The Fanny Pack I would wear!

One of my favorite designers, Marc Jacobs, has a Fanny Pack in his Marc Jacobs bag collection. I am always on the fence about fanny packs. I love the concept a purse worn on the waist, a much easier task to carry than on the shoulder. When I think of fanny pack, I think of Venice beach, tan blond hair, white bikini women on roller skates wearing a neon fanny pack while listening to there walk mans. Not the most flattering association to a bag the can be really awesome. I trust fully in Marc Jacobs and his obvious divine taste, so when word spread about his 3 fanny packs in this collection I was intrigued to see how he designed the info mas waist purse. I was pleasantly but not surprised when I viewed them. So simple and quaint as well as true to the original design. I couldn't expect less from such a divine artist.

2010 Trend will social media take a backstep???

Today, I have picked up my Image section of The Los Angeles Times and read the trend forecasts for the next decade. One of the trends predicted is networking on line via facebook, myspace, twitter will all come "tumbling down" according to Richard Laemer a trend forecaster. Richard predicts that we will all come to a realization that all this tweeting and facebooking did not profit us one bit. He say's we are going to get back to talking on the phone and meeting for coffee. Making connections in "real life" not virtual world.

Well, I personally love the best of both worlds. I don't see why we have to give up one for another. I have connected with junior high friends to relatives that live outside of the country via facebook. It may have not landed a job for me but as a connection resource I feel it has been highly effective. Talking on the phone is not my favorite I personally like texting. On the other hand I do like getting together with friends and meeting in person. Making connections without social networking seems to be harder these days. Whenever I'm trying to find someone I look on facebook first.

Thoughts?????

2009

It was a year of extreme hardship, extreme epiphany's , and finding rare opportunities in unexpected situations and relationships. I know for many 2009 wasn't the best year to date. I can only reflect on the life lessons I have learned in the economic depression.
Life lesson 1 - there are many hidden opportunities in unexpected places the key is to be open minded and creative.
Life lesson 2 - never never never never give up....... Even when you feel like you have nothing left to give find that one spec of courage with in your self to follow your dream!!!
Life lesson 3 - learn patience!!! I am the queen of ideas as well as the queen of inpatient. If an idea takes to long to show results I want to 86 it and move on!!!! BIG MISTAKE!!!!!! I have learned to take a deep breath and let the idea marinate and take it's coarse.
Life lesson 4 - STOP LISTING ALL THE REASONS WHY SOMETHING WON'T WORK AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!
Life lesson 5 - Always look to the positive and never the negative. Reflect on what you do have and not what you don't!!!!

The last thing I want to share is a quote from Mister Rogers... " Some days, doing "the best we can" may fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn't perfect- on any front- and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else."

Happy 2010 Everyone!!!!

Small Businesses is it a dying breed?????

I hope the day never comes when we are over run by big chain department stores. I was at a city meeting and the city manager is trying to revitalize the city by bringing in big chain discount department stores. Ok this city already has a Kholes and a Ross why do they need two more????? This was my question to him and his answer "to attract people to the city". I asked him "why can't we attract small businesses"? His response "small business are a dying breed." At that moment I was saddened. I did express my deep heart ache and half of me agreed and the other half is still a believer of the entrepreneurial dreamer. The argumentative fighter I am asked if he would reconsider his decision and look to allowing small businesses to come to the city he agreed. So now here I am trying to attract entrepreneurial dreamers to open shop in this undesirable economic crunch that were in. I am believer that small businesses can thrive. I am saddened to think of the day when personal customer service is out the door and we're left with a cold miserable sales people to help us. Vision is my favorite thing to see carried out in a small business and to here it from the owner of why they started the business is "The American Dream" come to a reality!

The King of Halloween

Some may say that this statement is bold, and especially since we are quickly coming upon Christmas, but it needs to be out there that artist Albert Reyes really does come close it and he does it all in El Sereno. Every year, besides having an annual party that includes live acts, he builds a haunted house in his backyard. And, every year the project has grown. Initially we had to crawl through the maze, which was no easy task in our costumes. In 2009, it became a full walk-through maze with a watchtower. This creative venture takes at least 5 months, but right after Halloween it comes down in a day. It is an artistic tradition that is truly a labor of love. And for those of us that hold Halloween as our favorite holiday, we can't wait to see what the next edition holds!

Ego

Hey everyone....
OK. today I need to get something off my chest. "EGO." Let me tell you about an incident that happened. Angie and I met at a new beer bar (in a neighborhood trying to become exciting) for a meeting. I loved the atmosphere! Now, I am an active member in the chamber that this bar resides in and I approached the owner about having a beer fest at his bar in October. He said yes politely and said he is planning to have an event in October and invited us to co host it with him. GREAT RIGHT???? Now here comes the EGO part. When I asked him if we can meet next week on a specific day and time, he said yes as of now but call him on Mon. because he is "really busy and might have to cancel due to his hectic schedule." I then asked him if we can just secure the Wednesday date and time. He said no because if anything comes up he would have to cancel but at that moment he had nothing scheduled which leads me to believe that I was not important enough to schedule a secure appointment.

Now, why would someone do this? Was he trying to say he is too important for the city and for me? Was he also trying to say he was busier than me? I think it was his EGO and not his brain talking. After this conversation I asked him how business was going and he said "great he is thinking of opening another bar". I think it's fabulous he's doing so well but don't ever let your EGO get in the way of making a new connection. If we are in business no matter how big or small we are always trying to bring in revenue and make new connections. To all my entrepreneurs out there never let your EGO come in the way of making a new relationship. You never know where that connection will lead. We aren't in business to be a "SNOB" we are in business to bring a great idea, product, or service to the public. Let's remember that we are in the business of people not our EGO!!!!

What's uh Happenin', Hot Stuff?

I can't help but feel sad that John Hughes has died. With classics as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, he defined the 80s for many of us, not to mention launched the careers for many young actors! John Hughes' movies are timeless, and still continue to provide support for the angst ridden lives of young people. They share those feelings of isolation that characterize the teenage years, while showing us the humor that can be found in them. His movies also prove to be a historic log of the fashion of the eighties; a fashion statement that has been recycled these last couple of years. I personally love his movies and can watch them over and over. One quote from Ferris Bueller's Day Off has especially influenced my life and seems even more relevant today than ever, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Thank you, John Hughes...