query_posts in header !!PROBLEM!!

I have a bit of a problem… I am trying to place a recent posts list in my header. When I do the index page looks great. The archive posts as well as all the pages are all wrong. The posts from the <?php query_posts(‘showposts=6’);?> put posts into the pages…

have a look
http://olsonimages.com/archives/44
and
http://olsonimages.com/contact-me/
it goes on…

this is the code I am using, I am wonder if there is anything that might prevent this from happening other than a redesign…

<?php query_posts(‘showposts=6’);?>
<?php if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post();?>

• <link to =”<?php the_permalink() ?>”><span class=”date”><?php the_time(‘m.j’) ?></span> <?php the_title() ?>

<?php endwhile; endif; ?>

the about section is also doing the same thing…
the code looks like…

<?php query_posts(‘pagename=about’); >
<?php if (have_posts()) : >
<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<?php the_content(); >
<;?php endwhile; >
<?php endif; >

please help if you can, I dont know how to remedy this…

Thanks
Karl