I'm back

Ready to take jewelry orders for 2009...

No more Xmas orders

Sorry! At this point I can no longer get any orders done before the end of the year. Any orders that come in before 2009 will be shipped ASAP in January. Happy holidays!

Mayhem

Oy! My web host vanished like a thief in the night a bit over a week ago. After being with them for over 4 years, Jatol.com yanked the rug out from under me, inexplicably and without warning, leaving me hanging without website and email. Just gone - and only a few months after I had paid for another year of hosting. I was visiting with an old girlfriend and was oblivious to the carnage till days after the fact. Upon googling for some answers, I found I was not alone in boggling at the turn of events. I've finally gotten around to finding a new web host and redirecting my DNS to point to the new name servers (duh, else you wouldn't be seeing this). As to whether I'll get things back to where they were, time will tell. I have a lot of pages and images to check to make sure all is working and that the backups I've uploaded were current. Certain mail filters, htaccess settings, custom error pages, etc. I'll have to setup again also. I really didn't need this aggravation and expense on top of a glum and grumbly year. Blah! >:-P

Yep...

This blog has been dead for a pretty good while now. Wish I could say the same for myself. I'm trying to be human, but it's tough. I don't feel I fit anywhere and in the past year the people I felt were my closest friends have all given up on me. I'm trying to be active on StumbleUpon again. It's a really cool social bookmarking site, but it's hard to motivate myself to contribute or even talk to anyone. I feel I've got nothing worthwhile to say. Bleh.

out of touch

i'm feeling very detached from everything and everyone. there are things i need to do, but i don't feel like doing them. i'd be dead, if i could. i'll be more useless than usual for awhile...

Tennessee Crafts Fair

I'll be at the TACA Tennessee Crafts Fair in Nashville's Centennial Park this weekend. If you're in the area, stop by and say, "Howdy". I'll be in Booth #3.

Fate hates

Arrgggghhhh! Fate hates a man who doesn't back up his work. I was writing something long, and complex, and emotionally draining and just as I was thinking of saving what I had so far, my screen turned into a frightening, pixelated hodgepodge of colors. :-( I thought, "maybe it's just my video card", and pressed Ctrl+S, typed a filename, and pressed enter, hoping to blindly save what I had put off writing until I couldn't stand it anymore and made myself remember things that troubled me to get them out, out to see if I could find relief. Then this. This is the sort of thing that drives people crazy. Another 5 seconds and I'd have had it saved. It wasn't just the video card. After waiting for a miracle to restore my video, many Ctrl+Alt+Deletes, and some sobbing, I poked a paperclip into the assigned hole on the computer to reset it and found my attempt to save my work was a failure. Just like me. I'm not sure when I'll try again. It seems everything is falling apart around me... and in me.

AFK

Not like I keep up this blog worth squat, but it may be worth noting that I will definately not be doing a thing here, at all, for about two weeks. I may have a good deal to say after that though. There are a lot of events in my life that are of concern to me and I really have no one to talk with. Not the way I need. So, i may as well tell the world, right? I'm hoping it will help to just get it all out ... before it blows me apart. 32 years after the picture below and I'm still not a happy guy.

StumbleUpon Toolbar 2.6

Ugh, the StumbleUpon toolbar was updated again. Here's the latest with my skin on it:

Here's the latest version of my StumbleUpon Toolbar skin for Firefox. It includes the current version of the toolbar (2.6). Note: You may have to set Firefox to allow installation from www.handheadman.com if you haven't done so before.

If you decide to go back to the original StumbleUpon skin, just reinstall it from here: StumbleUpon toolbar.

Oh, and if you're not using Firefox, you're missing out on way more than these few toolbar graphics. Make the switch, you won't regret it.

Here's the latest version of my StumbleUpon Toolbar skin for Firefox. It includes the current version of the toolbar (2.4).
Note: You may have to set Firefox to allow installation from www.handheadman.com if you haven't done so before.

If you decide to go back to the original StumbleUpon skin, just reinstall it from here: StumbleUpon toolbar.

Oh, and if you're not using Firefox, you're missing out on way more than these few toolbar graphics. Make the switch, you won't regret it.

Tired, old stump

A map for would-be visitors

sigh

why?

eBay Sucks

I just got an email from eBay claiming I violated their "About Me" page policy. Here's what they linked me to so I could see what apparent evil I had done:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/listing-aboutme.html
and
http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/item_allowed.html

I looked these pages over and it looks to me like I've violated absolutely zero of their posted policies. Now what? Well, I responded asking for clarification, but I'll bet dollars to donuts that, if anything, all I'll get is some worthless form letter and an unending run-around no matter how much I try to resolve the situation. eBay is known to be a poor communicator.

My suspicion is that the jackass that refused to complete an auction of mine he had won is still fussing over the negative feedback I gave him which he responded to with lies. I felt the need to clearly explain the truth of the matter, because I value my reputation as a fair trader, and I think being outed for his lies in my feedback has stuck in his craw ever since. Well, eBay may be able to screw me over on their site because this guy cried to them, but they can't censor me here. So, here's what was there before the eBay goon squad deleted my About Me page (Note: I made the page a long time ago and haven't done much with it so it's a bit ugly): My real eBay "About Me" page

Fog Lamp

Because I like adult humor and maybe use the occasional "cuss" word my StumbleUpon blog is "Rated 'R'". Unfortunately, this action by StumbleUpon to appease prudes has cast a fog over my pages there making them inaccessable to search engines. This is a shot at trying to start seeing through that fog. Here's a link to my SU blog RSS feed . With any luck, when this gets spidered, that link will get my SU blog some visibility again. Not sure how it'll go though since it's both XML AND served up by PHP. Guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Rated "X". May contain sexually explicit language and images.


Rated "R". May contain violent language and images.


Rated "G". May contain Teletubbies.

Holiday shopping

Why deal with holiday shopping crowds just to buy the same, impersonal junk from some big chain store? Shop online and get one-of-a-kind, handcrafted gifts. To start, check out some of the offerings from my peers on StumbleUpon:

StumbleUpon Toolbar Version 2.2 Skin

Here's the latest version of my StumbleUpon Toolbar skin for Firefox. It includes the current version of the toolbar (2.2). The official SU release can be found on its Mozilla Update page.

New Jewelry Items Coming to Catalog Soon...

I had meant to add some new items the the jewelry catalog earlier this year but never got to it. Now, with the holiday season looming large, I'm finally motivated. I have a couple of small projects that will busy me through the weekend and then there's Thanksgiving coming soon; afterward, if not before, I'll be adding at least the following new items to the catalog for ordering. Stay tuned...

Here's the latest version of my StumbleUpon Toolbar skin for Firefox. It includes the current version of the toolbar (2.04).

If you decide to go back to the original StumbleUpon skin, just reinstall it from here: StumbleUpon toolbar.

Worthless

At what point should one stop believing in himself and just accept everyone else's opinion that he's worthless? For me it's feeling as close as the period at the end of this sentence. It makes more sense to say, "what the fuck is wrong with me?", rather than, "what the fuck is wrong with everyone else?", right? - What the fuck is wrong with me???

StumbleUpon 2.03 Toolbar Skin

Here's the latest version of my StumbleUpon Toolbar skin for Firefox. It includes the current version of the toolbar (2.03).
Note: You'll have to set Firefox to allow installation from www.handheadman.com if you haven't done so before.

If you decide to go back to the original StumbleUpon skin, just reinstall it from here: StumbleUpon toolbar.
You can find other skins in this StumbleUpon Skinning Forum thread.

Oh, and if you're not using Firefox, you're missing out on way more than these few toolbar graphics. Make the switch, you won't regret it.

Amazon Affiliate

So, I joined the Amazon.com affiliate program. Now I'll be peppering my blog on occasion with links to books, movies, etc. that I review and if anyone buys from those links I get paid. Woopie. I'm not expecting anything really, but it's worth a shot. Here's a search box for Amazon I'm trying out.

Search: All ProductsApparel & AccessoriesBabyBeautyBooksCamera & PhotoCell Phones & ServiceClassical MusicComputer & Video GamesComputersDVDElectronicsGourmet FoodHealth & Personal CareHome & GardenJewelry & WatchesKitchen & HousewaresMagazine SubscriptionsMiscellaneousMusicMusical InstrumentsSoftwareSports & OutdoorsTools & HardwareToys & GamesVHS Keywords:

If you have a hankering to buy anything on Amazon, go there from here and maybe I can buy some food. :-)

4 More Down

In spite of being especially depressed lately I've managed to finish 4 more furniture refinishing projects. The coffee table and end tables by my couch are looking pretty spiffy now as well as my neat-o aqua rocker. The couch is going to be a bit of a job so I'm holding off tackling it for awhile. Here are some pics of the latest work.

Go me

I'm finally getting around to refinishing some of my furniture. Got the first table finished yesterday and I think it looks pretty great.

StumbleUpon version 2.0 skin available

If I ever forget to note it here I always have the most current version on my SU page.

And Yet Another...

Okay, the StumbleUpon toolbar is now up to version 1.9999 so I had to pack my skin into that one. Here's the very latest for all you Stumblers out there using Firefox (As always, you'll have to set Firefox to allow installation from www.handheadman.com if you haven't done so before.):

If you decide to go back to the original StumbleUpon skin, just reinstall it from here: StumbleUpon toolbar.

Blarg without end...

Ugh, still depressed, unproductive, and uncommunicative. I haven't made much progress on the catalog stuff, but I did do the skin for the StumbleUpon toolbar ver 1.9998 since that's a quick job. Grab it right here:

New catalog items coming

In the days following the TACA show, which runs May 6 - May 8 in Nashville's Centennial Park, I'll be adding some new items to the online catalog. Here's a peek at some of the thumbnails:

Panning for gold

I'm panning my stream of consciousness for gold.

One of those darn quizzes

You scored as Mindfuck. Congratulations, you scored Mindfuck. You've probably seen a lot of movies, and have grown to hate mainstream shit. You're looking for the movie that will leave you breathless, and with 21 questions to think about. Check out: Donnie Darko, Being John Malkovich, Pulp Fiction, Memento. Mindfuck 95% Artistic 90% Sci-Fi/Fantasy 80% Sadistic Humour 80% Drama/Suspense 60% Romantic Comedy 45% Mindless Action Flick 45% Movie Recommendation. created with QuizFarm.com

Workin'

I'm going to be spending a lot of time in my studio now. I have to get ready for the TACA Spring Craft Fair that runs May 6-8 here in Nashville. I thought I'd set up a cam in my studio so if anyone caught me slacking off they could nag me to get back to work.

The picture quality sucks since it's a cheap X10 wireless cam. The image may futz up sometimes also due to the florescent light near it, a neighbor's microwave oven being used, or other weirdness. Anyway, here's the cam shot:

Call, IM, or write if it looks like I'm goofing off too much. I have terrible self discipline.

eBaying for Dollars

I need cash!!! I'm selling stuff on eBay. Putting up a number of listings over the next few days. Check 'em out and buy some crap: My eBay junk. Spread the word!

fading rays of light

i wish my soul was never so
that i did not live in ashes
cold and lost all things I love
or distant
hardly seen

every minute an age
yet somehow days are fleeting
gone
always gone
empty past
empty coming

i wait for nothing
i move toward nothing
i long for everything
i cry for me
for this world
where i can never be
not really
not known
not wanted
wishing to be cold

worthless words
unheard thoughts
work undone
and broken hearts
i am this
and more
so much more
but better things are held in darkness
as hope is the prisoner of Pandora's box
unopened
there is no hope