“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
Submitted to dVerse Quadrille #206 – bend
I’m still reading Crisis In Culture and finding new inspiration to write.
29th Aug 2024 – Submitted to dVerse – stormy weather
Submitted to Ovi Poetry Challenge 61: success, Word of the Day Challenge – flood, Ragtag Daily Prompt – blank and Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – robust. Loosely inspired by discussion around the purpose and usefulness of protests in the Western world.
Submitted to Wordle 667 at the Sunday Whirl
Submitted to dVerse Zeugmatically Speaking and inspired by other poems written there. Not quite sure I’ve hit the mark with this one and I find limericks to be lazy poems but this one fell into place.
Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United and inspired by 100 Years of Solitude, which I haven’t yet read but based this on a couple of synopses I found. I’m looking forward to reading this one day.
A true story, my first wedding. Submitted to Weekend Writing Prompt #376 – Handmade
Today I’m feeling:
A little down with a headache behind the eyes.
I didn’t sleep particularly well and woke up at one point with a disconcerting dream where I was trying to find my friends in an AFL stadium but ended up outside, around a car parking area and went through a fire exit door that led into a dank dark wide stairwell and off to the side, a cavernous tunnel dug through the concrete, dirt and rock, the pathway littered with old beer bottles. Obviously, a place for nefarious folks to gather.
As I stepped through, a dodgy youngster stepped out of the shadow, saying, ‘Well, well, what have we here? Welcome to The Pricks.’ I replied with a ‘What?’ And attempted to get back to the fire door to exit, somehow knowing and submitting to the fact that I wasn’t going to make it and my legs were as if stuck in treacle.
Unable to face my fate, I woke myself up, wondering who won the football and scared to go back to sleep.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
My old student Cake, who is in grade 10 now, is in the Science Program and aiming to be a doctor. She took me to the stand where she was demonstrating what worms are made up of and how they work.
She looks and behaves so grown up now that last Thursday, when students don’t need to wear a uniform, I mistook her for a teacher!
Also, Jet, who showed me a little about how Instagram works and Tonaor, who showed me how to follow everyone in their class.
The best thing about today was:
Watching some of my students perform a dance routine that I had seen them practising for the last few weeks. I thought that they were just doing it for fun but I was amazed at how professional they were when they were on stage today.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I arrived back at school at 10:20 to discover that today is Science Day and many of my 10:30 grade 12 class were taking part in it and those that weren’t wanted to go and watch them. Well, ok, I guess.
I didn’t know anything about this (though I do know that tomorrow is another event that disrupts my classes) but I rolled with it and went to check it out for a little while too. It was pretty fun, though I’m not sure how the sexy dancing competition fit into the theme of the event but everyone seemed to be having a good time.
After an hour, I headed back for more coffee and reading and writing ( and my final grade 8) class, asking to skip today to go to the event, but we all knew that it would be finished by then and they were just trying it on.
I took it easy with them, though and we had a fun class practising what we did yesterday, introductions and asking conversational questions and I came up with an interesting idea for them to try next week. Basically, getting each of my grade 8 classes to go and record themselves interacting with each other, having the same type of conversations. It will push them a little and will show me who is motivated.
Something I learned today?
In the Middle Ages, what we now call a hedgehog was called an urchin. That’s a fairly useless piece of information.
I also heard about a Palestinian man who went to register the birth of his three-day-old twins and came home to find that Israel had bombed the apartment where they were staying (as they had been displaced) killing the babies, their mother (who was a well-liked doctor) and grandmother.
Sickeningly, some Israeli online commenters said that they were happy to have taken away everything from this man.
This is how terrorists are made.
Submitted to Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Mislead
Today I’m feeling:
Average to fair. Didn’t sleep for long enough again but forced myself up and to do a little 10-minute exercise and hope to start getting back into it.
I still have headaches and my voice and throat is still a little sore and croaky. I’m in a reasonable headspace though.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
My adaptability. As I’m entering details into the blog from when I started working in high school at CRPAO I can see how I have managed to adapt myself to the environment and become more flexible and understanding.
The best thing about today was:
Jet, Lin and Mai, my old grade 9 students, love touching my belly for some reason but today Lin squealed and called over Jet and they were both disappointed to feel that I have lost some belly fat.
I’m not actually sure that I have but this made me feel good that perhaps some of the exercising that I have been doing these past few years may be having some small effect.
Something I learned today?
I spoke to Hayden yesterday and he has moved into a new place, which he seems happy with. He also reckons he’s on for a new workplace which will give him a little more money and better working conditions. I hope that he gets that.
He has a few days off and is flying down to Melbourne to get a tattoo. Seems a long way to go just for a tattoo but, I guess he’ll be doing other stuff whilst there. I think his mum is still supporting him too much but he’s slowly getting there to stand on his own two feet.
Submitted to No Theme Thursday (and the attached picture)
Today I’m feeling:
Super tired as I definitely didn’t catch up on any missed sleep from Sunday night. Never mind. I’ll have to try tonight.
I was looking forward to sitting down with some coffee and free time when my grade 9 students called me and asked to move their class from the afternoon to this morning again.
As this kinda suits me too, leaving the afternoon free, I rushed back and we went in search of a free room, ending up in the library.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Nong Kratae for helping out Anchan as much as she can. It may not be much and it may not be enough for Anchan but Kratae is offering some hope at least. I will have to think of something that I can do for her as thanks one day. And I will ask Anchan for suggestions and if she can contribute in some way too.
The best thing about today was:
I felt my health improve a little over the day, especially mentally. Somehow, being at school is picking me up mentally, whilst seemingly running me down physically.
I was particularly energised after my grade 8 class finished at 12.30 but I didn’t leave school for another 45 minutes as various groups of students came to distract me, wanting to chat.
Something I learned today?
After much hassling from my students, I installed Instagram and TikTok and have been trying to work out how they work and if they are even remotely useful for me.
I still don’t quite get them or how they work. At the end of the day, I just want to use this software to stay in contact with my students in the future.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
As I was contemplating being able to finish early and go home, Anchan messaged me asking to go with her to Nong Kratae’s for the first time today this afternoon.
I guess as I wasn’t due to finish until 4.30 pm anyway, then it’s not a big deal and I’m hanging around at House catching up on reading and writing. Trying to get my brain back into poem-writing mode after a few days away from writing.
Written for a contest at AllPoetry.com about Bad Jonny himself.
Today I’m feeling:
A little rough in the stomach this morning but maybe all the chilli last night has blown away my headache and sore throat.
We didn’t get home until 1 am and I woke up at first at my regular wake-up time but slept a little more before forcing myself up.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 6
Today I’m grateful for:
Cheese and the store-brand vintage cheddar from Makro, which is reasonably priced. I just have to remember that we have it in the fridge because generally, now I don’t have cheese with any meals.
The best thing about today was:
Packing up a bunch of vinyl to send to Nampan from SpeechOdd, hopefully tomorrow. I need to get these records into their hands where they can sell them at shows.
I felt productive at least.
I also managed to get some guitar playing in today, too and noticed a slight improvement.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Takky came over for lunch with Amy, which continued for 7 hours into dinnertime too. Amy said that he is much more himself again after all the stress of his PhD work.
I let them get on with it whilst I was doing my stuff and didn’t hassle Amy to make me food as I had the cheese and her soft, sweet bread rolls to keep me going.
Something I learned today?
I learned a new finger exercise on guitar that I should try and remember and practice often. You know, along with everything else that I should do!
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I donated a copy of the High Voltage/SpeechOdd LP to put on display at Utopia.
I put Anchan in touch with Nong Kratae at the English Place and Champ has also supplied some information that may be useful for her.
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