Day 24 of 331 - Things Continue to Look Up

Greetings!

It is Saturday night, and I made the decision to go to the zoo with some of the members of my family . . . rather than spend the day working on the model. I am glad that I made the decision, although I was only able to work on the model for about a half hour.

Meanwhile, I started reading a book that I was given yesterday by Chuck Pousson, the guy I met at the gym on Thursday as a result of my following the prompting to take a copy of my book with me to the gym. Chuck saw it, and it offered to share some marketing ideas with me. We met yesterday, and he gave me a copy of the book. It is called Promptings.

It is late, and I am about to close for the day, but I will say that the message of the book has touched me and given me renewed hope. I am sure that I will be sharing more about it in the days ahead. Meanwhile, I will say that I am exceedingly optimistic. I am also confident that things have started to turn . . . and they are about to get much better . . . and for that I am very excited!

It's all good!

TMB - The Master Builder

Day 23 of 331 - Signs of Progress?

Hello, all!

Four days ago I wrote down the goal to earn $100,000 (after taxes!) this year. Today I modified that to read "after taxes, tithing, and expenses." In other words, I wanted to have that much in the bank at year's end. Not being too sure of myself, however, I vacillated . . . . How 'realistic' was that?

The truth of the matter is that since I haven't made any money to speak of for three and a half years, the $100,000 is 'unrealistic,' whether after taxes or not. So, whether it includes tithing or not is also somewhat 'moot.' The two together probably represent 40% of the gross (if it is in excess of $100k), which means that I would have to earn $166,667 to clear $100,000.

The point is that adding those two qualifiers does make the gross figure rise by roughly two thirds. If I were to add in the cost of living at, say, $30,000 (minimally), I'd have to add that much plus another $20,000 for tithing and taxes, resulting in a required gross income of $216, 667 - or more than twice the original amount.

In 'reality,' I am fairly certain I could do that amount if I were 100% committed to doing so. In truth, however, I'd have to say that I probably don't care enough to make that commitment. I want to be financially successful, but I am more focused on doing my best professionally or artistically.

With all of that said, I'm going to have to give this some thought before reaching a decision for now. Once I decide, however, and set about to act in accordance with my decision, I believe I will then reach whatever goal I have set. I'm being quite philosophical here, but it seems to me that the business of reaching decisions is the key to setting the creative process in motion.

Once we have made a decision, and are acting in accord with that decision, then things begin to happen. Creative forces are unleashed, and begin to act 'on their own,' as it were. In the vernacular, things begin to 'take on a life of their own.' That is very trite, admittedly, but I believe that it is, in fact, the case. Once we decide, and begin to act in harmony with our decision or decisions, magic begins to happen.

Perhaps that is why Goethe was credited with saying: "Whatever you can do, or think you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." It seems to me, however, that both our decisions and the resulting actions, must themselves be consistent with who we really are. I know that sounds a bit 'mindless' or unclear itself, but in my own case, while I wanted - and still want - to be a writer and speaker, I was also walking away from what had been my life-long passion of being an architect; and for some sixteen months or so, I floundered about not succeeding in anything I tried.

When I finally made the decision some three weeks ago yesterday, to continue my quest as an architect, and committed myself to pursue historic residential design, that, I believe, was the turning point. In the middle of the third week of working on a historical design (without pay), I received a paying (architectural) project.

This week, yesterday, in fact, some three days after setting a specific financial goal - while continuing to work daily in accordance with my decision to pursue historic architecture - I met someone who I believe can help me achieve both the financial and professional goals. We met today for nearly three hours, and I am quit intrigued with what he had to offer.

I was only able to work on the model for about a half hour today, but I made one major decision, and made several key changes reflective of that decision. Tomorrow I will press forward with the newly modified design, and continue to work this out. Monday I pick up the sketches to start my recently acquired work at $75 per hour. It may only be twenty hours, but that will be more money than I have made on a project in three or four years - and I believe it is only a sign of things to come.

I can only say that I believe things are beginning to change for the better. It may be that they will now change in ways that I have looked for most of my adult life. We shall see, but I believe that will be the case.

Good night, all!

Mr. Ballantyne

Day 22 of 331 - Continued Progress

Good Evening!

Another great day! It would appear that as I continue to move forward daily in pursuing my stated goals good things are beginning to happen. I took a copy of my book with me to the gym this morning, thinking that someone might see it and be interested. Well, that is exactly what happened, and I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon with the interested party - a business/marketing consultant, as well as a motivational speaker. He was very interested in meeting and sharing ideas and perspectives. I too am excited at the prospect, and believe this will be a highly beneficial meeting.

Meanwhile, I completed all of the balustrades for the first floor front porch this afternoon. Tomorrow I will complete the 'gingerbread' or upper half of the front porch. So things are moving along nicely, and I will soon begin to pick up speed and momentum.

I am thrilled with my progress on a number of fronts!

Good night, all!

Mr. Wright

Day 21 of 331 - Life Is Good...Again!

Hey!

Well, it's 9:41 at night, and I just shut down my other laptop - the one I use for CAD. I took a step back and started sketching and establishing dimensions and reference points (datum elevations, in the business). Having done that, I was able to begin to refine some of the key elements of the design (porch columns and beams), and I feel like I now have my bearings straight. With that said, I should be able to move forward with confidence.

Life is good!

Mr. Wright

Day 20 of 331 - Steep, Rocky Terrain

Wow!

I've been on the porch entry gable for three days now, and while I am close to having it finished, I have pretty much decided to start it all over again. This was an interesting case of 'diving right in,' only to find that I didn't know what I was doing! So even though I was close to finishing, I need to go back and 'build it' in a logical, step by step way. It seems like it may be painful to build it just as I would do it 'in the field,' but I cannot tolerate not being able to see clearly how everything fits together. It has to be perfectly logical and clear to me just how I am building it, so that is what I will do.

I am sorry that it is taking so long, but this is a learning experience. I've said before that what I love about designing is that I can make the building do exactly what I want it to do. In order for that to be the case, there must be a logical and concise way of putting it all together - and I will have to work out much of that before I proceed.

This reminds me of a rule I learned early in my career as an apprentice architect: Always separate designing from drafting (or doing a final drawing - whether by hand or by CAD). In this case I have been trying to build a finished computer model, when I hadn't really worked out all of the details in my mind (as well as in sketch form) before proceeding. The bottom line is that I disdain 'flying blindly.' One can be loose during the design stage, but once the 'concept' is set, one must become very technical and accurate. So that is why I must start over on this particular portion of the design.

Meanwhile, I set some good goals today relative to finances. The initial idea is to make $100,000 this year. I will continue to contemplate that amount each day, and visualize achieving that amount each day. The way to do it will be created and communicated to me by 'Infinite Intelligence.' More on that tomorrow . . . .

For now, good night!

FLLW

Day 19 of 331 - A Break!

Wow! Interesting . . . .

I received a small architectural project today. It may be three weeks away, but it is a project. It is small, but will bring in something . . . and is the first architectural income in years. So how did it come about? I certainly can't 'prove it,' but to me it is evident that it is the result of my decision to hold my ground, and continue my lifelong career as an architect.

The truly exciting thing to me was (is) that this came after two and a half weeks of sticking with my commitment, and working hard every day to keep it. If there is one thing that excites me in life, it is discovering principles that work! So, I will continue to hold to my goals, and to hold to the belief that the goals I have set, the requests that I've made in prayer, will be realized in due time.

This is not unlike what happens when we place a seed in the ground. While its development is not visible to us, it is, in fact, proceeding. That is what we must remember: If we have made a decision to have or acheive a certain thing, and have remained focused on it, doing the work that is consistent with our commitment, the outcome is not in question. In fact, the 'die is cast' the moment we make the initial decision. All that remains is for us to remain in vibrational harmony with that decision. As we do, the outcome is not in question; our success is guaranteed!

I didn't get to spend as much time as usual on the model today, but I did work on it, and it was a great day! I will finish the front gable and at least the upper or lower detailing of the front porch tomorrow! It will be a great day for the model and for the project!

Good night all!

Mr. Wright

Day 17 of 331 - Another Saturday!

Wow! Good Evening!

It is 9:40PM. I probably started on the model around noon - after having a killer workout at the gym (weights and Cybex machine). Worked straight through until about 9:00 - so about nine hours. I got a tremendous amount done. This is an amazingly complex design. Wow!

So, another Saturday spent pursing the dream. I can only say that I am grateful to be able to do this, and I am grateful that tomorrow is a 'day of rest.' I look forward to the opportunity of contemplating my progress. This is definitely a distance race - a regular 'marathon.'

I started the day with the goal of finishing the front gable and everything below it on the front facade. I finished the gable, but nothing below. I did make a number of other corrections to the front porch railing (2nd floor), however, and got that 'perfected!'

I will start each day from here on out with a specific goal of what I want to accomplish. I assume this will take another week or more. The more I attach these complex challenges, the more confident and proficient I become . . . and that is a very good thing!

Good night all!

Mr. Wright

Day 16 of 331 - Slowly But Surely....

Hello World!

I only got in about 3-4 hours on the model today, and my computer locked up on me some three times or more, each time resulting in the loss of most everything I had very tricky problem that had been giving me difficulty, so I will now be able to move forward tomorrow. It wasn't my best day, but I was reminded once again that having made the decision to do this, my success is inevitable - so long as I press on, knowing that I can do what I have set out to do.

Meanwhile, I am grateful for the privilege of working at that which I love.

Good night all!

Mr. Wright

Day 15 of 331 - Wow!

Good Evening . . . once again!

I say "Wow!" because it is amazing how complex this model is. While I have dealt with a great deal of complexity already on this particular model, I am now at the most complex part. I did a lot of 'housekeeping' today - finished creating all of the remaining reference files and bringing those that needed correcting up to date (which means very little to most of my readers, I'm sure) - and got everything ready to begin the most detailed and complex parts of the model.

So, all I can say is "Wow!" The only other thing I'll say is that while I am a huge believer in the mental aspects of success (or failure!) in any endeavor, it does not happen without significant, even heroic effort!

And that's all I have to say about that! More tomorrow on taking the time to visualize my success - both immediate (the day at hand) and longer term.

Good night all!

Roark

Day 14 of 331 - Keep On Keeping On

Good Evening!

It is 9:56PM. I worked on the model from 9:30 this morning until about 6:15 tonight - with about 45 minutes off for lunch; so I put in about 8 hours. Got a lot of tricky things worked out. Great progress!

With all of that, there is still much to do, but I will 'keep on' - and I am glad to do it! I am also very grateful for the opportunity. I can't wait to get started tomorrow - and that is a really good thing! In fact, the love of one's work is a great part of true success - and I love what I'm doing!

I am thankful to my Maker for all of the opportunity that is available to us in this life - in spite of all of the apparent inequities. I am truly grateful!

Good night!

Mr. Wright

Day 13 of 331 - "Drive On!"

Good Evening!

When Brigham Young first laid eyes on the Salt Lake Valley he uttered the words: "This is the right place. Drive on!" So, having made the decision that I too am in the "right place," I will continue to "drive on!"

Got up at 6:00AM this morning, and spent some forty-five minutes contemplating "The Project." As always, a number of ideas came to mind. The idea I ended up focusing on was that of making "stone soup." I wrote about it in my journal, in the past twenty-four hours, and referenced it in an email to the new owner of the project 3-4 weeks ago.

When I was in grade school, I recall the fable or story in which a fellow showed up touting his ability to make "stone soup." The villagers were all impoverished, so they had very little. Nonetheless, the stranger convinced them that with his stones he could make a delicious soup - with a little help from them. So some contributed a few potatoes, others some onions or carrots, and so forth. In the end, by pooling their resources, they made a wonderful meal that all were able to enjoy.

So, in this time of challenge, we also find unusual opportunity. It has occured to me that one opportunity is the availability of considerable talent that might otherwise not be available. So I will continue to ponder how I can entice others to make 'stone soup.' In this case, my historic design and model may be the magical 'stones.' We'll see! Today was another day of excellent progress on the model. Should finish the basic components (everything but the windows) in the next few days.

Good night all!

Day 12 of 331 - Progress!

Good Evening!

I put in a solid eight hours today, and this time got the 3d structure of the main roof completed. Will put on the 'sheathing' tomorrow. I also began creating external reference files, in order to manage the ever-growing file size. It is quite easy to do, now that I have reminded myself of how it is done. It will also be easy to create rendered 'slides' if I wish to have the house 'build itself' before the viewers' eyes.

Meanwhile, as promised, I started the day by reviewing my goals in my mind's eye, and beginning to picture my success a la Neville Goddard, as described in the final chapter of Book III (The Secret of Life Series). In other words, I began visualizing certain conditions that will exist once the goals are achieved, rather than just focusing on the specific fulfillment of a particular goal. So, I began to visualize the tent structures that will be used to house the completed models for the Thanksgiving Day Parade of Model Homes.

I can only say at this point that my overall outlook seems to have been positively affected by this action, so I will do it again tomorrow, and will probably engage in more widespread picturing of the circumstances as they will be. If I can see it, I can experience it; or . . . 'What I see, is what I get!'

Life is good, and continues to get better!

Over and out!

PS. Only 320 days to go!

Day 11 of 331 - Sabbath Comment

Hello World!

Yes, it's Sunday, and I don't 'work' on Sunday, but since my posting yesterday was a bit brief, I wanted to make a more insightful commentary, and today seemed like the perfect day to do it!

One of the principles that I hoped to demonstrate or prove in creating this 'biographical log,' or 'blog,' is that of the mind governing, indeed creating, our 'reality' - both the perceived part and the 'real' part or parts. In order to 'prove' that, I need to both engage in daily practices that are meant to produce a predetermined, positive result, and I need to report on the results themselves, as predicted. To date, other than working on the project every day (but Sunday), I have essentially forgotten to engage in any such 'mental' (spiritual, actually) process.

So, how's that for a confession? The Master Builder, the great Thought Author, has gone on working for over a week now, without so much as a thought about controlling the outcome of my efforts through 'mental' processes.

The first result that I can report from the lack of a consciously selected plan is that my 'semi-conscious' has taken over, and my general state of unbelief has reigned supreme. Sure, I've continued to work, and work long and hard - and immensely enjoy myself in the process - but I have not expected any great outcome as a result of my efforts, nor have I pictured such, consciously or otherwise.

As I wrote in, and entitled Chapter Two, of Book II, (of The Secret of Life Series) Beliefs Rule! And the beliefs I am talking about are those that dominate the semi-conscious, and define who we are. And while these beliefs are the result of prior conscious thinking, they play over and over, below the level of our consciousness, on a continual, on-going basis. Thus these pre-recorded beliefs pre-determine the outcome of our lives.

Well, it is late, and I have other duties to which I must attend, so I will end here. Starting tomorrow morning, however, I will revisit my goals (stated herein), and begin to consider daily practices for bringing them to - first, spiritual fruition, and then, 'physical' reality. Let me conclude by reminding myself, as well as you, my reader, that these spiritual or mental processes are already in effect. They are simply happening by default, and not by conscious choice. That is what I (and you) must set about to change!

'Seacrest' out!

Day 10 of 331 - Another Day . . . .

Hi, all!

Here it is Saturday, and I spent 6 hours or more on the Rosson model. The file is starting to get large, but I know how to take care of that. Meanwhile, I am now putting on the roof. It is challenging, but exciting. By the end of the day on Monday I will have the roof on. After that I have to put the rear and side porch roofs on, and the roof of the 'Englenook.' Other than that, I have details such as railings, balustrades, steps, windows, and 'gingerbread.' This is no small undertaking, but very much fun! Monday will be a great day!

Over and out!

Day 9 of 331 - It's All Good!

Evening, Mam . . . .

It's 10:35 PM. I just put up my other laptop - the one with Autocad Architect on it. While we went to the Temple this morning, and didn't return until close to noon, I spent most of the rest of the day working on the model. The only exceptions were lunch (at 4:00 - the ususal when I'm working), dinner with the family a few hours later, and then a Valentine's 'dance' for an hour or so with my daughter Jodee and her kids. So I probably worked on the model for close to eight hours. Not bad.

Anyway, it is coming right along. I'll put the upper roof on it tomorrow, and start working on the porch railings on the upper floor. It is amazingly complex, but that is great, as it will show the degree of difficulty that I can handle. Once I have completed the virtual (computer) model, and have a 'printed' (physical) one, I will set an appointment with the director of the house museum, and see if I can have a look inside. If this is going to be one of my three 'replica houses' - which it is - then I will have to come up with a 21st Centruy floor plan, based on the original.

Well, that's all for tonight. I am thrilled with the progress I've made. I'm also thrilled that my computer seems to be able to handle the rather large file size. Life is good!

Over and out!

Master Builder

Day 8 of 331 - One Week and Counting!

Howdy!

I have heard various reports on the number of days or weeks it takes to establish a new habit. It seems that it was generally thought to take two weeks or more. In any case, it obviously isn't done overnight. So, I have now been at this 'quest' for over a week, so if it takes two to establish the new habit, well, I'm halfway there!

So what did I do today? Well, Jan and I went to the gym for the ninth time in three weeks this morning. Had a great workout (some cardio, mostly lifting). I'd brag about the habit, but it is something I have been doing for fifteen years or more. (I loose track.) Since moving back from CA, however, and being short of funds, we hadn't been to the gym more than once or twice in seven months, so this is another 'new beginning' - and a good one!

After returning, drinking my protein shake, and reading scripture, I basically spent until just a few minutes ago (until 9:45 PM or so) working on the Rosson model. I made huge progress, and it is looking good. I love doing this, but it is not work for the faint of heart! It requires serious effort and concentration, but, again, I love it!

While I unsuccessfully tried to put some of the images on an earlier blog (last week), I will try again tomorrow to do so, in order to give visual updates of my progress. In a nutshell, I have been working on "The Project" every day. I plan to show the completed model to John Penn. I believe he will want to "print" it. I will then have something to show the new owner of the development.

The sophistication of the model will give me high credibility with anyone in the industry . . . which can't hurt my progress.

Good night!

Mr. Wright

Day 7 of 331 - Determination

Wow! Another day . . . not exactly another dollar, however . . . every situation is a learning experience - if we make it that. So, what happened in my 'interview' this morning? Well, it was great to see John (Penn). He has managed to do several very nice projects since we saw each other several (3?) months ago. One was the largest architectural site model I have ever seen. It was 8' x 11'-6". Huge, and impressive. John does amazing work. Bottom line? He has three employees, but said he had cut back on their hours recently. So, he wasn't looking to hire anyone.

Meanwhile, he asked what I had been up to, and I shared with him in general terms what I am working on with "The Project." He was interested enough when I described it to look at it on Google World. We had a good talk, and I gave him a signed copy of my book. He thanked me and told me to find some work so he could sell me his Z-Corp 510 Color Printer. I told him I would.

I then returned home and spent the remainder of the day working on the model of the Rosson House. When John saw that I had not only done the two major elevation drawings, but a model as well, he seemed impressed. I had told him that I could do models, but everything he had seen up until now were elevation drawings. He will be back in town on Monday, so I will probably show him the model (which I hope will be quite far along) upon his return.

I do not know where exactly to go right now, but I will continue to work on this, and pursue any other architectural opportunities I can uncover. It occurs to me that there must be other opportunities out there. I will keep you informed.

Wright!

PS. While we didn't eat out (that is a rarity these days), Jan bought some fortune cookies for desert. Mine said "Your determination will bring you much success." Perhaps the only difference between 'determination' and 'hard headedness' is the motive behind either one - determination having a good motive, and hard headedness a bad one such as pride or arrogance. That being said, I am "determined" to pursue my goals of bringing great architecture to the world, as well as teaching the principles thereof to all who have a desire to learn.

Day 6 of 331 - Moving Right Along

Good morning!

Life is interesting. Five or six weeks after Jan and I returned to Arizona back on June 1, of last year, after hitting upon the idea of marketing "The Project" (as it shall be known for now) through detailed architectural models - in lieu of million dollar plus model homes or spec homes - I set about one morning to find a model builder. Within a matter of a few hours I had found the most sophisticated model builder that I had ever come across, and I have known and worked with some very good ones.

His name was John Penn (John William Penn in full), and his company is JWP Designs - Architectural Models. In short, I was blown away by the technology that John possessed. The laser cutters that I had for so long coveted he had (several, in fact), but it turns out that they are yesterday's technology at this point (although still quite useful).

The state of the art in model building today is the 3d Printer or 3d Color Printer. John had (has) three (or more) of them. Whatever one can model on the computer can simply be 'printed' in three dimensions . . . in color! To make a long story short, seeing John's shop and the intricate models of all types and sizes, was like walking through a dream. I was blown away. In characteristic fashion I wanted to acquire a printer for myself, and immediately set about thinking of profitable ventures that would allow me to do so.

It turned out that John had at least one earlier model that still did amazing work, and he wanted to sell it for about a third of what the newer model presently cost - and he would probably have allowed me to make monthly installments. After much discussion and exploration on my part, over a 3-4 week period, I finally suggested to John that he hire me, as he had (has) no registered architect on board (nor is he one, although he did finish architecture school). He had a museum project coming up, and could possibly have used the help. In the end he said that he wanted to "maximize [his] profit" by using his current staff, although they had begun to be busy once again.

Not being impressed by his eagerness to sell me the equipment, and his seeming unwillingness to help me get myself into a position to do so, I abandoned the idea all together, and it was at that point that I essentially 'gave up' on pursuing "The Project." I pursued several writing possibilities - one being to write a book about this year's Phoenix Suns, who were in the midst of a 13 and 4 run to start the season, and another to simply write about Goran Dragic, their 2nd year point guard from Slovenia. I contacted Steve Kerr, and he initially offered to get me into the lockerroom after games, but ultimately didn't follow through.

I also met with a friend who has developed a state of the art technology for both diagnosing and treating disease through 'energy medicine.' As the field is directly related to several of the key concepts that I covered in my book, I was very interested. In the end, however, he too was focused on saving whatever profits he was beginning to realize after years of work, so he had neither the time nor the inclination to compensate me in any way.

Finally, I fell back on an idea that I had had for some time, the idea of becoming a personal trainer. As an avid body-builder for the past fifteen years or so, I knew that I would be very good at both assisting and inspiring others to maximize their potential. So, some three or four months ago I was actually offered a job once I became certified. Thus I have spent the last several months studying for my certification.

The process has been very dissatisfying as the effort seems to be to complicate a subject that I am very interested in, rather than to put it in terms that are easy to understand. I am also somewhat uncomfortable about spending all day every day in the gym environment, so while I have completed the 300-400 page text, and all of the on-line video training, I am still several weeks away from being ready to take the exam. While I plan to complete the process and obtain my certification, I am not planning to pursue this as a career.

So, getting back to John Penn. It occurred to me in the past week - since starting this blog - that I could possibly go to work for John as a way of earning some immediate income and becoming familiar with the technology - now that I have decided to re-enter my chosen field. So I called him a half-hour ago, and we have a meeting set for 10:30 tomorrow morning. He does not know that I plan to ask for a job, so that may surprise him. In any case, I will let you know tomorrow how it goes!

Will work on the model some more today. It is extremely challenging, but it is what I love to do!

Until tomorrow,

FLLW (Frank Lloyd Wright!)

Day 5 of 331 - Making Right Decisions: What Makes Decisions Right

Hi.

While I spent much time in meditation and prayer yesterday, I did not post a fourth entry; thus while this is the fourth posting, it is, nonetheless, Day 5. As indicated previously, this will often be the case relative to Sundays in the future.

So, what makes a decision 'right?' Aside from moral and ethical considerations, I believe that what makes a decision 'right' is whether or not it is consistent with who we really are; whether or not it will ultimately help us achieve our full potential and be truly happy. While I am still passionate about 'metaphysics' (or 'mind science'), and plan to continue writing and teaching on the subject, architecture has been in my bones for my entire life. I suppose I could say that that is who I am - an architect, or master builder. Indeed, as I may have already pointed out, my very initials, TMB, spell out The Master Builder. I rest my case.

Meanwhile, the way in which our decisions will ultimately impact others is precisely what I meant by a "moral or ethical consideration." Because of the agency with which we are each 'endowed' by our Creator, our choices may not be thwarted even when they do adversely affect others, unless those 'others' (or their family or friends) have adequately sought divine 'protection' on their behalf. This, I believe, is why we are admonished to be careful for that which we ask. Our decisions, as well as our petitions, always have consequences - for better or for worse.

Before I set about to continue work on the model, I wish to clarify two other things. The first of these will be the 'goals behind the goals' stated in my first and second posts. The second will be the matter of financial goals (along with the question of time frames).

As for the 'goals behind the goals' I have stated, the one overarching goal is to bring beautiful architecture to the world. Inherent in that quest is to both create it and to teach the principles thereof to all who will listen. (A good deal of my 'creating' it, however, will be to resurrect the great architecture of the past which was so callously regarded as 'irrelevant' during most of the Twentieth Century.)

The teaching itself entails educating not only the broader public, but also the young aspirants who may themselves one day create it. It is also my vision to design and build - or oversee the building of - cities, of both order and architectural beauty. Hence the 'experiment' with this particular project. It would clearly be a specific stepping stone to that broader goal.

As for the teaching part of the equation, there is a large home, currently unoccupied for a number of years at this point (but in excellent repair), directly across from the property. I have envisioned both living in and using that home as a base of operation for my teaching. The educational entity that I have conceived in my mind would be called The Architectural Liaison - or TALiaison.

While I have made no previous mention of it, and do not plan to focus on it for the time being (however long that may be), another goal is to complete the development of a component housing system that I have developed. It is called The Jewel. I conceived of it back in 1999, and it was originally dubbed The Y2K House. I was even hired to teach the system in the Lewis Prison for Rio Salado College some years back.

The idea was that the inmates would produce the components while incarcerated, and we would then ship the pieces out for on-site assembly by others. While many were quite enthusiastic about the prospects, there were those within the two bureaucracies (prison and college) who were not, and the project was ultimately scuttled.

Nonetheless, during the year or so that I taught the system in the prison, a good deal of development and refinement took place, and, with a few further developments, could be patented. I have proposed that a not-for-profit organization called The Yousonian Institue for Affordable Housing be established. Yousonia is an acronym for You See Opportunity Now in America. This too could be affiliated with TALiaison, and housed across from the project.

Regarding the matter of financial goals and time frames, I will here confess that I have had some difficulty with both concepts - independent of each other, as well as in tandem. As for money, I have no problem with the idea of being wealthy - even total financial independence. I am actually quite enamored with the idea.

Pulling a number out of the air, as a financial goal, however, has always seemed a bit contrived. How did I know what was 'possible?' And if there were, indeed, 'no limits,' then why not be outrageous in my ambitions? How about $30,000 in three months - when I may not have had a single dollar coming in? Well, I've tried that, along with lesser and greater amounts, and with the exception of inheriting an additional and substantial sum unexpectedly a few years back, the practice never worked, that I can recall.

I have also always considered that if one employed correct principles, and did outstanding work, the money would naturally follow, without one having to specify an exact amount. In other words, money was a byproduct of providing a valuable service. I certainly believe that that is the case, and yet it is true that many - including myself - have done excellent work and never been financially rewarded to a great degree.

The other matter of specifying a time frame for either the accomplishment of a particular goal or the achievement of a certain income - while I believe in the focus produced by having a deadline - have also seemed arbitrary when picked 'out of the air.' The true law of attraction purists state emphatically that one should only concern himself with ends, and never means. Thus, their idea might be to specify a sum of money and a time frame, completely independent of any other desired result or means.

The only thing that I can say that makes sense to me is that if one has a desire to accomplish a certain thing, and also desires to profit therefrom, then stating the amount, and having a time frame or deadline for the two makes sense. It may or may not be the case that circumstances strongly lend themselves to a specific date. In that case it may be best to begin with a clear picture of the desired end, and what seems to be a reasonable time frame for its achievement. It may well be that circumstances will then arise which inherently provide a deadline.

In the case of my own project, the subject of this blog (and subsequent book....), the goal of the Thanksgiving Day parade provides a self-evident deadline. Working backwards from there, it will be necessary to have certain designs (and accompanying models and drawings) completed and ready for publication (the second goal) by certain other deadlines - starting in July. Given the long range planning that magazines must engage in, such a target necessitates that the magazines be contacted in the very near future.

Even within the next few weeks could be too late - but having four or more publications as options may allow our success. It is also possible that the idea itself will be so attractive that one or more of the publications may be willing to revise their plans - especially in light of the prospect of a competing magazine getting an advantage through their own decision to participate.

So I am not intimidated. I will hold to my plan, and believe in my ideas. Even if no magazine 'bought' the idea, the developer could still sponsor his own competition - which might ultimately attract the attention and participation of one or more publications, including some I may not have even considered.

As for a specific amount, if $100,000 was a 'reasonable' figure for Jack Canfield (before publishing Chicken Soup for the Soul), then it is good enough for me. Like him, I too have a book that is ready to be sold if people only knew about it. Unlike him, however, mine is already published. All I would need to do is a little editing, as with some recent insights I believe I could improve on some of what I have written. It is also possible that the income from the development project and the drawings we will produce could easily exceed $100k.

So, that is a reasonable number, and both a doable (though challenging) and somewhat inescapable time frame. I also like yearly goals, so there you have it: I will complete both design and construction drawings, and models, for at least three historic masterpieces, and organize a national design competition sponsored by one or more national publications, and hold the First Annual Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade of Model Homes at the project, earning $100,000 by New Year's Eve, 2010.

I will here admit that all of that seems a bit ambitious, enough to make one reconsider. However, precisely because of the current economic recession (?), the magazines are surely looking for something to boost readership; the development under its new ownership will absolutely benefit from the immediate attention that the competition and national press would attract; and with the coming political 'earthquake' that will take place in November - three weeks before Thanksgiving - the immediate enthusiasm and economic optimism could be the perfect prelude to the parade and subsequent construction and land sales.

It could also be the case that even with a complete shift in the power base in Washington, D.C., it will take another year or so for the economy to begin to recover. So, it is possible that the plan would do better a year from now. It is also possible, however, that we could still do our own competition and parade, with a dozen or so completed designs and models, this year. Doing so would give us both practice and credibility with the national publications we hope to entice.

So, my goals are the same: To create my own 3-4 historic designs, etc., and to get 3 to 5 other architects and designers to do do several of their own, securing local press for the parade and surrounding events (to be discussed in future posts), as well as some national attention. I will interest the new owner in the concept, and still retain the financial goal of making $100,000 in 2010. I would be more than happy for some or all of that to come from the sale of my book. That would, in fact, be wonderful!

'Seacrest' [over and] out!

Day 3 of 331 - A Little Background Information

Good evening!

It is Saturday, but I plan to do something in the pursuit of my goals every day but Sunday.


I will begin by confessing that I did not work on the model of the Rosson House yesterday afternoon as I indicated that I would. Both my wife and daughter had commitments, so I had the privilege of watching three of our lovely grandchildren from 6:30 PM on. I was able to work on the model for an hour or two this afternoon, however, and made good progress. This is a very complex design. It took several weeks to complete preliminary versions of the front and right-side elevations, and will take several more to complete even a rough version of an exterior-only model. Nonetheless, I am passionate about such beautiful buildings, and am thrilled to be recreating this one in three-dimensional form. This is truly 'a work of love,' and I can't get enough of it! The only thing that will be better is seeing the completed physical model, and, ultimately, a full-scale replica.

With all of that said, this is a good time for me to inform you, my reader, of our current circumstances. In brief I have not received an income for several years. One of those years was spent writing my first book, The Secret of Life, a series of three short books, actually, published in a single volume, on the power of thought.


It was published just about a year ago. However, we essentially ran out of money some 14-15 months ago, and the only money I have earned during that time was from a few home maintenance projects for several of our children. My wife, Jan, has brought in enough for us to survive on by babysitting for our children from time to time (with some assistance from me), and doing a few sewing projects. The book has not been a best seller - yet!


Meanwhile, since returning to Arizona from California (Palm Desert), on June 1 of last year, Jan and I have been living with our daughter Jodee and her three children - Kylee (age 8), Micah (5), and Boone (4), in a home purchased for them by our oldest daughter, Hydee, and her husband Adam. Without their help we'd have been in dire straits, so we are very grateful.

While it has been a bit challenging to have young children around 24/7 - after being 'empty nesters' for the past six years or so - it has turned out to be a wonderful experience in the end, and Jodee could certainly use the help. Without belaboring the point, I will add that we are in the midst of a major recession, with almost no construction of any kind going on. I have looked at a dozen or more possibilities since returning to Arizona, and at least that many in California, but to no avail. I could possibly have gone to work at Auto Nation where I sold my H2 back in September, I believe, but I have continued to vacillate with respect to what I should do. I have been passionate about architecture over the past twenty years, but fell in love with the idea of being an author and motivational speaker several years ago. In the midst of nothing seeming to work out, I have wondered if we ultimately have any say about what happens to us - in spite of what I wrote in my book.

Nonetheless, I ultimately came to the conclusion that I needed to stick with my long-term goals - all centered in architecture. Nothing that I had done relative to the project I have described in previous posts had (has) born fruit. I had been successful in contacting the prospective owner back in July, but then he never responded to emails that I sent in an effort to stir an interest in my marketing ideas for his project. There are several other local business owners and property holders whom I had hoped to involve in the Thanksgiving parade, but they too were unwilling to even meet. So in spite of my initial feelings of enthusiasm and hope for the project, not a single effort that I had made with respect thereto had born fruit.

Finally I simply said "I'm doing this. Period." And here we are. Tomorrow is the Sabbath, and I will honor it. I may write from time to time on Sunday if I receive insights of a broader spiritual nature that I wish to share. Otherwise, no work will be done on the project on the Sabbath. That is a correct principle, and there are promised blessings associated therewith. I may share those tomorrow as they will show both the basis for my commitment, and the associated promises. They are beautiful indeed.

While it will take a lot of work to accomplish my stated goals in the next nine to ten months, the mental/spiritual 'work' will be the underlying keys, and one of my primary objectives in creating this blog is to shed light on the spiritual principles that ultimately bring about success in the 'real' world. I am not too sure, however, that the 'real' world isn't, in fact, the spiritual, as it is ultimately the basis of everything that we see and experience.

It is a tenet of my Latter-Day Saint faith that the Lord created everything "spiritually" before it was created "physically" upon the earth. It would appear that we do likewise in creating our own life and circumstances - whether intentional or otherwise. I hope to demonstrate here the 'reality' of that spiritual or mental creation.

It's all good . . . and I am ever grateful!

Good night!

Mr. Roark

PS. While I didn't state it as one of my three main goals for this year, one of my first goals - which may simply be mine for the asking - is to be the 'chief architect' for the development. Interestingly, the day that I saw the project for the first time back in July, the very act of envisioning the true potential of the project probably qualified me for the job of 'chief architect,' as all of the other 'mice' have fled the sinking ship. I am the only one still 'standing,' as it were. 'The fact that I am a registered architect in the state of Arizona simply makes it legal! At this point I believe (and will act on the assumption) that the position is mine. I also hope to have my office either in the real estate sales office at the entry to the property, or in the one unoccupied spec house currently sitting vacant. Either one or both would do! I will begin immediately to visualize the my 'ideal' (circumstances). To the degree that I 'see' it, it can at some point be mine. What an exciting concept: If we can truly see it, we can ultimately have (or do) it!

Day 2 of 331 - Alive and well!

Good afternoon!

It is 5:18 PM, MST, and I have just edited yesterday's initial or introductory blog. In doing so I have hopefully clarified what I hope to accomplish in the next nine months - and beyond. I indicated that I would continue the blog at least through the end of the year - some eleven months, although the initial BHAG (Big Harry Audacious Goal) is to create 3 (or 4) 'updated' replicas of historic architectural masterpieces - both on the computer, and in physical (model) form.

I also indicated that I planned to get from one to four national home and home decor magazines to participate in (sponsor) a national historic design competition. Finally, I shared my plan to have what I plan to call Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade . . . of 'Model' Homes.

So there you have it:

1. Complete replicas of three (or more) historic architectural masterpieces on the computer in both 2D and 3D, stills and video, and in drawing and physical model form. (While I did not spell this out in yesterday's entry, I must also enlist the assistance of a 'CAD Guy' to produce CD's - Construction Documents - of each home. These will be sold for profit either through my own website - yet to be created - and/or that of one or more of the national publications.)
2. Initiate a national Historic Architecture Residential Design (HARD) Competition among one to four national home/home decor magazines. While recreating and updating these historic masterpieces is 'hard' work, when skillfully handled, the results will be both stunning and worth the effort!
3. Carry out the First Annual Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade . . . of Model Homes at an exclusive local residential development, on Thanksgiving weekend (Th, Fri, Sat), 2010.

So, in the time that remains today (I have to babysit for three of my now twenty-two grandchildren in an hour or so), I will work on the 3D computer model of the first of the homes I have selected, the Rosson House, in downtown Phoenix, AZ. In the spirit of confession, I photographed this house on the exterior only, some three to four months ago, but didn't take a single measurement. While I have completed the front elevation and right-side elevation drawings (with, perhaps, a few revisions remaining), along with a footprint (first floor outline plan), I have not set foot inside of the house, and have no clear concept of the layout of the two floors. I have started the 3D computer model, and will proceed with and probably finish it, but I will probably have to adjust both the outline plan and the elevations to meet the updated plan requirements.

While it will be a requirement that all 'historic replicas' (in both the development and the competition) maintain strict 'architectural integrity,' it is understood that in the process of 'updating' the plans, both the plans and elevations will necessarily change. While it is anticipated that the changes will be minor, it will be up to the skill and judgment of the architect/designer to maintain the 'spirit' of the original design - no matter how extensive the changes. Whether or not they succeed will be determined by the competition judges and the project's architectural review board.

With that I will leave you, although I will endeavor to post the two preliminary elevations, in order to give you a visual on the project. In order to get this approved for the development, the height restriction will have to be waived. (The tower may be 25' higher than that allowed.) It is also worth noting at this point that the deed restrictions for the development should also be modified to allow for smaller than the currently mandated 4,000 square foot homes, but with more clearly defined historic architectural criteria - namely that the design of each home be based on and closely follow that of an historic architectural residence, pre-approved by the project's ARB (Architectural Review Board).

Sorry to wax so 'technical.' I'll try to be less so as I weave the narrative from here on out. Thanks for joining us. I'm thrilled to have you on board. (Only 329 days to go!) Wow! We're almost there! In truth, defining the specific targets is a hugely important step along the way - the most important as it turns out! There can be no journey of our own choosing without a destination of our choice, or, as Walt Disney put it, "You must have a dream in order to have your dream come true!" - or words to that effect. He was, of course, 100% right!

While I did not do it justice in the First Edition of my third book, from The Secret of Life Series, the GPS, or Global Positioning System, can only offer guidance after we have specified a destination. We can see where we are on the map, but we receive zero direction until we have specified the target or objective. I did note in my book that in my own vehicle - an H2, at the time - the destination had to be set at the beginning of the trip, before moving. There is a tremendous parallel in that for us as well. We must specify our destination before we can receive guidance or know where to go. Once we have, the guidance is forthcoming, telling us how to get from wherever we are, to where we have said we want to go.

Stay tuned, and we'll see how well this works! One further thought . . . and an important one: While the 'secret of life' is that thought is the seed of all creation, the underlying truth is that there is no thought conception until there is a decision. Deciding is like the "one thing" that Curly talked about in Billy Crystal's classic movie City Slickers. Nothing happens until there is a decision!

As T. Harv Ecker put it in Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, "Most people don't have what they want, because they don't know what they want!" In order to get what we want, in any area of our life, we must first decide what that is. Until we do, nothing else matters! So while it may at first glance seem small, I have now taken the overridingly important first step. Now that I have, it can begin to become clear where I must go, or what I must do next - and that is a beautiful thing!

'Seacrest out!'

PS. Apparently I like to mix metaphors!

Day 1 of 331 - Hello world!

Hello world!

To anyone who stumbles across this 'window' into my world, I want to thank you for dropping by, and express my hope that you will find something here that will contribute to your success and happiness. I am creating this blog in an attempt to 'force' myself to embark upon a specific course, and stay that course for the next eleven months (331 days).

I admit up front that I got the idea from Julie of recent Julie and Julia fame. Many of you have no doubt seen the movie which was based on the book and true story of a young woman by the name of Julie who set a goal to 'cook her way' through Julia Child's famous cookbook in a year's time. While I don't recall the precise number of recipes, Julie had to both prepare one or more and blog about it just about every day for the good part of a year.

I hope you will find my own aim to be equally 'noble,' while admittedly being a bit more difficult to 'encapsulate' into daily ('bite-sized') morsels! In my case, there aren't 500+ recipes for me to follow and comment on every day or so; in fact, there is no predetermined script of any kind. In a much more true-to-life fashion, I will have to create the process 'on the fly.'

Will this make for interesting reading? To be honest, I don't know. What I do know, however, is that if I can see this through, we will 'both' get some revealing insights into the mental (spiritual) and 'physical' processes involved in creating the world as we wish it to be - by design, in other words.

So, what is my quest? Okay, I'm not Dan Brown (yet!), but my quest does involve historic architecture. Okay, my quest is historic architecture, or, at least, to recreate a portion of it. And just what does that mean? To begin with, I will recreate three to four (hopefully four) historic houses in the next nine months. Yes, I'm planning to 'give birth' (or rebirth, as it were) to either triplets or quadruplets by November 4th of this year . . . some three weeks before Thanksgiving. (More on the significance of Thanksgiving later.)

What do I mean by 'replicate'? I mean that I will select three architectural masterpieces (historic residences) somewhere in the country, and - assuming that there are not detailed photographs or drawings available - I will visit each home, photograph it extensively (inside and out, hopefully!), measure it (inside and out . . . ), and then create two-dimensional plan and elevation drawings of each on the computer, along with three-dimensional computer models. I/we will then create or 'print' detailed physical models of each - probably at a scale of: 1/4"=1'-0" (1:48).

In the interim I will contact each of four nationally recognized home design and decor magazines and suggest a national competition among architects and designers to recreate and update for today's lifestyles three to six architecturally significant historic houses, to be published each month for four months, starting in July (the third quarter of this year's publications). If each magazine agrees to participate, there will be a total of twelve to twenty-four winning residences each month, and forty-eight to ninety-six overall. Each magazine would select the three best designs each month, which would amount to twelve finalists per publication in the four-month period. In November, each national magazine would publish their three reader-selected winners, with perhaps three runner-ups, a total of twelve to twenty-four national finalists.

Here is where of necessity I must be a bit 'covert' as I will soon be dealing with the people and entities that I will now describe, not wanting to give them any 'press' that they may not wish to have at this point. To the degree to which I am successful, of course, they will welcome the additional exposure in the near future, but for now, I will respect their privacy. (Obviously, it is their desire for media attention and the traffic created thereby that will motivate them to participate.)

Not far from where I live, there is an exclusive residential development with some 500+ beautifully treed lots of approximately one 'city acre' each. It is easily the most unique residential development in the state as well as the region, and potentially, in the entire nation, if properly executed and marketed. All of the streets, sidewalks, and other amenities were finished several years ago - unfortunately (except to the alchemist), just before the 'housing bubble' burst. While a number of lots sold initially, there are currently only a handful of completed and occupied homes within the development - with no additional homes under construction. Of the small number of homes that have been completed, almost all are architecturally significant.

The ownership of the project is currently in the process of changing hands. Apparently that process has been underway from the time I first became aware of the project back in July of 2009. I contacted the soon-to-be project owner at that time, and he told me to "get back to [him] in a month." I did, but that still put me about six months ahead of 'the changing of the guard' that is supposed to take place a few weeks from now.

A few days ago I sent an email to the current owner, who I have met only once. He is somewhat of a real estate legend in this area, and has a 'colorful' past - disliked by some and admired by others. When I stopped by his office some six to seven weeks ago to discuss the marketing of the project, he promised to call me . . . which he graciously did. He informed me of the upcoming change in ownership, and offered to pass my name along to the new owner.

Just today I read his response to my recent email. In it he encouraged me to "be patient," that he would again let the new owner know of my interest, and try to secure a "sit down" for me if the new owner didn't respond within a few weeks. I emailed him my appreciation, along with my continued interest in getting his own thoughts on my proposal. He is a busy man, but may just make the time. Having him call me back, as well as respond to my recent email were both quite encouraging!

Meanwhile, replicating the three (or more) houses on my part, and convincing the four major publications to sponsor a national competition are just the beginning. I mentioned that I would complete them some three weeks before Thanksgiving. Here is why: On Thanksgiving weekend (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), 2010, I propose to hold the first annual Macey's Thanksgiving Day Parade . . . of Model Homes . . . at the development. (My oldest granddaughter, now eleven years old, is named Macey, so I have envisioned this for a number of years now.)

No big deal! All that we need is for one or more of the national magazines to sponsor the historic-home design competition, while the new owner of the development agrees to hold the parade of model homes in his development - five and nine months from now, respectively. More importantly, the new owner will agree to strengthen the architectural 'guidelines' for the development, requiring that every home built therein be based on an architecturally significant historic home approved by the 'reconstituted' architectural review board. This, in combination with the national design competition (which could, along with the Parade of Homes, become an annual event), will result in the development becoming nationally recognized

The 'model' homes will, in fact, be detailed architectural models, of each home, situated on a specific site within the development, and displayed under an awning on that very site - in lieu of a furnished model costing millions of dollars (each). The models should cost no more than $10,000 a piece, and, presenting both the lots and historic houses, complete with scaled trees, and all other improvements, in museum-quality display cases ('under glass'), will elicit highly emotional responses on the part of each of the thousands of prospective buyers who will ultimately view them. Twenty four models, complete with unlimited artists' (computer) renderings of both interiors and exteriors, along with virtual reality tours in and around each one, might be produced for 1/4th the cost of a single furnished model.

Having said that, we may also succeed in having each of the national publications build its winning design, while perhaps a local builder would build the grand champion (or a collaborative effort between publication and builder, etc.) - thus providing several full scale historic replicas that would serve as the centerpieces for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The twenty-four national finalists would serve as the designs from which the 'model' homes would be produced. The drawings, computer renderings, and virtual reality tours would be provided as a requirement of the competition. The national publications would, of course, offer the plans for sale, which profit would be shared by the magazine and the architect/designers (and their sponsors).

So, there you have it! There is much to do, but this entry will serve as my 'announcement to the world' of what I/we intend to accomplish. (No one ever succeeds at anything alone, in spite of outward appearances. We always receive help from a myriad of sources, and we should therefore be willing to recognize and share the credit.)

While there is much more to say regarding my plans for the future, along with many of the details of my past as they relate to current and developing circumstances, what I have outlined here is the 'gist' of my quest for the next nine months: national competition, my own historic designs, and the parade of 'model' homes. As I am an author (who has written on the subject of the mind), in addition to being a registered architect ('master builder'), this chronicle will highlight the inner as well as the outer journey in pursuit of the stated, as well as related, goals.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy embarking upon this journey with me! Perhaps you will become a part of the story as well . . . . I look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights along the way! It may well be that your wisdom will make possible my (our?) ultimate success!

Good night, and thank you for becoming an important part of my life. Just how important we may soon see! Invite anyone who you think could contribute or would enjoy this to come along for the ride! We will not do this alone . . . .

Howard Roark, Architect (From The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand).

PS. There is a bit of irony here in that Rand and Roark, true to the emerging architectural theory of their day, were dismissive of the role, indeed the value, of architectural traditions. Nonetheless, by my embracing them fully, in contrast to even the more 'tolerant' view of architectural history today, I, like Roark am cast in the role of the 'maverick.'

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