Tired still, aching still but also with some inspiration to do something, though that may just end up being reading, playing guitar and watching videos as usual.
(Later) Indeed, that is how it turned out, with a little bit of chopping some of the Indian pencil tree down as it was getting out of control and sweeping the entertainment area.
Health:
Physical: 7 Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Not going on that bike ride today and getting another relaxing day in instead.
Also, to the kids next door who interrupted me when I was playing guitar and made me think not to be too serious. Random little interruptions are good to change pace sometimes.
The best thing about today was:
A big, sad skinny white cow came into our garden around lunch time and made itself at home under the shade of the trees and hung around for a few hours until the cowman came.
Whilst it was sat down, I gave it some rubs (not sure what gender it was), which hopefully transferred some goodness into its suffering body. My fingers were black afterwards.
Something I learned today?
Reading David Foster Wallace’s Consider The Lobster today told me way more than I needed to know about lobsters but also had me opening up Google Maps where I discovered that Rhode Island isn’t an island at all.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
One thing that I do is to fill up the toilet roll holder so that Amy doesn’t get caught out with it being empty.
I sent this picture to all my classes because I want to remind them that they will be bad at something before they become good at it.
More reasonable today though still not breathing properly and have itchy tired eyes.
I slept for almost 12 hours though it wasn’t all good sleep but I was happy to at least have the opportunity anyway. Getting up late meant that the day disappeared fairly quickly.
After coffee, I came back and watched some videos before a delicious experimental lunch that Amy made of roasted vegetable lasagna but instead of lasagna sheets using soft tortillas instead.
Then some more 3 Body Problem, more videos (I didn’t move much today!) then I made it to my room to play guitar but I wasn’t quite in the mood but still managed about 25 minutes. My room is super hot in the afternoons now and I need to go there and play guitar in the mornings when my brain feels more alert!
I’m also reminded that I need to get back to my Thaipod101 lessons now that I have some free time again.
And also I want to do some study around active listening. I figure that after 56 years on earth, I might actually start listening to what other people have to say! Of course, I may find out the opposite too.
Today I’m grateful for:
The cowman from a couple of doors down.
This evening I was about to go out and close the gate and noticed something black on the grass. On closer inspection, it was cow shit! When did that get there! We were out in the garden in the afternoon and it wasn’t there then.
I grabbed a torch and walked around the garden just to check that whatever visitors we had had gone before going to close the gate. When I got to the gate it was already shut. I figured that a cow must’ve come in and the cowman found it, chased it back out and closed the gate behind him.
The mystery was soon confirmed by our CCTV system – a mum and calf with the cowman chasing them out!
The best thing about today was:
Amy’s lunch and then in the evening, Amy’s delicious peach crumble with chocolate ice cream. What a lucky guy I am. Or was I just smart enough to pick the best person for me to marry?
Something I learned today?
Last year in the world happiness index, China was number 1, followed by Saudi Arabia and then the Netherlands. In this year’s report neither China nor Saudi Arabia were in the top 30. That’s strange! It turns out that even though their data was collected it wasn’t used in the final report meaning a white Western nation (The Netherlands) is the happiest in the world. At least, if you cherry-pick the data to your agenda.
Also, whilst watching the Netflix 3 Body Problem it seemed fairly obvious to me that the ‘China Bad’ narrative was highlighted intentionally. It followed the book in that it was a Chinese woman who made contact with the aliens but as the rest of the series wasn’t set in China, as most of the book was, it bluntly exposes Western audiences to a message of ’look what the terrible Chinese did.’ Sigh.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
I sent more messages out to students about their holidays. Checking in with them.
Paen sent me another message out of the blue talking about ending her life again. I wrote back quickly but still haven’t had an answer. I just sent her another encouraging message. I hope she’s ok.
I took this picture when closing the gate a couple of nights ago. Is this a blood moon or air pollution?
The rain makes the dragonflies dance Across the green rice field sea Stalks quivering under droplets weight Bent to the breeze in a quiet tango Four rainbows beam from the mountain Tin rooves announcing progress Animals seek out shelter Yet the bull remains, unamused
Recorded and mixed at the Slaughterhouse January-February 2022 Mastered masterfully by Carl Saff
♥Juju, Steve, Cruel Nature, Lucie, Audrey, Gyeong-ryeong, Fai, George, birdbath, Ingue, Simon, Shaun, Tenzenmen, Seb, Dan, James, Tong-ann, Yuting, EBSN and my Mum
Today I’m feeling: Happy and relaxed. Today I’m grateful for: The coconut shop that makes delicious iced coconut water drinks. They are delicious but disappear too quickly like good things are supposed to. The best thing about today was: As I was walking to the coconut shop a school van pulled up, the door opened and I heard ‘teacher!’ and it was my student Baipad, who I found out lives next door but one to Black Smooth cafe. I think there are a couple of other students in my village but Baipad is the first I’ve actually seen around and all because I decided to walk instead of going by motorbike.
I took this picture because it was only by chance that I saw these strange star-shaped flowers on this cactus. Pretty and pretty interesting.
1994ever 