Life Hacks by 6 Brilliant Blogs

The next time you're surfing the internet try taking a tour of blogs for some fantastic reads.

Before I unveil a random selection of blogs be warned that I'm not providing direct links to them, but you can Google them if you want to know more about the blog and blogger.

Let's start off with the #1 blog on the internet. 

Billboard

Best known for the hot 100 and Billboard 200, which lists the most popular songs and albums each week in the industry. Offers industry news, events, podcasts and music streaming.

Next, one of my personal favorites.

- Monkey's Tale

The best Adventure Travel blog on the web! The beautiful photography from locations around the world is a stunning sight to see. Be transported by this couple who carefully document their experiences. There are great travel tips included for every country.

Entrepreneurs will love...

Fast Company

With an editorial focus on innovations in technology, world changing ideas, leadership, creativity, and design. The site also offers readers advise on how to grow their businesses and economic news.

An offbeat but fascinating site.

- Bouncin' and Behavin' Blogs

Blogger Jason Provencio is a renegade writing for the masses. His articles are scorching and topical. He will give you plenty of food for thought and might even shock you with his harsh language and controversial views.

Active communities featured.

- Illumination

Find your voice at this blog which encourages people to speak out in life by offering a well-created forum featuring articles from spirituality, relationships, science & tech, poetry/fiction and business.

My personal favorite.

- Fictionista

Blogger Darnell Cureton shares his writing expertise with readers while also featuring his original micro fiction, flash fiction and his diary. This award-winning blogger does book reviews and is really good about answering your questions about writing techniques.

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Interesting fact:

There are 600 million blogs on the internet (the blogosphere) accounting for one-third of all websites published.

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"Nowadays, everyone seems to have a blog that finds readers." - Robert Dallek

As it Stands, I hope one of these recommendations makes your day!

Universal Music Power

In a delightful description of the power of music William Congreve wrote "Music hath charms to sooth a savage beast..." in his 1697 play The Mourning Bride.

The benefits of listening to music has not been lost over the ages. In fact, humans were making their own music in prehistoric times and have not let up since. Every culture has its own beat, but they all provide entertainment and meaning in their societies.

If we boil down the real power of music, it's a mood enhancer. It improves our moods by triggering the release of three powerful chemicals: dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. These hormones give us a rush of pleasure, support reward and motivation and help us feel connected to others.

I remember going to a concert featuring Grand Funk Railroad and Black Sabbath at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles in 1971 and being caught up with the primitive beat as people passed communal joints. It was a collective high that turbo charged my adrenaline making it a memorable experience.

Among other benefits music transforms us to other planes of awareness and spiritual joy when listening to religious music that stirs our souls. There are occasions for what I call sad music - funerals, tear-jerker movies, etc. They are an emotional release for some people.

My favorite music is rock and roll. I especially enjoy music from the 60s, 70's, and 80's. I recall driving my 1964 Chevy and rocking to the Canned Heat's "On the Road Again" blaring out of the eight "10-inch Craig speakers hooked up to my Eight-Track tape recorder.

How about you? What's your favorite type of music?

How about your favorite groups?

A sampling of my favorite groups:

The Beatles, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Moody Blues, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, Eagles, Canned Heat, Grand Funk Railroad, Blue Oyster Cult, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, The Animals, Steppenwolf, and Emerson Lake & Palmer.

"Music is the strongest form of magic," - Marilyn Manson (Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) 

As it Stands, to me one of the greatest things a person can do in their life is make music. Writing, singing, playing an instrument, it doesn't matter. We all have our inner beat and rhythm to share with the world. Go with your flow.

Taking a Chance

History is full of people who were willing to take a chance despite the odds of achieving success.

Their reasons vary wildly. They are called risk takers because they realize that in reality things don't always go well... but what the hell? They give it a go.

One of the reasons people take a chance is because they want to be famous.

Take Walt Disney for example. He experienced failure repeatedly before becoming a household name. He was actually fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas!" Worse yet, he was unceremoniously removed from the company (Laugh-O-Gram Studio) he started at 30 years old.

The moral of Disney's story is never give up and keep taking chances until you achieve your goal. Walt became an icon because he didn't give up despite years of failures.

Types of risk takers

* There are the calculative and perceptive (hedge funds, contractors, entrepreneurs) people who observe what is going on in the markets and pick their moments. They realize that risk is a variable in the equation that leads to return. Their strength is deductive reasoning and oversight.

* Then we have people who take risks because it gives them a thrill. They don't always think ahead and are likely to fail through lack of planning. But when they succeed it becomes addictive. They are generally fearless and take on challenges that most people wouldn't consider. 

10 Famous People Who Gave Themselves Another Chance

1. Albert Einstein - He didn't speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped.

2. Thomas Edison - Teachers told Edison he was "too stupid to learn anything." He failed at 1,000 attempts to invent the light bulb.

3. Michael Jordon - He was cut from the high school basketball team. He didn't allow that setback to stop him however and became a legend on the court.

4. Babe Ruth - One of the greatest players in baseball had the unenviable record, for decades, of strikeouts. When asked about this he said, "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." 

5. Henry Ford - His early businesses failed and left him broke five times before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company.

6. Dr. Suess - 27 different publishers rejected his first book To Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street.  

7. Jack London - While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and the Call of the Wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.

8. Fred Astaire - In his first screen test, the testing director of MGM noted that Astaire, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little." Astaire went on to become an incredibly successful actor, singer, and dancer and kept the note in his Beverly Hills home to remind him of where he came from."

9. Paulo Coelho - The author of one of the most well-read books worldwide, The Alchemist, was released by an obscure Brazilian publishing house which told him to give up. He didn't give up however and kept knocking on doors until he found success.

10. Vincent Van Gogh - During his lifetime, Van Gogh sold only one painting, and this was to a friend and only for a small amount of money. Still, he plugged on and created over 800 known works. Today they bring in hundreds of millions. 

As it Stands, if you think about it, you're taking a chance every day of your life.