Back on protein, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Quite apart from the high risk ofcfood poisoning here with anything
that hasn’t been fried or boiled, I’ve noticed that my return to the
world of carbohydrates has not been a happy one.

Over the last three months, a simple regime of no potato, no pasta, no
rice and no bread produced a slimmer, less tired and less flatulent
version of me.

It’s also been noted that I was more irritable and irritating,
especially when enforcing a parrallel discipline of weekend-only wine.

So a few weeks ago I decided “bugger this” and switched the carbs back
on.

For a few days, the pizza flowed and friends remarked on my happy and
glowing disposition.

It wasn’t to last.

Now I’m tired and flatulent - and with three weeks (today) until my
annual pilgrimage to Vathi, my fat pants appeared out of the wardrobe
this morning.

Enough.

Back to proteins.

Grrrrrrrrr……

Watch out clients, I’m feeling mean with lean to follow shortly.

Posted: July 31st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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A late night finish, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

It’s 10.30 pm on Thursday night and the end of a day that began with a
4.45am alarm call in Manchester and a dawn drive to Leeds.

My first hour at the Leeds Radisson was absorbed with emails.

At 8.00am I was hi-jacked by the events manager of The Royal
Armouries, who I thought was inviting me to speak at a dental
conference - but who really wanted me to sell tickets to a heathrow-
based Michael Gerber conference in October, which is itself a front to
attract dentists earning ￡250k or more to a tax-shelter sales pitch.

I detest a disingenuous sales pitch - almost as much as I resent an
accountant who evaporates 30 minutes of my life with a verbal
brochure. If he had just stopped to ask me any questions, he would
have discovered that I know more about EBT’s than he does. No such luck.

It’s a shame that celebrity dentists will get sucked into this by
their peers.

Caveat emptor.

The rest of the day in the real world with clients - thank goodness -
and some tough coaching that stretches me.

I leave Leeds at 5 and drive 240 miles to write this post.

Last day of coaching tomorrow and then back to Cornwall for the first
time in 12 days.

Today I learned that telling a client the truth can be very hard on
all concerned sometimes. And that’s what we get paid for.

I am blessed to work with wonderful clients, putting half-assed sales
pitches in stark relief.

And so to bed.

Posted: July 24th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Journey Ambassador?, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

I’m all for 21st Century customer service - but I do think the Hilton at
Manchester Airport are going a little “over the top” with their description
on the concierge desk.

Having said that, we are encouraging clients to appoint:

1. The concierge nurse;
2. The care nurse
3. The treatment co-ordinator

And to offer direct dial facilities to, and a special relationship with,
such an individual as a benefit of membership.

As a customer, I expect to get the red carpet wherever I choose to spend my
money in these “credit crunch” times.

So what are you dong to make your customers feel special?

Posted: July 22nd, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Boys will be boys…., originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

The market town of Altrincham, Cheshire is understandably proud of it’s
Royal Charter, granted in 1290 and allowing the good citizens to meet weekly
and exchange goods and services - which they still do after all that time.

Civic pride is so great that a new statue was erected and dedicated just
last month to commemorate the famous stall-keepers and their diligent
service over the centuries.

However, Saturday night is Saturday night in any English town - so walking
across the marketplace on Sunday morning I was one of the first to see this
amusing reminder of the silliness that must have taken place after closing
time at the pub.

This is harmless fun - and much better than graffiti or vandalism - so I
hope the town council doesn’t get too hot under the collar and install a
fence or some other over-kill gesture.

Posted: July 21st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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There was a time….., originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

When travel by rail was THE most popular form of public transport - and this
original mosaic at Manchester’s Victoria Station demonstrates the potential
routes available over 100 years ago when “Cottonopolis” was the wealthiest
city in the developed world.

Nowadays, of course, we choose to express our individuality with our choice
of motor vehicle - the modern-day horse.

I took my youngest daughter Ellie into Manchester on Saturday for some minor
(sic) retail therapy and also to see “Hancock” (don’t bother - its absolute
rubbish).

Three impressions from the day:

1. The sheer number of people who were in the city - maybe its because
I’m a Cornwall dweller, but I felt overwhelmed as we fought our way around
the Arndale Centre and the Apple store;
2. Surprise that some well-known retailers had stores that either were
closed, were closing down or had notices on the doors announcing
receivership. I’ve never noticed that in Manchester before, or anywhere else
for that matter. Credit crunch is here;
3. Massive building development of apartments all around the city -
although the “to let” and “for sale” signs were a forest.

The emptiest stores were clothes, white goods, home media and home
furnishing.

The busiest stores were books, DVD’s, music, games and electronics.

If that means something I don’t know what.

Maybe it’s the holiday season and folks want entertainment but at the lowest
price possible?

It’s a far cry from the Manchester that train-travellers would have arrived
into in 1908.

Posted: July 20th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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What’s wrong with this dental reception area?, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

A bloody great set of gnashers on the plasma TV screen - that’s what!

I congratulated Phil Hewitt and the team at Nantwich Smile Design on a well
presented patient lounge - and then berated them for showing dental stuff on
the TV.

“The type of advert I watch when waiting in a Post Office queue”

What has to be on the TV is BBC News 24, or Sky News - or a national event -
such as The Open this week.

Not, however, as bad as the practice I visited last year who were showing
The Jeremy Kyle Show to the bewildered waiting patients - all of whom were
gripped as the results of a DNA test were announced to determine which
moronic teenage Dad was the father of the trailer-trash teenage Mum’s doomed
child.

Sometimes I wonder…

Posted: July 18th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 2

Manchester, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

I will be based at my Manchester apartment for the next week.

It’s a great environment. Lots of light and air in a quiet spot yet so
close to “everything”.

I’ve discovered over the years that I’m very sensitive to the right
environment. It has to be just right to produce my best work.

Two weeks of solo travel are a challenge but this place eases the
hardship.

Posted: July 15th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

First day on tour, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Monday morning finds me in the Eden Valley area, just East of Carlisle
and staying at the beautiful home of Richard Wilson.

A 445 mile drive yesterday was actually a pleasure in the M3, a chance
to think and enjoy the car on a balmy summer evening. The views across
Shap were delightful.

Dinner with Richard last night (how come male dentists are such good
cooks?) and a catch up on how much his life has improved since he sold
his 2 practices and became a career associate.

Hmmmm….

Apart from having his right index finger bandaged after a close
encounter with a wood saw (ouch), he looks fit as a flea - more than
likely due to the collection of bikes in his garage.

Coffee with James and Sonya Hamill on Gylly Beach yesterday morning.
Dinner with Richard.

Somebody somewhere is reminding me of “balance”.

The countryside around here is truly beautiful - Great Corby and the
Eden Valley. Check it out sometime.

Here goes for a busy day and two weeks of delivery.

Posted: July 14th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Having an early evening drink at Gylly beach, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

Posted: July 12th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Memorial, originally uploaded by coachbarrow999.

TRH’s the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall were in town yesterday to
rededicate the memorial to the 600+ service personnel who left from
here to embark on one of the most audacious raids of WWII - St Nazarre.

5 Victoria Crosses were awarded and Camilla’s own father was taken POW
after the raid.

Worth catching up on the history - a real ripping yarn that would have
Indiana Jones quaking.

Truth, as always, leaves fiction standing.

Posted: July 12th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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