Ok, I'm amazed that no one caght this. You said OIL around the head gasket. If you had oil dripping from the head gasket (around the head and block), you wouldn't be able to run the car for more than a few seconds. The only fluid that's in contact with the outer edge of the block is coolant. Sounds like it's probably just the valve cover elaking. Oil is like a heat magnet. Whatever gets hot will draw the oil. Before jumping into a head gasket (not a big deal), might as well check it out further. Are you actually losing oil? Obviously, since you said you can see it, but I mean at a rate that is noticable from the dipstick?
That aside, a headgasket is a weekend project for a first timer. I do em in about an hour now...