Foundation – 22nd April 2022

When you’re talking to yourself, who’s listening? Who’s talking?
You can never see yourself, not with your own eyes
Who you are is not for you to say but that is what you must be
Do the job and do it well is the foundation you must realise


Maybe we don’t want to talk about it. Perhaps we believe that unexamind luck isn’t quite as fragile.

Seth Godin

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful that I can catch up on sleep if I need to. Last night was a delicious long 11 hours.

Foundations – 8th October 2021

There’s a plan that’s been put in place
Decided years ago, real and known
Paths set to further the human race
Historical analysis shows how we’ve grown

Allowances were made for deviations
When the train almost left the tracks
The firm bedrock for our foundations
Ensured the plan always had our backs

All the charlatans and fly-by-nights
Have long since been forgotten
War of words no longer become fights
And we stopped ourselves becoming rotten

Instead of an instant profit turned
Future generations were the consideration
Making sure that all history was learned
We came together to celebrate this creation

I see parallels between Asimov’s Foundation stories and the differences in the way the US and China plan their futures. It feels like the US system is constantly hamstrung by its election cycles and lack of consistent vision whereas China has its five-year plans and I think extending even further into the future.


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be able to watch interesting YouTube videos all day at work, as well as reading so much. And go for coffee. I am grateful that the Thai teachers don’t hassle me with extra work.


The never-evolving discussion around reading is taking place again. Some of our classes only had 50% attendance rates, some even close to 0% attendance, yet we somehow have to give 60% of the class grade 3 or above (grade 4 being the highest). As ever, what a nonsense. Well, I just continue to do the best for my students where I can.

My abs workout has suddenly gotten more difficult, really pushing my ability to even hold my legs in the air to complete some sets. Keep going, keep going.

Finished reading Foundation last night, and Al Franken’s The Truth With Jokes. Interesting parallel reads and both great books.

Writer’s Trick – 25th September 2021

Far across galaxies, I was taken
Flying towards the story’s end
A misdirection, a writer’s trick
On which the reader may depend

A cliffhanger chapter break
The reader left wanting more
Another leaf is turned
In this new world to explore

Better than a Netflix series
Read a book and chill instead
I wonder who will survive
And who will end up dead?


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for Amy’s friends who all ordered cinnamon buns from her when she posted online about them. She’s going to be busy.


Woke up this morning to Amy screaming ‘help’ and my name. I thought perhaps one of the cats had brought in a snake but it was just Cap and Tigger fighting each other again, clumps of fur scattered all about the kitchen and dining room. I don’t know why they have never gotten along. They tolerate each other but barely.

It wasn’t even 7 am but I got up and forced myself to do my mini workout for which I feel good for, right now. Must remind myself about this feeling each morning.