Tag: magic

The Magician – 14th August 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

A promise of one thing
– Delivery of another
The truth outstanding

The magician’s deceit, a procured receipt
The politician’s defeat

…Yet still perfects the landing

Submitted to Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Mislead

Today I’m feeling:

Average to fair.  Didn’t sleep for long enough again but forced myself up and to do a little 10-minute exercise and hope to start getting back into it.

I still have headaches and my voice and throat is still a little sore and croaky.  I’m in a reasonable headspace though.

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

My adaptability. As I’m entering details into the blog from when I started working in high school at CRPAO I can see how I have managed to adapt myself to the environment and become more flexible and understanding.

The best thing about today was:

Jet, Lin and Mai, my old grade 9 students, love touching my belly for some reason but today Lin squealed and called over Jet and they were both disappointed to feel that I have lost some belly fat.

I’m not actually sure that I have but this made me feel good that perhaps some of the exercising that I have been doing these past few years may be having some small effect.

Something I learned today?

I spoke to Hayden yesterday and he has moved into a new place, which he seems happy with.  He also reckons he’s on for a new workplace which will give him a little more money and better working conditions.  I hope that he gets that.

He has a few days off and is flying down to Melbourne to get a tattoo.  Seems a long way to go just for a tattoo but, I guess he’ll be doing other stuff whilst there.  I think his mum is still supporting him too much but he’s slowly getting there to stand on his own two feet.

Amy took this picture because sometimes we can get our grass cut for free!

Pit Ponies – 16th April 2023

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Bandaged eyes for a holiday treat
A walking cough on coal-black feet
Animals and humans linger in shit
The bray and the neigh, murmurs the pit

Air to breathe, relaxed underground
There echoes the ever-tapping sound
Fathers tell sons to break the chain
Close the gates on working man’s shame

Time has turned the tide around
A union broken and unknown freedom found
Damocles laughs and makes some bank
The pit ponies nostalgic for the sulphur stank

Today I’m feeling:

Not too bad today but not particularly inspired either. Enjoyed starting to read the Brix Smith book whilst at Utopia. I didn’t want to stop so ended up drinking 3 coffees instead of my usual two. Amy’s brother called to come here so I’m waiting for him now but I can’t drink more coffee!

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy getting home safely last night and then for her flatmate who consoled her today when she cried over our lovely Kim Chi. I still miss her terribly but I’m getting more used to her not being around. Amy told me she was excited to come back in July to see all our cats but now her trip is tinged with sadness too.

The best thing about today was:

I really enjoyed reading today with the Brix Smith book at Utopia and approaching the end of Death’s End at home. I will miss this sci-fi series but have many other cool books to get into next.

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

There are times I feel fatalistic about the future but I also know that making uncomfortable changes usually brings about a renewed sense of accomplishment. I have been happy with the way things had been going until the shock of Kim’s death rattled me.  At this point, I don’t know what’s coming. Amy is pretty unhappy to be leaving Australia and has such a negative attitude to being in Thailand again that I’m not sure how long it will last. I know she wants us all to be together but prefers it not to be here. Going back to Australia together in the future feels really up in the air to me. I have no idea what I can do there for work. Amy is keen on the idea of opening a restaurant which I’m not quite in the right frame of mind to attempt. A lot of time, money and stress will be ahead of that. Can I submit to that to make Amy happy?

Something I learned today?

I watched a magic video that showed how to make small objects float using a very fine thread. It’s a neat trick that maybe I’ll practice one day and show my students.

What are the details of my daily routine?

Right now, in the holidays: get up around 8.30, feed the cats, shower, ride to Utopia, drink coffees and read, go home and read (different book), watch YouTube videos, eat (depending on how hungry I am), video call Amy when feeding the cats, water the garden, sometimes play guitar, watch more YouTube, read more, watch Netflix, shower, get in bed, read books and comics on iPad, sleep. I’m not spending much time listening to music since Kim died; I’m not quite in the mood for it yet.


I took this picture because the ceramic figure reminds me of Amy and this is one of her cactuses that I haven’t managed to kill yet. I had to force myself out to find something to take a picture of today.