Make Fashion Not War |
On the many roads to something great! Reflection of HER random thoughts and experiences. A creative gal who loves fashion, entrepreneurship, tech, and travel. |
My one-year journey to Afghanistan began this past week. I found out in early January this year that I would be going with an Army Reserve Unit to Afghanistan to help bring the troops home. The tour I was told would only last a year.
In the following weeks and month I enjoyed all my favorite things and spent time with family and friends as much as I possibly could.
It’s been four months since January and I’m here at the start line. My random thoughts, concerns, and ideas come and go so fast, I’ve had a hard time staying in the right lane on this cross-country run back home to Seattle.
As I leave my wardrobe behind and exchange my heels for boots, I’ll write about my experiences, share my joys, and the obstacles I face. This first blog will be visual with photos of my journey so far!
It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be wearing my own clothes for close to a year. That I won’t wear my favorite pair of pearls, heels, or even a dress, yes clothes makes you unique and who you are. But who would you be, if you couldn’t express yourself through fashion? It’s an interesting thought, because most of us use fashion to express ourselves. Even if you don’t consider yourself fashionable, your clothes tell a story.
I knew I’d miss shopping, window-shopping; wearing my own clothes, and miss seeing the new trends for the remainder of this year and the beginning of next year. These past two weeks any chance I got to look at clothes I spent a few extra moments trying on clothes.
Since you have to carry your own things through out the deployment, I tried my very best to only bring what I really needed. You are limited to how much civilian clothes and items you can bring. The clothes I wore to my first meeting spot were the only clothes I would carry with me for the year.
A pair of of skinny Citizen jeans, comfy long sleeve, and sparkly Toms. What I wore leaving Seattle.
Space needle charm from Boyfriend’s Family.
Ponies for the families at the going away ceremony.
Support from local motorcyclist.
Last night with my family packing and repacking. Must have in packing for emotional survival: laptop/tech gadgets, photos of loved ones, stationary, and vitamins- what else can you find below?
Hopefully this is true.
ENTREPRENEURS:The reason why you should care is that you need to educate yourself on protecting your idea and business. If someone else patents the idea, business, or technology. By law it’s not yours. There are people and companies that exist today where all they do is think of ideas and create patents based on those ideas. So believe it or not your idea might exist already and you have no clue.
I am not an expert writing in this topic, just fascinated and wanted to share my thoughts.
About two weeks ago I attend an event that answered one of my blog post questions.
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” in relation to “If you have an ida and do nothing about it, what is the value of that innovation?”
I didn’t realize this at the time, but really what I was asking myself and pondering on was intellectual property. I have so many thoughts on this, I don’t even know where to start.
I’m going to try my best to simplfy IP in this blog. There’s much more information available, but in this blog I’m keeping it simple. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself.
Intellectual Property Defined by Wikipedia:
“Any creative work or invention considered to be the property of its creator. Often, intellectual property rights are recognized and protected under the corresponding fields of law.[1] Under intellectual property law, owners are granted certain exclusive rights, such as the ability to publish to various markets, license the manufacture and distribution of inventions, and sue in case of unlawful or deceptive copying. Common types of intellectual property rights include copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design rights, and trade secrets.”
Having an IP Strategy will drive your company to the next level and help protect you against your competition. There are so manye examples of this in the news currently, espsecially in technology.
Perkins Coie Wins Patent Litigation Case For Simon Property Group
To start learning more you can start by visiting the The United States Patent and Trademark Office website. They offer more tools on the site as well.
Companies that specialize in IP, just to list a few…..
RPX
Intellectual Ventures
Acacia Research Corporation
Alston & Bird LLP
Baker & Mackenzie LLP
So if you come up with an amazing idea and want to keep it, don’t forget to protect it!
Spent yesterday at Startup Riot listening to Tech companies pitch their ideas. Pretty neat!
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”
I’ve pondered this thought for over a week now and how it relates to innovation. If you or I think of an idea and do nothing about it, what is the value of that innovation? Are you ok with someone taking your idea and making it reality if you don’t?
Does it really just belong to you? I don’t like the idea of stealing someone’s idea or having my ideas stolen, but a part of me sides with the fact that I’d be happier knowing that in the overall scheme of things- the idea was heard and shared.
My thoughts of this have made me consider just listing every idea I’ve ever had so that it doesn’t go wasted, especially if I’m not doing anything about it.
I also believe that our ideas will happen no matter what, it really just depends on time. Our ideas are bound to service, it just depends on who is faster and time itself. My college professor always said showing up was part of success. I still believe that to be true.
I get it, I’m not implying that you go and share the idea you are working on and have someone steal your business. But what about those other ideas, why not inspire others to change the world?
Another part of me also believes that someone of us are innovators and others are entrepreneurs. Some are both. But if you are only one of the two, why not be a driver of that innovation or inspire with an entrepreneur to breathe life into an idea?
It’s Monday, this is your thought for the week!
I do believe that you can find your dream job with a company. That does exist. But for the rest of you who are looking for something else, I also strongly believe that you can create something valuable from your passion. Maybe our journey is about finding those two things. Our passion and our money maker :) I also know that we can’t wait for others to tell us what we can do, we can’t wait for someone of higher authority to tell us that we are marketers or writers or whatever. If you want to be a writer, start writing. If you want to be something, start doing it and it will become you. Happy Monday!
The State of Washington is launching a App Challenge. They are giving over $75,000 in prizes away. Share this with any one you know that is a developer!
This is a great way to combine technology with economic development for our state!
-Her
Nothing inspires me more than being around entrepreneurs, especially techie ones. I find that when I encounter a techie who also happens to be an entrepreneur, well wow that’s just profound to me. It’s these kinds of individuals that take innovation to the next level. They have the ability to move innovation. We live in a world where innovation is as free as breathing, but only a few can create additional worlds with that breathe.
I’m extremely passionate about finding that world and being a part of that journey, really discovering what more can we do to grow, be competitive, and advance business in the U.S.A. I strongly believe that innovation and entrepreneurship together will increase job growth and change our economic state. How to get there….that’s what I’m learning. I ask myself what can one person do? Then I ask what can’t one person do.
A few weeks ago I met someone virtually through networking who started a local tech company; he was very modest about his company. He still hasn’t mentioned that he was one of the founders, it was only when I googled his name that I realize he was a serial entrepreneur success story. I’m secretly still in awe!
-Her
Great Article I wanted to share!
http://www.fastcompany.com/1837905/the-really-big-guide-of-small-business-success-tips
