Tag: Lazada

No Succour – 21st May 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

A restless nest built from gathered straw
The dead-end grass slight comfort bring
Hungry crackles cackling for more
Long forgotten all the songs to sing

For in this desert of desolation
No succour found at every turn
In those times before desperation
When the early bird caught the worm

24th Oct 2024 – Shared with What’s Going On – desert

Today I’m feeling:

That late coffee yesterday kept me up, running through my head the day ahead today.  Well, I’m at the end of it now and it went well.  I’m ready to sleep though.

My last class finished at 4.30 by which time traffic was bad and it took me a while to get back home.  I forced myself out to my room to practice guitar, which with a few days skipped was very rusty.

Well, it’s another day off tomorrow for some holiday or other so everything’s groovy.

Today I’m grateful for:

The neck fan that I ordered on Lazada.  It is next to useless but at least offers a tiny bit of relief from the humidity.  

Some of the kids are walking around with portable 12-inch fans now.  It’s crazy.

The best thing about today was:

A new class, with a handful of students I knew from teaching previously and a handful of new ones, who I’m enjoying learning their skill level.  

It’s a shame though that many of my high school classes are only once a week.

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

Kru Pooky uses the classroom that I use today often and she doesn’t use the projector or even her computer by the look of things.  She stuck some paper on the board, right where the image is projected which was pretty stupid if you ask me!

She stays in the room when I’m teaching and I can tell she doesn’t enjoy it because my classes are usually pretty rowdy and noisy and of course, I’m encouraging the students to talk and think as much as possible.  I also spot her looking at what I’m doing in class and I’m actually curious what she’s thinking.

Anyway, I asked her if I could take them down, to which she agreed and I tried as best I could to peel them off cleanly.  The whiteboard is the whole width of the classroom so why would you stick them right in the middle of it?

Something I learned today?

I learned that one of my grade 10 students is actually 19 years old.  She’s from Myanmar and has been in Thailand for two years and has learned some English in that time (better than some that I have taught for even longer than that time!)

Black Cat – 9th April 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Born lucky, amongst cat’s kisses
Brought love and calmly kept
But laughing aloud cools kinship
Banging loudly and can kneel

Business lull as corporations kaput
Broken laws allow constables kvetching
Black light awareness, cooly kindhearted
Both looking around catching kittens

Submitted to Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge and NaPoMo.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good though this heat is a killer.  I’ve made an agreement with myself not to complain about it though.

It also seems like last night’s mala upset my stomach a little bit this morning but I should be good to go for the rest of the day?

Today I’m grateful for:

Going to Lost and Found, a new cocktail bar in Chiang Rai, after Amy was disappointed with The Space due to poor service and average food.

The best thing about today was:

Starting organising lessons for next semester.  It was a bit of a headache and I only did it for a couple of hours, whilst at Utopia for morning coffee, but it is something that will kickstart my brain again to fill in all the gaps that I need.

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

When we arrived at The Space we sat outside next to the river but with the humidity and the sun setting suddenly there was a great birthing of insects which usually indicates the coming of rain. Let’s hope so but at this time these little critters were dropping into our drinks, food and clothes. We quickly dashed inside with everything.

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

A couple of weeks ago Amy drunkenly said she wished that she had a globe and then forgot all about it – but I didn’t.  I ordered one from Lazada that arrived a couple of days ago and left it for her to find this morning.  Sadly, on opening the box we found that it was badly packed and the cheap plastic base had splintered a little.  So my next task is to super glue it and then assemble it.  Amy seemed less excited about it than when she was drunk but never mind.  Happy anniversary little Amy!

Whilst Amy was extremely upset at the restaurant I tried to stay calm and enjoy some of the food and quickly picked up that we should leave with haste.

I took this picture because as Amy had checked in at Lost and Found on Facebook, earning herself six free shots!

Influence – 8th November 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Shoving in doughnuts
Pooping out rocks
Here lies the slovenly
Unable to put on socks

Ten gallons of soda
Living life liver-free
Stuck on the sofa
In front of the TV

Making friends with strangers
Fat thumbs on the phone
Influencing the influencers
Relatively unknown

Shopping in comfort
From the living room
Like a faulty product
Due to expire soon

Today I’m feeling:

Tired but improved in general. I could’ve slept more but got going with exercise and breakfast. My morning class I decided to cancel as students are preparing for an Open House event over the coming two days. Not what I had planned but I’m much more accepting and able to adapt more easily these days. I quickly planned a separate lesson for my afternoon class that they could easily do in the canteen and it went well compared to yesterday and everyone seemed to enjoy it, perhaps because it mostly involved drawing rather than writing.

Today I’m grateful for:

Being able to find the nozzle for the high-pressure hose that I borrowed from Bruno on Lazada. It arrived today and now the hose works incredibly well, even cutting through the concrete if set too fine!

The best thing about today was:

Enjoying having fun with students all day long even as they were preparing things, studying, learning, chatting or playing. Everyone was in a good mood it seemed.

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

The whole day at school was out of control as kids were busy everywhere doing things and making a mess. In classrooms, in hallways, in the canteen, library and playground. I went with it and had a great time. I met some of my grade 8 students in the canteen whilst I was taking care of the grade 7 class there in the afternoon and they told me that Teacher David was sad. I’m not quite sure what they meant but I can imagine that he is a bit frustrated with not being able to teach in the way that he’s used to.

Something I learned today?

Kru Fluke is leaving our team to go and take her turn working up in the mountains. It’s a shame as she is one of the teachers who actually makes an effort to engage despite having poor English herself.

How do I usually handle my emotions and feelings?

In some ways, I have managed to suppress strong emotions much of the time so that I am able to deal with events more reflectively. I am still afraid that I could overreact at some point. I don’t repress my emotions or feelings but let them play out with less stress and anxiety. In general, I have fewer cares and fewer worries. I guess I always had fewer cares and worries but exaggerated their importance before.

I took this picture because I walked around the corner to find my old class of students sitting here like this. They were waiting for a teacher to give them some items to help make decorations for tomorrow. They weren’t particularly enthused to do this but were excited not to be studying!

8th Feb 2024 – These kids are grade 9 – mostly 14-15 years old. Can I remember their names? I only taught them for one semester and that was last year now.
?, Piano, August (the dancing, singing…), Art (I taught him occasionally in Primary), Fill (whom I taught in Primary), Chompoo (likewise occasionally taught in Primary), Stang, Phoom, NongNong (formerly Sunwa), Pat, Gear, Levi, Beena, Proud, Mangkron (who wants to be a farmer), Nice (taught in Primary), Leo, (? – this kid rarely came to class), Pon, Chokun (taught in Primary), Baitoey, (? – I should know her name as I talk with her almost every morning) and Earn. Missing are Yok, Ice and another boy whom I can picture but can’t name!

Nestlings – 9th June 2022

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Tiny whispers screaming at the air
Hungry for understanding of this world unfair
Tentative steps towards wings to fly
As tigers wait with open mouths nearby
Mothers teaching babies self-reliance
Exercised in gambled acts of defiance
Jumping nests and flailing limbs
Searching where the rest of life begins

…what you call civilisation in the West is naught but another spectre of the many phantoms of tragic deception.

Yusif in The Tempest by Khalil Gibran

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for Lazada and for Bath and Body Works – today I can put a new air freshener in my car.

A Miracle – 9th October 2021

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Marvel at the synchronicity
I was just thinking about elephants
But the cheapest form of miracle
Is, in fact, just coincidence

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be able to order little cables and things online from Lazada. So cheap and easy.

Damn, I feel good today. Stepping out of the cool aircon of the car and into the bright, humid heat felt like jumping into a cooling swimming pool, enveloped in something smothering the skin. The heat soon burns away the cool skin feeling but the engulfment remains. A soft warm cocoon around my body that finds its way into my brain receptors, bringing comfort and safety.

A relaxing wake up yet busy beginnings with bedclothes washing and cat feeding. I pushed through the punishing abs exercises again, jumped in the shower and headed off to Utopia for coffee, reading more of the Rolling Stones biography but somewhat unable to focus for long.

Back home, Amy had already started teaching her two students, first time in seven months. Now she will be busy most weekends again.

I secreted myself in my room, intending to practice guitar but got swept up in more poetry blog entries and listening to more live Mission of Burma recordings, which I have found at archive.org. Before I knew it, it was lunchtime.

A quick filling Pad Thai before setting off to the city for Amy to get her first vaccine shot. The blue skies of last week now replaced with the smoky white haze again as the farmers burn everything for the next forced season.

As I’m driving, my mouth is contemplating the creamy milky coffee at House. They’ve turned me onto a signature drink they call a Dirty. It’s cold, fresh milk mixed with a good lot of cream and then a long, extracted shot sits atop. You sip and slurp the creamy milk through the shot and it is damn delicious. The taste is throughout my mouth as I’m writing and I’m contemplating a second but shouldn’t. Keep it as a treat.

Not sure what the plan is next but I’m looking forward to getting back to my room and listening to more music and hopefully playing guitar.

Oh yeah, I squeezed in a haircut too – finally. My hair was getting out of control. Need to shave and dye my hair sometime this weekend too. Perhaps I can maintain the deceit of still looking under 50 years old as the 54th approaches.

Poems on this day – 20th May 2021

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Grumble and Grunt

I wish I could talk to you more
But I forget the words to say
Beyond inane pleasantry
Engage pleasant insanity

Sometimes forgetting what words are for
We grumble and grunt away
You know me, I know you
At least we both think we do

We tried to share together
Get to the nitty gritty
Broken formal etiquette
Just easier to forget

Now we just discuss the weather
That seems like such a pity
Communicate turn by turn
Connections we must relearn

In Two Minds

I am in control
Of the thoughts
In my black hole
On a roll
Or out of sorts
Searching for my soul

It’s in my mind
Dual thinking
Both are blind
I cannot find
Slowly sinking
A life resigned

Truth

Your truth is sitting on that hill
Mine elsewhere, a bitter pill
But let’s consider, understand
And work together, hand in hand

Tokyo*

I wanted to go to Japan
But in the end I couldn’t go
So I bought a little dog instead
And named that good girl Tokyo

*True story of Gui, the owner of my regular coffee shop House

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be able to buy and try cheap shoes on Lazada. This morning I received a nice pair which will replace some of my tatty old ones. I still need to find some good inexpensive ones for school though. I don’t wear shoes much here but need good support when I do. I am lucky to be able to try so many different ones.

Too much, double bullseye, too much, do it again – 5th July 2020

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

A long weekend with two extra days. Though I have been barely working at all this semester, at least this weekend promised not having to attend school and an opportunity to do whatever I wanted.

I had half an idea to get back into playing some video games again but only got around to it on the last day. It was fun but unfulfilling, possibly the spectre of disappointment raised by having to relearn how to play a game again, that I was halfway through and not played for 18 months. I wonder when I’ll give it another go? I wonder if my old Nintendo DS still works after all these years?

On Sunday, the skies were cloudy but the rain had been holding off. It is gonna rain again, right? That can’t be it for rainy season already? Last year it didn’t seem to rain so much and it lead to drought in many parts of the country. We’ve had some big rains and the ground is getting saturated but there’s been nothing really approaching flooding.

Anyway, Amy and I took the opportunity for a quick drive down to Phayao. Amy had an idea to pick up some English muffins and jam from a local farm run by an Aussie and his Thai wife. Well, we didn’t really need much reason. It’s nice to have a break from the regularity of school and home and we haven’t been out much due to the pandemic situation, which, despite having limited impact here so far, is always something to be cautious of.

Amy’s old workmate, Jackie, had also managed to get himself out of Australia recently, having overstayed his visa by a few years already. Now, Jackie is a character, or perhaps even more accurately, a caricature. He can be difficult to talk to, difficult to listen to and difficult to understand. Having not seen him for 3 years or so it would be interesting to hear some of his stories from that elapsed time.

The drive was very pleasant and enjoyable, some fantastic mountain ranges on the right with fresh paddy fields across the plains of the valley. Everything one shade of green or another.

Soon we arrived and met up with Jackie at his friend’s fish restaurant on the lake, where I took the attached panorama. Jackie was exactly as we remembered though looking more like he was hitting his old age than before. He talked loudly and non-stop, mostly polite nonsense but always, always, about money, and he made us laugh with his absurd pronouncements. He paid for everyone’s lunch, despite having little money, insisting that this is the ‘Thai way’ and we will of course reciprocate if he ever comes to visit.

Next, we headed to a coffee shop, also next to the lake. Everything is next to the lake – it is the main feature of the sleepy little town. Jackie told us that the waters are lowering due to the Chinese damming rivers further upstream – a common issue amongst adjacent nations around the world these days. We waited at the cafe for the farmers to deliver our order to us, as they had decided to close the farm to visitors until next year due to the virus.

When they arrived I chatted with the Aussie and Amy chatted with his wife in Thai. Jackie was listening in as they explained about closing the farm and after a few minutes it was time for them to leave. Just as they turned to walk away, and well within earshot, Jackie turned to Amy and said in Thai, something along the lines of “Fucking stupid, why they close the farm, no virus now, fucking open, make money!” Amy shushed him (and told me this story later) and Amy and I discussed driving around the lake before heading home. Jackie said we should and he would leave us for ‘romantic time’. We laughed and then he instantly invited himself along too! He actually hasn’t been here in his hometown for about 20 years so the drive around was all new to him too.

Eventually, we dropped Jackie home and headed back along the highway, shaking our heads at the things Jackie had done and said in the short time we caught up with him. I concluded that we were being punished for something bad in our past lives. Meeting once every three years or so still might be too often.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for getting paid this weekend and being able to order in Lazada!

We got that attitude! – 30th December 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for everything that tests my patience. I have learnt to remain calm through most things and I think I’m getting better at it all the time.

To-do list

  • Prepare Lazada order.
  • Record TCRAH.
  • Wix forum.
  • Study Thai.
  • WDS tour dates.
  • Dye hair.

Did it list

  • Ordered on Lazada.
  • Read 3 chapters.
  • Recorded TCRAH.
  • Studied Thai – video and Drops.
  • Enjoyed eating and drinking in village.

New day rising – 29th December 2019

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

This morning I am filled with a quiet happiness. Determined to get up early on a Sunday and to do something, whether it be a walk, a meditation, writing or studying, I rolled out of bed, fed the cats and opted to walk to my favourite local coffee shop, Utopia.

As I prepared food for the cats a light rain appeared. Unusual for this time of year but accurately predicted by our weather apps for once. Undeterred, I set out. The temperature still cool but the minimal exertion keeping me warmed I chose to listen to a reading of a Chekhov short story. The relative quiet around made for clear listening to the beautiful words of the story as I walked through small fields of wet grass and aspiring mud. Was I still in Thailand or transported to that Armenian village?

Before I knew it I had arrived at the shop but it was too early and as I waited on the porch I listened to a primer on Nietzsche and then an imagined conversation between Fred and Jane Austen where, despite their differences they arrived at a philosophical agreement and appreciation for each others works. Inspired by this I contemplated how everyone is different but we must be able to find some common ground.

The Nietzsche primer mentioned his text’s difficult reading but also highlighted his humour. Something which I had not been previously aware of. Friends have told me they preferred to read works about Nietzsche rather than his own. I will try this approach sometime. Sometime when I can add those books to my ever growing library.

The shop opened and I lazily drank through 3 coffees which produced a wonderful buzzing awareness of all the subtleties around me. Soon an acquaintance of Amy’s arrived, a Thai lady who runs her own English school. As this was our first meeting we talked about our shared experiences with teaching here in Chiang Rai.

Coffee and conversation

I lead the conversation for a while before realising it was time to let her speak and so I asked questions about her school and so the conversation flowed. I set myself a small challenge to try to talk to a stranger every day and thought to myself that I can cross this off today’s challenge list and it’s not even 10am.

Later though, as I was walking home, the rain a little heavier than before, I realised that I had failed in another of my personal challenges. Inspired by a Tim Ferriss article I read this week I have challenged myself to not complain about anything for 21 days. To remind myself about this challenge I have started wearing a bracelet, the purpose being that every time you complain you have to swap the bracelet to the other wrist. I have made this doubly difficult for myself by choosing a bracelet that is awkward to attach to oneself with one hand.

As the bracelet effect kicked in I thought back to the conversation in the coffee shop and asked myself if I had been complaining. Despite my mind’s protestations and justifications I sadly realised I had, indeed, been complaining. Perhaps only mildly but there is a fine line between stating the facts as they are and infusing a negative into the narrative.

In fact, the hardest part of this challenge is actually recognising that you are complaining. So long as it pushes to the forefront of my mind more and more it will help me become more aware of my own words and to try to understand how someone might feel whilst listening to me.

The walk home was still wonderous as I contemplated all this and listened to the description of beautiful Masha and the joy and sadness the narrator felt. This description was thought-provoking as I also was feeling so happy with life, despite the fact I was getting cold and wet in the rain. The walk crowned by the view of the feathery grass that spikes alongside our driveway, suddenly weighed down by the heavy drops of water, pointing towards the path home.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to be inquisitive. To want to constantly learn and understand myself. This morning I listened to a primer on Nietzsche which was interesting as an introduction because I don’t know enough about his philosophy. I then listened to an imagined conversation between Nietzsche and Jane Austen where there two apparent so different writers end up agreeing on many things. I walked to Utopia this morning too. A nice gentle walk and gave me chance to listen to these articles.

To-do list

  • Prepare Lazada order.
  • Upload TCRAH and record new ep.
  • Check more Wix options.
  • Read 3 chapters.
  • Next Thai video.
  • Install WP App and streamline Chrome windows.
  • WDS t-shirt options.
  • Dye hair.

Did it list

  • Uploaded TCRAH.
  • Read 3 chapters.
  • Walked to Utopia.
  • Talked with a stranger at Utopia.
  • Wrote blog post.
  • Stayed calm despite Amy being in a bad mood.

Missed a couple of days due to having George and Bee over on Friday and being lazy and hungover on Saturday. Did not do anything on my Saturday list so moved all to Sunday and still only managed half of them, though the day is not over yet.

On Friday I kept my challenge of playing with the kids so that I would get some exercise. However, after a while, they asked me to calm down. I was a bit rough and too competitive. I felt slightly aggrieved at that moment but did calm down some. When I thought about it afterwards I realised they were right. It probably wasn’t as much fun for them as it should have been. I need to learn about the consequences of my actions – even the small ones.