The bigger things – 16th December 2019

Today I asked Kru Tam how she thought I was doing at my job. She gave me positive feedback saying she could tell how much I cared for the students to learn. She did imply that sometimes I have to pull back a little – I think that is more related to my expectations than to my lessons.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for the beautiful sunrise I see every morning before school. It’s a reminder of the bigger things, the slow, slow movement of the universe. Nothing we can do but get on with it.

To-do list

  • Most important * Be mentally prepared for the toughest classes of the week.
  • Try to write email to Aaron during school hours – subject: books and kids.
  • Clear all the Daily Stoic reading windows.
  • Congratulate the kids on good work and good thinking.
  • Compliment one of the other teachers.
  • Follow up with Andrew about contact with Indra.
  • Clear some emails.
  • Study Thai for 30 minutes.

Did it list

  • 30 squats and 30 weightless shoulder press
  • 30 minutes study Thai – mostly prep
  • Maintained calm and happiness through two of the three tough classes today
  • I forgive myself for losing it for a second in that last class. How to stop from getting into that situation again? Maybe need to make my lessons more practical. I’m hoping the ClassDojo ideas lessons work out well for those classes.
  • Asked Kru Tam for feedback on my performance – she said she could feel that I was really keen to help the students.
  • She also advised me to try to give them more time and maybe make things a little easier.
  • Sorted some more files for TCRAH
  • Have an idea for TCRAH – to share the music files with a friend and get them to comment on the music, then incorporate that into the actual show.
  • Read some more Daily Stoic articles and closed a few more Chrome tabs
  • Unsubscribed from a blog – content was ok but I’m at the point of having to choose the ones I like best.

I got a headache, like a pillow – 12th December 2019

If you got nothing to talk about then there’s always the weather.  Over the last couple of years though, the weather has become a major conversation for most people.  Extremes are getting hit everywhere.  And now having said that……

It’s not just a surprise to me that it’s so cold here in North Thailand at the moment, even the locals say they’ve never felt anything like it.  We all probably forgot what it was like last year.  It’s a bit of a shock to the system though and apparently, this ‘winter’ cold will be over within the week.  It’s actually a nice temperature but I can’t enjoy it because everyone got sick and thought it best to share it with me, so I’ve been rugged up and sleeping it off for what feels way too long.  Hanging out daily with hundreds of sick kids doesn’t help much either.

Another annoying thing is that the temperature had just become appropriate to crack open the bottle of Malt Whiskey I’d been sitting on since last year.  After a couple of nights of enjoyment, the sickness took hold.  Maybe it’s related?  When it’s not school holidays I’ve pretty much stopped drinking now, so I’m a bit out of practice.  This has had some positive health effects in that I’ve lost a little bit of weight without having to do any exercise.  I would like to do some exercise though but……I’m fucking sick.

Anyway, in between working and coughing I’m also in the middle of planning a ten-day or so South East Asia tour for Worlds Dirtiest Sport from France, which is basically Kevin from Trumans Water and his one-man band.  I’m very excited about this.  It’s a great excuse for me to get to see some other parts of Southeast Asia that I haven’t visited yet, to enjoy watching Kevin play each night and to discover the local scenes and bands there.  As well as catching up with some old (and newer) friends.

Whilst doing this I also have to arrange myself a new UK passport, as that is what my Thai visa is attached to.  I got this Australian passport that I’ve never used and not sure when I’ll be able to!  This will mean having to make two quick trips to the British Embassy in Chiang Mai on working weekdays.  This is my opportunity to use the word palaver.

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those days

Dealing with the moving targets of Thai bureaucracy has hardened me somewhat to the bullshit bureaucracy I had to deal with in Australia and the UK with all the visas, passports and information requirements. This time should be a cinch.  Famous last words.

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these days

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be around the kids at school. Even if they are shitbags they never fail to make me smile many times a day. I can go home with those smiles and forget about how little they actually learned.


Did it lists

“You may not wake up tomorrow”

What did I do well today?
Where were my discipline and self-control tested? Where did I do good?
What did I do bad and why did this occur? Furthermore, how can I improve?

  • Wrote in gratitude journal.
  • Understood more about my students.
  • Prepped next week’s regular class worksheets.
  • Downloaded Daily Stoic Introduction and saved to Drive.
  • Cleared a bunch of emails.
  • Added more books to ‘to read’ list.
  • Finished another lesson plan.
  • Contacted Indra and the venues in Kota Kinabalu.
  • Sorted bookshelves a little.
  • Helped Amy with some planning for students.
  • Read Mark Manson article.
  • Posted gratitude to new friends on FB.