When I first came to Street Sense, I was an alcoholic. I suffered from depression and was homeless. Life got better when I stopped drinking. Although the success took almost 17 years, I truly believe my growth began when I stopped relying on substances and faced reality.
My step up started at a garbage can at Farragut North. I had no money, no job or a prospect for a job. I started selling newspapers. My goal was not to sell 2,000 papers a month and have a column everyone read. I wanted a few dollars so I didn’t have to wait in a soupline.
After a couple of months, I had a few dollars in my pocket and started a bank account. Some guy was so impressed — with tears in his eyes — that he offered me a job cleaning his office for $100 every two weeks. Instead of complaining, I used it to supplement my income from sales of Street Sense.
I began writing and found my sweet spot. Many editors and authors were impressed. Eventually, I had sit downs with the president, scholars and every big wig in D.C.
Having passion leads to happiness and profits
I have had many good-paying jobs that didn’t help me grow as a person. I believe the reason I was there was to collect a paycheck rather than to learn.
The reason why I’m successful in selling newspapers is that I enjoy interacting with and meeting people. I don’t seek financial gain because most of the people who buy from me never give me more than $2.
When I began writing, I never sought to be Ernest Hemingway. I wrote to battle my inner demons and others appreciated my perspective. Some hate what I write and I wouldn’t lose any sleep if they gave me anything because I’ve been through too much to worry about whose tender feelings I hurt.
Diversify instead of being a single-issue person
What I discovered selling newspapers is I’m not cut out for the conformism of D.C. I’m good at politics but I’m good at fishing, writing and I am a natural salesman. Why should I limit myself to writing about homelessness issues?
During the pandemic, many people lost their shirts. But I was fortunate not to put my faith in any system or company. I learned how to do things online and learned to do bartending on the side.
The sky’s the limit. I didn’t lay on my butt waiting for a stimulus check. I mad my own stimulus.
Part of my success is I don’t five up or care what others think
I’m a New Yorker, I’ve been called ugly, dumb and stupid. I have been robbed, homeless, lost both my parents, my brother is disabled, I had two heart attacks and battled one form of cancer or another. I can fill this page with all the horrible things that happened to me.
So when some emotionally fragile person becomes irate because I say male/female or write a pro-Trump column, do you think I lose any sleep? Do you think I care if they ever buy from me or speak to me again? When I’m wronged I can forgive that person. But unfortunately, some make everything the hill to die on. Many gave me ultimatums on vaccines. Have any of them apologized and said they may have been wrong? Grow up! I’m not giving you a lollipop because you hate Donald Trump.
Having a sense of entitlement
Some people receive their education at Yale and Harvard. I was fortunate to get educated playing poker in Atlantic City. I don’t need a fancy degree from Cornell or Oxford. Poker taught me how to read a soul like a fortune teller.
Poker taught me that 99% of human beings do irrational things. People will lose everything knowing their beat, while others are victims that tell you what bad luck they’re having, which is like a chicken telling a wolf they are moist and tender.
Both players suffer from a sense of entitlement. Poker, as in life, stipulates that we will have good fortune and periods when storms approach. Poker, like investing, is very volatile and emotional. We all have had aces beat by some donkey that called with a deuce and spiked a lucky river card.
Make money but don’t let money make you
Washington, D.C., is a great place to make money. If you can’t find income in D.C., I don’t know what to tell you.
However, while we all want to make money, I learned to be humble. Because I have seen so many that have money wind up very miserable or dead. So I try to disengage from the politico because they want to keep you in this divided phase rather than provide articles that inform or help.
In my close, I hope what I said comes off as positive not boastful or condescending.
