Monthly Archives: July 2019

Did You Catch the Creativity Secrets in the Countdown?

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As part of the countdown for our last Patreon offer for new members, I did a series of photos featuring our penguins and numbers. Each photo had Easter eggs related to creativity in them. Do you know what those Easter Eggs were?

Penguins with the number 10
Penguins with the number 10

Number 10: All of these penguins are sitting on a couch. They’re comfortable. Because they are comfortable, they are ready to create. Getting comfortable is especially important in industrial creativity because being creative is risky, and people who are worried about losing their jobs aren’t going to take risks.

Penguins out of the box cat inside
Penguins out of the box, cat inside

Number 9: Thinking outside the box is great when being creative, but sometimes, what’s left inside the box can be just as surprising. If you’re interested in the learning portion, a number with an exclamation point beside it is a factorial. That means you’re supposed to multiply the number by every number below, i.e. 9x8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1.

Our penguins welcome a new penguin
Our penguins welcome a new penguin

Number 8: Just like our penguins welcome a new penguin (Did you notice the new penguin? It still needs a name), you need to welcome new ideas. Don’t be afraid of what’s new, embrace it like a stuffed penguin would embrace you.

Penguins in a huddle with the number 7
Penguins in a huddle with the number 7

Number 7: Most creativity results form some sort of collaboration. The Muppets weren’t just Jim Henson; they were also Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, and a host of other puppeteers. Grab a few collaborators and make beautiful music, art or whatever together.

Penguins with globe and cat
Where should we go next?

Number 6: Travel is a great way to jump start your creativity. You get exposed to new cultures, foods and ideas. Think about them enough, and they can result in new ideas.

Penguins brainstorming creativity
Penguins brainstorming creativity

Number 5: Brainstorming is one of the quickest ways to get a lot of ideas. Be sure to have someone record them. You can even do it by yourself.

Tea Party with the Penguins
Tea Party with the Penguins

Number 4: Being childlike is important to creativity and remaining young. Have a tea party with your stuffed pals and invite friends along. Find a way to play make believe. And if a tea party makes you think of Alice, she’s a great role model because she’s curious. Be curious. (Bonus Easter Egg: Check out the cups and find a surprise that is correlated with greater creativity. Don’t laugh when you see it, or do, actually, laughing might be better.)

Penguin taking a group photo
Penguin taking a group photo

Number 3: These penguins are recording their time together with a photo. You should record your ideas when they occur to you. Always have a pen and paper handy or make a note on your phone. Don’t let the idea get away, record it somehow.

penguins with books
penguins with books

Number 2: Books can be a great way to continue learning or to find inspiration. Books also allow you to exercise your imagination. Read a little every day and change up your genres to keep your creativity function at a higher level.

Penguins number 1
Penguins number 1

Number 1: You’ve got to set aside time for your creativity, and that time needs to be guarded against the intrusions of everything that would distract you. It’s hard to do, but giving yourself an hour to do something creative every day will improve your creativity.

Which Easter eggs did you spot that we missed? Leave a comment and let us know.

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Just One Day Left for More Creativity

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Clearly, you can join our Patreon at any time. If at some point you decide our penguins are worth it or you enjoy what I’m writing, you can simply head on over to the Patreon page and put up however much you think it’s worth to you to get creativity articles, penguins photos and more while supporting our ability to create. Whether it’s $1 or $500 or more, your pledge amount, when you decide to give it, doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you’re voting for more positivity, more love and more kindness.  That’s what we’re trying to put out into the world.

However, the offer on the table right now does expire on July 31, 2019. For every 5 people that join before the end of July, I will write an additional creativity article. We have one scheduled for August 14th about the Popeye movie, criticism and creativity. Our penguin photo of the month has been chosen and will be released on August 22. Our Patreon Anniversary is on Aug 12! So, it’ll be a big month for us, and you can make it bigger.

Our penguins are watching the clock. Come join the fun as we explore the finest thing in life: creating. We look forward to moving forward together.

P.S. Did you spot the Easter eggs in the countdown photos?

Heroes of the Haunted Mansion: Claude Coats

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Claude Coats started out in backgrounds in animation; through this experience, he became a master at establishing moods through the use of atmosphere. In the 1950s, Coats designed the building for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, pioneering the idea of sculpting ideas before they were built. He told imagineer Tony Baxter that Baxter should remain hands on. Drawing can trick people into believing that something can be done. Those same tricks can’t be done to a sculpture.

He worked alongside Marc Davis on the Pirates of the Caribbean, and at the completion of that attraction, he was assigned the Haunted Mansion. While both Coats and Davis wanted to be the headman on the Haunted Mansion, it was there interaction that made the Haunted Mansion a classic attraction. The tension between the two came from their differing ideas about what the Haunted Mansion should be. Coats wanted a scarier attraction. Marc Davis wanted some humor in the attraction.

Walt Disney recognized that Coats had a knack for being able to translate two dimensional images into three dimensions. Coats was also able to lay down tracks that maximized the use of a building’s interior. These talents were put to good use by the Disney Company. Find out what your talents are and find the best way to use them.

Sources: “The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic” by Jason Surrell.

“Walt Disney’s Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park” by Jeff Kurtti.

For more on creativity and the Haunted Mansion, get “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” online or at the Candy Cane Inn in Anaheim.

For more on Disneyland and Creativity, order “Disneyland Is Creativity.” For deep thinking about the Disney Company, check out “Penguinate! The Disney Company.”

You can also find more articles about Disney, Disneyland and creativity at our archive website, www.penguinate.weebly.com, and on our blog. If you would like to get even more articles about creativity, join our Patreon and become a Penguinator.

2 Days Left to Get More Creativity

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If you want better problem-solving skills, interesting articles to read, and photos of stuffed penguins, join us at our Patreon. For every five people that join before July 31, 2019, I’ll write an additional creativity article exclusive for our Patreon members.

From finger painting and playing music to building something in your shop and crocheting, creating something helps you relax and feel better about your life. It’s the active participation in creation that unleashes your ability to tap into the flow and get in the zone. While Maslow places creativity at the top of his hierarchy for self-actualization, creativity can be found at every level human existence. Even people in the direst situations have a desire to create. When your daily life gets to be too much for you, taking some time to get into an area that allows you to engage your whole brain will improve your mood, especially if you eliminate the expectations and just go for it.

If you want to be more creative, you can order books on creativity principles (Disneyland Is Creativity, The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity, and Penguinate! Essays and Short Stories). You can sign up for our email list, and you can join our Patreon. We’re dedicated to helping people achieve greater creativity in life. It starts with us and flows out to you.

Southwest Airlines Shows the Luv on ‘The Kindness Diaries’

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On “The Kindness Diaries” season 2 episode 5, traveler Leon Logothetis is faced with a decision. Several government websites have issued travel advisories for the road he wants to use to head from Mexico to Costa Rica. It’s unsafe because people have been robbed, kidnapped and worse. This place may be the best area to test his theory of kindness in, and Logothetis says he would do it if he were alone. However, he has his camera crew to think about.

Logothetis doesn’t just rely on the government for information; he asks the locals about the area and traveling there. The answers are a mixed bag. Some people believe it’s safe enough. Others say it’s not safe at all. One goes so far as to say that Logothetis would probably have his vehicle stolen.

Since he is trying to rely on the kindness of others, Logothetis is worried that if he returns to the U.S., his trip will be over. The only other ways to get him and his vehicle to Costa Rica are by plane or by ship. Still, the safety of his crew wins out. He goes back to San Diego where he meets teachers Peter and Paul, who allow him to stay at their house while he tries to find transportation.

A couple days in to trying every avenue possible to get the transportation he needs, Logothetis is left with a long shot. It pays off. True to their Luv reputation, Southwest Airlines offers to cover the costs of transportation for Logothetis and his car. Not only was this kind to Logothetis, but its ripple effects could be felt immediately in Houston where Logothetis has a long layover and highlights the work of a veteran nonprofit that helps people in disasters – Team Rubicon.

Southwest’s act of kindness will continue to pay off as Logothetis continues to make his way south. Prior to the transportation donation, Logothetis had helped a young woman in Utah start a nonprofit, and his gift to a family in Mexico resulted in the family giving away tamales that they normally used to pay their rent. Perhaps, the best part of Southwest’s gift was that it allowed the show to continue. It’s the shows inspirational message that will make the largest difference. Though you may have to go a little out of your way to be kinder, you don’t have to travel across the world to affect others in a good way.

What Would You Do if You Were More Creative?

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Three days left for anyone who wants to know how many creativity articles I can write in August. For every 5 people that join our Patreon by July 31, I will write an additional, exclusive creativity article. Bring your friends, take a group photo and sign up for our Patreon. You’ll also get a Penguin photo and some cool stuff depending on the level you join at.

Creativity is the only way that we can advance in our life, as a culture and as a species. Creating is at the core of who we are. Being more creative will free you up to be more of who you are. At our Patreon, we discuss creativity principles and bring them together for good. We look forward to having you join us to become more creative.

We already have “’Popeye’ criticism and Creativity” lined up for release on August 14. The Penguin photo should be released on August 22. And don’t tell anyone, but August 18 is our Patreon anniversary! While three is the magic number for how many days are left. Five is the magic number for extra creativity articles. What would you do if you were more creative? Let’s find out together!

8 Cool Things about Penguins from 2 Videos

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I’ve been doing some research for my next book “Penny Penguin Wants to Fly.” The first video is cool because of the Adelie; the second video is cool because of the chick’s down. In no particular order, my favorite things from these videos are after the first.

  • Emperor penguins abandon their chicks to get the chicks to journey to sea.
  • When they leave, chicks can be about a meter tall!
  • Emperor penguin chicks lose their down after their first swim.
  • The giant petrel can eat penguin chicks. Emperor penguin chicks form a defensive circle.
  • The Adelie is the feistiest penguin in the world.
  • Black wing tips mean the emperor penguin chicks are ready for their first hunt.
  • Emperor penguin chicks will swim for three or four years in the deep ocean before returning to their hatching grounds.

If you want more penguins, order “There Are No Penguins in Alaska” or purchase one of our handmade stuffed penguins. Join our Patreon for penguins, creativity and books.

Warning: Use These 8 Steps for Creativity at Your Own Risk

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Studies have shown that creative students are disciplined more often than less creative students even in classrooms where the teacher says that he or she values creativity. The same holds true for people in the workforce; creative employees are less likely to receive promotions and raises, even in companies that encourage their employees to be creative. Creativity comes with a risk. It’s up to you to decide if that risk is worth it.

  1. Take a Risk

If you’ve decided to take the risk and be creative, that’s a good start because you’ve already taken your first practice step. To be more creative, you’re going to need to take more risks. Your first solution to a problem might solve that problem adequately, but you need to go a little further to see if there’s a better solution. It’s a risk to take that time and the extra step, but it could pay big dividends with a better solution that solves multiple problems.

  • Take a Walk

The best ideas always seem to happen when you least expect them. In the shower, in the car, or when you’re on a walk. There are many theories about why it happens at these times; it may have to do with defocusing on the problem and relaxing a little, which removes the pressure and stress that can stifle creativity. Walking has the added advantage of improving blood flow and helping you be healthier. Plus, you can take a notebook and pen with you so you don’t lose the idea.

  • Take It Down

Always have a notebook with you. If you can’t carry a notebook, use your phone to record ideas and transcribe them later. Ideas can strike at any time. If you don’t record them, they will fade away like mist and be gone forever. Keep a notebook by your bed. Keep a waterproof one in the bathroom. Whatever it takes to harness your ideas, do it. The more ideas you record, the more you’ll get.

  • Start the Project

All of the ideas in the world won’t help you. You need to start working on one. Choose the best idea, choose the easiest idea, or choose the weirdest idea. It doesn’t matter which one you choose at first because you just want to get started on working on something. The idea may morph throughout the project, but unless you start, the idea will never exist at all. Write words on the page, put paint on the canvas, make the weld – whatever your medium, well begun is half done.

  • Finish the Project

Starting is great. Finishing is better. If you finish a project, you beat out all of the people who started and never completed their projects. By finishing the first project, you’ll get a sense of self-confidence that you can finish other projects. (The other projects may not be easier, but you’ll know that you’ve finished one, so you know you can finish more.)

  • Show the Results

This is one of the hardest things for any creative project and the person who created it. You’ve got to release it into the world. Some people won’t like it. Many more will be neutral about it. Some will love it, and some will actively fight against it. Sharing allows you to get your ideas out there, and it allows you to draw strength from those who will support you. This is especially important if you’re going to turn your creative efforts into a business or a way to move forward at your place of work.

  • Take a Rest

Even the best creators need to take time from their work to replenish their well. Resting from a creative activity includes doing those things that will help you create more later. New experiences, reading, movies, travel… the list is endless. Just give yourself some downtime before you move on to the next project.

  • Start a New Project

Hopefully, you don’t stop coming up with ideas while you’re working on your project. When you get ready to start again, you should have plenty of ideas to work on. Choose one and get started again. The more you work on your creativity and your creative process, the more creative you’ll become.

For more on creativity, check out these books:

Join us at Patreon for more posts on creativity. Join our email list for more creativity tips, book notices and penguins!

8 Quotes from Mister Rogers that Will Improve Our World

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I grew up with Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Growing up with my mom as my only parent, Mister Rogers provided me with a male role model. I rarely live up to the high ideals that Mister Rogers set, But I know that’s okay because I try every day, and it’s the effort and the intention that matter. Here are eight quotes from one of my childhood heroes that will improve your world.

  • There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.
  • Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person.
  • The more you grow into a helpful person yourself, the happier you’ll find this world of ours is.
  • Mutual caring relationships require kindness and patience, tolerance, optimism, joy in the other’s achievements, confidence in oneself, and the ability to give without undue thought of gain.
  • I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said “yes,” when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to someone else.
  • Whether we’re a preschooler or a young teen, a graduating college senior or a retired person, we human beings all want to know that we’re acceptable, that our being alive somehow makes a difference in the lives of others.
  • The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile.
  • You are a very special person. There is only one like you in the whole world. There’s never been anyone exactly like you before, and there will never be again. Only you. And people can like you exactly as you are.

Go out today knowing that you are special and your kind words and actions can make a difference for the better.

Thank you, Mister Rogers.

Most of the quotes were found at https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/32106.Fred_Rogers

If you want more from Mister Rogers, check out his author page on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k5IOgG