Unemployed art school graduate

So yeah, I have a lot of time on my hands nowadays, so why not document this awkward position I am currently in?

I just graduated from college back in May, and I still don't have a job. I know, sad. It would be one thing if I had worked my butt off applying everywhere and still didn't have a job, but alas, I've only applied to two places. Every graphic design job I find lists both multiple years experience and knowledge of web programs- Flash, dreamweaver, fireworks, etc- as prerequisites. I have neither of those things, so I have been a big chicken and have not applied to those jobs. In some ways I think it's easier on my ego to not try and fail (the obvious outcome of not trying), than to really put myself out there and fail. I have this crippling fear of failure that I really need to learn to fight off if I'm going to get anywhere.

I have been getting a lot of compliments lately on my work, which feels great, but for some reason I never fully believe them. Something keeps me from giving myself full credit for a job well done; it's always 'it could have been better', 'so and so would have done it better', 'if only i had put in a little more time', etc. etc.

It's hard to believe that it's actually time to be a 'real' artist now. I have the degree and the skills, and therefor the power and right to charge more for my work. However, I seem to have trouble asking for what my artwork is really worth. I have to start now though, because as they told us in school, it's a bad idea to start too low, because it's really hard to raise your prices once people know you charge a low amount. Plus, charging a small amount says you have little confidence in the quality of your work, which in turn means that customers will have little confidence in the quality of your work. At this point its hard to turn down a job because they won't charge enough- since I'm pretty much broke- but I have to learn to do that, or I will always get taken advantage of.

Well, I picked up an application to work at an art store near my parent's house- not the ideal employment situation at this time in my life, but money is money. Hopefully I can start making a little money doing something like that and keep teaching myself the web programs on my spare time. I also need to register my name as a business so I can start sending out my portfolio in hopes of getting some legit freelance illustration work. Again, I haven't sent it because of fear of failure- but I gotta suck it up.

It's go time baby.