The Door Hanger Diaries

When I was 16, my dad hired me to distribute door hangers for his business. I bundled up on a cold day in February and began the route he'd mapped out for me. I lasted two blocks, maybe three, before I gave up and went home.

"I quit!" I told him defiantly. And then I collapsed onto the couch.

Imagine his amusement when, years later, his daughter follows his lead and orders 1,000 door hangers.

As of last month, I'm back on the job -- this time to promote my own business. It's definitely more taxing to do this in my neighborhood than it was in Hinsdale. I'm very much in love with brownstones, but each one has a steep flight of stairs leading to a front door. And so, by the end of a block, I'm huffing and puffing.

It's no easy feat, but I do enjoy breaking away from my laptop to hit the streets. I'm marketing on foot. Look out, Lakeview and Lincoln Park residents -- Melanie Stone Chicago is coming to a doorknob near you.