Tag: high speed rail

I Used To Be Somebody – 30th December 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Perhaps I was a president
Making difficult decisions
A surgeon with a scalpel
Making precise incisions
Maybe I was a singer
Adored by many millions
Or a famous architect
Designing high pavillions

I used to be somebody
And now that I’m not
I’m just another nobody
That everyone forgot

Today I’m feeling:

Lazy and relaxed today.  Still a little numb from the whisky on Thursday but not bothered by the lethargy it has induced today as I was yesterday.  I thought that I might read and play guitar today but have managed to do neither.

Today I’m grateful for:

Boss at Utopia for making me my final coffees that he will make for me as this is his last day before he leaves for Lampang to start his own shop.

The best thing about today was:

Enjoying playing games on Xbox and though being aware of it wasting time it felt like a reasonable trade-off today.

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

There is some family drama going on that I won’t go into detail about here but it may make our New Year’s Eve at Mum’s a little awkward depending on who is there.  A culmination of events and bad timing have brought about this drama which feels to me somewhat typically Thai.  Amy and I are both on the same page and we are pretty much just bystanders wondering how things will unfold.

Something I learned today?

Thailand is looking to fast-track the high-speed rail from Laos to Bangkok, as well as the land bridge between the Andaman and Indian oceans.  The USA is very unhappy with China’s involvement in these projects and will obviously try to disrupt them through one means or another.

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

I waited around for a few minutes to wish Boss at Utopia all the best for the future but he was in the toilet for so long that I decided to leave, with the thought that I might return later in the day but unfortunately, I didn’t.  Was this a good deed that turned vile?

I took this picture on Wednesday because this kitty, as with all little Thai gingers, reminded me of Kim. This was about as close as I could get though as it was too shy to get closer.

Photographs – 1st November 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

No longer memories in a desert
That night of drunken play
Lost to the pictured word
That claims all that happened that day

Today I’m feeling:

Anxious and excited as classroom days resume. The fun, the fighting, the lessons we all learn.

Today I’m grateful for:

Finding two useful textbooks in the teacher’s room which I immediately turned one part of the text into a lesson that I used for the grade 7 class. I figured it would be pretty easy revision and just take an hour but they managed to stretch it to two with lots of faffing around.

The best thing about today was:

Listening to the You Don’t Know Mojack podcast about the Volcano Suns album ‘Thing of Beauty’ on the way home from work and then in the evening playing guitar along to a couple of tunes from it. Love that band.

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

A couple of my grade 7 students were a little temperamental in my class this afternoon and tested my patience a lot. It’s early days as we all get used to each other again and instead of getting too bothered, I tried to find other solutions to get them back in line.

Something I learned today?

I read about the China-Laos rail line that crosses the border in Laos at a place called Botan. The crossing in 1993 was little more than a single iron bar gate but now lots of investment has grown the city rapidly. Despite the economic slowdown and the pandemic’s effect on travel, Laotians are hoping that this is a springboard to a better future.

List three goals for this month.

Renew my tourist visa. This is a must!

Get back to the exercise routine I had before the holiday.

Get back to around 80kg again, whilst improving my fitness.

Nam took this picture because the class insisted on a photo with everyone showing off the koala souvenirs I gifted to them.

Soup Plus – 3rd October 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

As I stir the soup and listen to old jazz
The breeze blows nostalgia through the window
Mother looks down at me and with her care
Showed me the love that I now wish to share

Holding high the lanterns to light the path
Corners follow corners and this is the way
One day we’ll stop stirring what’s in the pot
And appreciate what it is that we’ve got

inspired by this post at Spinning Visions
Soup Plus was the name of a neat jazz club on George Street in Sydney when I arrived there in 1994. ‘This is the way’ is a phrase Amy commonly uses and makes me chuckle for some reason.
29th Oct 2024 – Shared with Ragtag Daily Prompt – soup

Today I’m feeling:

Good though a little dodgy in the stomach. I was glad to have slept a little earlier last night and felt okay on waking. I should have nothing much on my plate today so will do lesson planning, first at House, then at Daytripper, with a little shop at Makro on the way.

(Later) Totally forgot about going to Makro as I was driving home and when I was home decided it was too hot to go out to Daytripper. Never mind. I got some good lessons down and formed ideas for three or four more to complete before leaving.

Today I’m grateful for:

Nong Aun for being able to take Leo for his afternoon walks this week so that I don’t have to go back and forth.

She also got offered a job teaching at the Montessori school which I think is a great opportunity for her and I hope she does well.

The best thing about today was:

Finishing vacuuming the house and putting the clean mats down in the kitchen. I know it will only be a day or two until both myself and the cats traipse in all sorts of dirt and dust but for now, I felt a great sense of satisfaction.

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

I haven’t taken any photos these last two days though when I think back on the day there was certainly opportunity. I’m trying to keep it in the forefront of my mind though I wonder if so much here now has become so normal to me that I don’t notice it so much. And also don’t appreciate it as much, perhaps?

Something I learned today?

The high-speed rail between Jakarta and Bandung in Indonesia went into operation this week.

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago because this is Leo looking somewhat thoughtful as he sniffs around for a place to poop.

A Page Perfect – 16th July 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Perfect, unspoiled and clean
Yet only in imperfections
May the true art be seen

Here writ large, words spilled
To taint the page
Until it may be filled

Thoughts inspired, pour out pure
So much of myself
Of mess, of which I’m sure

Inspired by this post at Spinning Visions

Today I’m feeling:

Exhausted but Amy has me up and running around again. It’s ok. It’s 1pm and it feels like I’ve done about 8 hours already. That feeling is good sometimes. Still plenty of day left.

Today I’m grateful for:

The salted caramel popcorn Amy brought back from Australia. It’s pretty good, not too sweet. There’s also a pack of chocolate-drizzled popcorn here to look forward to too.

The best thing about today was:

Pretty much everything I guess. The time has gone so quickly despite what I wrote earlier. I guess I’m trying to squeeze in the things I normally do when I’m here by myself along with all the things that I’m now doing with Amy too. I’m kinda looking forward to going to school tomorrow because I only have one class so will be able to spend time with my best friend, coffee, all morning.

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

The neighbour’s kids all came and played with me yesterday whilst I was picking weeds out in the driveway. They even came with me into the entertainment area when I was hanging from the gym rings. Of course, the boys wanted a go too so I lifted them up and they grabbed on and they screamed for me to help them as they lost their grip. Today, uninvited, they came right up on our terrace whilst Amy was trying to sleep so I quietly went out and tried to keep them entertained but that lasted all of about ten seconds. After entertaining them again for a few minutes I managed to usher them away and came back inside to find Amy reluctantly awake. She wasn’t grumpy about it though. As I watched things on TV and Amy read, they snuck back and around the side of the house and started tapping on the window. Amy said not to engage with them and after a while, they got bored and went off on other adventures. I don’t mind the kids at all but our cats hate them and always run off and hide somewhere. I don’t want them coming back every day thinking they can do as they please here.

Something I learned today?

China just tested a new high-speed train that can reach 453 km/h! This could make a train trip from Beijing to Shanghai just 2 and a half hours. That’s pretty wild. I just hope that one of these things never crashes!

What is something I’ve been wanting to try, but haven’t yet?

Hmm…I think that probably the obvious choice for me now is to travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. This was one of the reasons for us to be located in Thailand, ease of travel in Asia. Somehow at the moment, I’m a little afraid to travel again though. I feel like I’ve lost that mojo a little. My life has been so comfortable here that I can just enjoy everything without going anywhere.

I took this picture because being a cat (with a caring owner ) has got to be the best life.
Fatman report

Lemon Twist – 23rd May 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

You can bitch about your bad luck
For that, it’s not your mistake
But don’t tell me about your problems
From the choices that you make

When you know the path to choose
But opt to follow all the glitter
Don’t be surprised your friends are gone
Leaving you twisted and bitter

10th Apr 2024 – Submitted to RDP Wednesday

Today I’m feeling:

Positive though a little tired. I need to get to sleep a little earlier I think. I was feeling a little dizzy and undernourished around lunchtime so bought a sandwich from 7/11 to keep me going. I did a full app ab workout this morning for the first time in about six months. I hope to keep that going.

Today I’m grateful for:

Kru Wow for offering to use her classroom for my last class of the day because the room we were supposed to be in was already in use. My students were later grateful to me when I let them go early as I finished all that I wanted to do with them and didn’t want to get into anything else.

The best thing about today was:

Meeting my second class of new students for this semester. We managed to get through a little set-up in preparation for the coming weeks.

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

I mentioned above about having a classroom double booked which was a little frustrating as it was the last two hours of the day and it was boiling hot. I was prepared to let the class have free time but then Kru Wow offered her room.

Something I learned today?

Countries that voted against a ban on killer robots – USA, UK, Israel and Australia. Their justification? China.
China banned certain components from US company Micron citing ‘national security’ concerns just as the US has done to Chinese companies. There does seem to be a little more to the story though, maybe even that the concerns are legitimate.
Testing is being carried out on the high-speed rail between Bandung and Jakarta and is due to open in June. The trains look fantastic.
I learned some stretches for my neck and shoulders.
I learned a little about my new class of grade 7 students. They seem to have a little more skill than the other new class but I’m hoping I can just teach them the same lessons.

What opportunities do I currently have in my life?

I think I have almost unlimited opportunities available to me. I still feel like I can do anything so long as my body and brain can withstand it. I suppose the main opportunity is for self-improvement and adapting to my life constantly changing.

I took this picture because this is the way out from the cafe next to the school. I park my car out here as it is easier for me to drive away on this road. I think our school is quite nice. The gardeners do a hell of a lot of work here.