Gary's Nine A Day: September 2015

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

THURSDAY 1st OCTOBER 2015 07:40 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. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1st October 1991
THE SIEGE OF DUBROVNIK BEGINS
Yugoslav forces surround the Croatian port of Dubrovnik during the Croatian War of Independence. Croatia had held an internal referendum in May and on 25th June had declared independence from Yugoslavia, suspended for three months at the request of other European diplomats. In reality, Croatia had begun the path to independence the previous July 1990 when the newly elected Croatian parliament changed the internal constitution.

Ethnic Serbs living in Croatia rightly grew afraid of being excluded from Yugoslavia against their will and had declared an independent "Republic of Krajina" that August. All-out conflict began on 31st March 1991 when the Serb militia occupied the Plitvice National Park, and by June, when independence was originally declared, the war was already in progress.

In September 1991 the Yugoslav army launched an offensive in southern Croatia and on 1st October had the city of Dubrovnik surrounded. The city was subsequently badly damaged by continual bombardment with a lull in December when a ceasefire was arranged.

The Yugoslav position in Croatia was weakened by a move for independence by Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south and the growing strength of the Croatian army. On 31st May 1992 Croatian forces finally pushed out the remaining Yugoslav positions around the city, but the city continued to be shelled until the end of June.

The siege had been a major factor in turning western European countries from a neutral position to openly supporting Croatia and formally recognizing Croatian independence in January 1992. From that point, the Yugoslavian and ethnic Serbian position in Croatia became increasingly untenable. Ethnic Serbian resistance continued but gradually retreated to Eastern Slavonia where it held out until the Erdut Agreement was signed on 12th November 1995.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Lawnmowing
Business promotional work
Meditation
Me Time
Quality Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,017 (down 1)
Non-followed eliminated = 2
@Crowd_Analytics +1 untraced
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 1
@BillieVanty
Spammers not followed back = 0
-

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

With no major stuff happening, it's a time for self-promotion and self-development. I am in the enviable position of knowing what I am, what I want, and what I need to do, and it's a question of just getting on with it, with the major caveat that anything could happen at any moment, in which case I will simply respond accordingly.

Even inside my mind has a clear goal - total internal silence under the leadership of my intuition, and the complete harmonization of body and spirit serving a common cause.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you internally united, or does conflict rage within you?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Cloudy start
Bright sunshine by noon, and clear skies after dusk
Wind negligible
Max Temp = 13 degC at 2pm
Min Temp = 8 degC at 8am
Sunrise at 07:08
Sunset at 18:44
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over the North Sea will keep Britain dry and calm

Air Pressure: 1037 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

My belly may bulge over my jeans, but that's just the way I roll :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Dave Allen - Religious Jokes

8. TRIVIA

In Ancient Rome, people would rinse their mouths with urine to whiten their teeth. An 18th-century French physician, Pierre Fauchard (the father of modern dentistry), recommended urine to relieve a toothache.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Trust is difficult to earn and it is easily lost—the trust built over a decade can be shattered in an instant by one offhanded remark or deed. But the person who is not swayed from their chosen path, even during the most trying times, will ultimately find that he or she is trusted by all.

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

WEDNESDAY 30th SEPTEMBER 2015 07:20 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. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
30th September 1399
RICHARD II OF ENGLAND, THE LAST PLANTAGENET KING, IS DEPOSED
Henry Bolingbroke, the Duke of Lancaster, with the support of the majority of English barons, led a revolt while Richard II was on military campaign in Ireland in the Summer. The king, returning to England in August, he found he had no support. He had made too many enemies by having barons who displeased him executed or exiled one-by-one. By 1399 every baron feared it may be their turn next. Henry had already been exiled and his lands seized, so on returning from exile in France determined to regain his title, the other barons rallied to his cause.

Richard had little option but to surrender to Henry at Flint castle. He was then led captive by Henry to London and imprisoned in the Tower Of London. On 30th September parliament formally accepted the abdication of Richard and Henry was crowned King of England as Henry IV.

Richard was taken to Pontefract Castle. Henry was at first content to consider exile for Richard, but after the Epiphany Rising in December, where several barons favoured by Richard attempted to restore him to the throne, Henry decided Richard must die. There are no written records to suggest what happened to Richard, but the most likely scenario is that he was starved to death so that there were no obvious evidence of murder on the body. The body was then taken back to London and displayed at the old St.Paul's Cathedral from 17th February 1400.

Having gained the throne, Henry spent the rest of his reign having to fight to keep it, against rebellious barons, numerous coup attempts and a major and initially successful Welsh revolt. The last years of his life were plagued by illness and he died in 1413 aged 45 in the Abbot's house at Westminster Abbey.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shopping
Client prep and session
Meditation
Me Time
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,018 (down 2)
Non-followed eliminated = 2
@Morganella5 +1 untraced
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 0
-

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

I was reasonably pleased with how I spent an effectively free day on Tuesday, getting on top domestically as well as keeping up my online presence. Today will see a return to deadlines before another easy-going day on Thursday.

I continue to be grateful for my benign circumstances. I am fully aware of my vulnerabilities and that my strength lies not in any kind of invincibility but in how I respond to my circumstances. The biggest current threat to this character is from within his own head! Strength and weakness are however very intertwined. My hyperactive unhelpful emotions have forced me to develop techniques and strategies that have led to a superior wisdom and a means to make a difference to others.

Because, this is an ongoing lifelong issue, I can never become arrogant or complacent. I have to keep up my disciplines and focus just to keep going! That will of course also keep this character making a productive difference.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Can you see how your strengths relate to your vulnerabilities?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Foggy start
Dry and sunny from late morning, and clear overnight
A moderate easterly or north-easterly will blow throughout
Max Temp = 15 degC at 3pm
Min Temp = 8 degC at 8am
Sunrise at 07:06
Sunset at 18:47
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over the North Sea will keep Britain dry and calm

Air Pressure: 1037 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

I don't see why it's rude to ask someone in an online dating site to send a picture posing with a copy of today's newspaper. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

David Mitchell on the "Nutty Russians"

8. TRIVIA

The idea that you can't get pregnant during your period is a complete myth - sperm can survive up to a week in the female body.

9. ZEN WISDOM

In most cases, our so-called limitations are nothing more than our own decision to limit ourselves.

Monday, 28 September 2015

TUESDAY 29th SEPTEMBER 2015 07:13 BST

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

With abundant time available, all aspects of this character can get some attention today - domestic, business and spiritual. I will need to be particularly mindful of "time greed", my capacity for squandering time when it's abundant.

To counter this inclination, I put my focus on making a difference, to myself, the environment and others, and on making the maximum difference possible per unit time. Internally, the focus is on unity, getting all the various aspects of this character united behind the common cause.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you using what you have to move your life in a clear direction?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Foggy start
Fog will lift by mid-morning into cloud
Cloudy thereafter with cloud slowly thinning to a clear sky by midnight
An easterly breeze will blow throughout
Max Temp = 14 degC at 4pm
Min Temp = 8 degC at 7am
Sunrise at 07:04
Sunset at 18:49
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over the North Sea will keep Britain dry and calm

Air Pressure: 1038 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Most people don't realize this, but you can eat organic, all-natural, gluten-free food without preaching your boring bollocks to the rest of us :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Have I Got News For You: Reginald D Hunter is curious about The House Of Lords

8. TRIVIA

One of the largest earthquakes in history occurred over 100 miles off the coast of Chile on May 22, 1960. Just 15 minutes after the 9.5 quake, 80-foot waves struck the coast. Fifteen hours later, tsunami waves struck Hawaii and, finally, 22 hours after the earthquake, the tsunami struck Japan—10,000 miles from where the earthquake took place.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Life is tenacious; it is endowed with the impulse to survive and the power to heal. Ultimately, it is we ourselves who can cure our illnesses, and the decision to undertake this battle arises from within.

Sunday, 27 September 2015

MONDAY 28th SEPTEMBER 2015 07:21 BST

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Externally Sunday went according to plan, but internally I have been struggling to contain my rage against my "colleague-bitch" encounter on Friday. It's the big downside of this character - overreaction. Now with a good self-understanding I have the strategies and techniques to manage it, but it's really hard work! It's a very lonely struggle, taking place entirely within my own mind.

It's like being the general of an army whose camp has been raided. Half the army is screaming for vengeance, wanting to pursue the raiders into the bush, but I know full well that the consequences would be disastrous - we'd be overstretched and annihilated. The correct policy is to double the guard at the perimeter and launch salvos whenever the enemy is spotted close by.

I am aware that what I call "me" is actually a community of energies with different agendas. Understanding this, "we" have agreed that intuition is the supreme authority in decision-making and as rage begins to settle, I have "unity rituals" that get the various systems to work together in common cause.

I remain vulnerable to unexpected attacks, frustrations and disappointments, but at least now I have the strategies in place given time and space to restore internal order much faster and in most cases without causing harm. This character can be proud of its progress and can pass on its learning and experience to help others.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
How well do you understand yourself?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Foggy start
From mid-morning the fog will lift and it will be cloudy with sunny/clear spells
A light south-westerly will pick up in the afternoon
Max Temp = 14 degC at 4pm
Min Temp = 8 degC at 7am
Sunrise at: 07:03
Sunset at 18:52
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over the North Sea will keep Britain dry and calm

Air Pressure: 1038 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Karma - the Buddhist mafia :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Tim Minchin - The Pope Song

8. TRIVIA

Unlike other planets, Venus has no craters on its surface smaller than 1.25 miles across. Because the atmosphere is so dense, smaller asteroids are crushed to powder before they reach the surface of the planet, leaving no smaller craters.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Happiness is something that breathes and lives in the relationships between one person and another.

Saturday, 26 September 2015

SUNDAY 27th SEPTEMBER 2015 05:48 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. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
27th September 1540
THE JESUIT ORDER IS ESTABLISHED
Founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish soldier-turned-priest, the order receives its charter from pope Paul III. The objective of the order was to convert the world to the Roman Catholic faith.

Under Ignatius’ charismatic leadership, the Society of Jesus grew quickly. Jesuit missionaries played a leading role in the Counter-Reformation and won back many of the European faithful who had been lost to Protestantism. In Ignatius’ lifetime, Jesuits were also dispatched to India, Brazil, the Congo region, and Ethiopia. Education was of utmost importance to the Jesuits, and in Rome Ignatius founded the Roman College (later called the Gregorian University) and the Germanicum, a school for German priests. The Jesuits also ran several charitable organizations, such as one for former prostitutes and one for converted Jews. When Ignatius de Loyola died in July 1556, there were more than 1,000 Jesuit priests.

During the next century, the Jesuits set up ministries around the globe. The “Black-Robes,” as they were known in Native America, often preceded other Europeans in their infiltration of foreign lands and societies. The life of a Jesuit was one of immense risk, and thousands of priests were persecuted or killed by foreign authorities hostile to their mission of conversion. However, in some nations, such as India and China, the Jesuits were welcomed as men of wisdom and science.

With the rise of nationalism in the 18th century, most European countries suppressed the Jesuits, and in 1773 Pope Clement XIV dissolved the order under pressure from the Bourbon monarchs. However, in 1814, Pope Pius VII gave in to popular demand and reestablished the Jesuits as an order, and they continue their missionary work to this day. Ignatius de Loyola was canonized a Catholic saint in 1622.

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

Twitter Followers = 2,018 (no change)
Non-followed eliminated = 1
@AnnetteArdian86
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 1
@cutonazefaqa

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

The weekend job proceeded smoothly for shift 2, so at least finished on a good note, but a series of minor disappointments have lowered morale. Not that this is going to stop anything - I've learned to "feel bad and do it anyway". Emotions are information not instructions - it's desire and intention that determine the trajectory of this character.

These days, Consciousness is able to disentangle itself from the character and retreat to the universal perspective, which has the added bonus of the character body being able to rest and maintain itself, which it can't while Consciousness is using it. Adversity has the beneficial side-effect of reminding me of my character's temporary, ephemeral and fragile nature, so that Consciousness doesn't get "lost" in it.

I will ensure that the "rest and repair" opportunity that Sunday offers is made best use of so that the character will bounce back fighting fit for a fresh start on Monday.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Is your coping strategy suitable for the job?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Fog for much of the morning
Fog will lift late morning and it will be bright and sunny until dusk
Clear skies after dark
Wind negligible
Max Temp = 14 degC at 4pm
Min Temp = 7 degC at 6am
Sunrise at 07:01
Sunset at 18:54
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over the North Sea will keep Britain dry and calm

Air Pressure: 1034 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Why is it everything I love is either unhealthy, addicting or has multiple restraining orders against me? :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Dave Foley on being an atheist

8. TRIVIA

Mutations on human chromosome 16 have been tied to autism. The glitch is in a DNA region that contains “morpheus” genes, or genes which historically have changed very rapidly as humans evolved. Thus, the same method that helped evolve human intelligence may contribute to autism, because genes that easily mutate are just as likely to produce unhelpful as helpful changes.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Violence breeds bitterness, which leads to more violence.

Friday, 25 September 2015

SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2015 07:30 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. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
26th September 1983
THE SOVIET NUCLEAR FALSE ALARM INCIDENT
Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant-colonel in the Soviet Air Force, who was in charge of the Soviet early-warning system housed in a bunker near Moscow, received a computer report that a single ballistic missile was heading towards the Soviet Union. With no other sources of information, Petrov was faced with the dilemma whether or not to sound the alarm of a US pre-emptive strike or to disbelieve the computer.

Petrov reasoned that a genuine US strike would be massive to prevent a Soviet response, and decided to ignore it. But subsequently the computer reported four additional missiles in the air. Petrov again followed his internal reasoning and ignored the reports. Petrov was absolutely right - sunlight reflecting off high-altitude clouds had given a false reading to a Soviet military defence satellite.

Had Petrov "gone by the book" and followed protocol, the result would have certainly been a nuclear holocaust. The Second Cold War (1980-1985) was at its height and the Soviet leadership under the ageing Chairman Andropov was fully expecting a US first strike, and would have responded with an all-out nuclear counterstrike. The future of mankind had been placed in the hands of a single man, and fortunately, that man was rational and reasonable.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shopping
Shift 2 of the Weekend Job
TV Footie

Twitter Followers = 2,018 (up 3)
Non-followed eliminated = 0
-
Unfollowers eliminated = 2
@khushi_shah, @matticulas
New Followers followed back = 2
@jessicamackk, @not__common
Spammers not followed back = 3
All untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

My smooth incident-free run at the Weekend Job came to an end, but from a most unexpected quarter - a work-colleague! The trouble with these incidents is not the external consequences, which are none, but that they "push my buttons" - my emotions overreact massively. Fortunately I have developed the techniques to manage such internal eruptions and no one actually noticed by raging internal fury. My reasoning is now able to disentangle itself from the internal storm and view the incident objectively.

It is inevitable that predators and the self-interested will occasionally enter your circle from time-to-time. It is important to respond in defence, but in a measured way. This I am now much better at doing, but it's always hard work, like restraining an angry Rottweiler. It's all about taking control of the attention and putting it in the right place, which requires considerable mental effort.

What I have learned is entirely self-taught - no all-wise guru ever stepped-in to guide and save me! I researched the techniques myself, tailored them to my own issues and now teach them to my clients - go me!

I do however have a belief that I have absolutely no rational basis for - that I'm not "allowed" to crumble. Even at my lowest points there has been the support there to help me through the worst and now I am a lot more robust through my own self-training. It's not my destiny to be worn down by life as it is for many others. I can find no logical reason why this could be, but after so many years of this "protection" from powers or forces I cannot perceive, I just accept it thankfully.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you responding in the right way to your circumstances?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry and cloudy until mid-afternoon - skies will then gradually clear
Wind negligible
Max Temp = 14 degC at 4pm
Min Temp = 9 degC at 8am
Sunrise at 06:59
Sunset at 18:57
Moon:

Weathertrack: An anticyclone over Britain will bring dry settled conditions

Air Pressure: 1028 millibars and rising slightly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

When you buy an airplane, do they ask if you want to keep the hangar?

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

QI - Complaining joints and heartburn

8. TRIVIA

Bears are an offshoot of the canine (dog) family that became their own distinct family around 20 million years ago. Originally only the size of dogs, they have evolved to their current size only relatively recently.

9. ZEN WISDOM

Rather than seeking to better themselves, jealous people focus their energies on dragging others down. Actions rooted in jealousy will only cause suffering and will not create any value or benefit for anyone. We are only able to develop our own good qualities to the extent that we can respect what is admirable in others.