Things that inspire me

My boss recently suggested that I write a blog for our company web site.  We're trying to attract more retail customers an in order to do that we need to promote our products, and the way we're hoping to do this is via the Web.   Welcome to the 21st Century, right?  He would like ME to write the blog because ... ???

Maybe because I have so much free time?  Ha ha!  I've got three kids (a toddler, a 4-year-old and a teenager) what in the world is free time?

Perhaps because I already have a cult following on the Web?  NOT!

Could it be because he knows I spend entirely too much time on the Internet, anyway, and as long as I'm there I might as well do something useful?

Hmmm ...

I like to think it's because he has faith in me.

Okay, so my boss (bless his heart) has expressed enough faith in me to request that I write a blog that will not only pertain to our business, but be witty and engaging enough to attract more business.  Okay, no pressure there ... all I have to do is ...

Write.

There's a problem with this.  When I was a little girl I LOVED to write.  I would write fanciful stories involving super heroes, princesses and fantastic pet dogs.  I wrote poetry, dabbled in haiku, composed Broadway-Worthy (in my mind) musicals and illustrated everything myself.  I dreamed of one day sitting in front of my typewriter in my apartment in New York City and writing world-renowned screenplays while I ate cream of mushroom soup straight out of the can.  Okay, that part is kind of nasty but you get the gist of what I'm saying.  I was a writer as a child but at some point, for some unknown reason ... I stopped.  As I got older and realized that there are OTHER writers out there and that it's not easy to get published I somehow became incapacitated by my fears of rejection, criticism and developing a big, fat butt from sitting around doing writing all of the time.

Twenty years later, I am NOT a world-renowned playwright.  Nor am I even a world-renowned novelist.  Heck, I'm not even a blogger yet!

Yet.  All I need is inspiration.

So I've been mulling over my boss's request.  It's perfectly reasonable, of course.  As the office manager I get to observe our business (which, by the way, is primarily installing closet organizational systems ~ aka shelving) from many angles, and as the primary person answering phones (Director of First Impressions) I talk to many, many of our customers about their particular concerns regarding their closets.  All I need to do is figure out what people want to know about and start a discussion.

Inspiration.  So ... I need to get inspired by shelving?  No, I just need to get inspired by SOMETHING and then use it as a springboard to TALK ABOUT shelving.  Not just shelving, either.  We also install bath hardware, vanity mirrors, shower doors and other specialty building products such as wine cellar materials.  The blogging possibilities are endless!  Shelving, bath hardware, shower doors, wine cellars ... organization & inspiration.  That's where I'm going to start.  I'll start in the front entry closet and work my way through the whole house.

Next time.  This time, I'm just happy that I've started to write ... my first blog, and my first step toward mastering the art of Shameless Self-Promotion.  My inspiration?  Well, tonight it was brown rice with curry.  What's more inspiring than food?