Tag: AQI

No Air – 2nd March 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

When there’s no air to breathe
I must learn to hold my breath
Each precious gasp to push against
The certainty of death

Black lungs are better than black hearts
I just want to breathe
Not in control of my coming time
But now’s too soon to leave

Today I’m feeling:

Relaxed and happy but have a headache from the bad air quality.

Today I’m grateful for:

Fon and her sourdough bread that she dropped at mum’s house for me. This one is not as delicious as last time but still delicious!

The best thing about today was:

An easy day for myself and students both, so that everyone was happy. The little bit of work that I asked them to do for me was just right to keep them involved whilst also letting them chill a little.

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

I’d been advised to contact another teacher about grading our students this semester and was hoping, as happened last semester, that I could just hand over my final grades and they would do whatever magic it is that they do in the system.

Anyway, I finally saw the teacher today and they said that if I had login access, which I do, then I can enter the information myself.

Instead of thinking about the extra work it would mean for me I actually thought that this would be useful for me to learn so at least I have done control over the data before it gets adjusted to make everyone look good.

Hopefully, the two teachers who know the system can help me and I can get on with doing it next week.

Something I learned today?

A fair percentage of the world’s tomatoes come from Xinjiang, where they only started farming them in the recent past.

As some dumb countries sanctioned businesses in Xinjiang they are now facing shortages. The UK is said to have introduced rationing and people can only buy two at a time!

Meanwhile, the farmers now sell into new markets and their businesses are booming.

The whole Western narrative around Xinjiang is such unrealistic bullshit.

What are some things that I need to let go of in order to move forward?

The only things I need to let go of are the things I can’t control. Staying attached to them is useless. In general, I am letting go of many of these things and feeling better for it.

I took this picture because I was picking up ice cream at LungChom and these flowers were showing off in the parking lot.

We got that attitude! – 16th March 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful to have a car so I can get places without having to suffer so much from the polluted air.

There is no great difference between novels and banana bread. They are both just something to do

Mark Manson

To-do list

  • Finish off AirAsia refunds
  • See if the Office downloads can work ✅
  • Enjoy your day, your work, your interactions ✅
  • Drawings for Fern and Chinese teacher
  • Go to book shop, drug store and buy Vitamins ✅

Well, today went well until the rabbits (the idiots) raised their paws and decided that things were not well with my grading. Rather than actually tell me what the problem was they deferred and advised me to ask someone else tomorrow.

The problem, I already know – because I graded accordingly – so many students did not pass. What is the point of grading if our grades are not permitted? It’s a waste of everyone’s time. Why even teach?

Anyway, it’s an easy fix – it just involves lying and deceit. Is this right? Is this moral? Of course not. It perpetuates the lie that everything is ok. It hurts to be part of this. Fight it or forget it? Of course, the best answer is to forget it but then nothing changes. I hate this time of year.

Tomorrow, no doubt, to pass the time quickly I will adjust the grades so that everyone will pass. And….hmmm….everyone will be happy….?

The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #29 – 14th March 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Music from The Radwan Satellite, The Spielbergs, The Ex, Teenage Depression, The Dickies, Prince Francis, Nihilistics, The Ladies, Third Thumb, Mothboxer, Bare Grillz, Sakarin Boonpit, Blondie, Naked Raygun, The Satellites, Ambient Noise and the Sex Pistols.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for these masks that can help me breathe. Coronavirus and high AQI.

14th Mar 2023 – That looks like a pretty fine podcast. Sometimes I go and listen to them myself. I think they’re pretty good. The mix of music represents my madness.
After having Covid last year I decided to stop wearing masks but with the summer burning season here again I’m wearing them intermittently when I’m outside.

To-do list

  • Record and upload TCRAH ✅
  • Install Powerpoint on laptop ½
  • Sort more CDs ½
  • Try to move more

Started off the day well then fell back into reading and watching TV. I do, however, feel much better today and much happier too. With holidays coming up, ie. not really having to work, I feel like I have lots of free time at the moment so I’m enjoying watching TV, though I do notice that time goes too fast.

Same with reading. I’m reading a lot more these days and before I know it, a couple of hours have gone.

Tomorrow is the end of quarantine and I’ll go buy coffee in the morning and we’ll stock up on supplies again.