Laughing Out Loud

The other day I received the funniest e-mail I have ever seen. Well, maybe not THE funniest but it sure was close. It made my day!

You don't have to work from home like the character Adam in the comic strip "Adam" to feel isolated in the work place. I work in a studio outside of my home but most of my business is done over the phone or via my website http://www.laurelmtbasket.com/ . Don't get me wrong. I love to work alone in an environment without distractions when I'm designing a new gift basket and especially at this time of year when I am designing a full line of gifts and gift baskets for the up coming holiday season.

But eight or ten hours is a long time so I'm really glad I have my on line friends who fill my inbox with the most insane e-mails. There are so many fun things out there that I'd never have time to find on my own. I don't spend time on You Tube but I'm sure glad someone does, because I really enjoy some of the amazing videos found there.

Many of my friends are artists, writers, crafters, designers of one sort or another or other professionals who also work solo. Swapping silly e-mails with them is a great way to take a break and spread some cheer.

There are days when you will catch me LOL for real. I especially enjoy photos and videos of cats and dogs (or any animal really) doing something silly. I love the Cats on a Treadmill and the Moose with the Sprinkler type videos. They are too cute and hysterically funny.

Be a good friend and share a laugh today!

When Do You Get Your Great Ideas?

Having a difficult time finding a solution to a problem or making a decision? Try following the age old advice and "sleep on it". Okay, so there's no scientific evidence to prove that "sleeping on it" will help solve a problem or make the right decision, but it works for me.

Anyone who owns their own business will tell you they never stop looking for solutions to problems or making decisions about something or other. I've spent many sleepless nights trying to solve some problem that had come up during the day. On other nights, especially just before a holiday when I need to come up with several new gift basket designs for Valentines Day or Easter or Christmas, I would fall asleep thinking about creating these custom designs. Often on those nights, I'd wake up and a design idea would be crystal clear. I'd get all excited about starting the project the next day and fall back to sleep. The problem was that when I woke up the next morning, I'd remember that I'd had a great idea, but couldn't remember what it was.

Now, I keep a note pad and pen on my night stand and jot down a word or two to trigger my memory. This method works great although, because I write my messages in the dark, trying to read them the next morning can be a challenge.

I also get ideas for new gift basket designs while I'm vacuuming. I think the repetitive motion and the monotonous sound of the vacuum helps dull my conscious mind and allows my creative subconscious to work. I can achieve this same kind of zoning out during my step aerobic class or while walking the dogs. More than once I've left my aerobic class, written a cryptic note on a piece of paper towel, tucked it into my sock and jumped right back into the routine. I've been working out with Sue for about 14 years now, so she's gotten used to this behavior. My dogs love walking in the woods near our home, so they're happy to help me walk and think.

So, I'll continue taking step aerobic classes, walking the dogs, and "sleeping on it", in order to keep my creative mind open for new gift basket design ideas. Check out some of my best ideas at http://www.laurelmtbasket.com/.