"She Ordered What?!?" - from a pet project to a full blown passion of mine
In the roughly seven weeks since I launched sheorderedwhat.com, I've often referred to it "as my fun little project", "something to do on the side", "I'll write, and hope that a friend or two reads it", etc. I was really marginalizing the site in an effort to keep my own expectations in check. What if nobody really did read it. What if people thought this was a stupid idea. What if...The feedback that I've been given (via blog visits, Facebook, Twitter, actual human conversations (remember those!), through blog comments, and other channels of communication) has been extremely supportive. In my opinion (and from others), it boils down to the fact that my idea isn't complicated. It's not hard to do. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, or change your lifestyle, per se. It's just a fun way to experience dining and food in a different way. And, I've found that others have really enjoyed their "She Ordered What?!?" experiences.In talking with both close friends, and with casual acquaintances, I've been pushed to test the limits of my imagination for the blog. It's not that I necessarily want this to be my full-time job (I don't), or to make me a millionaire (okay, that wouldn't be so bad!), but I do really enjoy writing about my experiences, and I do love eating per servers' recommendations. I'm also tickled at the number of readers who have tried the concept, enjoyed it, and have asked to guest-post about it! Y'all are amazing!Friends have encouraged me to approach The Food Network to do a show focused around the theme of this blog (I'm not a restaurant critic, just someone who enjoys dining via the servers' best recommendations). They've encouraged me to get t-shirts made so I can promote the blog when I'm out and about, not necessarily "doing a 'She Ordered What?!?'", but rather to start conversations amongst strangers. (I would love to know if anyone else would be willing to wear one on occasion if I get them ordered in bulk.) I've been encouraged to sell stuff on my site - and not just advertising. In other words, other people's vision for this blog, and the related content, was much more far-reaching than my own.So, that said, I am boldly stating that I am going to take time to really think about the possibilities of taking "She Ordered What?!?" beyond just this blog. I can't let it interfere with my day job, and I can't afford a major PR firm's help, but I can dedicate my personal time to really making this personal passion of mine be the best experience for everyone that it can be. I'm vowing to take that initiative. (I also vow to post a true "She Ordered What?!?" post soon! This blog will not be totally taken over by the 15 Habits for the next couple of weeks!)If you have other ideas for me and for "She Ordered What?!?", please feel free to leave a comment. Crowd-sourcing is a research method I whole-heartedly believe in!Thank you so much for all of the encouragement and support thus far, and look for even greater things in the future!Cheers!Ker