A little rundown. I slept a little earlier than usual and when Tigger woke us up at 5am, crying with the sunlight, I reset my alarm to skip my exercise.
When I woke I was still sleepy and soon realised I had stuffy nose and a little sore throat. I think it is from the air pollution but I’m hoping it doesn’t turn into a cold.
I think the air pollution is also contributing to the tiredness as it perhaps inhibits enough oxygen intake and though not noticeable as the day goes by it could be having that effect.
Today I’m grateful for:
The little story I wrote below about Ozone and friends.
The best thing about today was:
The good mood of the students that were at school and then the four hour break I was able to take between classes to do some reading, writing, studying and thinking.
Something I learned today?
Whilst watching the video yesterday about RipX DAW there was mention of AI music makers so I’m giving one a go right now, Suno.ai.
The ‘punk’ option is generic pop punk which I could guess at. Trying to see if I can get anything weird out of it next.
Hmm – nope. But I don’t think that is all the fault of the AI but me not knowing how to use the prompt correctly to get what I want.
I may try again later. I also may not….
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
BB ran up to me this morning saying ‘Help me, help me’ and she pulled down her mask to show half an earring sticking out from her nose! She wanted me to push it in for her!
I gave it a little push but couldn’t stand to think that I was causing her pain so told her to keep trying by herself. I tried to find a needle for her later but to no avail.
She eventually gave up and decided to go to the shop to get it done. Probably for the best!
Monkey girl Sarah was playing with Ozone’s wallet so I held out my hand and Sarah gave me all the notes folded up in there. Then she unzipped the coin section and I held my hand again and she handed me all the coins. Ozone was watching all this but didn’t complain too much, until I left with all her money in my pocket.
I went back to my classroom and Sarah appeared a couple of minutes later trying to get the money back but I sat down and held my hands over my pockets. They begged and tickled and fought with me but I wouldn’t give the money back. Eventually I agreed to go back and hand the money back to Ozone directly.
She was sitting in her classroom talking with her friend and I jokingly told her that I already gave the money to Sarah. Sarah screamed that I was lying and we all laughed as I pulled out the money and handed it back.
Afterwards, I was thinking about this little game and realised that Ozone, Sarah and all feel that they can trust me. They know that it is just a game and that everything will turn out right.
Sarah took this picture yesterday and this is another monkey in her class, Praewa. Praewa came to my grade 7 class today to be with her boyfriend and it occurred to me that KanomBang from that class is a younger version of Praewa. She is a little more restrained but playful in a fun way and comfortable to play with me.
Healthier and more positive. I still have some lurking sore throat and stuffy nose but the tiredness has dissipated for now.
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy’s mum who gave us bananas from her garden and we gifted some to Auntie Sue next door when we got home. More food grows here than anyone can eat.
The best thing about today was:
Watching all the students that dressed up for the Chinese New Year event. All the primary kids looked super cute and I was particularly taken by one boy who was part of a dance group on the stage who was really into it. He couldn’t stop himself from dancing to all the other acts even after being done on stage. I like the traditional Chinese dress more than Thai.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Kru Paul mentioned today that they were having a party this week for the primary sub-director as he said she was retiring but then he went on to say that she would become the department head for English next semester in high school. Meaning she would be our boss!
I wasn’t sure if he was pulling my leg to get a reaction but I played along, saying that I hoped she wouldn’t expect good English from the students as the primary kids are better than most of our high schoolers due to exposure to so much English whilst there.
I was sufficiently intrigued about this possibility though that I talked to Kru Mai and asked him who would be the department head next semester and he said that it would still be him. He then went on to say that he’s thinking to spread out our classes next year so that I won’t have to teach grade 7s so much.
I had been thinking to mention this to him previously so I’m glad it’s already something he’s thinking about. However, anything can happen. I don’t even know if they will still want me to work there next semester yet.
Something I learned today?
I learned that Funfai is three-quarters Chinese! I wasn’t particularly surprised at this as she has stereotypically beautiful almond-shaped eyes. I often forget how much Chinese influence there is here in north Thailand.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
My grade 10s were exhausted from selling food at their stall all morning and when they turned up for my class they pleaded for me not to teach. As it was a one-hour class and I was just prepping them for their full 2-hour class tomorrow I acceded to their demands. They promised me that they would work hard to complete everything tomorrow.
I took this picture because I took these girls’ phones from them as they weren’t concentrating on doing my work. As I did this BB, on the left, grabbed my phone off my desk and took this selfie with Tulip. I got my phone back and then proceeded to fill Tulip’s phone with hundreds of random photos as punishment.
She’s forever standing next to me Begging me with bitter sad smiles Everywhere I turn, the memory Kept as treasure in my mind’s files
She’s out there still, ten thousand miles away Taunting me with her continued silence I only wish that there was something to say To return her back to this lonely island
Some parade photos. Students and teachers had been at school all night preparing costumes and make-up. What a palaver, my mum would say.
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good and looking forward to the sports day event so that when I got to school I surveyed the parade for all my students, many of whom were difficult to spot as they were dressed up so fancily that I couldn’t recognise them at all!
I slept badly because of my aching shoulder and woke many times laying on my back and when Amy didn’t stir after I exercised I shook her foot and she complained of lack of sleep too due to my snoring. It’s possible the exercises I’m doing are aggravating my shoulder too much and it is not recovering from whatever stress or strain that I have given it.
Today I’m grateful for:
Kwang, Premier and Program again. I spotted them in the parade and they grabbed me and insisted I walk with them which I did for a little while. As Premier and Program let go, Kwang still held on and out of the blue said quietly ‘I miss my dad.’ Sigh.
The best thing about today was:
The feeling of excitement and happiness in the whole school celebrating sports day. In the past, I’ve usually left after an hour or so and gone home but this time, with an hour and a half break at House I stayed until around 2.15pm.
I was on my way to leave at around midday but got sucked back into staying and ended up trying to find Funfai whilst other students dragged me around to watch all the team’s cheerleader routines, partly because I had an umbrella they could shelter under.
Something I learned today?
Listening to the You Don’t Know Mojack podcast today, they were interviewing Chris Shary who is an artist that works with The Descendents and All. What was interesting was how he was a high schooler in Ipswich, UK and hung around with the Stupids, even singing with them near the end of their run. Pretty much useless information but of a little interest to me in discovering more about how everything is interconnected in our little weird music world.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
Congratulating everyone who had dressed up for the day. Encouraging others to cheer and do their best in their competitions. Commiserating with the few who were bored or cold whilst waiting for things to get going.
What was the biggest risk I took this year?
Lending $1600 to Ad Interim so that they could get their album made. I only knew Max through acquaintance but I liked the band’s music and made the deal for repayment within 12 months and he was good enough to get it paid off within three or four months. I’m happy to work with people like this. I can’t offer a lot when it comes to marketing and distribution but can at least support artists with funds for production.
Do you think that most people are doing the best they can?
I borrowed this question from The Red Hand Files where Nick Cave simply replied with the answer ‘No’ which surprised me a little and made me consider why he replied that way.
Even though it seems that there is only tragedy in the world and so many bad people acting in bad ways when I look around my own personal environment I believe most people are doing the best they can.
We can all do better, and all try harder, I guess (maybe that is why Nick Cave answered no to the question) but here, for many people, they are still struggling to get by.
Maybe it’s the difference between living in a first-world country and a third-world one. Maybe in a first-world one, we expect more of each other and in the third-world folks are doing the best they can in the circumstances.
Bebe took this picture because she grabbed my phone and I just let her take as many pictures as she wanted. I like this one the best because Baibua has a big smile which she doesn’t usually show for me. Namfon, in the middle, has become a favourite student of mine because although we both know she may never be good at English she will now try her best and that is the main lesson to learn. Bebe is on a similar trajectory but still gets very distracted in class, though usually in a way that cracks me up. It’s hard to assert authority when you are laughing so much yourself.
I’m saying goodbye to all the terrible kissers Crazy roommates and sideways pissers No more mental breakdowns for me I’m handing the landlord back the key
Moving on from fast food dates Working minimum wage cleaning plates I’m tired of all the dreams I’ve dreamt That I never had time to attempt
But finally, the time has come for me To make the trip towards a different sea The school of life has me graduating Beyond the realms of just contemplating
The terrible kissers will be a reminder To treat myself and others kinder Four winters and summers now past The time is right to move on at last
Ok but still coughing a little. When I got to school I found that one of my classes has 15 students off sick today! Amy is coughing and has a sore throat now too.
Today I’m grateful for:
My student Lydia for expressing her appreciation for my class today which was about vowel sounds.
I was also grateful to Tulip, who I moved from the back of the class to the front, which she was extremely unhappy about but then excelled in her interactions and was full of smiles.
I messaged her later to see how she felt about it and she gave positive feedback. I hope it encourages her for the future.
The best thing about today was:
A steady diet of happiness, many happy positive moments without one standing out.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I turned up to an empty classroom for my first class of the day, only then finding out that they had to go off to some meeting for the morning.
It would be nice if the kids learned about planning and communication so that when they become adults they can plan and inform people like me that get frustrated about its lack!
Nevermind. Five hours before my next class. Let’s drink coffee!
Something I learned today?
I read it on the internet so cannot claim it is true but this text said that supermarket apples can be up to one year old. After picking they are covered in wax, hot air-dried and placed in cold storage.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
I sent supportive messages to Tulip, Khawhom, BB and Namfon after our class today.
I encouraged my grade 10 students when they sulked after I gave them a more difficult option and then proceeded to do very well anyway, so I gave them positive feedback.
I helped supply a couple of forgetful students with pens this morning.
I helped Amy without complaint immediately after getting home. She had been sweeping up leaves and wanted me to finish off and throw them over the fence.
What deserves my energy and focus right now?
Now I’ve settled on Thaipod101 for my Thai studies and will stop with the other apps for now. I have a two-year subscription and must focus on pushing forward with it. I have the routine and habit in place and the belief that I can do it. So, this is not just ‘right now’ but it does start ‘right now’ and ‘right now’ every day!
I took this picture because I was thinking I should try to identify this dead snake that Amy found near our terrace. It was hard to say why it was dead. There were no obvious wounds except a little blood around its mouth.
I know you’re sad and feeling upset And your anger is directed at me But I know you just don’t get it yet And one day you’ll eventually see
These growing pains are emotional times And you gather support for your cause But you’re still misreading all the signs And banging your head on closed doors
I hope the light will reveal the way Towards a path that’s free from pain There’s nothing now that I can say That you can understand when I explain
Take your bravado and all your bluster And point it in the right direction And all the learning you can muster Will offer you a lifelong protection
Today I’m feeling:
Better for a good sleep although it wasn’t long enough. I almost succumbed to the snooze but powered through and did my exercise. My busy day ahead, I need to relax into it.
Now I’m back at home and glad the workday is done. I did get home to discover one of our cats decided to use the lounge in the dining room as a toilet which stunk up the dining room. Thankfully it’s not so hot and humid now otherwise I might have been asphyxiated.
Today I’m grateful for:
The projector in our classroom that can share my computer screen for the class to see. Keep reading to find out why this is relevant today.
The best thing about today was:
Being able to keep myself under control despite a series of frustrating events throughout the day.
In my first class, three students didn’t show up and after about 10 minutes I got a message from one saying that they were helping another, Earn, to sort out a problem with her phone. I replied that Earn could sort it out by herself and they should come back to class. A reply came back that Earn doesn’t know how to ride a motorbike so they had to go together. The smell of bullshit was confirmed when I asked the rest of the class about this. I asked their homeroom teacher too and he said to deduct points from them in the system which I duly did. They complained to me later but I told them that their actions have consequences. It feels to me like they are not used to this in general.
In my next class, we don’t have a remote control for the projector and I just use a long stick to push the ‘on’ button. Sometimes I ask the students to do it for me and today I asked Opor. Somehow she had managed to swivel the projector around so it no longer pointed at the wall. I then took over to try and realign it. Now, I already knew that the projector was not quite secure up there as I had seen that there was a bolt missing to keep it slotted into the bracket. This wouldn’t normally matter so long as the projector wasn’t moved. And so…..
With a nudge and a push suddenly the projector slipped off and the wires pulled the cover off the cable concealer and the projector bounced off the table, luckily not injuring anyone.
Somehow it was still working and I quickly managed to rig it up by putting a chair on the table and the projector on a chair with a couple of books to angle it so the kids could still see. I later managed to get it back up onto the ceiling and wound a couple of paper clips through the bracket so that it shouldn’t fall again!
About an hour into the class, I realised one of the students wasn’t doing any work. All they had to do was copy what was showing on the board. He’s not the brightest kid but today really took the cake and it was so daft that I just had to laugh.
I asked him why he wasn’t doing anything. He told me he didn’t have a book. It then came out that not only didn’t he have a book but that he didn’t have anything! I asked what was in his bag that was next to his chair on the floor. He said he didn’t know! What? His friend then explained that somehow he had picked up someone else’s bag and presumably someone somewhere in the school had his!
I asked whose bag it was and again he said he didn’t know! I have no idea what he planned to do to find his bag later! I told him to look inside to find out who it belonged to which would at least give him a clue as to who might have his bag. FFS!
Ok. Enough of that nonsense. But wait… there’s more. I had warned two girls already about playing with their phones in class and had already taken them once but had to return to do the online quiz. The second time I took them and gave them to their homeroom teacher and told the kids they could ask her for them after class.
After class, they went to see her and she said they could have their phones back at the end of the day. They begged that they needed their phones to pay for lunch but the teacher told them to go away. Another student told me they were crying as they walked off.
I felt a little bad for them at that point but the longer I thought about it the better I felt about it as it was a good lesson for them and if they were really hungry they could probably get their friends to pay for them.
Knowing where they hang out I walked past them a bit later and they half-heartedly told me not to talk to them. When I asked what I did wrong they tried to blame me but they knew that they had done the wrong thing. They had accepted the result at this point and didn’t seem too upset in the end.
And…..in the library, some serious gossipy drama was going on between students in the M2 classes and though I couldn’t understand the details it seemed to be heavy teenage stuff. Apparently, they’re having trouble with a couple of other students and I advised them to just ignore it and avoid them if they can.
Then…. For my last class, I decided to sit one-on-one with each student and have them read the text that they had been familiarizing themselves with this week. Yesterday we went through the text and written on the board how to pronounce some difficult words using Thai phonetically.
But it soon became obvious that no one had bothered to help themselves by writing it down themselves! Instead of getting upset (although I was!) I used it as an opportunity to reiterate to them that they need to help themselves and I can’t just magic knowledge into their heads.
They got it. But they will need constant reminders.
I still love all these little rascals.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I guess all the above could apply here though I never really felt out of control. This at least shows some growth within myself.
Something I learned today?
There is now so much information casting doubt on the truth about the hijackers flying planes into the Twin Towers in New York that the whole thing is just making the USA look like a giant clown world. It seems best not to believe anything and not to think too much about it. Is this a sidestep on think global, act local and pushing everyone back towards think local, act local?
The world is a funny place and sometimes I want to switch it off.
What is one thing that I often take for granted in my life?
I answered a similar question to this recently. I take so much for granted really. I don’t have to worry about so many things that other people have to.
Electricity and water are always taken for granted (until that time I forgot to pay the bill!). I would totally have to change my life if either of those went missing for whatever reason.
Showing daily gratitude constantly reminds me of the situation I am in so even if I do take things for granted I can still put out to the world my appreciation.
How did I change today?
It’s appropriate that this question came up today and though my answer doesn’t actually show a change on this day it is the day that I noticed how I have changed in the last couple of years.
The day of challenges thrown at me (described above) would have been handled differently maybe even just one year ago.
I am comfortable where I am right now though I’m unsure if I can take this positive relaxed attitude into future stressful situations that may arise. Nothing to do except to find out.
BB took this picture because Khawhom (pictured) was using my phone to hotspot so I left it on her desk. BB was one of the students whose phone I had confiscated and she cheekily picked up my phone. I noticed and assumed that she was taking lots of pictures in a defiant amusing act of revenge but surprisingly this was the only one. It is also the only picture taken today.
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