Walking a little farther down the hallway

I've been spending the past week focusing on the less exciting and more anxiety-ridden part of my photography business - that is, putting a portfolio together to be able to show off to different galleries.  I don't really feel like I know what I'm doing, but I have to take some sort of step forward in order to get my pictures out into the world.  As they say, a well-marketed bad photograph will sell more than a poorly-marketed good photograph.

SO.  I am trying to remember what I learned in school about putting a portfolio together.  It needs to be cohesive, and it's good to have an underlying message in the overall collection.  I've come up with a couple different portfolio options.  The theme looks to be about the city, the country, and all the little things that make them up.  Very broad, I know, but it's what I seem to focus on.  I hope it makes sense - to see the beauty of everything in the world, and to take a moment to truly appreciate what is actually sitting in front of you, regardless of the context of the day.  Here is the first portfolio option:

The second portfolio I've put together has a little more color to it.  Still the same idea - being able to appreciate what can be seen, rather than glossing it all over with the film of "just another day" mentality:

I'd like to think my mixture of everyday scenes mixed with manipulated objects can help to broaden one's visual thinking when they go out into the world.  But maybe, what I need to do, now that I see these two portfolio options laid out, is to have two separate groups - one of the everyday scenes, and the other of manipulated things.  "Everyday scenes and manipulated things" - kind of has a nice rhyme to it.  

Bottom line of the week is, I'm frustrated.  It's hard to figure out what, exactly, to do with my photography.  I miss school precisely for the reason that professors and peers both could help me hone in on my own vision.  Any comments, tips?  I'd be happy, and relieved, to take them!