Twatter – 7th November 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Smash them in the shitter
Fry their dicks in batter
Friends of Gary Glitter
Fuck ’em, they don’t matter
Freedom, guns and fuck yous
The new intellectual debate
Pretending to be news
In the amphitheatres of late

You must always respect those who struggle, even if they are defeated.

from Burmese Moons by Sophie Ansel

Today I’m feeling:
Happy
Today I’m grateful for:
Trying to engage some of the ‘bad’ girls in my class and able to draw them into enjoying finding solutions or seeing how to think about something in a different way.
The best thing about today was:
Catching up on some things during the three-and-a-half-hour break between classes. Each day of the week has a different schedule that I can utilise in different ways. Mondays will be catch-up days.
Daily thought
Do you rule over yourself?
I try. But there are some things that I don’t wish to give up that just to feel that I do rule over myself. For instance, I take a mix of sertraline, tramadol and kratom which keeps me very well-balanced and in a good state of mind. I understand that it would be preferable to be able to maintain that balance without these things but I’m happy to let them rule over me for now.
What are three things you couldn’t live without?
How to answer this? Air, food, water? Or, really there’s nothing that I couldn’t live without? I enjoy the things I have in my life but if I didn’t have them I could still live. So, I guess I could think of the question like this – what are three things you prefer not to live without. Maybe that’s easy too. Amy, books, music. If I could have four then I would add cats.

I took this picture because on our bike ride on Saturday Bruno and I ended up in Doi Hua Mae Kham and rode around this developing village with freshly laid concrete. The format of the panorama doesn’t show quite how steep the road is or how spectacular the views were (unless you zoom in a little).

Raising The Water – 6th November 2022

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Burned fresh paths into a new century
Got fat on food and dollar bills
Growth was built upon an enemy
And so those enemies sought new skills
And as stagnation sets the tone
Cooperation re-emerged as the norm
Gathered together they progressed alone
Leaving behind those with poor form

One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

various attributions

Today I’m feeling:
Satisfied and quiet.
Today I’m grateful for:
Discovering a cool new band called Ad Interim as they approached me about putting out some vinyl. It rocks pretty good and I’m keen but unsure how to make it work.
The best thing about today was:
Speaking briefly with Ckin in KL as she is sending me up some of my old stock that Kimi had there. Coincidentally I had heard the Malaysian accent already that morning as two teachers (I guess) were in Utopia. I was hoping to get to KL later this month for Parthiban’s show and to catch up with him and Ckin but I don’t have enough free time.
Daily thought
Do you believe in a higher power? I think the answer is no. I do understand the concept though as it helps people let go of certain bad habits and behaviours. The fact that I am not in control of everything is fine for me. I don’t need to assign that task to a higher power.
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
In Thailand, it would be the removal of the lese-majeste law. It is a law that is too easily abused by powerful people. It serves no real purpose except to frighten and scare people. It seems like a backwards way of going about making people support their country.

I took this picture because our cats are hiding themselves away from all the fireworks and explosions for Loy Kratong. It’s unusual to see Kim and Cap in solidarity.

The Fog – 5th November 2022

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Unable to touch, seems so far away
The lighthouse smashed relentless
The turmoil of storms on display
This fiery cloud is scentless
Securely wrapped in a blanket
Resisting the push and pull
With enlightenment to thank it
Let no self-deception rule

inspired by a Robert Greene piece

Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Neil Postman

Today I’m feeling:
Settled and satisfied.
Today I’m grateful for:
Bruno suggesting we ride to Doi Mae Kham which is a place I’d been thinking to go to since 2 years ago. On the map it’s easy to see that is on a piece of land that sticks out into Burma so kinda encourages investigation. In the end though it wasn’t spectacular but a pleasant enough long ride to fill the day.
The best thing about today was:
Finding Kim and Cap hiding next to each in boxes in the walk in. There haven’t been too many fireworks tonight but I think they’ll be hiding in there a lot this coming week.
How do you feel about cold weather?
Cold or hot weather, so long as I can get out of it it’s great. Cold weather in Thailand is relative and it feels great.

I took this picture because the neighbours had a burn off at dusk. It was pretty spectacular. Thankfully the wind was blowing the smoke away from the house.

The Out-Group – 4th November 2022

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There are no two ways about it
When you’re swimming in the soup
There’s no chance to doubt it
You are in – in the out-group

There can be nothing left to nuance
No greys amongst white and black
Every side gets what it wants
And there’s no turning back

Journalists need experts as badly as experts need journalists.

from Freakonomics

Today I’m feeling:
Happy and lazy
Today I’m grateful for:
Thinking that the power adaptor I had to buy was 1600 baht but turned out to be 1200 baht which made me feel better about still having to spend this large amount of money.
The best thing about today was:
Feeling good being in classes and around my students. They bring me joy and frustration and I love them all. What a privilege to watch these boys and girls slowly adapt themselves as they develop into young men and women.
What relationships have you let go of?
The ones that take up too much of my energy. I know my tribe and who they are or even will be when I meet them. At times I’ve had to make acquaintances outside my tribe but trying to make them into deeper friendships doesn’t work out for me. I choose not to adapt to ways I find dismal and accepted as the norm. And from within my tribe, there are people of all different varieties and those that weren’t of a genuine nature were left behind also.

I took this picture because I went to the weed shop to buy some gummies for tomorrow’s bike ride

The Container – 3rd November 2022

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Oil is needed for the container
Good PR from the explainer
Once made, it needs to be filled
Opposition to it must be killed
The container is mandated by God
To surround those found to be odd
If the flow is something not agreed
The container must be seen to succeed
This box is not some piece of Tupperware
It’s a restricting restraining nightmare
Beaten by always holding one’s breath
If not capitulated by finding one’s death
Held inside, the hope and dreams of others
But not to be shared with Bigger Brothers
The container will succumb to decay
As new containers will come into play

If there is no solution to the problem then don’t waste time worrying about it. If there is a solution to the problem then don’t waste time worrying about it.

Dalai Lama

Today I’m feeling:
Happy and fulfilled.
Today I’m grateful for:
One of my students, Rista, came up to me and asked me if I dropped any money as she was holding out a 100 baht note. I hadn’t but she insisted I take it. When I told her it wasn’t mine she refused to take it back and consider the idea of keeping it for herself. Maybe it will bring bad luck or just the fact it’s not hers so she shouldn’t keep it and once it’s passed on she no longer has the burden. Anyway, I bought some yummy ginger fried fish and rice for dinner with it.
The best thing about today was:
Being in the classroom with my students again. It made me feel so happy to be a little part of their lives again.
Where are you visiting soon?
Amy and I were considering a quick trip to Vietnam when she’s back but we decided to visit Pimmy and Fern in Phuket instead. It will be nice to be near water again even if it is such a short time. Amy lives in Drummoyne at the moment and rides the ferry to work every morning. That’s a nice way to go to work.

Khokwan took this picture because she was playing around with a mirror photo app and asked me to look at the camera. Today I was a model teacher with two students as we posed for a photo shoot for some promotional thing or other. We were all a bit bemused as we were asked to look like I was teaching while we all smiled at the camera. Hopefully I’m not made into a 20-foot billboard.

Makes Me Laugh – 2nd November 2022

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It’s difficult to see your point
When you are the one affected
Cos I’m just going to carry on
I choose not to be infected

Your cold hard exterior
Makes me laugh so much
Your two faces finding
There’s things you cannot touch

Hello and good morning to you
I care not your reply
Every day the same
It’s not my business to wonder why

Most people are stupid and lazy and really only concerned with getting through the next couple of hours with silliness and stimulation and something to eat. Be polite.

Katherine Hepburn

Today I’m feeling:
Happy. A little breathless.
Today I’m grateful for:
The printer at work where I finally was able to finish scanning one of the books I use for one of my classes. I was also happily watching the kids outside doing fun and funny activities with older students. It made me realise the different ways kids learn some responsibilities here.
The best thing about today was:
Reading a stack of different comics this evening. I know I do this most evenings but the stories were all particularly enjoyable tonight.
What is your favourite photo of yourself?
Probably the one from Dean’s party the week after Torpedo Town in 1986. I’m standing tall, topless and skinny, pointing at the camera with a cigarette. It was the second time I’d ever taken acid and at this party Emma and I did it together (her first time) and we had a great evening, night and morning. The original photo got sent to an American gay punk fanzine, which I got sent but without the original picture returned. So now I only have this photocopied copy of the picture.

I took this picture because this sequence all happened pretty much in about 60 seconds. Cap was happily by my pillow. Kim came in and sat on the bedhead which I was surprised about as she usually goes straight for play and hence me taking the picture. As I was sending the picture to Amy, Kim had gone into attack mode and I took the second picture. Cap quickly jumped over to the other bed and Kim seemed satisfied with that and nonchalantly returned to her slumber on the bedhead.

Greyskull – 1st November 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

With the power of Gyges ring
The possibility to do most anything
What are the morals that you bring?
To darken the world or make it sing?

2nd Nov 2024 – Shared with Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge – Grey

Freedom, a gift wasted on the free.

Alex Dobrenko

Today I’m feeling:
Happy
Today I’m grateful for:
Seeing most of my students again, one month older. Even in that short time, they change quickly. I wonder if I do too.
The best thing about today was:
Happily waiting at the bank to open a new account. It took about an hour to just get seen but after that was easy. The thing is, it never felt like an hour as I was prepared mentally and kept myself busy with my phone and my brain.
What do you love about the month of November?
Right now it’s gotta be the cooler air. So good to almost feel cold. It’s almost time to start putting on a t-shirt. Daytime is still melting but a little less intense.

I took this picture because I just happened to glance outside to see this as I was eating a big bowl of salad. The sun had already gone behind the mountains a good 40 minutes already so this was a bit of a surprise.

Reaching The End Of The Internet – 31st October 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

We all live in a trivia submarine
Deeper into holes full of rabbits
From the Can I Haz Cheeseburger? meme
To fountains and mountains of shitty reddits
Diving through dark webs of extreme
Impossible to break these sad habits
Nothing is said but it may seem
As if everyone has already said it

That is what everyone’s work should be – a confession, a baring of your soul, your faults, those things you simply cannot or will not understand or accept. You stumble forward, confused, and you share. If you’re lucky, you learn something.

Arthur Miller

Today I’m feeling:
Half motivated half exhausted.
Today I’m grateful for:
There being little to do at school today so I spent some time drinking coffee and updating my blog. Time flew by and I could’ve stayed for longer but ended up coming home. It’s been more than a month since I spent a whole day at school!
The best thing about today was:
Riding my bike up to the post office and sending a package to Hayden with the printout from my 1979 blog entries. Picking up some fried rice on the way back and enjoying a laid-back afternoon reading, watching YouTube and playing the guitar.
What challenged you today?
Forcing myself to follow the mantra I wrote yesterday, to not be lazy and to do my best usual five minutes exercise. Then to not push myself further and go too hard too quickly. I have to remember that I built up to the stamina I had before and can’t just go straight back into it. With Amy coming soon I need to get this rolling again.

I took this picture because these little cartoons caught my attention as I was reading some blog and I think I can use them with my students in some way.

Ease To Pain – 30th October 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Driving away from this town called ease
I was wasting time to do as I please
Try to fill my brain with new things to do
Remembering that I’m just passing through
Clearer heads appear under different skies
Walking away from that old disguise
From ease to pain will soon turn again
The town will remain, just the same

What a boy had set out to seek, a man had found, found by the act of living.

Mervyn Peake, from Titus Alone

Today I’m feeling:
Happy and relaxed
Today I’m grateful for:
The ladies at the tattoo shop who did a great job with my tattoo. They were fast, professional and surprisingly cheap.
The best thing about today was:
Walking around with a new tattoo. It gives a vague boost of confidence, like, this is me today, it is more than me yesterday.
Write a personal mantra or affirmation for next year.
Don’t be lazy.

I took this picture because this represents pretty much the only thing I did today different to 99.9% of other days!

The Reveal – 29th October 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Let the sunshine in
But don’t let it burn your eyes
Sometimes you’ve got to win
For time to reveal the prize
This puzzle piece
Is much smaller than it may feel
Take a deep breath
Let time spice the reveal

One must always maintain one’s connection to the past and yet ceaselessly pull away from it.

Gaston Bachelard

Today I’m feeling:
Satisfied though a little rundown.
Today I’m grateful for:
My resolve to actually sit and play guitar even though I had been telling myself that I didn’t want to after not really enjoying it for the last couple of days. I ended up playing for about 50 minutes and felt good afterwards.
The best thing about today was:
Finally doing the vacuuming around the whole house and enjoying the result. I can let things get a little dusty and dirty but there’s a point where it’s just too much and has to be done. I don’t have the same resolve to mop the floors though!
If your house was on fire and your family were safe, what would you grab?
I think I’d grab things like diaries, writing, and photos. Things which aren’t replaceable. Most everything else can be replaced or reconsidered whether it was actually needed. When I was younger I would have tried to protect all my records, or maybe my favourites. Since they are mostly all gone now since twice moving countries the fact that I once owned them still carries meaning. I sold all my comics before moving to Australia and then bought many many more in Australia and finally sold all those again before moving to Thailand. Digitisation of all these things at least makes them easily available without having to physically own them. This is slightly saddening to me but I can understand it too. The kids growing up now are hopefully being overawed by things I’m too old to understand.

I took this picture because this weird tree that Jessica’s auntie gave us a few years ago is starting to flower. I should try to find out more about this tree. It’s certainly doing very well.