I am so happy and grateful for the help my co-workers give me.
17th Mar 2023 – Fuck me, Shaun! What was this help!? Sometimes I just have to pretend that I am good with words. Still, at least I got something down for the day! Perhaps there’s more information hidden away in another book somewhere.
The paradox of the internet has always been that the thing that’s connecting us all also seems to be driving us apart.
Mark Manson
To-do list
Shut your mouth! I know you want to speak – but DON’T!!! ✅
Pictures for Fern and Chinese teacher
Figure out 6 daily life topics ✅
AirAsia refunds
Stay calm and stay chill – sabai sabai ✅
I stayed calm and clear today and believe that I successfully did what was asked of me, without complaint.
I rewarded myself by coming home early and relaxing with TV – almost forgetting about having to teach Bruce. That was a bit of a shock to the system but again, I dealt with it quite well.
Tomorrow I need to start planning for next semester – working for my new masters!
I am so happy and grateful to have a car so I can get places without having to suffer so much from the polluted air.
There is no great difference between novels and banana bread. They are both just something to do
Mark Manson
To-do list
Finish off AirAsia refunds
See if the Office downloads can work ✅
Enjoy your day, your work, your interactions ✅
Drawings for Fern and Chinese teacher
Go to book shop, drug store and buy Vitamins ✅
Well, today went well until the rabbits (the idiots) raised their paws and decided that things were not well with my grading. Rather than actually tell me what the problem was they deferred and advised me to ask someone else tomorrow.
The problem, I already know – because I graded accordingly – so many students did not pass. What is the point of grading if our grades are not permitted? It’s a waste of everyone’s time. Why even teach?
Anyway, it’s an easy fix – it just involves lying and deceit. Is this right? Is this moral? Of course not. It perpetuates the lie that everything is ok. It hurts to be part of this. Fight it or forget it? Of course, the best answer is to forget it but then nothing changes. I hate this time of year.
Tomorrow, no doubt, to pass the time quickly I will adjust the grades so that everyone will pass. And….hmmm….everyone will be happy….?
I am so happy and grateful to be surrounded by all this music. It’s a wonderful collection of my life.
Remember: what gets attention is not always important. And what is important rarely gets attention.
Mark Manson
To-do list
Record new TCRAH ✅
Clear emails
Read more entries for 1994ever
More CD organising (complete in 2 weeks?) ✅
Complete Coursera course ½
Another lazy yet satisfying day. Tomorrow I want to do some kind of exercise and meditation in the morning. Being at home, unable to go anywhere is an interesting challenge. I feel like this is a great opportunity to get some things done but also that none of it really matters if it does get done or not so there’s no real pressure. I know that if I do a little each day then tasks will get completed.
I am so happy and grateful for my psychiatrist who prescribes me my medicine. Can I live without it?
Forgiveness is choosing to not let negative events of the past define how you feel about someone or something in the present.
Mark Manson
To-do list
Finish Chinese drawing.
Eye-gaze practice – so difficult! ½
Stay calm. Talk less. ½
Staple exam papers. ✅
Focus on colours today ½
Stayed calm but talked quite a bit with Said and George.
Occasionally focused on colours and tried to remember about eye gazing. It’s really uncomfortable though!
I stayed calm during a difficult lesson this morning but some of the smarter kids had a great idea to go outside and finish the lesson and it worked out really well.
My other lesson was fine and I spent a couple of hours talking with George. I really look up to his way of thinking and want to push myself to end up like that too. I found myself interrupting him in conversation sometimes though and must try not to do that, and to really listen to what he is saying rather than just waiting to say the thing I want to say.
I felt a bit rejuvenated after that though not having any proper lunch made me tired as I got home. I did, however, feel some relief at it being the end of the working week for me.
Tomorrow I will use the time on the plane to read and meditate.
Stuff that really makes us happy – wanting the right parts of what we already want, activating your signature strengths
Character strengths are ubiquitous, fulfilling morally valued, not able to diminish others, opposite of a negative trait, trait-like, measurable, distinctive, paragon, prodigies, select absence, institutionalised.
Signature strengths = most essential to who you are, where you flourish most. So, seek out a career with your signature strengths. Practice = use of your top strengths in a new and different way every day Using top 4 strengths are best
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful for the kids who greet me with happy smiles in the morning. I can appreciate the connection I have with them.
The only thing that can ever truly destroy a dream is to have it come true.
Mark Manson
To-do list
More exam preparation.
Be curious about someone today. ½
Run after work.
Start booking flights.
Think, shut up, speak if it adds. ½
Didn’t achieve so much this day and I put that down to alcohol consumption and lack of sleep. I actually felt OK in the morning but ran out of energy around 3pm. The day was quite enjoyable – I really do enjoy the connection I have with the kids.
Ellen called in the evening. She was upset at Rob (her on/off boyfriend) again and I tried to soothe her and calm her down telling her much of what I’ve been learning myself. We are all at different stages of our journeys.
Tomorrow is the last day of camp – it’s been fun though useless for the students. I’m fine with the break.
Tomorrow I need to pull things into some focus and maybe just concentrate on a couple of things and drop the others. I love to learn but maybe just taking in too much from too many places at the moment. I really have to book these flights tomorrow too! And follow up with venues!
If you got nothing to talk about then there’s always the weather. Over the last couple of years though, the weather has become a major conversation for most people. Extremes are getting hit everywhere. And now having said that……
It’s not just a surprise to me that it’s so cold here in North Thailand at the moment, even the locals say they’ve never felt anything like it. We all probably forgot what it was like last year. It’s a bit of a shock to the system though and apparently, this ‘winter’ cold will be over within the week. It’s actually a nice temperature but I can’t enjoy it because everyone got sick and thought it best to share it with me, so I’ve been rugged up and sleeping it off for what feels way too long. Hanging out daily with hundreds of sick kids doesn’t help much either.
Another annoying thing is that the temperature had just become appropriate to crack open the bottle of Malt Whiskey I’d been sitting on since last year. After a couple of nights of enjoyment, the sickness took hold. Maybe it’s related? When it’s not school holidays I’ve pretty much stopped drinking now, so I’m a bit out of practice. This has had some positive health effects in that I’ve lost a little bit of weight without having to do any exercise. I would like to do some exercise though but……I’m fucking sick.
Anyway, in between working and coughing I’m also in the middle of planning a ten-day or so South East Asia tour for Worlds Dirtiest Sport from France, which is basically Kevin from Trumans Water and his one-man band. I’m very excited about this. It’s a great excuse for me to get to see some other parts of Southeast Asia that I haven’t visited yet, to enjoy watching Kevin play each night and to discover the local scenes and bands there. As well as catching up with some old (and newer) friends.
Whilst doing this I also have to arrange myself a new UK passport, as that is what my Thai visa is attached to. I got this Australian passport that I’ve never used and not sure when I’ll be able to! This will mean having to make two quick trips to the British Embassy in Chiang Mai on working weekdays. This is my opportunity to use the word palaver.
those days
Dealing with the moving targets of Thai bureaucracy has hardened me somewhat to the bullshit bureaucracy I had to deal with in Australia and the UK with all the visas, passports and information requirements. This time should be a cinch. Famous last words.
these days
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful to be around the kids at school. Even if they are shitbags they never fail to make me smile many times a day. I can go home with those smiles and forget about how little they actually learned.
Did it lists
“You may not wake up tomorrow”
What did I do well today? Where were my discipline and self-control tested? Where did I do good? What did I do bad and why did this occur? Furthermore, how can I improve?
Wrote in gratitude journal.
Understood more about my students.
Prepped next week’s regular class worksheets.
Downloaded Daily Stoic Introduction and saved to Drive.
1994ever 