Author Archives: The Author

Cephalonia: The Indomitable

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The island of Cephalonia (also known as Kefalonia), the largest of the Ionian islands, was recently rocked by an earthquake that was nearly a 6 on the Richter magnitude scale.  A few days prior to the earthquake, a fireball (or, meteorite depending on who you ask) fell between Cephalonia and neighboring Zante island lighting the shoreline of the latter as it slowly descended into the depths of the surrounding sea.

When I learned the news, I, a once-upon-a-time denizen, immediately called friends to find out what the situation was on the ground.  Since the epicenter was close to Lixouri, most of the damage (to a nearby road and older buildings built before anti-seismic regulations came into force) was concentrated near said town, across the bay from Argostoli, Cephalonia’s capital city.

1953

Cephalonians are used to earthquakes.    The Focas-Cosmetatos museum featured an exhibit called “1953:  The Earthquake.”  The earthquake of ’53 was a devastating, natural disaster that caused a tsunami, resulted in many casualties, and brought the International Red Cross.  It was an event that caused many to lose everything they had with the consequence of a mass exodus.

Luckily, the latest earthquake resulted in zero casualties with only a few, minor injuries thanks to the fact that every new construction must, by law, adhere to strict, anti-seismic building codes.

Europe will fund repairs.  The buildings will be fixed and road damaged repaired.  Life will go on.

Cephalonia:  The Indomitable

Cephalonia was listed by Forbes magazine as one of the top ten places to live in Europe. 1  Although it has experienced its fair share of natural disasters and foreign conquests (the pirates from time immemorial; the Venetians from circa 1500; and the Axis powers during WWII), this incredibly beautiful island continues to be a highly sought after tourist destination.

Absolute musts to see:  Myrtos beach, Fiskardo, Assos, Kipuria Monastery, Melissani Cave, and Mt. Aenos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2GGy18Axsw

“Makis, a KTM Adventure”

Cheap flights to Cephalonia

References

1 Cephalonia is one of the top 10 places to live in Europe

Undercover: Tina Lee at Work

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I watched an episode on the “W Network” concerning T & T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian supermarket, in which Tina Lee, T & T’s Strategy & Operations Executive Director, goes undercover in order to find out what’s really happening on the “front lines” where customers interact with employees. Tina rationalized that many dynasties in China fell when the leadership lost touch with the people. She wanted, therefore, to bypass middle management and see what was actually happening with her own eyes.

Tina became nearly unrecognizable with her short-haired wig, large glasses and over sized, red worker’s cap placed slightly ajar on her head. None of the employees she engaged with could ever have imagined that “Linda” was, in fact, their boss.

It was precisely through her disguise and the casual and candid conversations she had with her employees that Tina was able to gather information she would otherwise never have obtained. She was able to see for herself how managers trained employees, how they interacted with customers, what skill level they possessed, and what improvements were necessary to make the business run more efficiently.

Get your hands dirty

Tina is remarkable because she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.  She hardly flinched when handling live lobsters, bravely cut a wide variety of meat products, and even made a cake from scratch. She was working, learning, and communicating nonstop with her ears wide open.

Communications genius

Tina has a knack for connecting with people. She has “the touch.” While humbling herself and revealing certain weaknesses (like making mistakes), Tina was able to obtain her employees’ trust with humor.

Generosity counts

I was very impressed when, at the end of the episode, Tina calls her staff to her office and reveals the truth to them. She rewards her employees for their hard work and her generosity toward them is both commendable as well as business smart. Her employees’ fidelity will, most likely, be reinforced; turnover will be stopped in its tracks; production will increase; and customer satisfaction will grow.

In the “telephone game,” information that is whispered in the first person’s ear tends to become distorted when spoken out loud by the last person in the chain. In a similar fashion, executives who follow in Tina’s footsteps will be surprised by what they see and gain deep insight into the business they run.

Tina Lee Undercover

Image title:  Tina Lee Undercover

Image source:  http://www.wnetwork.com

The Grace and Andrew Masa Breakfast

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Whether you’re new in town or an old pro, the best breakfast place in Toronto is surely Grace and Andrew’s at the Masa Restaurant adjacent to the Comfort Hotel, Downtown, 15 Charles Street East.

‘Good Morning!’ booms Andrew’s voice as I walk inside.  ‘How are you today?’ comes the genuine question.  Andrew, born in England with a Grenadian background, has a passion for cooking that he cultivated from his youth becoming a chef.  He’s lived in Toronto for thirty years.

‘How are you, Luba?’ asks Grace as I sit down on a comfy chair at a smooth table with clean lines next to the elegant, wooden, hanging decoration lit by candle-like lamps.

Grace, born in Toronto, is steeped in the tradition of restaurateurs.  Her father, the late, reputed Danny Mangos, owned many restaurants and raised Grace from her youth to understand and appreciate the art of running a restaurant.  Once a manager at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Grace, an accomplished chef, is specialized in organizing buffets and banquets.

Aside from Grace and Andrew’s unique, warm welcome and genuine hospitality, they offer a wide selection of excellent breakfast choices.  The Continental Breakfast comes with: Croissant, Toast, Orange Juice/Apple Juice and Milk, $6.99; The Full American Breakfast offers: Bacon, Ham, or Sausage, 2 Eggs (any style), and Home-Style Potatoes (note that these are Andrew’s and that he developed their perfect, golden, crispy exterior and spicy flavor) with a choice of Muffin, Danish, Croissant, and Toast, $10.99; Eggs Benedict; Eggs Florentine; Omelets; Pancakes or French Toast; and numerous side orders.

Don’t stay out in the cold.  Brrrrrrrrrrr!  Come to Grace and Andrew’s for a healthy and wholesome breakfast with a big-hearted welcome.  You can safely expect future developments from these two, fine chefs.  Stay tuned.

Masa Restaurant

Image title:  The Masa Restaurant

Photographer:  Luba Rascheff

2014: Make It Your Year

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In a few hours, it will be 2014.

Personally, I’m feeling quite upbeat about what lies ahead in the New Year.

As I ride out the ice storm–or, more precisely, what’s left of it, viz., the arctic cold wave–my thoughts are leaping ahead. In a warm and cozy setting, my thoughts are clearly in the future.

Resolutions

Although speculating about the future and making resolutions can be risky, it’s worth it.

Be bold

Let’s be bold and resolve that:

  • 2014 will be our year
  • Great things will happen
  • Our positive state of mind will contribute to our success
  • Creative thinking will bring out the best of us
  • Energy is abundant (we don’t need to take it from others; we have our own supply)
  • Transformation is a given

A glass half full

When we permit ourselves to be positive and expansive, we see the glass half full. This lets us believe that more and more good–great, even–things are coming our way.

Resolve with me

I resolve that 2014 will be my year.

I believe I’m worthy and that great things will happen to me.

I know that change is a given and transformation is inevitable.

I accept the bounty that is rightfully mine.

Happy New Year!

Toronto Ice Storm

Image title:  Toronto in the Ice Storm

Image author:  Luba Rascheff

How to Use Amazon’s Createspace

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If you’ve written a book in, say, Microsoft Word and have proofread it, properly formatted it, and have a title page, copyright page, introduction, table of contents and distinct chapters, you are essentially ready to roll for Createspace.

Although a variety of trim sizes (i.e., book sizes) are available, I recommend selecting the 6” x 9” setting, B & W. Why this trim size?, you may ask. Choosing a 6” x 9” trim size will ensure that your book is fit for most distribution channels. Your title will be exposed to more potential customers hence increasing your chance of being discovered and read.

Once your book is in its most perfect form possible and you have zero spelling and grammar errors, go to the Createspace website and, if you haven’t already done so, open an account. Select the “add new title” option. You don’t need to worry about buying an ISBN; Createspace will automatically assign one for you if that’s what you choose.

The secret is, once logged on and moving through the process, to find the link that leads to Createspace’s interior templates. Download the 6” x 9” template to your computer. Copy and paste your ready book into the template. Visually check that the pages are numbered sequentially; that your chapters are correctly numbered; that your headers alternate between your name and book’s title appropriately; and that you are completely satisfied with how the book appears. The template will ensure that your book’s margins, fonts, pagination and other settings satisfy Createspace requirements. If you’re careful, patient and thorough, this will save you time later. Export the file as a PDF and upload to Createspace.

After you’ve inputed the book’s title, have selected an ISBN, category, and successfully uploaded the book’s interior to Createspace, you’re now ready to create the cover.

In the same way that Createspace offers the right template for your book’s interior, Createspace has a cover creator. The creator comes with a variety of styles to choose from as well as images. If you choose an image from Createspace, make sure to read the fine print about what doing so entails. Alternatively, you can upload one of your own images. The steps you’ll need to complete while using the cover creator are: Theme, Title, Subtitle (if applicable), Author, Front Cover Image (yours or one offered by Createspace), Author Photo (optional), Publisher Logo (optional), Back Cover Text and Background Color. Createspace will take care of the bar code for you.

I enjoyed uploading my own image and experimenting with different styles and colors offered by the cover creator.

After completing the above, Createspace will suggest that you use its interior reviewer. I highly recommend that you do so. If you haven’t embedded your text, do not worry. Createspace will do it for you.

Createspace offers a range of distribution channels. The more channels you select, the more exposure your title will receive. I personally selected the minimum price threshold for my book (generated by Createspace) since this guarantees the lowest possible price for my readers.

Once you’ve finished, you’ll be prompted to submit your file for review. You’ll receive an e-mail within 24 hours with further instructions. In my case, I was congratulated, told that my file was printable, and asked to do a final review which I did.

Fortitude

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Fortitude has to do with facing pain or adversity courageously through endurance.

Light at the end of the tunnel

When we face difficult or challenging circumstances, we can become discouraged and think, When will this end?  The truth, however, is that nothing lasts forever.  There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Don’t give up

We endure certain hardships because we know that they won’t always be.  A Chinese philosopher said that the best way to face a seemingly unmovable obstacle that appears like a ‘boulder’ is to do nothing.  Nothing? you ask.  Nothing because by disengaging, you allow time to work on and solve the problem.

Resist futile efforts

Have you ever tried to solve a problem by tackling it aggressively with everything you’ve got only to see that all of your efforts were futile?  Nothing you tried seemed to work and it all ended in frustration.

This happens when we fail to realize that there is a right time for everything and that artificially attempting to manipulate outcomes doesn’t work.

The ‘umph’ factor

When we know that we cannot change a particular situation or fix a particular problem immediately, we need to endure.  We need to, essentially, dig our heels in and wait.

Time plays a big role

Determining when to act versus when to wait is vital.  If you feel that things are flowing, that certain people almost magically appear in your life, and that all the signs pertaining to resolution say ‘go,’ you can circumvent the ‘boulder.’  You can move around it!

Splash

Image by Luba Rascheff

The Story of Iannis V.

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Writers are storytellers.

As I thought about a story to tell you, I settled on the story of Iannis V. *, a rich and influential Greek businessman.  I thought about him because he made an impact on me.

Even though Iannis owns over thirty homes, he mostly lives in two, one of which is a beach house.  He called me recently and asked, ‘What do you know about roses?’  I was flattered that he thought to ask me.  He explained that he wanted to plant them near his beach house and sell them.  ‘Near your beach house?’ I asked incredulously.  ‘Yes, yes!  I researched it and they’ll grow here just fine.’  I replied that I didn’t know much other than to mention Bulgaria’s Rose Valley.  It hardly surprised me that at an advanced age Iannis would attempt to cultivate roses near a beach for export.

To spend or not to spend

When we first met, he told me that, once upon a time, he didn’t have much money at all.  ‘When I didn’t have money, I staid home.  When I had money, I’d go out to the restaurant.’  It was an astonishingly simple yet powerful statement.  He then made some disparaging remarks regarding the spending habits of younger Greeks. 1

On a separate occasion, Iannis said, ‘When I was a teenager, my friends wanted me to smoke even though I didn’t.  One day, they bunched up on me and forcibly held me against a wall as they tried to stick a cigarette in my mouth.’  Iannis laughed out loud as he remembered, his perfectly intact, white teeth flashing and his brown eyes dancing.  ‘I fought back by kicking them hard.  I don’t smoke!’ he said earnestly.

Not only doesn’t he smoke, Iannis told me that he goes to bed at sunset and gets up at sunrise.  He told me he’s done this his entire life.

Good behavior, bad behavior

Iannis seems to attract scandal to him like a magnet.  Some people love him, while others hate him.  He’s even received threats.

In spite of it all, though, I think that Iannis V. is an extraordinary character.  Although lacking a formal education, he is brilliant, highly disciplined and an amazing businessman who knew exactly what he wanted from an early age.

—————————————————

* Name changed to protect identity.

1 He was referring to borrowing from parents and the use of credit cards.  Note that this conversation took place prior to the financial crisis of 2008.

2013-01-02 17.00.51

Image title:  ‘Sunset over the Acropolis’

Photographer:  Luba Rascheff

Accepting Cultural Diversity

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Although we hear the occasional horror story about how someone, on account of their race, origin or religious beliefs, is discriminated against, the truth is that globalization (however we view it) is thrusting acceptance upon us.

In Bulgaria, for example, the civil war in Syria resulted in a wave of immigrants from that ravaged country.  Bulgaria, a country of roughly eight million mostly older people, and virtually devoid of population with a –0.6 population growth rate 1, is now facing the prospect of new faces from faraway places (e.g., Syria, Algeria and Russia for example), some of different faiths than the predominant Bulgarian Orthodox religion.

I heard a story in which villagers, all of whom were seniors, pulled out their rifles when they heard that refugees of a different religion would be forcibly settled in their village.  ‘What will happen?’ I asked, deeply concerned about such a violent reaction.  ‘The gendarmerie will become involved.’

Acceptance vs. Resistance

We cannot stop change.  We must accept that there are certain forces at work that are beyond our control.  As hard as it is for some of us to accept that our world has changed and continues to change, from a psychological perspective, acceptance is healthier than resistance.

Breaking the barriers of difference

There are civilized ways of dealing with difference.  Diplomacy, communication, civility, an open mind and a welcoming heart.

A personal example

My family moved from Toronto, Canada to Champaign, Illinois when I was a child.  As a youngster, I did not travel well and do not remember crossing the border on account of the suppository my parents gave me.

It was not a direct route since, first, I graduated from Mrs. Armitage’s kindergarten in Toronto and, later, completed first grade in Madison, Wisconsin.  As soon as we arrived in Champaign, my mother was befriended by the late Eloise Wachala, a poet, who introduced her to the C-U International Women’s Group.  Through this group, Mother met many wonderful women who subsequently became her friends.

This open, welcoming and accepting way is beautiful.  It is the opposite of fear, suspicion and discrimination.  This open, beautiful way is what made America the culturally diverse nation it is today.

After centuries of wars, conquests and oppression, we cannot entirely blame the older Bulgarian villagers for their deep mistrust of foreigners.  We need to keep things in perspective in that regard.  Nevertheless, let us open the door for change by acknowledging that times have changed.  Wars are mostly economic these days and immigrants have much to offer from professional expertise to culinary delights.

Green Nuances

Image title:  ‘Green Nuances.’

Description: On the outskirts of Raduil, Bulgaria.

Photographer:  Luba Rascheff

References

1 Source:  https://www.google.bg/search?q=bulgaria+birth+rate&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&ei=K1Z_UpecD4Tcswb_l4HoCA#q=bulgaria+population+growth+rate&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgz8HjxKHfq6-gaFpYYaWY3aylX5OfnJiSWZ-nn5xCZAuLslMTsyJL0pNBwpZFeQXlOaAZePTi_LLSzLiixJLUuPL84tyUuKTEvOy84_fevNqwT4vt7uxNRMclAXV_nJsBwD9MMUDbAAAAA

Crossing the Threshold of Excellence

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If you’re like me, you place much emphasis on excelling through excellence.  You are meticulous, articulate, focused and aim at succeeding in all of your endeavors.

Stand out

What is that special quality that enables one to stand out in a crowd without resorting to inappropriate methods?

Impeccability

Do you behave the same way at home as you do at work?  Is your behavior flawless in the sense that you have one standard and that this standard defines, in fact is, your personal brand?

Accountability

Do you take accountability for your actions or, if things don’t work out, blame others?

Crossing the threshold of excellence

When you’ve made a conscious decision to stand out via your impeccability and pursuit of excellence, you’ve crossed the point of no return.  You’ve distinguished yourself from the crowd as someone who will succeed, period.

The difference between you and those who choose mediocrity is that you’ve consciously crossed the threshold of excellence.

What are the signs of having crossed the threshold of excellence?

  1. Acting will be easy.  Once you have consciously decided to accept responsibility and, generally speaking, ‘give it your all,’ you will immediately know how to act in all situations, even difficult ones.
  2. Doubt will vanish.  The doubt you once secretly harbored about yourself and your potential will vanish.
  3. A noticeable difference.  People won’t recognize you anymore.  ‘What?  Is that [put your name here]?’ they’ll ask.
  4. Success will come.  You will find yourself (even under difficult circumstances) easily succeeding (e.g., closing deals, increasing your reputation, etc.)
  5. A new vision.  When you cross the threshold of excellence, a new vision will come upon you:  the uncanny ability to ‘see’ what’s around the corner or down the road.

When you come to the point of no return and cross the threshold of excellence, you will stand out and your success will be unparalleled.

Reaching for Excellence

Reaching for Exellence

Image source:  xaxor.com/photography/21817-mountain-climbing-photography-by-various-photographers.html

How to Get What You Want

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Getting what you want is not as hard as you may think.  They say that when you really want something, the whole universe conspires to help you get it.

What do you want?

The first step in getting what you want is knowing what you desire.  You must sit down and think about, really think about, what it is you wish to attract to your life.

Ignore the push-pulls

Others may envision different things for you than you envision.  In the process of obtaining your heart’s desires, it is imperative that you ignore the desires of others and focus on your desires.  Although this may sound selfish, it is often the case that people who lack confidence may wish to live through you vicariously.  Let them; but only after you’ve focused on your goals, not theirs.

Once you’ve established what it is you truly desire, like your dream job, imagine that you are already there.  See yourself in the position of your dreams, seated at your desk, in your office, with a name plate bearing your name on your office door.

Stop struggling

When you decide, visualize and believe that you’ve already obtained the position that’s best for you, for which you’re best, and that fits you most, processes will kick in to make it a reality.  It’s not that you will suddenly stop acting; you will act, but in a very limited and targeted way.  You will act only in the sense of performing necessary actions.  This may mean sending out your resume, improving your LinkedIn Profile, or making a phone call.

Why do we make it hard?

I think that we often make things harder for ourselves than they need to be because of insecurity.  We think that if we do more or push harder, we will somehow be ‘more.’  This is not true.

Be in the moment

To get your dream job, you’ll need to be in the moment.  Don’t be anxious.  Don’t try to figure out how it will happen. Instead, continue visualizing and deeply believing that what you want is already yours.

Light Balance

Light Balance, by Luba Rascheff