You know those images from Peanuts cartoons, where someone is aggravated and they have a black scribble in their thought bubble? That's me today.
First, the news on TV is completely depressing. I generally dislike this phrase, but "ignorance is bliss" is sounding more and more palatable to me these days. Then, I went through my Etsy favorites in lordie knows how long, and was astonished by how many shops had closed their doors (I don't know why, I'm sure there are a multitude of reasons). It just got me down. Then, being Veterans Day, I can't do banking or make calls to institutions regarding our health plan, which I still, for the life of me, cannot understand. I basically feel like we don't have health care because of our huge deductible but then I am reminded by the fact that we don't pay an arm and a leg monthly... bah! Whatever....I still have to write a big check for a basic checkup because NONE of our doctors are "in network" and I'll only ever get a measly 10% back for a preventative visit for my 15 month old (ie - the pending 18 month old checkup). I've got another huge pending issue over an underground oil tank that had a leak in it and we are still waiting - since APRIL- for official closure from the state. Then, couple all this, with disappointing November shop sales, sloppy sewing on my part, and the rise in cost of supplies? This picture of Lucy pretty much sums it up for me.
Mind if I rant a bit more? I went to order mailing tubes for my calendars today and not only had they gone up over .05 per tube, they used to offer free shipping and now it is $14.50- divide that by 35 pieces? Hello!! After shopping around and realizing this was still one of the better deals I could find, I did have to raise my shipping .50. I considered just sending them Priority Mail and using the Post Office's mailing tubes (that would be free), but it would be more money even still, and they are too large, so I'd have to stuff them and I'm afraid I just don't want to scavenger smelly newspapers and spend the time packing something delicate that fit ideally into one of those perfect mailing tubes. That would just drive the price up even more... ugh. Shipping woes.
Oh, and I'm still not feeling better. I have congestion and a persistent gloppy cough and practically no sense of smell or taste. I'd like to make some business calls, but the fear of spewing horrible sounds for the receiver to hear is keeping me from acting on impulse.
Then I'm having... not "doubts", but sort of jolts of insecurity about my business as a whole. Like I need this...
So, I'm a bit cranky today and I apologize. The fact that I've even published this is proof of my need to vent. I'm sure tomorrow will be better. It always is. I may even feel better later on today... Maybe a good night's sleep is all I need. Or a big glass of red wine and a cheeseburger with french fries and end it with a about 4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And a hug. Which I can get plenty of around this house, thankfully! I'm feeling better already at the thought of that.
33 comments:
I totally hear you - I hope its just today - it seems so cold rainy and wintery and spring seems so far away.
Here's to a cheery and happy day tomorrow when we will all feel a million times better ;)
You know what, your blog today represents how alot of people are feeling. A bit overwhelmed. Life is not always cheery lately. You mentioned alot of good reason not be smiling, and I am glad that people are venting. It is a gloomy world sometimes. However, on the brite side is this. Etsy does give alot of moms and women a fantastic start in pursueing a lifelong dream. Maybe the stores you sought out closed because they went on to bigger and better things. I know alot of people that have opened their own websites because of the success they experience with Etsy. I discovered your website two days ago, and I love your fabrics. Give me some time, and I will be buying some of those gorgeous prints.(My blog http://sewpink.wordpress.com). As far as the health insurance thing is concerned, I think we all feel the same pain there, but maybe because so many people are speaking out, things will change. Tomorrow the sun may shine, your cough will have loosened, and you will find a new reason to smile. I hope you have a Happy Veterans Day. I know I enjoy reading your blog.
Sleep and chocolate heals a multitude of wounds! After all, tomorrow is another day! ;)
that is definitely enough to get anyone down! running a business can be so up and down -- you're very talented and i'm sure things will pick up again! hang in there and i hope tomorrow is a better day for you. :)
i feel your pain! healthcare and lack of it is the bane of my existence. sometimes it's like the entire infrastructure of our government works against self-employed people.
anyway, you've been ridiculously succesful this past year and i'm sure there are many holiday sales coming your way in the coming weeks. keep your chin up and have that cheeseburger! red wine is good for your heart so that will balance it out. :)
Everything is worse when you're sick. I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon and with that, you'll be able to look at things a bit more clear-headed and maybe it's not all so bad, afterall! Or, if it is, go get that cheeseburger and wine and have at it!
aw. hugs for you dear.
Can I say thank you?! I also spent the day ranting about health insurance and generally freaking out over similar issues.
I know it doesn't make it better, but it helps to know another person (you! Whom I really admire) struggles with the daily grind of these stressors.
Thank you for your honesty. It's good to sometimes embrace your inner grump. We all try to stay positive so much of the time, and that's a good thing, but sometimes as we walk through our bed of roses, we just get stuck by a lot of thorns, and stung by a few bees. It all starts to feel like too much, and we just got to let it out. I think it is healthy. Cleanses the system... and reminds all of us that we are not alone. The economy and times in general are the toughest that we have ever seen, and it is getting scary. All we can do is take it a day at a time, and help each out through the bad days, and celebrate with each other the good days.
Sending you lots of big warm hugs. Lets hope tomorrow is a better day :0)
Oh you absolutely need to have a good vent once in a while. Better than bottling it all up! And I completely understand the overwhelmed/disgruntled feeling - your pic of Lucy is the most perfect image for it!
I'd love to have a 'work' rant on my blog too, and I'd love some feedback and advice on my totally unfair situation, but I can't because my boss reads my blog sometimes!! Ugh! Just to see 'what I'm up to', in other words - checking up on me. So odd. Almost creepy! (There you go - I got a bit of a vent in after all!)
But I agree with everyone. It's annoying when someone says "tomorrow's another day" but it's true! And being sick just multiplies everything, so I hope you feel better very, very soon! Or - how 'bout just now?!
I hope you're feeling better already! I'm with you in most of those thoughts, but drilling on them, it only makes things worst. So go ahead and have that tall glass of red wine...i wish i lived closer to cheer you up:) but you don't need it...those boys probably got you feeling all better already!
Oh don't even get me started on insurance deductibles and all that. I totally feel your pain. What a mess.
I hope you're feeling better soon!
Hope your cup is half-full tomorrow!!!
I'm so sorry for all your woes. Everything you wrote about is entirely reasonably and certainly timely. And something all of us can empathize with.
I hope that, by now, you've downed the comfort food and chocolate, been inundated with love, and will wake up tomorrow refreshed and ready to make it work again.
By the way, I fully believe in ignorance is bliss. You define your own world. If the headlines are getting you down, ditch the headlines and make your own. Broadcast joy, and you'll get it back tenfold.
xox
don't feel bad today was a bad one for me too. I who pride myself on being a successful artist has been seriously doubting myself these days since many of deals are either getting cut or cut-off. I have watched this economy go down along with my salary and wonder what I will do next. I am not one to stay sad for too long and think there is always something around the corner, but these days I am feeling doubtful. If you haven't noticed there is less shelf space in stores which means less manufactures getting deals and in turn us artists who license their art for product.
Also many of my manufactures have merged or gone bankrupt its become very bleak to say the least. I know deep down my future goal has nothing to do with all of this, but in the meantime I have to still make a living. We have cut our expenses dramatically to not go under. We took our little one out of daycare and downsized my big car into a more suitable one with less gas guzzle for the buck.
Funny after I left Target tonight saddend that one client had neglected to tell me the big program that was supposed to be in there was cut in half!! I just lost it on the way home, but then i came home to an email from a new potential deal so all is not lost as they say... Hang in there, I know I am and hopefully it will all get better!!!
By the way if you are having trouble with your cold you might have already tried this but cutting out dairy helps allot, and cayenne pepper helps break up congestion if you put it in your soup you will feel somewhat better!!
By the way a glass of wine always helps me, so go for it nothing wrong with having a bad day its what makes us appreciate the good ones.
Perfect sum up - Lucy! Do I owe you 5 cents?
those little black clouds are such a bummer! dancing around to the BeeGees with the kiddos seems to make them go away at our house... :)
I'm with you, seems like a lot of us are in the same boat. Hang in there! And if things get worse, I'd go for 5 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups :)
oh goodness, you are having your Moday today...I could rant as well, however, I feel as if this is your time...hang in, it has to get better right? wow...I really am useless aren't I...xo
oh michelle! It's horrible when everything seems to come at once and you can't really progress anything, especially when you are feeling rotten. One thing you certainly don't need to feel insecure about is your work, look how much you have achieved this year already. I hope that the rest of your day was full of hugs and anything else that could make you feel better, and then hopefully today your little cloud will have evaporated.
x
Poor thing! Be nice to yourself, ok?
And bizarrely (esp. considering my own post on Skinny laMinx today), the word verification here is "hugge", which is definitely Swedish... or something... for "big hug to you!"
I'm sorry to hear you've had a crappy day. We all experience insecurities every now and then, so hopefully you feel better about everything soon. I still think your tea towel calendar is the nicest of all the calendar's I've seen this year (and I'm obsessed with calendars) The only reason I never purchased one was because our Aussie dollar fell hard against the US. I think this is affecting a lot of people as far as etsy goes. Silly dollar!
oh dear, you are in a 'perfect storm' of emotion right now and being sick was probably the tipping point. sometimes, it's not always smooth and easy sailing. you're just getting started in your business with regard to the new fabric. as you know, a business has peaks and valleys, sometimes in the same day.
maybe, go back and read your posts about the international quilt show where you had so much fun hobnobbing with the textile celebs?
First of all...here's your hug--*huggggggggg*. Second of all--um, yeah, I know the feeling. This sounds like me a couple of weeks ago. It's. OK. It's okay to feel this way, and it's okay to post about it too. Nobody is perfect, nobody can do it all, and truly--NOBODY can figure out their health insurance plan. Don't beat yourself up on that one! As for your business insecurities, it's only natural I suppose. But take heart--you are a HUGE source of inspiration to many of us (most of all me!) for the leaps and bounds you've taken in only 2 or so years on Etsy. You are good at everything you try and you've got the fans, press and loyal customers to prove it! Be gentle on yourself when these black scribble thought clouds come looming.
You're sick--take the rest you need so that you can regroup and be that much better when you're feeling ready to get back at it.
One more for good measure *hugggggg*
Thank you for saying what runs through my head just about every day! Ah, think positive (easier said than done).
BIG HUG! BIG HUG! BIG HUG!
Love, Hubby, Karl and Bruno
i hear ya, sister! keep your head up!
Thinking of you! Ohh I know how those bad days can just creep up on us. I'm feeling all sick and gross today too. Keep your spirits high...all you can do is smile and keep on truckin!
Oh HONEY! I hear you girl.
Sorry you've had such a horrible day, but thank you for your post. I'd just come back from the Post Office in a huff because I just do not understand how they calculate shipping... your post completely expressed how I was feeling! (I've had another look at their shipping rates and I think I get it now. I think. I'll postpone writing a letter to the manager asking for a personal tutorial on shipping costs.)
Bad days can suck it.
As for the niggling worries about your business....it's just part of the deal. BUT it's actually a good thing, keeps you on your toes, stops you getting bored and makes you think outside the square.
There's no stopping you, kid!
J x
we all go through these feelings of self-doubt and worry. it's like it seems to all pile up on us all at once and it more than we can handle. as for the economy, it will cycle around as well. don't give up on seeing blue skies and lollipops. just have faith!
Sorry to hear you have been feeling overwhelmed and frustrated - being sick at the same time is really not a good combination :) An idea for your mailing tubes - could you recycle the long tubes that fabrics are rolled on - perhaps it's just here in the UK that fabrics are stored this way but they are really sturdy and would work perfectly - you would need to cut them to size and seal the ends but worth a thought :)
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