Post-Vacation Hangover

I swear I plan on posting the remainder of my trip here soon. I've been swamp with a billion other side projects on top of starting up school again. Why I thought taking a math class over the summer after having not taken a math class in 8 years was a good idea is still beyond me. I'm not too pleased with Past-Me.

I find myself tonight at The Abbey having a blog party with my friend and fellow blogger, Lauren of Beer Up Your Life. If you're a huge fan of craft beers and want to find great recommendations for the next time you're at the pub, I highly suggest you crawl her blog. All of the amazing beers I'm a huge fan of have been thanks to this fabulous lady.

On currently in the process of finalizing the last of my biznaz plans for my online boutique. I've hired my design intern at work to help me with designing part of my logo, the fonts have been narrowed to a more logical number to go through (damn my love of fonts) and I'm in the process of researching point-of-sale and inventory tracking software. I need to start documenting note of this process for when I'm ready to look back fondly at the stress, heartache and hassle I had to endure to get my shit together. Unfortunately, taking 2 jam-packed summer classes means I'm going to have to push my launch date to sometime in August. I'm shooting for my birthday to help distract me from remembering that I'm not in London getting pissed of crazy amounts of alcohol with my friends.

The great thing about vacations is that it gives you a time to reboot. Unless you're a blogger, in which it feels like you're working even more because you want to share your experiences with the world. Still, it felt nice to be able to get away with my parents and the 100°+ weather that hit the Central Valley. Its still going to take a lot of time getting used to Grandma not being there. My parents gave me some wonderful compliments and told me that I remind them a lot of Grandma and that I've gained a lot of her habits and class. It felt good to know that I'm finally doing something right in life and that I'm doing at least kinda well to keep her alive in my daily life.

The day after I came back, my company sponsored a 5k at our local zoo to help raise funds. I hated myself only a little for thinking it was a good idea to volunteer to help with this event knowing that I was going to have to wake up at 5 in the morning and work until mid-afternoon and would be exhausted from traveling the days prior to the event. Still, I made it happen (even if I was a bit short with my team, sorry guys). I ended passing out on the couch later that afternoon when I was supposed to be hanging out with Jeff. Whatever, he's used to it.

That point of all that was to tell you that after I woke up and realized he had taken off to let me sleep in peace, I had an epiphany in the shower about my business.

My grandma was the one who had originally introduced to me the world of fashion, only in the form of creating it. Growing up, we were so poor we used rice as glue for my school projects. My grandma made most of my clothes and I loved it because I loved that it came from her. When I started buying my own clothes as I got older, I was known for my sweet bargain hunting skills. I rarely paid full price for anything. I knew what I could and couldn't afford and didn't lie to myself when I shopped. I knew I could either have a few very experience items, or a lot of less costly items. Towards the end of my high school career, this sweet thrift opened up in town and my mom and I fell harder for thrifting. I love the thrill of the hunt going into thrift stores and vintage shops and seeing what I can find, never really know what I'll take home that day.

That's when it hit me (as I stood in the shower on the verge of tears, being tired and missing my grandma) that October Rose was the name that my boutique needed to have. If it wasn't for her, there's no way I would have gone down this path in the first place. The name came to me as easily as the breathe I took when I thought of it. Her favorite flower was the rose and her birth month was in October. It just felt... Right. More so than the original name of One More Time ever did. In August of this year, I'll be opening the online store. The dream is that, by 2015, I'll be opening my mobile store and hitting an event near you to bring you sweet vintage and secondhand finds.

Thanks, Grandma. I owe this all to you.