Helping you promote your businesses and websites on the Internet.
I succeed by helping you succeed.
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So, you want to know more about me, huh?Unlike my Unauthorized Autobiography page, everything on this page is true to the best of my knowledge and recollection. I've tried my hand at lots of things......and I even did some of them well! Over the years, I've done lots of things. I've worked road construction, plumbing construction, welding, leathercarving, playing banjo and guitar in a couple of bands that nobody ever heard of, worked in a couple of psych hospitals, and once shucked about 200 dozen oysters every evening in a seafood restaurant for several months. I'd rather starve to death than work in another factory.I once survived 16 months working in a Owens-Corning Fiberglas factory. There's nothing quite like the joy of being covered with bright, pink, fluffy, fiberglas insulation during the day and then trying to sleep at night while being stabbed by millions of glass fibers embedded in your skin. After a few months of this, I was promoted to chemical operator where I had the fun of unloading and mixing various chemicals used to produce the resins and dye used in the manufacturing process. The last few months I worked there, I was the assistant forehearth operator in the hot end of the plant where we melted the sand and other materials into glass and spun the molten glass into millions of fibers. One night, while the line was shut down for one reason or other, I was hauling out glass to the stockpile. The actual production of glass never quit, so, if the line was down, it was just diverted into dumpsters with water running into and over them to cool it from red-hot to just hot. The line had been down for a couple of days, and the cooling water was close to boiling. It was winter, and the steam was everywhere. As quickly as I could drive the forklift and carry one dumpster out to the stock pile and get back, the next one would just about be full. For some reason (perhaps I was tired and sleepy), about 3:00 that morning, I started outside with a dumpster that had less glass and more water than usual. When I backed up and started to go forward towards the door, at least 100 gallons of that very hot water splashed up on my legs. I killed the forklift and ran for the emergency shower, where I stood until the worst of the pain was gone. Not too long after that, while cleaning a glass overflow where it was supposed to fall into the spinner that turned it into fibers, I nearly fell into the pit where the fibers were sucked down by a vacuum onto the moving conveyor, and then the glass pack would roll under a large roller which would compress them into a mass. If I had fallen into that pit, that would have been it for me. I still have a nice scar on one of my fingers where I chose to grab a piece of red-hot steel rather than fall into the pit. It wasn't long after that before I decided this wasn't the place for me any longer. I turned in my notice stating why I was quitting -- because I felt it was too dangerous to work in that plant -- and the plant manager called my resignation, "A load of crap!" I even worked three works training two replacements before I left. Later I learned that they had turned in that I'd quit without notice. That's when I learned to always have my supervisor sign and date a copy of the resignation letter. Live and learn. When I left this job I swore that I'd rather starve to death than ever work in another factory. So far, I've managed to uphold that oath. Sometimes, I play well with others and don't run with scissors.I've met lots of people, learned lots of things, suffered my share of pain and disappointments, enjoyed my share of pleasure and achievement, been up to my neck in debt and forced to work all the time, been in love with someone special a couple of times, and married and divorced. I've been content to spend my time alone with myself most of my life. I've read lots of books, wrote two that were published and in print for about an hour or so (grin), started a couple of others and wrote a few songs that I keep for my enjoyment. Although I know how to play guitar and banjo, I no longer play for others. At one point, it began to feel like work, and I enjoyed it so much I chose to only play for my own enjoyment. Now and then I let someone else listen, but if they start to criticize or request something else, back into the case it goes. If it's not fun, why do it? I played football in high school, and in one game I was caught in a trap play where one guy hit me high and another low, and I twisted my knees. As a result, I walked on crutches for six weeks or so and have suffered from painful knees just about every day since then (not a fair trade at all). All because two players and a coach on a different team put more emphasis and value on winning a stupid game than caring about the welfare of a fellow human. I lost all interest in team sports after that. I've pitched manure, baled hay, changed a diaper or two, butchered hogs, balanced accounts and taught computers how to do the same tasks, have sometimes managed to take orders, sometimes given a few orders, cooked some tasty meals, eaten many tasty meals, won a few fights, told a couple of jokes that were funny, and in one of the psych hospitals I worked in, I once faced down a professional football player who was high on "angel dust" and nearly as huge as me. Neither of us got hurt. If the above paragraph reminds you of Robert Heinlein, good! You've been paying attention. Specialization is for insects! I try to respect others and expect the same in returnI was charged with insubordination by a supervisor I didn't respect and received a staff performance award from a supervisor I did respect. The first didn't have a clue about what she was doing and the second was close to being an expert in his field. Both events happened in similar businesses within a couple of years of each other. And, don't go there, this wasn't a gender issue, it was a competency issue. 'nuff said.
I've tried lots of different thingsI've solved some difficult problems, been stumped by some problems that later turned out not to be as difficult as they initially appeared, failed miserably at a few things, lived up to some people's expectations of me, disappointed others, and frequently worked way too hard on a job or project that held my interest. Eventually, I learned how to live a life of freedomI finally found the secret to living a life mostly free of stress and being a slave to a job: don't ever buy anything on credit. One of these days, it might make sense to invest in business equipment on credit, if I'm sure it will earn me money. But, I'll never again buy any consumer item on credit. If I can't afford it, I don't need it, or I'll wait until I can afford it. Being out of debt has allowed me the freedom to live an even simpler life and have the time to pursue the interests I encounter along the way. You may prefer to earn lots of money and/or support lots of debt, but I find the simpler way is better for me. Now, I'm trying to remember to swap for some things I want rather than being trapped in the mindset of valuing everything in dollars and cents. I'm more interested in trading something I have or something I can do to a friend or neighbor who wants it in return for something they can provide me that I will value more than any money that might change hands. You know, the way friends do things. My mom and dad were good examples of this, and lots of our neighbors are willing to swap or give what they have. I'm trying to learn. Not too long ago, I traded helping to load tractor tires on a trailer for fresh veggies. It was a good trade. We never even agreed on it, it just came naturally. That's the best kind of swap there is. I travelled quite a bitIn my younger days, I travelled around the southern United States from Florida to Arizona for a couple of decades, and finally found a home in the mountains of extreme western North Carolina. This was appropriate, since my parents were raised in north Georgia and eastern Tennessee, so this is their home range, so to speak. I live right in the center of some of the most scenic land in this country, near the small town of Murphy, away from the pollution, traffic, and noise of the cities I grew to dislike so much. I'm even within walking distance of one of the prettiest mountain lakes I've ever seen. My ancestors (see Genealogy) moved into the north Georgia area during the 1830s. Yep, you guessed it. Right after gold was found in Dahlonega and around the time the Cherokees were forced to move to Oklahoma, (see Dilbecks of Dawson County). Many of my ancestors and their relatives continued to live in the general surrounding area ever since -- they knew a good thing when they found it, I guess. Mostly, they were farmers and skilled tradesmen -- millers, carpenters, blacksmiths, and such. Right after the "Removal," some of them moved on westward to Oklahoma and Texas. I've wondered recently if they moved to Oklahoma because they may have married or gotten to be good friends with some of the Cherokees in this area. I don't know the answer, but I speculate about it now and then. The removal of the Cherokees and the genocidal wars against most of the Native Americans is a black mark in our history that should never be erased. I live with a reminder of this, because less than 100 feet from where I am writing this, Joe Brown Highway passes right in front of our house. In the early 1800's it was known as the Unicoi Turnpike and was a major wagon trail from Murphy to Tennessee and on to Kentucky and parts north. Fort Butler was the staging area for the Cherokees who were rounded up in most of western North Carolina and north Georgia, and was located just barely north of where the edge of Murphy is today -- right at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley Rivers. When the Army marched the Cherokees out of Fort Butler to Tennessee and then westward to Oklahoma, they passed right in front of where I live today. Thousands of people died on this trip. It should never be forgotten. I've visited places I grew to dislike, like New York City and Mexico.I visited New York City once for a few days, and after watching the river of people moving from the huge buildings to the subways at the end of their work day, realized I never again wanted to visit another human hive that was that big, dirty, and crowded. So I haven't! While I understand, and accept, that you may like living in a big city, I'll never understand why. I'm happy you found a place that suits you, but it would never work for me. A friend and I were eating pineapple sandwiches once in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico when a jeepful of Federales roared up, pointed automatic rifles at us, and started questioning us in very rapid Spanish. For a moment, I forgot all the Spanish I knew, and it took what seemed to be a long lifetime before I understood that we were somewhere they didn't want us to be. I learned, that day, that smiling and being cooperative sometimes works better than arguing. And keeping your hands in plain view and not making any sudden moves is a good thing, as well. I had visions of spending untold years in a Mexican prison because nobody in my family would be able to bribe someone to get me out of there. (I know this is horribly stereotypical, but it was what I was thinking at the time.) A couple of hours later, I learned how good it felt to look at the customs officer at the border, say "I'm an American," and enter back into the good ol' United States of America. I recognize we have some problems of our own, but I've never had soldiers or cops point automatic weapons at me here for eating a sandwich! In all fairness, I must say that I visited Puerto Peñasco more than once and enjoyed it. But the last time I was there spoiled it for me. There's something about looking down the barrel of several automatic rifles that just ruins my fun and enjoyment. Returning home...A year or so later, I was living in Phoenix, Arizona when I decided to visit my parents in Murphy, North Carolina. Summertime in Phoenix is enough of a reason to take a vacation and it was nearly 120 degrees when I drove through the desert to I-40 and points east. As I drove, it got cooler and greener, and water started appearing in the rivers and streams. I never would have appreciated the differences if I'd flown. Driving across the United States is an education in itself, especially when you get off the Interstates and drive the older roads. When I drove through the Ocoee River Gorge in eastern Tennessee (home of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events) and then eastward into North Carolina, I started asking myself why I was living in the desert when the prettiest scenery I've ever seen was in North Carolina. During the two weeks I was here on vacation, I decided it was time to leave the desert and "return to my roots" in southern Appalachia. In addition to finding home, I was also lucky enough to earn the love and trust of a wife and daughter. Even though we're no longer married, Kathy and I remain good friends and see each other often, and over the years our daughter, Dena, and her husband, Stacey, have had three children (Courtnie, Dakota, and Kaitlyn), each one the most perfectly adorable person on this quaint little planet. Sometimes I've worked too hard and suffered the consequencesI've owned and managed several companies since 1977, with varying degrees of success and satisfaction. I have extensive experience and skills in programming computers and teaching others how to use them, but I really don't enjoy doing any of that these days. I know quite a bit about marketing, selling at a profit, getting my raw materials and other supplies at a good cost, and creating web sites, but I don't think I'd call myself an expert, at least not yet. I'm just a guy who wants to do my best with what I know and can learn, and always strive to learn a little more and do a little better. I totally burned out on working on web sites and most things related to computers and the Internet back in the middle of 1997. After burning out so completely, from all the hours and the concentration it took on a couple of projects, I lost all desire to work with computers in any way, including developing my own website, which languished in a sad state for nearly two years and produced practically zero sales for me. You may be thinking to yourself, "What projects, JD?" Even if you weren't, I'll tell you! Briefly, so I won't bore you, during a period of about three years, when I worked 100+ hours just about every week, I designed, programmed, and installed a database system that the John C. Campbell Folk School used for about ten years to schedule their classes and teachers, register students, and provide management information reports for their business. They use modern technology to help people learn and appreciate a variety of traditional skills. I was happy to help them improve their information management technology and procedures, because I believe so strongly in the work they're doing to preserve and pass on the folk arts and traditions of our ancestors. What I lost in time and energy, I regained in satisfaction and doing my part in helping them to pursue these goals. If you're interested in these traditional skills and can't make it to a school, treat yourself to a book, or several, and learn it on your own. Just click on any of the following link to find the Foxfire books from Amazon.com. It may be the start of learning a skill that will bring satisfaction for the rest of your life. When the Folk School project was nearing its completion, I learned that Grove Enterprises was going to bring a local Internet connection to the folks of Cherokee and Clay counties (in extreme western North Carolina), and it would be the very first connection that wouldn't involve paying long-distance bills to access the information and services that I'd grown accustomed to in larger cities. I wanted to be a part of this project that would bring the knowledge of the world to our little corner of the mountains. When I'd moved here in 1984, I felt lost without email and access to the Internet, and I knew how valuable this would be for our friends, neighbors and children. I was in charge of the programming department at Tri-County Community College in the last half of the 1980s, and didn't even have a telephone in my office, let alone have a way to connect to the Internet. (At least that's changed now, and the school is using technology I didn't even imagine just twenty-five years ago.) So, when the opportunity to help our community connect to the Internet presented itself, I wanted to do my share to make it a reality. Over the next couple of years, I totally immersed myself in Unix, PERL, Internet protocols, and the complexities of managing, researching, developing, programming, and implementing what was then Grove.Net and has now expanded into WebWorkz.com, under new ownership. (And I still managed, somehow, to complete the Folk School project!) But I paid a cost for all this concentrated work. Everything changesThe only constant is change. Heraclitus pointed out a long time ago that you can't step into the same river twice because the river is always changing and so are you. So am I. After more than five solid years of working over 100 hours per week, I burned out. I needed rest. I've never mastered moderation. I'm not good at slow and steady. I tend to be a burst mode worker. I go as hard as I can for as long as I can, and then I need rest. So, I 'retired' from the computer consulting, teaching, programming, and systems administration business. I was sure, then, that it would be for the rest of my life. I even quit reading the USENET newsgroup alt.sysadmin.recovery and no longer wondered whether a twelve-gauge shotgun or a .45 caliber pistol would do the most damage to my beeper when it went off in the middle of the night and I had to drive forty-five minutes through a thunderstorm on twisty mountain roads to bring the server back up. I needed to do something different. I needed to make something that I could hold in my hands and show others. I needed less abstraction in my life, and more concrete reality. I went back to blacksmithing, a skill that I learned from my father, who learned from his father, etc., and taught myself to make and sell my version of steel roses made from recycled automobile body panels, as well as other hand-forged items. (If you're interested, you can see and read more about my blacksmithing and steel roses on my steel roses page.) I'm not doing any of the things I thought I'd be doing nearly forty years after graduating from high school, which I think means that I made some pretty poorly-informed goals back then! Heck, I'm not even doing what I planned to be doing five years ago. As a result of this, I've quit making five-year plans. For over two years, I wasn't sure what I'd be doing the next day. I quit wearing a watch. I didn't watch a calendar. Some days I got lots done, other days I took a long nap in the afternoon, sat around playing with the cats, or lay on my back watching the clouds drift by. I learned to slow down and smell the roses, appreciate scantily-clad women, consider my place in the universe, listen to children laughing, and make something of value that would last for generations if it's cared for. It hadn't been too many years ago that I was always carrying a day planner and scheduling my entire life -- sometimes for weeks in advance. For those two years, there were days when I didn't even know what day it was. I had learned prior to this period that a note is useless if it doesn't show the date and time -- and one day (in August, 1999), I wrote a note and started to add the time and date when I realized that I didn't have a clock in the shop, I wasn't sure what day it was, and after a few moments of thought, I simply dated it: "A sunny day after the middle of August, sometime in the early afternoon." What a change. I loved it. New opportunities beckon...In April, 2000, I learned that a group of local crafters were working to form a brand-new, non-profit cooperative in Murphy. Some had been laid off when Levis closed the plant in Cherokee County (and some of them had worked there for more than 20 years). They were looking into ways to earn an income from the sewing skills they possessed and their interest in making handmade quality crafts, and invited other artists and crafters to join them in their efforts. This struck a chord with me, so I went to their social to see what they were doing. I met a very nice group of people who were working earnestly to make things better for themselves and other crafters in the area. I started going to their weekly business meetings. It was there that I was reminded I had valuable skills in addition to metalworking and knowing how to sit on my miniature deck and watch cats play. I remembered that I know how to organize and plan projects, have decades of experience managing small businesses and advising others on managing theirs, and can do things using the Internet that take years to learn. I know how to make websites. I know how to make print and electronic versions of catalogs and brochures from all my years in desktop publishing. I make the time to read the books, study the articles, subscribe to dozens of newsletters and more, and generally try to keep up with what's going on in the cyberworld, without spending all of my time doing it. Before I knew it, I was hooked. I possessed some skills they needed to get organized and up on the web. One day, I realized how much I was enjoying doing things that most folks couldn't stand to do. I was researching and writing bylaws, learning lots of information about professional arts and crafts, and printing out hundreds of pages of what I'd found for the group to use in their library. The next thing you know, I'm putting in full-time effort on this and really enjoying it -- almost as much as I used to enjoy programming computers twenty years or so ago. I was finding a way to put to good use the skills and knowledge I'd earned the hard way over nearly three decades. And, although few people know this before now, this happened when I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever be able to make a living and support myself, again. That's how serious my burnout had been. But, it wasn't only the burnout. I'd caught some passing bug just before Thanksgiving in 1998, and I was sick enough I wasn't sure I was going to live, and don't remember a couple of days while I was most ill. It took a long time to regain my strength and there were days I just didn't have the energy to swing a hammer and forge anything. During the spring of 2000, after I'd gotten to feeling much better, I started getting weaker and sleepier. Some days it was all I could do to wake up, go up to the shop and feed the cats and then come back and take a nap on the couch. There were many days when I just didn't have the strength to get anything done but type on the computer and send and receive email. I still thought this was the effects of the bug I'd caught. In July, 2000, I had to go to the emergency room for something. (You don't want to know the details, trust me.) While I was there, I learned that my blood sugar was about three times higher than it should have been and my blood pressure was about twice as high as it should have been. So, at the age of 48, I realized I was going to be a diabetic for the rest of my life, and I knew little about it. So, after getting over being mad and then depressed, I did what I do best. I researched it. I made the decision to cooperate with my doctor, who was obviously going out of her way to help me, and cooperating with doctors and admitting there's anything wrong with me is something that is against my nature! ;^) I changed my diet completely and cut out all the things I loved best, but which were doing bad things to me. No more desserts. No more ice cream. No more soft drinks. And, please don't tell me about diet drinks. Not only do they taste too bad to even consider drinking, but there is some data that strongly suggests a link between aspartame and various degenerative conditions related to your brain. It's bad enough that diabetes is slowly destroying blood vessels and nerves. I don't need to do something that may damage the best working part of my body -- my brain. So now, a couple of months after learning my condition, I've taken steps to try to get things back under control. The meds and diet change have pretty much gotten both the blood sugar and blood pressure within normal ranges. Yes! I find I have much more energy and I'm not sleepy all the time. It's like I have a "new lease on life," as they say. I decided it was time to combine the things I do best and have learned to like doing the most: ordering computers around, researching and solving problems, and being a blacksmith. Gone are the carefree days of not knowing the day of the week....Instead of going into Murphy once per month or so, I made trips every few days and sat in meetings. In July, in a moment when I told them honestly that I didn't want the job, but I'd do it for the rest of the year if they wanted me to, I was elected the first president of Appalachian Heritage Crafters. For a couple of years, I worked as hard as I could to help build the infrastructure for the group, open a retail store in or near Murphy, and I promised to put up a website for all of us on the Internet by the end of the year -- all in addition to the work I'm doing for my own business here at JohnDilbeck.com I got swept up in this, and put too many hours into it. Still, for awhile, I loved it. I relished the change!!! It's what I do best: sort through massive amounts of information, filter out what's relevant, and present it in useful form. All the joys of consulting without the problems of dealing with clients who don't want to pay me or put my recommendations into action. So, for several years, I wasn't able to enjoy the carefree days of the mountain metalsmith. It also meant that I had much less time for smiting metal and making steel roses. I'm always amazed at what might come up and totally change everything in just a few days or weeks. Expanding JohnDilbeck.com...In the middle of July, 2000, I realized that I was really enjoying doing the research for AHC and seriously considered doing it professionally. So, on July 17, 2000, I went for it. That's the day I started writing a business plan for my Internet marketing business. I like working with artists and crafters, and I'm going to use my knowledge of modern technology to help you market your traditional skills over the Internet. It remains to be seen whether I made a good choice or not. My philosophy on web sites is that......Some web sites are meant to show off what you can do. Some are flashy and fancy and require the latest browsers, additional plug-ins, and the use of javascript or java. Some are meant to sell your products and services. I've yet to see one that does both at the same time and does either of them well. I know I'm not the world's best designer of fancy, flashy web sites... ...and I don't intend to be. I'm a left-brained, analytical person who wants to help you, a right-brained, creative person organize your business and sell more of your products. It's just that simple. If I decide to build your site for you, I'll do my best to create a site for you that delivers information that is easy to find and use, and asks the visitor looking at your site to make a decision and buy your products. I'm not a creative artist who wants to set trends and make people do what I want. I'm learning to market more effectively, and I'm learning to design sites that plainly and clearly offer benefits to the visitor -- you. I don't want to insist that you have the latest computer, browser, and plug-ins. I want to show you what's for sale, how it will benefit you, and then make it easy for you to buy it or request more information if you're not ready to buy quite yet. At the same time, I want to provide a place where you can express your opinions and tell all of us what you think is good and bad about various services and goods. I want to build a community here where artists, crafters, and customers can speak to each other so that all of us benefit from the interaction and learning. I want this to be as accessible as possible to everyone -- whether you have the latest and greatest computer or one that's older, slower, and doesn't have the latest browser and other software. I won't use any java on my site, but I've made a concession to some small javascript scripts because that's the only way I can offer some of the features I want to offer. And, I know some of you won't be able to see and use these features, but I'm going to try to put enough here for you to do that, even with older computers and software, you'll still feel like part of the community and will be happy to participate. So, that's a couple of reasons why I don't design fancy, flashy web sites. Those sites have their places and may show off your skills in creating gifs and jpegs, animated graphics, and various music files. You can have pretty pictures of what you're attempting to sell, and your site can be an entertaining experience. But, if it's not selling your products, it's a waste of your valuable time and effort. It all starts with your product. If it isn't a quality product that you're proud to offer, and one you're willing to stand behind and guarantee to your customer -- you'll have a very difficult time selling it on the Internet. Yes, there's lots of junk and scams floating around. There are folks on the Internet who will cheat you and take your money as often as you'll let them, but you and I aren't one of those people. We want to provide a quality product at an appropriate price. Or, we want to purchase a quality item at an appropriate price. If you're looking for anything else other than finding people who buy and make quality items at appropriate prices, you might as well leave here and go someplace else. I struggled for weeks trying to decide how to market my roses on the Internet, and then again when I started building JohnDilbeck.com. How was I going to attract you to my site? How was I going to organize it? Was I making any serious mistakes that would kill my new site before it began to grow? I searched and found lots of conflicting advice, but I was looking for someone who reeks of integrity and offers a fair return for a fair purchase price. I found much more than I expected and hoped for when I stumbled across Ken Evoy. Make Your Site Sell! delivers much more than it costs (less than US$18, depending upon exchange rate fluctuations with Canadian dollars), and as a result, I've become a big fan of Ken Evoy and his site. If you're serious about selling your products, visiting his site and reading what he offers may be one of the best things you could do to improve your Internet marketing skills, and much of what you'll learn will carry over into other activities, both on and off the net. All his products have an unconditional money-back guarantee. How many authors are confident enough to offer that? Update: It's been years since I wrote the previous paragraphs and things have changed. Make Your Site Sell! is now free to download, because Ken and his team have turned their attention to Site Build It!, a system that incorporates all the tools that were suggested in his book. After being sure I liked him and his product, I joined his affiliate program and took a full week to download, print out and read all the back issues of his Five Pillar Club affiliate newsletters (over a ream of paper!). Then I printed out and marked up his affiliate's manual and a special report he calls the 80/20 report -- for identifying and using those 20% of the methods that generate 80% of the profits. I've researched and joined quite a few affiliate programs, before and after joining his, and nobody comes close to Ken and the Five Pillar Club in terms of training and support. Nobody else invests the time and effort in training and supporting his affiliates. Getting back to what I learned from his book, and his other books, he demonstrates rather clearly that it's the words, not the graphics, that sell your products. Clear photographs are important, so we can see what you make, but it takes words to sell it to someone you may never see in person. More importantly, they may never see your products in person if you don't learn to create a powerful mental image in their minds. Through your words, your customer must be able to experience your product through as many senses as possible, to mentally pick it up, hold it, see it, turn it about, and hear and smell it if that's important to appreciating your product. She must be able to know what it will do for her. She's not especially interested in what it will do for you. If you succeed in making this an experience your future customer can appreciate, you've just made a giant step closer to making another sale -- and quite possibly, another friend. Now, I want to state explicitly that I have no disdain for nice graphics and good photography, especially if that is what you produce and sell. In fact, I love nice graphics and wish I were better at producing them. So, if graphics are what you're selling, show them off. The nicer the better! JohnDilbeck.com is changing and expanding, while John Dilbeck is changing and shrinking -- thanks to my new permanent diet! ;^) Perhaps I'll over-reach now and then, but, in the long run, I think this is a workable opportunity. It will give me something to do on those hot, humid summer days and frigid winter days when it's just not comfortable working in my primitive little smithy -- and, yes, I realize how spoiled I've become! When the weather is nice and I'm feeling like smiting steel, you may be able to hear the rhythm of my hammer on the anvil. When you don't hear that, listen closely, and you may be able to hear the tappity-tap of my fingers on the keyboard. This sounds like the best of both worlds. I get to use my computer and networking skills to help others, and my metalworking skills to relax myself and make items of beauty for the folks who appreciate them. Who knows what I'll be doing five years from now! Thanks for listening to me ramble! Feel free to look around. Check out what interests you. Make yourself at home and come back as often as you like. Just stay out of the bottom dresser drawer on the left!! -- JD
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