Well I bet all of us have bought and ignored or partially read more self help information than we can even remember…so that's the risk you take with self teaching it. Avoidance. Procrastination. Apathy. That's what is likely to happen.

I'd read one good CBT book so that you have an understanding of what's involved, but when you start to actually tackle your problems there is no substitute for doing it properly at which point you'll be walking a well trodden path with proven efficacy and support for the difficult bits.

I agree. It's useful to have an intellectual understanding of the theory to begin with. But once you start to take committed action, for example to confront your fears, it can be a difficult emotional journey and you need the right support. Therapists or life coaches can provide that.

I found family and friends were not able to provide the support. Apart from anything else it's too much of a burden when they have problems of their own to deal with.

This is less of a field report and more of a personal journey type of post, but still conducive to realisation of the social interactions.

So last night I was at one of Google's Local meetups, which is basically a load of people from around the city that know the area well and take part in Google's online review's system get treated to a gourmet meal with drinks and a social, shit like photo booths, live bands and stuff, awesome night.

I thought I would take a pair of Google Glass (something I've acquired from work) to help assist as conversation starter, which did, amazingly. Seriously I had every single person coming up to me asking how it works, what I did, if they could try it on etc. Of course I know it was just a bit of a gimmick, but it was still pretty cool.

There were a few girls there, and they were getting pretty drunk, and I was still sober, I had more than an opportunity by the end of the night but I was seriously enjoying myself chatting with everybody else to care, by contrast they actually bugged me. More of a social night than a pulling night, but I think its cool to be able to identify that I was more focussed on being myself and enjoying my night rather than focussing on chasing tail.

I've been doing sweet fuck all recently in respect to chasing women, I'll confess to sleeping with my ex once or twice (as to be expected really) but I'm still unashamedly single. Out of the blue the other night, I get a bit of a conversation going with a girl off Tinder, pretty cute. Normally I'm of the opinion Tinder is pretty damned shite, this may be jaded to my having limited success but nonetheless, rapport is going well, we arrange to meet up on Thursday (no place set yet though).

She's showing all the signs of interest, a few phone calls, texts etc, then suddenly nothing. Now I'm not unaccustomed to girls being flakes, but this one bugged me. Nonetheless I know to ignore it and move on, but I'm just curious as towards the logic of it, why do girls do that? Do they come across a better offer or something? Life issues? Fuck knows, maybe I shouldn't question it.

Perhaps something else came up. A lot of the time it's not your fault, and out of your hands. That's what I tell myself when the inexplicable happens anyway!

It was going pretty well tbh, I actually am quite unsure of what could have spooked her if anything, it started off with an email thread whilst we were in work, then a phone call and a few texts in the evening a few jokes and then the next day she added me on linked in, I text her after work and no response. Thought I'd try a phone call today, no answer, left it at that.

Tinder is flakey

Been quite some time since I last posted, nothing much to report really, got a date tomorrow, she's a bit shy but cute. Been chatting a bit with a few girls on Facebook, but not really that much interested in them so nothing has come of it.

I'm facing a bit of a crossroads at the moment, since when I first started in my current job I knew it would be ending at some point, and at the end of this month, quite abruptly, I'm being laid off because the company has now run out of funding. Half of me is thankful, since I've not got to the point of hating it, and being really unhappy with the responsibilities that I've had thrown with me, and dealing with this other cunt in the office. I fucking hate office politics.

So I'm doing the pain in the ass thing of sorting out my cv, applying and the likes, but figured I've been in Manchester 2 years now, and that it may be time to move on, so I'm looking at moving to London pending achieving a decent job. One question for any folk in London, what kind of salary increase should I be looking at, compared to one around Manchester, I'm of course going to be looking for an increase, but living in Londinium is costly...

One of the interviews I've had have an office in Berlin, and with my learning German recently that sounded pretty cool, so I'm waiting to hear back from that one.

Good news on the date- I'm finding you get lulls and then a few at once at the moment!
Sounds like you are best out of the work situation- it's funny how quick it can turn on office politics and no one is immune from Machiavellian dealings. Been there done that- don't know anyone who hasn't and suffice to say usually works out significantly better.
It's difficult to answer your question - google London weighting for some of the big corporations to get an idea, rule of thumb used to be about 7k.
Other way is work back from what you need to survive here- even zone 1 to 4 Oyster can be 200 quid a month etc. etc. and then add on a premium that you'll be happy with.
Never been Berlin but it's on my list - heard nothing but good things.
Exciting times ahead whatever you do.

Good news.
Date was good, we went for a few drinks, she came back to mine, started watching a film, that lasted about 20 minutes, we bang, she stays, bang again in the morning.
Had an interview with some senior coders in Berlin over hangouts, I've been invited for a second interview in London.

I sometimes find myself feeling like I'm going to be found out though, as though I'm a fraud and I don't deserve success. I need to stop thinking like this.