It amazes me how most of us don’t understand that no matter your job, career or home life, the need for creativity surrounds us. Being creative is not limited to those in the arts; it applies to every one of us. If you’re a manager, an accountant, or a truck driver you will find that you have a problem and it needs solving. Creating a solution for those problems makes all of us a part of the creative community. The question then becomes how do we nurture that creativity and grow it into something that we can use daily? How do we position ourselves so that our creative mind is in the “right place at the right time?”
To help individuals find that place and to give them the tools to cultivate the creativity, most of us should look to these five basic items. Being aware of these throughout your day will help bring about the creative mind that is in all of us.
1. Stay Focused
Creativity needs focus, especially if that creativity is for a solution to a problem. To do that you need to clearly define the problem to begin with. No solution is possible if the focus is not clear.
2. Continue to Build Relationships
It is amazing how keeping up relationships with others expand our mind and exposes us to others who are creative. Stimulation from those relationships can spark new ideas and insight to what others have experienced. Makes sure that the relationships that you are building for creative awareness is not because of an obligation or for the purpose of convenience. They need to be free and easy relationships that nurture the creativity.
3. Creativity Needs Energy
There is no creativity when your body and mind are exhausted. If you spend your day at full throttle you will find you have no energy at the end of it. Most of us are pretty good at managing our time; learn how to manage your energy so that you have some for your creativity.
4. High Quality Stimuli
In this world of junk food for the mind there is no challenge for creativity. Between YouTube and badly produced reality shows, most of our minds are turning to mush. If you are looking for the creative mind you need to feed it with high quality stimuli. Read something from the great works minds of our times. Challenge yourself in what you are exposed to with your entertainment.
5. Create Time to be Creative
For many of us, time spent is usually used trying to find a more efficient way of getting something done. However, if you take the time to find the most effective way of getting something accomplished you will tend to focus more on finding a creative way of solving your problems. Take your time and instead of spending it clearing out your emails, use it to be think creatively and look for effectiveness rather than efficiency.
Could the Ugly Step-sister of Los Angeles Basketball Finally Make the Big Time?
I have taken a bashing for many years as an openly confessed Los Angeles Clippers fan. My few spots of joy have been the occasion when my beloved Clippers actually found a way to squeeze out a win, especially against their cross town rivals the Lakers. However, those moments of ecstatic joy for a Clipper team that continued to languish in the bottom of the standings was taking a toll on my own self-esteem.
You see, I’m of the belief that you pick a team and you stay loyal. You cheer during the ups and the downs and you never jump off the bandwagon just because your team is having a tough year. I’m probably the poster child for picking the teams that struggle to win it all. I’m a St. Louis Rams fan (used to see them when they were in Los Angeles), a Los Angeles Angels fan, and an Anaheim Ducks fan. As you can see, these teams have won, but are not very often which can try a man’s patience and fortitude.
I’m also the kind of guy who believes in the underdog in a situation. The Clippers have been the underdog in more seasons that I care to admit. The blockbuster deal involving Chris Paul now puts the Clippers into another league, a league of potential winners who could see more winning than I’m used to. If the Chris Paul, Blake Griffin combination with all the other players can do what many in the media have claimed they are capable of, watch out. Then again, if the Clippers get that good, I might actually get to cheer on a team who isn’t the underdog.
Albert Pujols Decides to Play for the Los Angeles Angels for $250 Million
As a Southern California native and one who has lived all his life in Orange County in the shadow of the Los Angeles Angels and their ‘Big A’, I am thrilled over their recent acquisitions. The addition of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson has made this life-long Angel fan giddy with excitement. Having both Albert and C.J. joining the Angels just weeks before Christmas makes it feel like and early present for those of us who have been waiting since 2001 for another World Series Championship.
Was Albert Pujols Worth $250 Million?
Many of those in the sports world will look at the huge $250 million over ten years contract and wonder what Arte Moreno, the owner of the Los Angeles Angels was thinking? Add to that the salary of ace pitcher C.J. Wilson of $77 million over the next five years and your see a very inflated team salary. I think there are a couple of answers as to why the Angeles decided to pull the trigger on both of these blockbuster deals. The first being that the Los Angeles Angels have been the bridesmaid and not the bride in many high profile baseball players in recent years. Their lack of success in landing names like Adrian Gonzales (Boston), Mark Teixeira (Yankees), Carl Crawford (Boston) and pitching ace CC Sabathia (Yankees) has kept them from gaining the momentum they have needed in the last couple of seasons to win the American League West title.
The Los Angeles Angels Marketing Machine
We can also look at the marketing genius that Arte Moreno and his staff are. The Los Angeles Angels owner made his fortune with outdoor advertising and understands the Southern California market. There is a very large Hispanic population in not only Orange County, but in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, huge draws for the Angel baseball team. Albert Pujols is a native from the Dominican Republic as is a former Los Angeles Angels fan favorite Vladimar Guerroro. The marketing team under Arte Moreno I am sure has already factored the Hispanic population into their equations when offering Albert that $225 million. The thought is that it probably won’t take long for the Angels to make that salary back.
C.J. Wilson Gives the Los Angeles Angels More Weapons
The addition of C.J. Wilson, a successful pitcher coming from the Texas Rangers to fill out a rotation that includes proven ace’s Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana just puts icing on the cake. This is a homecoming of sorts for C.J. Wilson, who has proven himself a winner and is a local talent who grew up and went to school near Anaheim Stadium.
It is All About Winning
For a fan of the Los Angeles Angels this is nothing short of dream come true. Both the Angels and Albert Pujols along with C.J. Wilson make this a win-win situation for all concerned. Both bring a winning attitude to the Angel organization and puts on notice to the rest of the American League that the Los Angeles Angels are all in and going for it.
Helpful Tips to Navigating the Christmas and New Year’s Season Parties
Over the month of December you will probably be invited to more social parties than you will for the other eleven months. The holidays usually bring with them stress and being invited to the company Christmas party or holiday celebration can add to that stress. Many of us face questions like, what should I wear, how should act, and what should I bring? The following tips can help you navigate these tricky questions and let you enjoy the holiday season.
1. How to Dress for the Holiday Party
Any social gathering during the holiday season should be treated as special. Everyone should dress up a little more during the Christmas season. Men should wear either dress jeans or slacks and a long sleeve shirt. Take it up a notch and put on a sport jacket to impress the crowd. If this is a suit event, make sure it is a dark suit with either a solid shirt or small patterned shirt and tie. Women should love this time of year as this is their opportunity to glitter and shine. Look for bright colors, dangling earrings, and beautiful shoes to complete the evening. Remember that modesty is important at a business Christmas party and you should not take out the really short and low cut dress for these occasions.
2. Uninvited Guests Need Not Apply
It is just bad taste to bring along an uninvited guest unless you have cleared it with the host or hostess. Nothing is worse than a host having to make room for another person who they didn’t expect. Uninvited guests also include children. If the invitation does not include children, chances are the host is looking for an adult only party.
3. Gifts for the Hostess
If you are not asked to bring a food dish to the Christmas party, bring a gift for the hostess. Many of us bring a nice bottle of wine; however, note cards, special vinegars and oils, or chocolates make for nice hostess gifts.
4. A Gift for the Boss or Co-workers
Usually buying a gift for the boss is not necessary and probably will make you look like your kissing up to them. Gifts for co-workers can be tricky as well. Feelings can be hurt if someone gets a gift and someone does not. If you do choose to give a gift, try to be discrete when giving it. Remember to be gracious and don’t feel that you need to apologize if someone gives you a gift and you didn’t reciprocate. Say thank you and remember to get them a gift next year.
5. Christmas Parties are Made for Mingling
Many times at the business Christmas party you will find yourself not knowing a lot of people. However, it is important to be gracious and mingle with them. Approach groups of people and introduce yourself to them. Be gracious and include yourself into the conversation without intruding on it.
6. Goodbye is Such Sweet Sorrow
As the guest at the party, be gracious in your good bye. Your host and hostess are probably very busy with other guests leaving so take very little of their time and quickly thank them for a wonderful evening.
How Obama Will Make You Pay Extra to Improve Your Christmas Tree Image
Nothing like adding a little more cheer to your Christmas spirit by throwing another tax on the American people. In a time when many people are having a tough time making ends meet, adding a tax on the Christmas spirit is going a little too far.
The Agriculture Department under President Obama’s Administration has announced that they will be instituting a 15-cent tax on all fresh Christmas trees this year. The reason for the Christmas Tree Tax is to financially help support a new Federal program to improve the image of the iconic Christmas Tree.
The Secretary of Agriculture will be appointing a Christmas Tree Promotion Board it was announced November 8, 2011. The purpose of the Board will be to start a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expand existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry.”
Of course the catch is how to pay for this promotion program for Christmas trees when Federal monies are being cut left and right? Impose a tax of course. A 15-cent tax will be imposed on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers that sell more than 500 trees a year. That tax will probably be passed on to the consumer from the Christmas trees seller.
What many find interesting is that Agriculture department is adamantly denying that this is NOT a tax because it does not provide revenue for the Federal government. However, it is the Federal government that is imposing this 15-cent per tree be paid by the Christmas tree seller whether they want to or not. On top of that, the Federal government uses that 15-cent fee to pay for a program directed by a department within its Administration to use as payment towards a program to improve the marketing of Christmas trees.
Considering that we are in a very stagnant economy right now and over nine percent of Americans are out of work, is this the brightest idea for the Obama Administration to impose right now? Personally, I think the Christmas tree has a great marketing image without the help of the Federal government. If we are not careful, Hanukah Menorahs and Kwanzza Kinaras will be taxed by the Federal government.
