Arise :: FW 2010

Hello,

Life has been happening a lot lately. (That’s what it’s supposed to do right?) But don’t fret… still here. Work, Mellow, Purchasing a first home, the snow… Have all left me feeling a bit sluggish. I’m trying to remind myself that this is a marathon not a sprint. I’m also trying to remind myself that drinking water, taking vitamins, going to the gym (yeck!) will actually make me feel better not worse.


Current Themes running on my mind’s treadmill:

Unconditional Love of others, Self Love, Universal Love - Love is all we need. It heals all wounds and allows a space for growth and acceptance. It is the greatest medicine.

Self Forgiveness - We always hear how wonderfully freeing it is to forgive others and to let things go. But somehow I never got the memo that forgiving myself is also just as powerful.

People are People Too – Expecting to much from any one person is unfair to yourself and to that person. We all fail. The pressure that we put on each other to somehow never hurt us is unrealistic and unfair. I am learning to stop yearning for perfection from my loved ones. I am learning to accept and forgive. Just as I am learning to forgive myself. And I am learning that the greatest reality of all is that God never fails. So it really doesn’t matter if we are failed by people. We still have someone in our corner at all times.

xo,
G




P.S. Did I mention that I am SO EXCITED about my new Camera?!
I attended the Arise Fashion Show (Fashion Week 2010) in New York last weekend and took some shots of the city. Click on the picture to view the whole album.

Good Bye Drexel

Got my final grades today. I'm done! I HAVE AN MBA!!!!

:)

Just checking in...

...during the midst of it all

I am well. In case you were wondering.

I’ve been very busy. I don’t like to talk to much about the woes of my busy life. Because we all know that if it were any other way I’d be uncomfortable. I gravitate toward the busy stuff. So it’s kind of a given.

School is just about over. I graduated (read walked) in June… I still had a few classes to go though so I’m working on those right now. Never got around to posting pics until now. But thanks to my sister and her love of the awe-inspiring Face Book, the pictures have been floating around for some time. Anyway, here are a few.

There are more here

I’m currently taking two classes… I’ll be finished with them within the next two weeks. God knows I’m glad! And then there’s just one more class to finish up. This last class consists of a Trip to Europe (more on that another day) so who’s complaining?

Then? Oh yes… then I am DONE!

I had more to say but I got side tracked to many times and now I forget.

San Miguel School Charity Golf

I played in the San Miguel School Charity Golf Tournament last Monday. The San Miguel School is a private school for troubled Camden Boys. This is my second year playing. I still have no clue what I’m doing. Can you tell?

Thanks Lady Toni for the Pics!

p.s. RIP Bernie and Isaac.

I need Help

With my camera.

It’s an HP PhotoSmart M630.

Usually my pictures come out all blurry like this.


Or even sometimes this.



Got any thoughts?

Anyway, here is my birthday. So much fun! Not sure if you can tell just how much fun through the blur. :)

Mmmm Sushi.


My parents wonder what he is up to…


Crazy faces. Least its clear! :) Enjoy your week!


Peace,
G

p.s. Muxtape is cool.

Yesterday

Subscription to My Life

I think I’m due for an entry here. It’s much better than doing the mounds of work piling up… Damn pile. It’s never ending.

I gotta say that the more things happen, the less able I am to pull them together into some sort of cohesive written text for mental digestion. That’s why I’m always in and out of blogging… Sometimes I can’t get my thoughts together.

But in summary, we are still convincing people to come in for massage almost to my amazement. They’re trickling in one at a time that’s for sure, but they’re still coming nonetheless.

Had our first creepy-can’t-comeback-ever client too. That’s an experience I don’t want to go through again.

Good reviews are coming in. (woo-hoo!)

AND we’re finally up on Myspace and Facebook. Be our friend. Thanks.

Random Stuff…

Finally sent Sungee’s Cuff back to LA to be sized since apparently I have no idea how to estimate a wrist size. Thanks to Sunny for being so ready and willing to fix it for us so that he can actually wear it. Yay!

Also, added a couple links to the right side over there… Someone has taken the time to list out the things that “Educated [as oppose to just plain ‘ol] Black people like”. It's a response to someone else’s list of the “Stuff that white people like”. Let me know what you think. Do you subscribe to these stereotypes?

And speaking of subscriptions, did you know that you can get magazine subscriptions from Ebay for like pennies? Dude I lie not. I got 5 subscriptions for a total of about $10. Two have started coming. They are current, addressed to me, and very real I assure you. It's insane… Please just make sure to read the fine print so you end up with a new subscription and not a bunch of old back issues. Thanks Jerry.

xo,
G

Tired...

It’s busy. It’s busy and it’s tiring… but it’s good.

The last few weeks have begun to catch up with me as Mellow is struggling to get itself off the ground, piano lessons aren’t slowing down, and class work is almost doubling as the quarter is over halfway through. Let’s just say I totally let my group down on this last project and will need to double my efforts on the next one to keep them from going to the professor and complaining that I’m not “dedicated to the MBA cause”.

I’ve been pulling some majorly long days and most of it I don’t mind at all. Of course I could certainly do without the interviewees that up and decide not to show (even if I confirmed with them an hour or so prior…) It happened twice this week and I just cant muster up enough energy to go all the way to Mellow again for an interview that isn’t going to happen. I still can’t get over the fact that people don’t show up for interviews. It completely blows my mind.

I don’t get it, but instead of worrying about it I’ve just decided not to interview for a while. I love the staff that I have right now and though I don’t have full coverage (which would be 2 therapists available at all times Mon – Sat), we’re almost there.

This last week was our busiest week yet… between Valentine’s day appointments, Gift Certificates, and a hugely busy Saturday from outta nowhere, we ended up with 15 hours worth of massage and Gift Certificates. That’s massive considering we just opened. I’m pretty excited. It makes the completely drained feeling that I have right now seem worth it.

We had a staff meeting last night and that went really well also. There was an ice breaker since most people haven’t really meet each other yet, a little meet and greet, and of course my list of things I needed to tell everyone. That and a couple of large pizza’s made for a fun and cozy night at Mellow for just the staff. I’m really looking forward to working with these folks and it seems like they’re looking forward to being around. At next month’s meeting, we plan to train for Sabai Herbal Ball therapy which is an amazing Thai method of massage that we’ll be offering soon. I’m really looking forward to that.

Be on the look out for the following events

• February 22, 2008 and 23, 2008 – Blue Method at Warm Daddy’s

• March 8, 2008 – Mellow Hosts Traci Lynn Jewelry party. (Includes free chair massage, light finger foods, and lots of shopping)

• March 15, 2008 – Mellow does chair massage at Bloomingdale’s in the King of Prussia Mall!


xo,
G

p.s. My Sungee surprised me with the complete Steely Dan Score book. So now I can play "Caves of Altamira". I love that song. :) He is such the best.

Cookies? Yes Please!

M’s Holiday Cookie Exchange was last night. Who knew I’d have such a good time. AND who knew I could make Oatmeal cookies? Go figure. Actually, M helped me cheat by directing me here for some easy recipes. The punch was exceptionally good so I wanted to share the recipe with you… hope she doesn’t mind! :)

Pomegranate and Champagne Punch

Ingredients
2 cups champagne
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup seltzer
1/2 cup citrus vodka
Lemon twists for garnish

Preparation
Combine champagne, pomegranate juice, seltzer and vodka in a large bowl or pitcher. Serve over ice with a twist of lemon.

Mmmmm so so good!

In Other news, Sungee went to pick up the desk for Mellow… we have a front desk now people!! Unbelievable how far this thing has come… as always promised, pictures to come soon.

And, since he's one of the only people that I know reads this blog on a regular basis,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAM!!!

(This is where I'd link to your blog if you had one.)

Cold Rain

It’s a rainy nasty day outside. Not the nice warm comforting rain but the cold miserable kind that is only nice if you can stay dry in your warm bed for the day. It’s making me kinda sad… I’m trying to force myself to get out of the doldrums… especially since there is so much to be happy about.

I handed in my last final for the quarter last night. A case study on the Eastman Kodak Company and why Kodak had such a hard time keeping up with competitors given its once monstrous presence in the film market. So now I can rest from school at least until January.

Chair massage at Swarthmore today… We’re really excited about that because it’s our first college final exam stress buster type event. That’s always been something that I’ve planned for so it will be nice to see how it goes. We are currently looking for more On-Site chair massage business so if anyone is in need of some “good rubbin”(R.M. Sungee), give me a call.

Oh and the maintenance man has FINALLY caulked the window at Mellow so we’ll now be able to keep the heat in. Its about time… we could literally see the outside courtyard clearly around the edges of the window.

Not sure how the handmade gift thing is going to go. I’ve gotten some things that are handmade but I don’t think I’ll be able to find something handmade for everyone on my list by Christmas… so I’ll have to resort to store shopping. At least a little. I’m proud of the artists that I did support though… I’ll tell more after the gifts are given.

And the Coffee thing is going alright too. I’ve definitely still been drinking coffee… but not the $4 Starbucks lattes. My pockets are feeling a bit fuller now that I’m thrifting my way through the coffee crave. Not full enough to buy my plane ticket to Munich though…

I got these in the mail last week.

Please understand when I tell you in all honesty, I AM IN LOVE with these earrings. They are light and beautiful and I have to have them ALL. And the best best best part about them is that whatever silver she uses… I don’t seem to be allergic to it. Could it be that there is no nickel here? Could it be sterling? It’s like heaven. The earrings I’ve been searching for all my life.

· Wood
· Hypoallergenic
· Lightweight (no old lady torn earlobes)

I knew everything was made better in Montreal…

xo,

G

Winter Recital

Piano Recital was this past Saturday…

I know some of you don’t already know because I don’t think I’ve talked about it on this blog yet, but… surprise! I teach piano.

Ok so back to the story… the recital was this past Saturday at the house… I have 6 students right now so it didn’t make much sense to try to rent space for the recital. I just wanted to have something small… but still an opportunity for the students to play in front of people since it can be so friggin intimidating. And what’s the point of playing if you cant share the beauty of it with others. Everyone did very well, especially since for most, it was their first time performing. I was soooo proud! *sheds tear*.

Be prepared for the in-effective use of pictures. I took pics before and after the performances but got so worked up and into the recital itself that I forgot to take pictures of people actually playing. Blasted. But anyway, the pics that I do have will be coming soon.

Zoning

All day
down town
waiting


for a rejection that I already knew was coming…

Seemed almost pointless but had to be done…

• Zone application filed? Check!

Now we wait for the rejection letter so that the appeal process can begin.

This business thing is no joke. Strength is a necessity. If you don’t have it you won’t even make it past the first few months. I’ve been told “No” almost every day since the lease was signed… but through prayer and patience, each door that was closed has reopened…

It’s not for the weak… not sure if it’s for me. But it’s definitely to late to turn back now.

More later...
Here’s to RISK!

Progress Pictures

As Promised...

Suite 1911.

Mellow Updates…

Sorry I’ve been so bad at updating everyone on the progress… It’s been a rather arduous few of weeks… tons of arguments with the phone company, electricians, and strange office folk that seem to live to make my business life miserable… worst of which are the staff down at city hall in Philly. Can I just say those people are horribly rude and ignorant? Every time I call I end up steaming mad… but alas…

Still much more to go as far as work is concerned, but I’m quite pleased with the current pace of things…

So far, construction is complete… the contractors did a wonderful job building walls, putting in doors, and dropping an awesome ceiling AROUND the exposed beams and pipes so we wouldn’t lose “that feel”… we painted most of the walls and doors before they were completely done with the ceiling so of course some surfaces got nicked up. We’re now in the process of touching up paint and things.

The carpet went in last Thursday so things are much cozier now. It’s almost unreal that it’s coming together so beautifully… I can’t wait until we get some clients in to share the space… I’m certain they’ll love it.

Of course there is a bunch of stupid City of Philadelphia RED TAPE slowing us down right now. Long story short, I thought I’d done my research thoroughly but apparently there is more to the “zoning for massage therapy” than I realized. People doing “naughty” massage have messed it up for the rest of us.

Quick but very important THANKS goes out to Mom, Dad, Corey, Ne', and Sungee for all their hard work and support... there is absolutely no way in hell this thing would be going so well without them.

Paperwork may take a while but that will give time for furnishing and really getting the spot together. I’ll have new pics soon.

This Is Mellow... so far.

"In this space in time, it is not often that we find a practice powerful enough to lift our spirits, encourage healing in our bodies, and quiet our minds. Fortunately for us, this is the essence of massage therapy — This is Mellow."

Mellow's First Press

So today I found a link to this article.

Looks like Mellow has had its first appearance in the press!!

To bad we don't have a location yet...

oh but there is sooooo much in the works though.

stay tuned for more info! :)

Mellow's First Press!!

Minneapolis on a sunny day

Finally.
FLDP Graduation.
Almost never thought I'd see the day...