The Greatest Happiness Possible – 26th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

Look deep into the eyes
Of the cat and dog freed from its cage
There to be seen
The root of all human happiness
To chase around the beach, cuddle and engage

Inspired by Existential Comics 566 (excerpted)
24th Sep 2025 – Shared with dVerse Poetics Tuesday

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good this morning. I got out of the house a couple of minutes early so that I didn’t have to rush to get to school.

Tuesday classes are pretty straightforward as they are grades 10 and 12 and whilst I had some strugglers, it was actually fun to try and get them to understand the minor grammar points.

Later, though, I was reminded about a lesson request I had before about the Thai TV show Hormones and I ended up putting that together during my break.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Whoever it is that fixes up our electricity supply and whoever it is that calls them when our power goes out.

The best thing about today was:

Having some time to sit down and write. I hadn’t really written anything for a few days and wasn’t feeling particularly inspired and so I forced myself into a writing headspace until I found it familiar again. I was fairly happy with the results, too.

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

This evening, after dinner and after dark, the power suddenly went out. We went out to investigate and whilst most everyone still had power, a few random houses were out. I’m not quite sure how that works but anyway….

As I was walking back up our driveway, I had a feeling that I needed the bathroom, which was a bit annoying as there may only be one flush in the cistern. My stomach was telling me to hurry up and I got to the bathroom in the light of my phone and went to get the scoop from the big tub of water we keep stored there (in our second bathroom) when suddenly… it was too late. I had no control!

I was undecided whether to pull my pants down or not! I was scared I was going to spray the room. The smell was nauseating and, as I did finally manage to sit down, my guts emptied further as I sat there bewildered.

I could barely see anything with the light from the phone and was scared to even look but luckily I seemed to have contained most of it either in the bowl or my pants, which I duly rinsed in the shower with water from the tub, also showering myself.

I cleaned up myself, the bathroom and my clothes properly after the power came back.

My stomach is still a bit off and I’m just hoping that there are no surprises whilst I’m sleeping!

Amy thought it was hilarious and was immediately on the phone to her mum, describing everything and laughing her head off!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I encouraged Nong Fah to do some extra English study and to practice speaking with me more when she has a chance. I hope that she doesn’t get left behind in high school and then end up wondering what she should be doing.

I took this screenshot because I saw Iphone live in Tiktok and then found this welcome page text. Iphone is definitely not 18!

The Modal Headline – 25th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Learning what to ignore
Can lead to learning more
Is this really news?
It may be just for views

Does the banner fright me?
Is it true? It might be!
You must stand up to defend
Cos this could be the end

Any should or would
Could be understood
What it means to kill
It will, it will!

Any headline and byline using modal verbs can safely be ignored as news.

Today I’m feeling:

A bit anxious and overexcited for some reason. I woke up, did exercise and everything, all feeling good but then something compelled me to drive fast to work when it really wasn’t that necessary.

Once at school, I relaxed and enjoyed chatting with the students and my first class was fine. The second, though (grade 8s), was very frustrating with kids playing dumb, sleeping or distracting others.

I gave up and set them a small task and waited for them to complete it so they could go. The kids playing up didn’t bother and rather than getting frustrated, I just let them do what they want.

I shouldn’t stress myself over it.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

One of the ladies in the office where the photocopier is. I didn’t bring any paper with me and it soon ran out in the machine. I went into the office and asked if they had more, but the first two replies were negative.

I kinda shrugged ‘ok’ and went back in to get my bag, but another lady followed me and pulled out a fresh slab of A4 from a box (so they obviously knew that they had some but didn’t want to supply it). I was grateful for her help.

We are a school that wastes tons of paper printing nonsense every day, yet isn’t keen on its teachers printing out worksheets!

The best thing about today was:

My frustrating morning class made me take some time to write up some new lessons this afternoon in the teacher’s room.

From there, I could see George teaching in the room opposite and I was surprised when the students started leaving, almost 40 minutes early.

I’m not sure whether to be bothered by him not teaching his full-length classes (he always arrives late to class too) or to figure that I should relax myself more in my own classes. I know I should give myself the opportunity to chill about it but also feel an obligation to do my best for my students.

Anyway, the day provided me with some inspiration as I put together some slides and did some printing.

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

My mood was a bit up and down again today and I’m thinking to go back to my full dose of sertraline again. It’s not worth feeling like this just to try and stop taking it, really, with the only purpose to see if I can.

I have a half tomorrow and then will go back to a full pill again on Wednesday.

Something I learned today?

As I was going to my first class in the morning, I found Baipad talking with Cake. I didn’t know that they knew each other but they met during the last time they had scout week.

I told Baipad why I thought Cake was the smartest student I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and advised to stay around with her if and when she can.

I took this picture because Cap has secured a new spot, for a while, at least. Could he be a bookshop cat? I don’t think so.

Peripheral Vision – 24th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

It was only a moment ago
the skies spoke to you the possibilities
wider and deeper than a young mind could conceive

Then, as if to ruin the show
came the treadmill of responsibilities
now a raging river to erode all that you did believe

Do you see it standing there?
A black doorway in peripheral vision
a slow beckoning of danger, awesome and ajar!

Will it lead to a new life somewhere
and are you ready for this decision?
Where else to go once you’ve already come this far?

Inspired by a part of this article in The London Review of Books called Gloves on by Anne Carson, discussing dealing with Parkinson’s.

Today I’m feeling:

Awake but blurry. I woke aching before my alarm went off and got up and read a little before coming out for coffee. My eyes are tired and blurry, though, having trouble focusing.

Still, it’s a nice, refreshing day and I was thinking I might take Baipad and Namhom up to the stupa as they told me that they’d never been there before, which is weird to me.

By the age of 15, I, and all the other kids in the village had explored all our countryside for miles around.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s dad for making vegetable stew for us. Amy brought it back last night. She said that her dad is getting quite grumpy these days and I wondered if it has anything to do with the fact that he’s feeling better after dealing with his cancer but still not able to get back to drinking yet.

The best thing about today was:

Doing as planned and taking Baipad and Namhom up the hill where they’d not been before. Namhom seemed particularly impressed with seeing new things with her nine-year-old, curious eyes.

They both were quite chatty and I think they were happy to get out of their home, even if it was only for half an hour.

Baipad’s mum said she will invite me to go to their tribal village next time there is an event there.

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

YouTube’s ads are getting so annoying that I’m just not bothering to watch as much as before. Good. Thanks, YouTube!

Something I learned today?

I got served an ad for briskteaching.com that uses AI to help teachers. I read some reviews, some positive, others not so, so I bookmarked it to check out later.

My Good News – 23rd November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

The word is a reckoning
So roll up your sleeves
Bring order to the turmoil
Your monologue believes

Codify your weary soul
Give fire to your blues
Step up towards your God
Confront him with your news

Inspired and paraphrased (as ever) from the Red Hand Files #297
10th Sep 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – something good

Today I’m feeling:

Happy though a little out of it (I realised as I got off the bike at Utopia). Brain has not kicked in yet!

My body is a little stiff from a good still sleep and a couple of weird dreams, one of which had me kicking rugby balls through jumper goalposts until they landed in a lake and curiously sank.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The person sharing all the Rebirth comics on Soulseek that I may possibly get around to reading in about 20 years time. It’s been fun getting them and then filling in the gaps and making new files. Part of my cataloguing obsession is satisfied (even if they are only digital files these days).

The best thing about today was:

Sitting in the hammock reading David Foster Wallace’s review of the Tracey Austin autobiography. He knows how to eviscerate wordily!

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

After telling Amy that I didn’t want to succumb to sleep this afternoon, the pull was too strong and despite the strong morning coffees giving me lucid dreaming for longer than normal, I managed to find a deeper sleep for a good while, spending about three hours in bed.

Still, I was up and into the man cave, feeling a little refreshed and I played guitar for an hour or more, which was good. I’m glad I didn’t sleep through until it was dark again and hope I can get to sleep tonight. I think I should be all right.

I’m still wondering about the reduction in Sertraline and how it is affecting my mood. I still don’t feel quite right.

Something I learned today?

Tracey Austin’s tennis career was pretty much over by the time she was 21, her body already suffering from the punishment of overtraining.

I took this picture yesterday because we had a random visitor wander in and lie down at the front of class. These are all the naughty kids in my class, taking the opportunity to avoid doing my work.

Dark Sunset – 22nd November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

When did the heart harden?
Turned to stone, dark and rough
Too tough to beg pardon
Too much no longer enough

The buzzing bees have built
Wide walls to the castle
No more red wine spilt
The parts no longer a parcel

And so the keep is locked
The key swallowed by a raven
Flown far from the flocked
To maintain the inner haven

Today I’m feeling:

Ok but not wow. Thinking that my drop in mood yesterday may be because of my reducing my sertraline. It was definitely the feeling I used to have when I couldn’t shake off minor slights.

I slept before 9pm last night and slept well but still not quite up to snuff yet. Let’s see how coffee does for me.

In classes and whilst occupied, I was feeling ok. Now that it is time to slow down, I can feel myself fading fast already.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

My grade 12 student, Men, who gave me information about doing translation for mobile games, which I passed on to Baipad.

The best thing about today was:

The fact that it takes me ages to walk around school these days, as everywhere I go, students stop me to talk to me. Finally, I feel accepted when I’m at school.

Why wasn’t it like this forty-five years ago? I obviously know the answer to this but, well, here we are.

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

There were a few disruptions around the building that I was teaching in this afternoon and I had to quickly find a free classroom to move to for my final class. It was a close thing to keep the momentum going for them to study, because if it took too long, we all would’ve been frustrated and just given up for the afternoon!

As it was, we found one, though the projector didn’t work, so I made it a pretty simple and easy grammar lesson and we still managed to get out early.

Manow took this picture because I was replicating a picture that Fahmai painted of me.

Leaving Here – 21st November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 20 Comments

Silhouettes
In purpled passion
Freedom calls
Life’s tangle
Left far behind, flown away
Branches now laid bare

Shared with Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – Tangle and Tanka Tuesday – Shadorma

Today I’m feeling:

Tired but ok. It was a struggle to get up but not too bad once done.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 6

Today I’m grateful for:

Plenty of parking spaces at the airport this evening. I even managed to park next to the other car here tonight for the family.

The best thing about today was:

In my second class I played along with my naughty students instead of getting upset with them. We were just doing quizzes, so it was quite fun. I wasn’t in the mood for serious work either.

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

After a fun first class, I was sitting in the cafe and saw a message from Amy saying that she tried calling two times but the phone hung up on her. I never heard anything so I called her back and she seemed annoyed and distracted with her parents buzzing around in the background.

She asked me questions and then didn’t listen to my answers and so she asked them again.

Anyway, I will meet them at the airport in the early evening.

Then I got messages from Nut asking about Namsai’s phone, which I had taken from her in class and she swore badly at me. Nut’s messages were rude and direct (though I can forgive her, as it may just be her poor English).

These two things together, along with a sudden feeling of exhaustion, put me in a bad mood, though. I’m trying to think myself out of it now.

I got out of it by the time of my second class but when I got home, the tiredness overwhelmed me a little more and then problems with playing guitar made me grumpy again.

Now I just want to sleep and then hope to wake up tomorrow in a better state of mind.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I messaged Baipad last night about painting rocks and giving them away and this morning we looked around for some and she took three with her. A little later, she sent me photos of her painted rocks and who she gave them to.

I took this picture of my naughty students lazily doing my quizzes because I was going to use it to threaten them that I would show their homeroom teacher. BB, Namfon, Tulip and Baibua behind the chair. Khawhom jumped out of the way when she saw what I was doing. Ironically, they all blame me for being in trouble because their SchoolBright scores are so low but they have no answer when I ask them why I’m always reducing their scores! They do crack me up most of the time, though.

Canon – 20th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 13 Comments

I have the words within my pages
My knowledge forms your future texts
Amassed wisdom sung from many sages
Collected comforts to which all connects

This power I pass for you to share
The lessons lived easily explain
To conquer chaos and choose to care
To shrink in size or grow to gain

Your personal action accumulates
Eyes sparkle like dancing diamonds
Mixing the messes of made mistakes
Form the future from many islands

Shared with What Do You See #263 and submitted to an AllPoetry assignment about alliteration.

Today I’m feeling:

OK, once I got going. I slept pretty well and my alarm was a bit of a shock. Exercise and a cold shower jazzed me up all right and once at school, it was fun to back around the students, which gave me some positive vibes.

It was a pretty easy day with one grade 12 class (who were more rowdy than usual but still did my work) and a quick grade 10 class that was excellent. I really like that class, but there are 47 of them, and it’s difficult to take time with some individuals that need help more than others.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Deciding to go to Oasis to pick up some dinner. I think I haven’t been there for more than six months now and the food is as delicious as ever.

The best thing about today was:

Being so happy and relaxed after my last class that I was still chatting with students around the school an hour later.

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

Something I learned today?

I figured out what I was trying to remember yesterday! It was when I was in the bathroom, drying myself off after a shower. Just recently, I noticed that my right nipple is lower than my left! Maybe it’s always been like this – I’m not sure.

Anyway, I was wondering if it might be connected to the pain I have in my right shoulder. Maybe some muscles in there are not quite working properly.

I have a desire for symmetry!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I made Baipad and Q get up and walk this morning – just for a couple of minutes. I talked to Q but he couldn’t understand any English but Baipad translated everything quickly and easily. I told her that she should think about getting into translation work.

Later, in my grade 12 class, Men told me that he does translation for mobile games. Maybe a good contact for Baipad for the future.

When crazy Sarah steals my phone!

It Was Told – 19th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

Time out of mind, the rock of ages
The time of our lives was to be had
Foretold on ageing faded pages
Three heads good, foreheads bad

Sands a-trickle made to measure
Losing track as the dawn is cracking
Always racing towards some leisure
Begged and borrowed to be slacking

It’s up, beyond a blue moon hiding
To weave a future, past and pleasant
Dropped stitches will do their biding
When Nick manifests in the present

Shared with No Theme Thursday picture prompt (above) and Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – Foretelling

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good again, though my shoulder is hurting a bit, probably from overuse with exercise, hanging and general bad posture.

An easy day at school today, as I will come home for a psych appointment in the afternoon. I’ve given my afternoon class work to do – let’s see if they will actually do it!

For my morning class, only 4 students attended as the others were visting MFU open house today. It was good to be able to sit with so few students (who are all motivated too) and go through a simple lesson with some chitchat and we were all done with 30 minutes to spare.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

The hospital system here. I saw the psych and told him I’m doing ok on half a tablet a day, just getting a little dizzy and he said to keep going and gave me some more medicine to keep going. All up it cost me 250 baht – about 10 Aussie dollars.

The best thing about today was:

Having such a simple and straightforward day and being about to go about things at a fairly chill speed.

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

I played some guitar again but my wrist was straining during the warm-up exercise and I sucked at the song I’m always trying to improve on! Uh! Some days good, some days bad!

Predictably, most of my grade 10 students didn’t bother doing my class work. So annoying, having to constantly chase up students for work!

Something I learned today?

There’s something that keeps crossing my mind to put here but every time I sit down to do it, I can’t remember what it is!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Baipad messaged me last night that she feels tired and bored and doesn’t want to come to school. She seems aware that her days are a little predictable and so this morning I arrived in the canteen where she and her friends always sit and I pulled her out and made her walk with me a little around school.

Whilst she was complaining and fighting me, I was telling her that it’s something different, break her routine and get off the phone. Although she wasn’t particularly impressed, I could see the smile on her face and that she was a bit more lively just after this.

I told her that we will do the same tomorrow and Wawa has to come with us too. Let’s see.

Tonkhaw took this picture of Satang during the class I missed today. Obviously busy…

Boredom – 18th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Sat in cafe corners
Quietly going out of their minds
A complete picture of confusion
It’s the illusion that blinds

The last page read
Of Notes From Underground
Dragged down into the illusion
A confusion so profound

Mother Nature ripped them off
Consigned to just a minor part
Boredom won out after all
The fall came before the start

The ‘almost-was’
That in cafe corners hides
Couldn’t pick a side to fall
After all, shot by both sides

Inspired by and paraphrased from Howard Devoto, reading about him in Rip It Up and Start Again

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good. It was dark when I woke up this morning. I’ve been setting my alarm one minute earlier every workday to slowly get back to waking at 5.50 and doing more exercise each morning. I’m still at 6.05, so working my way there.

It’s only another month until the solstice, which seems to have come quickly this year, perhaps because of the long rainy season.

Today was a busy day with six hours in class but they were all enjoyable and fun. I could’ve done with more free time between classes but I still managed to get a little done.

I also caught up with some writing in the evening but it did mean skipping guitar today. My fingers need a little break anyway.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

For the salad seller, being back at the market today, as my fish lady had no fish! She said that she won’t have on Thursday either. Maybe she has stopped selling it altogether.

The best thing about today was:

Finding some cheap Korean milk candies at Makro. They are delicious for my sweet tooth. Sometimes it’s the little things. Today has been pretty great all around.

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

I’m driving Amy’s mum’s car whilst ours gets all the paint scratches taken care of. As it’s an old car, there is no way to connect my phone to the speakers, so I’m having to listen to podcasts on full phone volume with it as close to my ears as possible!

It’s also amusing to me that with the scratches and knocks on the car, which Amy often blames me for, the biggest and worst was her doing when she scraped the side of the car on our gate last year. I don’t say anything!

Something I learned today?

Amy is happy enough looking around Pusan with the oldies. She says she’s really loving the temperature, which is a max of 11 degrees.

Sarah took this picture because I was in the teacher’s room and could see her in her class, not paying attention. When she saw me, she took this. She also stole my phone earlier in the day and snapped some photos for me. Thanks, Sarah!

The Disparity – 17th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

People will demand freedom of speech as compensation
For the freedom of their thought that remains in suspension

Disparity between desire for outward expression
And the actual practice of inner contemplation

A little poem based on the Soren Kierkegaard quote “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

Today I’m feeling:

Good again, even waking before my 7.30 alarm despite going to sleep well past midnight.

As I have to take Amy to the airport this afternoon, I know that I won’t succumb to an afternoon nap, which is good.

Amy goes to Pusan with her mum, dad, auntie and friend and she has already been frustrated with organising this trip, which she initially just intended to be her and her mum. I asked her yesterday if she was excited but she is mentally preparing for more frustration!

It did trigger me to investigate the possibility of going to Nanning for a few days in April, so I asked Ellen for some ideas on what to do there. I figure that it might be a way of easing Amy into the idea of travelling more in China.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

For our washing machine and the sunshine today, meaning that tonight I sleep in fresh, clean sheets again. I’ve been waiting for this for a few weeks already!

The best thing about today was:

Getting some more guitar playing in again and slowly making improvements. I go through cycles and at the moment I’m playing more guitar than I am reading, possibly helped by the fact that I’m constantly going to my room to kick off downloads of comics I’m interested in – so I guess there’s still a connection.

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

I very gently sent a message to Nancy at TLC asking why David and I are still getting all the junior high school classes again this semester. I know the answer but I’m suggesting to her that perhaps it is not quite fairly distributed among the three available teachers.

She replied that she will talk with Kru Tang about it. That made me chuckle a bit, as it seems Kru Tang is unaware of the reason it is not fairly distributed.

I’m stirring things a little bit and would like things to be more fair and it would also make the school happier that they don’t have to cater to one particular teacher’s selfish requirements.

I wonder what will happen next…

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I pointed out a huge cockroach to Safe while I was sitting reading in Utopia. Luckily, no one else was around at the time and the roach gave Safe a good chase and I think even got away, back outside via the door.