I met Anthony Rapp today. :) That is the greatest way, in my opinion, to start off a blog post. The first time I saw Rent I was 13 years old. I fell in love with the show AND with Anthony Rapp. He was such a great actor. I saw Rent many many times after that and had always tried to meet him outside the theater. Never did. Flash forward now, to when I'm 24... Even though my friends and I were going to another show today, I convinced them to go over to the Broadway Cares Flea Market so I could get a picture with him. We did and I got one! My friends were paranoid we'd miss our show. I wasn't budging! I told them to go to the theater and I'd meet them there if I had to! lol He was one of the first people that ever struck my attention so much and turned me onto Broadway shows all together. :) Now I'm a Broadway addict! He was so sweet and just a great guy. I got a hug before I left and let me tell you...it was the best $20 charity donation I had ever made!! :) Then we went on to Next to Normal. (Which is such an amazing show. If you're in the area...GO SEE IT. There is nothing better than a powerhouse Broadway show that makes you laugh, cry -- rather bawl your eyes out, and then laugh some more.) All in all, I had an amazing day.

Tomorrow starts the real work. #1. Promoting my shops. Since I am now going to be a full time artist until I can get a new job, promotion will be key. I am going to have to really promote with all I have. I was trying to see if I had the $96 to advertise in the Etsy section in Bust magazine, but I'm not going to have nearly $100 to throw around. :( I will save up for the next time with that. However, I am going to advertise wherever I can. I'm really averaging about 130 visitors per day to ThreeSeventeen and 85 per day to OhMyCupcake. I'm going to have to improve those views if I want my shop to succeed. I will start promoting, posting new items and renewing items daily now. I also am going to be getting some more Showcase spots. My ring sale the other day, I found out, came from the customer seeing my ring on the showcase! :) Best $7 to spend. It pretty much paid for itself.

#2. We're going house hunting tomorrow. There are a few houses in Saten Island that my mom and I want to look at. It's bittersweet because we're going to be leaving the only house I have ever known in a few weeks (or a month) and move somewehre new. But i'm excited and looking forward to a new start in a town that I have always loved and a town that has ALWAYS felt like home to me.