Tuesday, November 11
I've finally figured out that I really don't care if I get paid for a lot of the things I do. I mean, if I have a JOB, I expect a paycheck and stuff, but I just don't do that with my own business. I did a business card reorder yesterday, and the third version of the digi-postcard today. I'd made my money the first time around on each of them, so no new money. Which is fine—I agreed to those terms when I did the first jobs. I was just pissy this morning because the email was too goddamn chipper. It's not worth it to me to negotiate and invoice and worry about sales tax and crap like that for what's probably a pretty piddling sum anyway.
This is especially true with the pins. I like giving my pins away, it's worth more to me to do that than it would be to get money for each one. It makes people happy to get them, makes me happy that I can give them, and as long as I get the usual flow of website orders, and bands* and geeks and non-profits who want custom buttons 4 cheep, plus an occasional corporate job at full price, my supplies are paid for. I think the war-fueled sales burst paid for the equipment. Even though I didn't profit on the anti-war sets specifically, a lot of people ordered other sets at the same time at full price. So now I have paid-for machines and a zillion parts. It's okay if I give them away, and I don't need to chase down business when I really hate doing that. I don't know why I keep beating myself up over something so easily reconcilable. My work still has value even if I don't get paid in cash. The design is the whole part of the job that I like anyway. Well, that, and ordering office supplies. And rolls of stamps. I love rolls of stamps.
The only downside to the whole not-making-money thing is that our accountant gets very dour and disapproving. Aah, we can't afford to pay her ass this year anyway, so who cares.
*Strangers' bands, that is. Friends get hooked up. Because I can, and I want to, and gosh darn it, it's okay if I do!
8:32 PM
