Week #2- Inspired

As mentioned in my very first post, I have toyed with the idea of blogging for some time now. I consider my “inspirations” to be eclectic, relying very little on one person or thing and rather discovering bits and pieces in random places.  Whether it’s in photographs, street art,  a beautifully crafted ensemble or a motivational speech,  it’s because of this variance, I found it difficult to focus on just one topic and instead created a “lifestyle” blog.

Let’s start with the word lifestyle. It is defined as a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group. Fortunately, the internet has created a space for individuals to express their ideas and engage. In Cluetrain Manifesto, Levine et al (2009) says “To call it a ‘platform’ belies its hospitality. What happens on the Net is more than commerce, more than content, more than push and pull and clicks and traffic and e-anything. The Net is a real place where people can go to learn, to talk to each other, and do business together. It is a bazaar where customers look for wares, vendors spread goods for display, and people gather around topics that interest them. It is a conversation.”

Gold Rushed will be a compilation of my daily inspirations and personal passions, be it self development or fashion. My ardor with fashion started at a very young age. It was more to me than clothing but more as a means of self expression. As I’ve gotten older, it has extended to a passion for style and aesthetic, having an admiration for creative pieces from creative minds.

I anticipate Gold Rushed being an avenue in which those sharing the same passions as me can express their ideas and inspire each other. Choosing the “lifestyle” route verses concentrating on one topic will hopefully encourage a diverse group of followers and will allow for richer discussions. As said in Cluetrain Manifesto, it’s time to “start talking.” It’s fun and exciting to be inspired but what good is it if you don’t share it?  

DC Restaurant Week

I was pretty excited to catch the end of DC Restaurant Week. Locals go nuts during this week over scoring three-course lunches for $20.11 and three-course dinners for $35.11 at some of the city's top restaurants. My friend Issara recommended Oya Restaurant and Lounge for me and Steven's date night. We were definitely in for a treat. 

The ambiance was impeccable and the decor was absolutely striking. The space was adorned with white marble, baroque prints, a 12 ft fireplace in the main dining room,  a crocodile skin bar, 20 ft long waterfall and crystal chandeliers. The Asian fusion menu which consisted of sushi, small plates (garden, land and sea) and full entrees was equally impressive. We both decided to try the prix fixe menu, starting off with spicy tuna rolls and calamari, roasted chicken and grilled beef sirloin and finishing off with banana bread and butter pudding (a must try!)

Grilled Beef Sirloin

To top it off, the service was great and the staff was very friendly. It seemed like the ideal Valentine's Day spot (guys, take note!) or catching up with friends over cocktails. Also, notice how I said I caught the end of Restaurant Week-- that Saturday was completely booked for the day even when calling at lunch time, so book early! Easily one of my new favorites. 

http://www.oyadc.com/

Must Read

Excellent speech, excellent words to live by... 

Bridging The Gap Speech by Colin Powell

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are... Friends who don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those who don't increase you will eventually decrease you. Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere.

With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights. "A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad. Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends.

Yes... do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above. "In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our friends." "Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them." "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."

Response Post #1: My Lucky Charm

On Jenna Gilson's blog My Grey Obsession, she talks about her many adventures with her furry friend Janie. In her previous post, she tells us about Greytalk, a prime information source for Greyhound owners. In addition to being a great companion, Greyhounds also happen to be couch potatoes! I couldn't help but write about my furry obsession, my 6 year old Pekingese Ching Ching. Pekingese are known to be proud, confident and over protective. But, there is also one interesting characteristic that makes him even more lovable... he brings me luck. Let me explain.

You can call me gullible but when it comes to lucky charms, I'm all over it. I have collected them over the years, whether it's the Hamsa or Evil Eye, elephants, four leaf clovers or horseshoes. But even with my growing collection, I have found that my luckiest charm happens to be Ching. 

Ching was given to my aunt when he was a year old by a family friend. She, having the same obsession with good luck charms willingly accepted him as her own. Though he was in a nice home, my aunt was a very busy person, especially being a nurse.  My family often took turns watching over him but he lacked having a consistent caretaker and the constant attention that he so deserved. I only saw Ching when I visited my aunt or at family parties and while I thought he was adorable, he also seemed withdrawn.

We celebrated Easter '09 at my aunts. I had been wanting to get a dog ever since I had my own place, so I asked if I could take Ching for a week as a "trial." Though he had literally peed on every inch of the apartment and tried to bite my boyfriend on numerous occasions, I couldn't imagine giving him back to my aunt. She let me keep him and the rest is history. 

The Pekingese were the favored pet of the Chinese Royalty and were often referred to as the "Lion Dog." They were said to bring good fortune to their owners. Since Steven and I have had him, we've had a series of milestones-- graduation, landing great jobs, travels and my admittance into Georgetown and while I'd like to think that hard work has certainly granted these opportunities, I can't help but think that our little furry friend has played a big part. Did I forget to mention that my aunt won a Fantasy Football poll the first day she got him? Lol. Over the year and a half that we've had him, he has turned into a lovable, comical and very protective pup. Not to mention, an excellent cuddler. My friends make fun of me because I've spoiled him rotten but with the luck he's brought me and that cute pudgy face, could you blame me? 

Gold Rush

I have been battling the idea of blogging for some time now. I am continuously and easily inspired by my blogger friends and fashion/foodie bloggers but have been reluctant to put my words and ideas "out there." So when my Social Media professor informed us that we would have to maintain a blog for class, it seemed like the perfect excuse to finally jump on the bandwagon! 

So what have I been up to?

Well, the Mason Sweetheart Sixteen is over! My boyfriend Steven submitted our photos along with our story, a couple months back (without my knowledge!) in hopes to be chosen as finalists in our alma mater’s contest. As you may recall the exhilaration around Mason making the NCAA Final Four in ’06, the contest was designed to mirror March Madness. Sixteen couples were chosen on January 10th and we were one of them! Dubbed the “PR Dynamos,” the site read the story of how we met in spring of ’08 after co-founding Mason’s first ever student run firm Premier Communication. We were absolutely ecstatic and for the next two weeks, I would be absolutely consumed! We first phoned our families and told them about the contest and then took to Facebook and Twitter to spread the word to our friends. Seeing the votes come in during the first couple of days and getting texts and phone calls for updates was incredibly exciting so you could imagine how thrilled we were to make the “Engaging Eight.” After incessantly urging everyone to vote and checking the site for two weeks, we are pleased to end the contest as part of the “Final Four.” Though we weren’t #1, we’re incredibly grateful for our family, friends, professors and coworkers who voted and also know it will be well deserved for the winning couple. Ultimately, this was a reinforcement of the wonderful people we are blessed to know. Support, or even just the act of caring is one of those intangibles that give us strength, encouragement and the motivation to accomplish great things. And at the end of the day, that is undoubtedly priceless. 

http://sweetheart16.gmu.edu/lagman-smith/