Yikes! 40 is getting closer and closer

So it dawned on me as I was driving into work today that in less than a month I'll be 37. I remember thinking when I was young that 40 was really old, and now here I am on the precipice and terrified of this number. A number that really doesn't mean much anymore, especially since 40 is not a heartbeat from death. A 2009 forty year old, is the equivalent of a 1809 version of twenty-two. Not a baby but far from being considered aged and decrepit.
I do have a goal for my birthday. Get the damn spare bedroom turned into a craft room. I had wanted to remove the carpet, get the room painted, buy furniture, install cabinets, etc. Now I'm just thinking fuckit, get it done so I can use the living room for what it should be and put my crap away. Just like a year ago, every time I come home I hate what I see when I walk in.
So this weekend I have to find time to buy a twin size sleeper sofa and see about getting a truck to rent so I can grab the furniture from ikea.
Jewelry is selling well and I in turn bought from other esty sellers. I am so grateful that etsy is pure fun money. I would be terrified/destitute if I had to support myself on a hobby.
So things to do. Dan is helping our friend John move back tomorrow so after the gym I'm debating on doing something not fun - gardening or doing something fun - Los Angeles bead district. I don't want to spend too much but I've been itching to go.
Sunday I'm going to be going to Santa Anita race track for a girl craft show - can't wait and I'll upload the link once I remember it. I guess with age the brain does become faulty.
Well must off, for a Friday I seem to be in a myriad of meetings today and I'm late for one right now.

10 years and more

Well last week I had almost finished a moving and sentimental post about being at my job for unofficially 10 years. I went over changes not only within myself and the transformation from unhappily married to very happily married, but the subtle changes that time does to everyone. Of course it was by far my best work EVER, or so I think cause I didn't save it before going into a meeting and somehow lost it all by the time I got back to my desk.
Oh well.
So I am a decade at one job. It's amazing, especially since the thought of being that grounded is kind of scary. I am more than fortunate to work at a place where I love the people I see everyday and I think we all, for the most part, get along very well. There is stress at times and it's not always easy, but there is little finger pointing and I have to say I do have one of the best bosses ever, which makes going to work a joy. So I know that I'm lucky and I am very grateful for my position.
Now onto another fun topic.
I MADE THE FRONT PAGE OF ETSY!!!

Okay, for someone who has no idea of how difficult this really is. It's hard. I've been on etsy for almost 9 months as a seller. I have been on the front page twice. The first was last August for a total of 20 minutes before my item sold. Now I was young and stupid and didn't have my pricing done correctly and someone from Australia got a VERY GOOD DEAL on shipping. Lesson learned. So yesterday I knew that I was in a treasury. I have been fortunate enough to be in 20 I think so I was very happy to be included. Yesterday morning I noticed that it would be expiring later that day but it had gotten a lot of views so I just figured that it would fade away like so many of the ones I've been in. NOPE. Yesterday at 2:00pst there I was on the front.
I was giggly with happiness and started calling first my parents, then friends to share the news. What's true with anything that one person is very involved with and others aren't is the level of excitement over the news. My mom had an idea what a big deal this is (there are approx 80,000 sellers on etsy and only 12 each hour are on the front page) cause of my tone of excitement. Friends who aren't on the site were sort of meh. Jenn was thrilled and linked me instantly on her facebook page and a friend of hers had the best comment, stating that she'd give her right pinkie toe to be on the front page. I don't think I'd be willing to give up an appendage for the front page but the desire to be back on the front does get obsessive, and I think that's what drew me to making the pillow that finally put on the front again.

What I find funny is that 98% of my items are jewelry and the two things that have put me on the front are pillows and blankets. Not complaining at all but it is interesting.
So statistic. Before my pillow had been on the front it had 83 views and 4 hearts. It stayed on the front for the full hour (no one bought it) and in that time, my views shot up and at the end there had been 913 views and 71 hearts for that one item. I had an overall love increase with my shop go from 335 to 355 as well. On average I get maybe a heart or so a day, so being on the front page gave me a 20 day jump in hearts and there is no way that I would have been able to get 913 views in 20 days.
Another fun part was going onto google analytics and seeing the spike from 115 views a day to 1000 views in one day.
Well I have got to go back and start working on yet another pillow since I'm obsessed with being on the front page no less than 5 times this year. A goal that I think I can get.