Good and positive again. I can feel that I have a better attitude and more energy in the days that I exercise in the morning and that I should also force myself to do this on weekends and holidays as I often just fall into laziness then.
Today I’m grateful for:
The little female (age indefinable) petrol pump assistant who double-checked what I wanted and then, after filling the car, gave me two bottles of water. She tried to explain about the water but I didn’t understand. I just assumed that they were free!
The best thing about today was:
Taking time with a couple of my troublesome students this afternoon and helping them get a better idea of a grammar point. I felt relief and joy when they started getting the answers right by themselves. I even managed to get a smile out of one of them.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
My first class today with grade 8s was a little wearisome. Some days it feels like they just insist on not learning. I stayed relatively calm but inside I feel a little tired and deflated from it.
Something I learned today?
The single most expensive item for the British in the American Civil War was rum.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
We went to the temple again for some follow-up Buddhist things for Grandmum. I did as was directed though wasn’t sure about any of what was happening. In the end, we served monks food and everyone (except me) at lunch too.
25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO 3. Spend Time with People You Love. That’s your family and best friends. If you don’t have a family, create one. Most people in life are only visitors. Family is for life.
My tribe is my family these days. I’m not particularly close to anyone except for Amy and I’m fine with that. If I ever need to make new relationships they will come naturally from within my tribe.
The internet definitely has made things easier to stay in contact with my tribe, who are scattered all around the world.
Whilst the ease of communication keeps us together, our tribe survives apart.
No longer intoxicated Awoken from my dreams Meaning was a delusion A stupid delusion it seems
Yeah, happy new year!
Today I’m feeling:
Happily lazy again. I ate lots and did little over these last 4 days and it’s been a good wind down to the end of the year. Tomorrow it’s back to exercise, work and reality. I plan to just do abs and legs this week to try and get the ache out of my shoulders before working on any upper body exercises again. I’m stiff from sitting and laying down so much recently too!
Today I’m grateful for:
The internet, YouTube, the BBC, John Peel and Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 whose John Peel Session I have just found and listening to as I’m writing this. Excellent!
The best thing about today was:
Finishing the excellent John Cooper Clarke biography. It feels good to finish reading a book on the first day of the year.
Also releasing the SpeechOdd/HighxVoltage album for pre-order through Bandcamp today which got a few folks interested. It feels good to have a record release on the first day of the year.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
There wasn’t much to be done today, lots I could’ve done but decided not to, so there was little to get out of control.
Perhaps I could say that though I was happy to play a little guitar this afternoon I was also really bad at it. Just missing a few days sets me back. And then after watching some Thinking Fellars live footage I marvel at the genius of their guitar interplay and wonder if I could ever become as skilled as they are. It’s half inspiring, half frustrating. What a great band. I fucking hate popular music – what a waste of skill!
Something I learned today?
I came across an interview with a YouTuber I follow called Nathan Rich titled Scientology, Punk Rock and Addiction. Wild! I know him for his investigative journalism opposing the Western anti-China narratives. Life is long and varied and I’m looking forward to watching this and learning more about his past.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
I made Amy’s bed for her without being asked.
I cleared as many hairy worms as I could find around the hose and drowned them all in a bucket. All this was in an effort to stop Amy’s allergy to them which makes her itchy and brings her out in a rash. Somehow I’m not affected by them.
A close member of your family has committed murder. Would you keep quiet about it? What might your silence depend upon?
No way. The circumstances of the event may have an effect on my attitude towards them but covering it up would be out of the question.
Write a message to myself to be reviewed one year from today.
Why? Everything I write here is up for review at any point in time. Review that.
Art took this picture a few weeks ago on his trip up to Mae Hong Son. I saw it on his Facebook page and it jumped out at me with its magnificent misty morning glow. No new pictures today.
We all live in a trivia submarine Deeper into holes full of rabbits From the Can I Haz Cheeseburger? meme To fountains and mountains of shitty reddits Diving through dark webs of extreme Impossible to break these sad habits Nothing is said but it may seem As if everyone has already said it
That is what everyone’s work should be – a confession, a baring of your soul, your faults, those things you simply cannot or will not understand or accept. You stumble forward, confused, and you share. If you’re lucky, you learn something.
Arthur Miller
Today I’m feeling: Half motivated half exhausted. Today I’m grateful for: There being little to do at school today so I spent some time drinking coffee and updating my blog. Time flew by and I could’ve stayed for longer but ended up coming home. It’s been more than a month since I spent a whole day at school! The best thing about today was: Riding my bike up to the post office and sending a package to Hayden with the printout from my 1979 blog entries. Picking up some fried rice on the way back and enjoying a laid-back afternoon reading, watching YouTube and playing the guitar. What challenged you today? Forcing myself to follow the mantra I wrote yesterday, to not be lazy and to do my best usual five minutes exercise. Then to not push myself further and go too hard too quickly. I have to remember that I built up to the stamina I had before and can’t just go straight back into it. With Amy coming soon I need to get this rolling again.
I took this picture because these little cartoons caught my attention as I was reading some blog and I think I can use them with my students in some way.
I am so happy and grateful that when the internet people came yesterday they didn’t charge us anything despite it obviously being our fault. Maybe we have a premium service or something but anyway, it was a pleasant surprise especially as Amy said that I would have to pay for it (and not her!).
I should get back to you but I’ve been lazily enjoying my ‘holiday’. If not going to work means staying at home for me, I need to make sure I do something to maintain the good habits I have started when I do go to work.
I am so happy and grateful that the internet people can come and fix our internet so quickly after I accidentally cut our cable when clipping things down in our garden. I am ok without the internet but it does make me realise just how much we use it in our day-to-day lives.
I am so happy and grateful to be able to recall many things from my past despite my efforts to block them out over the years with alcohol. I am so happy and grateful to remember a time before the internet. It makes me understand the true benefits of this communication.
1994ever 