Tag: end of empire

A Loose Grip On Reality – 30th July 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

The eagle’s wings spread far
Its shadow cast, deepest black
Blood squeezed out of every inch
Caught in its talons attack

The broadness of its grasp
Concealing the fragility of its grip
Let loose the dogs of war
As their domain starts to slip

Verbal giants become action dwarfs
They must grow or they must decay
The coming end is inevitable
The story always ends this way

USAsian foreign policy, anyone?
22nd Aug 2024 – Submitted to Ragtag Daily Prompt – grip

Today I’m feeling:

On the edge.  I felt good at forcing myself up and exercising this morning.  Could feel my lazy body enjoying the move and stretch.

The weather today is very English and ordinary (a little warmer than in England of course). Dull, grey and spitting light droplets of rain.  The dim ambience is straining my tired eyes and as I pulled up for a couple of hours at House with coffee I suddenly felt tired and run down.

Hopefully the coffee picks me up for what should be a relatively straightforward day of classes today.

Today I’m grateful for:

The bakery shop next door to House where I could pick up ingredients for Amy as her first batch of cookies had failed due to too fine a sugar for the mix.

When I got home and tasted them though, they were the best so far but I could still understand why she wasn’t happy with them.

The best thing about today was:

Sitting on the terrace in the egg chair this evening after dark, with Tigger on my lap and rain tap tap tapping down through the canopy of leaves and flowers growing over the entertainment area.  The temperature is finally bearable and I’m even wearing a t-shirt tonight, though I could just as easily not do too.

Anyway, it was only a few minutes but I savoured them immensely.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I was frustrated with Program (and Kwang) in my grade 8 class and asked him to leave after telling him to sit down on about ten different occasions.  He tried to convince me that he was going to behave, but unfortunately, he can’t help himself and will just get up and disturb other people.

As I had said I would kick him out if I had to say his name again, I felt obliged to ensure that he left but he refused.  So I told the class to just sit and say nothing until he left.  He gave it a good go for about five minutes but Kwang eventually convinced him to leave and I carried on teaching and the class was great after that.

Kwang soon got up and asked to go to the bathroom, though and that was the last I saw of her too.

I didn’t let any of this bother me in particular; just wanted to put my foot down.  We have fun in my class but there are limits and they need to understand what is acceptable and what is not.  It’s a little sad because Program and Kwang are capable students.  They just lack maturity and guidance.

I talked with Kru Karn again later but she was just as frustrated with them as all the teachers complain about them to her and she doesn’t know what to do.  She doesn’t understand why they are still in school as their points in our SchoolBright system have fallen below zero which generally means that they are asked to leave.  Kwang’s current score is now -125!

Thankfully, my second class (grade 10s) was much smoother.

Something I learned today?

We have a new teacher teaching English.  Her name is Sasha and she’s from Indonesia.  She told me that she remembers me from visiting with the exchange program students last year.  Her English is good and clear.

It made me wonder who is employing her and how much she is getting paid.  I don’t think she speaks Thai, so I’m not sure if she is included as a Thai teacher and will be asked to do all the things that they have to do, too.

Anyway, I told her to ask me anything if she had any questions.

29th Aug 2025 – I’m guessing she must have only been teaching here temporarily as I don’t think I saw her again!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Today is Nicha’s birthday and I wished her well but I could see that she and her friends may have been expecting something more.  

A little later, I popped around to the cafe and bought her back a slice of chocolate cake, for which she was very appreciative and came and gave me a hug.  

She’s a good kid. I hope that she finds her place in the world and that it is a good place.

Someone took this picture because these students of mine spent the weekend away doing some kind of activity. Sadly, 4 of them decided not to come to school today and missed my fun movie class. Sad for them anyway…

Start To Finish – 4th May 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Ever since time begun
– You were nothing and no one
– – Born from dirt and sun
– – – This is the beginning

– – – There’s nothing to be done
– – You’re nothing and no one
– There’s nothing to come
This is the end

Submitted to Ovi Poetry Challenge – Helpless

Today I’m feeling:

Quiet and confused but more settled throughout the day.

Today I’m grateful for:

The end of the holidays!

As often happens I end up deleting lots of things that keep me updated with news from around the world. This time I’ve deleted a lot of subscriptions to reports from the USA or geopolitics that generally involves the USA.  It’s sad and frustrating to watch the wild thrashes of a beast in its death throes so I’m putting out of my sight.

The best thing about today was:

I went out to get some sodas and dropped in to see if Baipad was back home now, which she was and I chatted with her for a few minutes.  

She seemed ok and was glad to be back from her Grandmum’s though as soon as she was back her cat knocked her phone to the floor and broke it!

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Yesterday’s roller coaster of emotions ended on a sour note, as even though Amy had eventually been happy and grateful and affectionate towards me I couldn’t shake the rest of the bad feelings out and when, as she often does, she drunkenly came to me for sex I calmly said that I wasn’t interested tonight and was annoyed at the fact this only usually happens when she is drunk.  When I’m rebutted in my approaches at other times I will laugh it off and wait for another day.

To be approached when drunk feels insulting to me.  I know I shouldn’t feel like this but it had been a long day for me and I was nowhere near in a loving mood.

And Amy took great umbrage at this and stormed off slamming doors and going to the other bedroom.  I left it for a while and came and asked her back into our bedroom and cuddled her til we both slept.

Although there were no hostilities this morning Amy didn’t want to communicate and so I was as pleasant as I could be and left her to it.  We continued the day quietly without talking further about what happened in particular.  I feel OK but could also feel better.

Something I learned today?

Sydney Swans are top of the table in the AFL after beating GWS and Geelong losing to Melbourne.  It’s a bit of a surprise, to be honest.  The media rarely focus much on the Swans as they have just been a consistent team without flash or bravado and they (the media) focuses on the Melbourne teams for gossip and rivalry.

And Ipswich Town have won their last game of the season to make it back into the Premier League next year.  Wow!

And then double wow, stumbling across a video podcast of interviews with Ipswich legends from my youth.  I watched one episode today with George Burley.  Amazing.

Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10

I took some candy for Team Utopia.

Bucket Of Life – 11th November 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

It’s a labour of love, not big dreams
But about what being human means
Sticking a dollar in the cup, passing through
This is all a gift from me to you
And back again, that’s our reflection
Open to each other’s introspection
In for a penny, in for a pound
Let’s pass the bucket of life around

Today I’m feeling:

A good vibe. This morning is not too hot. I lazily prepared for the day by rolling back and forth in bed due to stiffness finally getting up and mosying along to Utopia for a delicious throat-soothing coffee. Art told me about his ride to Doi Ang Chang and it looks like a great ride so I messaged Bruno to plan to go there next weekend.

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s dad feeling good enough to come out to Central and eat at the seafood restaurant there, where we treated him for his birthday, Amy’s mum for selling her apartments and Nong Aun (Amy’s brother’s girlfriend) for getting a job as a teacher here.

The best thing about today was:

The first coffee was pretty spot on. Meeting Baipad’s mum, sister and three super cute cats was fun.

The fish speciality at Laem Charoen was delicious for lunch. The afternoon and evening are a relaxing chill-out. It’s been a good day.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

My sore throat was getting me down a little at times today but I finally got to rest a little for an hour or so after lunch and it’s improved a little since taking some medicine. I dealt with it by soldiering on and despite feeling a little grumpy I don’t think it showed that much.

Something I learned today?

A theory behind renewed conflict in the Middle East is to cut off oil to China. A terrorist attack is said to be rumoured on US soil that will trigger them into war with Iran.

This whole ridiculous idea seems more likely every day. The US is putting all its pieces into play in preparation. The US is isolating itself more and more from the rest of the world and the rest of the world is looking forward to its downfall.

Whilst people were scoffing at the idea of the end of the Empire last year, this view is now going mainstream.

What’s on my mind right now?

This morning I will go and meet my student Baipad and her mum to introduce myself as her teacher. She lives in our village and since opening up to me about her struggles with being bullied in primary school and her father passing away a few years ago I’ve tried to encourage and support her. As she lives close by I suggested that once a week I can bring her home from school and hopefully introduce her to Amy so she can pick up on some confidence-building skills and keep up her English, which she is pretty good at in general. 

I took this picture this morning because this oversized asparagus-looking plant is so big that I had to wide angle the shot to get it all in the picture. The multiple mini flowers are cute though not the spectacle-worthy of a stalk growth of this size.

Raising The Water – 6th November 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Burned fresh paths into a new century
Got fat on food and dollar bills
Growth was built upon an enemy
And so those enemies sought new skills
And as stagnation sets the tone
Cooperation re-emerged as the norm
Gathered together they progressed alone
Leaving behind those with poor form

One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

various attributions

Today I’m feeling:
Satisfied and quiet.
Today I’m grateful for:
Discovering a cool new band called Ad Interim as they approached me about putting out some vinyl. It rocks pretty good and I’m keen but unsure how to make it work.
The best thing about today was:
Speaking briefly with Ckin in KL as she is sending me up some of my old stock that Kimi had there. Coincidentally I had heard the Malaysian accent already that morning as two teachers (I guess) were in Utopia. I was hoping to get to KL later this month for Parthiban’s show and to catch up with him and Ckin but I don’t have enough free time.
Daily thought
Do you believe in a higher power? I think the answer is no. I do understand the concept though as it helps people let go of certain bad habits and behaviours. The fact that I am not in control of everything is fine for me. I don’t need to assign that task to a higher power.
If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
In Thailand, it would be the removal of the lese-majeste law. It is a law that is too easily abused by powerful people. It serves no real purpose except to frighten and scare people. It seems like a backwards way of going about making people support their country.

I took this picture because our cats are hiding themselves away from all the fireworks and explosions for Loy Kratong. It’s unusual to see Kim and Cap in solidarity.