SUNDAY 18th MAY 2014 07:12 BST

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE NOW!! - ENLIGHTENMENT 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 (18th May 1944)
In the Soviet Union...
Beria begins NKVD operations to deport 180,000 Crimean Tatars

In Germany...
In a military reorganization, Marshal Gerd Von Rundstedt is named to command Ob West with General Erwin Rommel commanding Army Group B and General Johannes Blaskowitz commanding Army Group G.

In the North Sea...
U-241 sunk by RAF aircraft

In the English Channel...
Kriegsmarine vessel V-211 is sunk by RN MTB-90 off Channel Islands overnight  

In Italy...
In 8th Army sector, British 4th Infantry Division captures the town of Cassino while Polish II Corps captures the monastery.
US 5th Army advances around Formia, Pico, and Monte Oro 

At Barcelona, Spain...
1043 British internees and POWs are exchanged for 900 German internees and POWs  

In the Pacific...
Effective Japanese resistance in the Admiralty Islands, based at Manus Island, is declared ceased by the Americans. 

Japanese vessel Shinryu Maru is sunk by USN submarine Puffer off the East Indies

In New Guinea...
USN Task Force bombards Insoemoar Island in the Wakde Islands opposite Arare in Dutch New Guinea
Elements of US 163rd Infantry Regiment land on Insoemoar Island and capture Wakde airfield - Jspanese forces unsuccessfully counterattack overnight
Elements of US 163rd Infantry Regiment expand the Arare beachhead

In China...
Operation Ko-Go (Peking-Hankow Operation): 
3rd Independent Mixed Brigade of Japanese 1st Army captures Shanhsien
HQ of Japanese 5th Air Army transfers to Hankow and assembles air units to support the ground offensive 

In Burma...
US 5307th Provisional Unit, with air support, attacks Myitkyina 

In India...
Japanese forces attacking Indian 23rd Infantry Division at Shenam Pass southeast of Imphal

In the Indian Ocean...
Japanese vessel Nichiyoku Maru is sunk by a mine 

Today's Air Raids...
Northern France fighter patrols by RAF 2nd Tactical Air Force
Ploesti Oilfield, Romania by US 15th Air Force - 14 of 206 Bombers (7%) are shot down
Belgrade and Nis, Yugoslavia by US 15th Air Force
Bougainville Island on military targets by US 13th Air Force
Biak Island and military coastal targets in New Guinea by US 5th Air Force
Balikpapan, Borneo offshore minelaying by RAAF
Molucca Islands military targets by US 5th Air Force
Ceram Island and Halmahera Island by US 5th Air Force
Hukawng Valley, Burma on Allied airfields by Japanese aircraft

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE  
Blogging
The Milk Run
Ironing
Extended Me Time
Meditation
Missus Time


Twitter Followers = 1,742 (up 3)
Nonfollowed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
New followers = 3
@Moyyagm, @Aironjameslacso, @maddyruns


3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
My decision not to go into management at the Weekend Job proved the right one as they are sacking two-thirds of them - the second mass-sacking since I started there. No such thing as a job-for-life anywhere! My settled spell at the Weekend Job continues so my mind is freed up to focus on the Domestic Front.

Abundant me-time comes my way today as Missus spends the day with Daughter, since it's her 21st. I think I am entitled to a brief period of mourning and sadness how my family relationships have turned out. My sister, mother, father and daughter are all desperately disappointing individuals with whom all my interactions have been utterly joyless. Daughter is the most painful disappointment of all - to see dysfunctionality pass down to the next generation makes me feel very sad indeed. 

At least what I'm left with is the opposite extreme - Missus and Son provide joy in abundance! With all these relationships fair and foul, taking into account that I am the same person to all of them, I have concluded that it's nothing in my control. Two recognize my positive intention and four do not. 

I feel a touch of jealousy for those who have great relationships with their mothers, fathers, sisters and daughters, and particularly resent them boasting about it on Facebook, but having said that, I am not alone in my own experience. In fact, my own experience gives me credibility in helping clients with similar dysfunctional experiences.

Having expressed my feelings, I now have the choice of spending my life embittered about it or letting them go and focusing on what I've got. The latter of course is my choice. I think it's important to periodically mourn but also to move on.

I shall spend a lot of today being still, resting, meditating and contemplating, and then tackle my current challenges head-on from Monday.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you at peace with yourself?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry and sunny, clear overnight
A moderate southerly will blow throughout
Max Temp = 20 degC
Min Temp = 13 degC
Sunrise at 05:01
Sunset at 21:07

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Here's a little secret about late night television: If it was any good, they’d put it on earlier when people with jobs could watch it. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY   
Mock The Week - Milton Jones on Food 

8. TRIVIA
J.K. Rowling’s books were the first children’s books included on the New York Bestseller list since E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web in 1952.

9. ZEN WISDOM
To the extent that we contemplate ourselves and elevate our state of life, we can deepen our understanding of others. Someone who does so is capable of recognizing and treasuring people’s individuality. A person of wisdom tries to invigorate others and bring out the best in them.