Category: 2024

Storm And Stress – 14th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

When the beat of the drum becomes a banging
and frontlines full of dead men left hanging,
let’s raise white flags, redraw maps and decide
unstable future’s by inequitable divide

Wheels forever turn
Bloods boil and burn
Guns forever bang
Repeat sturm und drang

Shared with dVerse Quadrille #214 – bang

Today I’m feeling:

Ok but a little bit old man-weekendy. Having nothing in particular planned for today, beyond reading and playing guitar, without any externally imposed anxiety, means a deep unwinding which may fall into lethargy. A lethargy that doesn’t always make me happy.

At the same time, I realise that I also need to recover my energies.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

A new ice cream shop in the city that makes some nice homemade flavours, along with some cakes. I had Banoffee Pie ice cream with a piece of lemon tart and they were both delicious.

The best thing about today was:

Getting half price sushi buffet at Oshinei today. Typically, we ate too much, trying to get all the value that we could out of the deal.

We are both stuffed with just the one meal today!

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

We went to the new Bath and Body Works that has opened for the first time in Chiang Rai. It was a smaller shop and a little underwhelming and it felt like everything was expensive just because we were in Chiang Rai.

Usually, when we visit this shop, it is in Chiang Mai or Bangkok and we have an expectation of overspending here!

Something I learned today?

We will get a week off for the New Year holiday this year. Nice!

Aing called us today and told us that she broke up with Now (which wasn’t that big of a surprise to be honest) but she also said that she has found another guy at her workplace (not in the same team though) and she looked super, super happy again.

I took this picture because some of my students call me Teacher Spoon, as my name in Thai sounds similar.

Watermelon – 13th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

The fertile soils know nothing of humanity
As it is tilled into dust
Masses of molecules, ambivalent
To all the partitions discussed

Oblivious to gods, watermelons grow
In amongst the shouts
The squawks of the barbarian
Echo along the valley of doubts

Bring another flood to wash clean
The fields of blood
Plant the watermelon seeds
In this god-forsaken mud

Never mind the river or the sea
There’s no mountain owned
All the king’s horses and men
Will see the kings dethroned

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good, waking before my alarm again, though I did sleep earlier last night too. The BetterMe exercises are really getting me going in the morning, along with a cold start shower afterwards, meaning I step under the shower and turn on the tap to get about 15 seconds of cold water before it warms up.

It has finally gotten cold enough to not have aircon at night but I still have the fan on at the moment.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Whoever makes the cookies that they sell at Le Paradis. I just have to control myself from buying them every day!

The best thing about today was:

My last class of the day with the grade 11 Hospitality students and J-Biz students. It was a light-hearted, fun class about Japanese culture, in keeping with the theme of the week.

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

I had to deduct points from more than half of my grade 8 students for not doing their work for me yesterday and it made me decide that I need to deal with them a little differently.

Today, I immediately graded all their work in front of the whole class. Not in a vindictive manner, but in a way that they can immediately see the outcome of what they do, or lack thereof.

Something I learned today?

I randomly came across an album online that had a picture of the artists on the cover and one was almost the spitting image of Hayden, from the facial hair to the cap and clothes. I sent him the picture and he laughed about it too.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Nomsen absent-mindedly left her iPad behind in the classroom, so I picked it up for her to keep safe. A few minutes later, she called me and I told her that I had sold it at the market for 10 baht.

She laughed and soon came back to get it, looking a little sheepish. She was appreciative of my taking care of her but also acknowledged that she had just had ten points deducted in SchoolBright due to her not doing any work for me yesterday.

I guess my class wasn’t exciting enough for these two this morning.

First Page Poem – 12th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

Despite the forbidding blank page
I still write
Despite the disquieting dread rage
I still fight

Despite the illusions cast in light
I still see
Despite the end almost in sight
I still be

Despite the rocky paths ahead
I still ride
Despite promises the tiger said
I still hide

Despite the gold in my hand
I still need
Despite the words that are banned
I still read

Despite the worry of the yield
I still feed
Despite the crows across the field
I still seed

Despite the depression taking hold
I still strive
Despite this train now grown old
I still arrive

Shared with dVerse Poetics: “Despite and Still“

Today I’m feeling:

Great, despite getting up a couple of times in the night, the second time with forty minutes before my alarm was due to go off. I contemplated just getting up but managed to get back into a light sleep before the alarm roused me again.

Day 2 of BetterMe exercise was tough as it was concentrating on arms, so involved different types of push-ups, which my weakling little arms and dodgy shoulder still struggle with.

At school, I wandered around talking with students at the different stalls for Japan Day and everyone was in a good mood. I particularly enjoyed watching my students submit the tasks that I assigned them instead of having a class. I got them counting to ten, taking cosplay photos and singing songs. Some students surprised me, though not the lazy ones who didn’t bother to submit anything.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Free time. With no classes today, I spent a lot of time wandering around school and sitting in the cafe.

Eventually, I had had enough and decided to come home early with the idea of telling the school that I forgot to sign out when I left today.

Because of all the free time, I got to prepare a lot of my photocopies for my visa application, clear up the backlog of poetry to read and get back to the garage as they didn’t plug the reversing camera back in yesterday.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling on top of things in general. Not one thing stands out in particular today.

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

My lazy students bothered me a little bit today but only in that they made me work harder chasing them up throughout the day and evening.

Personally, their laziness is their choice and doesn’t actually affect me.

Something I learned today?

I am delighted to see that Nong Praew is super happy in her new school. I hope she does well there, where she seems to have some friends.

I took this picture because this girl said that she is one of my students but I didn’t recognise her! I later figured out that it was Aom.

Fishing – 11th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Weak in direction

Wandering in thought
Diffident impulses

Waiting to be caught



Careless of failure

A broad range reception

Cast a wide net

Contemplate reflection



Immediate impression

Accepting anything

Start with a tiddler

From a little spring



Can’t be kept from thinking

Waiting for a nibble

Watch the river flow
Into an inky scribble

Inspired by part of the essay The Way of Writing by William Stafford

Today I’m feeling:

Fairly invigorated and cautiously happy. I have a little tiredness behind my eyes.

I subscribed to a BetterMe exercise program and started it this morning. It was pretty straightforward with some new exercises for me. When I arrived at school my body felt great from the workout I had given it. Sitting in the cafe before my first class, though, I can feel a sluggishness coming on. Hopefully, my first class pep me up again.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The BetterMe app.

A tip before subscribing: I searched for BetterMe promo codes and followed one of the links, which gave me a 50% discount. I then filled out the form required and submitted it, but didn’t respond to the email.

In the following 24 hours, I received a follow-up with a further incentive of 80% more discount. The price I am more than comfortable with.

I’m also going to figure out a way to save the workouts so I can continue using them after my subscription is completed – not forgetting to cancel it before being charged the full rate.

The best thing about today was:

I really enjoyed my quick afternoon grade 10 class where I turned the tables on them and asked them to make questions based in the text they saw on Monday.

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

When I arrived at my grade 12 class this morning, they all cried that they wanted to go and help with things for Japan Day tomorrow.

I was also thinking about what I can ask my grade 8 students to do tomorrow, as they will definitely ask me to attend instead of studying.

So I figured to kill two birds with one stone and asked my grade 12 students to come up with ten tasks that I can ask the grade 8s to complete during the event.

They are smart enough and came up with them quickly and then went off to help. I went to the teacher’s room for a little while and when I came back to check on the room, all the students were there again, saying that there was nothing left for them to do!

I let them have free time rather than try to cram in some work for them.

Something I learned today?

I checked out the Bluesky app as it has been talked about as the new better Twitter but to me it just looked like a dumbed-down version of Substack, which I will stick with instead.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

It was Fah’s birthday today so I bought her a slice of cake.

I took this picture because my grade 10 students seem to enjoy my class.

Here And Now – 10th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

Quiet
contemplation;
“Home is where the heart is,”
yet, I am far away
overlooking
sunsets

Poetry Form :- Badger Hexastich ( 2/4/6/6/4/2 syllables) (thanks kittyverses) – shared with Reena’s Xploration Challenge #359 and What’s Going On – homecoming

Today I’m feeling:

A little slow to go after sleeping well. Waiting for the coffee to kick in.

We have a funeral ceremony to attend in Mae Chan this morning. Baew’s dad’s friend was in a car accident on Sunday and died tragically.

A short trip between their houses, he thought it didn’t require a seat belt, which sadly, may have saved him. It is a reminder to all of us.

A headache came on during the morning, probably from sleeping in a weird position, as my neck is constantly cracking.

At the funeral, I was hungry, tired and dizzy, wondering how many of these are ahead before my own.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The new Android device that Amy paid to put into Mum’s old car and which does seem to successfully do mostly what I would like it to do.

The best thing about today was:

Fiddling around in the old car, setting up the audio and discovering other things that can be done, along with making it smell nice.

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

I had to lie down for a while and have a bit of a sleep after the funeral. My headache was pretty annoying but thankfully had gone after waking up again.

Something I learned today?

After the funeral today, Amy told me that the wife of the uncle who died felt sure that he crashed his car on purpose after an argument with his spoiled, drug-addicted 40-year-old son.

Crazy if true, but it does explain how it could have happened because camera evidence and the site of the crash didn’t seem to indicate anything untoward.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

At the cafe in the morning, I took back the plates and cups I had used to the counter. I think the staff were a bit surprised.

I dropped a book of mazes to Baipad and Namhom today. Neither of them seemed that impressed, Namhom in particular, as she was glued to an exciting game on her phone.

Screenshot

The Baddies – 9th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

Are we the baddies? You’d better believe it
We’ve been found out even by our friends
They finally saw through the lies we told
As we manipulated them for our own ends

Are we the baddies? But we were told
The world only wants what we can give
And our freedom and democracy
Is what they all needed to live

Are we the baddies? Oh we surely are
Slowly our friends left our sinking ship
Despite a desperate clinging on to hope
We’ve slowly been losing our grip

Inspired by this Second Thought video

2024-12-09

Today I’m feeling:

Good, especially knowing that tomorrow is another day off again.

I was expecting fewer students at school today but all my classes were reasonably full. That’s fine, though. I found some random lesson to teach, as the one that I really want to do, I want to start in a week when there are no holidays (which may actually be difficult!)

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s mum for giving us her old car. We don’t expect or ask anything much from the family, so it was a nice surprise.

The best thing about today was:

I enjoyed two of my classes today, where we talked about kindness. Two of the last questions raised much discussion as I asked what Random Acts of Kindness they had done recently and then what one they could do in the next 24 hours.

Many students just thought that helping their parents clean the house was sufficient but I had to impress on them that it must be random, not something that they normally do and so usually with someone that they don’t know.

I asked them to commit to doing what they wrote and to send me a picture or video. I doubt I will get anything from them but I will probably revisit this later with them.

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

Amy got mum’s old car today and took it to a place to change the stereo. I needed Bluetooth, USB for power and audio input but from the picture Amy sent I can’t send any audio input for my iPod.

I’m hoping I can find a solution if that is the case.

When I got home, Amy was still in the city and there had been a typical Thai-style non-communication, which ended up with us not getting the car back and Amy driving mum’s brand new car back instead.

As to mum’s new car – that’s another drama but I’ll leave that for another time.

Something I learned today?

After really enjoying reading the Lucifer comics and a few years ago seeing that the TV show was quite highly rated, I thought that I would give it a try.

Sadly, it is US trash TV – enjoyable but vapid. I wasn’t expecting it to be like the comics but I was also disappointed with its lack of depth and reduction of characters to caricatures.

I really don’t enjoy this style of TV anymore – even though it is quite similar to comic book schlock. I want my comic book schlock only in my comic books.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I talked with a few teachers about options for Anchan and they all suggested talking with Teacher Em and that there are possibilities for her to get loan money from the government.

Via translation, I talked with Anchan about this. She didn’t seem so keen on talking with Teacher Em at this stage and is already thinking of applying for the loan next semester (she’s not eligible yet).

She also told me that she has been talking with an Auntie who she can live with later this month and that she is helping with money.

At the end of the day, I told her that she will need to go through these channels in future and that she won’t be able to come to me to ask for money. I don’t want to believe the worst about her but it is possible that she is just using me. Right now, on a personal level, I don’t care about that but going forward, she will have to pursue these avenues first.

Held Back – 8th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The wise sage, somewhat cynical
Knows what to say and when
The optimist, still straight and clinical
Is in trouble with words again

Yet when the time came to inspire
The sage’s words fell short
Because one’s dreams also require
Revision to what has been taught

Maybe the fire inside was unseen
So the sage had to be let go
Not understanding what it would mean
To be held back by what one would know

Inspired by a newsletter from Daivd Elikwu about the dangers of role models and my own experience I am currently revisiting from 2020 with my then role model, George.

2024-12-08

Today I’m feeling:

Positive and happy, though a little tired.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Hangie successfully getting Amy home at 2.30 am this morning after a night out in the city.

The best thing about today was:

I got out to my room to play guitar at three different times today and I can see a little improvement. I also fiddled a little with Ableton, trying and failing to get it to do what I wanted. Need to find some tutorials.

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

As I’m helping Baipad save up some money to go for a health check, I wanted her to come with me to the hospital to get the information on exactly what she needs, and at the same time, the information I need, as I want to do the same thing too.

This afternoon, I dropped by and though she was reluctant to come because she hates interaction with strangers, I convinced her after she asked if Namhom could come too.

We went around the back way to avoid the highway and they both seemed fairly chirpy.

When we got there, I asked Baipad to ask the security guard for information, but unfortunately, he told us that they are only open Monday to Friday (which surprised me a little).

Oh well, never mind. When we got back, I asked Baipad to find the information online and she duly did.

Even though this was just a little thing today, it is the kind of thing that will boost her confidence in the future.

We were both happy to discover that the price is not as high as we were expecting.

Something I learned today?

I started reading Persepolis this morning and immediately wanted to learn more about the history of Iran.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I rescued Piti when he dashed out of Utopua this morning.

Noey took this picture because this is her last day working at Utopia. She has exams next weekend before heading off to her internship but I will likely see her on those mornings as she’ll pick up coffee first.

The Copses – 7th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 4 Comments
Pic by Clare Westbrook

I
recall
the forests
walked in winters
Kings Copse and Queens Copse
Muddied paws, misty views
Foreboding darkness within
Fresh pine beds for love’s liaisons
Illicit affairs away from spies
Let’s hope no one else is walking their dogs
Wet nose
Surprise!

Shared with dVerse MTB: An Etheree Tree and inspired my explorations in my youth where I would often walk our dog or just go exploring for fun. Sometimes, with my first girlfriend and hidden deep within the dark confines of the forest, we would lay down on the soft pine needle bed.
Queen’s Copse is a pine forest and King’s Copse is an oak forest.
There are not many pictures from this area and the one above doesn’t really show just how dark it was inside, just a few feet away from the track. No light was getting in there.

2024-12-07

Today I’m feeling:

Good after a nice sleep. I woke up before my alarm again and, surprisingly, was feeling hungry. I ate a lot for dinner last night, a slab of lasagna plus a bowl of salad, which contained four eggs. I also woke up with guitar songs in my head and look forward to playing today.

After lunch (more lasagna), I napped again (it seems I can no longer fight it) and then enjoyed some time reading in the hammock.

I say I enjoyed it, that was the book, but the constant irritation of flies and the humidity soon had me back indoors and into aircon, where, ironically, Amy was so cold that she got herself a blanket.

Where’s our winter?

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s lasagna has kept me fed for another day. One more piece left.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling inspired to set up Ableton Live on my computer again and to dust off the keyboard. I fiddled around a little bit with it to try and familiarise myself again.

I’m not sure that I will be inspired enough to keep going with it yet, though.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I talked a little more with Anchan, trying to convince her to open up more with her friends and to talk more with the teachers and counsellor at school.

I fixed some more of our sliding window mossie protecter handles today.

The Ineffable – 6th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

A varied melancholy, pulsating darkness
Even though full and flourished
Despite outward appearance and circumstances
Darkness wills to be nourished

Untended beds, fallow of seed
Indisposition of the spirit
The lack of meaning we all need
Only if willing to hear it

Acknowledge the ineffable, under cover
Unmeasurable, outside the rational
Keep the devils at bay, from taking over
Connect the universal truths eternal

Inspired and paraphrased from The Red Hand Files #295

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good and relaxed. I still have the education system in my mind and sometimes the frustration overwhelms my thoughts. At times when I woke up last night, I had these thoughts, but thankfully I was able to get back to sleep okay.

I’ve been waking up before my alarm for a couple of weeks now, though I can’t tell how long before. It’s probably only five or ten minutes, maybe thirty at the most.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Kru Mai for giving me some information to try to help Anchan.

The best thing about today was:

My final class of the day had just four students, so I just let it go, but I took the opportunity to chat with Milk, who really needs to practice speaking more English.

Also with Toon, who was enthusiastic to try and talk about the future with me and the differences between Thai culture and Western culture when it comes to teenage kids.

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

I stayed until 4.30 pm today as I was being a good little boy and clocking out when I’m supposed to but I was struggling a bit as I was pretty hungry, hot and tired.

Traffic sucked on the way home, too. I’m wondering if it’s worth losing some money each month so that I can leave early!

Something I learned today?

Amy’s mum will buy a new car next week and pass her old one on to us. Amy has it earmarked for me but I told her it must have a new stereo first so that I can listen to podcasts. The car itself is fine; I don’t really care about what car I drive. I kinda like old junk cars better than new ones.

Yesterday, they also made a plan for us all to take a trip to Japan in April. Ok then!

I was shocked to see George in his morning class on time today. I’m guessing that my little chat with Kru Tang had got back to him in one way or another.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Anchan is struggling again. I’m trying to help her but I really don’t know what more I can do. I got some helpful information from Jee and Kru Mai.

Another of my struggling students, Praew, has finally quit our school and will start somewhere else. I hope she has a better time there but I’m guessing she will still have problems there at some point. She’s a lovely kid but it seems that something is misfiring in her brain. She would treat me as a father but still behave like a primary student.

A Splendid Winter Wood – 5th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 12 Comments

It’s a splendid winter wood
– On a chilly December morning
– – The crunchy road straight
– – Towards the gnarly wooden gate
– Unhinged a snowy warning
Where splendid walls once stood

It’s a splendid moss a-growing
– To shade this dewy frost
– – Ray’s barely breaking through
– – Another turn remained true
– At a further year’s cost
Awaiting the splendid summer’s glowing

Shared with Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – splendid and WDYS #265 picture prompt

Today I’m feeling:

Ok, after a pretty good sleep. We had the aircon on again for a while last night and that seemed to improve both our sleep.

Today is Father’s Day, and so that means a holiday, though Amy has invited her family over for lunch, so she’s busy this morning. I will come back and vacuum after coffee.

No exercise this morning and an extra hour in bed. Not thinking about doing much today except reading.

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Having a spare hard drive so that I can back up all my comic book files to it. There had been some power outages last week and the drive the files are on took a few days to re-index itself, so I got a little worried if I suddenly lost them all.

The best thing about today was:

Almost two hours of guitar playing. Although it was frustrating at times, I can feel myself slowly improving – so long as I don’t take too many days off between playing.

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

I felt ok in the morning, ready for family lunch but after eating, I just became overwhelmed with exhaustion.

Whilst everyone was chatting, I came into the living room and read for a few minutes before turning onto my side to sleep. The morning coffees kept my mind active for a little while but soon enough I was out for the count, perhaps for almost two hours.

Even on waking up, I felt like my brain wasn’t working yet. Amy came in and looked at me and asked if I was awake (despite the fact that I was reading) and I shook my head. She could see that I wasn’t quite with it.

Now it’s evening I feel quite good again and just hope that I can sleep ok tonight.

Something I learned today?

Out of 113 countries, Thailand ranks 101 for its general English language ability.

Being in the education system here, I can understand this position. I feel helpless and so sorry for all these lovely kids being so let down.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

After waking up in the afternoon and talking a little with Amy, she said that it was her friend’s birthday and she wanted to go and see her. She asked me if I would take her there and though I was still lethargic, I figured it would be good to get her out of the house so I could chill at home.

I got my haircut today and as usual, I gave the lady 100 baht even though she only charges 60.

I also took some watermelon to Baipad, which I bought at Kotchapol whilst looking for some food for myself. I bought some fresh buttered corn on the cob and pomelo – enough to keep me going without having another full meal.

Amy took this picture for Father’s Day lunch.