Tag: KhaoThang

Please – 24th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Do you want to discover who you are
Or do you want someone else to tell you?
What is it gonna be?

Submitted to Weekend Writing Prompt #382 – Please (22 words)

My name in LandSat – just for a little fun:

Today I’m feeling:

Well slept and pretty good on waking. Not quite enough to get up a little earlier and do some exercise but at least I’m feeling better.

I got to school and because it has been raining, the kids aren’t out doing any more cleaning just yet. Much of the mud is clear now anyway.

We got advised to just send work in LINE to our classes, which essentially means that I could go back home but I’m at 22 Grams for now. I’ve set the kids some work to send me and so I’m back to catching up on reading and writing some more.

(Later) I got a little screen blind sitting, looking at my laptop all morning, so I headed home and did a little shopping.

When I got home, though, I couldn’t resist a little snooze after reading a little of David Foster Wallace’s Consider the Lobster. There was a big dark rain keeping things cool and I managed to snooze with just the window open.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Receiving an email from Jake back in Australia, replying to an order he placed with me back in April!

He seems to be doing ok though, still dealing with some anxiety issues with certain people. I told him I still have my ups and downs, too.

The best thing about today was:

Discovering that we would have classes (of a sort) today, though we could just ‘phone them in’, allowing me to sit in the cafe and do my stuff.

It wasn’t as uplifting as yesterday and I think, as I’m caught up on a fair bit of reading and writing, I should switch to doing some more lesson planning for next semester.

I miss the chairs and tables at House that I have grown accustomed to, though. I’m not so comfortable at 22 Grams. I should also check out a different space or two tomorrow. Want to get that flow back again.

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

Out of the blue, KhaoTang called up Amy about having trouble with some class work at her school.

She was typically over the top, saying that she’s gonna die and it took a while for Amy to calm her down. KT has some kind of disorder from being smart and overweight and getting bullied when she was younger.

It was odd though, as we haven’t really talked with her often since early 2022 when Amy went off to Australia and we stepped back a bit from her and her mum as they brought too much drama to our quiet lives.

Amy got a little wound up by this latest drama but decided to help, which also involved me having to help.

It’s actually a typical Thai teacher situation that has created the problem for KhaoTang and once we got more information from her, we could understand more about how to help.

We asked her to redo her work again, now that she clearly understood the requirement and will check in on it tomorrow.

We like to help students and already have a kind of relationship with KT but she still exhibits a great lack of social skills that I’m pretty sure come from her upbringing (I don’t want to blame her mum completely).

It’s not uncommon here in Thailand either, as I have come across similar situations at my school too.

Something I learned today?

I read a lot, the info went into the brain and there it seems to be stuck. I guess there was nothing of particular significance today but hopefully that nugget of wisdom rattling around will find good use at some point.

I took this picture because this little cutie was chilling on top of a car outside 22 Grams.

Get It Together – 22nd June 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Got a head barren of motivation
What’s said only delivers frustration
Not dead but denied inspiration
Get it together or you’re done!

Emo-driven tears an aberration
Forgotten fears sudden implication
Perspective clears internal narration
You got skills but the bills are due!

Each turmoil treads towards education
Lessons learned have no expiration
Third eyes open to the realisation
Time to shine because the rains will come!

Submitted to Ovi Poetry Challenge 53 and inspired by one of my students who is trying hard at school but is close to getting kicked out.

Today I’m feeling:

Woke up tired but got going with Utopia coffee. Game was there and commiserated with me when I told him and Art that I couldn’t hang around as Amy had me quickly home for us to go to meet Mei and Hagan for lunch. I still managed to get a little reading in though, starting Rip It Up And Start Again again.

Today I’m grateful for:

Mei and Hagan for shouting us lunch at Mo’s (near Mae Sai). Good food and good catch-up, probably the last before they head back to Australia.

The best thing about today was:

Whilst out in the village in the evening I went across to the 20 baht shop, which was closed in the morning, and picked up some batteries and a door closer. I saw that KhaoThang was sitting in her mum’s shop so I went in and chatted with her and her mum for a minute. 

Her English pronunciation is awesome now, though her vocabulary is still limited as she studies in a Science program rather than language.

They told me that they will close the shop in December and mum will go to a temple in Phan and KT will stay in a dorm near her school (Tessaban 6). She’s only 14 but its quite common here.  Good luck to them both.

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

Somehow it feels hotter than it did in summer. It still hasn’t rained, two weeks now, so our new gutter is still untested. 

After the first rain, a month or more ago, it felt cooler and refreshing and now the temperature has remained the same but the humidity seems to have skyrocketed. It’s pretty tiring but despite some huffing and puffing, I’m still trying not to complain out loud.

The heat did stop me from going to my room today though. I could’ve still gone but I couldn’t even really face getting up out of the air-conned living room to get a drink of water.

Something I learned today?

I came across a Roy and HG documentary and it made me reminisce a lot about my early years in Australia and then even more so when there were clips of The Dream which was the show they did during the Sydney Olympics. That was still a memorable prime time in my life.

I found a load of videos on YT which I stuck in the queue to watch at some point.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Around 7pm Amy wanted to go to the market to get some soy milk, implying that I had to ride her there. I still didn’t want to get out but eventually, I did.

I took this picture at Mo’s because I finally remembered to take some pictures today. I knew this one was going to look good when I took it.

We got that attitude! – 2nd July 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Tired but had a good sleep. Lazy to work out this morning just stretch instead okay. The clouds – remember about clouds – oh yeah – best cloud of the day award – make a day of awards – will be fun and make you happy. I need to clean my room. Are my teeth okay? Feel better but need them to stay okay forever. Smell cat pee. Could just be damp humid air.

Learning Thai words but no chance to use really and when I do have chance someone Thai will usually say it first! The struggles of a language learner.

Walked KhaoThang home yesterday and jogged back. I have no stamina – had to rest many times! It’s okay though – felt good. My feet suck though. Knees too. Core too – haha! My body is slowly starting to know more about exercise again. I remember a time when I was filled with energy and stamina before my body grew into its twisted adult shape.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to the person in the bank who gave me what I need for my visa.

To-do list

  • Compliment someone and give silent good wishes ✅
  • ‘Thank you’ mantra ✅
  • Record more blog posts and edit drafts ✅
  • Post more TCRAH to blog ✅

Missed out on writing last night as we went out to eat with Aing and her friend. I had a couple of beers and went straight to be when I got home.

And tonight it’s already late and I’m lazy. I’m not concerned though. Things are going in the right direction for me.