Tag: Aun

The Allure – 26th November 2023

~ tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Falling in love with the abyss
The unknown so alluring
No conception of what it is
Somehow seems reassuring

Together we share the unknowing
On equal terms our ignorance
The enigmatic hand not showing
Tempers our belligerence

Jumping in may find hope and joy
Our childish minds think the best
Whilst the adults around employ
A cynicism towards every test

The allure remained unchanged
It was our eyes that grew old
Our knowledge carefully explained
We’re scared by what we’re told

inspired by this post at Spinning Visions

Today I’m feeling:

A bit more lively than yesterday and with a little bit of tension knowing that I have a few things to do. Amy will go out for lunch with Aun so there shouldn’t be any interruptions.

Today I’m grateful for:

Poowanut at Heaven and Hell record store for immediately paying for a couple of copies of the Jornada Del Muerto LPs which I immediately got packed and will send to him tomorrow.

The best thing about today was:

Getting everything done that I had planned. The day went way too quickly though. Even what feels like doing nothing in particular goes too fast and being bored is a thing long past!

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

This one happened to Amy but I got to hear all about it. As mentioned above Amy had planned to meet Aun for lunch but as it approached time to leave she called Aun just to double-check, who then said she was still in bed and hungover and could she cancel.

Amy was rightly annoyed and complained to me about this common occurrence amongst her friends in Thailand.

She blamed herself though, saying that she should’ve known better. As she continued I just kept listening and acknowledging her displeasure and she let it all go with a ‘better just to be by myself and not care about other people.’

Something I learned today?

My football team, Ipswich Town, making a bid to return to the top tier of English football lost their first game this season to West Bromwich Albion.

Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10

I smiled and acknowledged the old lady (she may not have been old) at Utopia in the morning. She gave me a nod and a smile as she left.

I committed to investing time and money in a new release for SpeechOdd and High Voltage.

A random guy had emailed me last week about wanting to buy a CD in my collection and though I really like it I figured I could track it down again and he seemed really desperate to get it so I decided to let it go today.

Another random guy had emailed me about making music together but he thought that I had made a song that was actually done by Trumans Water. I forwarded his message to the band and replied to the guy that I had done so.

What made me smile today?

Walking into Utopia after riding my pushbike from home, I smiled and greeted staff and customers with a smile because I was in a good expectant mood looking forward to that first sip of delicious coffee.

Seeing Cappuccino and Tigger curled up in the cat tree boxes.

Watching a funny video of a kitten running after a delivery guy whilst I was laying next to Amy in bed after having my morning shower.

I feel like I didn’t smile that much really even though I’m pretty happy today.

What puts me in a good mood?

Seeing my students. They can also have the opposite effect but in general, being around all the students at school makes me happy and picks me up.

Coffee helps too!

I took this picture because I managed to capture Cap’s blue eyes.

Bucket Of Life – 11th November 2023

~ tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

It’s a labour of love, not big dreams
But about what being human means
Sticking a dollar in the cup, passing through
This is all a gift from me to you
And back again, that’s our reflection
Open to each other’s introspection
In for a penny, in for a pound
Let’s pass the bucket of life around

Today I’m feeling:

A good vibe. This morning is not too hot. I lazily prepared for the day by rolling back and forth in bed due to stiffness finally getting up and mosying along to Utopia for a delicious throat-soothing coffee. Art told me about his ride to Doi Ang Chang and it looks like a great ride so I messaged Bruno to plan to go there next weekend.

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s dad feeling good enough to come out to Central and eat at the seafood restaurant there, where we treated him for his birthday, Amy’s mum for selling her apartments and Nong Aun (Amy’s brother’s girlfriend) for getting a job as a teacher here.

The best thing about today was:

The first coffee was pretty spot on. Meeting Baipad’s mum, sister and three super cute cats was fun.

The fish speciality at Laem Charoen was delicious for lunch. The afternoon and evening are a relaxing chill-out. It’s been a good day.

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

My sore throat was getting me down a little at times today but I finally got to rest a little for an hour or so after lunch and it’s improved a little since taking some medicine. I dealt with it by soldiering on and despite feeling a little grumpy I don’t think it showed that much.

Something I learned today?

A theory behind renewed conflict in the Middle East is to cut off oil to China. A terrorist attack is said to be rumoured on US soil that will trigger them into war with Iran.

This whole ridiculous idea seems more likely every day. The US is putting all its pieces into play in preparation. The US is isolating itself more and more from the rest of the world and the rest of the world is looking forward to its downfall.

Whilst people were scoffing at the idea of the end of the Empire last year, this view is now going mainstream.

What’s on my mind right now?

This morning I will go and meet my student Baipad and her mum to introduce myself as her teacher. She lives in our village and since opening up to me about her struggles with being bullied in primary school and her father passing away a few years ago I’ve tried to encourage and support her. As she lives close by I suggested that once a week I can bring her home from school and hopefully introduce her to Amy so she can pick up on some confidence-building skills and keep up her English, which she is pretty good at in general. 

I took this picture this morning because this oversized asparagus-looking plant is so big that I had to wide angle the shot to get it all in the picture. The multiple mini flowers are cute though not the spectacle-worthy of a stalk growth of this size.

Soup Plus – 3rd October 2023

~ tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

As I stir the soup and listen to old jazz
The breeze blows nostalgia through the window
Mother looks down at me and with her care
Showed me the love that I now wish to share

Holding high the lanterns to light the path
Corners follow corners and this is the way
One day we’ll stop stirring what’s in the pot
And appreciate what it is that we’ve got

inspired by this post at Spinning Visions
Soup Plus was the name of a neat jazz club on George Street in Sydney when I arrived there in 1994. ‘This is the way’ is a phrase Amy commonly uses and makes me chuckle for some reason.

Today I’m feeling:

Good though a little dodgy in the stomach. I was glad to have slept a little earlier last night and felt okay on waking. I should have nothing much on my plate today so will do lesson planning, first at House, then at Daytripper, with a little shop at Makro on the way.

(Later) Totally forgot about going to Makro as I was driving home and when I was home decided it was too hot to go out to Daytripper. Never mind. I got some good lessons down and formed ideas for three or four more to complete before leaving.

Today I’m grateful for:

Nong Aun for being able to take Leo for his afternoon walks this week so that I don’t have to go back and forth.

She also got offered a job teaching at the Montessori school which I think is a great opportunity for her and I hope she does well.

The best thing about today was:

Finishing vacuuming the house and putting the clean mats down in the kitchen. I know it will only be a day or two until both myself and the cats traipse in all sorts of dirt and dust but for now, I felt a great sense of satisfaction.

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

I haven’t taken any photos these last two days though when I think back on the day there was certainly opportunity. I’m trying to keep it in the forefront of my mind though I wonder if so much here now has become so normal to me that I don’t notice it so much. And also don’t appreciate it as much, perhaps?

Something I learned today?

The high-speed rail between Jakarta and Bandung in Indonesia went into operation this week.

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago because this is Leo looking somewhat thoughtful as he sniffs around for a place to poop.