You’ve probably seen the OfficeMax commercials for Elf Yourself. It’s a web application that lets you upload your own photo, crop it to fit an elf hat, and then watch yourself do an elf dance with up to three of your friends. Silly, but so fun! I did one with my own face first, and then I made one with my kids (above). Aren’t they cute?!

I’ve heard that people without high speed connections aren’t able to enjoy the show, so keep that in mind. You can see my elf dance here, or make your own. [Edit: Sorry, but the ElfYourself service must have been just for the holidays. It doesn't work anymore, but it was fun while it lasted!]

I’m addicted to Squidoo. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you should do so right away. There is not an easier, faster, cheaper way to make a web page on anything you like. Plus, you can link back to your own blog or site (free backlinks!), and you can even earn cash royalties for yourself or charity. Seriously, Squidoo rocks.

Now, there’s a new way to Squidoo. It’s called SquidFlix, and it’s a fun and easy way to build your own movie review page. Just type in the name of the movie you want to review (whether it’s your favorite or least favorite), add some information to make it unique, and voila! Now Squidoo will pay you for traffic that clicks through your page. Isn’t that nice?

I’ve made my first SquidFlix page on one of my all-time favorite movies, The Princess Bride. I used the default modules as a starting point, and added some awesome quotes, video clips of my favorite scenes, and links to DVDs on Amazon. It was quick and easy to put together, and I plan to fill it out a bit in the next few days. If you’re a fan of The Princess Bride, stop by and add your own 2 cents.

And while you’re there, don’t forget to try building your own page. All the other kids are doing it. You know you want to.

As a follow-up to my previous post about my conflicted feelings toward Google, I have compiled all sorts of rants, complaints, and frustrations, that others have published on blogs, forums, and news outlets. To see it all, stop by best.i-hate-google-stuff.ever.com. You can read the latest “Google stinks” blog posts from around the world, and if you’re feeling frustrated too, leave your own 2 cents worth in the guestbook. Go ahead and let it out. You’ll feel better.

Before you flame me and call me a hypocrite, let me disclose a few things. Yes, I use Google’s products. I love that I can see my house from space with Google Earth! I’ve used Adsense and Adwords, and I still use Blogger, Gmail, etc. In all likelihood, I will continue to use Google products. Google is everywhere, and most of the stuff is free — how can I help it?

But it’s getting out of hand. I think about Google all the time — keywords, backlinks, SEO strategies… What will Google think if I do this? Will Google like that? What if that makes Google mad? I don’t want to upset Google!

But I hate that I HAVE to do that! Google’s looming Google-icious omnipresence gets on my nerves and under my skin, and I hate myself for having to love Google, especially when Google gives no evidence of loving me in return. Some days it seems like Google loves me, and other days, Google turns all fickle and ignores me for no apparent reason. It’s maddening!

Some days, I just want to break up with Google. I want Google to take all his stuff and get out, and leave me alone with my own quiet life. And I can make my place just the way I like it, without having to worry about what Google will think.

But then I’m jerked back to reality. I can’t live without Google. Nobody will like me if Google doesn’t like me. I’m nothing without Google.

And then I’m back to where I started. I hate myself for loving Google. I hate Google for making me love him. Google, come back! I didn’t mean it! Call me!

This is my latest geek design: “Lorem ipsum…” Lots of people won’t understand the humor of this one, but if you are someone who routinely builds or uses web site templates and such, you’ll recognize the familiar dummy text. I thought it would be funny to put it on shirts and stuff, so here it is. Maybe this would look great on your office wall. Or maybe it would make the perfect gift for a certain someone. Enjoy!

Woohoo! I got a mention over at creativetexturetools.com, a site featuring all things polymer metal clay and lots more, including jewelrymaking and online selling. My shop at smallandsimplegifts.com was named Artist Website of the Week! You can read the blog entry here. And while you’re there, check out the other useful stuff Elaine has compiled. Thank you, Elaine!