Sons, be men and get yourselves laid, chase easy girls and compare your scores; it’s the game for generations played; the winner receives the most applause.
Girl, keep your legs shut, quiet as a mouse; male privilege will never extend to you; I never want a whore in my house; someone else’s daughter would have to do.
She said we can forgive him Because he is just a boy As she picked up the bottles Now empty of their joy
Without a thought or care For the wider world around When he needs to be somewhere He’s nowhere to be found
Anyway, cleaning is for girls A boy can’t do it well It’s a privilege to clean the piss Off the floor where it fell
Dressed in the body of a man The brain never adapted The childish mind, a selfish mind Remains forever distracted
Will he ever become a man? A real man of her dreams She’s always doing the best she can But never enough it seems
So, she sighs, this is her lot To be a mother of a peer When she weighs up what’s she got Just what is she doing here?
Today I’m feeling:
Super tired even after an almost ten-hour sleep. I felt tired around 10 pm last night but was excited to read comics and eventually went to sleep sometime after 11. On waking I still felt dizzy and had a stiff sore neck, both of which are persisting even now as I wait for my first coffee.
Today I’m grateful for:
The kale that Amy has been growing and she threw a handful of it into my lunch of fried rice today.
The best thing about today was:
Reading Roald Dahl’s Boy about his childhood whilst in bed this afternoon and then having a crazy nap. Woke up feeling tired for the second time today so have done next to nothing.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Doing next to nothing felt out of my control as I lacked motivation and energy. Handled by….doing nothing!
Something I learned today?
I found out that there is a Das Damen reissue of their first record that comes with a bunch of extra tracks. I will try to find that for sure. I think I heard that they may be making new music too. Could be interesting.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
Noey was back from her holiday and in catching up she talked about going to Australia and I told her she could talk to Amy for help with going there.
I took this picture because Creme brought these two two-day-old kittens to school as the mother had rejected them. Unfortunately, neither of them made it through the week.
A mother’s love, so strong and true The guiding hand was not guiding you A little Emporer enjoys the spoils Whilst the princess humbly toils
Slowly the empire will expand And falls away any guiding hand Is what you learned enough to rule The head and heart of a simple fool?
Today I’m feeling:
Unsure. Last night I could feel an oncoming tickle in my throat, I thought, perhaps from burning garbage smoke in the air. I slept early and woke up feeling ok but with more of a sore throat. There are a few sick students again recently, including Baipad and Apple who I see on most mornings.
Now, mid-way through the day I’m feeling on the edge. I could either recover and be ok by tomorrow or this will snowball into a full-blown flu or cold. Trying to stay positive through whatever happens.
Today I’m grateful for:
The almond croissant that Amy bought and we shared today. I’m not that into them so I wouldn’t usually buy one for myself but I found it sweet and tasty, a good post-dinner dessert this evening.
The best thing about today was:
At the end of my extra class with the grade 10s today I asked 4 of the students if the work was ok and they told me they enjoyed it and it was fun. I was happy to hear that. I had fun teaching it too.
Something I learned today?
The shortest war in history was between Britain and Zanzibar on August 27, 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
As normal, I guided a few struggling students through their work and thought perhaps that they needed some extra information that would help them with this in the future. I think I had an expectation that they already understood this grammar (present simple verbs, positive and negative) but whilst a few knew it, many did not. I need to make the lesson a little clearer if I decide to use it again.
I took this picture because I’d been asking Ploy, who is now in grade 9, to draw another picture of me as the previous one she did was two years old already. I like it though it is way more handsome than the real me!
A wife beater A woman hater A grinning smile A facade facile Every inch a man God his creator A good woman down A demonic clown A greasy spine A shiny veneer A bondaged mind Soon left behind A final punt A decade gone An unbecoming end Not even a friend
Today I’m feeling:
Tired yet satisfied
Today I’m grateful for:
Pure Bliss Kratom for getting back in touch with me so I can order from them again. I tried to order a couple of weeks ago but they had run out of packaging.
The best thing about today was:
Getting everything together for my work permit and giving it to Nancy. Not as difficult as doing my visa but still used to stress me out. Now it’s become more familiar and feels more comfortable. I was still glad to get this part done though. Next step is to take it to the department of employment and hand over money!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Two students asked to skip my class today to practice more for sports day. Eventually I said yes but knew that other students would then assume it was ok not to come and sure enough that’s what happened – the usual suspects.
Again, it made for a quieter class so that was a benefit. I marked those students absent so they will have to figure out why their grades suck at the end of the semester.
Talking with David I can feel he is frustrated by the lack of discipline at the school, not just students but with teachers too. He’s not so comfortable with the lack of structure and I get the feeling he might quit soon.
I can definitely feel my attitude has changed since I started teaching and also feel I may not be able to teach anywhere else after this. I mean, I’d have to teach properly!
Something I learned today?
Southampton beat Manchester City 2-0 which was a surprise. That will please my old friends back in Southampton.
What are your two favourite places to be?
Home
Anywhere else It’s here or there. Do people have favourite places to be? I like to be in the place where I am. Maybe I could say this:
Inside the body of a lover.
Inside the mind of a lover. Or
Standing in front of a maelstrom of music that is blissing me out
Lost in the words of a meaningful story. I guess there have been certain places in the world that hold a special meaning but they are not particularly places I would go out of my way to go to again. Certain places that were special because of a romance can never be visited the same with a new romance. Maybe I could say
Secondhand book shops and libraries
Secondhand music stores Yeah, I think that works.
No special picture taken today. This is one of Rich and Steve at Steve’s wedding that Rich posted online in commemoration of Steve’s passing in late December. Baby faces, amazing to see again.
*A man’s accusing finger always finds a woman They are the blamed and the blessed There is no way to change this status And no way to pass the test A controlling power deep within the head Passive, self-censored and abjugated A thousand years of venoms spat At the devils that man created
* From “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful to be able to watch the football again this year and watch Sydney play well against the odds with a young team. Much better than the previous two seasons. We lost today and finished for this year but it has me pumped for watching again next year. Hopefully, I can.
Overheard at a comic book store in Newtown yesterday, between the clerk and his friend, “Guys want to punch on in clubs when you check out their girlfriends. They dress like sluts, what do they expect?” Words to that effect. Walked out, won’t return.
1994ever 