4 Million Poems – 1st July 2021

4 million poems later
And 40 years in time
Never run out of topics
Or words to find to rhyme
4 million poems later
I haven’t yet said and done
Everything that can be rhymed
So here’s 4 million and one


Weight: 77.6kg
Resting heart rate: 45


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to Takky for telling us about a couple of students who are returning to China and have a dog to leave behind. They showed us the dog – of course, we can’t take it – but we helped them by putting ads on social media and sending pictures to Amy’s dad – who said he will take it! It’s a nice friendly French bulldog.

I’m alright, I’m alive – 20th August 2020

Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys? Where did that come from?

Building myself up to do my five minutes of exercise, tired this morning – don’t want to, want to sleep more – push through.

Crazy Kim was here trying to climb to the highest point. What is in the mind of a cat?

Go to Hill tribe school today – hope it’s okay – worry the kids can’t understand what to do. What’s Plan B?

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to have Dad’s truck so I can drive to the hill tribe school today.

To-do list

  • Laugh and enjoy the day ✅
  • Make sure others enjoy their day too ½
  • Compliment new people (anyone really) ½
  • Another blog post when you get home ½

It’s a week later already. I have managed to fill my time up with many things including converting old DVDs, pushing and promoting the podcast, watching interesting TV and documentaries along with most of the usual things I’ve been doing such as school and online teaching.

I’ve been working with a girl called Kelly who has taken a few lessons to warm up but I was very heartened to see her become more confident and sure of herself in her speaking. That made me feel like my effort was worthwhile.

It can be the opposite at school where you can feel you are getting nowhere. I think I have successfully managed to understand this scenario now though and it will be a very long and slow process for things to improve.

Currently, there are lots of student protests in Thailand – more free and democratic government, less corruption and more equality. This too has been going on for nearly a hundred years. Things change slowly here.

I’ve been happy with myself recently and been able to deal with sudden changes and minorly stressful situations. I think I’ve become a better person and always looking to move that forward.

Tomorrow is my long teaching day – including in the evening but I’m looking forward to going to Mae Sai on the weekend and also dropping by an orphanage for girls to see what we can do for them. I hope that I can get involved in some way.

We got that attitude! – 20th May 2020

I am so happy and grateful for the opportunity to work with George and Dylan at CRPAO this semester. I think we will have a lot of fun.

To-do list

  • Zoom with Ellen
  • Enjoy the role playing today ✅
  • Another article for Bruce
  • Some more Inner Engineering

The day at school actually went to plan and the evening at home didn’t at all! But that’s OK. These things happen and it’s nothing to get beat up over.

Amy and Takky and Amy’s dad were drunk by the time I got home and everyone was in a happy mood so I hung out and played with Ritchie (Takky’s dog).

I worry sometimes about Amy hurting herself when she’s drunk – she also gets a little maudlin and down. I like to drink too and have a good time but recently I just haven’t felt like it so much. We did on Friday and had a great time but it’s getting harder for me to do it on school nights.

*How was your night? – 21st August 1998

Email with TLJ

T: email me baby.

S: OK

T: i miss you.

S: When does your lecture start? You get all yr work done?

T: want to spend some time with you on the weekend – maybe go for a drive or picnic if it’s sunny,

S: Sounds good. let’s do it. Let’s go to the art gallery…

T: but i just remembered that i’m working on the next development task, and will probably be flat out.

S: Oh well. We got plenty of time ahead of us….

T: damn, hung out the clothes this morning and now it’s starting to get cold and rain! and i’ve only got a jumper and t-shirt on!

S: You need a cuddle? Come and get it.
Missing you too. Something I hoped to achieve at work today didn’t work. Damn. Shitting me.
Love ya too babes

T: i didn’t want to wake up this morning (apart from being tired)

S: Me too – I had to catch the train – i hate that.

T: because I was having a vivid and bizarre dream about andrew (from school).

S: why you no dreaming bout me….?

T: cause andrew’s cuter!

S: bbbllllleeeeeeeeuuuuuauuaaaarrrrrgggghhhhh! Me cuter!

T: He was cheating on his girlfriend with Aren!. ANd his girlfriend was this blond chick.

S: I think you got a thing about blonde chicks. I don’t.

T: no, i’ve got a thing about blonde himbos.

S: I’m dying my hair and going to the Gym.

T: Check out some of the lyrics to “summertime” “Romantic piscean seeks angel in disguise, Chinese speaking girlfriend
with big brown eyes”. Pretty cool huh?

S: Me like

T: but i don’t speak chinese, and i don’t have big brown eyes – so which chinese speaking girlfriend with big brown eyes are you talking about.

S: You are more beautiful than the most beautiful things in the world. You are the One!

T: also babe, i’m really sorry, but i may be busy saturday. Marty is having a party saturday night, and sue, di and tu want to get together for a girlie, movie night (not girlie-movie night!)

S: Well, that gives us all afternoon. I don’t unnerstand – Marty is having a party so you’re going somewhere else? I’ll come too – I’ll put on my skirt and lippie and pretend OK. Where’s it at?

T: and they want to watch some chick flicks – damn! exactly what is a chick flick? give me an example.

S: Beats me. Maybe Clueless or Sleepless in Seattle – shit I don’t know. Wanna take a copy of Apocalypse Now!

T: catch ya babe.

S: You better… And wish yr Dad a happy birthday.

T: he says thanks – he wants you to stop seeing his daughter as a b’day present. how bout it?

S: You heard him wrong – he knows what a great guy I am and asked me to marry you for his birthday. So how bout it. Seriously – do YOU want to stop me seeing you (sounds like it?) Don’t break my heart babe – I’m too far gone.

T: i just finished typing up the timesheets (but i haven’t got all of them from them laxzy fuckers!)

S: Kick butt sweety

T: yeah, yours

S: Like to see it. You can whip it anytime.

T: and printed out the minutes (huge waste of paper – i’m feeling guilty over it) and now i have to go meet the
data systems design people – damn. how come your mail comes with the header from your .csc.com.au account? just wondering.

S: Our Notes internet mail goes through that gateway now. CSC owns it now instead of Connect.

T: “well it’s you and me in the summertime, we’ll be hand and hand down in the park” can’t wait for summer, tlj

S: You’re driving me nuts – I can’t wait either. You better make plenty of time for me (cos I’m a demanding sonova…)

T: Is that because of the insanely fast way i think and converse, and you can’t keep up with me? or what?

S: No it’s cos of yr gorgeous body. All my lovely love
PS My night was cool – I fell straight to sleep (after dreaming bout you)

T: thanks babe, tlj

S: Do you love me?

The beginning….at the ending – 27th October 1967

13th Dec 2025 – I came across this copy of my birth certificate today. I’m not even sure where the original one is now.
My first home (apparently), near the river. I’m guessing we stayed here until my dad died a couple of years later. I assume that my mum then took me to the other end of the country to get away from the memories here and start a new life. Hmm – things I should’ve asked my mum, or maybe even did and have since forgotten.

It’s interesting to me how much this looks like the house I lived in during my early 20s. A small two-bedroom semi-detached with a garage. I think it’s a similar colour too but my memory could be playing tricks. Bronwyn also used to laugh at how pale and dull everything looked in England. I had to agree.