Gary's Nine A Day: May 2015

Sunday, 31 May 2015

MONDAY 1st JUNE 2015 07:14 BST

New Followers followed back = 1

@NateMaingard

Spammers not followed back = 0

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Of course!! The Swish technique!! I was seriously struggling with the "Saturday Incident" - it was threatening to overwhelm my week. The Swish Technique, the most useful thing to ever come out of NLP, (arguably the ONLY) relieved it instantly - the answer was staring me in the face all the time! It then occurred to me that I could use it to keep my mind internally quiet. This is so blatantly bleedin' obvious, I'm a little embarrassed it's only occurred to me now, especially since I use the technique with most of my clients. I might be slow but I do at least eventually get it!

One of my more disappointing purchases of late was PSYCHOLOGY FOR DUMMIES - I could have done a better job myself! No mention of either Frankl or Jung's theories, just a load of other theories that don't add up to anything useful or practical. I'm getting the impression that mainstream psychologists in general are up their own arse. I've had a fair number of clients who've been down the psychotherapy route who got frustrated that all their counsellors did was listen and ask questions.

I am convinced that if you want to help people with issues, you've actually got to give them an experience (hypnosis in my case) a model they can understand and use (conscious/subconscious mind) and something to DO (practical techniques and exercises) not just sit there nodding your head and asking dumb questions. I'd pit my results against a mainstream psychotherapist any day!

With missus back to work and Son on sleepover, I at last have the chance to get some stuff done! A very busy day is in prospect with a shitload of housework and two client sessions to prepare, deliver and follow up. Thanks to the Swish Technique I can now get on with it with a clear head.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Is your coping strategy up to the job or do you need to learn something new?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry and sunny in the morning
Heavy rain arrives in the afternoon and will persist thereafter, finally moving away overnight
A moderate-to-strong south-westerly will reach gale-force for a few hours in the late evening
Max Temp = 10 degC at noon
Min Temp = 5 degC at 7am
Sunrise at 04:43
Sunset at 21:27
Moon:

Weathertrack: A rapidly-approaching strong depression will drive weather fronts across Britain today
Air Pressure: 1012 millibars and falling

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Guacamole is my favorite food that looks like someone already ate it :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Chris Rock on white trash, women and other matters

8. TRIVIA
Alfred Hitchcock, the “master of suspense,” was obsessed with blondes and cast only blondes in his movies. His favorite blondes included Eve Marie Saint (North by Northwest), Joan Fontaine (Suspicion), Carol Lombard (Mr. and Mrs. Smith), Janet Leigh (Psycho), Grace Kelly (Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, and To Catch a Thief), and Tippi Hedren (The Birds and Marni).

9. ZEN WISDOM
Life is a struggle, and ultimate victory is only decided in its final chapter. That is why it's important not to become intoxicated by one's success or become disheartened in defeat.

SUNDAY 31st MAY 2015 08:30 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (31st May 1945)
Norway....
Johan Nygaardsvold, having served as Prime Minister of the Norwegian government-in-exile, resigns as promised now the war has ended. King Haakon VII appoints Einar Gerhardsen to replace him as head of a provisional government

Austria...
SS Gruppenfuehrer Odilo Globocnik, responsible for liquidating the Warsaw and Bialystok ghettos and the construction of the extermination camps in Poland, is captured in an alpine hut near Weissensee by British troops. Taken to Paternion for questioning, he commits suicide. Refused burial in the local churchyard by the local priest, he is buried outside, next to the graveyards outer wall in an unmarked grave and without ceremony.

London...
Opening of War Crimes Commission conference
Churchill threatens de Gaulle that unless French troops cease hostilities in Syria and Lebanon, British forces will intervene

Washington DC...
At meeting with Marshall, Groves, Oppenheimer, and others, Secretary of War Stimson determines which Japanese cities should be targets of atomic weapons

New Guinea...
Australian 6th Infantry Division captures positions near Kalabu, and all remaining remnants of Japanese 18th Army withdraw into the mountains

Tarakan...
Australian 26th Infantry Brigade attacks Japanese positions with US air support

Luzon...
US 6th Army is fighting its way into the Cagayan Valley

Mindanao...
US 8th Army is attacking toward Mandog

Negros...
All remaining remnants of the Japanese garrison withdraw into the hills

Okinawa...
US 10th Army is attacking Japanese 32nd Army around Hill 46, 100 Meter Hill, and Chan and moving into the ruins of Shuri

Off Japan...
Two Japanese vessels are sunk and five more are damaged by mines.

Burma...
Isolated remnants of Japanese 28th Army assemble in the hills between the Irrawaddy River and Sittang River

India...
Allied Eastern Air Command is dissolved. US 10th Air Force and other US components is ordered transferred to operations in China.

Today's Air Raids...
Borneo on military targets by US FEAF
Taihoku and military targets on Formosa by US FEAF
Sakishima Islands on airfields by USN aircraft
China on Japanese positions, transportation lines, and other targets by US 14th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
The Milk RunMe Time
Lunch
Meditation
More Me Time!Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,977 (up 1)
Non-followed eliminated = 1
@dashscramble
Unfollowers eliminated = 0

New Followers followed back = 1

@LauraSummers, @MelaGal

Spammers not followed back = 0

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

An occupational hazard of the Weekend Job is being vulnerable to the agendas of both managers and the public. Having shown a readiness to "fight my corner" I can go for months at-a-time without any grief there, but I've now had "customer grief" two weeks on the bounce! Of course almost all my interactions pass without incident, but it only takes one to ruin my day.

The problem is not so much the incidents per se, for which there has been no material consequence - it's what goes on in my head! I consequently have to use all my therapy skills on myself. Confrontational disapproval, particularly unwarranted, is a "raw nerve" for me, unleashing a psychotic fury that bounces around inside my head like an angry bee in a jar.

In the past, everybody else, regardless of who they were, would get a taste of this fury. These days, I can manage it, but bloody hell do I still feel it! Unfortunately with most psychological issues, there isn't a cure, only good management. You can stop something ruining your life, but you can't eliminate it or entirely eradicate the symptoms.

The Discipline of Grounding is the most useful practice to prevent internal storms spilling over into negative behaviour, and time, space and distraction eventually restore internal balance, albeit with another small scar to the collection and another episode in the dark half of my memory palace.

The Discipline of Self-Acceptance is also useful. I didn't after all choose to have any raw nerves or emotional overreaction malfunction. These are things my character has been dealt. I accept equally that it's not my fault but it IS my responsibility to manage it to the best of my ability.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU

What issues and situations do you find hard to handle?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD

Showers throughout, with a cool moderate westerly or south-westerly wind

Max Temp = 10 degC at 8am

Min Temp = 6 degC at midnight

Sunrise at 04:44

Sunset at 21:26

Moon:

Weathertrack: A depression in the North Atlantic will drive weather fronts across Britain today

Air Pressure:999 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Wouldn't it be annoying if they individually-wrapped Tic-Tacs? :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year: David Mitchell amusing bits

8. TRIVIA

Texas and Hawaii before joining the USA were independent countries in their own right. Texas was annexed in 1845 by popular consent and a treaty. Hawaii was annexed by a joint resolution of congress in 1898 in collusion with an unpopular white ruling elite. Texas was instantly inducted as a state, but Hawaii was only a dependent territory in 1959, and was the last US territory to become a state. Puerto Rico, acquired by conquest from Spain in 1898, is still a US territory with no democratically-elected representation in the US congress.

9. ZEN WISDOM

The human spirit is the strongest force there is. As long as our spirit remains unbroken, there is no defeat. In life, spiritual defeat always precedes actual defeat. Guard against laziness, cowardice, carelessness, impatience, resignation and despair which corrode the human spirit and sow the seeds of defeat.

Friday, 29 May 2015

SATURDAY 30th MAY 2015 07:44 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (30th May 1945)
Germany....
Marshal Georgi Zhukov is appointed the Soviet representative to the Allied Control Commission

Tehran, Iran...
The Iranian government requests the withdrawal of all Allied forces from its soil

Middle-east...
Continued clashes between French troops and Arab nationalists in Syria and Lebanon, with French artillery bombarding Damascus

In the Pacific...
IJN submarine I-361 is sunk by aircraft from USN escort carrier Anzio

Off Borneo...
Japanese vessel Hokoku Maru sunk by USN submarine Blenny
Japanese vessels No. 146 Shuttle Boat and No. 154 Shuttle Boat are sunk by USN submarine Croaker

Okinawa...
US 10th Army is attacking Japanese 32nd Army around Naha, Shuri, 100 Meter Hill, Hen Hill, Love Hill, and Oboe Hill

Off Japan...
Four Japanese vessels are sunk and two damaged by mines

China...
Imperial General Headquarters orders the China Expeditionary Army to begin abandon the Hunan-Kwangsi nd Canton-Hankow rail lines

Burma...
British 14th Army is attacking from the Meiktila area toward Kalaw

Allied Headquarters, India...
Operation Zipper, the amphibious invasion of Malaya, is postponed until 9 September

Today's Air Raids...
Marcus Island by US FEAF
Truk Atoll by US FEAF
Borneo on military targets by US FEAF
Takao and Shinei, Formosa by US FEAF
Sakishima Islands on airfields by USN aircraft
Amami-o-Shima by US 7th Air Force
Okino Erabu by US 7th Air Force
China Sinsiang, Sincheng, Japanese positions, transportation lines, and other targets around Anyang, Liuchow, Chingmen, Chungmow, Linfen, Huluehchen, Kweilin, Hsinganhsien, Leiyang, and Yenkoupu by US 14th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Me Time
Shift 2 of the Weekend Job
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,976 (no change)
Non-followed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated = 1

@ShawneTV

New Followers followed back = 1

@fromwbyeats

Spammers not followed back = 0

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

It's always with some trepidation that I wake up Missus for "Daughter day", her roughly fortnightly trip to see Daughter. If Daughter was always friendly, caring and considerate, mindful of her mother's serious mental illness, then I would be absolutely fine with this arrangement - BUT SHE ISN'T!

Missus put it succintly herself - when I asked if she actually enjoyed seeing our daughter, her response was "depends what mood she's in". Daughter's narcissistic personality can see no further than her own feelings - and fuck anyone else's, including her own mother. Of course, I can't do a much about it, other than watchfully patrol the borders and prevent Daughter exploiting her mother for cash. (A cause in which I spectacularly failed but learned from last Christmas!)

Putting my own feelings aside for a moment, it is a source of endless intriguing fascination to me that one sibling has become my best friend (albeit one somewhat distracted elsewhere) and the other a vindictive, hateful, self-absorbed lingering threat. I am after all the SAME GUY and yet I have ended up with polar opposite experiences as a father.

This experience, along with people in general has taught me that the approval/disapproval I get is all about THEM and what's going on in THEIR heads. That being the case, I'm going to get a mixture of love and hate whatever I do, so I may as well do what fulfils me and flip the finger to the disapprovers.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU

Do you have the right attitude towards disapproval?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD

Dry throughout, but cloud will gradually increase

Rain arrives in the late evening and will be persistent and heavy all night

A moderate westerly will swing south-easterly in the evening

Max Temp = 11 degC at 3pm

Min Temp = 7 degC at 8am

Sunrise at 04:45

Sunset at 21:24

Moon:

Weathertrack: A weak ridge of high pressure will cross Britain today followed by a strong weather fronts overnight from a depression crossing the North Atlantic

Air Pressure: 1011 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

I've discovered Victoria's Secret - she doesn't eat anything :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Would I Lie To You: David Mitchell refutes his critics

8. TRIVIA

Boys are three to four times more likely to be diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders than girls. While experts do not yet have a solid answer for the obvious gender discrepancy, some believe that girls with mild autism may be better able to mask their symptoms and thus go undiagnosed.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Happiness doesn’t exist on the far side of distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. Not you, however, sitting in idle passivity. It is to be found in the vibrant dynamism of your own life as you struggle to challenge and overcome one obstacle after another, as you clamber up a perilous ridge in pursuit of that which lies beyond.

Thursday, 28 May 2015

FRIDAY 29th MAY 2015 07:50 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (29th May 1945)
In Moscow......
Molotov assures Japanese ambassador in Moscow there will be no change in Soviet-Japanese relations

Norway...
Operation Deadlight:
U-boats in Norwegian ports begin sailing to the UK for assembly and disposal

Belgium...
Socialists demand the abdication of King Leopold

France...
The Grand Mufti escapes from house arrest and flees to Egypt where he is granted political asylum

Middle-east...
Continued clashes between French troops and Arab nationalists in Syria and Lebanon, with French artillery bombarding Damascus and Hama

Tinian...
509th Composite Bombardment Group of US 20th Air Force arrives for the upcoming atomic bomb missions against Japan

South China Sea...
Japanese vessel Etsunan Maru is sunk by a mine

Mindanao...
US 8th Army opens attacks toward Mandog

Okinawa...
US 10th Army captures Shuri Ridge and Shuri Castle and attacks Japanese 32nd Army around Naha and Karadera
Offshore, USN destroyer Shubrick is written off and a transport damaged by kamikaze aircraft

Japan...
Admiral Toyoda is replaced by Admiral Ozawa in command of IJN Combined Fleet
Offshore, two Japanese ships are sunk by mines and two by USN submarine Sterlet

Today's Air Raids...
Tarakan on military targets by US FEAF
Borneo on military targets by US FEAF
Davao Gulf on IJN torpedo-boats by US FEAF
Formosa on Kiirun and military targets by US FEAF
Sakishima Islands on military targets by US FEAF
Yokohoma, Japan by US 20th Air Force - 2570 tons of incendiary bombs are dropped, burning out much of the city
Indochina on transportation routes by US 14th Air Force
China on key bridges by US 14th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Meditation
Me Time
Shift 1 of the Weekend Job
TV Comedy night

Twitter Followers = 1,976 (up 2)
Non-followed eliminated = 0
Unfollowers eliminated = 1

@elizbrooks54

New Followers followed back = 2

@KristinCartoon, @FasterHypnosis, @ShelbyToner

Spammers not followed back = 0

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

A busy and successful week for my practice! You know you're busy when you have to set a few hours aside in prep! I'm really enjoying what I'm doing! I even enjoy the therapeutic hoof to the Weekend Job - zero stress, 100% reliable and cheaper than the bus! Of course it isn't so much dun when the weather is foul but that doesn't happen so often.

I have found a particularly helpful three-line mantra that I now use all the time:
RESIST NOTHING
CHANGE NOTHING
ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE BREATHED

I use this mantra for mind-calming and persistent unwanted thought, and as a deepener suggestion in hypnosis.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
What changes are you making to make our life more how you want it?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Heavy rain in the morning will peter out in the afternoon
Dry, sunny and clear in the evening
Some showers overnight
A moderate north-westerly will pick up in the afternoon and swing westerly by mid-evening
Max Temp = 10 degC at 5pm
Min Temp = 6 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 04:46
Sunset at 21:23
Moon:

Weathertrack: A depression in the Norwegian Sea will drive weather fronts and troughs across Britain today

Air Pressure: 1006 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

I've just taken a shower - the security at B & Q is rubbish! :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Michael McIntyre on having children

8. TRIVIA

The rise of communism in the 20th century was directly enabled by World War 1, because it put a lot of guns in the hands of disaffected people. All previous risings had been successfully put down.

9. ZEN WISDOM

The struggle between happiness and unhappiness is the story of human existence. The struggle between peace and war is the history of the human race. The power that leads us to eternal victory amid these struggles is the power of good within us.

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

THURSDAY 28th MAY 2015 06:34 BST

New Followers followed back = 2

@Yorkshire_EN, @elizbrooks54

Spammers not followed back = 1

@jelohocarybo

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

With my Practice busy and home life happy, and dark detractors kept at a firm distance, life is blissful, and I fully intend to savour every moment of it. I am not complacent however. The darkness in my own mind as well as individuals on the periphery of my life continue to pose a threat to this character. Maintaining the barricades is an oddly fulfilling activity!

Once you accept that your character will always have allies and opponents, it liberates you to do your own thing and to defend your right to do it. I consequently seek no approval but that of my own Deeper Self. I shall continue enjoying the twin challenges of making a positive difference and defending my right to do so my way.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you fulfilling your own agenda or someone else's?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry with frequent sunny periods
Rain will arrive after dark and persist overnight
A strong westerly wind will ease in the evening and swing south-westerly overnight
Max Temp = 10 degC at 1pm
Min Temp = 7 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 04:47
Sunset at 21:22
Moon:

Weathertrack: A depression in the Norwegian Sea will drive fresh but clear westerly winds across Britain

Air Pressure: 1011 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

You know it’s time to clean the fridge when something closes the door from the inside. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

QI - Lee Mack Vs David Tennant

8. TRIVIA

The first well-documented human pandemic occurred in 1889-90 and was called the Russian flu. It killed approximately one million people.

9. ZEN WISDOM

It would be pointless for a plum blossom to try to remake itself as a cherry blossom, no matter how deeply the plum yearns to do so. The plum is happiest when it blooms as itself in full glory. How much of the colour and wonder of life would be lost if it weren’t for our differences.