The Banking Industry & Music Education

Isn't it amazing how we as a people were able to MAKE the entire banking industry overturn their tactic to charge you for using your debit card???  If only we who love the art of music would come together in the same manner and make a difference for the future of music education.  That would be COLOSSAL.  This is very synonymous to the power we have living within us called faith being able to saith unto a mountain, "Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his or her heart, but shall believe that those things which he or she saith shall come to pass; ye shall have whatsoever ye saith."  I don't think y'all hear me on this, we made the ENTIRE banking industry throw the towel in!  Now that's POWER.

Music advocates and musicians, lets do our part to save what we admire as an integral part of life --- Music Education.  The loss of music education programs is real and it won't get better until we collectively make up our minds to do something (no matter how big or small).  How many of you will continue to spectate while it happens?

We've made it easy for you to help keep music in schools. All you have to do is make one easy choice to --- Join Us In the Fight to Save Music Education.  Click here to learn what you can do >> http://bit.ly/mTEJrI

A BCE...the Fashion Line for the Bold, Confident, & Excellent initiative to create financial independence for Music Education.

Winning and Losing (Losers Can Be Winners Too)

There's this innate desire in all of us to win.  It burns violently in our souls, bringing out a fight in many they never knew they had.  And then there's losing.  Many people run through life ducking and hiding trying to avoid it.  We hate the feeling of losing at anything.  The thought of losing strikes this paralyzing fear in the hearts of men.  I believe I've been blessed with one of the greatest minds on earth, but I too become afraid sometimes and paralyzed by the thought of losing; and then it hit me...you can lose and win at the same time.  Most people lose without giving themselves a chance to win.  They've lost the battle in their minds before they threw the first punch.  Even before your father's sperm came into contact with your mother's egg, you were equipped with everything you need to win.  Its up to you to realize it.  Pursue whatever it is you're pursuing with a violent passion to win, and if you happen to lose, remember, your dignity wasn't lost because you fought.

"If you win you've won, and if you lose you've still won --- as long as that violent burn to win predicated the loss.  A loss without a fight brings emotional pain and discouragement.  A loss with a fight brings a desire to swing again." ~CJ 'Mr. BCE' Nelldell

In the name of GREATNESS,
MR. BCE
Clothing Brand: http://www.BCEapparel.com
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Clothing Brand Inspires GREATNESS in Students Through Entrepreneurship

The world is full of people motivated by getting ahead in life, ahead on the job, and achieving some level of distinction for themselves.  The mission of the BCE clothing brand is, to empower and inspire the ‘Progressive Individual’™ to Achieve GREATNESS via the provision of fashionable clothing that embodies a lifestyle of GREATNESS.  The reason most of us pursue further education is so that we can progress further in our lives (which is what makes us “progressive”).  Keeping in line with the first part of our business mission (to empower and inspire the ‘Progressive Individual’™), we are elated to introduce to the nation the 'BCE Student Entrepreneur Program (SEP)'.  SEP is a program where students have the opportunity to learn how to own their own businesses through the BCE clothing brand and earn money in the process selling BCE brand clothing. The goal of the program is to provide students with the satisfying experience of investing their money in a manner that provides more than instant gratification, but generational gratification instead.  We aim to admit one student at as many colleges/universities across the nation to the program based on their application submission.  Those students selected will be notified and a video call orientation will be arranged.  If the video call produces more interest in the candidate, a set of program guidelines will be sent to the candidate.  After acknowledging their understanding of the guidelines, students may begin building their businesses during the fall school semester of 2011.  The deadline to apply is Friday May 6, 2011.  The application can be found at http://www.bceapparel.com/social.html under the heading Clothing Brand Inspires GREATNESS in Students Through Entrepreneurship.

"What inspired this program?" you may wonder.  As 2010 came to a close, I was reflecting on my last year of college and as a result, this great way to give back to the community as well as inspire students to Achieve GREATNESS through entrepreneurship came to mind.  Those of us who have graduated from college often inevitably find ourselves reflecting on the joy and excitement of those days of “glory” we had.  Some of us may even say to ourselves, “dang I was so misguided and sometimes careless in the choices I made, especially with the handling of money”.  I personally remember many of my friends and peers mishandling money during those years.  For instance, there was one guy I knew that received the infamous “refund check” on Monday and Tuesday arrived at school with a state of the art sound system and a sparkling set of rims on his 19(something), Toyota(something), of which you could see the radiator from the sidewalk without opening the hood because, the front bumper and grill were in a lost and found that was also lost but never found.  Unlike many of my peers I was the student that used the extra money I had left after paying tuition and buying books to invest in the stock market.  My investments did so well that my last year of college I didn’t have to work.  As a matter of fact, I didn’t have to work for a total of 13 months (the time between the start of my senior year and the start of my first job after graduation).  I think this is a great way for those who believe they've been blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit to begin nurturing that spirit through practical experience and guidance.  I believe a lot of people have the spirit, but don't know when, where, or how to get started.  Please pass this along to any college students you know who may be interested in applying for this program. 

Fashionably Inspiring You to Achieve GREATNESS,
CJ 'Mr. BCE' Nelldell
Owner & Founder
BCE...a Fashion Line for the Bold, Confident, & Excellent
Identify Yourself with GREATNESS™
http://www.bceapparel.com/
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Two Words People Should Use More

There is something powerful about the two small words 'I can'.  Doesn't it seem like life sometimes has this "attacking" mechanism attached to it?  Or, have you ever wanted something so bad, but it seemed impossible to achieve?  Truth be told, no matter where you are in life, how much success you've obtained, have not obtained, or have yet to obtain, life will attack you in some way, or you will be faced with an obstacle as tall as a mountain.  But, when you first think about what you want and follow that thought with two very small words -- "I can", you will feel this power course through every inch of your body.  Please don't construe this as me preaching to you.  I am writing from an experience I had less than five minutes prior to commencing this post.  I believe in the power we have as people to shape and create our own worlds.  As I write this post I hold back my emotions.  Not an emotion of anguish, but an emotion evoked from the firm belief in the power of people and the adamant passion I have to inspire people to reach within themselves, embrace their gifts and talents, and Achieve GREATNESS in their life.  A society where everyone achieves whatever it is they are progressing towards in life is the world I often dream of.  We have several choices to make every single day of our lives, but there is one choice we make several times each day, and that is the choice to either handle life or let life handle us.  When you utter the words "I can", the GREATNESS planted in your spirit at conception is awakened and when it is awakened I guarantee you will become a force far greater than any force that the science of physics has ever spoken of.  From my heart, I ask that you remember what you're living for, and begin to boldly use and confess these words everyday of your life no matter what you're faced with; because when you say "I can", life becomes more than just living.

"Ignite your purpose in life...say "I can"." ~Mr. BCE

Achieve GREATNESS,
Mr. BCE
Join the BCE clothing brand on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99120142269
Follow Mr. BCE on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Mr_BCE
Shop the BCE clothing brand at http://www.bceapparel.com/



GREATNESS Always Shines...Even in Darkness



Congrats to KKPsi's Maurice Thompson & the NCCU Marching Sound Machine

It comes with great humility and joy to present this congratulatory message to you.   During the 2011 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOTB) festivities in Atlanta, GA, the BCE clothing brand (http://www.bceapparel.com/) had the pleasure to be present and in the midst of a crowd of very distinguished, elite, and exciting group of people at the 4th annual Atlanta Alumni Association of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma Bowl and Stroll.  As some may already know, music education was one of the inspirations behind the creation of the BCE brand (for more about BCE's vision/history visit http://pridestyleswagger.blogspot.com/2011/02/bce-is-fashion-line-for-bold-confident.html), and many of you reading this know that music education is usually hard-hit financially in the American education system when the very unattractive term "budget-cuts" rears its ugly head.  We at BCE seek to help alleviate the impact of these budget-cuts on music education.  While enjoying the HBOTB festivities, persons that made a purchase from BCE were entered into a raffle where they could potentially win a pot of money that was already pre-funded by BCE and funded additionally by each purchase made at the Bowl and Stroll.  The winner of the raffle would receive one-half of the pot and the other half would be donated to a school music program of the winners choice.  It comes with great joy to announce the winner --- Maurice Thompson and his music program choice the North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine (http://www.nccu.edu/).  Maurice is a political science cum laude graduate of North Carolina Central University, a former member of the Marching Sound Machine, and a brother of KKPsi (Zeta Sigma Fall '07).  He can be found on twitter @PoliPsi_BandGuy.  Thank you to everyone for their continued support, embrace, and patronage of this rising clothing brand.  As we grow, everyone and everything associated/affiliated with us grows (especially music education). 

"In all things you do, always be sure to Identify Yourself with GREATNESS™" ~Mr. BCE

Join the BCE clothing brand on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99120142269, Mr. BCE on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/Mr_BCE, and shop BCE at http://www.bceapparel.com/.

BCE...the World's Next Prominent Clothing Brand

BCE is a fashion line for the Bold, Confident, & Excellent.  Three things you have to be in order to achieve anything in life.  It is a lifestyle brand representing the ACHIEVEMENT of GREATNESS.  Created from a marriage between the love and respect I have for musicians and my obsession with being a leader and personally achieving GREATNESS...it is the first clothing line to bring LEADERSHIP & GREATNESS to the fashion industry, but not only that, it is the first clothing line to give musicians and those with a band affiliation the ownership and recognition they deserve in the world of fashion.  This is why the logo for the brand is a drum major; a drum major is a leader and leaders Achieve GREATNESS.  To be BOLD is to be courageous; like Dr. King and his fight for civil rights, or Bill Gates and his decision to discontinue the pursuit of his undergraduate Harvard degree to instead pursue his passion that became Microsoft.  To be CONFIDENT is to think highly of yourself and the same of others; like President Obama when asked, "do you THINK you can win the presidency?", he responded, "I KNOW I can."  To be EXCELLENT is to not be inferior; like Wilma Rudolph who was born inferior with polio virus, but died a superior international track star, or like Ralph Waldo Emerson and his philosophical essays.  And to wear BCE is to Identify Yourself with GREATNESS™. 

The world is a huge society of people with many differences, but according to Dr. King we all have one thing in common, and that is the desire to be out front, the desire to lead the parade, be first, important, achieve distinction, and surpass others.  This desire is called the 'Drum Major Instinct'.  Unlike clothing brands that may promote a far-fetched/luxurious lifestyle aspiration for most people in their marketing and branding...BCE is a movement inspiring people to Achieve GREATNESS through fashion.  GREATNESS is not about how much money you have, how many cars you drive, or how big your house is.  I say its about being YOU and being the best YOU at it by embracing the GREATNESS locked within your being.  Everybody doesn't possess luxury, but I believe everybody does possess GREATNESS.

~CJ 'Mr. BCE' Nelldell 
Identify Yourself with GREATNESS™
http://www.bceapparel.com/
Join us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99120142269
 

People Judging People: Why Can't I be Myself?

Greetings folks, I'd like to ask you to forgive me if you think this piece is lengthy, but I have to get this off my chest because we have a very very longstanding problem in society.  I said with SOCIETY, not with one particular group, class, or race of people.  You see it and you hear it all the time.  What is this problem??  People judging people.  This has got to stop.  I'm a very humble and cordial guy, but because of this problem, I am very particular about who I let into my very close inner circle.  I will not disclose any names or identities, but this problem really struck a nerve in me once I began my business.  For instance, if you take a look at the photos for my clothing line scrolling to your right, you will see a variation of looks and styles.  This is what I love about fashion, fashion is about being Y-O-U and expressing Y-O-U, not somebody E-L-S-E.  There's no right or wrong in fashion and the arts.  I've had several people say to me, "you shouldn't have the girl in your photos with the red hair?" as well as some other things that I won't divulge in because people's ignorance I refuse to dwell on or entertain.  I also know someone that told a woman she should stop meeting men in Wal-mart because that's not a place where you find a quality man.  The analogy used was, "if you want quality fruit, you don't go shopping at Wal-mart, you go shopping at Whole Foods."  Next, there is a group that I was invited to join whose mission is to bring back charm, style, & chivalry (the marks of a gentleman) in men.  Apparently, according to this group, a man's being a gentleman starts with his attire. 

Here is my response to this problem.  Why not have the WOMAN in my photos with the red hair?  Does her red hair make her inhuman?  Or is it that, you're so high-strung on yourself (for whatever reason) that just because you wouldn't wear red hair, it is wrong to wear red hair or whatever other color?  I know why I chose her to be a model/promoter of my clothing brand and that's all that matters.  I chose her because I saw GREATNESS in her.  God blessed her with a GIFT that many of you wish you had, and I immediately recognized it the first time I saw her work.  As for finding a "quality" man in Wal-mart, in retrospect when I thought about this, I'm thinking to myself..."I shop in Wal-mart, so are you saying I'm not a quality man??"  As for this "gentleman" group, one of the points in their mission is, "We will reject the impulse to rock athletic or Hip/Hop gear."  Who in the HELL said, not dressing in athletic or "Hip/Hop" clothing means you're not a gentleman.  Anyone that knows me, knows I am very versatile when it comes to my style.  I can dress up very well and I can dress down very well (one of many gifts God gave me).  Does this mean, I am not a gentleman because of what I have on??  Now, don't get me wrong; I'm not a fan of my pants hanging under my backside and you will never see me dressed that way, but I dress for my mood.  Very humbly speaking, I am a damn great dresser, and I can give you a run for your money in that category AND in any particular style. 

I think its funny (and a disgrace at the same time) of how judgmental people are.  Who the HELL sprinkled magic dust on you and told you the way that you choose to live, dress, act, etc. makes you the "model citizen".  How do you know, the way you live, dress, or whatever else you do is not correct?  It seems as though there are people in the world that are so educated and because they've achieved a FEW things in their life they think they have "arrived".  NO! You haven't "arrived" until you've help others "arrive" with you.  There is a such thing as an 'Educated Fool' you know.  Get off of your high horse and stop staring down your nose at people.  Inspire and encourage someone else to be the best THEM they can be and not the best YOU they can be.  God created us as individuals not copies and your judgmental ways are absolutely blasphemous in my opinion.  People need to learn how to respect the individuality of others and stop trying to make it seem as though conformity is the way to live.  Lets be real, so if this woman with red hair or this guy that isn't "dressed" like a "gentleman" (whatever the hell that means), were to pass out in the middle of the street, you would walk your bourgeois, ostentatious behind right by them??  I know that may seem extreme, but there are people in the world that would do that, and I'm just asking a question.  Some people need to check themselves (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, etc.).  If, to each is own (as so many people so loosely use this phrase), then why is your mouth open in utterance of judgment.  Who the HELL died and named you God??  I absolutely love and admire people that don't give a damn what folk think about them. 

We all were wired with GREATNESS in us.  Which is why I believe in my heart that everyone can Achieve GREATNESS (and I will go to my grave helping as many people as possible achieve it).  GREATNESS is not racist.  It is not prejudiced. It is not judgemental, and it does not deal in the act of showing favoritism. GREATNESS is however, a mentality. It is attainable. It is humble. It is giving. GREATNESS is patient, it is kind. GREATNESS does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. GREATNESS is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. GREATNESS does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. GREATNESS always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. GREATNESS never fails. Hence, GREATNESS is 1 Corinthians 13...LOVE.  GREATNESS has no one particular face.

Anybody reading this post and knows me well.  If I have ever at some point in our knowing each other made you feel as though I have judged you for what you choose to do with your life, I am asking you to forgive me.  Seriously, judging folks is not cool. 

I encourage your responses to and sharing of this post with others.

Much love and continued success to everyone,
CJ 'Mr. BCE' Nelldell
Identify Yourself with GREATNESS™
http://www.bceapparel.com/