Enthralled by perceived charisma, you will hear these words oft-repeated
We will provide you what you deserve of which you’ve been cheated
The masks will swap, convincing you that change means not the same
Scapegoating other players is just the way ahead in this game

There’s no escaping the treadmills that you yourself wished created
Signed on to the terms and conditions that we have dictated
Ignorance is a more terrible curse than anything we could invent
So the illusion must be maintained with your monies well spent

I tried some long-line rhyming! The initial inspiration for this was the 7th line, taken from the comic Shadowman – hence the title.

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Today I’m feeling:

Super tired. I slept before 10 last night and was in a deep, deep sleep for most of the night and did not want to get up this morning but I did push myself and did a little exercise again.

I was sitting in my room, about to leave, when Amy called me and asked if the school was open because the river had burst its banks and Tessaban 6 school is closed and the bypass is closed too, forcing everyone onto the highway, which usually floods at points too.

I called Kru Tang and she suggested staying home until she got more details. So I could’ve slept even longer if I wanted!

I pushed myself out to Utopia, where I’m sitting now and will do some work.

At 10.30, a message came through that the school will be closed until Monday! Woohoo! One teacher commented that the river is up on the bridge now, which, if I had gone to school, may have meant that I couldn’t get home!

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

No more rain today, at least in our area and we are not affected by any flooding here. It was actually worse here for us last week.

Someone shot a video from ThaTon showing the overflowing river rushing through just under the bottom of the bridge, and all that water was heading towards the city.

The best thing about today was:

Probably having Amy warn me about the flooding before leaving home this morning.

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

Amy is closely following events just in case her parents and/or friends are likely to have any problems overnight. I know she’s very worried about it.

I feel more calm as there is really nothing I can do at the moment.

Something I learned today?

I came across a current documentary about kratom use in the USA. It seems that entrepreneurs there are extracting the active elements from it and boosting up the efficacy and it’s starting to cause health problems, including death.

I was just wondering today if my tiredness is from taking kratom. I hadn’t had any for about six weeks and noticed that I wasn’t sleeping as well as before. I’ve slept very well since taking it again this week, but then I also noticed that I feel exhausted at the end of the day.

However, I’m also wondering if my tiredness is due to the fact that I started exercising again this week, too. Maybe I need to test both of these possibilities out.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I messaged Baipad at lunchtime, and she said that she was at Central, presumably going there after the school closed. I wished her luck to get home, as only one bridge was still open over the river.

After waking up again after an afternoon nap, Amy told me that all the bridges were closed now. I messaged Baipad again, and she told me that she had made it home.

I commiserated with Porpieng and Lin, though, as both their houses were starting to flood.