CHRISTMAS EVE, TUESDAY 24th DECEMBER 2013 08:43 GMT

AVAILABLE FOR KINDLE DOWNLOAD, DOCUMENT DOWNLOAD AND AUDIOBOOK - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

FOR MORE BITE-SIZED WISDOM, CHECK OUT MY TUMBLR PAGE

FOR PERSONAL ISSUES, OR TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, WHY NOT CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (24th December 1943)
On the Russian Front...
Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front launches a major offensive, breaking through lines held by the German 4th Panzer Army. Soviet 3rd Guards Tank Army advances toward Zhitomir and Soviet 1st Tank Army advances toward Vinnitsa

In London...
There is a reshuffle of British commanders:
Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson is appointed to command the Allied Mediterranean Theatre
Field Marshal Harry Alexander is to command Allied Forces in Italy
General Oliver Lease is to take command of the British 8th Army
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery is to command all ground forces for Operation Overlord - the Allied invasion of Northern France.

In Italy...
British 8th Army fights its way into Orsogna and Ortona 

In the Mediterranean...
German vessel Nicoline Maersk run aground by Free French destroyer Le Fantasque

In the Atlantic...
U-645 is sunk by USN destroyer Schenk
USN destroyer Leary is sunk by U-275
RN destroyer Hurricane is sunk by U-415
British vessel Dumana is sunk by U-515 

In Washington DC...
There is a reshuffle of American commanders: 
General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed as Supreme Commander for Operation Overlord
General Omar Bradley is to command American ground forces in Operation Overlord, whilst Generals George S. Patton and Courtney Hodges are to command individual armies.
General Carl Spaatz is to command US strategic air forces in Europe

In the Pacific...
Japanese vessels Naruo Maru and No. 2 Seizan Maru sunk by USN submarine Gurnard
Japanese vessel Heiwa Maru damaged by USN submarine Raton and run aground
IJN submarine I-39 is sunk by USN destroyer Griswold off Guadalcanal 
USN Task Force 39 with three cruisers and four destroyers bombards Buka Island

In New Guinea...
Australian 20th Infantry Brigade advancing along the coast of Huon peninsula reaches Wandokai

In China...
Japanese 11th Army completes its withdrawal from Changde to prepared positions and fortified garrisons

In Burma...
Chinese 38th Infantry Division attack elements of the Japanese 18th Infantry Division around Yupbang Ga on the Tarung River 

Today's Air Raids...
V-weapons sites, Northern France by US 8th and 9th Air Forces and RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force
North Sea minelaying by RAF Bomber Command
Northern Italy transportation lines by US 15th Air Force
Wotje Atoll by US 7th Air Force
Bonis Airfield, Bougainville Island by US 13th Air Force
Cape Gloucester and Rabaul, New Britain by US 13th Air Force
Timor Island military targets by US 5th Air Force
Canton, China by US 14th Air Force
Mandalay, Burma by RAF aircraft

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Tidying up and laundry
Me Time
Missus Time 

Twitter Followers = 1,705 (up 3)
Nonfollowed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
New followers = 3
@Gratitude Rocker, @BobRTR80, @grasso_139irvi  

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
When it comes to playing this character, I now know EXACTLY how to play it on a moment-by-moment basis, which is to focus upon the most appropriate action rather than the circumstances of where I am. Of course, knowing something is one thing, and doing it is another. My current objective is for the practice to catch up with the theory.

Convinced as I am that at the Universal level there is nothing at stake, it is all about the challenge of knowing oneself. I am delighted and relieved to already understand what's really going on, and now it's simply a question of deepening my knowledge and self-mastery.

I know who I am, what I'm doing and where I'm going, and do so with an attitude of gratitude and inner peace.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Do you know who you are, what you're doing and where you're going?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Cold, windy, dry and sunny throughout the day
Cloud building after dusk but remaining dry with clear periods thereafter
The consistent strong south-westerly will ease gradually overnight
Max Temp = 4 degC
Min Temp = 2 degC
Sunrise at 08:24
Sunset at 15:49

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
FOR SALE 1 box of After Eights, mint condition : D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY! 
QI unbroadcast: facts about kings  

8. TRIVIA
Before being called AIDS (Auto-Immune Deficiency Disorder) the disease was called GRID (Gay-related Immune Disorder) until 1982

9. ZEN WISDOM
When we have a genuine sense that, no matter how difficult our present circumstances, we are not alone—that we are vitally connected with others and with the world—we will, without fail, rise up to the challenge of living again.