Synchronicity

Happy Friday to all!

Ever since I decided to start a magazine, and work for myself..everyday seems like Friday to me :) But this Friday was different. Earlier this year, after taking some much need time off of work to travel, I had a series of incidents that happened to me. I wont go into details, but lets just say, you probably would not believe them if I told you. I actually wrote all of incidents down in a journal so that i would make sure to believe my self long after the time had passed. For some reason, these things came to my mind today, and I felt the need to blog about it.

Some people say that we receive signs all the time, but are never aware because we are not mentally clear enough to realize them. We can receive signs for all kinds of reasons, but for the sake of this entry, lets just say that signs are hear to help us. They can let us know many things, guide us, give us confirmation or lead the way for us. I believe that this is what the signs I have witnessed have done for me.

Synchronicity is defined as " a meaningful coincidence." So lets do a breakdown: meaningful is defined as "full of meaning, significance, purpose, or value; purposeful;" a coincidence is defined as "a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time, apparently by mere chance." So when you think about it, another way to say it is a chance events that have major purpose or significance.

I know this seems deep, but all I can do is record whats happening now, to me, on my journey in Making The Magazine. After working in the magazine industry for 7 years, I found out that this is all I know how to do. And I believe, that the chance incidents that I have experienced are signs to let me know that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I'm supposed to do, and being the person that I am supposed to be for these times.

I say all this to say, stop and slow down sometimes. We look at so much, but often don't see anything. The closer you are to yourself, the more the universe will bend for you...because in all actuality, your bending it.

Treace ( thats peace cubed :)

Cubed Vision

Street Team Update October 6th 2010

Hello Street Team members,

I hope everyone had a great summer, and that you are all prepared for the fall! I am writing to give you a timeline of how I plan to move forward with the magazine. As I have sent before in previous emails, I am in the paperwork stage of creating this book. Starting a magazine is one of the most dutiful and ambitious projects that anyone can do, and it takes time to get going especially in the beginning..see below for an outline of what is going on:

Whats happening now with N3 Magazine:

-Logo has been designed and now in the Trademark process

-N3 has been registered as a DBA and is now recognized as an actual business :)

-Working on the Business Plan- a very detailed and important document outlining your business that must be presented to investors for funding and financial backing..to get us some money asap!

-Website- beginning designs have begun, the possible launch date will be by December..will keep you posted, and send rough drafts so I can get your opinion about how the designing is going and to get your personal profile pictures and right ups along with a list of your sites to put up

-Promotions- I am working on customizing press passes, and promotional materials for you to start promotions soon

-Prototype issue- this is perhaps the most fun part of the beginning stages of creating the magazine. I will be creating an actually mock up/example issue to use in presentations to industry executives. I want all Street Team members to participate in that also..writing, styling, hair, make up, photography, modeling, everything..that is much later down the line..but coming soon

What you can do now:

-Start to research the best most popular and cool places to do promotions in your city. Colleges, lounges, hang outs, artist communities, galleries, clubs, etc

-Send me a list of these places and reasons why you think they will work for promotions (passing out fliers, hanging posters, passing out promotion materials)

-Research any local organizations or clubs that promote youth in the arts, urban education or industry support

The "ideal" time line:

• December 1st : Website up and running
• December/January: Start street promotions
• January 2011: Start creating prototype issue
• Feb/March: Presentations to investors
• May: Start to work on the first real issue
• September: Launch first issue of N3 Magazine

I hope all of this information helps! Want to keep you guys posted on the progress of the magazine. Again, it is a long beginning process. I believe that if you start off right with something, you finish right in everything.

N3 Magazine=I believe in you+you believe in me=us believe in we

N3 Magazine's First Invite

NYC Fashion Week is by far the most exciting time for all of us style junkies. Its when the celebrities fly into town, the editors raid the fashion closets for cute pumps and dresses, and the ever cute FIT, LIM and Parsons fashion students flood the outside of the tents...oops..I meant at Lincoln Center. Today was a very special day for N3. One of my very good friends at Coach invited me to see their Spring 2011 collection. She knows that I left Essence a few months ago, and gladly rsvp'd me under the N3 Magazine title. This made me feel AMAZING! To go from being an editor at a magazine, to being the Chief Editor at my own magazine is a huge leap. Its nice to know that people recognize and believe in me. Especially the NYC fashion industry. What a great way to start the week!

Stylishly Yours,

Gwen C

An Introduction to Block Head

About two months ago, after I finished creating the entire line up for the magazine, I couldn't help but to feel like something was missing. This magazine is for the offbeat and fly creative, and the sections are pretty straight forward; Style, Hair Etc., Sound, Life, Hood, Body, Art +History...It seemed to me like these sections together would amount to a well rounded book, that touched on every aspect that was important in a young adults life. Then I thought..something still seemed to be missing..Then I thought about how other magazines end their book...some have horoscope, some have words of wisdom, some have throw back tributes and others have a fashion or trend page..well of course since everyone is doing this...none of these will work for N3 Magazine.

I knew that I wanted to close the book in a special way..I wanted to end with something that the readers was "great" enough to sum up all the amazing content that would be prior to it. All of a sudden, I figured it out..it was like a light went off in my head..and I knew what I was missing. At that very moment my idea of Block Head was born. Block Head is the main character in a comic strip that will run on the closing page of N3 Magazine. The Block Head comic strip will address famously debated societal issues, stereo types and norms. Additionally, it will offer solutions to these issues, and introduce a more "free" alternative way of thinking. Block Head is a non-age, non-race, and non-gendered being that accidentally lands/arrives on our planet. Block Head is foreign to this planet, and there for is not bogged down by the some of the weight that we have been forced to carry and except as humans.

A comic strip is historically the perfect way to get "heavy" information and opinions out to the public. Its like saying not so nice things, but doing it with a smile. Animation is comforting to young and old, and is the perfect place to either hide or expose a message, it just all depends on what the messenger has to say. I guess the old saying is really true..say along with me now.. A picture is worth a thousand words!!!

Please feel free to leave a comment with some issues that you would like to see the Block Head Comic Strip address...remember, think global issues, societal issues, religious issues, racial issues, etc..aka "the sticky stuff"

"How does it feel to follow your dreams?" she asked...

So I had an interesting FB IM conversation last night. I was on FB, checking messages, updating my status, all the usual stuff, when I decided to check the side panel to see who was online. Immediately I was so happy to see that one of my girlfriends, a fly and very talented PR Director at FILA, was online. With her busy schedule this is very rare. So I decided to start the IM convo..it went a little something like this:

"Hey Lady!" I typed and hit the enter key. "Hey Gwen!"She replied. "How are you? How has your summer been?" "Good I answered, the start of the magazine is gaining much interest, and speaking of it, I'm still waiting for your email so I can send you the press release!" She typed back quickly exclaiming, "I'm sorry hun! I have been so busy, doing it asap right now, I am so proud of you for doing this, starting your on magazine, how does it feel?" I thought about this question, and got chills over my whole body.."I feel lifted," I typed, "I know that lifted is a strange word to use, but I feel free and in sync with what I should be doing right now. Some days I wake up with panic, and anxiety, thinking "What did I do? I already told so many people, so now I have to go through with this" and then I am immediately calm, because I know that I have my family, an awesome idea, seven years in the magazine publishing world, and the support of so many people who believe in me" "Wow" she said. "It is nice to hear an honest answer. When you ask most people how it feels to start something or do something big, they just say it feels "great" or "amazing," they never speak of the down side or the scary side." "Well," I started.."It's not an easy thing to follow your gut, leave what you know, and try something different. Most people who do so are so busy trying not to acknowledge the fears that they have, because they want to keep moving forward, and they know that moving forward in fear really means that your moving backward from success. So it's just easier to say that everything is going well, even when you may feel nervous that it won't."

When I decided to start a magazine, I new the reasons for which I made the decision. For the past seven years of my life, after graduation from Howard, moving from my home and family in MD, and coming to New York where I didn't know anyone, I always felt like it all was amounting to something. That feeling I had was right. The issue is, when we normally get these feelings, or "gut reactions" or the "little voice" that we hear inside of us, we ignore it. We go against ourselves. The world and society has made it this way. So this innate feeling that we get is unfamiliar, and through out history, the unfamiliar is what we neglect, what we run away from and what we destroy.

Its time for all of us to get familiar with our "gut instincts." Like all the sayings go:

"Pressure makes a diamond"

"No pain no gain"

"The early bird gets the worm"

"Only the strong survive"

"No guts no glory"

You know them, you've heard them..so there you go. What I have learned so far is that when you become the maker of the map, the direction is easier to follow....

Passing The Torch...

After a very relaxing Monday at the office (aka my sofa..lol) It feels so good no longer have the anxiety about getting up, getting dressed, cramming myself onto the Q or B trains and beginning my journey to Rockefeller Center for work. I spent the first half of my day doing some research for my web designer, another part running errands, and the evening making spaghetti while waiting for the BF to get home from work. I was in my own little Bravo TV world, watching the Rachel Zoe show, and I couldn't help but to sigh as she laid across her bed after a long day of work (there is work with styling..TRUST) with her hubby wearing an ever so chic white terry cloth bath robe..This is what I need!!! I thought...to feel pampered after a long day..and to fall into my own "spa like" robe and slippers. My brain kicked in, as I broke to the closet to finally open a press gift that I got almost 2 years ago! A lush white bathrobe with matching slippers! Wow! My wishes turned to reality almost instantly. This made me remember all of the cool press gifts that Fashion/Accessories Editors get..the cool shoes, show invites, concert invites, dinners, bags, jewelry etc...I suddenly began to panic. I left ESSENCE Magazine..I left that fab editor lifestyle..which means I also left behind loads of free goodies :( But then panic turned to pure joy as I remembered that I am starting my own magazine, and even more exciting than editor gifts, will be the Chief Editor gifts!!!!! So I am gladly passing the fashion/accessories/beauty editor torch to my future editors of N3 Magazine...cheers to you, whomever you will be..gifts galore await you!

xx

N³ Magazine: Hard work helps...Smart work pays off..

N³ Magazine: Hard work helps...Smart work pays off..: "This past week was a very special one for me. I realized that after seven years in the fashion publishing industry, everything that I have d..."