A Palace In Ice

In 1896, a magical palace made of ice rose over the small town of Leadville, Colorado.  Although this beautiful creation only lasted for a few months, it is still remembered to this day.  

Leadville had been a silver boom town in the 1800's.  As the returns from the mines began to dwindle and miners began to leave, Leadville began looking for a way to bring people back.  A plan was conceived which would build a giant ice castle in thee winter, drawing tourists to the town.

 In November off 1895 construction began.  Wooden framework was constructed and ice blocks were brought in to add to the framework.  Blocks of ice were put into place and sprayed with water to hold the blocks together.  The castle contained a skating rink, a dance floor, a restaurant, and even a merry-go-round. \\\\\\\\\\\\\

The castle opened on January 1, 1896.   Admission was $0.50 for adults and $0.25 for children under 12 It was lit up with electric lights and the restaurant had samples of its culinary delights frozen into blocks of ice on display..  Evening searchlights made this a truly wondrous sight

Many tourists did come to view this winter wonderland, but unfortunately did not spend the money which the city had hoped.  An unseasonably warm winter caused the ice castle to close in March of 1896.  However, the skating rink was still in use until May of 1896, with a May Day skating party being the last event held there..

The ice palace was not the financial windfall it had been hoped, and was never rebuilt.  Thankfully, we still have the pictures of this brief, but magical palace to stir our imaginations.

Unleashing Your Inner Creativity

Have you ever been around someone who is always brimming with great ideas? People who reflect creativity in every aspect of their lives and make it look so easy that even a child could do it? Have you ever wondered how they do it?

Well, the good news is that creativity is a skill. It's one that we all have and one which can be developed.

Read on for a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.....

FREE WRITING

Free writing is something we all can do and it isn't hard at all. You simply sit down and start writing anything and everything that comes to mind. Don't worry if your grammar, spelling, or punctuation isn't right, nobody but you will see this.

KEEP A JOURNAL OF YOUR DREAMS

Sometimes, our best ideas come to us while we are sleeping.  But if you're like me, those dreams slip away shortly after I wake up.  Keeping a journal by your bed allows you to record those dreams before they dissipate into our daily life and thoughts.  

ACT LIKE A KID AGAIN

Adults seem to have a built in filter which stifles true creativity. We tend to over think things. You know, what will other people think or how much will this cost? What if I fail or, even worse, what if I get laughed at?

Children haven't yet developed this filter. The result is that they have a joy for living that very few adults possess.

Try to remember how you would have reacted to something when you were young.

HANG AROUND WITH CREATIVE PEOPLE

People tend to pal around with like minded people.  We also tend to conform to our respective peer group in an attempt to fit in..  If you only associate with analytical, business minded people, you will tend to act in the same manner. Why not add some creative and artistic people to your friend group.  When ideas are being discussed, you might just find yourself contributing to the conversation and you'll be amazed at the ideas you come up with!

TRY SOMETHING NEW AND GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!

If something looks fun and/or interesting, dive in and give it a try.  Take a dance class - you may never be a prima ballerina but you may have some fun and get into better shape.  Buy some art supplies -  you don't need talent to create something, just the willingness to do it.  Join a local theater group - there are plenty of creative opportunities both onstage and off.  Even if you discover this new activity just isn't for you, you will have learned something new and (hopefully) had some fun in the process.  It may even point you in a new direction you never would have thought of otherwise.

DOODLE

Keep some paper and a pencil nearby.  When the mood hits, grab it and start doodling.  Doodle when listening to music, watching tv, or any time the urge strikes.  Many of the great minds of history have been doodlers, why not add yourself to this group.

BE CURIOUS, ASK QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE

I remember one of my previous bosses liked to brag that whenever he entered a room he knew that he "probably was the smartest guy in that room".  He was also one of the most boring, uncreative people I had ever met.  You couldn't have a discussion with him, he spoke at you and only considered his own ideas as valid.    

Don't be shy about asking questions.  If something looks interesting, take a long look.  Explore it..  Ask any and all questions you might have.  Remember, everybody knows something you don't and everybody has seen things you haven't.  Never miss an opportunity to learn from somebody else.

The main thing to remember about creativity is that it is a skill anyone can develop.  Just jump in and do it and have fun!