And that is "the need to visualize" parts of your goals on a daily basis. By doing so, your goals become imbeded in your phyche. They become part of you. They christalize within you. This is true about all thoughts. Just make sure that you keep pure and benevelent thoughts, for you will "become your thoughts".

The other reason is this:

We're going to relentlessly pursue perfection. We won't catch it, but if (I say *when* not if) we constantly chase it, we'll achieve excellence!
--Coach Vince Lombardi

These are passions that have occupied me since age 12 when I built a sail boat in wood working class. I was in junior high!
This area is new and will continuously be built as I don't have the knowledge nor the time to devote to this dream.
Thus, this area will be a virtual knowledge base, book marks list and learning area for me as I build the things that I have dreamt of for over 20 years.

----------I START TODAY!
Sunday, 24-Apr-2005 0:15 AM, still adjusting to the local time after a week-long trip!

"The highest reward of a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."
- John Ruskin

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I DREAM of BUILDING a HOME

The rest of this space will be dedicated to another subject that I am passionate about: Home. It is where I spend most of my time, work and pursue my many hobbies. I wanted to one day build a dream home. Here I will list the type, amenities, product engineers, craftsmen and materials that I would like to work with.

Anyway, while doing this, I hope that I will be able to find the special location that I can call home. It will be in the U. S. of A. Other than that and the basic shape of the home, I don't know much more about the specific details or materials that I'll use.

I have a scrap book full of ideas. I will explore that and build an online resource 'book' at this site to explore the ideas and logic that I will use to build the home.

No doubt it will take in some radical ideas. But, I also want it to be a realistic vision with creature comforts for family.

I hope to rest there one day. I hope to open a cold Heineken®, take a seat by a vista and say 'a step was done' and get back to work. I don't rest much, other than sleep. {B>)

I will break down the entire project into the main areas of the home that I'd like to have:

Today I am typing the location of the home. Perhaps, the most important element I have left off for a while, but now I am very sure about it. Anything can happen, but at this time I am 90% sure that it will be somewhere in Loudoun County, Virginia, U.S.A. This area is between a hour to a hour and half outside of Washington D.C. and only 45 minutes from the IAD, the Washington area international airport.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: One of the most beautiful places that I have spent time enjoying is located here. Some of the homes that are around there are via this link. >>

LIVING SPACE -Simple and function. Not too large, but cozy!

LIBRARY -Study Area facing a glass and ability to view the courtyard pond with South East Asian Fish.

KITCHEN -Large and with room to entertain.

OFFICE -SMALL -Home needs -Just a desk and room to take care of home needs, near the kitchen.

OFFICE -LARGE -My daily area -In the back of the house overlooking the entire courtyard. Enough space for the day.

MAIN BATH -Overlooking the courtyard on one side and a nice vista on the other.

POOL -Not the typical type, but an "infinite pool" that I can use to do about a half hour to an hour of swimming as often as I can.

ENTRY -at the bottom of the turret, with another glass view of the pond in the courtyard.

TURRET -3 or 4 stories high with space for entertainment, music area, meditation room and an area to just sit and look out.

COURT YARD -A water garden and 'G' Scale Rail Road.

HOBBY & SHOP AREA -Wood and metal working equipment to satisfy the things I like to build. This area was inspired by Norm Abram and the New Yankee Workshop that I watched for many years on PBS.

DECK & BBQ -Outside the kitchen and living area and library and guest rooms.

UTILITIES -This link will cover the heating, air conditioning and other facilities that help manage the home. It will need to co-exist with the energy production system discussed below.

INSPIRATIONS -These are homes and places that I have visited or seen that I find as inspirations.

The ideas have been hatched from over 3 decades of travel worldwide. I will bring them together here to research, explore and then build a model. The next step following the model will be the step to find an Architect who can see my vision and fill in the details.

Reader suggestions that help save energy, the environment and help other dreamers build their homes are also welcome. Please see my FORUM AREA for more details.

LAST UPDATE: Friday, 07-Apr-2006 11:35 AM

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I DREAM of SAILING

This is what I hope to do one day --circumnavigate the world in a sail boat. Not just any sailboat, but one that has been built at Royal Huisman Shipyard. >> (new page)
During my first visit to the Netherlands (not counting going thru the airport) in 1995 I was lucky enough to get a tour of the shipyard. Most Americans will want to visit Amsterdam, the windmills and perhaps even the Red Light District.

I had other plans. I wanted to go to Vollenhove, the home of the shipyard, where the Juliet was built. To my surprise the sailing vessels being built there were much larger and more expensive than what I had ever dreamt of, but, that has not deterred me and my goal of sailing.

What I saw there was a lesson in excellence. The same excellence that I have undertaken to achieve in my life. Most of you who read this will think that I am after the riches. Most of you that read this will think that I am trying to complete 31 steps. Not really. Well, that is the goal, but it has very little to do with money.

My real goal is excellence, as practiced by many who are toiling in the crafts that they are so lucky to pursue and become the best at.

The owner's that have commissioned sailing vessels at the shipyard have pursued excellence. The ship yard as done it as well, and continue to do it day in day out. As do the worker who work there --the measure of their excellence is seen in the products that leave the shipyard.

On that day of the tour I realized that in order for me to sail one day, in the caliber that I hoped to, I must challenge myself to pursue the same excellence. Now, almost ten years later, I feel I have gotten around to seriously challenge my goals of excellence.

I have. I do. And I will continue to keep the pursuit --in my quest for excellence.

I don't need to say much more about sailing. I have a lot to learn. Step by step I'll get here. My next step is to rent the Juliet for a week.

LAST UPDATED: Friday, 07-Apr-2006 11:35 AM