Tag: Baipad

Broken Rules – 7th April 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

You were so quiet, it was obvious
How could you think I was oblivious?
I’ll tell you now that I was serious
But you went and broke the rules

Whether them or me, was it just a fling?
Did either of us even mean anything?
Who next for the words you sweetly sing
And the hearts held in your cup?

Submitted to Ovi Poetry Challenge – oblivious, FOWC – fling and NaPoMo

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good even though I slept badly due to aching shoulders. I should probably get them checked out as it’s been painful for about six months already.

I got up early so that I could watch the Swans game this morning.

I need to book flights to Bangkok to meet up with Arwith in early May, order a filter for our air purifier and will take Baipad and Butter to practice riding the motorbike again.

In amongst all that I’ll do all the things I usually do too; reading, writing, thinking and planning.

Today I’m grateful for:

My alarm getting me up and into action this morning.  I could easily have slept another three hours but glad that I gave myself that extra time to do things.

The best thing about today was:

It’s been a pretty good day all round.  It was 41 degrees and the house was like an oven so I spent most of my time in aircon.  

I didn’t read or play guitar today but did clear up a backlog of emails.

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

When I got back from coffee I prepared everything to watch the AFL but it wasn’t working, which was unusual.  I saw one error about location so I downloaded a free VPN and tried some different locations.  None of those worked either but they also didn’t have the option to set the server to Australia.

I checked if the Highlights and Mini Matches still worked and they were fine.  But even last week’s full match replays were no longer available.

I searched online to see if there might be some information about this and ended up posting on Reddit.  Whilst waiting for any response I found another VPN that had an Australian server and finally, I was able to watch the game (which was an unconvincing win).

It looks like someone else had the same problem too so I guess I need to figure out a VPN to watch full games in future. The one I used, TunnelBear, has a 2G data limit and I’m not sure if that is daily, weekly or monthly.  I really don’t want to have to pay for a VPN just to watch one match a week.

Something I learned today?

Butter’s mum came and introduced herself to me and when we got back from riding I also met his dad and sister, Cookie!  Great names!

Cookie will start grade 7 at my school next month though I won’t be teaching her.

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

More encouragement for Butter and Baipad with motorbike riding.

Butter has pretty much got it already and Baipad improved a little more today too.  I think that gave her a mini confidence boost.

I can see from her actions that whatever bullying she suffered when she was younger has really knocked her self-confidence.  She is still vulnerable to other people who could easily bully and manipulate her.

I also sent another 100 baht to Anchan.

When was the last time I tried something new? 

Although I can’t pinpoint it I believe that I try something new every day. The journey through our minutes is diverted off course consistently. Even the Trumans Show fell apart eventually and Groundhog Day was never actually the same.

But something deliberately new? So something interesting? Not just a new restaurant, a new book, a new poem, a new song to listen to?

How about a new country, a new house, a new job, a new hobby?

Read anything here, there is nothing new and something new on every page.

Write about a time when you laughed uncontrollably.

Back in 1989 (I think) I was thrilled to be outside of England for the first time in my life and playing shows with my friends in Belgium and Holland. I soon bonded with our Dutch host Mark and we would drink, get high and laugh a lot much like any other early twenty-year-olds would.

At this one of our shows, which was an amazingly fun night where Mike, from the New York band Shaved Pigs (who had hung on a bit longer after their tour had finished the week previous) joined us on saxophone for our epic jam tune, there was a radio interview at the end of the evening.

Thoroughly happy and drunk, Mark, who was the interviewer, asked me to recite a couple of poems that I had written that he had seen before.

I think I read The Day The Apples Turned To Poison but hassled for more I was requested to read She Lost Her Virginity To A Worm. The anticipation in the room for this short poem was too much and I couldn’t even get to the end of it as Mark and I were in fits of giggles.

A fascinating radio listen? I doubt very much!

I took this picture because His Majesty was looking regal, watching over the dining room this morning. I’m so glad that he is feeling better this week.

Life Interrupted – 3rd April 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Let me interrupt your party
Lately, you’ve not felt so well
A niggle, an ache, a groan
A faint, a fall, a dizzy spell

Within your home I duplicate
It’s my standard procedure
Silently waiting ’til I’m ready
And enforce a shutdown seizure

I’ve come to stake a claim
For which you have no answer
I think you know my name
…

Submitted to FOWC with Fandango — Interrupt and NaPoMo.

Today I’m feeling:

Like time is running away too fast.  I should not waste what I have been given.  But is any of it worthwhile?  Well, it has to be.  I convince myself.

Today I’m grateful for:

The man at the bottle shop who put the tray of soda water onto the back seat of the truck for me.

The best thing about today was:

Taking Baipad and her neighbour Butter (another one, a boy this time, though quite effeminate) up to the University to teach them to ride a motorbike.  

Baipad struggled but Butter picked it up quickly.  It was only after talking with them both a little more I discovered that Butter had learned how to ride a pushbike but Baipad never did.  Butter still has a bike so I told Baipad to practice on that as soon as possible.  Better she falls off that than a motorbike.  

After a few more goes Baipad improved every time but she needs to practice more to get her balance worked out.

Something I learned today?

The current Zionist-enforced famine in Gaza is the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger.  Worse than Darfur, Somalia and Yemen.  

Israel teaching the world how to genocide.  The irony?

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

I fixed the hose with the new connector that Amy picked up.  Works perfectly again.

Teaching riding a motorbike to a couple of 15-year-olds.

What’s one thing I can simplify?

I have simplified a lot over the last few years.  As my main focus now is teaching I think that I could simplify my classes for my students, though more importantly for myself.  

Sometimes I overestimate the ability of my students and with the usual disparity of skill levels in a single classroom it is a delicate balance to try and keep everyone happy.

I took this picture because one day these kids will look back and remember when they didn’t know how to ride a bike.

The Trail – 22nd March 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 13 Comments

A resplendent hall of brown and greys
Escher lines, a maze, amaze
Djinns in from the desert dunes
Rest before the trail resumes

Submitted to WDYS #230 and Moonwashed Musings

Today I’m feeling:

Phlegmy and short of breath.  I slept fairly well but yesterday another piece of porcelain fell off one of my teeth and has made it sensitive.  One tooth fixed, another one broke!

Today I’m grateful for:

A storm!  Hooray!  I noted last year that we had a storm around this time in March which cleared the air for a while, but then got much worse as more fires were lit once it dried out again, which doesn’t take long.  The forecast is for ten or more days of 35-degree plus sunny weather after today!  Oh well, enjoy the air while it is breathable.

The best thing about today was:

Getting some positive feedback on some of my poetry and being inspired to write more, as well as trying to read and appreciate more of what others write.

Something I learned today?

My old student, and Baipad’s best friend, Jan will change schools to Sammakhi next semester.  I hope Baipad doesn’t miss her too much though she knew that they wouldn’t be in the same class next year anyway, so she was hopefully a little prepared to accept this news.

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

Again, I randomly messaged a few of my students to chat and encourage them in their holidays.  Tonaor was having a bad time with a boy so I comforted and encouraged her.  And of course, I congratulated Jan on getting into Sammakhi.

I also messaged Nice, my old primary student, who I will teach again next semester.  I asked for her input to help me plan what to teach them and she was very helpful, which I really appreciated.

When I got home at lunchtime Amy wanted to take Cap to the vet, which was ok with me.  In the end, I’m glad we did as one of his blood levels was slightly high and they recommended for him to stay in a couple of days on a drip to help stabilise that because it can become more critical.

Amy took this picture because the surprise morning storm blew all the smoke away to reveal the blue sky again. Though only for an hour or two!

This Could Be Anywhere – 10th March 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 4 Comments

Child, let me take you by the hand
Angel, let me walk you home*
The future, waiting to be planned
You don’t need to walk alone

The coming is with each step
Sun rising over dusty hills
The past taught not to forget
The truth each lesson instils

Praise each day’s hidden delight
Adhere to the wisdom of the word
Now let the sunset each night
Angel, your prayers have been heard

*paraphrasing Unrest’s ‘Angel, I Will Walk You Home’. It could be argued that the first line paraphrases Ralph McTell’s Streets of London too.
Title is a line from Gallucci’s ‘You-Wrecker’.
Submitted to No Theme Thursday

Today I’m feeling:

Tired and dizzy because of an evening coffee and then many trips to the bathroom during the night along with Cap wanting to be let in and out of the bedroom a couple of times. Hopefully I don’t sleep in the cinema this afternoon!

Today I’m grateful for:

Going out to see a movie for a change.  I’m grateful that even here in North Thailand I’m not far away from a movie theatre that shows movies in English.

The best thing about today was:

Nothing stands out today in particular.  Everything has been pretty good.

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

I was expecting to leave at around 2pm today but Amy was hungry and said we will leave at 12.  Well, ok then.

My yearly subscription renewal for Quizizz was automatically deducted today which took out a much-needed 800 baht from my account.  

Not much I can do about that as I need the subscription so that I can continue teaching with this tool next semester.  

I am grateful that they didn’t put the price up which is what normally happens.

Something I learned today?

Okinawa used to be called Ryukyu up until the 1870s and was a tributary state to China before Japan invaded on a murderous conquest.

What made me laugh out loud today?

I don’t tend to laugh out loud much these days unless I’m playing with my students at school – they certainly make me laugh a lot.  In day-to-day life though I am…subdued…. Is that the correct word?

I like to think that I am more emotionally stable these days, as I’ve mentioned before, and not so affected by the ups and downs of my mood.

In today’s thoughts about the best thing about today, the whole day has been pleasant and relaxing without any real highlights and definitely no lows.  This is preferable for me these days.

Perhaps I do need to laugh more (outside of school) and be a bit more playful, maybe.

Sarah took this picture on Thursday because I wanted a photo with Apple, Baipad and Jan to remember them and Iphone snuck in on the right too.

A Whistlewomp – 29th February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 11 Comments

In grobblegrinch not merry met
A whistlewomp paced upset
Eyes colder than the darkest coal
A ghosting galloped across my soul
– The frugglefrau awaits beneath
– The bridge, baring broken teeth
The flutterflumps flew in fright
As tolling bells queried the night
Clearly here the foxes gather
To feast on human gristleslather

Shared to WDYS #227
18th Oct 2024 – Shared with Living Poetry – macabre

Today I’m feeling:

A little flat.  Summer has kicked in seemingly overnight and there are no more cool nights, at least not indoors.  With the tail end of this flu, it has left me a little tired (though not sleepy) and easily affected by other’s moods or actions.

Today I’m grateful for:

A weed shop open in our little village!  This evening Amy wanted to go and get some medicine and as we were riding home there was suddenly the smell of weed.  Amy wanted to stop and bought a brownie in the hope that it will aid her to sleep better tonight.

The best thing about today was:

Getting through more than half of my grading for this semester and doing a lot of it during class time after setting some work and letting the students get on with it.  It’s not even due yet but I want to get it done.

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

I forgot my medicine this morning so have been a little bit dizzy all day.  Missing one day doesn’t affect me in that I will be depressed but the dizziness can be disorienting, otherwise I’m not thinking about the fact that I’ve missed it.

Something I learned today?

I bumped into my struggling student on the way to another class and they were on their iPad so I sarcastically asked if they were playing games or studying but they were actually live streaming.  Live streaming whilst studying – and getting paid for it too!  Sometimes 2000 baht they said!  I waved to their followers and went off to class.

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

I followed up on the student who was struggling yesterday and they seem a bit better today.  I gave some more tips and things to think about.

I also gave Baipad some more advice on using her brain more and trying to be more sociable.  She reminds me of myself at times, much like all my students. 

Imagine that, all my students are little pieces of me, running around as a reminder of what I was like!  Is this a game?  A fantastic AI simulation?

25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO –  22. Don’t Blame People. What’s the point? Do you want to punish them? You don’t do that to people. Also, don’t blame yourself—you’re only human.

I’ve gotten better at this over the years.  I would switch between blaming others and blaming myself.  There are no winners in that thinking!

I took this picture on Saturday at the housewarming in the rice fields. No pictures today.

The Great Music Stealer – 26th February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Been through all my mp3s
Got them into folders
Making them easier to find
Tagged with genre holders
Downloaded semi-legally
Some, decades ago
Now they are all mine
Apparently so

Now I have cloud storage
Folders I can share
7 million songs
Are waiting for you there
Music, the great healer
In any shape or form
From drum to vinyl to CD
And now digital the norm!

Humorously written in reply to Music the great healer here at Poet’s Corner

Been through all my vinyl
got them into plastic sleeves
protection from the dust and grime
that passing time it leaves
Cathartic, it was wholesome
remembering the time
when I purchased each and brought them
home when they were all then mine

And now I have a flight case
with a selection waiting there
to play on my turntable
and with some others share
Music, the great healer
it is a remedy to cure
or at very least bring respite
as its purpose is so pure

©Jemverse

Today I’m feeling:

A little better this morning. I started feeling a little better last night but crashed out early deliriously in and out of consciousness hearing the duff duff of the DJ and Amy’s screams. Amy was the last one standing, as usual, dancing on her own as everyone else retired and left.

Today I’m grateful for:

Aing and Now, who have been borrowing our bike and car but put petrol in them and got the front tyre of the bike replaced when it went flat last night.

The best thing about today was:

Reading more of this book about the Rise and Fall of the British Empire, this time about the way the British dealt with China from 1800 onwards.  

I’ve read about this history before and it still makes me upset.  I kind of felt smug whilst reading it this time though, knowing how the UK is fairing in the world these days compared to China.

Something I learned today?

In Vietnam, for many drunk drivers, it’s cheaper to abandon the bike than to pay the fine. Now the police are wondering what to do with them all…

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

I helped Baipad with work and motivation for about an hour and a half this morning and I think she carried on working after I left and hopefully finished them all.

25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO –  21. Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously. Yeah, yeah, you’re an individual, and people have to take you seriously, I get it. But at the end of the day, we’re all a bunch of ants trying to chase the same things. Lighten up.

I don’t take myself too seriously though I do take what I do seriously.  

People say I am serious but I think that it is just that I am not easily amused by many people, not adults.

It’s hard to be serious surrounded by naughty 13-year-olds much of the day and whilst it’s still easy to fall down to their level I hope I at least pull them up a little bit to mine.  

I don’t mind being a clown or a fool for the sake of the kids.  It makes me laugh to think of adults looking down on me for clowning around.

This Poet Saves Lives – 23rd February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 25 Comments

This poem saves lives
Drawing down the heavens
When without inspiration
All at sixes and sevens

This painting saves lives
Painted with blood and muck
When without inspiration
And the world seems to suck

This song saves lives
Proffered just as it was
Inspired by the chorus
And sung loud just because

These words save lives
In these perilous times
And inspiration found
Reading between the lines

Inspired (unironically) by The Red Hand Files #274 – check it out for some wise words from old man Nick Cave.

Submitted to Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge INSPIRATION
13th Sep 2024 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – speak up or stay silent
3rd Nov 2024 – Shared with Ragtag Daily Prompt – chorus

Today I’m feeling:

Under the weather again.  Last night I could feel a slight tickle and ache in my throat as I was about to sleep.  

I slept well though not enough and my alarm woke me up with a start to which I succumbed to another 30 minutes of snoozing, skipping exercise.  When I got up I could feel the oncoming sore throat, confirmed by blood in my nose.  

My mood was down a little too but it’s Friday so let’s go and get it done.

Today I’m grateful for:

Discovering that there is a holiday on Monday.  Yippee!

The best thing about today was:

A chilled vibe at school (see below) and spending about five hours at House, reading, lesson planning, blogging and writing.  What a job!

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

At the morning flag ceremony, I noticed that my grade 7 classes were less than half in attendance and discovered that they were attending some meeting about a field trip. OK….

When it came to class time there were only about ten students and they told me the rest were still in the meeting.

I went to find Kru Karn, their homeroom teacher who didn’t know anything about where they were.  I mentioned a field trip and she said ‘oh yes, there’s about 6 students going.’  I asked when it was and she thought that it was in the holiday.  ‘Hmm’, I said, ‘that’s weird because there are more than 6 students missing from the class?’

She came to my class and talked with one of the students and was surprised to find out herself that many of the student’s parents skipped the process of advising her about their children going on the trip and, more importantly, the trip starts on Monday and is for one week!

The communication here is so crazy – no one knows what’s going on.

I said ‘Well, I guess that’s it for teaching these kids this semester.’  Kru Karn agreed and advised to start doing their grading files.  And it leaves me with another day with no classes again already.

Something I learned today?

As I was wandering around Baipad’s class this morning, because my class was cancelled and Kru Ren wasn’t there, I learned that a couple of students are taking money from the lazy ones to complete their coursework for them.

It’s enterprising of the hard-working kids to make some spare cash but disappointing from a teacher’s perspective.

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

I offered Baipad to help her on Monday with all her catchup work.  Let’s see if she gets it together to actually wake up and do it.

I helped various students in their different classes today as my own classes being mostly free time for everyone.

Kru Fluke dropped in to visit.  I gave her a big smile and a hug, happy to see her again.

25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO –  20. Enjoy Small Things. I like clichés because they are true.

Over the last three or four years of self-improvement I’ve followed the Noticing Things blog (I forget the proper name), thought about gratitude every day (with a couple of exceptions) and been writing, journalling, blogging etc.  All of these combined have led me to enjoy the small things.

Partly due to this, I’m not often in the vicinity of big things and things that I once thought of as big seem comparatively small these days too (the circumstance of ageing).

One thing that I was doing more of last year or the year before was savouring moments.  I don’t often stop to remind myself to savour something now.  I should practice that again.

I took this picture last weekend when I was getting my haircut. HoiTod makes me miss little Kim so much, almost one year now since she’s gone. Sniffle.

At The Edge – 22nd February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

I’m running at the edge of their world
Pushed away and pulled back again
I don’t want to fall off the fence
And find myself having to explain

They’re criticising something they can’t understand
Never taking the time to lend a listening ear
On the fence, there’s air to breathe
Down below so clouded with fear

I’m living on the edge of their town
Itching to break free of the shackles
My feet only touch the ground to run
The touch paper lighted crackles

And I won’t be shot down
I won’t be pulled apart
There’s no compromise
At the edge of my heart

Submitted to Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge Edge

Inspired by the Stiff Little Fingers song ‘At The Edge’ from which each line of the chorus was taken as the first line of each stanza

And I’m running at the edge of their world
They’re criticising something they just can’t understand
Living on the edge of their town
And I won’t be shot down

Today I’m feeling:

Relaxed and happy.  The early birds crawing woke me up before my alarm, along with waking Tigger who then starting crawing too.  I slept pretty well otherwise and got back into exercise on this chilly morning. The evening temperatures are perfect but by early morning it’s still cold and then during the day we’re hitting 35 degrees or so.

Today I’m grateful for:

There being yet another event this morning and being able to accommodate the kids wishes to go to it instead of studying.  To achieve that  I set them a minor task of taking a photo at the event and describing it to me.  After sticking around for a few minutes I was able to duck out for coffee and keep up with the classes work as the submitted it to me online.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling good with the poems I was inspired to write today and clearing out some of the growing number of email prompts that I’ve been receiving.  I’ve gotten right into this little circle of writers and whilst I don’t enjoy much of what I read I can appreciate the time and effort that they are putting into it and occasionally something does grab my attention that hits the mark.

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

The morning event rolled over into the afternoon and so for the second week running my grade 10s were busy and only a few were in the classroom when I got there.  Well, that’s fine.  I’m not sure if I will get to teach them again this semester.  So with even more free time I took the opportunity to wander around the school and talk and play with whoever I found (which was almost everyone!)

Something I learned today?

The last letter added to the English alphabet was ‘J’. Before that, the letter ‘i’ was used for both the ‘i’ and ‘j’ sounds.

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

I left school at around 3pm and went to Big C and whilst there I suddenly heard ‘Teacher!’  It was Baibua and Khawhom.  They looked a little sheepish but also laughing at seeing me shopping.  I asked them what they were doing and they indicated that they were going to the movies.  But wait a minute!  Why aren’t they at school?  They said there was nothing to do.  Well, that is true.  I know and they know it.

With my grade 10 class not showing up I went to help Kru Ren again and offered my help to the different groups of students.  I was a little disappointed with Baipad because it turned out that she hadn’t done any work for class for the whole semester.  Jan and Apple had done some but not finished it.  I asked them why they weren’t doing it now and they just offered up excuses.  Sigh.  I told Baipad that I can help her catch up this evening if she wants me to but haven’t heard anything from her yet.

David hasn’t been at school for the last three days so I sent him a message asking if he was ok.

What tasks do I often avoid?

I don’t think there’s any task that I avoid completely but I have a different threshold of tolerance to certain things to Amy so in that sense I avoid mopping the floors or cleaning the toilets but if she wasn’t here I would do those things but only when I found it necessary.  

Asking Amy what tasks I often avoid might provide a clearer answer.

I took this picture because I wanted to show my students an example of what they were required to do for class (take a picture connected with the event and write a sentence about it). I was happy that almost all of them completed this simple task. I thought this student picture was quite nice and as I took the picture the student who made it was there and his friends were all in awe!

What I Am Not – 20th February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 7 Comments

Looking up into the darkness of the night
I could have been an astronaut exploring space
Tuned into the Sydney Olympics that time
I could have been the one that won the race

Trudging through the muddy fields in Autumn
We were as soldiers marching off to war
Or on the school fields, shoes for posts
We were the team with the winning score

Racing Matchbox cars down twisted tracks
I will be the one praised with champagne and girls
The architect of the biggest castles
And a new country whose flag unfurls

But would I always come out on top
With the skills that I have got?
I may not know so very much
But I do know what I’m not

Submitted to Reena’s Xploration Challenge #318

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good. I notice that I’ve been waking up before my alarm recently and with my aching shoulder meaning a lot of tossing and turning during the night along with Cap wanting the door opened a couple of times to go in and out, I’m pretty tired too.

Today I’m grateful for:

Getting new tyres on the car today.  I couldn’t really tell the difference but after five or six years I guess it was time.

The best thing about today was:

Having a couple more reading classes in groups of five or six again.  It’s a lot of fun even though it means leaving the rest of the class to their own devices until it is their turn.

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

Just as I was leaving this morning Amy told me that after my first class, I have to go and wait at the car service place until our car is ready, which is hopefully before I’m due back at school!  I was looking forward to spending time at the cafe, reading and writing but I guess it doesn’t matter too much as I can do that at the car service place too.

So, after class, I grabbed a takeaway coffee, went to Mum’s, picked up Amy and with a slight detour got to the car service.  It was around 11.30 by now and Amy said they thought everything should be done by 12 so we sat around waiting. I did some lesson planning for a while and then someone came and told us that everyone was on a break now and that the car won’t be ready until later.

We tried to work out what to do next as I had to come back to school and Amy was off to visit Nut.  How would I get back from school to pick up the car?  Amy didn’t want to have to drive back to pick me up.  I figured I could get a Grab from school though that would be a pain in the ass as it is really busy around the school at that time.

Whilst we were thinking about this they said that we could pay now and it was then that Amy discovered she didn’t have her credit card and would have to go home and get it and come back anyway!  So I said that she may as well come and pick me up too!

So, I don’t know if that makes any sense but all in all it was a waste of two hours with absolutely nothing achieved from that running around.

If I had been the one that had forgotten the card I would never have heard the end of it and I gently reminded Amy of this fact, taking a minute to shine in the glory of not the one being at fault this time.  I’m sure this will soon be reversed by something relatively inconsequential that I will be admonished for.

So, ultimately I handled it with smug satisfaction and a little bit of annoyance.

Something I learned today?

I learned that Baipad didn’t do anything special or get any gift from her mum for her birthday which is a bit sad to hear.

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

I like to think that remaining calm and adaptable to the situation described above was a good deed.

25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO –  19. There’s No End Game. We, as a species, just are. Don’t try to figure it all out. Enjoy your journey.

OK, I know that we just are, life is meaningless and I am still enjoying the journey very much.  

But I also think it’s ok to try and figure things out as much as I can.  For myself, not for the world.  I just want to figure out how to make my world the best I can and slowly I see it improving.

Fah took these pictures because my phone was sitting on my desk where she was taking notes from my laptop screen. They were a surprise to me when I went to see what photos I had taken today.

More Alone – 18th February 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Everyone has gotten access
All the words ever written
Pictures painted, songs sung
Fifty bazillion millisecond process
No bugs to be bug bitten
The shutdown has begun

Standing in the matrix queue
A beta-meta icon version
Presses three after the tone
There’s nothing left to do
In this world’s perversion
Except to feel more alone

inspired by this post (before finishing reading) at Spinning Visions
2nd May 2024 – Submitted to FOWC with Fandango — Alone

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good and upbeat.  

Got up soon after my alarm, grabbed coffees and then spent a good few hours in my room, adding blog entries, reading and playing guitar.  

I was glad to go out and do something different yesterday though I wasn’t particularly excited being at the balloon festival.  

I’m not particularly excited by much these days to be honest but I am happy and that’s more important.

Today I’m grateful for:

Air quality being better than this time last year.  It’s still not great but can only hope that it doesn’t get worse.  

The next week will tell the tale as temperatures rise up to 37 degrees again.

The best thing about today was:

Not taking a nap and having a feeling of not wasting a weekend day.  It was pretty relaxed but I got some stuff done so I’m pretty happy with everything.

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

Not something that was out of my control but it was midday before I remembered that I hadn’t taken my medicine today.  As I was in my room I figured I’d take it when I got back inside but forgot again.  

By mid-afternoon, I felt a little dizzy when I got up from my chair but figured that I’d made it this far without the medicine that I’d just skip it for today.  

Dizziness is the main side effect of not taking it and it’s not like I will drop into a funk just by missing one day.

Something I learned today?

Hayden is in New York.  He and his girlfriend were driven down through snow from Canada for 6-7 hours to get there.  

They are wrapped up and enjoying New York pizza.

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

I sent a message to Baipad this morning offering to come and teach her today if she wanted.  I didn’t get a reply but I would’ve been happy to if she would have liked.

I was reminded of Baipad later in the evening when reading some blog post about inspiring self-confidence in children helps make them happier adults.  In these days of mobile devices as parent substitutes, I wonder what will inspire self-confidence?

I took this picture because this is Tangmo. The dog’s bollocks.