Updates
Figure now is as good a time as any to share an update. For all the talk out there of blogging as a way to communicate news and ideas, it’s also a really good way to capture and archive information so I can access it later on.

Gearbox Magazine
Dennis has proven himself indispensable. He’s got several very interesting stories in process and two on the books. The first is an interview with a Dutch historic rally team racing both a Porsche 911 and an Opel Manta, the second covers a regularly scheduled car meet in a Burger King parking lot in the Netherlands.

The Rally Monster
We’ve finally found someone who makes shirts and decals willing to 100% handle order processing and fulfillment for Gearbox. That person is Emily Rinearson, The Rally Monster. If you’ve ever looked into ordering custom shirts anywhere but sites like CafePress or Zazzle, you know how difficult it is to find someone willing to handle fulfillment like this. We should have our first designs complete and ready for purchase sometime around the end of the month. BIG TIME thank you to Emily for working with us.

Introducing Gearheads-United!
Dennis and I have spent considerable time emailing back and forth, comparing notes on life as a gearhead in the US and Netherlands. We got to thinking about how much we all have in common, and how that makes the subtle differences even more exciting. I mean, if I told you about a monthly meeting of Chevy, Ford, and Dodge trucks held in a BK parking lot, would you really expect it to be happening somewhere in northern Europe?

Borne out of these conversations was our new Gearheads-United Posterous site, where we are encouraging any and all gearheads around the world to become contributors and share pictures of their automotive adventures. It’s barely a week old as I post this update, but already I’ve been using it from the DSM Shootout (this past weekend) and Dennis has a couple interesting pictures up as well. Why did we do this? How can you be part of it? Check out the announcement on GBXM.

And the best is yet to come!

Penmanshift
I’ve made considerable progress developing curriculum for Penmanshift in the last month. Only a few modules remain before the rough draft stage is complete. We still need to give the curriculum a quick polish and test drive, as well as build out our sister site and renovate GBXM before we’re ready to invite our beta testers, but it’s getting closer. And I’m very excited.

Tarmac & Gravel
Haven’t really done much with the Galants lately, other than an oil change on 464/1000, but here’s an interesting development. At the Shootout this weekend, they brought back the autocross. I ended up getting called out – challenged – by two friends to race next year. Now, I had been considering skipping the DSMSO next year in favor of trips to Toronto, Frankfurt, and Santiago, but I think we’ll postpone the Chilean adventure in order to meet this challenge.

This means, as of right now, I have one year to get the rally car back together, shook-down, and reliable in order to make it to Ohio for the race next year. Hey, the 20th Anniversary of the DSM Shootout will be my sixth or eighth time going, might as well be my first time driving. (And considering I met a guy from San Clemente, California, at the event this past weekend, I figure it’s time.)

SMART Goals
A friend and manager got me started thinking about SMART Goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) and I’ve been trying to include them in the lion’s share of my projects lately, but I’m going to try taking it to the next level now.

Starting things off, I’m going to be drawing up SMART goals for the rally car project to get me through the end of the year and report on my progress to that end. Beyond that, I’m going to be using GBXM to do some SMART goal-related research and reporting on those findings over there. These are just two ideas I came up with at 35,000ft yesterday, but I want to get them down before they get lost in the fray.

Behind the Firewall
I’m shooting for three posts a week on the KM blog at work, and building in a consistent publishing schedule along the way. So far, the only real meat I’ve got to this plan is a series of TED talks selected for “TED Tuesdays” and a focus on WHY > HOW > WHAT  with all the interviews I’m emailing out. We’re discussing team ideation sites, individual accomplishments, and why these things matter to people. Here’s to consistency.

And that’s a wrap!
It’s been a busy month. I’m looking forward to learning more, doing more, and being more in the next four weeks. If there’s anything I can do for you, just drop me a line. Good luck with your projects!

In the glovebox:

• Update: Evolution of a Blog
• AutoJournos, Meet Auto-Journo
• All-Inclusive Update

I'd appreciate hearing what you think about Update: Cars, Community, Collaboration

Updates
I was thinking today, for all the time I spend on various outposts across the web, I should treat this one like my home base. Oh, the irony of using this site as a blog. It’s to the point where it seems like I’m all over the place, yet there is no single place all about me. That all changes today, as this site undergoes its umpteenth re-purposing.

Gearheads Without Borders
Two months ago, almost to the day, I shared that I was going to let this site slide a bit in order to focus on some kind of international automotive charity-type organization built around a sort of Gearhead Fight Club. Today, I am still very excited about this idea, but I think it was just a bit before its time. Everyone I spoke to about it was excited. Conversations with a couple people like Ryan and Jay were edifying and energizing. Unfortunately, I think the idea was just a bit too big for one person to coordinate, and I’m just one person.

On the plus-side, all it would take is one person helping another person turn some wrenches and sharing the story. That’s well within my reach. Gearheads Without Borders isn’t dead, but just as you can’t care for someone else without first caring for yourself, I feel I need to get my shit together on the automotive front before I step out to organize anything like this.

Gearbox Magazine
While I’ve been very fortunate to have a number of very cool people step up to help with the project, they’ve all had to shift their attention to other things, leaving GBXM a one-man show once again. 20 months in, I had hoped things would be more robust by now, but that’s not to say anything negative about progress or the people who have generously volunteered their time along the way.

Looking up, a recent conversation via private messages on a forum has resulted in my finally gaining a partner in Gearbox. Dennis DeJong, an Opel mechanic in The Netherlands, has come on board as a business partner and will be writing stories for Gearbox; sharing technical information and interviews with people who own older, rare vehicles, as well as reporting on events he attends in his area. Dennis has done some automotive journalism in the past and tells me partnership means he will be sharing in the financial responsibilities for the magazine as well. Totally made my day and I’m very much looking forward to working with him.

Penmanshift
If you didn’t already know this, a number of the people I interact with most online these days seem to be auto-journos. A couple times a month, a select group of us share our thoughts on the sensationalist drivel passing as automotive journalism these days. Through these back-channel, email conversations, I’ve come to the conclusion there is a difference between being an auto-writer and an automotive journalist. But any fool can bitch about what’s wrong, right? It takes guts to step up and offer possible solutions. Penmanshift is my doing just that.

I’ve already got Penmanshift.com hosted and roughed into place and have begun drafting curriculum for program participants. The ADDIE model has been a big part of my life recently. On top of the very basic website, I’ve also got a branded forum on the backend where most of the participation will take place. This will be a private forum just for participants and alumni, providing a place for both rookie and seasoned journalists to talk shop and keep the saw sharp. More on this in coming posts.

Tarmac & Gravel
T&G is where I try to document the progress, both forward and backward, made on my two Mitsubishi Galant VR4s. One is my daily driver, the other my would-be rally car project. Since I’m sort of starting over on this update right here after Firefox completely shit the bed on me and lost everything I’d written beyond this save point, I’ll try to be brief with the remaining updates.

195 came is finally back from the cage builder and though I’m still a couple grand away from being ready for a logbook (required for rally competition), I’ve shifted my focus to other areas more involved with putting the damn thing back together and driving it for the first time since 2008. Most recently, I’ve stripped and repainted the engine bay. Things are looking up on this front.

Behind the Firewall
Full disclosure, I work in Knowledge Management for Apollo Group, parent company of University of Phoenix. (Literally, in the oddly Photoshopped building above.) Understandably, I can’t get into specifics here, as I’m not authorized to speak for the company, but I feel I can certainly share some of what I’ve been up to in this role. Can’t advocate work-life-parallel and then not talk about work!

Lately, I’ve been doing a little corporate journalism, interviewing various people for our KM blog. These conversations have revolved around personal and professional development, competencies, knowledge sharing and more. It’s been quite the learning experience, and I love how it complements my efforts to drive adoption of discussion forums and blogs within the organization. I’m going to try to share some of what I’m learning through these activities here, but I need to make sure I do so appropriately.

There! All caught up!
If you’ve actually read this far, thank you. I appreciate that. I intend to make more use of this site as my home base in the future. If you’ve got any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas, please contact me via the new contact form on the right margin of this page (or via my Google+ account). Future updates may or may not be this involved. I’m going to make an effort to share more of the things I’m working on here. This is my site. This is my home base. Who is DR1665? I am.

Press on regardless.

In the glovebox:

• Update: Evolution of a Blog
• Inspired by Jk & Rob
• The Future of Work

I'd appreciate hearing what you think about All-Inclusive Update

Think about these before you hit the jump. 

Did you answer, so we can get into college, get a degree, and get a better paying job?

That’s what society is selling us. Get a degree and get a job. This might work for some people, but I think it’s missing the point. Employers don’t care about your grades (“D means ‘degree!’”). A degree is often viewed as an accomplishment. And, if a degree is practically useless without relevant work experience to support it, wouldn’t it seem said experience is more valuable? Why is that, you think?

Why do we want to get good grades in high school?
Why do we want to finish college?
Why do we want a degree?

To prepare us for maximizing our college educations.
To enter society empowered with key skills necessary for success.
To represent our value as individuals.

Which sounds more appealing to you?

(Image: net_efekt)

In the glovebox:

• The Future of Work
• AutoJournos, Meet Auto-Journo
• Inspired by Jk & Rob

I'd appreciate hearing what you think about Appealing the College Degree

Unfortunately, I’m about as good taking pictures with Vanessa’s point-and-shoot Nikon S220 as I am with her D200.  Most of the shots which looked great on the camera’s screen ended up being fuzzy, but here are some of the best shots from tonight.

Jason was out this month with his always immaculate, RRE-tuned TSi AWD.  When I had my Talon, this is always how I wanted it to look.  Absolutely stunning.

L-R (as best I can): Dom from Mitsu-Media.com (GST), Mike (GSX), Dave (GS+T), “Level7″ Dave (Esi), Steve (TSi AWD), Brian (1G), myself (464/1000), and I can’t tell the rest from this picture, sadly…

Closeup of Mike, Dave, and Dave.  (Yes, AZDave has custom LED parking lights.  All told, his car probably has more than a thousand, hand-soldered LEDs on it and they are all awesome).

I didn’t get a chance to talk to this guy.  “Shorty” I believe they called him.  96+ Mirage with a 4G63 swap, nitrous, full cage, and a parachute out back (he actually needs it).  Behind the Mirage is an AWD Spyder, also from Holeshot Performance here in town.

The rear end of Jason’s Talon, another new face I didn’t get to meet, the rear of the Holeshot cars and one of our buddies’ Supra.

Sleeper of the month: 89 Colt Turbo.  Factory turbocharged 1.6L was replaced with a 2L mill from a DSM.  It’s a highway car that can’t hook up very well from a dig, but at 2500lbs soaking wet, this “econobox” breaks a lot of hearts.

In all, a good turn out this month.  11 DSMs, 1 GVR4, 1 Turbo Colt, 1 drag Mirage, an Evo X, a Poopra, and a GTO showed up.

The Talon in the foreground is owned by Brian, who has been working on the car since 1999, and owned it since 2005.  Mounted in the center console is a Buschur Racing wideband AFR unit dating back to 1992, I believe they said.  I’d never seen one before and wish I could have got a shot of it.  Perhaps next month.  464/1000 was showing off its recently painted radiator core support.  The formerly white hood might need some paint next.

From L(EDs) to R: Dave, Dave, Steve, Brian.

Dominic had a tripod for his camera, so he’s probably got some better pictures up over on Mitsu-Media.com.  I’ll see if I can’t grab a link to his pictures once he gets them up.  In the meantime, here’s a fairly grainy shot of his engine bay.

EDIT: Dominic got some much better pictures up over on Mitsu-Media.com.  Check ‘em out!

If you’re in the Phoenix area and own a Mitsubishi, you’re more than welcome to come on out and spend an evening talking cars with us.  Again, we meet on the second Thursday of every month starting around 730PM in the parking lot next to the In-N-Out on the north side of Ray Road, just east of I-10.

In the glovebox:

• Update: Evolution of a Blog
• AutoJournos, Meet Auto-Journo
• Arizona Montero Owners

I'd appreciate hearing what you think about DSM_Southwest INO – Sept 2009

The two views of garage organization.

It was my friend and fellow Mustafa Samli who told me one evening (as we were stepping over and around all kinds of Mitsubishi engines strewn about his garage), “If your garage is clean, it means you’re not actually using it.” This is the first view of garage organization, and one with which I tend to agree more often than not.  Show me a project car that a gear head has stated is completed and I’ll show you a gear head who’s already got another project car on deck and waiting to get into the shop to take it’s place.  One of the greatest benefits to having your own garage is that you can work on your vehicle until you feel the homicidal rage building up, then walk away to cool off for a while, leaving your tools and everything out without fear of them “walking away.”  In this respect, the garage is like a vault; you keep your valuable inside until you want to see them.

On the other hand, there is merit in the other view of organization which is keeping things neat, clean, and orderly.  First and foremost, it’s rather convenient being able to find exactly what you’re looking for right away.  It’s also nice to be able to walk directly to wherever whatever is located without having to take the scenic route around the siezed engine block on the pallet, the two temporary spare tires, and the mountain bike you rode home from the store, but never again.  Keeping your garage clean and organized also means that, when you want to actually work on your own vehicle (I tend to do more working on others’ cars these days), you can actually do so in the garage, with Pandora streaming on your laptop and a cool breeze from the fan rather than out in the driveway, where you can’t really hear the music and that fan is no more than a cruel mirage in the distance.

Did that second part sound a bit too specific?

I finally got tired of the parts and tools piling up on the hood of 195 and the sad realization that, even with just one car in our 2CG, things were still crowded.  I also got tired of tripping over that damned siezed engine that came out of 195 when I bought it that’s been under foot going on four years now.  I really got tired of working on 464 or the Amigo out in the driveway in the sun where I couldn’t hear the music or feel the breeze from the fan running diligently in the garage.  I stood in the doorway at the back corner, moved a few things out of the way, and swept the floor.  Next thing I knew, I had room for my laptop, Pandora was streaming, and I was backing 195 out of the garage so I could get to that side as well.

Get your cones in order!

Sometimes, they can actually be among the most organized spots in your garage!  Dave and I got these (and many other) cones from his SCCA contacts for use in our rallycross events some day when we actually find some place to hold such an event. They spent a month in the trunk of 464 before I got tired of loading groceries around them and set them in the garage next to that siezed 4G63.  Now they’re neatly stacked next to (from right to left):

• A blue trash can full of random Volvo parts stuffed into a
• Trash can box full of old blankets for when I’m spray painting trim pieces or entire Galants
• A set of 15″ wheels off a 91 Galant LS which look a little like OZ Superturismo Corsas needing rally tires beneath
• An old boom box I can’t bear to throw out (made my first mix tape on it in the eighties) in a box under
• Another box with four or five sets of baseball and football cards from the early 90s supporting
• Computer speakers that weren’t loud enough for the garage, an empty tin for bolts (someday) and a shoebox of solder gear
• (Almost forgot that pair of drilled rotors I can’t use and a trash bag full of magic)
• Next to a brand new tent (might use next weekend – woot) and
• The EZ Up some dude left at Havasu last Labor Day weekend that I sort of adopted.

I bet you’ve got stuff like this in your garage too.

Nietzsche said, “Stare into the abyss and the abyss states back into you.” Staring into your garage is much the same.  I still think that those uber garages with the fancy floors and fanicer lighting where all the cabinets match and keep all the tools conveniently out of sight are cool, but that level of cleanliness and organization makes me suspicious that no work actually goes on there; that no hands ever get dirty, that someone is just a posuer with a lot of money.  But letting things slide too far the other direction is no good either.  What’s the point of having a garage if it pisses you off every time you go into it?

What good is a 2CG if you can’t actually fit two cars in it?

Not much good.  Nice to have, but you could have so much better.  So much better, in fact, that today, after spending just six hours straightening up and sweeping last night, I felt inspired to do some work on the Galants (details on their site: Tarmac-and-Gravel.com).  Last night, though, for the first time in fourteen months, Vanessa was able to park the Amigo in the garage next to 195.  It’s just a shame we don’t have a remote for the opener yet!

PS – When I started, I had no idea I’d manage to make this much progress.  I actually laughed out loud when it was done.

In the glovebox:

• Social Media is a Vehicle
• Update: Evolution of a Blog
• AutoJournos, Meet Auto-Journo

I'd appreciate hearing what you think about “2CG” Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Two Cars Fit