Tag: Bruce

I like it when your eyes get big – 9th June 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Tuesday 7 am – no workers yet, cancelled two days running. Sabai sabai. Just do a good job – a long lasting job.

Hot Snakes in head today. Mild-mannered Froburg, last night podcast – couldn’t get to sleep from tension in my legs – eventually, did – XOX – all Hot Snakes songs are great but sound the same

Why am I comfortable to sit cross-legged? It fucks my back but feels better at the time. Bruce, work today, visit bookshop – I love books – take another for Bruno.

Evidence – I am a believer in what can be known – not so much what isn’t known. Will argue with George over this for sure – but keep it good-natured.

What did I dream? I don’t recall. Talk with Andrew on Sunday – what about? What method – work it out. A Dinosaur Jr. riff – always different always the same – my head is full of musical trivia – nonsense – but so it is.

Finished my jigsaw – meditate on that. Observe. Sounds and light.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for all the people I have met in my life, good and bad, they made me into who I am.

To-do list

  • Update document for Bruce ✅
  • Positive-smile-compliment-wish ½
  • Find 5-10 minutes to meditate
  • Scan some pictures
  • Draw mini zine

I took some time today to learn more Thai and didn’t get to do so much else. Another very chilled day with no real work to do as such. I felt happy and contented and tried harder to listen and get more understanding from people. George mostly.

He started talking about fake moon landings and I didn’t argue against him but asked what it is about these types of things that interests him. I gave him my reason for not believing in the conspiracy and we both understood each other.

The lesson with Bruce was good despite my being a bit tired – it ended up an enjoyable discussion.

I did spend many times concentrating on the feelings in my body – when walking, when driving and there were also a couple of moments during the day when I just felt very contented. I want to learn to hold on to those – especially when we actually have to work in class. We talked (me, George and Dylan) about making classes fun and enjoyable for the students and I have to remember this more as I fell I am a more serious and sombre teacher.

We got that attitude! – 2nd June 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful that I have the chance to go out to the dentist easily. Life is pretty easy.

To-do list

  • Smile, compliment (lie, even!) ½
  • Connect some more ✅
  • Savour something
  • Go to dentist to make appt. ✅
  • Breathing, meditate, sit quietly, positive wishes ½

A much better day today helped by an almost 10-hour sleep. We didn’t do any work at school today yet it passed by relatively swiftly and I had an enjoyable chat with Dylan. I enjoyed talking with Bruce this evening too.

No school tomorrow and I’m not sure exactly what I’ll do though Amy wants to go for a foot massage, which would be great.

We got that attitude! – 26th May 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful for the nurse who gave me free medicine this morning for my upset stomach. That was nice.

To-do list

  • Don’t forget that breathing exercise ½
  • More lessons and clear emails ✅
  • Bring a smile to every interaction ½
  • Make copies of passport at school ✅

A rough, though quiet day today. Last night I was awake quite a lot as the mix of beer and seafood sauce played havoc with my guts. I slept in and arrived at school around 10.30 am. George and Dylan were still out for coffee and I think Champ had only just arrived too.

I cleared my emails and started looking at some more lessons and the day passed quickly and uneventfully – my stomach still complaining somewhat.

Something that was nice was that one of the staff there heard me talking to Champ about my stomachache and turns out she was the nurse and she got me some antacid tablets and drink. That was really nice of her.

Amy talked to me a lot tonight about how she’s been feeling these last few days as she has been upset with her friend Aor and the way she behaved on the weekend. I listened attentively and used the breathing exercise to help with concentrating and found it quite effective.

I also ‘taught’ Bruce tonight but we mostly ended up just in conversation about various topics. I enjoy talking with him actually but wonder how much better off he might be with a teacher who actually knows what they are doing. But perhaps this style suits him too as he needs to put in extra effort by himself which he has little spare time for – so just practising talking is good for him.

Tomorrow I expect to be back on form and keep on with the things I missed this morning such as meditating, writing and weights.

We got that attitude! – 19th May 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful to have our cat Tigger in our lives. He’s a tough cat and been through a lot of tough times and now he is happily with us here in Thailand. It’s great to see him happy.

To-do list

  • Install Zoom at home ✅
  • Offer help where you can ✅
  • Find more articles for Bruce ✅
  • More Coursera and Crash Course ✅

A strange day at school. When we arrived it seemed like we had an urgent request to check all the videos that the Thai teachers had made because the parents had complained about bad pronunciation by the teachers. We were happy to help but not really sure exactly what they wanted us to fix (or how?).

Despite the urgency, the teacher we were supposed to get the files from wasn’t there and no one told us where she was or if/when she would arrive.

After lunch we got another message that it wasn’t the videos that we had to check but the PowerPoints they had made. We had already noticed mistakes in some that we saw and when we pointed it out they said that it was too difficult to change in time.

By the end of the day we had only received one file to check, so it wasn’t so urgent, I guess!

We busied ourselves preparing our next videos which we will record over the next couple of days. I feel very relaxed about the whole situation but also want to be careful not to slip into laziness. I helped the uni students and first-year teachers to proofread their work. The all really want to talk with us so that they can practice speaking English. Some of the first-year teachers told me that they thought the whole Thai education system was messed up and I encouraged them to be the ones who can trigger the change.

When I got home Amy told me about many complaints around Thailand about the quality of the Thai teachers teaching English and videos had gone viral. With online teaching the parents are now seeing what their children have to work with and are understandably upset.

I will maintain my relaxed attitude – everything still feels so uncertain for everyone. No point to get upset or frustrated.

Take a swipe at it with a single feather – 2nd April 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that we will go out today to take our cats to the vet.

Krishna descends to this planet every 8.6 billion years and this purpose is stated in Bhagarad-gita and we have to accept it as is; otherwise there is no point in trying to understand it!

Swami

To-do list

  • Finish one more lesson
  • Start that course – now is a good opportunity ½

I taught Bruce today though actually, I didn’t really teach him anything. We ended up talking about Chinese history and how things repeat themselves. I should try and talk to more people – though I don’t really need a high quota to be happy, I have to be aware that I don’t cut everyone off.

I talked with Hayden for a little while today too. He seems to be doing okay under the conditions of the lockdown in Australia.

I watched some of Joe Rogan’s interview with Andrew Yang about Universal Basic Income and I’m starting to consider Hayden’s attitude to work may serve him well in the future, maybe at least not wasting his time and energy on a career that leads nowhere or is made redundant by technology and automation. He still needs to master himself in self-motivation and hard work for himself though.

I’m still confused about my own direction in continuing teaching at the moment. If we move to online teaching it will remove one of the things that I enjoy about teaching and that is the connection I have with the students.

And why waste time working hard when this virus could just stop me dead at any time? If we have only a year left, do I want to spend it in the frustrations of this teaching system? But I guess I shouldn’t be thinking like that (and I am still, very slowly, preparing lessons).

We got that attitude! – 19th March 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful for the fantastic books I’m reading.

The haunting fear that other people are having a wonderful time.

The School of Life

To-do list

  • Finish topics overview for Champ
  • AirAsia and Agoda refunds
  • Picture for Fern ½
  • Talk with Bruce about cutting back
  • Finish more Pocket articles

Feeling a little unmotivated at the moment. I think may be due to the uncertainty of the future because of the virus.

The air quality is also putting me off from even going to work in my room – just want to sit in the one room with the air purifier and watch TV or read books. So tired and lazy, I fell asleep at around 10pm. I should be doing the things listed above but I don’t feel the urgency.

Amy is also talking more about her inability to live in Thailand anymore so our longer-term plans may involved a big move back to Australia. I feel a little disappointed with this but don’t want to keep Amy here if she can’t be happy. Her positive attitude has been slowly dissolved by her experience here over the last two years – not just with society in general but also with her parents and family.

As I’m feeling older and less inclined to be working, Thailand, despite its faults, feels like a better option to me. Amy is younger and still has the energy to work hard but our finances will be back to survival levels in Australia. I can live anywhere though so it’s not as important for me.

Your emotions make you a monster – 20th February 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

I am so happy and grateful for the opportunity to apply to a new school today. I’m hopeful I can make a good impression

Within that head of yours is all the reason and intelligence you need. Make sure your mind is in charge, not your emotions.

Daily Stoic Journal

To-do list

  • Print out the InFocus lesson plan content ✅
  • Listen and take notes at the interview ✅
  • Better prepare for Bruce’s lesson (30 mins) ✅
  • Check stoicism units on FB ✅
  • Write a blog post

I felt pretty good going into today and even getting thrown an extra class suddenly didn’t bother me too much.

The morning flew by enjoyably enough and the interview at CRPAO went well and then chatted with George for a couple of hours so by the time I got home I was feeling pretty good.

I still occasionally think about Kimi and it almost brings a tear to my eye (even as I write this now) but I understand that there is nothing I can do about this. I can acknowledge the feeling and carry on.

Whilst my mind has been a bit less scattered these last two days I still feel a little less clear and focussed. I think the possibilities of a new workplace can help me refocus and brush out some cobwebs.

I really want to pursue the meditation practice more fully as I believe that could have the biggest benefit for me. My mind is always full of things – I’d like there to be a little less going on in there.

Tomorrow, I think I will be happy and positive and looking forward to the weekend – as busy as it might be.

They will crawl up in your skin and they will come out from the walls, if you let them – 13th February 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

What do you believe that others do not?

– A daily writing prompt from stoameditation.com

I believe in fairness, justice, learning, compassion etc…  but so do many other people….

Perhaps there are things that other people believe that I do not, such as gods, more money will make you more happy etc…  Many people believe those things too though.

I feel like this is a trick question and should force you to contemplate all the things you do believe.  When you examine them all maybe there will be something there that no one else believes?

Is there anything that one person might believe that no one else believes though?  Even something obscure is likely to be believed by another person somewhere in the world. As you voice it for the very first time, someone else might agree!

What about this? Is there something you used to believe that you no longer do? When you stop believing something you sometimes block it out and disown it as if you never really believed it. Did I used to believe in ghosts? Some strange things happened that I couldn’t explain then but can explain now. Is that just learning and growing away from ignorance? Is it possible to grow so far away from ignorance, to be able to explain everything, to no longer have any beliefs? Is that some sort of nirvana the Buddhists idealise?

If you believe we live in a simulation then do you really know that one foot goes in front of another when you are walking or do you just believe it is so?

This stupid question has raised more than I’ve been able to answer. Ok, good. Keep the old brain ticking.

I’m off to start on my list of things I believe.

Who called?
What the hell did they say?
Get off the telephone right now
Don’t throw another minute away

Karate – There Are Ghosts

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I don’t have to teach at school for the next two days. Even though it was a late notification and bad planning it’s good for me anyways.

To-do list

  • Finish Kieran’s letter today! ✅
  • Study TOEFL templates ½
  • Connect with someone ✅
  • Random act of kindness ✅
  • Clear videos and emails ✅

I really enjoyed being able to sit in the quiet classroom and finish off Kieran’s letter as well as read a few other things and make some random notes. I skipped out in the afternoon so we could do some much-needed shopping. I don’t know if anyone will say anything tomorrow about not being there the whole day but it does feel a bit unreasonable to expect us to stay the whole day when there is nothing much to do.

It’s the constant annoying frustration of disorganisation and I am learning more to go with the flow.

Spent another enjoyable hour talking with Bruce and thinking of strategies to help him improve. I’m afraid it may be a long journey for him and I don’t want him to think that I’m just milking him for money so I will do my best to facilitate with what he needs to pass his exam.

I was calm and collected for the whole day and employed some of the techniques from the Smiling Mind meditations – becoming conscious of breathing and practising focus on people communicating – not just words but facial and body language, interactions within groups etc. When in those group communications I could have paused longer and forfeited my stories to enjoy theirs more. If I have that opportunity again tomorrow I will practice this.

Tomorrow I will spend all day reading, writing, learning and thinking.

I would be your whipping boy, if you look into my eyes – 12th February 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

There are two important components of jerkhood.

First: an implicit or explicit sense that you are an ‘important’ person.
Second: an implicit or explicit sense that you are surrounded by idiots.

– Eric Schwitzgebel (blog extract)

Hands up if you’ve ever been a jerk? There should be no hands down. Please comment if you have never been a jerk. Not even once.

Here’s all the times I was a jerk…….

No, no, no, I’m not going to do that! Not here anyway.

I wonder if we actually are surrounded by idiots, or if those people have chosen a simpler path that just makes them appear to be idiots to others. They must have some redeeming qualities.

As individuals, we seem to be quite together, perhaps even inconsequential, yet when we get together to form systems or groups we often devolve into idiothood.

Sometimes I wish I was ignorant and close-minded. Then the truth – the reality – doesn’t matter.

So, I’m sorry to everyone who ever felt that I was a jerk to them. I’m trying.

Well, I feel bad
And I’ve felt worse
And I’m a creep
And I’m a jerk

Mudhoney, Touch Me I’m Sick

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for my phone and this app (just called Gratitude). It reminds me of all the little things I should be grateful for.

To-do list

  • Finish reply to Kieran ½
  • Start creating events for WDS ½
  • Enjoy teaching Bruce again ✅
  • Case more CDs ½
  • Do not complain. Think before speaking ½

Got thrown an extra class this morning but luckily it was with one of the better classes of students. The following classes all went well too but I’m starting to feel worn down. I was wondering today if I’m just jealous of the freedom that the kids have, their care-less attitudes, their joys and grievances.

There was almost a fight today as two kids stood up to each other. I was curiously, happily watching it progress and wanted to see how the class dealt with it themselves. I’m not sure if someone was expecting me to step in but eventually Kru Noon did and it was a little disappointing that it fizzled out.

My self-control was tested somewhat when finding out late in the afternoon that there are no classes for the next two days but I looked on the bright side for myself rather than thinking about the unstructured disrupted learning these kids are going through. Two easy days ahead. I hope I get to spend more of this free time in the quiet classroom and write, think and study more.

I taught Bruce again today and he wants to study 2-3 times a week which is good for me. I need to do a bit more research for his lessons as he wants to learn about TOEFL exams for speaking.

I learned today that I can push through and enjoy it when teaching, even when I’m tired. I can improve my methods when teaching Bruce as I feel they have dropped off somewhat at Anuban. As Mohan laughingly mentioned ‘Once you start teaching here you can’t teach anywhere else.’ This shows me his satisfaction at his job and settled into this style, knowing its limitations and drawbacks. Can I do the same? I think I have to if I want to stay sane.

14th May 2024 – Four years later I can safely say that I have settled into a working style that is suitable for here but as Mohan infers, it would be very difficult to be a teacher anywhere else after this.

Paycheck to paycheck, living for what? Every night I get drunk to get sunk – 11th February 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The continuum of Problem-solving:

You solve the visible problem.

You solve the problem that caused the visible problem.

You avoid the problem.

When solving visible problems, it’s easy to signal value creation to others. If you work in a large organization with a regular paycheck, few people ask if the problems should exist in the first place. Instead, everyone thinks you’re indispensable because you’re so busy solving problems.

As you move toward avoiding problems before they happen, visibility decreases. Explaining what you do all day becomes harder and more subjective. Rewarding people for something that didn’t happen is very difficult. Thus, it becomes risky for the employee to avoid problems.

From Farnam Street’s Brain Food Newsletter

“If you work in a large organization with a regular paycheck, few people ask if the problems should exist in the first place.” Reading this took me right back to my old IT office job.

I really loved that job when I first started. It was overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. I worked my ass off to learn as quickly as I could. Years later I was rewarded with a technical administration position, which was better than it sounds.

It was a steep learning curve which involved a lot of testing, installations, maintenance, programming and 24 hour support. The product was a top of the range piece of software. It had just turned the year 2000 and money was flowing freely through the institutions that were supported. Work was interesting and fun.

Slowly, money started to dry up and upgrades were delayed. Often the users would demand it whilst their finance departments would not agree to pay for it. These battles went on consistently for about a decade. During that time all that I needed to do was to make sure the thing kept running. My typical work day could be over after 5 minutes of checking emails. So I made good use of the super fast internet, the office supplies and the printers.

Eventually they started replacing the product I was supporting with a cheaper alternative. Of course users complained because now their minor problems were turning into major problems. To save money, costed money. But it was more cost effective for my employer to pay penalties to the customer for fuckups than it was ensure the fuckups didn’t happen in the first place.

Eventually, after 13 years of arguing for better planning and products, sitting quietly doing my own things on company time, I was made redundant. It was an amazing relief to be honest, and it changed the course of my life. Much for the better, I like to think.

Now, wherever I am working, I can see the same redundant systems in place. The ‘work smarter, not harder’ mantra hasn’t managed to infiltrate everywhere as yet.

It won’t work,
Won’t work no more….

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for our beautiful house. It feels like a home.

I am so happy and grateful to make friends with these puppies, even though they ate my shoes.

To-do list

  • Reply to Kieran ½
  • Catch up with Stoa and Daily Stoic ✅
  • Search more about TOEFL for Bruce ✅
  • Write a blog entry ✅
  • Get more CD cases finished! All? ½

An easy two-lesson day that could have been easily disrupted when I was told I could no longer use the library so I had to think quickly about new lessons which wasn’t too stressful.

I was pretty quiet today, still a bit tired from the weekend. I even lost my wallet at one stage but that didn’t phase me and I figured where it may have fallen out of my pocket and sure enough they had found it in the cafe. That’s the first time I have ever lost my wallet or anything out of my pockets. That’s a pretty good record but hopefully not a sign of things to come.

Things I could have improved on would be to not join in when other teachers are complaining. I don’t do it too much but it’s easy to fall into it.

I feel like I got a lot done today but still like I have a lot to do. None of these things are essential but one I do have to start getting on top of is the WDS tour so I’ll get back on to that tomorrow. I also start teaching Bruce online again so that will be a bit of extra cash coming in too.