Whether it's the second gunman on the grassy knoll, the alien mystery at Roswell or what really is hidden within the high-security confines of Area 51... conspiracy theories abound. Many of us are amused by the speculation, while hardcore buffs examine every nuance looking for clues to support their version of the story.

I discovered long ago that if I wanted to continually improve my company and my own performance I need to leverage my past experience for all it’s worth. Stated more simply - to make 2009 the best it can be, you need to analyze what took place in 2008.

Your dreams are too important to leave unattended. So what are you waiting for? Go create some luck!

What would you do if disaster struck your studio? Would a fire, flood, theft, or crash rob you of thousands of hours of effort and thousands of dollars of inventory? Better yet, what can you do right now to prevent such losses?

Procrastination is hardly considered a positive trait. Most people do it despite their best efforts not to, and many of us set New Years resolutions to stop doing it-which we'll get around to doing eventually, we swear. But is it really that bad to procrastinate? Here's an alternative view-times when it might be just fine for freelancers, business owners, and creative people of all types to leave an important project for later.

Artists and designers often complain about unethical clients. But what about unethical artists and designers? Are you one?

Just as rewarding as creating some beautiful calligraphy work using either your calligraphy pen or calligraphy brush may be the creation of good quality calligraphy ink.

An artist statement is a necessary component of any professional artists' portfolio or promotional packet. Here's how...and how not!

It’s easier now to take pictures, and it’s even easier to prepare for a contest if you only study how. Apply these photography contest tips and advice, and improve your chances of winning a photography contest.

Do your clients send Word files that require extensive reformatting when you flow them into InDesign, Quark or Corel files? Here's my crabby - and very useful -  set of guidelines to share.