The news on the street is Johnny Depp may  portray the Mad Hatter - in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

Do you wear different hats? Does that explain anything about our personalities? Actors and actresses always have on different hats, but have you tried something new lately?

I enjoying learning different things, do you give yourself the guilt free time to try something new?

I’ve experienced several different opportunities and feel blessed that I have, from my career as a bakery clerk, cosmetologist, office manager, event planner, SEO, Internet Marketing, artist, drawing.   Many people get caught up in the grind and dull drums of every day life to realize the power in learning.  The opportunities are limitless for you to get out there and put on a different hat just for the day, or even for an hour.

When you begin the learning process, it starts a chain of events in your soul that will continue to drive you to know more & learn more.  It becomes an addiction, and it can become a real positive in your life.

Endorphins are also released by the brain as a “motivation” or “reward” when new learning is achieved.

Endorphins being a natural narcotic stimulate us - who doesn’t need some sort of stimulation these days, with all the couch potato’s out there.  Stimulate yourself today to learn something new and wear a different hat, you will be surprised at how it can effect your all around attitude when you accomplish something different and learn something new.

Speaking of Hats - I get alot of hits for the Search Term - Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Hat, and what a better place to put up Texas Hatters, for those of you who are looking.

Richie Sambora best know for his richly melodious riffs with Bon Jovi, and his volatile relationship with Heather Locklear.  I personally like some of his solo releases.  Stranger in this Town and Undiscovered Soul.

How often do we forget - All That Really Matters, this track off Sambora’s Undiscovered Soul is something we should start our day’s with.

I know over the last year that I certainly lost touch with that. How often do we tell those around us, what matters.  How often do we think about All That Really Matters? 

When I look at you
you’re beautiful
there comes a time in someone’s life
when you find things that matter
and every time we touch the love runs deep
we realize it’s our to keep and that’s all that really matters.

It’s ours to keep, but when we become unfocused, we loose what really should run deep.  What should make us smile when our feet hit the floor in the morning?  Rushing to meet deadlines, meetings, answer email or trying to cut the guy off in front of us?  Or is it what surrounds you all the time, your family, your friends, compassion and love? It should be the latter, but we get so lost with in the confines of our mind that we overlook those simple things that really matter.

When we loose focus of what really matters, we loose ourselves and our loved one’s can be swept away in that fall out - and pretty quickly ta’boot.  Taking the time to show people what really matters can put that extra spring in your step on a daily basis as well as have a pay it forward action behind the scenes.

It doesn’t take long, it should not consume your day trying to figure it out. Smile at someone and say thank you for being in my life, or tell someone they are beautiful, take 5 minutes to sit and listen to someone’s story that you otherwise wouldn’t have time too.  Comment back, but don’t monopolize the conversation with a story of your own, let them know they have been heard.

You’ll always be my sweet addiction
in this life my saving grace
you’re all that really matters
you know it’s true
ain’t no me without you.
And when we turns to dust
and we fly away
there’ll be a light stil burning bright
and that’s all that really matters

Life changes on a dime, and regrets can create a mountain of remorse - don’t regret the time you could have spent, sharing and smiling about All That Really Matters.

I would like to thank some very kind people, who while I was away on vacation nominated me for the Arte Y Pico Award

Mandy from Texas Medical Freak whose blog is a great wealth of medical knowledge and her life’s lessons through all it all. Blessings to you Mandy!

Noel from Designer’s Depot who has a wonderful blog and shares a wealth of knowledge and gives exposure to some wonderful artists.

Upon winning this award you are tasked with the following rules…

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.  http://arteypico.blogspot.com

My nominations go to……..

Ty Hurd - Tysblog.com this is a guy that I originally ran across on Entrecard and took the time to teach me a few tricks.  This is a blog that get’s updated frequently and Ty is always willing to help out a stranger. Rock on Ty!

Animals Need Help - Stacy  has put her heart and soul into this particular subject matter, a great resource and full of information on a variety of matters that are going on around us on animal abuse and how we can help save them.

Bruce and Stacy  - over at BruceandStacy.com, I can’t sum up what an incredible help this guy has been to me over the last six months, willing to teach and educate and a real bloggers unite success story, literally and I don’t say that lightly.  More details at a later date -

Benny Greenburg over at Ya-ttitude is a wonderful daily read full of inspiration information and self awareness ideas.  It is mind boggling, but it’s also mind nurturing.

Eunice over at Travelerfolio has a great photo blog and shares some stunning images

It’s quite hard to sum up just five - but these have been on my top radar lately

Thanks again Mandy & Noel

Grand Funk took us by storm in the 1970’s and their music is still legendary, I know it is in my house,  “We’re an American Band” screams from the ipod on a daily basis.  This song helped Grand Funk get into the homes of a vast array of listeners giving them quite a following, still to this day.

Grand Funk or not, Mark Farner is still going strong & still playing producing some astonishing riffs. I just stopped by the official Mark Farner Website to find that there is now a “Captains Crew Fan Club”

Mark’s latest CD - For The People has a line from the that very song that says…”The Spirits of Time…” this post is for all those past spirits, that have served our country and served our needs, protected our lives, unbeknownst to us, giving us our independence!

Think back to 911, the day after, the hour after…..I recall the true genuine concern for others that happened that day. People were blind sided as we watched, and people united and came together that day, they reached out to one another, strangers who held doors open, gave up their places in line.  We need to get back to this type of genuine concern and politeness.

Keeping with his own style and still sporting the long rock & roll hair, Mark continues to be for the people.  I say lift a glass to the spirits of the great musicians, as well as the one’s who continue to lift our spirits when we are down and sometimes just give us good old foot stomping, hair flinging rock & roll to enjoy for years to come.

Happy Fourth of July All!

Remember the people before us, who gave us our independence.