The Omnific – Good stuff and new to me. The bass playing is obviously super interesting and though I guess it is a little on-the-nose in places, talent can’t be denied. Gonna check out the rest of their catalogue.
Abstract Household Warfare – After The Omnific this is too experimental to dig right now. Right now, I need rhythm!
ADR – The concept and execution behind this is very good indeed. I checked out his other album THROAT which brought to mind Senyawa and Dokaka. Interesting but not me today.
group A – When a band describes themselves as a Japanese industrial / avant-garde synth duo you never know what you might get. Interesting stuff and would be cool to see in a dark illegal warehouse.
Blarf – Some great fucked up hip-hop (I suppose) and some whacked out noise. It seems that I’m all about the rhythm today and so this one only hits in places.
Weird selection that started off nicely for me and got my attention again at the end.
I don’t know what I believe anymore The fence gets more comfortable every day The Holocaust, massacres and genocides Did they really happen that way?
Is it all a facade, my own Truman Show? Is the grass actually greener over there? To discover my world was built on lies I wish to remain blissfully unaware
Now reality assaults me at every turn Left guilty and helpless at the pain Paralysed by the bystander syndrome The fence is where I choose to remain
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good, though not enough sleep as we were up and in a rush to get to Chiang Mai.
Almost 1pm and only now getting my first coffee! I’m a little tired and thirsty and it’s sticky hot.
(Later) The coffee and Kao Soi lunch (not a good taste combo) kicked my ass and I felt great as we drove around and then up to the Doi Suthep temple, where we took photos and wandered around.
After that, though we all felt heat-tired and we drove to our hotel for a quick air-conditioned break before heading out to the night market.
Health:
Physical: 7 Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
A safe journey from home to Chiang Mai despite all the roadworks and dodgy roads. Amy treated Almy to a wash just after we picked up her old flatmate, Crisia, from the airport.
The best thing about today was:
Feeling happy and playful with Amy after the coffee kick and then driving up the mountain to get a view all across Chiang Mai.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Amy complained and whined a lot as we were driving this morning and it was just about things that she had no control over, so I didn’t feel inclined to say anything and just felt amused.
Something I learned today?
Lanna means ‘a million farms’. This made me realise that it is a good way to remember that ‘lan’ is the word for million (not that I have much use for this word!)
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I’m sorry to the lady who tried to help me at Tops with the self-serve machine. There were so many steps to be able to pay by QR code and it was only 36 baht, that I decided not to bother buying anything. I wasn’t upset or anything but Amy said that I should at least say ‘Thanks for helping and don’t worry about it’ to the staff. She was right.
I took this picture to celebrate going back up the mountain in Chiang Mai again. The last time we were here was before we were married.
I got myself up and running at 6.10 having already woken up a little earlier yet again!
Last night I made a little mistake as we received a message from school with our new timetables and I had a look at mine and was a little frustrated.
Firstly, I have been given 25 hours again, whilst David got 22 and George only 20! Then I noticed that I have two seven-hour days on Monday and Friday! Finally, I have been given 4 separate one-hour classes throughout the week, which annoys me as my planning is usually for 2-hour lessons. With only one hour, it will usually only end up with about 30 minutes teaching time at most.
Funnily enough, one of my students Jee, messaged me saying that she was disappointed that I would only teach her for two hours a week again and I mentioned that I was frustrated too, for the reasons above. She replied, ‘That’s not fair!’ But I said to her, ‘Yeah, but it will likely change anyway,’ and considered that things are not set in stone just yet.
Unfortunately, it couldn’t stop my brain working overtime for a while as I was trying to sleep and I was playing out scenarios about what to do and say.
By morning, though, I had let it all go and just figured to get on with things and accept them. For now, at least.
After a long, happy, hot day, I was starting to feel flaky as I was driving home. I could easily have slept until tomorrow even though it was only 2.30 pm, but I knew that wasn’t going to be possible.
Health:
Physical: 7 Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Baitoey, an old student of mine who I will teach again this semester, who helped me get things sorted to create a new LINE group for her class. This class has 48 students and is certainly going to be a challenge to keep them all engaged.
Kru Ning also helped me out, as she is the homeroom teacher for them, too. It’s good to have a reasonably competent ally when dealing with a big class like this.
The best thing about today was:
Catching up with all the students again. I got so wrapped up in talking with them that I didn’t even make it to my first coffee until after 10 am!
They all seemed happy to be back at school again and to see their friends. I was certainly happy as kids came to talk and play all throughout the day.
Kwang also turned up to see her friends before she switched schools. I gave her a hug and told her that I would miss her. She said ‘how much’ and I told her, just a little bit.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Amy told me in the morning that Nong Oh’s mum passed away today and that she wants to go and help at the temple today and tomorrow. This means there’s little chance of rest for me before we do the three-hour drive to Chiang Mai on Saturday morning.
Our third funeral this month. What can we do? I am grateful to still be alive and healthy to have these problems.
Something I learned today?
I found out that sports day is at the end of November, for a couple of days and for most of the month leading up to it, we will have 50-minute periods instead of our usual one hour.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
Driving Amy and Baew to the temple after school this evening. There’s not much that I can do to help here, so I was quite relieved when Amy suggested I bring a book.
I took this picture because we are not the only ones making a home here.
We can’t take them back Their cries already ignored Boats delivered murder By guns, disease and sword Ever pushing forward In search of more reward Broken promises betrayed The trust in your accord
Beat down any rebellion By sowing the seeds of discord Masters of death and starvation Even beyond the Golden Horde All done with Bible in hand And in the name of your Lord Better this place was left alone In peace and unexplored
Positive and lively. A little bit naturally but also a little bit forced, as I knew that I would be sitting in a meeting room fairly bored for most of the day as we ‘study’ AI use.
It’s lunchtime now and indeed the meeting so far is boring and dull but I’m investigating other things related to AI whilst all the talk is in Thai and then taking part in the activities as and when required.
Health:
Physical: 7 Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy bringing me back some weed gummies from Bangkok. She tried them with Fern and Pim there and was surprised that they didn’t make her feel sleepy but more lively instead. I might try one on the weekend and see how it is.
The best thing about today was:
It being an even and steady day. No highlights and no lowlights, just calm and relaxed whilst doing whatever needed to be done.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I’m sure my time would have been better spent doing other things during the day but as we had to be at this meeting, I chose to enjoy the time.
Amy’s flight was delayed too, which meant staying at school until it was due and then when I arrived at the airport, it was delayed even more! I’m sitting, waiting for her now.
Something I learned today?
There’s a big hurricane heading for Florida that is forecast to do a lot of damage. This is going to happen before they’ve finished fixing things up after the last one.
And still the US government gives more money to Israel and, ironically, to Lebanon, which Israel is currently bombing with US bombs!
Now settled in for the greatest joyful genocide Where evil is no longer ashamed to hide Death and mutilation a spectacle cheered No prayers answered or conscience cleared
A playground of rubble where the children lay slain Brothers mop up the body parts that remain Rag-dolled and ruined by murderous intent Fires fanned by despair of the innocent
A holy hand grenade signed and sent with a laugh Floating ashes never find peace on this path This fertile ground may never satisfy the beast Once the Great Satan has been unleashed
Today I’m feeling:
Good again. Exercised and awake. The rain is back, making things a bit dark and plenty of students didn’t bother coming to school today for whatever reasons.
I cancelled my first class to allow them to finish off other work that needed completing but will still take my grade 8s this morning, carrying on a little of what we did yesterday. Not too much stress.
Health:
Physical: 7 Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Chinese-made goods. I ordered a new cheap laptop bag on Temu last month and whilst it’s not as good as the one I had before, today I was very grateful to find out that it has an extra quality I wasn’t aware of. (see below)
The best thing about today was:
…well this was not the best but was the most defining moment of the day.
As I was sitting at 22 Grams this morning Amy messaged me that it was raining hard at home and a little later it was raining hard in the city too.
I didn’t think too much about it but noticed that the roads were starting to flood around the school as I went to my class, the rain fairly relentless.
After about 40 minutes I got more photos from Amy of the rain and then a message saying I THINK I NEED YOU AT HOME.
Soon after she called and was sounding hysterical as she told me that our road was flooding. I decided to leave and got back as quickly as I could which wasnt easy as the roads were inundated with water all along the way.
As I got on the highway near home, traffic was stopped and it took me a while to get through to the road that goes around the back of our house but the rice fields were already overflowing and making the road almost invisible. I decided to risk and drive through but once at the back of our house the corner was completely flooded to the bridge and impossible to get through.
I went back the way I came and back onto the highway but there was no way to get down our soi as I saw people walking up to their knees in water.
I got past the traffic lights and into Kotchapol and drove up to a dorm a little bit higher and parked the car there, walking back down to the main road where there was nothing for it except to wade through the water, through the traffic, down our soi and eventually home. It took a while as the water was moving rapidly in the opposite direction and I could feel my hip muscles tested and twinging.
Our house was fine but the rice fields were full already and the rain was still coming. Amy had moved things from the kitchen and I started moving things off the floor in my man cave. After about an hour the power went out.
I lay down for a while and the rain had thankfully stopped. I was enjoying eating but couldn’t sleep and when Amy suggested we go and check our car maybe move it, I thought it best to go before it got dark.
We hopped on the bike but got stuck in the soi before we got to the main road. I pushed the bike through until I could get it out of the water and we discussed what to do next.
I got the bike going again but it was struggling and I told Amy to go back home. I wanted to get to the car and bring my laptop home.
I made it to Baipad’s house where the bike stopped again and it took me a little while to get it going again. Eventually I made it through to the car and got my laptop and set off but I didn’t want to go back the way I came figuring that there must be an easier way back.
As I approached the hill, water from the main drainage ditch was flooding the road and a rescue truck was there in the middle of it. I decided to go for it and a guy waved me by but as I went past, unable to see anything of what I was riding on, I plunged down off the edge and into deeper water and I was suddenly up to my neck in it.
A few rescue guys came over and as my feet were on some firm ground I quickly hoisted my laptop bag up and into their arms and said I’m ok, get the bike up!
They pulled the bike back up and then me. I got set, asked for my laptop bag and pushed the bike through to the other side, much to the bemusement is gawking uni kids.
I waited a while and got the bike started again and set off looking for another way back and after a couple of flooded dead ends took the university road and made it straight back home without getting stuck again.
After getting out of my second set of soaked clothes I opened up my laptop bag and was amazed to find that it seems to be mostly waterproof and my laptop was still buzzing away when I opened it up to check. My phone all good too!
We got electricity back at 8.15 pm. Woohoo!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
There’s some messages coming from the school about filling out a monthly report of all our classes and what we do in our free time.
I’m choosing to ignore it at this point but not sure how long that may be able to continue.
Something I learned today?
I learned that little Fino is a champion!
I took this picture because the water was creeping up all around. Auntie next door didn’t seem too phased by it all but she also lived here when it used to flood every year, well before we arrived.
1994ever 