Connect with Your Muse

Lately I've been discussing how to thrive as a creative artist by connecting with different things. I thought it might be helpful to begin this article with some distinctions.

Inner Artist - A Part of Ourselves

As I've discussed before, the Inner Artist is that part of ourselves that has been untouched by our experiences, trials, tribulations or creative roadblocks. It is infinitely creative and joyful in everything that it does.

Spirit - All Around Us, All of Us, Every One of Us

ANY time we connect, we're also connected with Spirit. And I use the word Spirit to also refer to God, the Universe, Higher Power, something that connects us all, no matter how unique we are. While our personal definition of Spirit is unique, when we connect with that Spirit it immediately connects us with something outside of ourselves.

Muse - Outside of Ourselves

And that brings us to today's topic: the Muse, and how to connect with yours.

The word muse stems from the 9 muses of Greek mythology, who were responsible for inspiring creative artists and helping them remember their works (since in those days they didn't write them down). The Greek muses were also responsible for protecting history by singing about the great heroes and events of the day.

The muse is something that's outside of yourself, which provides inspiration and helps you get your creative work done.

I like that definition – because with that definition I get to be a muse! And I certainly am honored when I get to fulfill that role for my clients.

To have a connection with your muse you need to be tuned in to your inner voices. This is because a muse (even in the form of a coach) will not dictate, "Draw it this way", "Use this word", or "Here's the winning chord progression".

So, connecting to your muse is really a three-fold process.

1. Finding a muse (or muses – many artists have several sources of inspiration)

Your muse is unique to you, and so are the ways you can best tune in to it. You might be able to name your muse(s) immediately, or you might need to explore a bit. You might:

Look through finished (or started) pieces and think back on what sparked them into being. That might be a source you can return to
Ask other artists about their sources of inspiration
Sit in stillness for a few moments and reflect on what is inspiring to you
Experiment with other forms of art, nature walks, meditation, cooking and people who glow
2. Spending time in the presence of that muse

This could be a person you can spend time with, a place you can visit or look at photos of, an activity you can do more of or a personal environment you can create in your creative workspace. If your muse is someone you don't know personally, like another artist you admire, this could be spending time in the presence of their work.

3. Spending time in creative contemplation and expression

Allow whatever the muse has evoked to be expressed through your creative medium(s). Here's where tuning back in to your inner voice comes in. Whatever you've taken in from your external source of inspiration still needs to be filtered through your unique lens of skills, experiences, opinions, ideas and sensations. Otherwise you'd simply be reproducing exactly what you've seen or heard.

PUT IT INTO PLAY

It's time to make another date with your Inner Artist – only this time you're in search of your muse. Block off some time for simply noticing what inspires you – if you can't help but rush home and write, draw, build, photograph, compose or otherwise create something, well, call it a happy bonus of this exercise.

MUSE MINDING FOR THE BUSY CREATIVE ARTIST

What if you don't have time to go traipsing all over the city to the spots where you find inspiration? What if your creativity has a deadline? What if you have a busy life that involves other people's schedules?

Here are two possible solutions:

Make sure that your creative workspace evokes your muse. Find objects, words and/or photos that capture the essence of your muse and place them prominently in your creative workspace. Move them around every month or so, so you don't stop noticing them.

Be open to spontaneous sightings. When you're rushing around from place to place, worrying about what you did yesterday or dreading what you need to do tomorrow, there's not much time or space for the muse to get your attention. Experiment with slowing down occasionally and checking in – my muse has been talking to me a lot in the car (as long as I leave the radio off!), and also really likes to chat with me when I'm in the shower (no kidding – and I've heard that water evokes inspiration for others – how about you?).

So, what is it about water?

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong. - Lao-Tzu (600 B.C.)

My muse whispers to me through water, if I yield to it and bend my resistance.

(c) Copyright 2005, Linda Dessau.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. Feel like your creativity is blocked? Sign-up for your complimentary copy of the popular e-course, "Roadblocks to Creativity" by visiting http://www.genuinecoaching.com

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A Few Words On Turbocharging

Well, I'm no expert on turbocharging, but in November 1998 I did purchase my own Sunny turbo engine and boy did I learn a lot. I have read a good bit on the topic in both on the net and in the popular import car publications. I have a reasonable knowledge of the theories and the equipment involved in turbocharging a small 4 cylinder engine.

I would like to say first and foremost, turbocharging a naturally aspirated vehicle is not as simple as buying a kit or engine and bolting it up and driving. There is a lot more involved in this if you plan on having dependible transportation that will last longer than a few weeks.

Bolt on Mods:

First, the engine you want to turbocharge cannot have a high compression ratio. The traditional compression ratio for a four cylinder engine is 8.5 to 1. You can go a little higher with multi-point injection. Most non-turbo cars have 9 to 1 or higher compression ratios. You can get away with about 9 to 1 turboed but beyond that, and the boost you add with the turbocharger will cause pre-detonation and blow your engine. Also, the higher the compression ratio, the less boost you can pump into the engine.

So you'll be rebuilding the engine with custom low compression pistons to lower the compression ratio, and at the same time, you'll be strengthining the block to take the additional stress of the turbocharger.

Obviously the entire computer system in you car has to be changed over to the the system for the used engine. You will need to get the the ECU, the engine wiring harness, all of the engine sensors, all of the solenoids and actuators and additional electronics which control the turbo system. So ensure that a trained mechanic is with you when making the purchase.

Next up , the fuel system delivery will have to be upgraded. You'll need higher flow rate injectors, a higher pressure fuel pump and sub-pump, and a rising rate fuel pressure regulator. Without the additional fuel, the engine will run too lean under the boost of the turbo, and will detonate, and blow.

You have to convert the entire induction system, which includes intake manifold, exhaust manifold, air plenum, waste gate, intake piping, and intercooler.

Now we're done with the engine up grade or replacement, it's time to look at all of the other changes you have to make.

The clutch is the most obvious, the turbo needs a stronger clutch. You'll burn your stock one out in no time with the extra power . If it's a transmission, the stock tranny is not like the heavy duty tranny used on turbo models. You may be replacing cluster gears on an annual basis if you don't upgrade or change yours for a turbo model tranny.

The crown wheel and pinion gears and differential in your stock application are most likely not as durable as those in the turbo models. You'll pop a few diffs until you upgrade to the turbo parts.

The heat form the turbo can affect the engine's cooling, thus requiring you to upgrade radiator or fans. Also affected by the heat is the paint on you bonnet, please insulate the engine room.

Do not forget the cash outlay for gauges, turbo timer, etc.

So it becomes quite obvious that it is no small task to put a turbo onto a non-turbo car. I cannot imagine that installing the turbo and accompanying parts your car would cost less than $2000. Even though if you shop around in the scrap yards you could manage to get the parts to get you going for around $1500 including installation.

There is another option though. There are several US companies who make custom turbocharging kits that work on non-turbo import cars even those whose compression ratio is a little too high for the stock system changeover. This will involve lots of custom piping and some electronics that will be piggybacked onto your ECU and sensors to trick the computer into thinking that your car is operating within normal parameters. This still doesn't solve the drive train durability issues, but the end product will likely out perform the stock turbo counterpart and additional tuning for more power will be easier, because you are starting out with more flexible equipment which won't need to be upgraded from OEM to work with.

Duane Boodasingh http://www.trinituner.com

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Automotive Machine Shop Services

Automotive machine shop services use heavy fabrication machinery, which includes machines for lathe work, grinding, turning, polishing and welding, cutting, laser job work, and also precision machining. The services include providing repair work for defective parts and also supplying new parts if the old and existing parts are not repairable. If the new parts, available in their stocks, do not fit properly, they may have to redesign and refabricate them. This may, at times, prove to be a complicated job. The redesigning and fabrication of complicated parts like crank-shafts, connecting rods, pistons, and cam shafts requires great expertise. Usually, the need to fabricate new parts arises in the case of older or vintage vehicles, whose production may have been stopped with the introduction of new models.

The engineers and mechanics at these machine shops are experts in all types of repair work, starting from simple tuning to advance troubleshooting techniques. They are expected to thoroughly understand the process of functioning and fabrication of all the parts of the engine--pistons, pins, rings, rods, freeze plug set, gaskets, timing set, oil pump, precision ground cranks, transmissions, electrical systems, and computerized engine controls.

These shops not only stock spare parts and accessories for the older types of vehicles, but they also cater to the needs of current models. Also, they are usually larger than the single-brand vehicle machine shops, as they repair all types of automotives.

These shops undertake repair services for cars, which involve the cleaning of air filters, oil filters and tanks, and washing off the dust or other accretions on the engines and the body of the vehicles. These activities release lots of grease and oily materials, which are hazardous to the environment, and so they have to be properly disposed of. The owners should not throw away the cleaning agents like methylene chloride, or the spent oils and lubricants, or drain them down the sewers, septic systems, or storm drains. They are likely to be given stringent penalties if they are caught doing so.

Machine Shops provides detailed information on Machine Shops, Automotive Machine Shop Repairs, Automotive Machine Shop Services, Automotive Machine Shops and more. Machine Shops is affiliated with Casting Molding Machining

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Tags:Automotive Machine

Podcasting vs Radio

Is the podcasting vs. radio' showdown finally about to take center stage?

It looks like podcasting and other alternative sources of entertainment have finally caused traditional corporate radio to react.

In November of 2004, Bridge Ratings & Research released a report that indicated that the terrestrial radio audience was slowly slipping away.

During the last few months of 2005, the reports show that for the most part, that ‘slippage’ has either stopped or slowed down.

The youngest group – 12 – 24 years of age – showed the most interest in alternative media and the least interest in traditional radio.

The older groups showed slight increases in their use of radio, even though many are still spending a lot of time with what’s considered alternative media: TV, Internet, Recorded Music, Books and Magazines.

The report doesn’t break out the impact of podcasting, but it does mention iPods and MP3 listening as having an effect, especially on the younger demographics.

To me this makes sense. Younger audiences are more drawn to new technologies. They’ll glom on to MP3 players and podcasts and reject a lot of the tradition time-wasters of their parents like books and TV, in favor of downloading songs online, browsing the internet and sticking those earbuds into their head and tuning out any local radio station.

Coming from two-plus decades in radio, I know how hard it is to get and maintain an audience when you DON’T have all of the competition of 2006. In 1976, you might have had a local paper and a few TV channels and a handful of local competing radio stations.

So a radio programmer today now has to compete with 500 channels of cable TV, satellite radio, podcasting, not to mention the other traditional media sources, such as local and national newspapers and magazines, etc.

Where does that leave radio and podcasting?

From a personal standpoint, I don’t have much interest in local radio. Sure it comes up on occasion in my car, but only because I’ve gone through all my CDs and would rather have a local station fill in the space instead of silence.

As I go to sleep, I have my clock radio playing a local classic rock station. Unfortunately, the station is owned by a big media corporation that owns hundreds, if not thousands of radio stations across America. So their announcers are directed to not say a whole lot and as a result are allowed to have very little personality. And ‘after hours’ – when there is no live person behind the microphone – we get automation, which means no live person, no voice tracking (which would at least sound sort of like a live person); just song – song – song – commercial – station promo liner – song – song, etc…

Bo-ring.

On the other hand, when I fire up a podcast, I am suddenly invited into the world of an actual person – someone who talks, eats, breathes and is passionate about their subject, whether its folk music, cult movies, hardcore alternative rock or wine-making.

Podcasting is REAL. It may not hold the production value of a professional radio station, but really, who the heck cares? You don’t listen to podcasting to get the highest quality. You listen to a podcast to get a real person.

And that’s what will continue to draw more and more people to podcasts, whether listening or getting in front of the microphone and creating their own podcast.

I believe as humans we need the personal interaction, and if it means listening to a guy sit in front of a campfire, playing his ukulele and whispering about the stars above, then a lot of us are in; we’re there!

Radio is not going away. The smart programmers are going to let their air staff become more real, especially when they see the inroads that podcasting will continue to make into their audience. Oddly enough, local radio stations have an advantage. In the city I live, there are a couple of local stations. One plays a lot of syndicated programming and very little local programming. They survive because they offer a good lineup of national talk programming.

The other station is completely local: everything you hear is done from their studio, from playing the weird mix of songs which make you want to laugh, cry, shout, cringe and turn the damn thing off – all within a 30 minutes span – to the local announcers who are at various stages talented, untalented, polished, raw, goofy, tender, idiotic, passionate and uncaring.

Above all, they’re REAL. And that's the ultimate attraction - and repellent.

It’s like the locally owned radio stations are already doing what podcasters are doing – being human.

It’s just that podcasters still have extreme latitude, and the local radio folks must stay within certain boundaries.

So if it’s the limitless boundaries you’re looking for in your world, find a podcast that speaks to you, listen to them support them, and let them know you’re out there!

Tim 'Gonzo' Gordon shows you how to create professional, high-quality audio on your home computer. With 25+ years of radio production, writing and voice talent, Tim can show you how to set up a small pro studio and create audio for fun and profit. Subscribe to his free newsletter Digital Audio Bits at Digital Audio World.Learn how to podcast with Podcasting Adventures Online.

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Tags:radio,Podcasting

Auto Trends

Fads come and go, sometimes on a whim, other times because of outside forces. Here at the halfway point of the new millennium’s first decade, car culture has sure taken some interesting turns.

Those of you who innocently took a test drive of a plain-Jane Nissan Altima when it was new in 2002, floored it, and nearly sprained your necks upon discovery of 240 horsepower, may have suspected that the standards of speed had risen a tad since the 90s. Turns out that was only the beginning. Nowadays, the Volkswagen Passat raised that same family car bar to an excessive 280 horsepower. We have little $30,000 Mitsubishis that can leave Camaros for dead. The 500-horsepower Dodge Viper suddenly seems ordinary, and the once-acclaimed Acura NSX is a joke. Whether or not you’re a speed freak, there are two trickle-down benefits: the minimum standard of horsepower has risen from 55 (Geo Metro) to 103, and very few cars in any segment are truly underpowered anymore. Not a bad development.

Cars just won’t stop growing. Every redesign has to be bigger than the last one; the new Toyota RAV4 is 14 inches longer than the last, and current Civics now dwarf Accords of years past. It’s an inevitable force of marketing; no one wants to pay the same money for less car, right? Bigger also means heavier; our cars pack more pounds than ever.

And there’s no rule that contradictory trends can’t coexist. Apparently Americans expect their cars to compete with the speed of sound while also using less gas than their walking shoes. The Toyota Prius hybrid heads into its third year with unsatisfied demand, a long line, and a price premium. All this despite an ample supply of the perfectly serviceable Corolla at the same dealers. No automaker wants to be caught with their pants down, and all are rushing to market with a hybrid, even if it means using systems developed by competitors (Nissan’s Altima will use Toyota hardware).

We seem to want our cars with more stuff and more personality. The 90s banality in our styling is gone, even on the most banal cars like the Accord and Camry. And notice how almost every car has power windows and locks standard, and how even the Kia Rio comes with six airbags and a powerful stereo. Is it any wonder that the average car now costs $28,000?

Speaking of "cars", we may be moving toward the day when that word will again apply as a general term. SUVs are suddenly for the foolish. They always have been, but now everyone seems to know it, too. Ford’s Explorer and Expedition are going down the drain, and the Excursion has already expired. The bigger the SUV, the bigger the sales drop. Little cars are selling better than ever, even old-timers like the Sentra and Neon.

Lastly, we’re going foreign, and fast. The Big Three’s market share was 60% at the early part of this decade; that will stand at or below 50% by the end of it. This is hardly a new trend, but its recent acceleration is alarming. One thing for sure is that in terms of the players, the market has matured. Only two major automakers set up American bases in the 90s (Kia and Daewoo), and the 2000s have brought none.

Cars can’t get bigger or faster forever, yet no one can stand still. Hybrids are hot, but the long-term experiences remain to be seen. What will become of all this automotive craziness? Check back in ten years.

Joe Whyte publishes ImportTuner.com’s Import Cars articles. His expertise in Import Tuning is evident is all his articles. Newly publishing Ezine’s online to illustrate and educate auto consumers.

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Tags:import car,import car part,import car show

2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS Plus the Chevrolet Performance

As the first truck developed by GM’s Performance Division, Trailblazer SS’ has a towing capacity up to 6,700 pounds with the two-wheel drive model and up to 6,500 pounds with the available all-wheel drive model. Cargo volume is 41 cubic feet (1161 liters) behind the rear seat and 80 cubic feet (2265 liters) with the rear seat folded.

GM's High Performance Vehicle Operations tuned the suspension and upgraded the brakes of the SS. It features stiffer springs, an inch lower ride height, and thicker anti-roll bars, as well as standard StabiliTrak stability control. Larger, 12.8-inch diameter front brake discs are fitted, allied to new iron twin-piston calipers, while the monster twenty-inch aluminum wheels have 255/50 V-rated tires.

The TrailBlazer SS has unique exterior styling and specific interior appointments, including prominent 20-inch flangeless wheels. Power is delivered by the Corvette-derived LS2 6.0L V-8, enabling a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. A performance suspension with lowered ride height also is part of the package and was tuned by GM’s Performance Division at several racetracks, including Germany’s legendary Nurburgring – a challenging road course that features more than 12.5 miles of turns and drastic elevation changes. The TrailBlazer SS is available in two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.

The four-wheel disc braking system of the TrailBlazer SS is enhanced with larger, 12.8-inch front disc brake rotors and new, iron twin-piston calipers. The heavy-duty iron calipers are stiff and retain their shape under high pressure/high heat braking conditions, providing a linear feel and reduced pedal travel in high-energy stops. The brake pads use the same high-performance linings as the Corvette for strong fade resistance. ABS is standard. There also is an accessory front brake-cooling package available for optimized track performance.

Chevrolet's engineers did extensive chassis tuning to the Trailblazer SS where they lowered the suspension 1-inch and add 25% stiffer springs. The ride height has been lowered about an inch using 25 percent stiffer for a firmer ride and reducing body roll, and to give the TrailBlazer SS a lower, more aggressive demeanor.

The SS model remains distinct with black-diamond grille, decklid spoiler, and generally looking more like the NASCAR cars Gordon campaigns. It has 20-inch polished aluminum wheels and four-wheel disks (12.8-inch rotors at the front). StabiliTrak and a rear air-leveling suspension are also standard for the SS.

The TrailBlazer SS’s engine has a composite intake manifold used in other mid-size trucks and was adapted to the LS2 to help produce balanced torque and horsepower within packaging parameters. The engine also has the Trailblazer's trademark pass-through oil pan. The pan’s cast-in passage allows the front differential’s half-shaft to run through the pan instead of under it. This helps keep the engine mounted lower in the chassis for better balance and a lower center of gravity. There also is a stylish SS-specific engine cover, radiator support cover and coordinated air induction box.

Backing the 6.0L V-8 is a new Hydra-Matic 4L70-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. It debuts in the TrailBlazer SS and was developed to handle the high horsepower and high torque loads of performance-oriented light-duty vehicles. Special high-strength and heat-treated materials are used throughout the 4L70-E to ensure it delivers smooth, dependable shifting.

Partstrain manufactures and sells aftermarket performance products and accessories for GM vehicles. Partstrain strives to be the ultimate source for performance products and accessories for most GM vehicles.

Parts train's product line-up for the Chevrolet Trailblazer SS includes Engine system, Electrical system, Header, Exhaust, Hoods, Hubcaps, multiple Body Kit designs, Suspension, Condensers, Bumpers, Radiator Support, Spoiler, Catalytic Converter, and a variety of additional upgrades that compliment the car.

Its extensive array of maximum quality GMC Replacement Parts and great wholesale deals await you at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/GMC . A wide variety of maximum quality Chevrolet Replacement Parts, Aftermarket Parts, Performance Parts and great wholesale deals await you in our online store. In case you have any difficulties in choosing Chevrolet Parts, its friendly customer service representatives are ready to serve you.

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.

http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/GMC

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Tags:Chevrolet,Trailblazer,chevy Trailblazer,Chevrolet Trailblazer