Are you awake to the stirrings of the earth? A bright day is born every morning If you don’t give it the value that it is worth The kingdoms will start to issue forth their warning Save me now so you may save yourself Sun is shining somewhere no matter what you say The noose is getting tighter, not for anyone else But they all wish to see the same brand-new day
You become what you give your attention to…If you yourself don’t choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will.
Epictetus
Today I’m grateful for: Dasa Books having another sale. I picked up a couple that got delivered today. The best thing about today was: Riding around new villages and discovering new places and paths. There were also fresh smells to enjoy on the cold damp air.
I took this picture because, despite the dullness of the light, the green of the rice amongst the brown water against the mountains and cloudy sky stood out to me as a picture of a beautiful day.
A Russian writer in a Dublin bar Took a metaphor way too far The idiot brother spent the day Conjuring up their words at play Newspeak made them more afraid And on the farm, a price was paid Conch holders soon made no sound As Alexandria’s library burned to the ground A plague, a joke, the man outside Tall tales of prejudice and pride Repeated and replaced with robots, I Struggle with two suns in the sky
Isn’t it conceivable a person wants to be a decent human being because that way he feels better.
Isaac Asimov
I took this picture because these two kept me company for a little while this morning on my walk. They looked like they were trying to kill each other but all the while wagging their tails and jumping up to run off again.
Everyday Are you moving close to your duty Or moving away? Knowing What you value and what you’re doing Is growing Moored To firmament and remaining steady For your reward
Never argue with someone whose TV is bigger than their bookshelf.
Who’s gonna care for you? Who will show the way? Who will find the light When the sun descends each day? A child to be exploited Manipulated and prostituted Bad choices made with mirrors Doors shut, firmly booted
Who’s gonna guide you? Point to the right direction A childhood to be wasted Staring at its reflection Dark fingers will be clawing Promises made with gold Sorrow is your struggle Before you get too old
19th Mar 2026 – Shared with W3 #203 – lighthouse. More abstract than the prompt requests but as I’ve run out of time to write much this week, I submit anyway.
And then I find a book that I really love, and I talk about it for a while so I won’t seem like I hate everything. In other words, I hate everything!
Always active, nervous twitching Under the skin, blood is itching Actions precede thought Which evaporate to nought Leaving all around you bitching
11th Sept 2023 – In Thai ‘duk dik’ means constantly moving around. This phrase can be used for my students in most of my classes.
The highs and lows I have known have turned me inward to the point where I’ll never feel anything close to normal. I don’t feel isolated, I don’t want in… There’s no confession to make, there’s no truth burning to come ripping out of me… I will always make relationships with people an approximation of a relationship. I think that’s better. I think things are more beautiful when you’re on the outside.
Henry Rollins
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful to be able to find the books I want to read from Dasa Books in Bangkok or even able to order from overseas using Amazon.
Sometimes I like to read a book that has nothing to do with my life, which often has the effect of making me wish for a different life.
Elisa Gabbert
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful for all the technology we use so that Amy can order and pay for food for our cats to be delivered to me and can see her face on video calls for her mum’s birthday today, even though we are in different hemispheres.
In this garden of life I’m a simple weed, underachieving Yet I can grow anywhere And I’ll never stop believing
Happily, I join in chorus As fellow weeds, we will survive Take whatever is thrown at us We’re just glad to be alive
I refuse to grow younger. I came by my decreptitude the hard way and I propose to enjoy it.
Jubal, Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful to be able to read all the great stories that smart people took the trouble to write, whether it’s comics or books.
Fed the cats, showered and walked to Utopia, glad to have pushed myself to do that. Nong Kratae and Rowan were there for a while. They drive all the way from the city just to get coffee at Utopia. I guess it gets them up and out.
As I was drinking my second cup, Fern walked in. I knew she was coming to Chiang Rai today but was surprised to see her so early. She was wearing a cute knitted hat that she is buying from China and selling online. It suited her beautiful face.
We chatted for a while and Kratae and Rowan left and one of Art’s staff arrived and invited us over to the new shop out in the rice field, which is opening soon but open today for friends as a trial. We borrowed Gong’s bike and I nervously rode it with a precarious Fern on the back. I get nervous riding other people’s bikes I’m unfamiliar with, especially with a passenger on the back.
We got there and found Kratae and Rowan again! I noticed Rowan playing on an iPad and we got chatting. He told me about messing around with a synth app and then I was able to show him a little bit about how he can change the sounds on it. He was excited about this revelation. It got me excited about it too.
Similar to me, apparently he has no musical ability either, we just like to mess around and perhaps learn something. I’m not sure what he does with his spare time. I don’t think he does any teaching.
After a while, and I, having another delicious coffee, they left and I decided to come back home, Fern dropping me off. She’s off to Chiang Mai tomorrow and I contemplated driving her so that I could go book shopping but I don’t want to have to drive there and back on the same day, which I would have to.
There’s lots of pounding music around the village today as folks are celebrating Songkran. It rained again last night and at 4.30 pm the skies are a little dark with the threat of rain, supposedly due tonight and for the next few days. It’s pretty unusual but welcome, although the temperature and humidity is still out of control.
I watched the Swans thrash West Coast this morning too. Good to see! I’ll duck out to get some dinner later. I haven’t really eaten much today and not been too hungry either, especially compared with yesterday, when I actually had three square meals, for the first time in months.
There in the alley, the marginal spaces The ministers mix with the drunk Between the tavern and the church Was the birth of soul and funk
Here lies the crux to save humanity The bleed maintains the goal Has heaven found its place on earth Where angels delivered funk and soul?
Keep on pushin’, Minister Curtis Not just shaking shaggy, do wow! We got to find the rhythms of peace And we got to find them now
adapted from a LitHub article about Curtis Mayfield
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful for our palm trees, whose fronds Tangmo really loves to play with when they have fallen to the ground.
A pleasant morning, waking without an alarm and inspired enough to get back to the abs regime. I’ve just been doing two sets of 25 sit-ups a day, sticking my feet under the lounge as leverage. I’m hoping my muscles eventually become strong enough to pull my body up without having to use my legs.
Amy has been baking carrot cake as Christmas gifts and we first took one to Art at Utopia, which was enjoyed and they rewarded me with an awesome new coffee blend from Melbourne. Then, to Cafe With No Name to drop off their cake.
Back now for relaxing lunch and reading my first Samuel Beckett, which I now understand Sean Hughes’ fascination with. Looking at my book shelves, there are just so many great books I have that I can’t wait to read.
This evening we are off to Singha Park with Amy’s parents for a family Christmas dinner.
They were so meaningful, the words I read As I fell to sleep, they remained in my head They resonated more than any words said But something happened as I was sleeping in my bed
This morning the memory struggles to recall My mind is empty, without any words at all Not even the gist, a notion or a vague idea One day they’ll pop up again and the memory will be clear
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful for the two chairs we have on our front porch where we can watch the sunrise over the mountains on these cool winter days.
A quick one today as I dash out in between classes. Both my classes this morning were great and all students took part. It seems weird that last week parents were complaining about me and then this week students seem to be trying harder. Hopefully, the parents pushed their children a little too.
It makes me feel more confident in what I’m doing. One more class this afternoon and then some time to read and plan. Just one class tomorrow, so lots of free time to prepare for next week.
