THURSDAY 21st JULY 2016 07:29 BST

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
21st July 1861: The First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as Battle of First Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces), was fought on July 21, 1861 in Prince William County, Virginia, near the city of Manassas, not far from Washington, D.C. It was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The Union's forces were slow in positioning themselves, allowing Confederate reinforcements time to arrive by rail. Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops in their first battle. It was a Confederate victory followed by a disorganized retreat of the Union forces.

Just months after the start of the war at Fort Sumter, the Northern public clamored for a march against the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, which they expected to bring an early end to the rebellion. Yielding to political pressure, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell led his unseasoned Union Army across Bull Run against the equally inexperienced Confederate Army of Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard camped near Manassas Junction. McDowell's ambitious plan for a surprise flank attack on the Confederate left was poorly executed by his officers and men; nevertheless, the Confederates, who had been planning to attack the Union left flank, found themselves at an initial disadvantage.

Confederate reinforcements under Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrived from the Shenandoah Valley by railroad and the course of the battle quickly changed. A brigade of Virginians under the relatively unknown brigadier general from the Virginia Military Institute, Thomas J. Jackson, stood their ground and Jackson received his famous nickname, "Stonewall Jackson". The Confederates launched a strong counterattack, and as the Union troops began withdrawing under fire, many panicked and the retreat turned into a rout. McDowell's men frantically ran without order in the direction of Washington, D.C.

Both armies were sobered by the fierce fighting and many casualties, and realized the war was going to be much longer and bloodier than either had anticipated, and not the short conflict that had been expected. The Battle of First Bull Run highlighted many of the problems and deficiencies that were typical of the first year of the war. Units were committed piecemeal, attacks were frontal, infantry failed to protect exposed artillery, tactical intelligence was nil, and neither commander was able to employ his whole force effectively. McDowell, with 35,000 men, was only able to commit about 18,000, and the combined Confederate forces, with about 32,000 men, committed only 18,000

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Client follow-up
De-flea the cats!
Change the bedding
Lawnmowing
Gate-painting
Meditation
Me Time
Supper
Quality Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,365 (up 10)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 1
@pexofacajidi
Unfollowers unfollowed back = 1
@DomMazzone

New Followers followed back = 7

@Andy_OSullivan, @SalihSarikaya, @GM_Diversity, @ChaiWithMollyTV, @StephanieDeneke, @runthelove, @eIIe
Spammers/Bots not followed back = 5
@khmisspukah, @Jammien06, @RickADavidson +2 untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Thursday will be the usual mish-mash of miscellaneous jobs but none of them to a deadline, so Thursday will retain its easy-day-of-the-week feel. 

Life continues to be blissful, which to an outside observer makes for a dull story I fear. And long may life be fabulously uneventful! The peace of mind I feel is indescribably brilliant. While life's challenges swirl around me, here at the centre I remain wonderfully untouched. While it lasts, I will utilize it to make the maximum possible difference.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
What would bring you peace of mind?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Dry with sunny spells in the morning

Details

Moon

Weathertrack

Air Pressure
1014 millibars and rising slightly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Why has no one invented a keyboard with a removable crumb-tray? :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Laurie Elliot on magazines and her boyfriend - VERY good!

8. TRIVIA
Heart disease accounts for 40% of all U.S. deaths, more than all forms of cancer combined.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Nothing is only an idea that has no basis in reality - there's always something.

TUESDAY 19th JULY 2016 07:19 BST

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLKWISDOM, 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
19th July 1916: The Battle of Fromelles
This was a British military operation on the Western Front during World War I, subsidiary to the Battle of the Somme.[a] General Headquarters (GHQ) of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) had ordered the First Army and Second Army to prepare attacks to support the Fourth Army on the Somme 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the south, to exploit any weakening of the German defences opposite. The attack took place 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from Lille, between the Fauquissart–Trivelet road and Cordonnerie Farm, an area overlooked from Aubers Ridge to the south. The ground was low-lying and much of the defensive fortification of both sides consisted of breastworks, rather than trenches.

The operation was conducted by XI Corps of the First Army with the 61st Division and the 5th Australian Division, Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) against the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, supported by two flanking divisions of the German 6th Army. Preparations for the attack were rushed, the troops involved lacked experience in trench warfare and the power of the German defence was significantly underestimated, the attackers being outnumbered 2:1. The advance took place in daylight, against defences overlooked by Aubers Ridge, on a narrow front which left German artillery on either side free to fire into the flanks of the attack. A renewal of the attack by the 61st Division early on 20 July was cancelled, after it was realised that German counter-attacks had already forced a retirement by the Australian troops to the original front line.

On 19 July, General von Falkenhayn, the German Chief of the General Staff, had judged the British attack to be a long-anticipated offensive against the 6th Army. On the next day when the effect of the attack was known and a captured operation order from XI Corps revealed the limited intent of the operation, Falkenhayn ordered the Guard Reserve Corps to be withdrawn to reinforce the Somme front. The Battle of Fromelles had inflicted some losses on the German defenders but gained no ground nor deflected many German troops bound for the Somme. The attack was the début of the AIF on the Western Front and the Australian War Memorial described the battle as "the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history". Of 7,080 BEF casualties, 5,533 losses were incurred by the 5th Australian Division; German losses were 1,600–2,000, with 150 taken prisoner.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Client Prep
Ironing
Meditaion
Me Time
Supper
Client Session
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,355 (down 2)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 5
@vijaybdixit, @luk123xd, @GvzbPhuon, @DoubleDutyMommy, @toplink7
Unfollowers unfollowed back = 2
@LiveALifeDreams, @quitwithjason

New Followers followed back = 1

@ProsperPlenty
Spammers/Bots not followed back = 4
@smeethjaqub +3 untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
A sure sign that I love my job is that I spent 2 hours with a client, thoroughly enjoyed it and it seemed like two minutes had passed. THIS IS WHAT I DO!! 

Because it's still a job, I still sometimes the preference urge for free time, but once I get doing it, it flows beautifully. Doing something that fits so well with me has raised me to knew heights of blissful peace of mind.

But I'm not naive! I'm fully aware of the dynamic, temporary ephemeral nature of things, my vulnerabilities and fragility, but WHILST THE SUN SHINES I will make my maximum difference and create wonderful memories to keep. Mood was further raised by a great quality time with Son and a deepening of our relationship.

Whatever past or future, I have had my turn at bliss, for which I'm most profoundly grateful, and whatever the future, I will continue to make the maximum difference possible.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you making the maximum possible difference?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
GLORIOUS!!

Details

Moon

Weathertrack

Air Pressure
1019 millibars and falling

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
The computers were down at last week, so we had to do everything manually. It took me 20 minutes to shuffle the cards to play solitaire. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
John Oliver on the Irish Gay Referendum and The Pope

8. TRIVIA
On the day the Roman Colosseum officially opened, 5,000 animals were killed. During its history, it has been estimated that over 500,000 people and over a million animals were killed there.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Don't miss Bliss because you're too busy looking for the next one.

MONDAY 18th JULY 2016 09:30 BST

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLKWISDOM, 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
18th July 1976: Nadia Comăneci scores a Perfect 10 in Gymnastics
Perfect 10 refers to a score of 10.00 for a single routine in artistic gymnastics, which was once thought to be unattainable—particularly at the Olympic Games—under the code of points set by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The first person to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games was Romanian Nadia Comăneci, at the 1976 Games in Montreal. Note that she got a 10 at a preceding competition, the 1976 American Cup, for floor exercise. So it was not the first time that a 1(.)00 was displayed for her score. This may explain her not confused reaction at the Olympics. Other women who accomplished this feat at the Olympics include Mary Lou Retton in 1984 and Daniela Silivaș in 1988. The first man to score a perfect 10 was Alexander Dityatin, at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

The FIG changed its code of points in 2006. There are now different top scores, all greater than 10, for the various events, based upon difficulty and artistic merit; there is no consistent perfect score.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Housework
Client Prep
Meditation
Supper
Client Session
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,357 (no change)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 1
untraced
Unfollowers unfollowed back = 2
@HilariousLmaoo, @jasonasmallwood

New Followers followed back = 3

@quitwithjason, @MLMWarlord, @JackPhan
Spammers not followed back = 0
-

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Being older, I have clear ideas about relationships - I cannot ever imagine being, and find utterly appalling, the status of "it's complicated". You are either "in" or "dumped"! I do not envy those for whom things just aren't that clear cut. It seems to this avatar a way to make your life more difficult than necessary. Son for example, who traveled 1300 miles to get "closure" appears to be more confused than ever!

I'm very fortunate to be in a relationship with a very simple dynamic - Missus utterly worships me, and I like that! I am now so used to being utterly worshiped that nothing less would do! I can consequently get on with my very uncomplicated life, knowing exactly what I want and what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. 

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you making your life harder than it has to be?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Dry and warm with sunny periods

Details

Moon

Weathertrack

Air Pressure
1021 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Greek statues are really all just victims of Medusa! :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Stewart Lee on dogs

8. TRIVIA
The combination of collagen and minerals makes bone one of the strongest and most flexible natural materials on earth. One cubic inch of bone can withstand loads of up to 20,000 pounds, over four times the strength of concrete

9. ZEN WISDOM
There's always an improvement available for you to make.

SUNDAY 17th JULY 2016 11:52 BST

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLKWISDOM, 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
17th July 1936: The Attempted Coup of 1936
Following a period of troubles in the Second Spanish Republic, a group of military officers attempted to overthrow the left-wing Popular Front government, elected five months previously, by a coup d'etat. Planning started in early 1936, and the coup was launched on 17 and 18 July, using the pretext of the summary execution of a prominent Conservative monarchist, Clavo Soleto, which was itself a reprisal for the murder of Lieutenant Jose Cartillo, a Republican loyalist, by Jorge Bardina, a member of the Fascist Falange.

The rising was intended to be swift, but with the army divided and the outcome in specific local areas was decided by army rebels or anarchist militias. Spanish Morocco fell easily to the rebels - the 30,000-strong Army of Africa had most of the professional elite soldiers who predominantly sympathised with the rebellion, backed by local Muslims who feared the imposition of atheism by the Republicans.

The government retained control of the majority of the country including Málaga, Jaén and Almería. However, Cadiz was taken for the rebels and General Queipo de Llano managed to secure Seville. This victory proved crucial to the rebels - with the help of transport planes from Nazi Germany it enabled the powerful Army of Africa to be flown over to mainland Spain and continue the fight. They were then able to drive north and link up with General Mola's Northern Army.

In the east of the country, the coup was mostly a failure. In Madrid, the rebels were hemmed into the Montaña barracks, which fell with much bloodshed. On 19 July the cabinet headed by the newly appointed prime minister José Giral ordered the distribution of weapons to the unions, helping to defeat the rebels in Barcelona, and Valencia, which led to anarchists taking control of large parts of Aragon and Catalonia. Rebel General Goded surrendered in Barcelona and was later condemned to death. 

In the three days of the coup attempt, the result was victory for the rebels in the west and failure in the east. The country was thus divided into Rebel and Republican-held regions, but it left the rebels in a stronger position. Rebels had secured the support of around half of Spain's Peninsular army, which allowing for large numbers on extended leave totaled about 66,000 men, and all of the 30,000-strong Army of Africa. The Republicans retained less than half the supply of rifles, heavy and light machine guns and artillery pieces. Both sides had few tanks and outdated aircraft, and naval capacity was fairly even. Officers' defections weakened Republican units of all types.

The consequence of this outcome was the beginning of the bloody three-year Spanish Civil War. With the rebels getting much better military support from outside the country, particularly from Germany and Italy, the Republicans, though fanatical and determined, were hopelessly outgunned, and worn down by attrition, finally surrendered in 1939. Spain was then subjected to Fascist rule under dictator Francisco Franco for 36 years.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
The Milk Run
Me Time
Lunch
Meditation
Client prep
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,357 (up 6)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 1
@PlavokoRuberto
Unfollowers unfollowed back = 3
@Brand, @divyasuman3, @jasmallwood010

New Followers followed back = 3

@Relation_Killer, @bmoore_20, @amohamoh111
Spammers not followed back = 7
@Earlinewc08, @Lavonnaap44, @ctFu7u23Y05chi, @sq1zippyrocks, @zmCory11333, @cuDavidmay303 +1 untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Today has the feel of a fresh start without any radical changes taking place. Son has returned overnight from Belarus after a trip that went much smoother than I feared it might. I have a busy week for clients and Missus has a week left before the long Summer holiday. I myself get a break from the Weekend Job at the end of this week. 

The general vibe is of much to do but with the time and resources available for work rest and play, so it's a case of getting on with it. I have come through a period of overindulgence and I'm now finding balance. I have particularly learned how important to my wellbeing Internal Silence is. My thoughts unleashed lead my mind into all manner of dark places. Being, intending and intuitively deciding are much healthier ways to conduct myself, allowing this avatar to function at its most efficient.

As it happens, I'm teaching the principle of internal silence to two completely different clients this week, so I will be applying controlled thought to how to introduce this discipline to two complete beginners - and relishing the challenge!

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
How much of your thought is serving you? 

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Sunny!

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
Don't like Parmesan? Hard Cheese! :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Sarah Silverman -- Tubbin' With Tash

8. TRIVIA
Norovirus (the virus that causes the stomach flu) can survive on an uncleaned carpet for a month or more.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Only three thoughts serve a purpose: what you're doing, what you want and what you like. The rest are wasteful distractions if indulged.

FRIDAY 15th JULY 2016 08:45 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
15th July 1410: The Battle of Grunwald
The crusading order of the Teutonic Knights had been at war with pagan Lithuania since around 1280 and were ostensibly established to replace paganism with Christianity in north-east Europe. However in 1387 Lithuania had been converted to Catholicism - an uneasy peace was established and the conflict became purely over territory. 

War broke out again in 1409 when the Poland, in alliance with Lithuania, supported a Prussian revolt, but a nine month truce was brokered by the King of Bohemia. When the truce expired, the Knights renewed the war against the Polish-Lithuanian alliance. 

Expecting separate attacks from Poles and Lithuanians, the Knights had divided their forces, but the alliance had instead formed a single massive army intent on capturing Marienburg, the Knights' capital. Consequently, when the two armies met at Grunwald, the Knights' force of 11,000 men was outnumbered by the 16,500 men of the alliance.

In one of the largest battles ever fought in Europe, the Knights were heavily defeated. The Knights' Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen was killed. The alliance then marched on to Marienburg but were unable to take the heavily fortified city. 

A peace agreement in 1411 ended the war with little change in territory, but the Knights had suffered such great losses that they were never again a serious military threat to the alliance.

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

Twitter Followers = 2,351 (up 6)
Never-followed unfollowers eliminated = 2
@simakum63211
Unfollowers unfollowed back = 1
@arlenderre

New Followers followed back = 2

@jasmallwood010, @jasonasmallwood
Spammers not followed back = 7
@gmail2735, @gman9mm1zo, @PlavokoRuberto, @jmjHuntingwolv, @XxxKittsxXotd +2 untraced

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
Hmm, it's time to 'fess up to some overindulgence and a loss of discipline. This often occurs when I'm enjoying myself and start having too much of a good thing. The consequence is decreased efficiency, undermining my life-purpose. Fortunately these days I don't go too far down the road before I see it happening. 

I think I took my eye off the ball due to the unprecedented abundance of solitary time without having to share the house in the daytime. This ends anyway when Son returns Saturday night. It may be a good thing to get into a more disciplined mode before he does.

Of course, most of my problems are nice problems to have - I'm deprived of nothing! I'm mostly doing what I want to do, even at the Weekend Job, where I get to do things my way. I am determined not to self-sabotage the good life I have by letting myself become unbalanced in activities. I'll be eating less, moving more and making more difference.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you fully in control of your life?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
In brief
Cloudy with rain in the afternoon

Details

Moon

Weathertrack

Air Pressure
1024 millibars and falling

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
My friend David had his ID stolen yesterday. We just call him Dav now. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Stewart Lee's Wife

8. TRIVIA
Americans spent $13.2 billion on plastic surgery in 2006

9. ZEN WISDOM
Intention is the noblest leader, Desire is unreliable and Urge is the most tyrannical.