What's next for Stuck in North Idaho?

That's a good question.It's been a big couple of weeks here. Kyle and I have been talking over and over again about what we want Stuck in North Idaho to be, and really what it is now. We've got a fresh, clean new logo design, we filed for our business license (eek!) and have some really fun plans for getting our name out there this summer.This is really happening.So what is this going to look like for you? Great question.SINI is going to operate pretty much the same (but hopefully a little more efficiently and timely) as far as you readers are concerned. Especially for this next year. I hope to see our readership grow exponentially. There will still be posts about fun things to do, upcoming events and our general goings-on.A couple new things in the works:1. A SINI softball team2. A weekly SINI bike group (all levels welcome! I'll be on my beach cruiser) - we'll go on little rides around town and then meet up at a locally owned restaurant or pub.Not a lot of details yet, but If you're particularly interested in either you can email me at stuckinnorthidaho@gmail.com. Please do!Now, I really want to share with you all how Stuck in North Idaho came to be in hopes it will help you to understand our vision for the future. I hope it isn't too long.I've wanted to be a writer since the fifth grade. Mark Luhnow was my teacher at Hayden Meadows and I owe him everything for showing me what I was meant to do. There's a quote out there that says, "The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you realize what you were born to do."  For me, that day was very early on.Every day we had to write in a journal. About anything. I chose to write stories about my dog, Snickers, and crazy adventures she "had." Meeting dancing flamingos, exploring the world like a dog version of Indiana Jones. What can I say, she was a rad dog. Mr. Luhnow enjoyed reading my stories and often prompted me to think about the story lines more and go deeper into the plots. He talked with my parents about taking me to writing camps over the summer, which they did, and under his guidance I developed a love for the written word.I was incredibly shy - and still am today. I hated meeting new people and felt lost in a crowd. Mr. Luhnow helped my find my voice - and I firmly believe writing saved me from being a wallflower and getting lost in the shuffle. On the blank pages of my notebooks, from elementary school on through college, I was free to express myself and say whatever I wanted. There I could be me.How is this relevant? I took every chance I could to write. English classes, writing camps, school newspapers, you name it - I wanted to do it. Hell, I almost had my creative writing minor completed before I even started college. That's passion.It wasn't until my internship at the Coeur d'Alene Press that I discovered my passion for our city and region. I wrote for the North Idaho Business Journal and eventually got a job there out of school. I loved connecting with local small business owners and hearing their stories. I loved exploring all Coeur d'Alene had to offer and slowly ventured out to outlying communities like Sandpoint, Post Falls and over to Kellogg.After leaving the Press for my current job, I discovered I needed a creative outlet to get some variety in my writing. My job is amazing but writing similar stories over and over can get a little monotonous and I didn't want to get burned out there.Alas, Stuck in North Idaho was born. I have been using this space to document our adventures and my favorite places to visit. Because of SINI I've been able to grow new skill sets like photography and a little bit of design. This coupled with moving to PR with my new job has been the best thing for me career-wise. Not only am I a writer, but now also a communicator, promoter, media relations specialist and web content creator. I've learned to connect businesses with people via social media and learned about developing ad campaigns and structuring messages for specific audiences.So now it's time for me to apply these skills to Stuck in North Idaho. And as SINI grows, I hope you all will continue to follow me and my adventures in this area I love so much.It wouldn't be the same without all of you.xoxoAndy