Today I received an email with a simple request:

[University Relations] would like you to write a message from the President of Alumni Society. It would be a few paragraphs. Also, could you include a brief bio of yourself (2-3 paragraphs)?

I would need this information by Oct. 1, 2011.

Please let me know your thoughts

That’s a fair request and I should be honored for being asked to be included in a magazine article, but the first feeling that flowed over me was one of paralyzing fear. Even though I’ve been diligently writing something in my blog every day for months now, when it comes to writing about myself, it’s still painfully difficult.

When I look at that request all I can think of is, “What can I possibly say?” I have no idea what they want me to say as the President of the Alumni Society, let alone what they would want to know about me biographically. The last time I wrote anything on behalf of the Alumni Society I had my grammar criticized like an English teacher with a brand new red pen. I wouldn’t want to embarrass the group with incompetent prose.

So, as the requester asked, what are my thoughts? Well, my initial thought is that I don’t want to do it, at all. Even now, I’m sick to my stomach over it. That said, I know I should do the article, it would be good for me, but I still have no idea what to say.