antsy cranky pants.

I don't think anyone is going to want to read this post, BUT this particular blog is designated mostly for my own therapeutic needs so if I feel like I NEED to write about something, I'm gonna.

I'm a cranky-pants today, PLUS I feel anxious.  Really not a good combination.  I'm itching for something (don't really know what) and I also want to punch people in the face.  My poor boyfriend (with whom I also work at the architecture school) came into my office to tell me he thought it my responsibility to take care of a particular task that my boss spearheaded (it was a totally reasonable request on his part).  I practically bit his head off.

I think I'm anxious because I've only sold one item from Anna Delores in the last 48 hours.  Really not bad, but I'm telling you: once you have a little taste of business success, it's addicting, and any type of slow-down can feel pretty frustrating.  I really just need to distract myself.  You think that would be easy, since I am at my day job and could distract myself with, you know, the stuff I get paid to do, but since I also have Internet access at my work computer, I tend to instead distract myself from my real work by perusing anything and everything Etsy shop-related.

What I really want for my life right now is to make enough money selling photographs that I can quit my day job and stay at home, sleep in, run around Los Angeles with my camera, walk the dog, and fuss around online all day.  By "fuss around" I do mean business-related fussing: SEO work, research, business blogging, reaching out to potential buyers (both retail and wholesale), etc.  As much as I can get away with, I try to do many of those things now, just illegitimately at my office in downtown LA when I should be doing a multitude of other things that I'm actually being paid to do.  Yes, I am one of those people (though I wasn't until very recently) who squanders company time on "personal" pursuits.  Mom & Dad, if you're reading this, I already know I'm a fuck-up; no need to lecture.

I want to learn about SEO (search engine optimization), but it's such a massive undertaking to understand (and keep up with) the world of SEO that it makes me cranky just to think about starting.  I also DO want to move it forward, but I also feel like I have limitations with SEO because of Etsy.  Once my own site is up and running, I'll feel more in control of SEO, but until I either pay someone to build my website, sit patiently until the BF sets it up, or I learn how to do it myself (a whole other can of worms of frustration), the only SEO I can control is on Etsy.  And I'm just trying to decide how much Etsy SEO I want to invest in since my website will likely be my main focus once it's up and running?  Etsy is a solid powerhouse right now and certainly the engine of any success I've had between March and December (which I am happy with), so I suppose investment in said power isn't a bad idea.

Time for lunch.  Either I'll actually get "back to work" after or I'll delve into the irritating world of SEO.  Ciao for now.