Something Has To Be Done...

Hello everyone!

If you are a loyal reader, just visiting, or new to the site- welcome! In the event that you are a new visitor to The Creative Cabana, then this probably isn't a post you'll want to read first. It's been difficult trying to figure out the right words and the right time to bring the truth out about this blog and how it has shaped my life, as well as (hopefully) inspiring yours.

If you look at the date of this post compared to the previous post, you'll notice there is quite a large posting gap between these two entries. Why is that? About 95% of the reason for that is ME. For the last few months I have really struggled with being able to take the time to dedicate myself to this blog. I'll admit to have suffered a few episodes of Writer's Block during this time period, but a lot of it has to do with me looking to improve time management skills. So if there are readers out there who have been anxiously awaiting a new Creative Cabana post since September- I apologize. I have been dealing with a lot of personal issues and with that comes taking my free time to get other things done.

During this time, I also sat down and reevaluated my initial reasons for getting into Blogging. I started The Creative Cabana initially as my creative outlet. I wanted this to be a place where I could post and discuss different creative talents in the arts and people who inspire those talents. I have since discovered that I lack the time and focus to commit to those efforts. I had hoped that by this point, my life would be in a better position where I could invest in the tools needed to help my blog succeed. Unfortunately that has not happened, yet. Instead I have decided to shift my focuses into a new concept for blogging- essentially I'm starting over from scratch.

I'm changing blog platforms, subject, and goals into my new blog. The Creative Cabana will still be live and fully accessible through Blogger, however the corresponding social media accounts will be deactivated so that those accounts can be used for my new blog. My new blog which is titled Devotional Danielle will be available on WordPress starting March 1st. This new blog will be focused on uplifting and inspirational topics generated to get people thinking, and offer words of encouragement. It is my hope that the lessons I have learned from The Creative Cabana will translate into new aspects in Devotional Danielle.

I refuse to call this blog a failure because it isn't. This was my first official attempt at maintaining a blog on a regular basis and I created this particular site based on my interests. I'm still keeping true to those interests, I'm just starting over with a clean slate and a new idea. As soon as Devotional Danielle goes live, I will post a link on this site so that you can check it out. If you are currently following The Creative Cabana on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest look for those pages to come down as the month progresses. I simply want to thank each of you reading this now for your support and for your interaction with The Creative Cabana. It's not an end, it's only a new beginning and something new to look forward to. Best wishes and never hide your creativeness!

- Danielle

Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook

Creative Mastermind for Week 06/16: Casey Kasem, Radio Host

Happy Wednesday friends of The Creative Cabana! Thanks for stopping by for another week of Creative Mastermind appreciation awareness. This week's Mastermind though is being honored on a more tragic note than what I usually share. Making recent news with the announcement of his death, I would like to dedicate the honor of Creative Mastermind to a man of many voices: Casey Kasem.

Casey Kasem is one of my personal idols and I've admired him since I was a child. He was truly one of the most beloved actors and disc jockeys of the 20th century and his talent was unique. As you can see from the picture on the left, he was the voice of many famous cartoon characters- most notably Shaggy from Scooby Doo. Kasem was also the host of the popular radio show American Top 40 which was a countdown of the biggest music hits throughout the year. Kasem held the title of host of this program from 1970-1988 and 1998-2003. Today American Idol host, Ryan Secrest, is the host of American Top 40, however you can still hear the passion of Kasem's personality come through on each episode of the program. Casey Kasem had the energetic drive that could really engage people and draw them into what he was saying. Throughout his shows he would share different segments about up and coming music, trivia facts, and stories about the artists. This is what true radio broadcasting was like- all about the music, less about the money.

Casey Kasem was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1932. It is believed that he was inspired by radio from listening to "Make Believe Ballroom", another popular radio broadcast from the 1940s. After graduating from college, Casey Kasem was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952, sent to Korea and became a DJ/Announcer for the Army's Radio Network. When he returned to the U.S. he became a success working in several radio stations across the country. He has earned a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Casey Kasem also provided the voices for several cartoon characters throughout his career. His most famous role was Shaggy Rogers from the popular children's show Scooby Doo. Kasem voiced Shaggy for 40 years between the TV shows, spin-offs, and movies. His unique voice provided a clear and comic relief to the character of Shaggy. As a tribute to Casey Kasem here is a great clip I found of Scooby Doo and Shaggy hosting a radio show. In this scene Shaggy does his "radio voice", stop and think about this: Casey Kasem is doing an impression of himself- CLASSIC

One of the reasons why I would like to honor Casey Kasem as a Creative Mastermind is that he was such an unique and talented individual, it can't go unnoticed. I firmly believe that many DJ and On-Air talents have an aspiration to be like him. It's difficult to really explain, but when you're working in a studio and the only way people know you is through your voice, you have to create another personality that comes alive. No one sees you, so you have a job to really create a vibrant personality using sounds. Casey Kasem did that with perfection. He didn't just announce music or read a script- he told stories, he shared moments with his listeners, and he reached out to people through his dedications and messages. Radio has lost that special feeling because everyone turns to their MP3 devices for music, and radio has just become another home to advertisements and sales. Casey Kasem created a whole new generation for radio listeners and gave us so many nostalgic memories as kids because we heard his voice on so many shows. He truly was a legend and creative in his productions. He could write, speak, entertain, and make us laugh so hard we thought we had lost our minds. People like that don't come around very often; many imitate, but few achieve. Thank you for educating us Mr. Kasem and reminding us to always "keep reaching for the stars". 

Remember, the door is always open if you would like to send The Creative Cabana a nomination for Creative Mastermind. Have your favorite Creative Genius highlighted and put in the spotlight by simply leaving your nomination in the comments of this post or you can share it on our Facebook and Twitter accounts- just search "Creative Cabana". Be sure to give us details on who your nomination is and why they are a Creative Mastermind! Until next time friends, have a great day! 

* I am in no relation or affliated with Casey Kasem or members of the Kasem family. All opinions in this post are of my own and are expressed in dedication to him. Scooby Doo is the property of Hanna-Barbara and Warner Bros. I do not own any of the characters mentionned in this post and hold no ownership to their rights. Images used in this post, were collected from Google Images search results. The sad Scooby Doo illustrations were found through my Facebook account where friends had shared these images from other sites. I am not the creator of these images, and I give credit of these images to the artist of each drawing. The YouTube clip was posted on the network by a YouTube user in dedication to Casey Kasem. The clip is being used here for educational purposes only. No Copyright Infringement Intended.