“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
From a Shannon Shelberg (above) quote about there being two types of people – rebels and aliens.
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
Written for a task at AllPoetry.com in connection with cliche. Cliches are often useful, so long as they are not overused, and often express exactly what is required. For me though, I really don’t like cliched poetic topics like seasons or flowers, unless done really well and bringing a new dimension to the subject. I have a pet peeve with some words too but I can’t remember them now because as soon as I see them I click away from reading and forget about them immediately. Next time I see one, I want to try and understand why it is that I dislike it so much! I looked up synonyms of cliche to find bromide! Haha! Never used that word in my life.
Today I’m feeling:
Not sure yet! The cats woke me up well before I wanted and after feeding them I decided to get going. Still dizzy and feeling very hungry despite a big meal last night, or maybe because of it.
I’m not sure what time Amy and Nu got home last night but Amy was happily singing her favourite songs in bed before she finally fell asleep and I was able to get back to it too.
I felt pretty good after being out last night. Even though I wasn’t drinking and still felt tired, I wasn’t bored or grumpy.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Being woken up at 5pm as I was enjoying a good sleep. I then got up and we went to the city for a really nice Chinese meal.
The best thing about today was:
Going to the optometrist and getting my eyes checked and ordering some cheap bifocal lenses for the spare frames I have. The lady there spoke little English but we managed to communicate everything eventually and I was happy not to spend as much as I was expecting.
My eyesight hasn’t changed so my old lenses are still ok but I was wondering if they were contributing to my dizziness. I guess not.
The lady was also the spitting image of my student iPhone and I asked her if she had a sister but she said she didn’t.
I was glad to do all this by myself instead of depending on Amy. Let’s see if the glasses I receive in the end are actually what I want!
Today I’m feeling:
Dizzy again. It’s more annoying than anything else. I don’t feel sick or anything but just like it takes extra effort to focus.
I went to school for about an hour, handing out the cookies Amy had made, which got a big thumbs-up from students.
I came home and got into bed, did some blog updates and reading before a nice one-hour nap.
Still a bit dizzy and disoriented. It’s like being drunk but without any fun feeling whatsoever. On the upside, Amy is feeling a little better each day.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
A combination of Makro and Amy. Between them, Amy put together an amazing dish of spaghetti with salmon mince balls.
The best thing about today was:
With little else happening today, Amy’s dinner really hit the spot. Both Nu and I were super hungry, especially after all the delicious smells coming from the kitchen.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Still struggling to focus while talking to people was a bit frustrating. I wanted to be more eloquent and coherent.
I particularly noticed this whilst talking with Champ, who is back after two years in Melbourne. It was good to see him again, but I’m not sure how I came across. I didn’t tell him that I’m not feeling well, though.
Something I learned today?
Nu travelled up from Bangkok and will stay with us for a few days. He has no plan while here but just wanted to get away from the bustle of the city. We discovered that he is in partnership with a Thai sake brewery in Chiang Mai!
Today I’m feeling:
Tired and dizzy, especially after exercise. I didn’t sleep well last night and woke up tired. At school now and feel a little out of it.
Amy woke up coughing and saying she is sick, so perhaps I have something coming on, too.
I felt a bit more with it by the afternoon but also with a blocked nose. I’m looking forward to getting home.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy’s idea of getting mala for dinner in an effort to blow away any potential lurgy. Not sure if it will work but it was deliciously hot and spicy anyway.
The best thing about today was:
There’s a good feeling around school as next week is a holiday. Students are happy and playful and don’t seem to mind doing some work too.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Watching George turn up an hour late to his class today. Most of his students had already disappeared by then anyway.
It is annoying to watch but I’m trying to put it out of my mind.
An erasure poem adapted from this wonderful writing at tiny hearts (see below)
Today I’m feeling:
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.
Written for Sadje’s What Do You See picture prompt (above) and Reena’s Xploration Challenge – everydayness.
3rd Sep 2025 – Submitted to dVerse Poetics Tuesday – life and lemons
Today I’m feeling:
A little brighter today and trying to fight laziness. Must push hard as I spend a lot of my free time lying down and reading. I love reading but need to move my body more. What to do?
(Later) I avoided the dreaded nap today by playing guitar badly for more than an hour in my room and messing around sorting files on my computer for music and comics. Both things get me so excited, along with reading books too.
And before I know it, it’s dark outside, early evening as the winter slowly creeps nearer, yet I feel full of energy.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
The lady who served me at Tanapiraya, who remained fairly calm as there were many customers at the time and then she had to figure out what the free items were that the store was giving away and deal with the technology of the till software, which wasn’t doing what she wanted.
The best thing about today was:
Playing guitar was enjoyable, though the cheap strings that I bought are making me appreciate the more expensive ones that I will buy again in the future. As I’m pretty much just bashing away, it doesn’t matter too much but even I can tell that it should sound better!
I also just finished writing a poem connected with Native American mythology and compassion. I really enjoyed composing it and testing my brain with ideas.
Something I learned today?
Psephology is the scientific study of elections. I learned this from a poem I read today! ‘Psephos’ means pebble in Greek and ‘psephomancy’ is divination by pebbles. Pebbles were used by ancient Greeks in voting.
Shared with No Theme Thursday picture prompt and The Sunday Whirl Wordle #675
(wordlist: witchcraft metamorphosis garden whirl woods fly siren sign breath stone circle why)
Today I’m feeling:
Good, though my neck is a bit creaky. As I looked into the bathroom mirror after getting up, I thought that I’m not doing too badly for my age. When I think about retirement approaching in the next decade, I can’t imagine it as I still feel fit and vital (at least this morning anyway!)
Last night Amy turned up the air conditioning, and I was freezing as I also had a fan on me. Once I woke up, I had to get going to warm myself up!
Two hours later, two coffees and two poems down and I’m feeling good. Today I must NOT nap! I have a plan!
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy always doing the washing up. It’s not that I don’t want to do it – I’m not allowed to do it! I’m not allowed in the kitchen in general and that suits me fine!
The best thing about today was:
Staying awake all day! Yay! Amy’s mum and dad came for lunch and stayed for a while afterwards, so I took the opportunity to get out to my room for a while, adding to the blog and playing a little guitar.
I came back in at around 3 pm and executed my plan to stay awake by bleaching my hair, which also meant that I couldn’t be in a lying position either, so I read a bit more of Bob Mortimer’s biography, which is thoroughly enjoyable.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I’m down to my last 1000 baht with another two weeks left before getting paid! Actually, I have some of this month’s pay saved in another account that I was hoping to put towards getting some new glasses. Looks like I’m going to have to dip into that, though.
Something I learned today?
I watched an interesting video about a homeless guy in Bangkok called Pichai who leaves weird mind map-style graffiti around the city.
He has something going on in his head but was an interesting character and his ‘art’ is fascinating to look at.
Inspired, borrowed and paraphrased into seven-syllable lines from the question and answer at The Red Hand Files #293
The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon
(reviewed at Goodreads.com)
I love the language used in this book though it did make it a little bit of a slog but, as an Englishman myself, this was a fascinating journey. Somehow, in my youth, I was aware of the way things were going in Britain and got myself out just before the end of this book, the handover of Hong Kong.
I was appalled at the lies and deceit of the Empire and thoroughly enjoyed following its decline. I also noted how the USA was (hypocritically) critical of Britain’s colonialism before they stepped into the breach after WW2. And it fills me with warmth to see the USA making the same mistakes since then, and being able to watch their own empire’s decline in real time.
Today I’m feeling:
Sleepy and lazy. Knowing that I have the next six days at home isn’t helping either!
I want to get myself motivated but my body is holding back my brain.
(Later) Well, I did a bit of reading and finally finished my book. Onto some sci-fi next for something a little different.
I was able to motivate myself to get out to my room where I did some blogging, writing, listening and guitar playing, which I was glad of but didn’t feel was particularly inspiring.
Sometimes you just have to go through the motions to work towards that habit.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy’s friend Fon, who dropped off a couple of small fish for us yesterday and Amy cooked them up for lunch today.
The best thing about today was:
Eating! I had breakfast, lunch and dinner today, as I’m wondering if my lack of energy is down to not eating enough. I’ll see how I feel tomorrow.
I’m a couple of kilos up on last week, too, so I need to make sure that if I do get energised, that I work out of again.
Something I learned today?
Art was really excited to tell me this morning that Oasis will play some concerts again and that he would fly to Singapore to see them if he had to!
Written for an AllPoetry assignment analysing friendship
Today I’m feeling:
Reasonable. I reluctantly got up with my alarm as my neck was sore but opted out of any exercise and after a shower went out for coffee. I wanted to be productive today so didn’t dilly-dally too much and when I got home I went to my room and caught up on some emails and a little bit of writing.
After lunch though I couldn’t help having a little nap but when I woke up I forced myself back out again to play some guitar.
The rest of the afternoon and evening have disappeared with some YT videos and helping some students with reading.
Today I’m grateful for:
Rain! Finally. Though it didn’t last much longer than 30 minutes and afterwards the humidity set right back in.
The best thing about today was:
Finishing my first erasure poem. The words came out well but the overall look is a bit messy. I need to study what others have done and get ideas from them.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I wanted to read more of my book today but watching videos won out.
Something I learned today?
There was a cosplay event at Central today. Baipad told me that she was going to check it out. She was a little disappointed that it wasn’t bigger but Chiang Rai is still a small city compared with Chiang Mai or Bangkok.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I took some of Amy’s cookies to Utopia for them to try. I didn’t think much of it at the time but when I stepped back in home Amy had already received a message from Art wanting to order some! Amy was convinced that I did it just to try and get her busy at home but I laughed and she was being good-humoured too.
Later in the afternoon, she started working out how much they cost to make and what she could sell them for.
Submitted to dVerse – Buildings
Today I’m feeling:
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.
1994ever 