"Creativity takes guts and creativity takes courage." — Brenda Johima BoobArt for Breast Cancer

Why Did the Turkey Cross the Road?
By Chris Dunmire, Publisher

More Turkey Day Fun: Don't miss my new Thanksgiving Writing & Blogging Prompts, Thanksgiving Word Search Puzzle & Paper Turkey Cutouts. And remember the classic Thankful Four Writing Reflection activity. Go get 'em now!

Chris Dunmire
Creative Director and Publisher

Art of the Song Creativity Corner
Creativity Loves Company
By Eileen Kalinowski
It’s a lie that all artists are loners. We need our solitude; but we also need to share what we’re doing with people who understand and accept us, warts and all.

Multicultural Muses
Following La Fauna: A Journey to the Heart
By Molly Anderson-Childers
A few weeks ago, I had a dream of a strange city in the desert. ... I walked on, and as I walked, I saw a beautiful, dainty creature approaching me. She had the four legs, tail, and body of a little brown goat, but the upper body, arms, and head of a lovely girl.

Creative Solutions & Inspirations from the Modern Day Muses
Previously on The Bodyguard ...
By Jill Badonsky
As promised, here are some specific ways you can use your creative bodyguard to protect your creative process, and in fact, stay in the process instead of procrastinating or putting projects, pursuits and new paths off until the year 2525.

BONUS Pop Quiz! A Review-ses of the Muses
Now that Jill's featured all her Modern Day Muses (and the Bodyguard) in her column, let's see how muse smart you are. Name the muses of the following domains:

1. Paying attention and possibilities
2. Imagination and innovation.
3. Play, laughter, and dance.
4. Nurturing, encouragement, and good company.
5. Process, practice, and imperfection.
6. Courage and uninhibited uniqueness.
7. Pause, diversion, and gratitude.
8. Gifts of the dark side.
9. Okay-now-let's-get-started.
10. The Muses Bodyguard

Quiz Answers: 1) Aha-phrodite 2) Albert 3) Bea Silly 4) Muse Song 5) Spills 6) Audacity 7) Lull 8) Shadow 9) Marge 10) Arnold

PERSONAL ESSAYS: Short Takes
Excerpted from the book Courage and Craft: Writing Your Life into Story © 2007 Barbara Abercrombie (New World Library, 2007).
You read personal essays to understand your life, to find humor, to discover a new way of looking at the world. You write them for the same reasons. This kind of essay is about your journey through an experience, commonplace or traumatic — any situation you’ve felt strong emotion about — and what you learned or didn’t learn from the experience. More »

Creative Block: Why You Don’t Create More and How to Turn it Around
By Dan Goodwin
Creative block — or artist’s block — comes in many different forms, but they all have one thing in common.

Productive Leaders Tip: Urgent vs. Important
By Behance Team
Especially productive leaders are able to multi-manage importance and urgency. Here are a few best practices to consider.

New Thanksgiving Day Holiday Printable Projects
By Chris Dunmire
Permission is granted to teachers to use the following projects in the classroom for Thanksgiving holiday activities:

• Paper Turkey Cutouts
• Thanksgiving Holiday Writing & Blogging Prompts
• Thanksgiving Creative Fun: Word Search Puzzle