Last week, my Hive Award arrived in the mail. Last March at the SXSW, Professor Ad Man won "Unsung Hero of the Internet - Best Blog." Unlike a lot of blog awards, this wasn't a popularity contest where you try to grab the most votes from friends, family and readers (and I thank you all again for your support in those awards). Hive winners are chosen by a panel of digital and social media leaders.

Now I'm not showing you the award to show it off. I want you to see its unique feature. The award has a 16G flash drive inside, so it does a lot more than sit on the shelf. Looking at the flash drive in all of its shiny gold-plated glory, I began to think about what would I store, feeling it deserved more than my work samples.

The first thing I stored are chapters of a story I've returned to. I don't feel it deserves to be called a "novel," until I've actually finished it. Blogging regularly has helped me get back into "fighting shape" to be the writer I've longed to be. As a former architect major in college, I'm also an artist. And I love photography. Maybe I'll start scanning some old photos and store them on the drive too.

Whether you're working hard on the job or working hard at finding a job, don't lose touch with the things that define you as a creative. At first, you may have to force yourself to make time for it, just like exercise. Soon you'll find yourself craving those moments. It recharges the batteries and it's suddenly a bit easier to deal with the daily grind.