is what taught meabout what a real deadlineand what real stress is whenyou're working on somethingand somebody buzzes into the room and says,that has to change, thishas happened, pull that story.This has to go out.And that has happened more than once.No, that's probably a great skill.An amazing skill to learn.Were you a reporter?Like were you going and interviewing peopleor were you maybe working with the media?For fun, but no.Okay, so you were maybe doing the layouts,the media part of it and everything.Was, were you using thecomputer for most of that?So I've gone through everyedition of the Mac computerfrom everything, the Powerwall PCto the one that looked like the helmet,the one that looked likethe flower pot, the one.Yeah.So what you learned onthat job is priceless.It's people go to universityto learn what you learned on that job.Yes.So it's how long did you work?Nine years.And did you mentionsomething that you would startto get recognized from doing this work?Because I wish I could,I'll send you pictures.I was, I was featured incommercials and newspaper adsand Trinidad's not that big.And I would be in thearcade playing and people go,"Hey, hey, hey, that's the guy from thewhatever commercial."That's cool.And I go, "No, no, I'm not."Would they ask for an autograph or?No.Okay.So I started doing, thelast ad I did in Trinidad,I was dressed as an alienwith a green alien head suit on the beachwhere I crashed on the beachand I was given the guy informationbecause I really didn'twant to be seen anymore.So you were like in going incognito.Yes.In public in Trinidad.You were just tired ofpeople coming up to you.Now, and then after that job,did you get another job in Trinidad?I worked for nine years andI'm not sure what year this was.We saw there was aconference on Miami beachcalled graphics of America.And we come to it and Ilove Miami and it was great.Still working in newspaper,Mariah Carey's peoplereached out to the radio stationand said they wouldlike to do a reality showwhere two people wintickets and come to a concertand we filmed the whole event.In Miami?It was Atlanta.Okay.And I said, can I be part of that?We did it.This is Mariah with the heartbreak timeand she was with thebrats and that time period.We came back to Miamiand I saw Miami afterseeing graphics of Americabut I saw South beachand all the nice things of South beach.And I go, I don't knowhow I'm gonna do thisbut I'll move into America.So going to Miami wasyour first time to America.Yes.And then from there you went up to Atlantaand did that job.Yes.How was the Mariah Carey job?Can you describe that?Because for a lot of people,that's kind of a once in alifetime thing right there.I'm not a, I will notsay I'm a Mariah Carey fanbut I became a fan tosee someone of that statue,that power control a crowdand her voice and everything,her aura.I was like 12 feet away from herbecause she was surrounded by bodyguardsbut you can feel the energy.You can at least at that time watch it was,I mean, it was remarkable.What were you doing there for that?On a stand with thecameras, like in the middle.So you were behind the camera.So you were you doinglike what you were filming,was it on the big screens for the audience?We were filming it totake it back to Trinidadto do the reality show.Oh, okay.So you were gettingstock footage of everything.They also gave us a black credit cardand they told us buy whatever you wantand do whatever you want.So it was a great experience.Oh, I bet.Did you meet her?No.Okay.No.I want to go back real quickbecause you had mentionedthat you had played in a band.Yes.So how old were you when you did that?That was around the 1990,it's probably 19 years oldbecause I played in many bandsbut one of the first bands I played in,it was called Ward 29because the asylum inTrinidad only had 26 wardsand we were the three membersthat made up the extra wards.A ward was made for each one of us.That was the story.Like the mental institution?That's very clever.So there were three of you in that band?And we were told to stopplaying white people music.I can say that becauseit was punk rock musicbut being influenced fromthe clash and sex pistols,the energy and even the police,the groove and the energy of the music,we just wanted to bepart of something like that.And we just, yeah, we just played music.And it was the three of you?Yes.What did you play?I played bass and guitar.And you're-We were changeinstruments on stage sometimes.And what would they play?Your other band members?My brother who's in-Oh, your brother was in it?Who's the studiodrummer right now in Canada.He was a teenager also,but he's six years younger than me.The drum set was bigger than him.All you would see is drumsticks.And then what about the other member?The other guy.What did he play?He played bass and guitar also.He was the singer.Okay, and he was the singer.And where would you guys play?All over.Like in bars?In the stadium.There was a, I'm trying to remember.There's the stadiums.It's not like a huge, but it's huge enough.Like an amphitheater kind of?Yes, exactly.Okay.And just your band or would you play,like a bunch of bandswould be playing there?It's like a kind ofmini festival type vibe.We started up almost like,we couldn't afford instruments.So we would warm up.We would open up forthe bands, the friends.We would do their sound checkand have a little gig going on before.Okay.Until we got our instruments, yes.Okay.And then how long did you guys,were you together doing that?Probably three years.That's a long time.And then you said you were in other bands.Was that simultaneous at this,when you were doing thisband or did you leave that band?That was our main, we were very happy.That was the band.We did songs.There was a song called Burn Genesis Burn.There was a nightclubcalled Genesis at the time.I'm not sure if it's still there,but it was a big thing wherethese were the white Trinidad peopleplaying black Trinidad music,not allowing black Trinidadpeople to go into the club.So we made a song called Burn Genesis Burn.Wow.(laughing)I'm gonna follow that one.So white Trinidad peopleplaying black Trinidad music,but not letting blackTrinidad people come in to listen.Exactly.That's insane.That's why we call thesong Burn Genesis Burn.And that's how we became,I would say popularly, yes.So almost like a rebel, rebellious,rebelling against that.And that was in the late80s, early 90s, if that,if I'm following, that's going on then.Yes.Well, and it's punk too, right?Yeah, it's a rebellious punk song.So I'm sure that becamea little bit of an anthemfor some people.Wow, how, I'm shockedthat that was even going.I mean, nowadays.Trinidad is a beautiful place.But there's things like everywherethat people need to be real about it.And I've said this to my mom recently,where she said somethingabout the new governmentand there's parts of the old governmentjoining the new government.And I'll bring it up.There's a black guyjoining the Indian people.And I said, mom, it's notabout black or Indian or white.I say, if you'reinjured and you need blood,do you ask for white blood?Do you ask for, youknow, I want brown blood.Right.So what are we talking about?Right.So they're stilltrying to work all that out,it sounds like. Yeah, they use thatin the election.So it's still a thing in Trinidad.It's still a thing.And what about over on Tobago?Do they have, is it juststill chilling over there?They're not worried about anything.They're like.People could Google it.It's very chilling, yes.So there's just like, whatever.Yeah, they don't, they don't.Okay, all right.Just to talk, I was reading about,and it sounds like it'sin a state of emergency,almost like a perpetualstate of emergency, Trinidad is.I don't know if you know that,but they're supposed tohave lifted it, I thought,in April and it got extended, I thought.What causes that?Crime?It almost sounds like corruption.There's crime, but it almost sounds like,it feels very corrupt.It is very corrupt. Is kind of whatyou're saying. Because,money is allocated for certain thingsand nothing happensand, or they plan to fix.When I was in Trinidad,imagine the generalhospital doesn't have lightsin the operating room.Why?Because there's privatized hospitalsthat they want you to go to,but the generalhospital for the normal peoplethat can't go to the, it'salways something like that.It feels like they broughtthe caste system with themand it's still, theyhaven't sorted it out yet.It's a bunch of foolishness like that.Yeah, yeah. Come on, come on. Come carnival time, no one thinks about itand everybody parties, but.And the tourists obviouslydon't know what's going on.So I would assume that most of the localsmake their money from tourism.There's a big part of it, yes.And now is there a drug culture?Yes.That like, that people.We're close to, Idon't wanna call countries,but we're close to South America, so yes.Okay, now is that something growing upthat was common to be partaking in?I've hung up with people, his name,the guy is as black as Flavor Flavand they call him the snowman.Okay, and he's.You could figure out what he's saying.Yeah, yeah, yeah. As a snowman, yes.And he's just known.Yes, he's the snowman.Okay, okay, so there's definitely.But as a teenager,where this is pre-internetand pre-phones, if you're on your street,you need to know who to befriends with or hang withor else your life will not be.I can tell you a story very quickly.On my street that I grew up on recently,my mom was walking home andtwo guys came out to rob herand one of the headhonchos came out and goes,no, that's Marlon's mom, leave her alone.Wow.Because you don't have to be part of it,but you have to be coolwith the people that are in itor else. Yeah.So there's definitely dangerous areasand I assume that thetourists stay in one partand they don't.If they want tourism to continue,they better take care ofthe tourists if they want to.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.So how hard was it for you?I don't know, coming from Trinidad,how hard was it to move here?As far as moving here?Yeah, like how many?As far as adapting to the different life.No, like just did you have to go,as far as moving here, literally,like how many hoops didyou have to go throughjust to be able to move to America?I came over on an H1 visa,which is a work in visabecause I played in a band,a musical band.Okay.And as soon as I came,I got my Social Security and my ID card.I did everything the right way.Yeah.And then I filed for my green card,it took years and Ifiled for my citizenship,it took 13 years.It was a process, it's a very--And when did you become a citizen?Like two years ago.And was that a big moment for you?Yes, imagine every day go into your mailboxwaiting for a piece of papersaying you've been approved.Yeah.Yeah.For 13 years, my patience is very strong.I'll tell you that.Now do you have dual citizenship?I guess, in a way,I'll tell you something about that though.I've gotten a letter in the mail sayingyou have 30 days to leave.From here?Yes ma'am.Yes.Why?Recently?No, no, no.Before you became a citizen?Yes.We don't have to stay long on this.One of my interviewswas sent to Pennsylvaniaand I had to go to immigration courtbecause I never showed up.And it just says, stopthe record, Homeland.Does he have a girlfriend?Does he have family?Why are you sending it there?Scratch it, start it over.But I got the letterand that's when I hireda big time lawyer.Okay.And then you were able to stay.And then I had to start over everythingbut they sent it to the right place after.Okay, I see what you're saying.So when you first movedhere, you moved to Miami?I was in Homestead.Okay, which for people whoaren't familiar with Florida,that's way down.Yeah, South of Miami.South of Miami, kind oflike you're on your wayto the Keys a little bit, right?Yes, it is.Right before.And what did you do asa job when you got here,when you first got here?Well, check this out.I first come into America.I found a friend thatI went to college withand that's where I stayed.I had no place to stay.I didn't know anyone.I found one of my college friendsthat was one of my best friends.And he says--So I'm sorry to interrupt.When you say college,again, remind everyonethat's more high school years.Yes.Yeah, okay.And he said I could come stay by him.So I slept, I pushed this couch upnext to the sliding glassand I slept behind the couch thinking,looking up at the stars every night saying,one day it won't be like this.Wow.And for like six months, I did not workbecause I came to Americawith enough money to relax.Okay.And at that time,there was a job on Monsterthat I applied to.And the guy says, "When can you start?"And I said, "When do you need me to start?"And he says, "Can you start Monday?"And I said, "How much is it paying?"And he says, "10 bucks."I said, "Does myexperience say it's 10 bucksor is the job 10 bucks?"And he's like, "How much do you need?"I said, "15 to match thelifestyle I was living."And I became very good friends with him.Good for you though.I can tell you stories about that too.I mean, good for youthough, for right off the bat,being like, I know what I'm worth.Yeah, yeah.And setting that standard.And I worked there for like, I don't know,six, eight years untilmy immigration statusgot what we talked about earlier.So where was that located?That's Bullet Line,that was in North Miami.And what were you doing?Imagine I was living downHomestead working in North Miami.Yeah, yeah, how far was that drive?I would have to take a busto the metro rail, I think,to get off on Carroll City,pass through some very badneighborhoods to get to work.And I can tell you stories about that too.People faking, peoplerobbing people on the buses.Did they ever try to do anything to you?I would sit right behind the bus driverwith my headphones and my MP3 player.And I would sit rightbehind my Sony Discman.(laughing)And I would just watch, no.You probably had a vibeabout you, like, dude,I'm from Trinidad, I've seen some things.I've seen some things, yeah.Yeah, don't mess with me.I'm not really,I tried to match people's energy.Yeah.You know, it's as simple as that.And with your life experience,you can match almostanyone's energy probably,at this point.Probably.I feel nice, I'm nice.If you're not nice, I'm not nice.Yeah.So how long was it oneway just to get to that job?I don't wanna exaggerate, like four hours.One way?Yes, ma'am.Remember, buses don't come on time.That's the first problem.So what time would you get on the bus?I don't remember, but Ihave a notebook home that,I can tell you stories about that.I've always,I'm very resilient.It doesn't matter because I knowlife is the change andthis will not stay the same.So nothing stresses me out like that.I'm never stressed like that.I'll just do it.I've done jobs where Igot like three hours sleepand I had to get back to work,but that's put on in my career.But I kept my music on andpretend life was a music video.So you just kept a positive attitude.Yeah, you have to.I'm not the most positive person,but I know diggingyourself deeper in a holewill get you nowhere.Yeah, so you would get to workafter taking hours to getthere and then work a full day.And then it would take youjust as long to get home.Oh, I would work very long over timeto get a lot of money and then, yeah.So most of your time was in, was-I did that so I can, thesame guy that hired me,loaned me his car.He says it's fully insured.Don't crash it, but ifI crash it, it's okay.Use my car this weekendand find our apartmentcloser to where we work.And that's what I did.I was working because I knew.So you were able to improve that situation.You moved closer.Well, I moved to 125th North Miamibetween Johnson's andWales and Barry Universityto very party energy type place,which is a whole bunchof other stories, but yes.Well, that's what I was about to ask.So did you, we're talking,are we still talking the 90s?No, we're talking 2000s.Yes, 2006, 2008.Okay, so did you enjoy the Miami lifestyle?It's a different lifestyle, yes.I got carried away and I almost lost myselfbecause it's constantly wearing faceswhen you're aroundcertain people, certain parties.I mean, at least at that time,I mean, I guess people still do that,but I did lose myself.Yeah, I think it's still like that.I lost myself becausethere's stories we forgot,but coming to America andseeing 69 cents hamburgersand buying 10 hamburgers and the lifestylecoming from Trinidad, I was overwhelmed.I did lose myself because Igot fat, I wanted everything.Everything is so easy to lose yourself.So that's interesting.So you were coming from astruggle really in Trinidadand then you get to Americaand it feels like such aeasy, wonderful existence.And so you jumped in. I'll give youa quick example.I can walk my dogs, 11, 12, 12, and it's,you will not do that in Trinidad.It's as simple as that.Okay, so you almostfelt safe the first time.I can go out at night andget, and I've done this,get a slim gym and a coke atthe corner shop and it's fine.You will not do that in Trinidad.Even in some of the bad places in Miamiare still better thanTrinidad, would you say?In terms of safety, I mean,yeah, that's a loaded question.I've been in Liberty City andI was told not certain partsbecause I would go there to braid my hair.Because I'm a new person,don't be here when it gets dark.Yeah, yeah, yep.The girls who did myhair would tell me that.Yeah, yeah, yeah.But so you really, you want that safety.As far as if it's bad,I've seen homemade guns.I've seen a gun that shoots machetes.Yeah. Wow.It's like a crossbow,but there's three machetes.Yeah, it's wild.They make stuff.I've seen a gun shooting concrete pellets.They make stuff.It's like a baby gun,but it shoots in concrete.That will hurt you. In Trinidad.Yes, I've seen a PVCpipe full with concrete.So it slightly bends when it hits you.A PVC pipe full of concrete.So it's not as stiff.It has a slight half inch bend.So it will hit you very nice.You know, it takes alot of ingenuity to make.It's too bad that they couldn't havecentered that energy.It's like being, no disrespect.I love Trinidad.It's like being in a prisonwhere they make shanks with anything.Right, right, right.But is it gang related?Is it more?I think it's the heatto tell you the truth.I've been on publictransportation on a public busand there's a seat at the back of the bus.But to get to the bus, Ineed to walk on the aisle.And there's a guy withhis knee out blocking me.And I get to him and he looks at me like,and I go, bro, not today.And he looks at you andthen he slowly moves at people.They challenge you.Yeah.They're pushing theboundaries to see who can I get.Yes.Okay, to go back then,so you did get arrested,you spent two weeks in prison.Were there any other?Then I spent a month homethinking about my life and how nice it isto go to the bathroomor look out the window.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.But did you have anyother encounters with the lawor any other risky behavior after that one?So was that taught you?It was just the wrong people.I've been pulled over atleast four times in Americaand I've never had a bad thing.Learning to communicate and be truthful.Just talk, I've never had problems.Have you had any accidents?Yes, I've told all two cars in America.In America.It's a big she clips.Down here?Yes.On 95?Getting off the ramp to 95where a car swings in front of meand I had to almost go off.Like off the overpass?Yes.Oh my gosh.Are you okay after both of those?That's amazing.That's amazing.Okay.So, all right.So you got here, you kindof jumped in with both feet,ate all the McDonald's hamburgers.Everything, Ruby Tuesday, everything.Just enjoyed it all.And then experienced the Miami lifestyle,which the way you described it,I think it's still like that.I think it's very, my kids would say,facey, very networky, very--Yeah, there's been parties to this thingon Friday night, Saturday night.Yeah.There was a time when theKatrina hurricane was happeningand in the middle of the apartment,this was my first time,people are bringing out barbecues and beersand they're gonna have a hurricane party.And I guess, what is going on here?Yeah.Yes.Yeah, okay.I quickly learned, but thefirst times it was like--Yeah.Now did your brothers visit youwhen you moved toMiami and were living here?My brother comes sometimes from Canadabecause hissister-in-law lives in higher upclose to Orlando, so I go to see him, but--But when you first moved here--No, no.They stayed in Trinidad?Everyone stayed there.No, yeah.And so, how long was ittill you saw them againafter you moved to America?A long time ago.That had to have been rough.Yeah.And so, were you livingon your own in an apartmentor did you, because I knowyou lived with your friend,but then you got your own apartment.Did you date?Of course I dated.Okay, so you met some ladies.Of course, it was Miami.Why do you like to sit here so much?Yeah, the stories.So you weren't totally lonely.No.So you enjoyed, so howlong were you in Miami?People are very aggressivein Miami, that's all I'll say.I can tell you stories where I'm at a partytrying to hook up with someone,the girl gets up to use the bathroom,another girl sits on my lap,puts a number in my pocket.This is a long time ago, and yeah.Okay.So it's very fast life.Yes it is.Yes, so you workedthere for how long again?And lived there?Eight years probably.Eight years.And then from there, where did you go?I had to stop workingbecause my immigrationpapers got screwed upand I had to go to immigration court.So I lost my job, I wason limbo, I had to wait.My lawyer said,"If you'regonna do something stupid,"make sure it's something big,"rub a bank, don't rub a grocery store."And I had to wait.When I did get back mytemporary work permit,I started to work in Hilton, down in Miami,Blue Lagoon, behind Miami's airport.Okay.Which is a whole different worldwith a whole bunch of different stories.So what's going on over there?Tell us about that.By that time I was living in Hollywood.Okay.So I would have to take a bus,then the metro rail, thenthe shuttle to get to my...How'd you get to Hollywood?Why Hollywood?I had no place to live and I started to...I messaged a bunch ofpeople and my friends.I was living with myfriend who had two sons.So I was staying with the kids.In Hollywood?Yes.Okay, so you're living with a friend?Remember I lost everything.My immigration went, Ilost my car, lost my job.It wasn't lost, but I was in limbo.I had no legal paper to do anything.Was there a period therebefore you lived with your friendthat you weren't in anapartment or anywhere?Where did you go from theapartment to your friend's house?No, I was homeless for a little bit.So where did you sleep?One of the band rooms on the drum kitbecause the couch wasto suspect the sleep on.There were bodily fluidsthat I would not trust on the couch.And where was that?Oh, this was in Pembroke Pines.Okay.But I was messaging people on an iPodbecause I didn't even have a phone.So an iPod.Yeah.That's a blast from the past.I'm telling you.I messaged a whole bunch of peopleand my friend said Icould come stay with him.So how long were you homeless for?I don't know.Meaning before you wereable to live with a friend.So for a month, you were-I messaged a whole bunch of people.I was to the point where Iwanted to go back to Trinidadand my baby brother said,"Molyne, you came to Americawith a suitcase.You're back to the suitcase.Do it again, but this time do it better."And I said, "Why is mybaby brother talking likeI'm the baby brother?"And I said, "Okay, let me get my-Yeah, because you werealso inspiring him too.And so, so just to be clear, I've nottotally understandingbefore you lived with yourfriend, you were in a build.You were living in a-I was living in North Miami, 125th.But then when you, inbetween, when you were homeless,were you in a building before you,when you lost yourapartment before you moved inwith your friend, you said you were-Well, I got evictedand that's the story too.I broke down the door to get my computerand a bunch of stuff,because I wasn't sure what was happeningand how they can do that.But, and then I, yeah,I had no place to stayand I lost all my X-Files, DVD sets and-Oh no.I had a bunch of stuff.It's a different time.And of course, my friendslived in a house in Pembroke Pineswhere three couples lived.Okay.But there was a band room in the garage.Okay.So they said, "Come stay there."Okay, so you were there in Pembroke Pinesstaying with friends.Because I also worked with two of the guysthat worked at the place, Bullet Line,but I lost my job, but theyknew, they knew what was there.Which is wonderful, youhad this community to turn toand then you went and livedwith your friend in Hollywood.Yeah, I can stay in the band room.Yeah, yeah.(laughing)And then, but to get, then you get the jobRight.At the air, behind the airport.Yes.And you-While living in Hollywood.While living in Hollywood.So now we're back.Stay in a friend's house close to,what's that place called?Whiskey, there's no whiskey tango,but there's the Art Circle.I was living walking distancefrom the Art Circle in Hollywood.Okay.I think it's 24th street.And then to get to your job near theairport at the Hilton.I would have to walk, then,or take the bus, get to the Metro Rail.The Metro Rail, I don'tremember where it stopsand then I would have to take another busand then get the shuttle.Or I would have to go to the airportto get the Hilton shuttleto take me back to Hilton.And then reverse that to get home.Yes, but that's where it becomes tricky.And people can look this up.The Metro Rail has to be in West Palmto stop at the certain time.I don't remember if it's nine or 11.Because I'm the first, not the first,because I'm the new guy in Hilton,who do you think gotall those shitty shifts?Yeah.So I would always work late,but then I can't get theMetro Rail to go back home.So I started going to the airport.The shuttle would take me to the airportand I would walk around and talk to people,hang out in the airport, not fall asleep.So you would spend yourevenings, you get off work.Till like seven o'clock,till the train comes back so I can go home.And so you would justhang out in the airport?Yeah.Kind of like that movie,"The Terminal" with Tom Hanks.Like where he lived in the airport.Until it becomes so stressful,I started sleeping in the golf cartsbehind Hilton at the back of the hoteluntil the securityguard saw me and they go,"What are you doing?You work here, what are you doing?"And I explained to themand they said, "Hold on."And they called room serviceand where there was the empty room,they would let me sleep in there.That's wonderful.But I had to leave by the morning.That's wonderful.Which led to more storiesbecause I could calldownstairs and get free food.Hey, it's Marlin.Yeah.What do you guys have?What do you guys have?Marlin, just come downstairs.(Marlin laughs)That's wonderful though.So through all of this,you were finding places of support.I think people can feel energyand once you're truthfuland you're humble and you show gratitude,good things happen.I have bad stories,but it wasn't always bad.It's not bad, that bad.I've always prevailed.And I'm not saying thatto be cocky or arrogant.You're an authentic person.Life has to go on.Well, you're an authenticperson and people feel that.And so I think people aremore inclined to help someoneif they can trust whatthey're reading from that personand they could trust you.They could trust whatyou're saying is reality.You're not trying to,you don't have an angle.You don't have an agenda.You're just, you're sayingthis is what's going on with me.And people, I think human beingsdo wanna help each other.And so I think youwitnessed that in real time.I think we're allstruggling and where we can help.In one way or another, absolutely.So was the commute, oh my gosh.So the commute, I thoughtthe commute from Homesteadto North Miami was crazy, but this sounds,this even required.That's when I referred earlier.I would probably getlike three hours sleep,four hours sleep, I get home like seven,go to sleep till 11 andthen I have to get stoppedgetting ready to come back to work.11 in the morning fromseven to 11 in the morningand then start gettingready to go back to work.Because I have to take the,I have to travel to getback to work to get back.Because when would your shift start?Five or six.So you would spend yourwhole day just to get there.Yes.Well.That's a terrible commute in a car,let alone having the hop,skip and jump around, right?Yes.Yeah, that's a lot.Can you share?I met very cool people though.I met a guy who I'mstill very good friends.He was a, he still is,he moved to Washington.He's a music teacher at,he was the musicteacher at Frost Universitybecause I'm the type of person,if I see you and youhave on a band t-shirt,I'm gonna ask you.Yeah.Are you a poser or are you?Yeah, yeah.And I made friends because that's,I also have a puppetthat I made to have with meon the ride just to be interesting.You had a puppet?I have a puppet, holy.Like a ventriloquist type situation?He's a light division of me, but yes.And you would bring him?I could send you a picture later, yes.And he would just likehang out next to you?Yeah, he would be like,what the hell's going on here?But yes.And you would just-It's just a stark conversation becauseI think everyone walksaround thinking that rainis only falling on them and we all have it,but if you can bring light to somebody elseor something else, why not do it?Yeah, what would you do with the puppet?Just talk crap, like how's your day going?But with the puppet.I like it here, yeah.With the puppet.Nice shoes, simplestuff and people are like,what the, and yeah,just open up conversation.Was this at the airport?No, this is on the trip, on the metro rail.On the metro rail, you would do that.On tri rail.Yeah, the tri rail.Yeah, the tri rail.I guarantee there'speople that remember you.Yeah, I've had friends onFacebook that's still, yeah.That's amazing, that's amazing.I've got a question, maybe a comment,but what you mentioned earlier,like something about being cocky,I feel like it's more inspirational.What you're describing is--I don't want people tothink that I'm cocky.No, I wouldn't say it's coming across that,not to me at least,that's very inspirational.Do you, is that anAmerican thing, do you think?Or if you compare it toTrinidad, what you're describing,is that opportunity, is that vibe there,or is that really here in America,and you know what I'm saying?I think America openedup a whole can of whoops.When I came here, I did everything I thinkI could have done in Trinidad,creatively, and everything with people,and I wanted to see if my success is basedon the people I work with,or I can do this by myself.When I first came here,working and hanging in Miami,they told me I would talk to soft,or my words would die out,and they taught me very early,if you don't ask, you'll never know.And I started to get more bold,and I realized people arepeople no matter where you go.And I wasn't trying to be,even when I played rockmusic, and I tell people this,it wasn't white peoplemusic, the music chose me.I didn't choose why I liked this,I just liked the bands that I like,and that's how it is.I think America just made me better,a better version of my Trinidad self.Yeah. That makes sense.Yeah. That makes sense.And it was like a huge outlet for you,to then just go for it.And this is after losingmyself that I mentioned earlier,and realizing if youkeep changing your faces,there will come a timewhere you'll have no face.And this is it, either you like it,or like I told you earlier,people like me because I talk the truth,but people also don't likeme because I talk the truth.You're an open book.But the point there is,I talk my truths.When I say that movie was not nice,I'm not saying themovie is not nice for you,that's what people get confused about.So my stories are whatever,I've talked the talk andI've walked the walk in my life.Yeah, and people can feel that off of you,and your energy for sure.For sure.Can you offer a little bit of glimpseinto what it was like to kind of existin the airport during those times?Like what is that like to just,because okay, so for most people,when they go to an airport,And you would see sad looking peoplebecause their flights are probably delayed,people sleeping on thefloor, you just talk to people.I've made friendsworking in the airport toobecause the regulars, they had to be like,what the hell are you doing?How come we always see you here?Was it high stress?Could you feel the stress off of people?Because people are mainlystressed in the airport.I can tell you a lot of stresses.When I was living in Hollywood,and I told you forpeople who know Hollywood,24th street, let's just say it like this,is 24 streets from I-95.There was a time I was getting dropped offbecause I becamefriends with people in Hilton,but they would drop me off on like 95.And this is like one,two o'clock in the morning,I would walk home, 24 streets.Wow.Were you east of 95 or west of 95?I was close to the, oh, walking west.Okay.Yeah, that's a whole nother thing.So high stress comingback to your question.I think people need to understandstress is part of life.Mismanaging stress is whatslows us down and kills us.Stress, like an example for an animal,when the alligator jumps offthe water to eat the gazelle,the stress should makeyou jump higher, run faster.You should be, you should adapt the stressand make yourselfbetter is what I'm saying.That makes sense.Great advice. That absolutely makes sense.So how long were you doing that?Where you were traveling from Hollywoodto the Hilton behind the Miami airport?At least six months.It's on my LinkedIn.(laughing)I'll plug my LinkedIn, but it is there.I'm trying to remember.Okay, and what wereyou doing for the Hilton?I did everything from PBX,phones, to bellboys.Bellboys is the best thingbecause people invite youback to their rooms andyou get very nice tips.I can tell you stories on that also.Yeah, yeah.And so you'd worked there for six months?Yes, I've seen, remember again,this is behind Miami's airport.So it's very high stress where people,everyone thinks they're a celebrityand everyone is high stress.They throw receipts back at you.There's a room in Hilton, and I can say it,where you're allowed to go back and scream,no one will hear you andthen come back out and work.Wow, just because of feeling--People complain foranything, there's noises,I need to change my room, andyou're just supposed to smile.I will not work inhospitality, and I'll say that--I bet that's a high stress Hilton anyways,because you're really only staying thereif you're coming in for a cruise line,or your plane's delayed.It's very stressed, and 90%of the people speak Spanish.Do you?No, pogo pogo, very pogito, very little.Actually, that bringsme, what is the language,is the English on Trinidad?Yes. Okay.It's a dialect where they break up words,but certain peoplespeak Spanish in Trinidad,certain people speakFrench, but English, I mean.English is the language. Yeah, I mean,England was ruling, so.Right, right, right, right.It's cot-de-yard and all the good stuff.Yeah, so when you leftHilton, what happened?When I left-- When you left Hilton,where did you go from there?I got a job on Sample Road, a place called,it's all in my LinkedIn,I plug my LinkedIn again,a place called Logo Up,and I'm trying toremember how that happened.I think a friend wasapplying for jobs for me, closer,and I got the job, and yeah,I would get for a long while.What did you do?The graphic office.Okay. Yeah.It's cuz you stepped away from thatfor that brief period you were at Hilton,so was it nice to be back--Yeah, because I wastaking any job I could get.Right, of course.So it had to have beennice to be back at it.It was great. Yeah.It was great.And how long were you there?Five years, I think.So did you get a place close to that job?Yes, I was like five minutes away from workwhere all the guys wouldcome to the bachelor's then,there was Xbox, and my studio apartmentlooked like a bachelor's bed.Okay.So people would take theirlunch breaks to come over.I could say this now,drink beers, play video games,and then go back to work, yes.So you had that high stress situation,and then you're now in a--I could walk to work, yes.Yeah, that's nice.That's nice.Much better area too, the sample road,wherever you're at'sbetter than down in those areas.Where you were.So that was five yearsdoing graphic design there.And so now we're what, in the 2010s, 2015?10s, 2015.Somewhere around there.On this LinkedIn.As you get older, the years all--Oh man, an old one.Oh yeah, oh yeah.Now in addition to the graphic design,did you do anything, any side hustles?I'm still doing side hustles.I always do side hustles,but because my line is very,it's not limited, but I choosewhat I want to do with my time,I choose the people I wanna work with.I'll help people, butwhen it comes to money,I'm not gonna haggle you, orI'm not gonna run you down.I work with two churches in North Carolina,and I work with a yacht,if that's how you say it,a boat company in Fort Lauderdale.They don't questionanything, they know what they want.I have a 1099, they send the money.And so you're doinggraphic design for them?Yes.For their marketing?Yes.That's cool.So you have your own side gig.Yes.Have you ever opened a business,your own business, orfounded any businesses?No, I've been tempted to start at LLC,but things have been going well enough,I've never really pushed on it.Okay, so even through theyears, you didn't co-found--It's on my, it's all up there.It's there, I've been an independent,I've always been hustling.I learned that early inAmerica, there's money to get.Yeah?No, it's true.Now, have you, when you've been hustling,have you worked with any friendsor done things with a partner?Has it always been just you?I've worked with friends.And has that been apositive experience always?Always, no.I had a friend that stole$8,000 from me.What happened there?I was doing work forhim and he kept promisingand I kept doing more workfor him and he kept promising.And then I go, bro,protein powder is not cheap.Yeah.I'm not angry or anything, but I gotta go.And then he got very angry saying,I turn my back on him and Igo, you know where I live,if you really wanna fight ortalk about it, come see me.No, I can't keep doing this.Were you doing graphic art for him?This was after Logo Up.I left Logo Up after five yearsto start the E-liquidcompany with a very close friend.What's an E-liquid?E-liquid is thosevape, like vape cigarettes,the flavored smokes.So you were starting a company?Yes, traveled allacross California, Houston,Buffalo, New York.And it was your company?It was me and him, yes.So you were still living in that,I still had the apartmentbase off of Sample Road,but traveling.I left Logo Up, I toldthem I'm gonna start a companyand they go, okay.So you and this friend started that companyand you were going todifferent places and selling it?Selling your product?Yes, we go to smokeshops, we go to conferences,we go to expos.What was the name of your vape?Conviction E-liquids.And this would have beenprobably in the early timewhen vapes were just coming out, right?Yes, because we were down in Miami,we were doing a bunch of shows, yeah.So that had been apretty successful business?It would have been, it was going well, yes.And then?My friends started getting too happyand doing sidehustles, selling illegal stuffand doing bad stuffbehind what we were doingto make more money.And the investors found outand they shut the company down.No.And so how long had you been doing that?At least a year.And so when he took the 8,000 from you,was that after the investors pulled out?Was that at the demise of the--Yeah, they gave me like three laptopsand they tried to give me stuff,but it's just the friendship where you,every time you start insomething with a friend,at least have things in writing.Yes.So did that friendship dissolve then?Yes.And it's the learning thing, right?It's part of my fault too, I trusted them.Yeah, it's hard.And like you said, I thinkit's hard to go into businesswith friends because if it goes downhill--Yeah, I was doing everything.He was like the sales guyand I'm doing operations,I'm doing deliveries,I'm doing photography,I'm doing the website, but I didn't mind.I like working.Yeah, yeah, yeah.And then starts becoming overbearingwhere you use the mic call,but you don't wanna putback gas, little things.Yes.Drip, drip, drip on the bucket.Resetment.Yeah, but you probably learned a lotdoing all the traveling.You were traveling, youwere meeting with people,you were doing what, conventions?Yeah, yeah.Yeah, so you probably learned with time.And with my personality, I work shows.Yeah, yeah, yeah.So after that business venture,then what did you do?I started working for a rehab company.And was that still--In Delray.In Delray and--Multimedia, websites, SEO, back end stuff.For the rehab company?Yes.So marketing stuff?Yes.And did you keep the place in sampleor did you move closer to Delray?No, I was still in sample that time.Okay, and so still graphic design.That's my love.That's your thing.That's my love.That's your love.That's my love.Okay, and how long were you there?Till the FBI kicked thosedown and shut them down.What happened with that?Welcome to South Florida.No kidding.What happened with that?The guy's name isJames, that's all I'll say.He had his wife pretending to be a doctor,cashing checks in the bank,and they let that go on for a little whileuntil they shut it down.All I know is the FBI came inand they didn't come in softly,and they came in looking for himand they said shut everything down,this place is gonna shut down.Seriously, so his wife waspretending to be a doctor,a rehab doctor?I'm not sure, but that's what we, that's,whatever the doctor's name is on the check,she was that doctor cashing the check.And so people thought that they were--He was embezzling money,moving money, something.It's a big business downhere that's all over the place.Besides, and I could saythis because people notice,besides changing people's piss samplesand doing stuff like that.Okay. Yes.Okay, okay, were youthere when they came in?Yes. The FBI?Yes.My gosh, you get a front row seatto all the exciting stuff.You have all these lifeexperiences that really happen.That's why I'm not really stressedbecause it's like what can happen now?Yeah, you're like what, whatever.Did you have your citizenship yet?No, I don't think so. Oh my gosh.Yeah, right.For a second, did youthink they were comingfor you?You're always on the news. Well, the scoop.Yes.The scoop, right?Oh, the scoop.Ever since the scoopon the basketball court,you probably always are kind of like--You always think something's gonna happen.Yeah. They're coming.Oh my gosh, so were they thereand got arrested in front of you?Yes, taken out in handcuffs.And I mean, we weren'tsure what was happeninguntil after, but yes, they were.You weren't though.No. Just them.Yeah, they knew what they were doing.So now you're out of a job.Oh.Yeah, again. Yes.Okay, so, and how long were you there?It's on LinkedIn. Yes.(both laughing)Almost a year, I would think yes.Okay, so-- Wow.What did you do after that?Because you couldn't really use thesepeople as a reference.This part is not in my LinkedIn.I started working in a print tree,which I have stories there too.A print tree?A print tree, a print tree.They do calendars, normal.Like a print shop. Okay, okay.Print shop. Okay.But--The graphic design for them?Yes, doing catalogs, doingcalendars, doing postcards.Were you going into an officeor was that work from home?That's where the trickiness starts.It was an office warehouse in the sense,the work best was rightnext to where all the chemicalsand everything was mixing.So you would have yourlunch and it would taste like--No. Ink.Well, not just that.It's about what you were breathing in.Right.How long did you do that?Very long.Yeah, you start to feel high probably.Every time I've lost a jobor something bad happens,I just do whatever it takes to transition.I know it's not gonna stay long,but I'm not gonna stay home and think aboutwhere I'm gonna get money from.And one day, from there, I was doing cardioand this guy walks up to me and he goes,"How much longer you have?"And I go 45 minutes and he goes, "What?"We started talking andthat same evening he hired meand I started working in Bokeliffe,a place called Essay Fission.So wait, you were doing cardio what?Wear it at gym?Yeah, LA Fitness.Okay, and so he wanted the machine.He wanted a machine.Were you doing likeStairmaster or something?Yeah, exactly.Okay, and then youguys just started talking.He's like, "What do you do?"I do graphics, he goes,"Really, tell me more."And we started talking and he's like,"Can you come in?"And I say, "Yeah, when I'm done.""Gotta finish my cardio."(laughing)I never wanna seemdesperate in any situation.I'm not jumpingbecause even if I wanna jump,because I know people will prey on that.So smart.I don't know if it's smart,but I'm sure I've been burntbefore and I learned that very fast.No, that's great advice for listeners,that you kind of set the standardof how you wanna be treated.Even if you need what they're offering,hold back a little bit.Always.Don't play your hand.So we know not to play poker with it.(laughing)For sure, for sure.So how long were you at the print shop?Six months.Yeah, that's enough time.But that's not on my LinkedIn,because I wasn't veryhappy to put that there.Yeah, yeah, yeah.You need to get out ofthere health-wise too.And then you worked for, what was thecompany in Boca then?S.A. Fishin.And what did they do?You can look them up there.They mainly do faceshields and sports apparel,fishing and hunting.Mm, okay.When we started, therewere like 13, 11 to 12,with 13 people.I shared a desk with myvery good friend Lauren.I think she moved to Italy,but the place was, itwas a startup company.And we shared a desk.And three years after, itwas the million dollar company.Wow.And during that time,were you still in sample,or did you eventually movecloser to Boca del Rey area?I think I was.After sample, I think I did move to Boca.Okay, while you were working there.I just kept moving north.I kept, one day I might end up in Naples.Yeah.So still graphicdesign, still saying the same.Yeah. The same.And then you were there three years?Where are we talking about?The--Until COVID happened.Okay.We're moving up the years now.All right.So you were, it was called S.A. Fisher?Fishin.S.A. Fisher.It's still, they're still going.Because they were botheredby some New York investorsright at the COVID time.And everything changed.What happened when they were bought up?They changed people.And so they let everybody go?Yeah, but I was already tired.But the boss and I arefriends, Tom DeSonea.And he asked me, he startedanother company called Sama,S-A-M-A, which does marketing for anyone.And he asked me if Iwanted to go over thereand be in charge of some graphic people.And that's what I did.So during COVID, that's what you did?Yes.And everyone was home, obviously.So this would have been, so that's perfect.The way it all just--I was still making money.It just kept workingout, working out for you.Because you can't be scared to take,I'm not sure ifopportunity knocks more than once,but I'm not giving it that chance.Yeah.You just, no matter what's going on,you're just moving forward.Moving forward.Well, you have a skill too though.I've seen your work and it's awesome.Thank you.And it's quick, right?I recently did a job,for the job I'm working for right now.I did 1230 images in eight days.I had to format it for the web.And I don't think anybodythat I know can do that.Yeah.No, that's insane.Did you do like a batch through Photoshop?Yes.Okay.Yeah.I took two Fridays and I said,if I went out with thegirls from seven 30 to 1130,I would be having a good time.So I could be home seven 30 to 1130,playing my EDM and still get this done.Why?I like challenges and Ilike stress this at the level.I like people.I'll make this quick.I did not go to school in America.I did not go tocollege, elementary, whatever.I did not go to school.So my reputation is not,he's a Harvard graduate.So I built myreputation by doing good work.And everyone that knowsme, every job I've left,I'm sure I can go back and get a job there.Even the people I wasliving with in Hollywood,while I was there, I was doing the dishes.I was cleaning the houseone day because I'm home.And I'm not doing that to get a star,but make life livable.Well, you've built your reputation.Yeah, I built my reputation.And not justprofessionally, but personally,like you're saying, it'swhy you had such a strongsupport system when things weren't so easy.People were happy to help youbecause you had such a solid,authentic reputation.And there's something tobe, it's called integrity.I have in COVID, when COVIDand we're not gonna stay there,I have friends that aresheriff that had gyms open.I probably shouldn't say this,but there were gyms open inCOVID when gyms were closedand you couldn't trainbecause I made friendswith good people.Yeah, yeah.But that doesn't just happen.That's that you'reattracting that from your energy,from your authenticity.I need to grow more than.From your integrity,from your integrity, right?So, and during this time, Imean, I know when you werein Miami, you were dating,did that continue on through,as you moved up more North,were there any relationships?I'm in a relationshipnow for the past 11 years.Okay.I don't wanna sit the girl,but I'll start it like that.It was an okay cupid forpeople that know what that is.I don't know what that is.That's around the time of plenty of fish.Okay, so it's an old dating app.Okay, so that's how you guys met?Her friend told her, go onthis and see what's there.She went on for a week, we messaged,and she deleted the appbecause she's not like that.And her friend says, but youdidn't even give it a chance.She came back on and she says, hey, Ireally hate this app.Here's my number.And she was living Boca, I was living Boca.I said, hey, you wanna go to Denny's?I'm old, you wanna go to Denny's?Denny's is good. They're great milkshakes.Milkshakes, they're milkshakes.And since then, I saynow I need to get paroled,but we've been together.So is she from here?She's originally from Connecticut,moved to New York, Green Point,came down to do school andnever moved from Florida.Okay, that kind of happens.You start living down hereand you don't leave again.And are you comfortablesharing what she does,what her profession is?She's a mental, she's a family therapist,she's a gamblingtherapist, she's working on a PhD,she's a brainiac.Wow.She does, she's like the,I'm trying to find a funny way to say this.She's like the encyclopediaand I'm the coloring book.Okay, yeah, I see, I see.I bet you guysbeautifully compliment each other.Yeah, it's funny because Brian always sayshe got his degree in psychologyso he could be married to me.So I'm sure she, with her as a therapist,she can handle whatever.Sigmund Freud and the waythings happen and Nietzscheand a whole bunch of stuff,because I think I'm the YouTube therapist.And of course things have changedand they say the things that are wrong,but in that time, it wasn't wrong.So we just, we play argue,we don't argue anymore, but.Yeah, oh, it's okay to argue,that's part of a relationship.I think when you--After 11 years, I know, I don't argue.Oh, there you go, there's that avoidant.I'm with you, man.I always say if thingsget quiet in a relationship,you gotta worry.Yeah, because there's nothing to win.When you win, you still lose.Yeah, yeah, but it'sworth working something.If you gotta saysomething, you gotta say something.There are times when I've said stuff where,under stress, I really didn't mean,and I do apologize and I do get past it.That's why in any relationship,for 11 months compared to 11 years,you had to have something working on.And she has made me a better person.Gina is the name.Yeah, and well, and as a couple,and separately, it'simportant to always evolveand continue to grow aspeople in the relationshipso things don't get stagnant personally.I've been harassing her right nowto do online therapy because she told meher friend is doing it and she quit her joband now she's doing it and I go,stop being complacent and lazy,on Saturdays or whatever.I joke with her.I said, get off her SD andyou can be making extra moneythat you can go to Sprouts with.It doesn't have to be, I joke with her,but I was like, yeah, yeah.That's related to why I love Sprouts.Does she like Whole Foods too?Yeah, yeah, oh yeah.So we have the same taste.I love that.So in addition to graphic design--So I'm off the market since then.Oh yes, yes, to make it clear.It's been 11 years and I'm very happy.That's wonderful.But in addition to graphic design,is there other creative things you do?I do everything.I do photography, I do video editing,I do web front pagedesign, I do a little bit of SCU,I do back end stuff.I'm not really big into thatbecause that really slows you downand you have to be very, on the back end,you have to be coding.I know HTML, but it's not really my thingbecause I like to createand I like to be fast moving.I like to take an emptyspace and create emotion.Even with my Instagram posts or whatever,I have to saysomething what I think is funnyor do something funny.If people look at my stuff and they go,you either hate it or you like it.I'm going for that.So everything I do in my life,I want to present part ofme in everything that I do.You're almost sharing a storyin everything that you're doing.She says the therapist, my girl says,you're always telling a story.I say because people remember stories.Yes, and it stays withthem and it affects them.Do you still do anything musically?Right now I'm trying togo into my nine inch nailstime where I'm learning to play drums.I have a MIDI keyboard.I have friends thatplay different instruments,but I have songs I want to doall the instruments for myself.And if I have a friendthat plays saxophone,he could come in.If you can sing, youcome in and you say a line,I want to do certainthings for myself right now.I've played with bands wherethe last band I played with,and I'm not going to call the name.It's a 20 minute set that takes three hoursbecause everybody wants to gethigh and get drunk and party.And I don't, no, I don't want to do that.You're past that point.Yeah, I could be as raw as I,I don't want to be a whore justbecause I love being on stage.I like to be on stage,but if I feel no connection with the peopleor the things that I'm doing,and if the creativedirection is not, I'm not part of it.I cannot be part of it.And there's that authenticity.Yes, I'm not trying to be anything anymore.Way past that.So did you do anyperforming or continue musicallywhen you got to America?Yeah. Did you?So where did you perform here?Where would you? Cher Shells.Yeah, the famous CherShell in Little Haiti.Yeah, Marilyn Madisonplayed there all over.We drove in up to Tampa.We've all over the place.Was it one band?Yes.And how many members were in the band?Four members, a girl drama.The band was very good.And what did you play bass?Yes, I played bass.But you don't want to say the name, right?At that time, the nameof the band was Hymen.Hymen, oh, nice.You asked for it.And it was a punk band.Yes, a metal punk band.Metal punk.I have like, was thatnewspaper called The New Times?I have articles with us in it.I have it printed, I have it scanned it.Yeah, yeah, yeah.So when you, did you start that rightwhen you got to America,or did it take some time to find them?I was working in Boseland,the band room that I stayed in, the guys,the guy in Marlin, you could,you used to play bass, right?Yeah, dab a little bit.You want to join a band?You know how it's.Yeah.Next thing I know I'm in a bandand I'm playing a year after,I'm still playing in a band.So in the middle of all the job stuff,where you're traveling from Hollywoodand you were homeless and everything,you're also in a band.Yeah.Well, I gotta do something.There's layers to this.I'm gonna go crazy.I am already crazy, but yeah.So you were, in addition to these jobs,you were also travelingand performing with a band.So I assume you woulddo that on your days offor where you didn't have work.Take time off or in the weekend,or take a trip.The problem was never driving up the Tampafor people who know where this is.The three hour driveafter standing up for gig,falling asleep twice, almost crashing,driving home was the problem.Yeah, yeah, yeah.It's the Tampa's, that's a drive.It's a hike.Yeah, people don't realize always that.What has made me move away from the bandis that the band memberswould be so high and drunk.No one would call to evenmake sure you made it back home.And I go, "I can't be apart."This is not my family.Right, right.So how long were you in the band?That band, probably three years.Wow.It was going great.Yeah.And besides Tampa--We played in Studio A down in Miami.We played all over.I have, my Facebook has the videos.Wow. Yeah.So did you get into another band after thator was that the one band you did here?No, I stopped playingbecause I was so disgustedand I go, I started playing with people.Like even in arts, Iwould go to drum circlesand play music just for fun.But I didn't wanna be in a band anymore.So now that you'relearning how to play the drums,this is kind of, you'restepping a little bit backinto the musical world.Well, like a year ago,the same guys from that bandmessaged me and I joined back the bandthinking things had changed.It had changed, it got worse.Oh no. Wow.And I played for a yearand then I just dropped out.Okay.Yeah, because your life isn't,that isn't your life anymore.They would give the band,and I'm very transparent,the band leader would take the moneyand give everyone else drinking tabs.I don't drink.Yeah.I have nothing against drinking,but I spent, give me five bucks for gas.Right. I believe.Yeah, yeah, yeah.And I started to get,I could show you aFacebook message that I goand he goes, no, well, Ihave to put the money I madeback into the bandbefore anybody could get paid.I go, yeah, but that makes no sense to me.Yeah, yeah.So, no, that's too badthat didn't work out.What are you doing now?Are you playing different instruments,laying down single tracks, so then--Yes, home, yes, yes. You're buying them?Okay, cool.I have a foresight,USB, I have everything home.Yeah, yeah.MIDI players, I have aYamaha acoustic drum set.I got three bassguitars, I got an acoustic,I got an ROG 350, neongreen, Ibanez guitar, yeah.So you're creating your own original music?Yes.That's cool, that's cool.I mean, you--Just for fun, I put iton SoundCloud or wherever.Yeah.It's not to make moneyor be famous or anything,it's just, it's just to have fun.It's your outlet, you're anincredibly creative person.Yes.And you need those outlets.Usually creative people needsomething or they go crazy.I'm also, just to say something,I'm also working on a children's book.Are you really?Yes.About what?It's about an amphibian, which is me,but it's about anyone.The story is about coming toAmerica and finding yourself,going through hardships andbalancing the water and land.But I wanna write it insuch a way where anyonein any part of life will understandyou have to go throughthis to become who you are.That's wonderful.Are you, and you're doing,I assume, the art for it.Yes.And then are you also writing the words?Yes, yes.How much of it do you have done right now?I would say two thirds of it.That's exciting.I have friends thatare very creative peopleand everyone wants to get involved.But I'm very, I'm not stubborn,but I like people to come in after.If you wanna presentsomething to me, that's fine,but I don't want you totaint what I'm doing firstuntil I get my vision out.Yeah, you wanna make sure it's your,like you said, your vision, your dream,what you have in your mind,and then they can come in,but you need to make sure that's set.I'm very, I don't know if it's stubborn,but it has to be true.Yeah, authentic.Yeah, it has to be authentic.I think that's a theme here.When did you realize you were an artist?Or when did you get that artist bug?I was probably, I don'tknow, I was probably five.And the weekend comics forpeople that know what that is,I would take candles, candlesfrom not having electricity,rub candles on pieces of paper,take the Spiderman or whatever cartoons,use that as tracingpaper, and I learned to drawwith the ink printing out on the candle,and I started to draw, learned to draw.That's how I started to draw.So could you always draw?Because I would love to be able to draw,but none of us in our family can.None of us even have decent handwriting.No.So we're all jealous of guys like you.Yeah.I bought an iPad so I canstart digitally drawing.And I have so manycreative things I wanna do.I had to download an app called Habit Hubto organize my time in 15-minute segmentsto make sure I get todo the things that I likethat is part of me.Wow.I have to organize my chaos.That's interesting.Because I could go onYouTube and get the next videoand the next video andforget what I'm doing.It happens to all of us.So is that an app for artists to organize?If anyone's trying to cultivate habits.Okay, and so you're using it to organize.My life.And your creativity.I did once I woke up andI wrote everything I didfor a day and I sawloopholes where I can maximize time,or use time better.And then I realized ifI don't do the thingsthat I like doing, what am I doing?Yeah, yeah, that's amazing.So I go to bed usually by 8.30, 9 o'clockand I get home like 6.30.So you just have like a couple hours.And I've got threedogs and I've got a wife.Yeah, yeah.So do you get up at like three in themorning or something?I get up at four, 4.50.Yeah, okay.And I go, why am I doing this?But I do get up.If I fall 15, I go, excuse,this won't get anything done.So I do get up.And what do you do?Is it to work out?Yeah, I go to the gym.So you go to the gym andthen you come back homeand get ready for work.Yes.Wow, okay.But that's good, you getyour workout out of the way.Yeah, and unless people where they live,people listening go to a gymwhere it's not crowded at nights,I'm not going in at night.Yeah.It's either thehardcore or the older peoplevery early in the morning.I can't, I'm much rather deal with that.I saw something thatsaid the energy at a gymin the morning is completely differentthan the energy at the gym at night.In the morning you have the day readyand it's just more of a positive feelwhere at night it's kind of like,I get to come back to work.I get to the gym when it's dark.By the time I'mleaving, the sun is coming out,you feel good and dolphins are released.You go, I don't care what happens.I just squatted, this is great.Yeah, yeah, we do our walk.We get up, I set thealarm for 5.35 exactly.That's great.And then we're out the door,usually our goal issix, sometimes it's 6.10,but we get our walk in.That's great.Before I have to wake upour youngest for schooland our one dog can't handle the heat,so it's a way for him to be able to walkbefore it's really hot out.But you're right, I mean after that,I feel like I can do anything.I'm like ready.I'm ready to get back in bed.Our youngest the other day, Dylan was like,why are you so happy?I wish I could go back in bed.Yeah, well he works from home.So he can get back inbed and get on his laptop.Well you know what's happened is,it's a habit forming, right?So now we're like maybethree weeks to a monthback into this, right?So now it's like--But I've been told youhave a gym in the back.I do, yeah, yeah.Yeah, yeah, yeah.And that's midday stuff.I have a 600 footpatio which I told my girl,I wanna put a gym andshe's like, no you're not.You know what I would recommend is--I would have that.We'll show it to you afterwards.I wish I had some.What I would do is get a sled.Are we pushing and pulling a sled?Yeah. It's amazing.Yeah, that's a great workout.We do it on the side.Well you do it more than me.But the nice thingabout the gym in the backis you could go out thereanytime throughout the dayand just get a set, youknow, even 30 minutes.Yeah, yeah, push.And then yeah, no it's very convenient.I'm joking saying I'm going to Home Depotor get one of those podsand I'll make an enclosureand I'll put the gym inthat so my girl doesn't see itso she doesn't think I've changed it.(laughing) I'm like, I want alittle work out place here.Yeah, yeah, no it's very convenient.It's convenient.It is.You know what you dothough that we don't dois you go to bed early.Yeah.You have to.I know.Because if--I'm gonna move your mic down a little bit.Like, you look at the space.No, it's fine.It's fine, okay, so makesure it was in the space.If I probably have anger issuesand the gym is therapy,I don't have anger issues,but you feel much better with the gym.Yeah.And I prep talk myself inthe gym like you have to.But do you do that also for sleep?When you say what?I feel like you getting upand going to the gym early.I say mantras all the time in my life.But to commit to going to bed early,I feel like it can be justas hard as getting up early.I have my Alexa saying it'stime to bed by nine o'clockand I know it's late when she says that.Okay.And my girl, every time she says thatand I can say this, when Alexa says,"It's time to go to bed," mygirl goes, "Shut up, Paul."(laughing) Because she doesn't want to go to bed.And my girl tells me every day,you know you don't have to go to the gym.I go, "I know this."I want to go to the gym."And I'm impressed by your commitmentto make sure that you get enough sleepso you can get the fullbenefits of your workout.Almost fell off a treadmill multiple times.That's what happens when you don't sleep.Yeah.Now are you the type thatgoes to sleep right like that?She says in two minutes, Isay, "Yeah, because I'm tired."Yeah, yeah, yeah.You got up so early.I'm not saying I'm tiredand going in bed with my phone in my hand.Yeah, that's it.That's it.Yeah, that's the onething we're still working on.Yeah, yeah.I'm not saying anything about anybody,but I'm just sayingpeople say they're tired,but then they find something else to do.I'm tired, I'm going to sleep.No, you're right.You're 100% and sleep is justas important as working out.Yeah, and people don't realize sickness,growth, brain power, your sleep will help.You feel much better,you can deal with stress.So yeah.Yeah, no, and I read somethingor I probably saw somethingthat said during the night,your brain cleans itself.And you have to giveit that time to do that.It's almost like a,and so if you don't sleep enoughor getting a deep enough sleep,it can affect your brain,the health of your brain,which I didn't know that.So I think that's really interesting.People say I'll sleep when I'm dead.You will die faster if you don't sleep.It's true.It's so important.And I've seen a Joe Rogan talk aboutif you miss sleep on Monday, Tuesday,and you think you can get it back on Sundayby sleeping all day,you've already damaged yourself.Yeah.It's not building back.Yeah.You've already.Yeah, yeah, yeah.You can't catch up.You can't catch up.So in addition--Well, do you do,are you like that Saturday, Sunday as well?So every day you're in bed by 8 39.I go to the gym 6 a.m. on Saturday.Okay.So I get a little more,I could spend a littlemore time with my girl.We could watch an old movie like Joe's.Yeah.I still like the old movies.Oh yeah, it's a Gen X movie.(laughing)So I spent a little more time, but yes.So that might be like a 10 o'clock bedtime?Yes, I still need to get atleast eight hours of sleep.You're so good at that.You're an inspiration for me with that.Honestly, that'ssomething we have to work on.I don't know.When I tell people my ageand they don't believe me,I go, that's the plastic trophy thatbodybuilding gives you.Yeah.I'm walking in life and--Yeah, no, it's true, 100%.So in addition to your children's bookand creating your own music,are there any other outletsyou're doing outside of workas far as like, are youworking on your home or?Always, I'm trying tomake my home more expensive.So when I sell it inlike five, seven years,because I'm not gonnakeep paying that HOA, yes.So you do stuff, areyou a do-it-yourselfer?I try to do some stuff by myself.Like I wanna UV coatand I wanna make my patio,like how they make pool surfaceswhere it's like glazed and smooth and,but I can't do that,there's no way I can do that.Yeah, yeah.There's little things I wanna do.I wanna do it for my bathrooms.So I wanna make the house more expensive.I live in a townhouse andin about five, seven years,when I sell it, it should be wood.So you're always kind of,you're like a typical homeowner,we're always doing something.Yeah, I didn't understandthat movie from apartments,but I don't mind, I like using my hands.Well, the nice thingis when you do somethingon your home, it's your home.So you're making your home better andthat's the mentality.Dad, do you and your girl travel?We want to, but we recently,we originally had five dogs.Wow, what kind of dogs?Bad things happen, no, we have three, but,Okay.One was the Pitbull, one was the Pointer,one was the Shih Tzu, Idon't know what the other one isand one was a Ralphie Fee, was a Yoki.Three passed away, whichfrom five minus three is two.And for some reason, mygirl said we needed another dogand we're back to three.So coming back to the question,it's hard to go anywhere with three dogs.Yes.We can take the new onewho's a puppy, the bastard hound,but the two older ones.Yeah.You probably don't want to send them.We could wake up early, which we doand we'll drive to Naples, spend the dayand come back at night.We'll leave food for them.We go places, being an immigrant,I try to go to placesI've never seen in Florida.Myrtle Beach, wherever, someplace close,but it's a new experience,new restaurants, a new view.We would love to go toDollywood or someplace,but with dogs, I'm not sure.We can pay for doggyhotel, but you know what?Yeah.Yeah.And I'm not sure.Well, you know, the challenge iswhen you live in South Florida,it's like a day trip just toget to the Georgia border line.It's so big here.Are there any other statesyou want to go to in America?You have a list?I want to go to like mountain places,like places with mountains,only because I'm usedto mountains in Trinidad.They have mountains in Trinidad?Yeah. Oh, that's cool. It's the Holy Trinity.That's where the Trinidad name andeverything came from.Oh, wow.Usually hurricanes,they usually pass that low,but when there was a hurricane,the hills protected most ofthe country from getting hit.Wow.How high are the mountains?I'm not sure.Do they get snow?No, they don't.No, no, no, no, it's too hot.They're mountainous, though.I was researching, andthere's mountains for sure.It's beautiful, beautiful place, really.I can tell you stories of where people hikethrough the mountains toget to the beaches and stuff,and it's very nice.I bet it's, did you hike the mountains?I bet it's absolutely gorgeous.You walk in the side of a cliff,you're walking through the mountains.So you would love Montana or Wyoming.Yes, exactly.Yes.Yes.You could even get a decentvibe up in the Appalachians,like Tennessee,Georgia, like north of Atlanta.My girl wants to move to Europe to London.She likes, my girl is avery Addams family fan.The house has very dark--Like Gothic.Yes.Yeah.New York Gothic is what she calls it.Yeah.There's pictures ofthat famous bridge from,was this show at Macaulay Culkin?Home Alone.Home Alone. Yeah.But it's winter time,and all the trees are dead,and the bridge is,that's the kind of pictureswe have in the house.Okay, okay.She likes dark and gloomy.So she wants to move toSeattle or London or--Portland, I'm from Portland.Those type of places.Yeah, yeah, yeah.And I, which is fine.If I could get my Amazonpackages where, I don't get--(laughing)Now, but South Florida.If you make, it's not wifehappy, you're happy, but--No, no, you're onto something.(laughing)You know, though, you could get a--You're onto something.There's nothing to win,and plus, like, my wife hasthe whole house to decorate,my room with my instruments,with my stuff.Don't tell me anything about that.Yeah, yeah.She could, I bought the flintier,and I did everything that she wanted.We're very happy, but we'regrownups, and she doesn't get,like, I told her I was gonna be here today.She doesn't have to text me or call me,"Are you sure you're gonna be there?"Who you gonna be?"So, we have a relationship where we justcompliment each other.That's wonderful.Very healthy, very healthy.And yeah, I mean, the places you mentioned,Seattle, London.Yeah, we talk about it.I think Ireland, Scotland, all that.She wants to see castles and all.Yeah, yeah, yeah.I mean, the thing with the dogs, I mean,you can do, like, adaycare thing, but you'd have to,you know--The older ones, like, wehave a dog that's 13 years,and he's, jokingly, he'sbeen dying for years now,and he's still going.It's like any minute, but he's still going.Yeah, that's awesome.You just never know.The ones that we didn'tthink that we're gonna die,died before him, and he'slike, "What's going on here?"That is so funny.That is funny.So, to go back, okay, soto go back to during COVID,how long were you thereat, you were working--Summer?Yeah, yeah.Probably three years again.That's like your pattern a little bit.Yeah, I give every place three yearsuntil I know nothing'sgonna change the way I want it.And then you're ready to move on.So then from Sama, where did you go?I'm trying to remember, no.Because now we're outside of COVID.Honestly, there's a timelapse in between there,because there's a timeI wasn't doing anything.I saved up a lot of money.Okay.And I should have bought my house then,but I was just happy not doing anything.I was burnt out,because I don't mind working,but I don't take days off.I'm never sick, knock on wood.Once I start feeling symptoms,I'm gonna start chewingmedicine and swallowing medicine.I try to keep always moving,but like any non-robot, I will burn out.So sometimes I justdon't wanna do anything.Now I have to check my LinkedIn.Yeah, yeah, yeah.Well, what you're currently doing isgraphic design, right?I started working for aplace, I Heart, Mac and Cheese.Oh yeah, that's here in Boca.Yes.Yeah. Yes.What did you do for them?I have everything, design.I was still, yeah.Social media design, yeah, helpthem in the kitchen sometimes.They had a kitchen in the officeto mock pretend doing stuff and stuff.Okay, cool.Free food always.Kids love it there.I think it's still open.Yeah, they havefranchises all over the place.Yeah, they do well.And then from there, youwent to where you are now,where you're doing graphic design.Yeah, I stoppedworking there and follow timeand yeah, I applied to this job.Yeah.And so where you work now, marketing still?Yes, I'm the senior graphic designer.It's more like a multimedia designerbecause I'm still doing video.I'm still editing GIFs.I'm still doing motion graphics.I still help with photography, but.So everything that you'velearned from way back when,when you got that job with the newspaperand from thosephotographers, all these stepping stones,everything you did, ledyou to where you are nowand all these skills you have.Because I feel like youcould almost do anything.Yes.And not just the skills youlearned in graphic design,but the life skills you learned.That is harder to learn,but as far as doing anything,this is a note for anyonelistening, you can do anything.There's no excuse notto do what you wanna dowith YouTube and Google.Because even in COVID, in downtime,I use the downtime to brush up on skillsto make myself better.So yeah.Well, what's your opinion on social mediaand content creation?As far as what?As far as a career, as faras how there's influencersand people are using it like that.That's great.I mean, we live in a world,once it's authentic and realand the energy and the vibeand whatever you're doing,I'm all for that.There's a lot of fake like in everything,but just, you know, choose.What people don't understand is thateverything we take inis the effectiveness, the shows we watch,the social media wefollow, the foods we eat,the people we hang with.Just be careful ofnegative energies around you.And if it's not like mysocial media, I follow,I follow foods.I learned, I just learneda new way to take edamameand cocoa powder and stuffto make a protein mixturewith low fat.And you can learn a lot of stuff.Yes.Oh, I love YouTube.Right.So use it like a tool.Don't use it to distract you and then,or to keep you in fear.Yes.Don't let it trap you.Or you're just doom scrolling and,but use it as a tool to learn.Or think, don't use yourfollowers and your likeslike a currency in the senseof you can't have a conversationwith people in publicsor sprouts or wherever.And you're so, Chuck B said it once,it's called a cell phonebecause it entraps peoplein a cell.I mean, it's a wrap line, butit's real where some people,social media has openedup and connected people,but also made us go moreinward where we can't even lookat people in their eyesand talk and anything.So like everything,we won't start talkingabout gun control or anything,but it can help save alife or it can take a life.How you use it is what's important.It's a tool.Yeah.It's a tool.It can be, yeah.Yeah.And I think also what yousaid, authenticity is keyand don't do things for likes.Don't do things for followers.Put whatever you're creating out thereand whoever it's meant for is what,who it will resonate with.I feel the fake, I'll use my stuff.I'm the best gym influence.Stop being fake.Yeah.The simplest I am rightnow is the same personI'm with my girl, thesame person I'm at work.Just be real.Yeah, be real.Are there any mentorsyou've listened to or?Tony Robbins is the manthat made me change my lifeand I'll always go back to it.Okay, so when did you startlistening to Tony Robbins?I started listening to his box CD set in Trinidadand he made me realize if I'm not happy,why am I not doing what I should be doingand I go, I'll move it to America.Wow, wow.So--So that's pretty cool.So you saw his videosand were listening to himat Trinidad and he was amagnet for you to come here.No doubt, yes.That's awesome.Tony Robbins.That's cool.And do you still continue to listen to him?Yeah, yeah.I love Tony.You get inspiration from him.Yeah, I love Tony.He's incredibly--You know, he kind of lives near you.He's not too far from you.He's up here in,forget the name of the town.I know someone who'sdone some work at his house.It's supposed to be phenomenal.Like just crazy.I didn't know that.Yeah, yeah.Well, there you go.There you go.You might run into him in sprouts.(laughing)I don't know about sprouts, but--Or one of his people who'sshopping in sprouts for him.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.Well, he's an incredibly positive person.Yeah.You know, and inspirational speaker.So how cool is that that,because how many years have you beenlistening to him now,would you say?At least 20 years.Yeah.And that--This is way before 2004when I came to America.So it was before that.Yeah.Probably 1990 something.What's the draw?What resonated for you thatreally attracted you to himin his message?His direct,no bullshit,straight, what are you doing?Why are you not doing it?Yeah.And why are you waiting to do it tight?Yeah. You know?And that's my whole life now.Why?The two biggest crimesis thinking you have timeand wasting time.Yeah.And I know that pretty well.That's why coming back, I organize my time.If I want to get this done,I need to find a way to get it done.And I value my timebecause as you get older,it's not coming back.No.That's so true.Well, and you hit a point.At least I can speak for myself.When I turned 50,I realized if I'm going to do something,I need to do it.Yes.Like this is it.Yes.And so, and actually thispodcast is one of those things.I'm honored to be here.No, we're so happy to have you.We're honored to have you.Absolutely.But it is that you need to do it.Yeah.Because what are you waiting for?People think and I'lluse the gym or anything.I want to do this,but I don't have the right sneakers.I don't have the right shoes.Yes.You know, the gym,stop making excuses and just start.Yes, so true.You will not do a hundred pushupsuntil you start doing one pushup.So true.Yeah.It's so true.So what advice would you give to Gen Z?That's the youngergeneration that's in their twentiesand they're enteringinto the corporate worldor they're entering into their jobsand they might begetting a little disillusionedby what they're encountering,whether it's the daily grind,whether and whether it's the,is this all there is?Like we go to work, we come home,we go to sleep and we wake up.What advice would you giveor what inspiration would you give to themas far as helping them findsome meaning into all of it?I'm not sure if I canhelp them find meaning,but understanding that you are,we all have a greater purpose in life.And if you have a job thatyou're not 100% happy with,don't ever stop working on yourself.What is, find out what itis that makes you happy.Use your job as a tool to get the moneyto do the things that you want.Don't just quit and go homeand still be depressed orworried or what am I doing?Go through the grind.The grind will make you stronger.You might learn a new skilland use that to find outwhat it is you really like doingand then start doing it.We live in an age and timewhere anything is possible.Social media, the information is there,it's on the internet.Why are you not doing it?Take your, do your joband use your downtimeto get closer to what itis you really wanna do.Yeah, and I think that by doing that,they'll just be lessdiscouraged as a processand find their meaning, but stay in action.Yeah, I don't think anyone as far as,and I'm not Gen Z,but you don't find your perfect jobthe first few times anyhow.So you have to go through a time,but never stop working on yourself.Read more books, learn about stuff.A lot of stuff that I do now,I knew I wanted to do it earlier.I think finding out earlier what you wantwill only help you be better at what it is.Yeah, no, that's great advice.What would you say besidesbeing inspired by Tony Robbins?Was there anything else that fed your driveto continue to grow and improveand strive for your goals and dreamsthrough all these years?And as you encountered ups and downs,was there anythingelse that kept you going?I listened to a lot of Sam Harris.Oh, I've never heard of Sam Harris.Christopher Hitchens and a bunch of people.Sam Harris is aneuroscientist and he talks about self.There is no self.If you're always growing andyour body's always changingand you're always havingnew foods and new experiences,what is self?Self is always growing.And he just opens up yourmind to think differently about,it's called waking up, Sam Harris,and it makes you think differently.I'm happy every day I wake upand I tell myself one of my mantrasis bigger, better, stronger.In everything I do, I'm gonna get bigger,better and stronger.Stronger doesn't have to be about weight,it could be stronger mentality.And just open up, Irebuild myself every day.Every day is a new waking,waking up to a greater daywhere the next choice youmake can change your life.I've gotten jobopportunities under Stairmaster.All it takes is a simple hello or a simple,just know that life has so much more.And I listen to stuff like thatbecause I think there's somuch more I still have to do.Yeah, and it's almostlike we are constantlyin fluid motion.Yeah, I have so much more to do.I'm not sure how I'm gonna do it,but even when I get it done,I don't even have time to think about howI just move on to the next thing.Well, and I think that's a great messagefor the younger generations,because I think they think once you hit 50,life starts to be over.And it's hard to explain that.I'm gonna be 52.Let's hear the comments.I'm gonna be 52 in July.And I think I'm in,mentally, physically, Ithink I'm doing great.Yeah.And I mean, if I coulddo it, anyone could do it.Well, and you can startsomething new at any age.Yeah.And life doesn't end until it ends.And I think Gen X is oneof the first generationsthat we are continuing to tackle lifeand challenge ourselvesand search for new experiences,even more so in thissecond half of our life.Whereas generations beforeus would kind of be like,"I'm gonna go sit in the chair,on the porch or watch TVand not continue to challenge myself."I think our generation is like, "No."Like we're gonna continue togo for it until we're done.This podcast happening right now, is that?Yes, exactly.And I think we're a good examplefor the younger generations is,once you hit 50, that'snot like an end of anything.No.It's just another phase of it.I'm ready to go.Yeah.Yeah.Because some of them think30 is old and it's like, oh.I remember when I was youngerand your uncles or olderpeople, 30, 40 is like,Yes.Yeah.I'll never get that age.Yeah.Yeah, that was cool.Yeah, and now I thinkthey see 50 and it's like,no, no, no.Like we're all still able to just continue.Jokingly, they call me,"Come on, grandpa,let's go in the gym."And I go, "Okay, watch this."Yeah, yeah, yeah.So do you still,do you see your brothers regularly at all?One's in Cambodia as a teacher.Oh, wow.And the other one lives in Canada.He's the studio drummer.Okay.Do I see them?No.I see them on WhatsApp when we face that.Yeah, yeah, yeah.All the time.That's the beautifulthing about that, right?Yes, it's free. So what's he teaching?Yeah.What's he teaching in Cambodia?Same elementary school thing.That's wonderful.How long has he been over there?Two years right now.And he likes it?I think he's extending his visa.He loves it.Wow.He loves it.That's wonderful.Yeah, traditional love from kids.He's a, imagine someonelooking like me in Cambodia.He's a, people look at him.So he likes that too.Does he do, do they want to take pictureswith them and stuff?(laughing)He doesn't, does he stand out?He stands out?Yeah.Okay.Yeah.Interesting.He says, and I don'twant to don't cry anybody,but he says a lot ofthe men are not masculine.At least where he is.So it stands out.Yeah, yeah.And then your brother's a session drummer.So does he play with anyone famous?He just played with some famous band.I'm not sure because I don't follow that.He plays like,the Soaker Calypso.Okay.And I'm more into the rock music.I love what he does,but I don't know any of those music.Now, do they go back to Trinidad ever?No.My mom is in Trinidad.When was the last timeyou were all together?10 years ago in Trinidad.Was that for like a holiday?Yes.Wow.But yeah, that was way before COVID.But since then.And did your mom come here?No, my mom says until I makea kid, she's not coming here.I'm not sure when that's gonna happen,but that's what she said.Now have your brothers.She says, I'm not getting on a plane.She doesn't want to get ona plane unless I have a kid.Okay, okay.Have your brothers had children?No.So she's waiting.Yeah.She's gonna wait.(laughing)Now before I ask my lastquestion, do you have any?I do, I have a question.With all the learning youdo and all the YouTubing,have you gotten into AI stuff at all?As far as?Just like learning how to leverage AIto maybe do some graphicdesign or create music.Yes, it hasn't gotten to the placewhere it can take my job yet.But I have used AI for like personal stuffto figure out diets,figure out all sorts of stuff,grocery lists, everything.Yeah, I mean, AI--Like a personal system.Yeah, you either startusing it and learning it all.Yeah, yeah.Yeah, no, I think that's somethingthe younger generationshould definitely look,start learning.Yeah.Yeah, AI is gonna be a big thing.Yeah, absolutely.Yeah.Are you done?I think so.I think you got my question earlierabout what advice would he give to folks.And I just find you to beincredibly inspirational.I would assume if, for listeners as well,I mean, you have an incredible story.I think your positive attitude is awesome.And it's just--I left out a lot of stories, but--It's really cool.I think one of perseverance,your perseverance, your coming here,I think it'sfascinating to come to America,not really knowing anybody.I don't think you knewanybody and making it,making it happen.I think that's just cool.It's the American dream.Yeah, it's exciting.It's exciting.And in 2008, when thingswent to the slight depression,and again, I lost everything.I called my friend in New York and he says,"Mallon, I'm shoveling snowon top of a building right now.You're in Florida.What are you complaining about?"Yeah, yeah.I go, "Why are people talking?"And I realized, lookwithin and gain strengthand knowledge on stuff,because nobody can take that away from you.Yeah.It's so true.I just remembered, I didn't ask you,what is the food in Trinidad?Is there-- Everything, so good.Is there any, like--You can't be healthy in Trinidad.There's so many different peopleand so many mixed up different people.There's things calledroti and there's paleoand there's doublesand there's all thesedifferent types of foodwhere you just wanna eat.Just eat everything.Yeah, you just wanna,the Chinese have adifferent type of Chinese.There's a Trinidad Chinese food.Everything's just crazy.It's so good.Wow.So you kind of have a mix of, fromdifferent influences.Well.Spanish.Look it up, it's crazy.It's so good. Yeah, yeah, yeah.Can you cook it?My mom sent me a book.It's called "The NaparimasGirls High School Cookbook,"which shows you how to make everything,but you need the right ingredientsto make it taste like the real thing,which is harder to get.Yeah, because I doubt,is there any grocery stores here that sell?There are, but there's one in,there's not really.Yeah.They sell some of thestuff, but you need everything.Yeah.Is there, I don't knowif I'll say this right,a Trinidadian community here at all?Like, you know, there'sVenezuelan, there's Cuban.I know in Miami, theyhave like a Trinidad carnivalwhere Trinidad authors comes from Trinidadand they have like aTrinidad carnival and they do stuff.The problem with me and that is thatwhen I worked for the newspaper,I was always thenewspaper's in the carnival,so I don't really dig carnival anymore.Yeah, you're gonna-- I work it.You're like, I've done that, yeah.They do have that in Trinidad.It's carnival, right?Yeah, it's like three days of carnivalwhere the whole country,it's a party, the whole country.The streets, the whole country,black, white, robbers, thieves, bank,everyone's just happy, it's just carnival.What time of year is that usually?February. Okay.Right before Ash Wednesday.So it's like Mardi Gras.Yeah, it's right.I think it's all related.It's all the same, yeah, yeah,because in Brazil, they do the same thing.Yeah, the real, right, yeah.You good?I think I'm good.Okay, so my last question is always,where do you see yourself in five years?Hopefully still alive.I'll put this out into the universe.My dream is to have a warehousewhere me and my girl can help people.I wanna have a free gym, afree stage with instruments,a free studio, free graphics.She does therapy, we saveanimals, we help people,we give them dogs, we help rescue thoseso that they're not killed.And I help do creative stuff for peopleand I help bands chargefive bucks or whatever.I help promote and I help,I wanna be Professor Xfor a bunch of X-Men.That's amazing.That's what I wanna do.That's amazing.That is wonderful.So what we need is somewealthy listeners to fund this.And I'm not even kidding,really there's a lot ofwealthy people out there.This is worth funding, right?That's it.I don't wanna get abunch of great people to workand come together.That's, I think we couldonly do more and better work.So yeah.You wanna do all the good things.I wanna bring smiles on people's facesand that could be from creative stuff.And that's what I like to do.That's amazing.That might be one of the best answerswe've gotten to that question, honestly.That's the dream.So I'm thrilled you putthat out into the universe.Yeah, a lot of people don't know that.And my girl knows thatbecause we talk about itand she could dotherapy and we can rescue dogsand we give people who want dogsand we could help the dogs, cats, whatever.But it's all about helping.Yeah, it's amazing.Well, you never know wherethis children's book might go.The children's bookmight be able to fund it.Probably.Depending on what happens there.Now you're putting thatback on me to get it done.Which is great, whichis great, which is great.You'll find the time.Which is great.Just get up at three tomorrow.Yeah, yeah.Shifted up.I'll show you something later.I'll show you peopleinspiring me and showing me.You can always do more.And that's what I live for.That's so inspiring.If I'm not doing stuff that is scaryor out of my comfort zone,I'll say this to end it off.I'm not sure if you canstop brain cells from dying,but I'm sure to hell slowing that down.And that I'm sure of.Well, there's a theory.The older you get, the more uncomfortableyou should make yourself.I honestly believe that.I cannot play drums.My hand and feet don't listen,but I'm forcing myselfto learn to play drums.Only because I've playedwith drummers and I go,I could do that.What are you doing?And it's not to be better than anybody,but once I get an itch,it needs to be scratched.And I love being uncomfortable.And I love people going, what?Yeah, surprising people.But I thinkcognitively, it helps so much too.Cause you're challengingyour brain to do these things.I hope I came across assemi intelligent on this.Absolutely, absolutely.Not that I really care whatpeople, but honestly, yeah.Challenge yourself, neverbe complacent, be happy.And if you're not, figure it out.Figure out what makes you happy.And happiness is not a destination.It is the journey to getthere and then keep moving.I love that.It's a perfect way to end this.I have so many, I'm just, Ican't wait to watch this back.Cause I think this is anepisode that people will probablylisten to more than once.But I can't thank youenough for coming hereand sharing such amazinginspiration with our listeners.I'm getting goosebumpsbecause I tell people,life is surprises.The ones you like andthe ones you didn't expect.This podcast, I never expected.I'm honored andprivileged and this is awesome.This is great.I'm happy that you like it.Oh, we're thrilled.We're honored that you shared your story,that you shared your inspiration with usand with our listeners.It's a gift.And so we're so gratefulthat you brought it here todayfor us.So thank you so much for sharing that.Thank you.I feel like we could do another two hoursand hear more stories.It was close.Yeah.For my 20 minutes to me.And we would love to have you back on.Anytime.We definitely would.And whether it's-Trust me, I left out a lot of stories.A lot of stories.We'll have to do a Marlin part twoand call it the stories.Is it easy what peoplethink if I should come back on?Oh, I think so.We could mark it as explicit and we'll-We'll have a lot of stories.No, that would be cool.Marlin the stories, the stories episode.But again, thank youfor coming on and sharing.And I know what a lotof what you had to sayand share will resonate with peopleand probably help some people feel seen,not feel so alone and inspire peopleto maybe take apositive step in their livesthat can completely changethe trajectory of their lives.And so you certainly, I knowyou said your five year goalis to create this amazingpositive place to give back,but you gave back just in this podcast.So to people. I'm hoping like you said,if it touches one person,that's when I create anything,my book or music, if it touches one person,that's all we can ask for.If it touches more, that's great.But be authentic and be true, be hungry.Yeah, that's perfect.And I think authenticitywas a common theme here.And people need to talkabout authenticity morebecause if you are yourauthentic self, things will come.Stop hiding behind yourphones and hide in behind.Faust, a greatphilosopher, you can look him up.Said if you could be trueto the people around you,you would see how truepeople are your friends.If I told you I didn'tlike what you did or whatever,and I'm fearful that you'regonna stop being my friendsbecause I tell you the truth,then we're not really friends.Yeah, absolutely.Yeah, no, by being true, youcreate a true life around you.That's basically what you're saying.Yeah, and I hope I came across.100%.100%.I never expected this to happen.And when it was presentedto me, I was like, what?This is crazy.I'm very happy to be here.Oh, we're so happy it was anenjoyable experience for youbecause there aren't words right now.I know Brian and I aregonna talk about it laterjust to take it in, but whatan amazing experience for us.And we're just, again,so privileged and honoredthat you came on as a guest to share.Thank you guys very much.Thank you. Yeah, I totally agree.And for our listeners,please share any commentsor questions or anythingyou would like to sharerelated to this episode.I know you are justfinishing listening to itand have thoroughly enjoyed it,so we'd love to hear from you.And we will be havingMarlin back in the future.Let's go.And we'll see you next time, bye.Bye guys.(upbeat music)