Phillip Holt's World of NLP, Hypnosis, PhotoReading, Mind Maps & Memory

Phillip Holt's World of NLP, Hypnosis, PhotoReading, Mind Maps & Memory 2008-05-13T14:18:00Z http://nlpnow.com/atom.aspx Quick Blog Oh I do like to be beside the seaside. tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-13:a26619c4-3aaa-4f55-82b8-7bbe271c5199 Phillip Holt 2008-05-13T07:19:09Z 2008-05-13T01:45:00Z
            I do like to be beside the seaside!
            Oh, I do like to be beside the sea!
            I do like to stroll along the prom, prom, prom,
            While the brass band plays tiddleyompompom!

It is a song that dates back in the UK music halls and was written in 1907. Here is an old film that might amuse.

                                        Basil Rathbone from "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (1939)

Why is it that the sea seems to draw us to it? It does for me. The sound of the waves. The ever changing patterns of waves. The smell. The energy. The relaxation.

I was such a lovely day, and the seaside called.

Brighton, an English seaside town on the south coast is about an hour journey from Kingston upon Thames, (click to see video) my home town. The train was quick and easy, five stops from Norbiton Station (click to see SouthWest train arriving at Norbiton Station) to Clapham Junction, then a fast train from Clapham Junction to Brighton with only two stops.

Exiting from Brighton railway station, the sea can be seen, but it is a long walk down to the prom or sea front.

How many times as a young boy, did I long to be the first to see the sea when we went away on holiday with my mother and father?

    "First one to see the sea gets six pence," my father always said, and always I got the six pence.

Brighton beach is pebbles, not a sandy beach, which plays havoc on ones feet, and can be quite uncomfortable to sit on, but thousands do, especially on such a warm sunny day.

The sea water is a little too cold in May to go swimming for the masses, only the brave few could be seen in the calm waters. But, there were the odd one or two bikinis to be seen, and bare chests as people tried to get a suntan. I think I caught the sun as my face is quite red now.

It was relaxing just to spend an hour on the steep pebble beach between the two piers.

Brighton had two piers. A pier is a strange British custom, mostly built and dating back to pre First World War.

Ther are either a wooden or metal structure, built out to sea, so that holiday makers could promenade up and down the pier taking in the sea air. Often there would be a theatre built on the far end, and amusement arcades and kiosks placed along the length. Many would have fun fairs or lunar parks.

                                                                 Brighton's pebble beach

                                                                                              Brighton beach and pier

                                                     Fun fair or lunar park on Brighton prom

Fun fair or Lunar Park

Due to the materials used in the construction of piers, many have been washed or blown away, or as in the case of one of the Brighton piers, burned down.

The remains of one of Brighton's piers

Another tradition of the seaside experience is a fish and chip meal, perhaps with mushy peas, and in my case a glass of Champagne. Sorry folks, I am a man of tradition, and I was hungry.

Traditional British Fish n Chips]]> So hot in the UK tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-12:7732686c-0eb6-4a42-bcd2-f9bba25bf255 Phillip Holt 2008-05-11T18:44:54Z 2008-05-12T01:21:00Z

A squirrel too hot, splayed out.

I think I disturbed the squirrel from its' sunbathing

]]> Stage Hypnosis in Turkey tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-11:c635805a-0b80-4f2e-85ac-9d8ebf4b4a0b Phillip Holt 2008-05-11T09:21:39Z 2008-05-11T08:40:00Z as I do in the UK, over two daze.

I think this time is near, and with my friends at NLP-Time in Istanbul, and as we have done with GAP Consultancy in Gaziantep, we may be putting on a "private show" for ex participants and friends.

Contact Sahika Alkan salkan@nlp-time.com or Arzu Özen arzuozen@nlp-time.com for booking and more information.

Don't look me in the eyes

This will be an opportunity to meet old friends and discover new ones and ideas, whilst having a fun time together.]]> Mind Maps in Milano tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-11:64bb1f8e-d8dd-43b8-a611-2df601e4f783 Phillip Holt 2008-05-11T08:36:29Z 2008-05-11T01:25:00Z my trip to Milan in Italy, I gave a one day course in Tony Buzan's Mind Maps.

As a BLI (Buzan Licensed Instructor) for many years, I enjoy giving this course, laying the foundations and reasons for people needing to use Mind Maps, in business life, for education, for normal personal reasons.

It comes as no surprise that people use similar systems, having had read a book, or being taught by an unlicensed trainer who does not really understand the concepts or reason behind Mind Maps, or does not know the different computer packages available, or when or how to implement Mind Maps.

Mind Maps in Milan with over 40 participants

So having again another 40 people on the course in the Concorde Hotel in Milan, and guiding them through the process, gave me great happiness, especially seeing the results of my work and theirs.

                                                An example of a computer Mind Map using iMindMap

                                          Download your free trial    Download your free trial
]]> PhotoReading in Milano tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-10:944c9579-ce7f-4c81-b89c-4883b2563f98 Phillip Holt 2008-05-10T09:01:16Z 2008-05-10T07:54:00Z Bahrain with Philip and Leila Edwards of the MakeOver Experience (click to view courses in Bahrain).

After a couple of days rest in the UK, and with great difficulty, (I could find no travel agency in the UK which would sell me an Alitalia airline ticket), I booked a ticket on-line with Alitalia an early morning flight to Milan.

I usually take the early morning flight, which lands at 11:30am local time in Milano, that gives me enough time to travel to the hotel, freshen up, and prepare for the start of the PhotoReading course at 2pm. This has great benefits to me, for one it cuts down on hotel fees, gives me an extra night at home, plus there is no chance of jet lag hitting me, as I enter the "presentation" mode.

It was the first time I have provided training and worked with Gianni Golfera, and I had two courses to give, PhotoReading and Mind Maps.

I ask people to bring five books with them on the course, each of about 300 hundred pages. Four of the books should be on the same subject matter, say the Queens and Kings of England, 1492 - 1556, as I know lots of people are interested in that period of English history (not). The fifth book, again about 300 pages, should have been read, and the subject known by the participant.

                     PhotoReading, Milan May 2008

PhotoReading with 40 participants, Milan 2008.

Unfortunately, this was not relayed to the participants, and as the course requires us to PhotoRead or absorb these five books, plus another book, plus articles at 20,000 - 30,000 words per minute (WPM) or a page a second, I had to send the participants out to buy the required books.

A misconception of people is that once a book is PhotoRead, or the page turning has taken place with the blip page seen, that at a conscious level, they will understand all the book. This is not the case, as we have to activate the knowledge, bring the unconscious learning to the conscious mind the knowing mind, and that is the fun part, and it can go on for hours, days, or even years, as our knowledge and interest grows.

We sometimes get one participant that takes that attitude or has that belief. At times it is easy to change their understanding or paradigm, but some get stuck in the mud, believes that they should remember every single word and its' position on the exact page. No.

So it was with one participant who despite other participants trying to help him, decided that he had completed the activation stage in ten minutes (four books), and still said he did not understand anything. One out of forty is not bad, but not good enough for me, but you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

The rest? Happy faces, they understood, even those who had come all the way from Sardinia, to attend the course free of charge as they had taken it before.

That is the joy of training for me.

I love my job.]]> Falling apart at the seams tag:nlpnow.com,2008-05-09:cd7187e7-50a7-49bf-a502-256829214a7d Phillip Holt 2008-05-09T08:06:37Z 2008-05-09T07:30:00Z
At "95", it appears I am falling apart at the seams.

The zip in my trousers fell apart. So, it was a less expensive suit from Erol in Taxim Square, Istanbul. It was not like my last encounter, (see My Trousers are Undone) with my memory failing me.

The heels of my shoes wearing away whilst in Gaziantep. Now I know why I take glue with me on my travels.

A crown off one of my teeth coming off, and a filling in one of my back teeth falling out.

The handle from my suitcase breaking, a bad design by Samsonite. Then the locking mechanism on another Samsonite suitcase breaking. Good for Samsonite, they replaced that lock free.

The case on my new Philips computer beginning to split.

Will I get paid for the presentations I have done?

Then on a routine blood test I find that my blood sugar levels are a little high. I do not want diabetes, so I must watch my sugar intake. It is difficult when living in hotels and eating in restaurants as I seem to do. So, I was called back to the doctors. Blood pressure fine, a quick check on the blood sugar level seemed reasonable, but then.

I happened to mention a vision problem, not so much a problem but a change. I then find myself in the emergency eye hospital. Now I must await the report on that.

Oh Poo Poo, I am falling apart.]]> Daze (days) of rest tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-30:0ce08c27-1f9f-4ba6-97ce-0feca378260c Phillip Holt 2008-04-30T09:47:35Z 2008-04-30T09:10:00Z
Now I must prepare for my next trip and training in Italy this Thursday, for PhotoReading and Mind Maps, in association with Gianni Golfera, and then early Monday morning, a flight to Istanbul to give a talk at the Quantum Leadership Conference, or in Turkish, Kuantum Liderlik.  Plus, I have to catch-up on post and messages that have built-up over the last few weeks.

It is good to look back on the good times I had over the last trainings, and have much to write about but no time to do it in.

I doubt if the hotel I am booked into in Milano has free internet, unlike the hotels of Turkey, so for the next few days I will post no blogs.

Sorry folks. Or do I hear "thank you".

PS. If you want to tryout the software iMindMaps for free, click here.

]]> An Evening of Stage Hypnosis in Gaziantep tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-27:bf43df0a-fbf8-4fee-b2b5-13ff7ef2c530 Phillip Holt 2008-04-28T14:29:10Z 2008-04-27T17:26:00Z Turkey, and I am on my way back to the UK. Sitting here in the departure lounge, I find that the flight has been delayed by another hour from Gaziantep to Istanbul.

Oh Poo Poo. (click to understand)

But I can reflect on a great night I had in Gaziantep, where I was invited to a meal with participants. Over twenty attended and I gave them their first experience of stage hypnosis. (click to learn stage hypnosis)

It was great fun for all, especially those "stars" who stepped forward to be the show.

Getting the "stars" into hypnotic trance. Plus Zafer on the floor.

Keeping each other warm with hypnosis.

Keeping each other warm.

She would not leave the stage, her shoes were glued to the floor.

]]> End of one course means the start of another tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-20:f2d9e6a6-3237-4171-b326-0c76bc304f14 Phillip Holt 2008-04-21T11:47:13Z 2008-04-20T19:21:00Z It is 10:30pm on Sunday evening, and I have just finished a 7 day NLP course in Acibadem, a district of Istanbul on the Asian side. I am sitting in a temporary lounge waiting for the 11:30pm flight to Gaziantep to give a 6 day NLP course plus some presentations, which starts tomorrow at 9am.

I think I will get little sleep tonight, having a scheduled arrival time of 1:00am.

Still, I can look back on a really great course. The ladies were a challenge having so many differing characters and learning styles.

NLP course Istanbul

It was also strange that on the course was a lady who had worked for the Saudi Arabian Airline, Saudia, back in the late 1980's, when I was their, and knew some of the training school staff of Saudia that I knew.

Where are you Ivy and Bob Bailey who lived on the same compound as me in Jeddah?

In the NLP course, we covered so much ground, from the history of NLP, anchors, the Meta Model, hypnosis through to the Six Step Reframe and the Fast Phobia Cure.

We had laughter and tears, but all came true at the end, with sad goodbyes, and promises to see each other in the future. I look forward that.

Now, although tired, mentally and physically, needing sleep, it is too quiet.

After all these days of talking, there is no-body to talk with. I tried to contact people, but they must be out enjoying themselves with their friends.

Then I get a call from Mehpare, the sponsor and organiser in Gaziantep, checking that I am on way and OK for the start of another NLP course (click for details) 9am tomorrow.

Talking can be a great thing, even when tired.

]]> One up, all up tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-17:80d7d8b1-fff5-4e2b-8123-3c646c888cc0 Phillip Holt 2008-04-17T05:11:16Z 2008-04-17T04:41:00Z flown the nest", I remember the waking-up process I did.

I refer to one way in particular that involved my mother.

My mother never slept, or that is what she said, but many a night, I would be kept awake by her snoring, something I do not do, snoring that is. She would insist that she had not slept, and nothing would alter her belief.

Although she never slept, there would be different times of the morning she would wake-up, depending on what she would have to do. If I had school, she would be up before me. If it was the weekend, it would be later.

But, if mother was up, then everyone else would have to be up. If mother was asleep, then we had to be quiet. "We" being my father and myself.

It seems to be the same with some of the hotel guests I share the many hotels I stay in.

I have noticed that Middle Eastern families are very close and large often using several rooms. They allow the children to run up and down the corridors late at night, they leave their room doors open, and instead of using the hotel telephone systems or walk to their friends room, insist on shouting, their voices booming through the hotel. And, for some reason, they seem to have to shout to each other, even if they are standing face to face.

The walls of a hotel, are often thin.

My German (I think) next room neighbours, plus their friends, brought back the memories of my mother and previous hotel experiences, as last night at 11:30pm, someone started knocking at the door of the room next door.

This went on for five long minutes, as he shouted his friends name, and banged on the door. Surely after no answer on the first knock he would have realised his friends had left him and gone out, that they were not in.

Then this morning, at 7am, the same person came again, knocking the door, and shouting for his friends, this time in the room.

They could have been in my room, because it sounded like it. As they opened the door, they laughed and talked in loud voices, then headed off to breakfast, banging the door shut.

So OK, I am now awake.

Gives me something to write about.

"flown the nest", is a saying that refers to young birds, that once they have been fledged, the parent birds have finished feeding them, they leave the nest, perhaps never to have anything else to do with their parent birds.]]> Another night, another bed tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-16:4cf1570e-cb3d-446a-a10c-181e7b3c4978 Phillip Holt 2008-04-16T12:07:39Z 2008-04-16T04:52:00Z
I came to Istanbul for a few nights, then flew down to Gaziantep for two nights, back up to Istanbul, staying on the European side in the Seminal Hotel for a few more nights.

As the venue has been changed for the NLP Practitioner course I am now giving, to the Asian side of Istanbul, I have been move across the Bosphorus, to Kadikoy to a hotel overlooking the ferry port.

The hotel is called the Deniz Hotel, deniz means sea in English, and I was told I would have sea views.

The Deniz Hotel, Kadikoy

The view from the 6th floor breakfast room of the Deniz Hotel, Kadikoy

Well I can see an island from my bedroom window. An island with car and bus traffic racing round it.

Not an island at sea

I can see the sea, if I lean out of the window, and strain to look between some buildings.

I do have a mosque opposite. Early morning prayer call starts at 5:30am. I know, it wakes me up as they call for believers from the loud speakers on the minarets.

The mosque which wakes me up at 5:30am in Kadikoy, Istanbul

The mosque which wakes me up at 5:30am in Kadikoy, Istanbul

The next door room seems to have a group, (more than two) young German tourists. At least between midnight and 7am they were quiet.

It is good to have variety, to have noise, to have life about me, because it means I am alive, and long may it last.]]> PhotoReading in Gaziantep tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-15:3400f134-62e2-4059-b0f7-18537391d5e7 Phillip Holt 2008-04-15T05:07:02Z 2008-04-15T00:14:00Z Gap Consultancy in Gaziantep, met to learn PhotoReading, the ability to absorb 20,000 - 30,000 words per minute (WPM), or a page a second, with a comprehension of 80% for the purpose of the reading.

Participants of PhotoReading in Gaziantep

The earth moved for us as we gained over the two and a half days information from the five individual's books, plus articles, onto a giant Mind Map. I think the person who took the photograph was having a similar experience to the participants.]]> A talk for Vodafone (Turkey) Staff tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-14:c5a03170-8fa0-4a7f-a3f8-2369a575af4c Phillip Holt 2008-04-14T04:33:36Z 2008-04-14T01:59:00Z Vodafone (Turkey), to give a talk, ablely assisted in translation by their translator, Asu Yildirim.

Phillip Holt and translator Asu Yildirim at Vodafone

I was pleasantly surprised by the high attendance to the talk and the interaction and warmth I received.

Staff of Vodafone Turkey listening to Phillip Holt, April 2008

Again like my presentations at Denizbank, Global Communications, Turkcell in Turkey, it is refreshing to see how much companies are investing in their staff by providing education and training in thier own academy buildings and facilities.

Vodafone Logo

]]> A seminar soon in Turkey, Kuantum Liderlik. tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-13:7ba4bdd4-00e3-419c-b620-1f22da81ba8c Phillip Holt 2008-04-13T18:17:05Z 2008-04-13T01:04:00Z Asemble, for the 5th May 2008, in the Conrad Hotel Istanbul.

Although written in Turkish I think it says "One of the most expensive speaker of the world Gordon M.Bethune in Turkey!!!"

Looking down the flier, is non other than me. Yes, I will be making a presentation at the same seminar, along with Antony Galie, R. Şanal Günseli and Professor Stefano D'anna.

                    The seminar title is QUANTUM LEADERSHIP


                                         Kuantum Liderlik, 5th May 2008, Conrad Hotel Istanbul

Kuantum Liderlik, 5th May 2008, Conrad Hotel Istanbul

My talk is scheduled to be on Mind Mapping and will include :-

            The application of Mind Mapping in business life.

            Mind Mapping applications for people in order to reach their goals and dreams.

            Mind Mapping techniques for leaders in order to impress and manage their group.

I will look forward to meeting old friends at the seminar along with new.

Translation of the above flier reads :-

"We are trying to implement many new disciplines to increase profitability in the business world, and maintain an everlasting company. In this seminar we will find the way to our roots. We will share the secrets of creating our future from today."

SUBJECTS TO BE COVERED

    Quantum Leadership.

    How to become an everlasting company.

    Are you and your company ready for the next twenty years?

    Positive leadership in reaching goals

    Quantum leap.

    Mind mapping.
]]> It is not what you see tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-12:95689f36-2516-4693-b66b-b8178336e0cd Phillip Holt 2008-04-12T04:15:32Z 2008-04-12T01:56:00Z
I do like a breakfast, and sometimes rather than going to have breakfast in the hotel restaurant, I will have a supply of breakfast cereal and some milk. Having a cereal means I can have a snack whenever I care to.

I decided to buy some muesli breakfast cereal from a local supermarket in Istanbul, Dia, (owned by Carrefour), and came across a box showing Dia's logo, with a small window insert in the box which allowed me to see the contents, which was suitable to my requirements.

Getting back to my accommodation and with my mouth watering, I opened the box to get at that healthy muesli, I was shocked to see how much was actually in the box. Less than a quarter of the box was taken-up by the plastic bag containing the cereal.

Dia (Turkey) own brand muesli.

Going to Gaziantep, my host Mehpare of Gap Consultancy, had provided me a new box of muesli from another manufacturer, Dr Oetker Vitalis Müsli, and that box was nearly full. What a difference.

Dr. Oetker muesli (müsli)

What a con Dia in Turkey are pulling on their customers. If they do that with a box of muesli, what are they doing with their other own name branded products?

Will I visit a Dia supermarket again?

No.

That made me think about some of the couples I see as I travel.

How is it that an old man can attract and marry a younger woman, and visa versa?

How is it that an ugly looking person can marry and make a lasting relationship with a beauty queen or a hunk of a man?

It is obviously what is on the inside and not what is on the outside. It is their character, the love, the friendship and kindness that they give each other, that gives such happiness, not what they look like or what they wear.

Sometimes we do not like what we see in ourselves. We are over weight, our hair is too short or too long, the wrong colour, our teeth are crooked, our legs are too fat or too thin. Some people need help to see them through this self dislike, to help them to accept themselves as they are, to learn what is on the inside is more important.

It is when the falseness of the outside packaging is stripped away that the truth emerges.

Dia SA, do not expect me to shop with you again. How many customers have you lost due to the false lies of your packaging?]]> A week of hard but enjoyable work. tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-11:89f7dd12-9d1a-4ab8-8389-336785ebb832 Phillip Holt 2008-04-11T09:07:50Z 2008-04-11T08:12:00Z After my trip into Istanbul, Turkey, enjoying the sights of the tulips of the 3rd International Tulip Festival of Istanbul, and the dolphins in the Bosphorus, (click to see article), it has been a week of continuous work and travel, hard but enjoyable.

After my arrival on Thursday, that evening I gave a talk to a full room of very receptive Vodafone staff.

Friday was taken-up with meetings and preparing for the weekend with Denizbank, presenting to over 300 members of staff, skills that will help them in their work and private life.

Monday morning saw me up at 4:45am to catch the 6:20am flight from Istanbul Ataturk Airport, to the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep to start a two and a half PhotoReading course, organised by Gap Consultancy.

At the end of the PhotoReading course I caught the last flight that evening back to Istanbul, to be ready for another presentation to over 150 Denizbank staff in their wonderfully presented Academy building.

Today, Friday sees me with a spare day to reorganise my brain, catch-up on paperwork and emails, as we reschedule one of the training days, enabling me to prepare for the next stint of sixteen days of continuous training, both in Istanbul and back in Gaziantep, a corporate training for Amway, and two NLP Practitioner level trainings, organised by Gap Consultancy in Gaziantep and NLP-Time in Istanbul.

Access to the internet has been limited, so this has allowed me to concentrate on the presentations and training, but has meant that the daily blog has fallen behind, plus being unable to answer my many emails.

This is a catch-up day.]]> Arrived in Istanbul tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-04:97f68496-2bd4-4951-b911-507ea2f3eb0d Phillip Holt 2008-04-05T19:10:58Z 2008-04-04T07:21:00Z Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul.

I had a talk scheduled for the staff at Vodafone (Turkey) at 5:30 that afternoon, and I was tired, I needed sleep and rest. I think I got some on the four hour flight, interrupted by the serving of breakfast, the crying young babies, and the endless throbbing noise from the engines and air conditioning.

Upon arrival in Istanbul, should I take a coach into the center of Istanbul, to my hotel in Taxim Square, The Seminal Hotel, or should I take a taxi. The coach should be 15 Turkish Lira compared to say 30 Turkish Liar for a taxi? I was getting late, 1:30 pm, I needed to get to Vodafone for about 4:30pm to prepare myself and the venue. Taxi was the only answer.

I quickly got into the standard public yellow taxi (34 TDH 59), and in broken English the taxi driver made some conversation with me, playing some Hip Pop CD music, and wearing some wrap-around sunglasses.

Then I heard the words, "Traffic, Istanbul, problem."

Whenever I hear those words I know that the driver will take me a long route. so that the meter will charge even more.

Oh well what can I do? I need to get to Taxim Square, and there is no other way. There was nothing else to do but to relax, stay calm and enjoy the ride. And, it was a great ride, because it is the 3rd International Tulip Festival of Istanbul, and along the road they had planted thousands of tulips, now fully in bloom. I could not capture the true wonder and splendor of the colour.

2008, 3rd International Tulip Festival, Istanbul, from taxi 34 TDH 59

Sure enough, when it was time to leave the coast road to head into the center of Istanbul, he said again, "Traffic, Istanbul, problem." I could see a queue of cars, and said OK as he headed straight on, following the coast road.

All was well until we hit another queue of traffic. He lost his temper, hitting the steering wheel and shouting in Turkish.

Me? I just laughed and said "yavaş, yavaş." This means "slowly, slowly."

We edged slowly forward, him complaining, me looking at the ever increasing charges on the meter. There was nothing to do but keep my cool, stay calm and centered. (Mustapha, Fred, Antonio).

It was then as I glanced out of the side window overlooking the Bosphorus that my eye caught a dolphin breaking surface, its' dorsal fin and tail fully visible. Then another dolphin, and another. They just kept appearing. There must have been fifty or more, obviously feeding on fish. A TV cameraman was trying capture to this sight. I had only my mobile phone to capture this scene, so believe me there are at least three dolphins in this picture.

Really there are dolphins in the picture not just TV cameraman Realy there are dolphins in the picture not just TV cameraman

Realy there are dolphins in the picture not just TV cameraman

After 15 minutes watching this sight and crawling slowly forward, we came to a break in the central barrier, and without a word he sped quickly through it and raced back in the opposite direction, the meter still adding up, to join the queue he had originally tried to avoid.

Oh Poo Poo. Keep centered and strong Phillip. (Mustapha, Fred, Antonio). Nothing you can do.

Half an hour later we arrived in Taxim Square, and the meter read 43 Turkish Lira. Oh Poo Poo. I gave him a 50 Lira bank note.

He looked at me and said "OK?"

I was having none of it, I wanted my change and a receipt. And this was not the first time this has happened to me. (click to see previous article).

I had one hour to get to my hotel, and then start my journey to Vodafone, but I had seen some great sights, sights that those who have lived a lifetime in Istanbul have never seen.

]]> An Early Start tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-03:f834942d-5816-4e48-bb35-235b36d19aff Phillip Holt 2008-04-03T12:18:31Z 2008-04-03T09:12:00Z Today I have an early start to catch the 6:55am Turkish Airlines flight from London to Istanbul. Thank goodness it is not British Airways, with all the trouble with the new Heathrow Terminal Five. Knowing my luck, my bags would arrive in Ataturk airport and I would be in New York.

There is a lesson to be learned from the BA move into Terminal 5. It is a lesson I learned from my days in computers.

Never buy something that has just launched, the product or service has not bedded down, has not been snagged, that is, had all the faults identified.

So, tomorrow night, I am giving a talk to Vodafone (Turkey).

I am well rehearsed, and my translator knows me well. So, I am looking forward to a great night, and the start of nearly one months training. ]]> Did I upset you? Unwanted telephone calls. tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-01:187139f5-5998-45fd-a168-49d3c85d5e7b Phillip Holt 2008-04-02T14:58:28Z 2008-04-01T15:10:00Z Am I sorry that I upset you?

No I'm not, if you were the man who telephoned me from Weatherseal, the British double glazing, replacement window company.

I am fed-up to the teeth with unwanted telephone calls, offering me free holidays, phones, loans, replacement kitchens, insurance, or "Do I mind if I answer a couple of questions?".

If I want something, I will go on-line, go on the internet, or I will go to the shops. Thank you.

        Ring. Ring. Ring. "Can I speak to Mr Holt please?"

If I hear an Indian accent, I can feel the hairs starting to stand-up on the back of my neck. I know it is a call center in India wanting to sell me something.

        "What are you selling?" I ask.

        "Oh nothing sir. Can I ask you some questions? Do you have a mortgage?"

That is it.

        "No I do not have a mortgage, I am 95, and paid it off years ago. But I tell you what, I have some money
         to spare, would you like a loan from me, I will only charge you 4% APR, instead of your 16% , and .........."

The phone goes silent, as my reply is not on their script. They are stumped. NLPers? Pattern interrupt.

Or I will reply :-

        "Do you give loans to bankrupt people?"

I just asked a question, there is no need for them to put the phone down on me.

But Mr Weatherseal Windows, why does your company keep interrupting my day? On your Weatherseal computer database, you can see that we have had windows installed only a few years ago, and because of that, why should I want to have them replaced again?

If I did know people in the rest of the flats here in Norbiton Hall, (click to read about), why should I recommend you, a company that keeps calling me up, intruding into my personal space.

All I said to you was :-

        "We have your windows already thank you, but I might be interested in a conservatory."

to which you replied :-

        "We do conservatories."

I could tell from the tone of your voice you were suddenly interested in me.

        "Yes I know, but we are on the second floor."

There was no need to say back to me, "Ha. Ha. Very funny", and put the phone down on me. I do want a conservatory installed, but not here.

Norbiton Hall, Kingston upon Thames from the rear.

Norbiton Hall, Kingston upon Thames from the rear.

So Mr Weatherseal Windows, you lost yourself a potential sale.

Then we get the silent calls. No-one on the other end. I end up shouting down the phone, but no-one hears me except for the neighbours and the shoppers across the road.

Yes for those of you who have similar problems, there is a service here in the UK called the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) (click to visit web page). This is an opt out service or register. It is a legal requirement that all organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make cold calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so.

But they still keep coming. Perhaps the call centers in India do not know about it, or even know where Britain is.

So Mr Weatherseal Windows and the many cold callers who interrupt my day and evenings, I am going to have fun with you. Please don't put the telephone down, as I do know you have a job to do, and my fun may be a waste of time to you, but then, so is your call to me.

Oh yes Mr Weatherseal Windows, do you install the conservatories in Malaysia?]]> A Hospital Visit - Time Distortion tag:nlpnow.com,2008-04-01:4e340e17-5535-49fb-bd69-413262b6e3ff Phillip Holt 2008-04-02T07:14:39Z 2008-04-01T09:52:00Z I had to go to my local hospital here in Kingston upon Thames, (see some views), a very large place and expanding all the time.

Part of Kingston upon Thames hospital, Main Entrance

I suppose I am becoming like an old vintage wine, I need to be turned, or like an old car, I need attention and some of my parts, oiled and overhauled, with tenderness, love and affection.

I collected a numbered ticket - 78, so that I knew when it would be my turn to be seen, and sat in a waiting area, watching the other patients and members of staff. There seemed to be a representative from nearly every country in the world there, from the Far East, South East Asia, Asia, Africa, Europe, but I did not hear an American accent.

Britain does seem to be less British and more world with every day that passes. As I walk around the shops, I hear so many languages, Polish, Pakistani, Korean, so many I have no idea where they are from. The shop assistants have a foreign accent, waiters and waitresses in the restaurants seem to be there to learn English.

Today a Government report by a House of Lords Committee chaired by Lord Wakeham on recent mass immigration into Britain concluded that there has been little or no positive impact on the living standards of the existing population, and suggests an "explicit and reasoned" limit should be set for net immigration from outside the EU.

It seems that there is a figure of nearly 200,000 net immigrants into Britain each year, that is those seeking to live in Britain, and those leaving, yes, the Brits leave the shores of the UK to become immigrants to other countries. A figure of 200,000 would make a very large town every year, and those are only the "official" figures, it does not take into consideration the illegal immigrants plus their families.

I sat there, watching the second hand of a clock going what seemed to be backwards, time was going so slow, just like standing in a queue in a bank, time just stops. My ticket number 78 was a long time away.

Patient number 60 gets ready to be seen in Kingston Hospital

Patient number 60 gets ready to be seen in Kingston Hospital

I then began to remember great times, when at a party, when I was a small boy playing, when giving a course. Time just went so fast then. In fact I remember being with a girlfriend, being totally absorbed, then looking at my watch to see that it was not 9pm at night, but mid night.

Where had time gone?

How did time pass so quickly?

It is only our mind that distorts time, makes it go quickly or slowly.

My strongest memory of time going so slow was when I was a student at the Staffordshire College of Commerce in Wednesbury, sitting in a history lesson. The teacher was bad. He did not give me any enthusiasm, he did not light my candle. I sat there watching the second hand of the big clock on the wall facing me, tick, tick, tick away, I can even remember seeing the sight movement of the minute hand. Oh time went so slow waiting for the end of lesson bell.

So sitting there in the waiting area, I got my mind to go back and remember a time where time had been so fast, and that I will keep to myself, and relived that time, seeing everything I saw, hearing everything I heard, and feeling all the good things about that time, all over again. I fully associated myself into that time.

Oops. It is my turn to be seen, ticket 78.

Doesn't time fly if you are having fun?

Download a desktop timepiece by Maurice Lacroix. Click here.

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