Thursday, December 27, 2007

My Rant and Rave Entry

Bear With Me, I just want to vent my frustrations of trying to deal with large electronic companies support.

It seems that every time you are confronted with any type of question and call concerning technical support or product recommendations no one can give you an answer and quickly transfers you to a different extension to keep from exposing their short comings or product ignorance.

My most recent encounters with the problem have been with Dell, Bellsouth, and Panasonic.

The support functions online for each are so hidden or labor intensive with unnecessary BS that most people give up with disgust.

Tonight, I tried to use Panasonic's support contact form and gave up after the 3rd try of filling out the long BS form when trying to find a flash or light for a "not so cheap" video/still camera.

Seems that each time when I hit the submit button, there was an error message on the page. I had already become suspicious when the page stated a 24 hour reply time.

I believe that most large companie's pride and common sense has gone to "Hell In A Handbasket" as my grandparents would have said.

If you have had negative experiences with these large companies, please leave me a comment.

Check out my latest lens on Squidoo!!

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts

New Cooking Lens on Squidoo.com

Check out our new lens on Squidoo.com. It has step by step instructions for slow cooking Southestern Pulled Pork.

My New Lens

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com/

Friday, November 30, 2007

Free IM Resources

Just a short post to everyone that is involved in internet marketing: It the time of year for Mark Hendrick's "Twelve Days of Christmas". Thousands of FREE marketing resources. It only comes once a year!! When you get to the webpage, find the link at the top of the page.

Marketing Tip:

***This will make you see red***

For two-color direct mail packages, red is usually the best choice for the second color. The reason: a growing body of scientific literature on the effects of color indicates that red is exciting for people -arousing - while blue and green are calming.

Source: "Seeing Red," AARP Magazine, 12/07, p. 103.

Lets all of us get aroused at Christmas.

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Thursday, November 29, 2007

"No Man Is An Island."

I hope that each and everyone of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and was able to spend time with loved ones. We have approached the time of the year that passes by so quickly but for many it can also be the most lonely time.

Let us all enter "The Christmas Season" with a positive attitude and do our best to look at the "sunny side of life". If we look at everything it is evident that we are more fortunate in some way than someone around us. Please help the the loved ones that are having a rough time.

In the last few years, I let my life lead me away from someone that, at one time, was my best friend and had helped me through some rough times. I was going through a rough marriage and divorce but this person was one that stuck by me and helped me more than he actually knew. If one of us played for a dance, the other played for the same dance. We always went together.

During the Thanksgiving holiday the phone rang and my present wife told me that a man wanted to speak with me and she didn't know who it was. To my suprise, it was my friend from the past with some disturbing news.

His life has been considerably more than pleasant for the last couple of years. It was a feeling that I can't explain when I heard the voice on the other end of the phone line. It was great to hear the voice but I felt bad that he has been through so much and I knew nothing about.

I had been concentrating so much on my own problems and life that I had forgotten the ones that really cared.

This is probably a lesson that I really needed.

Don't forget your friends and people that have helped you. We live and learn the hard way. Being self centered has been the downfall of many a person.

Whatever he thinks, "No Man Is An Island".

"God bless and help you have a wonderful Christmas season". Remember what it is all about!!

We Love all of you but remember "We still function like humans".

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com/

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Back to Posting

Its been quiet a while since out last post but we hope to find more time in the future.

With the warm weather we have been spending less time in front of the computer and more working on other things. We have spent more time in the doctors office. Guess this just comes with age.

We have done some additional writing for our main website and have been able to add a great deal of related content.

We added a new page of mostly IM Resources. All are great resources and some of them are free. Check them out: IM Resources

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com/

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

"Big Willie" - Priceless

I left the house this morning alone and headed for Best Buy to purchase the camcorder and camera. Enough said about that.

My mind wandered to grits and eggs so I headed to "Old Mill Grill" to get some breakfast.

While enjoying my breakfast, this tall thin black gentleman (?) and attractive, neat black female got up to leave the restaurant.

As he walked past the female with his newspaper under his arm and went out the door, I noted the back of his tee shirt which read "BIG WILLIE"

As the female stopped at the register and paid I, thought to myself.

Whatever free!!!
Breakfast free!!!
Being able to wear a BIG WILLIE t-shirt PRICELESS !!!!!

Camcorder free???


C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Autism Awareness

Everyone please remember the Autism Awareness race in NASCAR and the importance of being aware of the increase in the presence of autism in our society.

It is growing at an alarming rate. Ten years ago, I didn't know what the word autism meant. I remarried and came to the realism quickly. My stepdaughter is autistic.

My wife will sponsor the 21st Annual Cookout for The Autistic of Gaston County, NC Wednesday, June the 6th. She has sponsored this every year in the name of her daughter Christy.

She has been blessed with help from many people and organizations this year. Please pray that everything goes well and all are blessed for attending.

Sincerely and God Bless!
Charles Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Gary Halbert

I was going through some of Gary Halbert's Newsletter archives and came across this excerpt from "A Return to Love" by Marrianne Williamson. I like it and thought that I would pass it along for your enjoyment.

"Gary was one of the most brilliant copywriters ever. He passed away not long ago".

Most liked and respected him but some others didn't agree with his presentation and style.



“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
from "A Return to Love", by Marianne Williamson.

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"


Charles Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Health Insurance

I believe that health insurance providers practice being aggrevating about paying claims.

My stepdaughter is in school and is on my insurance policy through my employer of 20 years. I have paid extra to carry her for six years because she makes it necessary to carry the family plan.

She was instructed by her dentist that her wisdom teeth would have to come out. He arranged for an oral surgeon and the teeth were extracted Monday of this week.

I received a paper from the insurance provider that the claim submitted by the surgeon was rejected. It seems that they need more information to verify that the surgery was necessary.

Dah!! I don't know of a lot of people that gets wisdom teeth extracted just for kicks. There again, why didn't they send the questions to the surgeon.

Just another of life's little pissers to cause aggrevation. Guess we'll see how many threatening letters from the surgeon and how long it takes to get this resolved.

"Just my thoughts"
C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts - Check out the Spider-Man books for sale.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Interesting Facts

It's Fun to Know: About Lab Accidents

The following products were all the result of accidents or blunders in the lab: Kevlar, superglue, cellophane, gunpowder, photographs, phonographs, Teflon, penicillin, LSD, Viagra, and (of course) The Incredible Hulk.
(Source: Discover Magazine)

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.


Check out our Comic Book deals at GetawayCrafts.com: comics

C. Oxford

Friday, May 04, 2007

A Great Attitude from Junior

"I always look at everything as whatever happens happens," Earnhardt Jr. said. "You do the best , 100 percent every day and do my best. The good Lord's going to take me wherever I go in life. I'll be fine. I'm going to win races."

This is a quote from the Charlotte Observer's David Poole's column.

A true sportsman and good human being and gentleman.

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Monsters of The Pro Midway

It's a shame that society has helped to create a "don't give a damn" attitude in some pro athletes. Again, we read the headlines that, upon the loss of personal gains, a pro athlete is sorry for his repeated unlawful and disruptive actions in society.

We see this over and over again!

So many have been sent through college with very little personal effort with the exception of effort on the athletic fields.

As long as the old Alma Mater wins, anything goes. The money is coming in!!!!!!

A few get out of college and don't make it to the pro ranks and are lost in the real world.

Some have God-given talents and go to the pros and credit all of their achievements to personal abilities and lose respect for everyone else.

Check out Bluehost owner Matt Heaton's blog post from April 10th for what I feel is another show of disrespect from our pro athletes.

Personally, I think that society has helped to created these Monsters of The Pro Midway.

Now, we have to put up with the consequences.

God Bless,

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Comic Books

I haven't had a lot of extra time lately as you can see from my blog posts. I have been rebuilding several hardbody guitars.

With this and pulling out my comic books and collectables to offer for sale I haven't had much spare time. I've got more junk that I need.

Most of my books are from the 80's and 90's. None of them are really old. Most are series like X-Men, Spiderman, X-Factor, Superman, etc. I have some listed on my website.

If anyone is trying to fill in a series or looking for certain individual books, just drop me an email. Please mark the email subject as Comic Enquiry. Remember, none of these books are in the higher price range.

Check out what I have listed on my Website. I still have a lot to list.

Comics

Charles Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com

Friday, March 30, 2007

George Bush - Fact or Fiction???

From a registered Republican:

If I can't pitch, I'll take my ball and go home!!!

Iraq???
Firings???
Pat Tillman???
What else???

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Could You Be Facing Mortgage Foreclosure?

This post is a little different from most on my personal blog but lately I have spent a lot of time adding content to one of my websites.

Check out the link to my complete article.

Many experts agree that with the rise in interest rates and other determining factors the number of Americans losing their homes to foreclosure will balloon at an alarming rate. Check out the complete article.

C.Oxford

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Paying Taxes

Since we are into a new year and have received the W2 forms I have been busy getting all of my information together to file my 2006 taxes.

I dont mind paying taxes because I feel that it is my duty but it brings to mind the facts that a lot of money is being wasted by our government and its leaders and they are still worried about every penny that they say is income.

I received a form in the mail listing the small amount of state taxes that I got back the year before last to file with my taxes as income for the past year.

Did you ever try to figure the number of times that you pay taxes on the same income? This also happens on our retirement money and most of what we spend.

Bush's Iraq conflict has cost us numerous lives and many billion dollars.

The hurricane funding has wasted billions of dollars on undeserving people and thieves with seemingly no control by our government. We should help people in need, but the money should be handled more wisely.

This is just two of the many areas in which our tax money in being wasted.

I just wish that my little bit of tax money would be handled with more care and maybe it would make paying the taxes a more pleasant experience.

Sorry for the rambling.

C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Bush's Power

Until now, in all of my life I have never seen a president the felt his opinion is the only one that matters.

I have said many times that there is no plan to bring the Iraq conflict to a close. We just keep sending our soldiers over to take a chance of being killed with no apparent acts to bring the fighting to a halt.

I fear that an increase in the number of soldiers sent will just increase the number of targets for the crazies.

These are the hardest people to protect yourself against. As their former leader, they have no regard for human life not even their own.

Is this what Bush want to send more of our troops to face?

Reckon he has ever "faced up" to being wrong about anything?


C. Oxford
GetawayCrafts.com