Month: September 2024

Thinking Cap – 10th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

A useless politic
Thoughts no longer stick
Subdued by a trick
– Of the missing thinking cap

Look twice before the leap
A hole twice as deep
A perfect place to sleep
– A dungeon of the mind

Tighter pull the chains
Against the thrashing strains
So little air remains
– Just a silent scream

Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United – scream and Ovi Poetry Challenge 64 – think

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good once I got up and going.

Last night, Cap was in our room when we turned out the light, but when I was almost asleep, he wanted to get out. That was ok, and I was drifting off again after about five minutes.

Then suddenly, the screams and cries of both our cats fighting shocked us both awake, and we ran out to find them with claws in each other and fur everywhere over the floor.

After separating them, we found that Cap was bleeding from his paw and one of his nails was pulled completely out. As we cleaned up his wound, we were both fully awake again.

We put Cap back in our room and kept him in until early morning.

When my alarm went off, I was in the middle of a sex dream based on a true story that Amy had told me last night. I contemplated grabbing an extra few minutes, but pushed myself to get up and was glad that I did.

(Later) It has been grey and raining all day, which has dampened my mood a little and at 5 pm I’m already feeling sleepy.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The pharmacy in Central for finally having some Ultracet in stock again.

The best thing about today was:

Coming home after lunch and getting a lot of comic reading in. A suitable dull rainy day for reading.

We also watched Wolverine and Deadpool this evening, and I enjoyed all the comic-book references in it, but the movie itself was pretty average.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

The room that I had been borrowing for the grade 10 class was in use today, so amongst the students and me, we had to find another classroom for our lesson. I eventually found one in building five, though the tables and chairs were all stacked away, which made it a bit awkward.

With it being dull and rainy too, the kids weren’t in much of a mood to study either, but we got through.

Something I learned today?

Tangmo came to visit when I got home and I fed him a snack as usual. When I’ve seen him in the last few days, I noticed that he had a little difficulty chewing and swallowing the snacks and today I saw why.

I pulled back his jowls and saw that his top left canine had been pulled out of the gum but there was still gum around the whole tooth, so that it was just hanging off that and flapping around in his mouth. It looked crazy and annoying.

Unsure if the family across the road knew about it, I went over to Auntie’s next door and showed them. They will tell their relatives about it, though I don’t know if they’ll bother to do anything.

Another Aysenur – 9th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Shot in the head, stabbed in the back
On the wrong side of the borders
Death comes swiftly to the citizens
No longer following orders

Broken moral compasses
All are lost and left stumbling
Blind to the colour of others’ blood
Our humanity is crumbling

Two wrongs have no right
To dictate the future states
Endless repetition is all
A corrupt morality creates

Counting down the days….

Today I’m feeling:

Ok but the grey rainy skies are very dull and uninspiring, tricking me into feeling a little down.

I got back to a little exercise this morning and though I still have phlegm stuck in my throat, causing me some breathing difficulty, I don’t have any other symptoms at the moment.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

After what I wrote on Saturday about more new releases, I decided to get involved with working with the label Flaxxist and I’m grateful that they agreed and were appreciative of my help, too.

Now, I’d better find out their actual name!

The best thing about today was:

Being a little bit unsure about my lessons today, I was happy that the grade 12 kids knuckled down to what I had set them to do and came up with good results.

In my first grade 8 class, I was still putting together a word search task as the kids came in and after they completed that, I was happily surprised that they mostly all did well in a spelling test with words they have learned throughout this semester.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Randomly talking with Kru Mai, he just happened to mention that the last week of this month is Scout Week again! So that means that we are done teaching at the end of next week!

I can’t imagine the kids being too crazy about doing Scout Week for the last week of their semester! Lots will skip it, I’m sure!

Something I learned today?

For some reason, a student whom I taught for a semester a couple of years ago popped into my head as I hadn’t seen her in our high school. But I couldn’t remember her name.

I asked Piano when I saw her but she wasn’t sure who I meant. Then I found Pat and August and they told me it was Yok and that now she is at Damrong, studying computer software.

I hope she’s doing well.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

After my last class, I left the room pretty quickly and ended up chatting with many students whom I came across. A little later, a message came through to the teacher’s group with a photo of the room, with the chairs all messed up and posters fallen from the walls. The posters keep falling off, no matter how many times they get put up, but I should’ve had the students help straighten up the chairs at least. My bad.

Momo took this picture because she needed a picture of me as part of her interviewing me for some task in her Thai class. Then she took a few more for fun. Pan, me, Namsai and Momo.

House Of Secrets – 8th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Cain will never stop killing his brother
There is no path to peace
Perpetually fighting one another
A house of secrets has no keys
Each morning another death repeated
Each night let the tribe increase
The human condition cannot be cheated
Until, in time, the tribe will cease

Inspired by Nick Cave’s explanation of the song Frogs and ‘let the tribe increase’ is taken from The Mob’s album of the same name.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good again, forcing myself to get up slowly at 7.30 am. I want to try and get into the groove that I was in yesterday and get shit done!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The cheap McVities chocolate biscuits from the ‘blue shop’ (easier to say than Thanapiraya!).

Also to Poowanat at Heaven and Hell for paying up front for the records I sent down to him this morning.

And the lady at the post office again for patiently helping me get all my packages sent.

Also, after my successful grammar lesson on Friday, I screenshot a load of other grammar ideas to put some lessons together next week.

The best thing about today was:

Watching the Swans beat GWS in a thrilling match that was even tense for me just watching the mini-match replay.

Amy came in from the kitchen to see what was scaring the cats. It was me, clapping and whooping.

GWS led throughout the whole game and I gave it up before half time but somehow they got their shit together and got ahead with only a couple of minutes to go. Awesome start to the day (after coffee, of course).

Also, after my disappointment with my guitaring yesterday, today I bashed along with a bunch of familiar songs and felt a lot better for it.

Something I learned today?

Half a million Israelis protested today against Netanyahu’s actions against Palestine, demanding a ceasefire to get the remaining hostages back. How many were protesting the genocide of the Palestinians?

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I sent a six-month follow-up message to Earn to check in with her and see how she is doing again. I don’t see her around much at school now.

I also sent a message to Lydia since she left a couple of months ago for a new school.

Thinker’s Tableau – 7th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 16 Comments

An audience quiet
Digests careful words
Rapt in attention
Honesty demands
A thoughtful response
Worthy of the room

To conjure reply
And beg discussion
Once contemplated
Wind blows back and forth
To bend and not break
Careful and controlled

To think and wonder
Share our differences
Arrive at conclusions
Agreed to or not
Left to meditate
Played well for pleasure

Shared with No Theme Thursday (attached picture prompt) and dVerse MTB – tableau
16th Dec 2024 – Shared with Ragtag Daily Prompt – meditate

Today I’m feeling:

Quite well rested, waking up at nine this morning, though I think I may have slept after midnight as I was into reading comics.

Health:

Physical: 7 Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Selling a couple of items online after a quick post on Bandcamp and Facebook and then getting some more of the HighxVoltage/Speech Odd LPs out to HV and Heaven and Hell in Bangkok. Days like this make me feel more connected.

The best thing about today was:

Finding a couple of cool Thai bands through a random discovery on Facebook, contacting the record label and the guy there saying that he thought tenzenmen was cool. It’s nice to get some positive feedback.

And despite thinking just a couple of days ago I can’t afford to be getting involved with any more releases yet, today I’m wondering if I can be part of these band’s upcoming output. Sigh!

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I ran out of steam this afternoon as I primarily went to my room to write and play guitar but got stuck into packing up all the orders and requests for merch. By the time I picked up the guitar, I couldn’t stick with it for more than ten minutes and then when I sat down to write, I couldn’t find much inspiration.

That’s fine, though. Tomorrow is another day and I will get some writing done then.

Something I learned today?

The local post office is only open from 9 am until noon but at least it opens those hours on Sunday, too now.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I swept up the leaves in the entertainment area of my own volition.

I cleaned up the rat!

I cleaned up the litter trays at Amy’s request.

The Infection – 6th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Let’s get serious
This is no time to sleep
Now we’re in business
Gulp the air in deep
Let’s get serious
This is no drum circle of friends
Roar out your heart
As if your life depends
Laugh until it hurts
And all that’s broken mends
Let’s get serious

A fold poem variation inspired by the folks I used to see in the park every Saturday morning when I took my son to swimming class. I forget their group’s name but they were essentially a Laughter Club and would stand in a circle and force themselves to laugh loudly. Submitted to dVerse’s Poetics: Just for Laughs prompt.

Today I’m feeling:

A little blurry but a little better again. I still have phlegm stuck in my throat but it’s not as intense as before. I’m starting to get back to normal.

It was also good to get back to school today and get me off my lazy ass and into the maelstrom of kid craziness.

(Later) By the end of the day, I’m feeling almost back to normal and motivated again. Hooray!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Still being motivated enough when I got home to get out into my room and get some stuff sorted, though I ran out of energy before I could play any guitar.

The best thing about today was:

Enjoying all my classes today, made more entertaining by there being fewer students and being able to spend more time interacting.

It probably helped that everyone was in a good mood, as we all only had one day of school this week.

I also think that I will try to copy the format of today’s lessons, as they were relatively simple compared with some that I try to teach.

Something I learned today?

Hawthorn smashed the Bulldogs tonight, so both Geelong and Hawthorn are looking good right now. The Swans game is tomorrow and I am nervous and excited. It’s going to be a tough task to win the Premiership this year.

Spin Sorrow – 5th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 12 Comments

Spin your sorrow into strength
Weave new words of wisdom
From your free-spun mind

Deny spider thoughts at length
A lost control decision
Loosened the threads that bind

Put back together the unravelled
With stories around the campfire
And a beaten-up guitar

A quadrille (44 words) for dVerse Quadrille #207 – spin and first line inspired and paraphrased from this poem ‘Losing my grip’ by Carol Anne

Today I’m feeling:

A little tired and still with a croaky throat. I don’t feel as sick as I did at the beginning of the week, though. I didn’t sleep so well as my hips were aching again. If it’s not my neck, then it’s my hips!

Maybe I’ve been lying down too much this week, though and need to get back to moving again.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Receiving some of the things I ordered online today. Cat food, granola and kratom.

The best thing about today was:

I was happy to find out today that Amy’s health check turned out well. I should get mine done, too; they have a special price deal until the end of the year.

Also for receiving an overseas vinyl order, plus possible distro to Germany and Japan. I need to get back into my room and packing stuff to ship.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

The plan was to go to Big C after running Amy around at the hospital so that I could get some more Duocets at the pharmacy there, but the doctor wasn’t due there for another three hours.

They told me that he’ll be there all day tomorrow, though, so at least I can pick them up then. I’m down to the last one.

Something I learned today?

Big C is stocking the yoghurt I like now, so if Makro runs out, I can try there too.

I took this picture because these seed pods are pretty unusual to me and stood out in the driveway.

Thumbing Kerouac – 4th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 7 Comments

Thumbing Kerouac again with a sigh
Yearning to be back on the road once more
The vines of fear wrap around my thigh
Rooting me here to tap at the door

The flash of sky will release the rain
The vanishing days despoil this trip
Blind to the trickles down the pane
And the candle top’s constant drip

Strong we are in the sun
Knowing one day
the rains will come

Submitted to WDYS #252 (picture prompt above) and Wordle #669 (12 words below)

Today I’m feeling:

A little bit better again, thankfully. I did sleep in this morning, though, which probably helped.

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The lady at the post office who put up with my bullshit, asking her to give me prices on a package, with me taking bits out and then asking for a new price… and then asking for other available options and those prices. I wai’d her sincerely afterwards.

The best thing about today was:

Finding that someone had put up the latest Stewart Lee special on YouTube, and I watched it immediately as there’s a good chance it will soon get taken down again.

Look Back And Smile – 3rd September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 26 Comments

One day we’ll look back and smile
Laugh at the silly things we did
We don’t need to do them again
There’s no need to be repeated

A rocking chair on the back porch
One day we’ll look back and smile
A book in hand, a reminder
Of happy days once in a while

Through all trials and tribulations
We found our happiness at last
One day we’ll look back and smile
At the tough times we have passed

We must recall the lessons learned
Before we get old and senile
And the final chapter beckons
One day we’ll look back and smile

Submitted to Weekly Prompts -The One-Day Prompt (5) and inspired by Sadje’s entry ‘Change will happen – one day’ using the quatern form.
17th Dec 2025 – Shared with dVerse Poetics Tuesday – looking back
20th Mar 2026 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #219

Today I’m feeling:

A little better again, though still not quite right. Big storms rolled through last night with window-rattling thunder that woke up from time to time. The rainwater in the garden now has nowhere to go as the ground is saturated.

I’m also a little anxious about how little money I have left already this month but I keep reminding myself that it is only a 30-day month, so it feels like I will get paid again sooner than some other months!

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The new mala shop that opened at the end of our soi and we tried for lunch today.

At first, it tasted so-so, but it got better as the flavours began to soak into the food and settle on our palates.

My stomach is complaining a little bit now, though.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling motivated and feeling like I was getting things done. I’m almost caught up on checking out all the music I’ve downloaded this year. I cleared out some poems that I needed to read, wrote a couple myself, did some more grading, downloaded more comics and even managed to practice some guitar.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Despite feeling a bit better, my voice is really croaky and it feels like something is blocking the airways.

For the last few nights, I’ve been waking up, lying on my back and gasping for breath.

Something I learned today?

Well, things have blown up badly between one of Amy’s close friends and her husband and it’s all in process right now. Without going into detail, it raises uncomfortable questions that we might ask ourselves if we were in that situation.

So the best thing to do is not get into that situation. Simple.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I congratulated the students who performed their play today and came fourth.

I then commiserated with them as the Thai teachers berated them for not doing better.

Across The Room – 2nd September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

It’s understood now
– Standing on the other side
– – Art hung in splendour

Squinting at the past
– Gone with the flow of the tide
– – Returned to sender

Perspective requires
– A distance beyond the known
– – Coughing up sunshine

A new world beckons
– The antithesis of home
– – Seemingly sublime

Caught in the moment
– Reflections in the window
– – As the train pulls in

Clawing the way out
– Of all the worlds goes to show
– – The jewel in the crown

Inspired and paraphrased from this post at Spinning Visions
13th Nov 2024 – Shared with Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Distance

Today I’m feeling:

A little better. I set my alarm for 7 and went about preparing like any other school day, taking my laptop to Utopia and sitting there reading and writing, then a little later, doing some grading.

I came back home around 11 am and didn’t end up doing much more.

After a bike ride with Amy in the late afternoon, I did put together half a lesson but I couldn’t motivate myself to get out to my room and play the guitar.

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 6

Today I’m grateful for:

Not running out of petrol on our bike ride this afternoon, as little Fino has been running on fumes for the last week or so.

I was also grateful to get paid, though I managed to spend almost half of it immediately, paying bills and ordering some needed items online.

The best thing about today was:

Starting to feel like I was getting a little of my writing inspiration back again.

Something I learned today?

Last night, Amy asked me if Hayden had called me and I said no and she reminded me that it was Father’s Day. In fact, he had tried to call through Facebook but I was logged in with my other account, so I didn’t know until I checked today and called him back.

He seemed a little down and told me that he and Vash had broken up. He did have some things coming up that he is looking forward to, though.

Slowly, slowly, Hayden, son.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I finished paying for the Minnesota Pocket Circuit CD to be produced today and hopefully it will be ready soon, and Team in Bangkok can start promoting his new band.

Fairlight Falls – 1st September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

Fairlight falls down
side-poured through silver
trunks dripping gold

Soft feet crinkle steps
along a path hidden
under the crispy cakes

The third of March,
we two are three,
Mother and son

One foot forward,
a thought not repeated
on this path trodden once

Soft, bright and smooth
hands held in safety;
the comfort of a paw

Knowing no place to go
into the autumn stride
compelled towards the light

My first attempt at a triversen (as discussed at dVerse) using the No Theme Thursday picture attached as a prompt

Today I’m feeling:

A little better after coffee but this morning I didn’t want to get up and covered my head with a pillow to block the light and noise from Cap scratching at the door to be fed. I was slow to get up and felt like a zombie trudging around the house.

My eyes still ache and there is a weird feeling at the bottom of my throat. Whenever I tilt my head back, I’m automatically forced to cough. I want to feel normal again!

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 6

Today I’m grateful for:

A little five-minute ride around the back of our house on the way back from coffee this morning.

Even though I know the roads well enough, they always look different each time I go there. Stuff grows so quickly and at the same time can be removed quickly too.

The best thing about today was:

A documentary about Rhodesia/Zimbabwe gave me some more information about the history there, after reading about it in the Decline and Fall of the British Empire.

The traveller who made the documentary also followed on into South Africa and it was interesting to note that it seemed to be safer in Zimbabwe, which I was a little surprised by.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I slept for three hours after lunch today. This was better than yesterday at least, when I slept for two hours before lunch.

Something I learned today?

Ipswich have their first point of the season after a one-all draw against Fulham yesterday.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

As I was riding around this morning, Amy called me to pick up some tomatoes. I was nowhere near the market by that time but I went back and spent ten baht!

I took this screenshot from a video sent to me on Friday morning, from three students who were off doing something and couldn’t come to class. All they said in the video was ‘We love you, teacher Shaun!’ Aww.   This is Toey and Air.