Can you be persuaded away By the carrot on the stick? Caught in the thought of ice cream And eating until you’re sick – Surely you need a jumbo serve – To teach you what you deserve
Pretty good again. The morning has whizzed by thanks to all my students being incredibly well-behaved and attentive today. I’m a little surprised! I wish every day was like this. I actually felt like I was teaching rather than attending.
Today I’m grateful for:
The kids I asked not to come and disrupt my afternoon class today. I appreciated that though maybe my students didn’t understand so much but it got them more focused and we got enough done.
The best thing about today was:
Those early classes setting up the day for me so that I’m not so tired. I’m perhaps also getting used to this schedule too.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Amy suddenly changed plans this morning as she didn’t sleep well but it was nothing that caused any real problem or made me change my plans too much.
Something I learned today?
It’s a possibility that Chad Warner could be lured from Sydney Swans to Freo, as he is from the West Coast originally. He’s already touted as the best player in the competition. He’s only 22 or 23 years old. I hope he doesn’t leave though.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I sent encouraging messages to KanomBang and BB after they paid more attention in class and asked me for help.
I’ve also been sending Anchan encouragement every now and then. She went to a speaking competition last weekend and was disappointed to come ninth.
I found iPhone, Fahmai and another girl practising dancing and they told me that there will be a competition next week so I wished them luck and hope that I can see them.
Stumble in darkness clear of you A restful cave, I start to think Repeat the mantras I wrote for you To amuse, gather together what I have To pass this quiet time
Thrust into light, away from you A forgotten face is all I have Understood by both, no means no Repeat the mantras I have for time
“You think you have time, you have no time”
Ghosts by nomeansno
A golden shovel inspired by nomeansno and submitted to FOWC with Fandango – faceless and MLMM Wordle #377 – clear, restful, repeat, amuse, pass, thrust
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good. I was so tired last night that I couldn’t even read in bed. My eyes were hurting, probably from too much screen time, and may get even worse today with my six-hour break before class!
Anyway, my alarm woke me up from a deep sleep but I felt good from it and exercised and got going.
Today I’m grateful for:
The folks at the post office who helped me get the parcel sorted to send it to Singapore. It was freaking expensive and meant getting credit at House again until I get paid but had to be done.
The best thing about today was:
I knocked up a good lesson plan in my spare time today and I enjoyed thinking about it and putting it together.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Man, this six-hour break is killing me! It’s too long. I think next week I will go and sit in with my old class. Let Kru NumNim teach and help out some of the poorer students.
Something I learned today?
I got back in touch with Nevin and he wrote back today that he will be moving to HK to study in a couple of months. Hopefully I might be able to catch up with him there sometime.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
In my one and only class of the day there were 4 or 5 female students who weren’t supposed to be there, come to hang out with the younger girls that they fancy. I let it go for today, as I actually didn’t spot them until later in the lesson!
I don’t usually mind if other students come but they seemed to be disturbing the kids that need to study the most.
Amy took this picture of the mum and dad. Happy family.
What about the baby that pulled the trigger? He just liked explosions That made him happy So many toys to play with The mind is easily distracted – It’s so very far away – Death is so very far away
It can’t even be seen over the horizon
Bang, bang, they’re dead They all fall down Because bigger is better On this side of town
A little less enthusiastic but still have energy reserves somehow. The first half of the week is pretty easy now and whilst the last couple of days are busy, they are pretty easy too.
Today I’m grateful for:
Our little birds that came and raised their family with us. It was cool to watch them grow and then fly away. Good luck to them.
The best thing about today was:
Spending some time in my room sorting out online music stuff with Parthiban, getting some money sorted to pay Johnny in HK for the Bennu LPs and chatting with Nampan and Team a bit.
And I was able to play some guitar which was fun too.
Something I learned today?
There was a big fire at Chatuchak Market a couple of days ago that killed thousands of animals. I don’t remember even seeing animals anywhere when I was there.
Amy took these pictures because today our little birdies flew the coop.
In the raw, you leave A bitter tingle on the lips A dusty drift in the air Dry to the connoisseur’s nose
To grip the sweat of flesh Where the cups of coffee sit Hard knocks on wood Built for many winters
All the ale spilled over And never a complaint Stoic and solid, ever-steady Dampened with a cloth
How is it that your shade Perfectly matches your function? When your name is spoken Your colour is revealed
Sealed with a scent A low release of forest Antique aching legs Of stale cigars, whiskey and work
Write a poem about an object in five stanzas using sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – in any order. What is it? This was a tough write and I don’t know if people can understand what the object is!
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good despite almost swearing when my alarm went off. I got up and at it though and now, about two hours later, I’m wondering if I can increase my exercise time a little in the morning. Seems like I’ve already forgotten about how tired I am by Fridays and thinking of pushing it further now it’s Monday!
(10 pm) So tired now that I’m no longer contemplating pushing myself so much!
Today I’m grateful for:
The students in the sick room who bandaged up my fingers whilst taking pictures to show that they were working when required. Fixing the bleeding farang teacher is good optics.
The best thing about today was:
My first class, 3 hours with grade 12s was relaxing and fun. I didn’t push them too much and tried to keep everyone engaged as best as I could. I was quite impressed with their English skills and with their confidence to at least try their best.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Tokyo finally got me today and it was my own fault.
Usually, when I’m leaving House I don’t disturb her as she is sleeping, yet eyeing what is going on but today she was on her side and raised her paw for a belly rub.
If I had come round to her side maybe everything would be ok but I tried leaning over the bench which left my hand hovering over her until I got my balance to sit down. I know that she feels threatened by this and sure enough, she snapped her jaw around my fingers and me trying to pull away left a big gash on the inside of my forefinger and knuckle of my ring finger.
Weirdly, it didn’t hurt that much, though I knew I should be feeling pain. Due to the location of the wounds, they soon started dripping blood. Gui’s mum got out the medicine kit that they have to keep handy for these situations and I quickly cleaned up before heading back to school.
I got the cuts band-aided at the sick room and went off to class.
Something I learned today?
Praewa complained about her boyfriend, my grade 8 student Ten, smoking too much marijuana! I was not at all surprised to hear this.
She has been very unhappy since she met him and I don’t understand what his appeal is. Bad boy appeal maybe? All her friends keep telling her to dump him and she keeps threatening to.
Ten is immature and doesn’t have any parental guidance at home, living with his grandmother and his younger sister.
I’d be happy if I never heard his name again and I usually like the ‘bad’ kids.
What three words describe today?
Interesting Inspiring Tiring
Amy took this picture just before fixing up the support for the nest with an old shirt. Things were getting precarious there.
Good after yesterday though still tired. Woke up well before my alarm, with aching shoulders but spent a few minutes preparing my mind to do exercise, which I then went and did and also whilst in my room did some guitar strumming exercises. Let’s kick off the day well!
Today I’m grateful for:
Mei and Hagan offering to get Amy home from the city after I left them in a bar there to come home and finish up some work and write.
Predictably, Amy didn’t want to leave when they did as she wanted to go off dancing at Whiteline. They called me to make sure I was ok with it and once I found out that Amy would probably go back to her Mum’s place, then that’s fine. I wouldn’t anticipate her having any problem getting home to me but Mum’s is much closer.
The best thing about today was:
Hanging out with Mei and Hagan, chatting and catching up since we last met in October in Sydney. We decided that instead of getting pizza at Singha Park we would try a Persian restaurant about ten minutes away and I’m glad we did.
The restaurant is just run by one guy so things were slow but as there was only us and one other table we all relaxed into the food and the afternoon. After a while, we got talking to the guy, Woody, and learned all about his life and travels, and him only being 29 years old. It was an interesting and pleasant few hours there.
Something I learned today?
After discussing China with another WordPress poet I worked out that the 37,000 Chinese that entered the USA across the Mexican border is 0.002% of the Chinese population.
Tired but awake with a headache. My sleep was much disturbed by aches in my shoulders and arms due to my exercise this week, so I skipped it this morning.
I have a few things to do today connected with the SpeechOdd Malay tour and the Minnesota release and hopefully will play some guitar too. I didn’t make it to my room often last week.
Today I’m grateful for:
My village and the folks therein.
The best thing about today was:
Being able to keep going after a filling lunch and resisting the temptation to lay down. Before that, I had already gone to Sinthanee and got a new battery for the bike and picked up the fish at Betagro for Amy to cook for lunch. My two morning coffees seemed to keep the lights on in my body after waking up tired but not sleepy.
Lunch could have finished me off, though. My eyes were feeling heavy as my body was breaking down the fish and rice. I drank a bottle of soda and knew it was a bad idea to lie down with all that bubbling around inside me so decided to walk around the garden and on seeing our dirty car I decided that I could take it to the garage to be cleaned as we will drive to meet Mei and Hagen at Singha Park tomorrow for lunch.
Also, I thought it might be a funny catalyst for some rain as it hasn’t rained in the four days since we got the gutter replaced, so we still don’t know how effective it is.
On the way to PTT, where I normally get the car cleaned, I dropped into Utopia and asked if they knew a local shop that could fix the puncture on my car, and they told me that Art recommended the shop right next to the PTT. Easy. And I picked up another coffee, too!
At the PTT, they couldn’t clean my car immediately as there was a truck delivering fuel, and they said they could only do it after that had finished. No problem, I’ll go and get the puncture repaired.
In the shop the guy there got straight to it and within about ten minutes had fixed everything and delivered me a screw that had caused the problem. And only cost 150 baht. The fish this morning was more expensive!
As it was so quick, I went back down to the car cleaning place next door to Sinthanee, and they said it would be about an hour as they had a couple of cars in already. No problem. I could go across the road and talk with Baipad for a bit.
At Baipad’s, her mum was finishing off a customer’s hair, and NamHom was playing an online game and talking with the other player, her friend, on her mobile phone. Kids these days! So lucky. Her mum kept telling her to go and get Baipad from upstairs, but she was too engrossed, so I watched her playing and scoffed when she failed at the quest she was trying to complete, which, to my surprise, she was completely unbothered by; she just kept starting again without complaint. I would have thrown the phone down in frustration many times if that had been me when I was younger! So, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Is she not frustrated due to resilience or to a lack of emotion?
Anyway, the customer left, and mum forced NamHom to go up and get Baipad, and I asked her mum if it was her car outside and if she would like me to teach Baipad all the things inside, without actually driving anywhere. She said that that was fine but that Baipad was probably too scared to drive anyway and shook her head. I think she would like Baipad to step up a little bit with taking action.
And so talking of which, NamHom came back downstairs and started playing again, saying that she knocked on the door and told Baipad to come down. 20 minutes later, and no appearance. Her mum said that she was probably playing on her phone all last night and was still sleeping now and had locked her door.
She sighed, I sighed, but whatever. I walked up to Lotus and got some Curcumin drinks and went back to the car wash and sat in their waiting room from where I called and chatted with Hayden for a while.
Once the car was done, outside, inside, underneath and another 250 baht gone I felt pretty lively and inspired to keep going so, once home, got into my room and sent off a message to Unite Asia about the Speech Odd tour, wrote to Johnny in HK about the Bennu 12”s and whether he’d be interested in the Minnesota Pocket Circuit release. I also set up a Facebook event page for the Speech Odd tour and started to feel like I was really getting connected back in with things.
I was tired and dizzy but inspired again. I practiced guitar for a little while and then played along to a couple of songs until my amp cut out from playing too loud. Time to go back inside and relax.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I was unfazed about things today, even Amy telling me to do this and do that, I looked at her with a fun mocking face.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I told the puncture repair guy that Art at Utopia had recommended him so that they both got some recognition within our community.
Contented and happy. It’s the end of the day now, and it feels like it’s been a big, long week. I think it may only be the second full five-day week of teaching I’ve done in the first 7 weeks of this semester so far!
But, it was a day with three different but interesting classes that I enjoyed a lot. The first was with grade 11s, where they are putting together presentations, and I taught them about using grammar checkers and ChatGPT to spice up their content (and hopefully, they don’t get smart enough to use it to write their presentations in full!) I was actually surprised no one in the class knew how to use it already.
They all went through their presentations again, and though they are mostly still ranging from awful to average (with a couple of very good ones) we are going through it slowly and adding, improving and practicing and I’m hoping that they can feel that they are slowly improving over the course of the semester.
After that, I did the Thai Ghosts lesson with the Hospitality/Japanese grade 11s, and they were all quite interested and keen on it, though I was happy to acquiesce to their demand to finish off the work as homework so that we could all get out for lunch a little earlier. I had to go to the bank, too and could sneak in an extra coffee at House whilst out.
So, after the morning disappeared in a flash, it was on to my grade 8s, where all they had to do was a 30-question online quiz based on the 6 texts they’d written and previously answered comprehension questions on. I told them that they couldn’t finish until they got more than 75%.
I can remember writing about this last year and the fact that the lazy kids who forget their books are going to get caught out as they won’t have what they need to refer to.
This year, the class did much better, and it was really enjoyable helping those that are struggling with the English and showing them how to find the answers. I could feel them getting all serious as it was starting to dawn on them that when they’ve just been copying answers before, they haven’t developed the skills to find them for themselves.
I directed them through their books, giving them clues on where and how to find the answers, and they were all quite proud of themselves by the end. It made us all happy.
Once home, I’ve just sat in front of the TV trying to unwind. I’m tired but not sleepy yet. As I’m writing this, though, I’m reminded of just what a good day it has been.
Today I’m grateful for:
Finding old videos of Ipswich Town from the 70s and 80s on YouTube and feeling all nostalgic about those days of watching football on TV with a picture quality worse than 360p.
It’s interesting to read some of the comments of others who were around at that time too and how much respect Ipswich got for their achievements, even from fans of other teams.
The best thing about today was:
Pretty much as written above. Very enjoyable.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
In my last class my student Ten has finally fallen out of favour with almost everyone after his closest friends have deserted himself, realising that he just treats them like shit. They talked with me about him today, and they are struggling with it because they try to help him and encourage him, but Ten gives nothing back.
I can see clearly that he is compensating for his lack of ability to learn and develop social skills, and I can also see that my behaviour at times would have been similar.
He sulked around the classroom, not really attempting the work, and I decided to let him stay that way while I was helping others. I asked him a few times to get started, but he just slouched off elsewhere until I found him again staring into space.
Finally, I translated for him, ‘Pick yourself up. Look at how hard students like Nut and Namsai are trying to understand. You can do this too.’
After about 80% of the students had finished and I started letting them go, I found Ten in the next classroom with Ploy, KanomBang and Namsai helping him, showing him what I had just shown them. I joined in, and we all encouraged him, and by the en,d he managed to pass and felt a little better about himself.
He’s learning some big lessons right now, and it will take him a while to recover. It will be interesting to watch.
Something I learned today?
Kru David told me that Thailand ranks something like 140th in the world for education. I joked that there are not many more than 140 countries! It’s sad for these kids but good for me. I’m trying my best, and I have my own expectations, but in general, the expectations of the school won’t be that high.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
As last week, I dropped into Kru David’s least favourite class to teach (but with some of my favourite kids) and helped Nicha and Fah to try to get to grips with what was trying to be taught, which was alliteration in poetry. They both looked perplexed and wanted to give up but were happy to let me try and explain to them so that they could at least get something from it.
Whilst I was writing something to help Nicha, she was playful and brought her eyeball up to mine and then her nose to mine and laughed and said to Fah something along the lines of ‘I almost kissed the teacher!’ I ignored it and brought her back to the writing, but it was a little weird, I guess.
I have no problem being mildly affectionate with my students in a fatherly way and Nicha could still pass for a primary student as she is so small, skinny and still a little immature in her behaviour. But afterwards, I was thinking how I would react if she had pecked me on the lips!
I know some of these kids are testing things with me because they feel comfortable and safe to do so, but there is also a line that has to be drawn.
Anyway, Nicha and Fah went to Kru David with the bare amount of understanding but at least now had the confidence to do so, instead of running out of the class as they had been doing in past weeks.
Almost out of energy. I slept well, and the alarm shocked me awake for once this week. Pushing through, though. Only one more day left of the work week after today.
Today I’m grateful for:
Kru Jern telling her students that the last class of the day finishes at 4.30 and if you want to leave earlier you have to get everything done. Today, the kids were on the ball,l and we were all able to get out by about 4 pm.
Nomsen’s ‘family emergency’ yesterday turned out to be a birthday party with some of her older friends. Not impressed, and Kru Jern agreed, but I let it slide.
The best thing about today was:
The fish stall at the street market was there today, thankfully, so I’m full up on fish, rice and chilli.
Something I learned today?
Little Namwan, the little tom boy student that was scared of me for about 18 months because I physically picked her up near the bathrooms and deposited her back in class 4 years ago now suddenly appeared in my afternoon class (after not turning up for my class in the morning that she was supposed to be at).
When I asked her what she was doing there, she just pointed to Ploy (whose birthday it was today). Knowing Namwan, she is obviously crushing on her, as she did with Nicha last year. It’s interesting to watch.
Namwan is 4 years older but seems to lack a lot of confidence compared with her peers, so perhaps she feels on a more even playing ground with the younger students.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
My driving was a bit less rushed both this morning and evening.
Amy and I tried to fix up the bird nest after Amy did some ant extermination around the plant where it is. She could see ants getting to the nest and maybe annoying the chicks. Doing that kinda disturbed the nest, though, which is kinda precariously balanced between two stems.
A little tired on waking, after our cats kept scratching at the door as soon as the sun came up. On the third or fourth time of letting Cap in and out, I rolled over, snuggled back in for my alarm to go off a second later. Up and at ‘em!
Today I’m grateful for:
Kru NumNim taking over my morning class from today. Unfortunately, it means I have six hours to kill each Wednesday now before my only class of the day. Fortunately, I have six free hours now!
I think the kids were pretty happy, too – it’s cut down my hours with these grade 8s from 9 to 7.
The best thing about today was:
I got a message from Nancy to drop by the office and was happily surprised to find a cheque for 2750 baht. I’m not sure what it is for, but I’ll take it!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
By the end of sitting with my laptop at House for six hours waiting for my class, I was pretty exhausted, and my eyes were feeling strange. I pulled back on asking too much of the class, and we just went through some translation, a word search game and then a spelling test.
Everything was going as planned until a couple of students had their bags packed and ready to leave even though the class wasn’t finished. I told them to sit down, but then one, Nomsen, started crying. After a minute or two,o Film told me that there was some sort of family emergency and that Nomsen’s family were waiting for her downstairs. If that was the case, why were other students wanting to leave too?
I let Nomsen go but made everyone else stay, and the lesson was over probably only ten minutes later, even though the allocated class time still ran for another half an hour. Much like the kids, I want to get home, too!
Something I learned today?
Amsterdam to phase out 1,280 Chinese CCTV & traffic cameras over five years amid spying concerns! Oh, the ironing!
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I got to school quickly this morning, quicker than necessary and cut in on a car that came out of a junction and drove slowly, forcing everyone to change lanes. Considering how much time I had to get to school, I can slow down.
Getting home….ugh. Having to go to TLC after school meant I hit the traffic driving, and I can’t stop myself from getting annoyed at people not moving up quickly enough once the lights are green.
I was pretty hungry and tired, but I should try to breathe and take it easy. I’m sorry, everyone.
What’s one world event that has recently impacted me?
Since the pandemic, there is not really anything going on in the world that impacts me directly. Things like wars and politics in other countries do impact financially with inflation. The politics in Thailand and locally have no real effect that I know of, too. Maybe ignorance is bliss? If I have no idea about something, is the impact lessened? Is it only our perception that makes us more emotional?
First steps, first sight Begging to be fed All the crying might Be all that’s ever said
First walk, first flight Strong enough to feed Eyes down, left and right In search of the seed
To run, leave home No time to be weak No one goes alone To rise to the peak
Submitted to Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – peak. Also planned to submit to the Ovi Challenge – steps but forgot to make it an Ovi!
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good again, though I know I could do with more sleep.
I was woken in the night by a poo dream! I just went for a pee though, fearing that dealing with a poop would’ve woken me up too much.
In my dream, I was wearing a nappy but wanted a toilet. Seems to be remnants of a thought about when grandmum had to start wearing adult nappies.
Today I’m grateful for:
Being able to take it a little easier driving to school because I’m leaving a little earlier. Hopefully, it will save a little on petrol as well as speeding fines!
The best thing about today was:
Not one thing in particular again, but another great day all around. Very enjoyable.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I asked my grade 8s what is one activity that they like that their friends don’t, and Satang, who is a well-sized chubby boy, wrote that he likes to arm wrestle, but none of his friends like it.
So I sat down opposite him and we arm wrestled, and he beat me pretty easily on our right hands (and I could feel my muscles hurting from all my recent morning exercising).
I gave him a fair go on the left hand, but ultimately, he was too strong on that one too.
The whole class cheered and whooped. I hope it gives Satang a little confidence boost.
Something I learned today?
I offhandedly sent a message to Baipad asking how her day was, and she said, ‘Everything feels like it’s going fast…Maybe because I’m happy?’
It made me a little teary (with happiness)
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I offered to fix all the grammatical errors in the play that Jet, Lin, Noah etc are doing and spent about 40 minutes going through it. Now it makes sense! I also went and watched them rehearsing for a little while after my last class.
I need to start thinking about little things that I could improve on as I don’t seem to be falling down with bad acts too much….
1994ever 