Tag: Baitong

Friday Antidote – 18th April 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Making Monday Friday
Smile through gritted teeth
The best day of the week
Comes down to belief

No day is hump day
Every one a joy
Waiting for the weekend
A folly to employ

So savour every minute
Life only starts when you begin it

Submitted to dVerse – Friday and FOWC with Fandango — Antidote
23rd Jun 2024 – Submitted to Word of the Day Challenge – folly

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty inspired after a good sleep.

The crying cats woke me up to feed them at 8.30 so I got up and did that but knew I wanted more sleep.  Back in bed and I eventually got up at around 11.30.  Hooray for a good long sleep!

I think I ended up sleeping at around 2am last night as I was reading comics til 1am and then listening to the Henry and Heidi podcast about Rollins Band.

Today I’m grateful for:

A guy called Pran.  He is Baipad’s mum’s boyfriend and he got in touch with me today because he wants to understand more about Baipad because they may end up all living together.

Baipad put us in touch and was ok for me to tell him everything.  I kinda understand why she doesn’t want to tell him directly.  Baipad seems to like him so I hope he is a trustworthy and good guy.

The best thing about today was:

Getting back to some guitar practice. This holiday has been on and off for me, not wanting to go out into the oven of my room in the afternoons.  But today I told myself to get back to it.  It was a struggle to play and I know that it just needs more practice and that the more I do, the better I will get.

I also told myself that I need to get back into exercise too.  I downloaded a new app to try out for motivation and will start tomorrow.

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

Nothing wildly out of control.  I accepted that I woke up late and was even happy about it as I got enough good rest.  

At various times throughout the day Amy would order me to do something and I was in the mood to acquiesce without complaint.

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

With Baipad’s approval I told Pran everything that I knew about Baipad’s experience and also gave my suggestions as to what might help her.  I also told him that I understood Baipad’s mum too.

Anchan said that she wanted to go to a friends house and bake.  I told her to stop thinking and get going.  Later on she told me that she had a good time.

Momo took this picture last week because I asked her to. With me is Baitong – a funny favourite of mine.

Big Bad Wolves – 10th April 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

She,
little
fighting girl
walking the woods,
The big bad wolves ripped her pretty dress,
All her dreams now become a nightmare,
She skirts around
the pain deep
inside
her.

He
runs wild,
teeth and snarl,
with big bad wolves,
Egged on and eager, salivating so,
ripping at her pretty dress, her cries
echo into
the darkness
of his
soul.

Inspired after reading Yassy’s poem, the form is apparently a tetracyt. Also submitted to NaPoMo.

Today I’m feeling:

A little stressed with my morning coffee and trying to get my brain in gear with the lesson planning.  It’s kicking in slowly and I’m familiar with this stage of progress when I have many, many ideas floating around and can’t keep up with them.  The rest of the day has been up and down.

Today I’m grateful for:

Momo making it to lunch today, after she messaged me yesterday that she may not be able to make it.  With Popo and Baitong we had a good catch-up over pizza and I’m happy to hear their English improvements since we last met.

The best thing about today was:

Firstly, not having to pay anything for my dental appointment and then trying the pharmacy at Central and finding 50mg tramadol for only 45 baht.

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

Baipad messaged me this morning telling me that she was in the hospital as she attempted to overdose (which I presume must have been last night).

I didn’t get much more information from her so I’m not sure what brought this on.  It suggests something happened out in her family village which is a bit of a worry as she mentioned bad things happening to her there before.

In the evening Anchan messaged me that she too was also in the hospital but for her it was for stomach ulcers, brought on by the stress of her family situation, no doubt.

She also told me that she and her brother also inherited the heart problem that killed her father a couple of years ago.

Something I learned today?

This morning we found that a tile from our roof got blown off in the storm last night.  Amy learned that trying to get someone to come and fix it is a complete pain in the ass.

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

Trying to keep on encouraging Baipad and Anchan through their difficulties.

Treating Popo, Momo and Baitong to a pizza lunch and then playing along with their TikTok videos.  It was great to catch up with them, three of my favourite students.

I took this picture because how could I refuse my favourite students asking to make TikTok videos in the shopping mall in front of passing shoppers.

On Repeat – 14th November 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The breeze blows through the open door
-Outside whipping the trees
–A glass of cold water waits
—It is happiness pure and plain
—-Mr Piano Man plays a song for me
—-I’ve nowhere else to be
—Using words to explain
–That the world demonstrates
-It will do as it may please
The breeze blows through once more

1st Apr 2024 – Submitted to MVB-PROMPT

Today I’m feeling:

Dizzy. Not unhappy or down just bothered by feeling sick. I ended up coming home after my first class as I was getting dizzier. I sent some instructions to my other two classes to complete some work for me this afternoon. I wonder if they will do it!

Today I’m grateful for:

Medicine that is helping my body fight this flu. David was telling me he thought he was getting sick but didn’t take any medicine just using natural remedies instead. Which is fine but everything is chemicals and the virus is natural too.

The best thing about today was:

Starting to feel better by late afternoon, at least until I move too fast. Then I feel dizzy again. I ended up doing a lot of Thai study today, getting back into the ThaiPod101.com learning. I’m considering paying for it again and pushing myself.

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

When I got home I got into bed and setup with my laptop. Cap was scratching at the door so I decided to let him in for a change. But within a second of jumping on my bed he started peeing and when I smacked him he jumped over to Amy’s and started peeing there. Motherfucker! I quickly grabbed up everything and shoved it into the washing machine. So much for getting some rest. I’m in the living room now and maybe I’ll nap a little.

Something I learned today?

According to newly declassified documents, in 1992 the US government laid out plans for Asia never to be allowed to be ruled over by an Asian country. It must always remain under US control.

When was the last time I cried?

A lot of tears were shed immediately after Kim’s passing and still now when I think of her my eyes get wet, even as I’m writing this.

When do I feel most calm?

When I’m alone.

I took this picture because Baitong came good on her promise to paint me a picture from her imagination. Amy was impressed and wondered if she could pay her to paint a picture of our cats.

Red Wine – 4th October 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Though I am
I used to be
Never felt strange
But do agree

a simple man
a different me
accepting change
that I must be

Today I’m feeling:

Tired but happy and positive. I got another couple of lessons completed this morning and happy with how they turned out. I’d hoped to get to Daytripper to do more but after a quick shop, I got home all sweaty and jumped into the shower and didn’t feel like putting clothes on to venture outside again.

Today I’m grateful for:

The lack of traffic in the morning meant I didn’t need to rush too much to clock in at school.

The best thing about today was:

See the attached picture.

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

I gave in to nap time though I think it was only for about forty minutes. I listened to the Jazzcore podcast so it was a pretty wild aural assault into my dreams. I woke up drooling.

Something I learned today?

Funfai messaged me to say she saw me at school this morning and when I asked her why she was there she said she was playing tennis again. She said she will go again on Friday so I will pack some clothes and perhaps have a chance to have a hit with her too.

What are my top priorities for the day?

Now I’m at the end of the day but I know the main priority was having organised to meet my old students and treat them to lunch. As they were also Bruno’s old students I thought it would be a nice surprise for all of them to catch up. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be difficult for the kids and if they would flake out but they made it and also in good time.

Quote: Humility cannot exist without love, and love cannot exist without humility – Saint Theresa of Avila

I always subscribed to the notion that you must love yourself before you can let be anyone else (though it took me about 40 years to actually put it into practice). Once you’ve understood how to love yourself you learn to put others first and you no longer need to seek their approval or play any kind of game with them. You can be humble before them.

Nut took this picture because I had planned a surprise for Bruno and our old students, Porpieng, Momo and Baitong to catch up together today. It’s been six months since I saw Popo and BT as they switched schools and I rarely see Momo as she switched to the Japanese program. For Bruno, he hasn’t seen them for more than five years! I’d tried organising them meeting a few times before but it never worked out. I think everyone was happily surprised to see each other again.

Moving Forward – 17th May 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Now living in a generation of hope
This is a world in which to move up
One where all the collected spoils
Can be shared from the same cup

The test of the promises made
Will be seen when faced with the burden
Where the whisper will turn to cries
Yet claimed that none ever heard them

Today I’m feeling:

Reasonably upbeat and positive after doing half an ab workout this morning and then coming home early to enjoy the rest of the day. Tigger spent about three hours sleeping next to me on the sofa where Cap usually sleeps. 

Today I’m grateful for:

My old students Porpieng and Baitong telling me about their new school, Tessaban 6. I was pleased to know that they are not allowed phones during the day and also have to do homework. I think they will both benefit from a bit of a tougher atmosphere in school though they are not particularly thrilled about the change right now.  I have high hopes for these two students as they stood out to me in my classes.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling inspired enough to check out some more Thai learning apps and sitting and doing some study and revision. I’ll get back into the habit again so I can try and communicate more.

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

This morning I got up as usual and did everything as normal. As I was driving to school I noticed that another school I drive past was closed today. That was weird. Then I noticed that traffic was much better today too. And as I got closer to my school it became obvious that it was a holiday today but no one had told me. There was also nothing in my online calendar about any public holiday either. Well I just tuned right around and drove back straight to Utopia and enjoyed a couple of coffees there. Never mind the wasted petrol, here we are already with a day off after only two days back at school. Take what you can get.

Something I learned today?

I guess I learned (a little too late) that today is the Royal Ploughing Ceremony holiday and that the schools shut because of this.

What impact do I hope to make in the world?

Bereft of youthful idealism I hope that I can encourage some of my students to push themselves to make better futures for themselves. Perhaps this is elderly idealism. At least I still cling to an ideal.

I took this picture because Tig enjoys my book in a different way than me! He came for cuddles and rubs and ended up staying.