masterwordsmith-unplugged

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
- James Allen

Would you agree with the statement that a dream is born from and idea, a simple idea conceived in the mind?

Back in the 19th century two brothers had an idea which eventually became their passionate and consuming dream. Their relentless pursuit of that dream was rewarded with an accomplishment that changed world travel.

On Friday, December 17, 1903 at 10:35 am, the Wright brothers (Wilber and Orville) achieved their dream. They flew “the world’s first power-driven, heavier-than-air machine in which man made free, controlled, and sustained flight.” This memorable feat took place at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on a cold windy morning.

The dream started with an idea that was planted in their minds by a toy given to them by their father. In the words of the boys, “Late in the autumn of 1878, our father came into the house one evening with some object partly concealed in his hands, and before we could see what it was, he tossed it into the air. Instead of falling to the floor, as we expected, it flew across the room till it struck the ceiling, where it fluttered awhile, and finally sank to the floor.” This simple toy made of bamboo, cork and stretched rubber bands, fascinated the Wright brothers and sparked their lifelong interest in human flight.

The Wright brothers were great thinkers. They enjoyed learning new things. Initially, they recycled broken parts, built a printing press and opened their own printing office. Their interest moved to bicycles and in 1893, they opened the Wright Cycle Company where they sold and repaired bicycles.

But Wilbur (the older brother) had his mind set on something more exciting. He decided to seriously pursue flying.

The brothers spent many hours researching, testing their machines and making improvements after unsuccessful attempts at human flight. What started out as a hobby soon became a passion. With determination and patience they realized their dream in 1903.

The next time you hear or see an airplane or travel on one, remember where it all started. A simply idea conceived in the minds of two young men who did not finish high school. Believe it or not, they did not have a University degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or any other subject. They were not scientists in the true sense of the word.

In fact, many of their peers who did not witness their accomplishment, had trouble believing that two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio did what they claimed.

What idea or ideas are YOU working on? Have you said you can’t do this or that because you are not a scientist? Have you limited yourself by saying you are not smart enough? Or have you joined the majority in saying that everything has already been invented or discovered?

Since the introduction of the first generation of personal computers in 1981, we are able to do many things more efficiently. With a super computer between your ears and the personal computer at your finger tips, your dream can be achieved. First, give birth to that dream with an idea. A simple idea that ANYONE of us can conceive.

-Author Unknown-

It was my dear blog reader and friend Tony (Memoirs of an Englishman and Memoirs of an Englishman Part 2) who introduced me to the magic of Bulgarian voices.

At a time when I experienced much turbulence and uncertainty in my life, listening to the magical and the exquisite heavenly choral offering of these wonderful singers breathed much peace and tranquility into my whole being.

It is in times like this that I wish I could understand Russian to comprehend and make sense of the message that they so beautifully conveyed with so much pure and fine emotion, almost effortlessly...

Thank you, Tony for introducing me to these lovely videos and to the magic of Bulgarian voices..

Please click on the Youtube video and enjoy...




This second video clip was included in the "300" epic movie and features Iva Davidofa from Bulgaria. This song has been included in numerous anthologies and has been interpreted by a number of Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian star singers, including Iva Davidova, Nikolina Chakardakova, Aleksandar Sarievski, Zafir Hadzimanov, and Tose Proeski.

In the beginning you can hear short bulgarian folk theme as a background, and at the end of the movie when the Queen sorrows over the death of Leonidas you can hear another beautiful bulgarian folk song - both instrumental and vocal from Rhodope mountains region in Southern Bulgaria. The name of the song in the movie's soundtrack is "Message for the Queen", "composed" :-)(actuality stolen)by Tyler Bates, an US film music producer and "composer" :-))and based on "Zaydi, zaydi yasno Slance".

Apart from reading fiction and fantasy, I love to read self-help books, one of my favorites is definitely Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson.

With Who Moved My Cheese? Dr. Spencer Johnson realizes the need for finding the language and tools to deal with change–an issue that makes all of us nervous and uncomfortable.

Most people are fearful of change because they don’t believe they have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Spencer Johnson shows us that what matters most is the attitude we have about change.

In the 21st century, most work environments are finally recognizing the urgent need to get their computers and other business systems up to speed and able to deal with unprecedented change. What businesses are only just beginning to realize is that this is not enough: we need to help people get ready, too.

Spencer Johnson has created his new book to do just that. The co-author of the multimillion bestsellers such as The One Minute Manager and The Present (which are also another of my favourite books - in fact I have ALL his books!!) has written a deceptively simple story with a dramatically important message that can radically alter the way we cope with change at work and in our individual lives.

Who Moved My Cheese? allows for common themes to become topics for discussion and individual interpretation. Who Moved My Cheese? takes the fear and anxiety out of managing the future and shows people a simple way to successfully deal with the changing times, providing them with a method for moving ahead with their work and lives safely and effectively.

I think the best thing about this book is that it is a simple parable that reveals so many profound truths. Besides, it can be read by anyone from any age group - even children!!! Basically, it is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and to make them happy.

Obviously, in this book, cheese is a metaphor for what we want in life - be it a stable job, a loving relationship, money, possessions, health, spiritual well-being and so on.

And the maze is where we look for what we want - be it the organization we are in, our family or the community in which we live.

So dear readers, if you still have not read this book, please get it! Then you can discover for yourself how to deal with change so that you suffer less stress and enjoy more success in your work and in your life!

Have a good day!