For An Alternative Rush

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Masks and Trance

One useful import from the field of Improvisation is the concept of Masks and Trance to get people thinking in different directions.

Mask studies show that peoples character changes according to the perceived character of the mask they are wearing. Virtual masks (pretending) encourage people to think in radically alternate directions:

a) Businessmen scored low in creativity until they were asked to pretend to be happy go lucky hippies, when their creativity ratings skyrocketed.

b) People are more likely to express inappropriate ideas, as they believe they have less value.

c) People are more likely to express inappropriate ideas, as they are able to give the impression that it is not really what they would say.

d) People are able to quickly switch between personalities by putting on different masks - and instantly change their approach.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop MBA, is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

Piano playing doesn’t have to be boring. There’s no law that says you have to play a song the same way everyone else plays it. By learning some basic music theory and chord formations, you can have the time of your life playing music like you’ve always wanted to.

Every musician has a different method of arranging. Some start with the bass, some start with the melody, some just arrange everything all at once. You’ll eventually discover the process that works best for you, but here’s a basic guideline list to get you started.

- Play the song as written. Pay careful attention to the melody and harmonies so you understand how the song is supposed to sound before altering it. Make sure you can play the song very well before moving on to an arrangement.

- Analyze the song’s chord structure and form. Know all the chord changes and any key changes. Separate the piece into parts using the letter system discussed in this course; often, you’ll be able to add some spice to an arrangement by simply knowing where a verse switches into a chorus.

- Look at the song’s context to determine the appropriate sort of arrangement. For instance, if you’re working on a classical lullaby or wedding song, you probably won’t want to add western bass or a march beat. Of course, there’s no rule saying you can’t do that if you’re going for a comical effect. Just be aware of the effect every sort of arrangement technique will have on a song.

- Change the bass chording pattern based on the just-analyzed song’s context. Working with “Git Alone Little Dogies”? Try a western bass. A classical romantic song? Give upward inversions or arpeggios a go. Just keep switching the bass pattern until you find something you like. After awhile, you’ll acquire the ability to naturally know what to do. Until then, try it all.

- Add fillers to the melody. Again, be aware of what’s appropriate. If you’re playing a western bass, try grace notes and twangs. If the song is in Alberti bass, add some glissandos or delicate octave harmonies. Remember that certain fillers, like runs or straddle-downs, work best when you’re holding a half note or higher in the melody.

- Add dynamic variation. This is where the form analysis comes in handy. If you know a key or part change is coming up, consider the ways in which you can take the dynamic up or down to create a textured, interesting effect. Try not to make the whole song extremely loud or extremely soft. Remember, variety is the spice of life!

The piano arrangement you create is bound only by the limits of your imagination. Try everything and don’t get discouraged — you’ll get the hang of it eventually. Now pick a song and get to it!

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at http://www.chordpiano.com. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled “Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Piano Chord Progressions” with over 56,650 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com.

Gold wedding rings are the most traditional rings available.
When men’s wedding rings first became popular during the Second
World War, gold was the metal of choice. Over the years, other
metals have been introduced into the market. Nevertheless, gold
has continued to have a strong presence as the preferred metal
for wedding bands.

Pure gold is too weak to be used for jewelry purposes, so it is
always alloyed with at least one additional metal to ensure
strength and durability. Pure gold would be 24 karats, but most
man gold wedding rings will either be 14 karats or 18 karats.
When a ring is marked as being 14 karats, that means that it is
approximately 58.3 percent gold, whereas an 18 karat ring is 75
percent pure gold. Obviously, an 18 karat gold ring would be
more susceptible to wear and tear, as it is more gold, and thus
weaker than 14 karat gold.

Some man gold wedding ring purchasers may prefer a more silver
tone to their ring. For them, white gold is the answer. White
gold is simply yellow gold that has been treated to look white
(or silver).

In order to make the yellow gold appear white, elements such as
nickel, palladium, or silver are added. While nickel itself can
give a good white gold appearance, it is often allergenic and
can cause skin problems to anyone who is sensitive to nickel.
Gold that is alloyed with palladium and silver will not usually
cause allergies, and most 18 karat gold is alloyed only with
these two metals.

One problem with white gold is that, since it has the same
properties as yellow gold, it will begin to look more yellow
over time. In fact, many white gold rings have to be re-plated
after several years in order to restore it to its original color.

Despite the fact that yellow and white gold does not have the
durability has other metals, it is still a popular choice for
man wedding ring buyers.

Do you have individuals in your life who suck the life right out of you or your spouse? While some people make you feel better after contact with them, others leave you feeling drained and exhausted.

How do you know if you’ve encountered an energy vampire? According to Judith Orloff, M.D., author of Positive Energy, “The tip-off is that even after a brief contact you leave feeling worse, but he or she seems more alive.”

This is a different experience than just having “bad chemistry” with another person and not enjoying the interaction. When an energy vampire is present, you’ll feel depleted of energy and vitality afterwards.

The ideas Dr. Orloff presents about energy vampires intrigue me, and I believe they have important implications for relationships. As anyone who is striving to have a quality marriage knows, good relationships take lots of time, effort, and energy.

In a busy lifestyle, there’s precious little energy that can be wasted without coming up short in some area of your life. For example, if you are more tired than usual, you may have difficulty in mustering the energy to exercise or prepare a healthy dinner.

Eventually, not taking care of yourself in a nurturing way will show up in your marriage. Maybe you’ll be more stressed and less patient as a result. Likewise, if you’re exhausted from an encounter with an “energy vampire” friend who depletes your energy, you won’t have as much pep and enthusiasm to put into enjoying quality time with your partner.

Marriages are impacted by outside factors such as needs and requests of family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances. There’s not time or energy to try to meet all of everyone else’s expectations or wants.

Daily life offers the challenge of setting priorities and boundaries so that you can focus on what’s most important to you. And for many people, their marriage and relationship with their spouse and children is what’s most important.

Anyone who drains you or your spouse’s vitality and makes you feel worse after talking or being with them is someone who has the potential to negatively affect the energy available in your marriage. It’s not a casual, insignificant thing for a spouse to have an “energy vampire” friend who is a large part of his or her life. If energy is being consistently drained from you or your spouse, your relationship will suffer.

Dr. Orloff describes nine types of energy vampires. I want to focus on five of those. See if you recognize anyone you know in the following descriptions.

Energy Vampire #1 is the Sob Sister. This person is a whiner, a perpetual victim, who loves a captive audience and can talk for hours about her problems.

If you offer a solution, she gives a “Yes, but” answer that gives an excuse for why your solution won’t work in her case. Dr. Orloff says, “You might find yourself listening for hours, hearing the same complaints over and over. She ends up renewed. You’re exhausted.”

Energy Vampire #2 is the Blamer. This person makes you feel guilty, berates you, and casts negativity into your energy field. He’s more overtly angry than the Sob Sister, and he uses accusation to drain you. Dr. Orloff says, “You walk away feeling knifed, that you haven’t lived up to expectations, are somehow defective.”

One of the statements a Blamer might make is “If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this mess” or “It’s your fault that I’m on drugs.” It takes agility and planning to deflect a blamer’s tactics.

Energy Vampire #3 is the Drama Queen. This person has a real flair for exaggeration, for going from crisis to crisis, and for being energized by chaos. One of her characteristic opening statements is some variation of “Oh my God, you’ll never guess what happened!”

Dr. Orloff says, “The roller-coaster antics of a drama queen put you on overload and wipe you out.” Her “in-your-face” intensity can make you feel burned out in no time flat.

Energy Vampire #4 is the Constant Talker or Joke-teller. This person always demands center stage and has absolutely no interest in what you’re feeling. At first, he (or she) might seem entertaining, but you soon begin to fade after non-stop stories, jokes, and comments and the incessant self-focus.

According to Dr. Orloff, these energy vampires “grind our energy field down like a relentless yippy chihuahua who badly needs a walk.” It’s impossible to sneak a word in edge-wise, and they love to trap you in conversation where it’s hard to break away.

Energy Vampire #5 is the Fixer-Upper. There are two types. Dr. Orloff writes that the first type of fixer-upper “makes you into her therapist. At all hours she calls desperate to have you fix her problems, unlike the Sob Sister who simply complains.” She sucks you in because you care, want to lessen her pain, and be a good friend.

The second type of fixer-upper is, according to Dr. Orloff, “someone who you perceive needs an overhaul, and you take him on as a project.” What you don’t realize is that he isn’t really interested in changing. You may even put your life on hold to help him “realize his potential,” but in spite of all your efforts, it never happens.

So what can you do if your marriage is being harmed by an energy vampire? Dr. Orloff’s book has a number of invaluable recommendations for how to combat energy vampires and preserve your individual vitality.

The following are my recommendations for protecting your marital relationship:

1. Do an energy assessment of who energizes you and who drains you in your life. Who makes you feel better after a conversation and who leaves you feeling worse off? Who makes unreasonable demands on your time and reduces the time and energy you have to give to your spouse and children?

2. Develop strategies to lessen your contact with the energy vampires in your life. If you can’t end all contact, then brainstorm about creative ways to minimize your exposure to these people and set boundaries about how much time you’ll invest. For example, if your long-time friend is a Sob Sister, decide how long you’ll listen before ending the conversation.

3. Initiate a conversation with your mate about how you’ve been evaluating where you’re currently spending your time and energy because you value your marriage and want to have a quality relationship. Say that you know that means you need to be careful not to waste valuable time or energy in ways that aren’t satisfying or beneficial. Your sharing of what you’re doing may encourage her (or him) to do the same.

4. If you are concerned because you see your spouse’s time and energy being depleted by energy vampires in his (or her) life, and he doesn’t seem to realize it or isn’t willing to address the issue, you might suggest doing some sessions with a marriage counselor.

Say that you’re finding some feelings building up that you want to discuss with your spouse in a counseling session so they won’t cause problems in the future. Call it “relationship housecleaning” and keep the emphasis on yourself as the one needing help in handling some things. That will make it more likely that your spouse will be willing to go to counseling with you.

5. If you find that you’re having difficulty in handling the energy vampires in your life, consider doing some individual counseling sessions to examine why you’re reluctant to draw boundaries, to say “no,” or to forfeit your role as perennial “nice guy.“

You may need to look at issues such as why you’re trying so hard to fix someone else and ignoring your own needs or why you’re listening to a whiner for hours on the phone when you really want to be relaxing and enjoying your evening.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to set your priorities and then take the appropriate action to keep focused on your life goals and values. And that means protecting yourself from energy vampires so that your marriage can have the energy it needs to thrive.

Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says “I don’t love you anymore!” This is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com , where you can sign up for a free weekly marriage advice newsletter. Dr. Wasson offers telephone and email coaching to spouses who want to overcome marriage problems and create a rewarding, loving marriage.

There are some important factors that have to be taken into consideration before buying any type of tents, such as the number of people who will be using it, how and where it will be used and the price. This applies to all tent styles including dome tents.

The dome tent has become one of the most popular tent styles today, which is available in a wide range of designs, shapes and sizes. Some of them may be regular dome shaped while others can be made up of several domes, but all dome tents use a geometrical design in their poles to hold the tent up, and rather than the firmness of the frame itself, the sturdiness of a dome tent depends on the structural integrity of the fabric, poles, ropes, and pegs combined.

In dome tents, poles, which are generally made of flexible materials such as carbon fiber, overlap each other to form an equal or almost equal geometric shape. This greatly determines the shape of the floor and the tent itself. For example, a dome tent with three poles would have a hexagonal shaped floor while a dome tent with four poles would have an octagonal shaped floor. Hence, this design method enables the dome tent to be a strong self-supporting structure which is aerodynamic and stable. So, no stakes or lines are required under normal circumstances.

Before buying a dome tent or any type of tents, keep in mind what time of year you are going to need it, how easy is it to set up, how well would it protect you from bad weather, and if size and weight is relative to the outdoor activity.

Main advantages of dome tents include:

1. Since they have a large number of corners, they can resist wind and all types of precipitation effectively. So they are really great for backpackers and canoeists.

2. Corners which cannot be used for sleeping can conveniently provide extra storage for gears.

3. Dome tents are generally much lighter in weight than the equivalent size frame tent.

4. They give greater amount of head room than conventional ridge tents.

5. They can be easily installed or set up, and dismantled.

The fabric used for the body of the dome tent is usually nylon, and the average weight is approximately two and one-half to seven and one-half pounds. The Rain Fly is usually UV-resistant and can be used as a tarp or its own tent when basic, ultra-light shelter is desired. Dome tents can cost from $70 to $600, and may also come with porch extensions, and in larger sizes that can accommodate up to ten people.

Dome tents can be classified under 3-season type of tents - those that work well for all but the harshest cold weather condition. However, dome tents also do have a few disadvantages:

1. The geometric design can limit ventilation.

2. There tends to be less usable space inside the tent.

3. Moisture tends to gather at the top of the dome.

These shortcomings may create some problems when using a dome tent but it is still the number one choice for most backpackers, mountaineers, campers, and hikers etc.

Tents HQ tentshq.com/ offers articles and tips about different tents and camping.

Take a look at a few dozen want ads for salespeople and I assure you that you’ll find plenty that offer no guaranteed salary.

They pay on what is called a “straight commission” basis. If you sell, you eat, and if you don’t you starve.

It is, perhaps, the ultimate form of merit pay: literally, you have to merit it, not through effort, but through results.

Most companies love to pay this way, because it all but eliminates their risks. They can be assured of several things when someone accepts straight commission compensation:

(1) They’re self-confident, and confident people sell more than the insecure.

(2) They’re willing to take total responsibility for their achievement; a rare attribute in today’s workers.

(3) They’re need and want less supervision and hand-holding.

(4) They’ll come to work, pre-trained; and of course

(5) They’ll pay for themselves right away, and cost-justify the company’s overhead.

If a straight commission sales rep doesn’t pan out, very little has been invested in him, so this means companies can give more job seekers bites at the apple, at a lower cost than if they were salaried.

And typically, straight commission payers are more willing to offer big commissions to the successful. So, the upside is significantly greater for the salesperson who can handle the challenge.

But can you hack it as a commission-only seller? Most people can’t.

First, they believe that a company that doesn’t guarantee them SOMETHING is either less than legitimate or is not confident enough that the job will produce a solid income for itself, let alone for the rep. Along this line, candidates often see salary, its size and related perks, as a vote of confidence in their skills. When the guarantee is big, there’s faith in the new hire, and this gesture instills confidence in the candidate.

But even more daunting to most is the fact that straight commission ushers in a variable reinforcement schedule. This month you may break the bank, but next month, you may have to borrow on your charge cards. Dramatic ups and downs aren’t warm and fuzzy for most folks who like to know they’re going to pay their mortgages or rent on time.

I believe the most important question is this one: If you had your druthers would you be in business for yourself or work on somebody else’s payroll? If you’re the independent type, then a straight commission plan could be your cup of tea, because it’s exactly how you’re paid when you’re completely on your own.

By the way, there’s another perk. In most commission jobs, employers realize they can’t insist you work their way, punching a conventional time clock. They must cut you some slack, allowing you a lot of freedom in how and when you work, because after all, they’re not paying you to warm a chair, but ONLY to succeed.

How you do it is really none of their business, and most of them, at least reluctantly, acknowledge it!

The merging of man in machine is something that bothers many people to talk about. There are many reasons for this and one concerns religious belief systems. For instance if the human energy which runs the body and makes all this work connecting the brain in the body is considered a soul, then how can you add a bunch of robotic parts and expected to work.

Without complicating the issue in understanding that whether we like it or not the researchers are moving towards the merging of man in machine. And that means robotic artificially intelligent androids and add on body parts will be available in the coming decades. Already researchers are working on ways to hook the human brain up to a computer, even the Internet. If you consider for a second that the human brain works on a very extremely low-frequency and the nerves are fired thru electrical impulses, then hooking it all up together is not so difficult to understand.

However there are certain things the body does in certain things that the body needs. The body produces chemicals which one biological systems and if we add robotic parts, then he eventually we run into problems of not having the proper body parts to make the chemicals the body needs to run. For instance the production of amino acids and the uses of these chemicals in the body will need to be regulated. But if the human brain is hooked up to a computer and many of the body parts are robotic then there is a problem with the production of those amino acids. Yet, as the human brain part of the merger has less to do, as much of it will be done by the computer brain, then the human brain will be better be alleviated of its bandwidth requirements and be able to do more. If the brain is properly fed with the chemicals it desires then it can do even more.

The production of chemicals in the body and brain may be a significant hurdle in the merging of man in machine, although it may be the answer to preventing rejection of the add all robotic body parts as well as the answer cooperative systems between man in machine. Although this is an introductory thought I hope you’ll think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/