Tag: Piti

Chess With Pigeons – 15th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Lined up against the wall
Identified with your tribe
Where does the mindset shift
From the rules that you prescribe?

This game isn’t easy
Yet played out every day
All uniquely similar
In deeds and words we say

Incited to live in fear
Lies are told as true
Only some allowed to win
But tell that you can too

A race to become less tolerant
Can be run in any way seen fit
Upend the board and strut around
Covering everything in shit

Inspired by this great post at The Renegade Press

Today I’m feeling:

Good once I got moving and going. Exercise and hangs were a bit more difficult today as my arms are tired from doing this more often but hopefully it will settle down to strengthening everything.

With a long day ahead, I’m still feeling positive and on top of things but definitely looking forward to resting up at the weekend.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Ploughing through the day and continuing when I got home. Using energy is giving me motivation to draw on my reserves.

The best thing about today was:

A student that I hadn’t met before said, ‘Hi, Teacher Shaun’. I asked her who she was and we talked a little and she said ‘I like Teacher Shaun.’

I asked her why, and she said ‘I’m ใจดี๊’, meaning kind-hearted. As I’d never talked with her before, I assumed that she had heard this from other students.

Either way, it made me feel good.

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

In my short break between classes today, I was hoping to enjoy some peace in the cafe but there was some meeting going on and I was relegated to an uncomfortable low table but I got on with a few things anyway. It was a bit rushed but it was good not to drop the energy levels and flake through the afternoon.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Amy is in a feisty, drunken mood and being a bit loud and dramatic. I’m doing my best to entertain her but the day is catching up with me and I just want to read and relax until I fall asleep.

Our cats were extremely scared and bothered by the fireworks for Loy Kratong last night. Amy let them both into the bedroom, which I knew was a bad idea but didn’t want to say anything.

Cap settled by my head, but Tigger was hiding under the lounge, and I got back to reading. After a while, I saw movement to my right, and Tigger had come out onto Amy’s bed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t sitting but pissing. I quickly got him off and pulled up the doona but it had also gone through to the sheet too.

I got them off the bed and into the washing machine and Amy complained that I wasn’t watching them whilst she got stuff prepared to sleep in the other room.

Art took this picture because the sunlight through the cafe window was giving a beautiful soft morning glow to Piti and me.

A Crack In The World – 13th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

What version of me did I show you?
Was the impression left in your mind
The enigmatic or the sad and sulky?
Which one would you prefer to find?

I was hiding, desperately
Trying to be anything but myself
To slip through a crack in the world
Leaving an image of someone else

I cross each bridge as I burn it
Wait impatiently for the credits to roll
Each day takes a small part of me
Once put together defines the whole

Inspired by a few paraphrased quotes within.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good after a slightly better sleep last night and waking up with a start to my alarm. Some tough exercise, as eating ice cream for the last three days has increased my weight more than I would like.

It’s weird Wednesday with just one 50-minute class today at 12.40, so lots of sitting around, thinking, reading and writing.

(Later) I let my class catch up with the work that I had asked them to do and started checking those who had finished. In a flash, it was over and done with an exclamation of ‘shit’ when I was told it was time to finish!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

The old uncle at the 20 baht shop who let me change over the light bulbs for a different colour and to pay the difference.

He was a bit slow working out the difference to pay, but I let him do it with a calculator and a phone, hoping that he might make a mistake in my favour!

The best thing about today was:

Finishing off the little project of writing 52 mini poems – an idea that I started a couple of months ago.

Though some of them are just little throwaway ideas and ruminations, there are a few that I rate quite highly.

Something I learned today?

It was Mimi’s 16th birthday today. I found out when I entered class and saw a mangled half-eaten cake on the desk! She’s from my new grade 10 class and I haven’t really got to know these new students yet but she seems to be a happy and friendly kid and the work she did today was good.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I dropped by to see Baipad as she was throwing up yesterday and didn’t come to school. She wasn’t there today either but I felt certain that she was feeling better and just being lazy.

I got her to agree to come to school tomorrow and also continued to try to encourage her to do something nice for the boy that she likes.

I took this picture because it’s a tough life for this fat little cafe cat.

Another Language – 9th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 10 Comments

born indignant:
life, indeed surprised

the priest cried prophecy
I understood after I died

My first go at an erasure poem. Original text ‘The Other Language’ by Khalil Gibran. The picture is not as pretty as I would like but I do like the poem that came out of it.

Today I’m feeling:

Vague and blurred at the edges. My brain isn’t kicking into gear due to the hangover of the gummies from yesterday. I really don’t enjoy feeling like this, as I want a clear and motivated brain to inspire action within myself.

After an afternoon nap where I only managed many lucid dreams, I actually felt much better and ended up in my room playing guitar for an hour.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 6

Today I’m grateful for:

Mee dropping me to his house to wait as everyone else still wanted to chat more. It was 22 degrees and I was feeling cold

The best thing about today was:

A pleasant evening meal with Baew and Mee. Though I didn’t join their conversation much, I was just absorbing the nice atmosphere of the restaurant and enjoyed the fish with young mango salad. Until the air temperature got too cold anyway.

Art took this picture of me and Piti hanging out this morning.

No Warriors – 14th October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

What now for the warriors brave
The fighting all said and done?
There’ll be no more bloodied hands
No more battles to be won

The fire is going out in my eyes
Fingertips full of flames
I return my atoms to the universe
To recycle my remains

I’ll rest in peace, return to the stars
Unable to know the rewards
But if there’s a light worth fighting for
That’s what I’ll head towards

Shared with Kevin’s No Theme Thursday picture prompt

Today I’m feeling:

Good, waking up before my alarm again though I’m in a happy enough frame of mind.

I hope to get into my room and play more guitar again today. I feel like watching less videos now, which, in my mind, is a positive thing.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

All the folks who have been leaving comments on some of my poetry. I still have to catch up on lots of reading and make some comments myself, as I know how inspiring they can make people feel.

The best thing about today was:

I fleshed out some more poems and ideas whilst drinking coffee and after getting back home, read through the Cliff Notes for Childhood’s End and discovered a cool website for generating ideas for poems and also a lot of word games to inspire.

In the afternoon, I enjoyed banging away on the guitar again, with about 30 minutes on Yousician and another 30 minutes playing along to familiar songs.

As I was in my room I also added some older blog entries, listened to music and did a little bit more writing.

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

I went up to the hospital today to get some more medicine from the psych but I also remembered that Amy had mentioned today was a holiday and so I wasn’t sure if anyone would be working and sure enough when I got there only the ER was still open.

Never mind. I can go back again tomorrow morning and make an appointment for another day this week when he’s there.

Something I learned today?

The first person in history whose name we know is “Kushim,” an accountant from Mesopotamia who lived around 3200 B.C.

I took this picture because the guard at Utopia was at his usual position this morning, hoping for escape.

Rebel Rock – 12th October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 10 Comments

There was a time when London called
The papers and hoi polloi appalled
Frustration and anger overspilled
The youth of the day proudly thrilled

Smash the guitar or smash the state
Yet the changes promised had to wait
Revolution rock was just a lame duck
But at least the music didn’t suck

Shared with dVerse Poetics: album cover art

Today I’m feeling:

Well slept and despite turning on my alarm I got up before it would’ve gone off anyway!

Today is the first day of my holiday proper. I say that as I still feel as if I’m on holiday most of the time anyway, even when I’m working. However, today I meet Porpieng, Momo and Baitong for lunch at Central, go for a psych appointment on Monday and back to the ENT on Tuesday. Too busy for my liking!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Baitong buying me Dairy Queen ice cream today after we finished our pizza.

The best thing about today was:

Meeting the kids (the smart ones) for pizza again and watching them change and grow every six months (though I see Momo more often at school).

As Popo and Baitong have had experience at my school and now a new school I asked them which they thought was best and the both said the new school was better for their education even though it was more stressful in some ways.

I think they can realise the benefits of not having access to their phones during the day allowing them to focus more on their classes.

Baitong still cracks me up. She’s smart and has a quick wit and loves to make fun of everything.

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

The baby cow is on our garden again. Amy thought it best to close the gate to keep him here as if he’s left outside he could walk off anywhere.

His mum is calling him from the other side of the fence but he doesn’t seem to care as he munches on our grass.

Mum is tied down but the baby, whilst having a rope that can be tied up is left to roam. I think the cow man can guess where to look if he can’t find the baby. He’s used to it by now.

Something I learned today?

Baitong told me that she can’t ride a bike or drive a car but that she can drive a tractor!

She said her mum is a housewife and she didn’t quite know what her dad does but that he works hard. I asked if she would prefer to be like her mum or dad when she finishes school and university and she said ‘like her dad’.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I bought Momo, Baitong and Porpieng lunch today and as Baitong shares my birthday I bought her the materials to do the painting of our cats that she promised me last time we met.

I messaged Anchan and she told me that she still has a fever (39.2).

Momo messaged me in the evening saying that some of her class were wondering about the grades I gave them. Most of her class did well enough but their question of understanding my criteria is a fair point.

Basically I want them talking and communicating more in class. I asked her to pass the message on and that her classmates should contact me directly to show me their initiative. Let’s see!

I took this picture because who is the real boss here?

The Old Straw Weaver – 2nd October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

The hands of the old straw weaver
Carry her gnarled knucklebones
Calculating the symbolons
Not nothing held in her empty hands

The essential is absent, inseparable
Familiar and unknown
The longing is an arrow, a gesture
An invitation toward the search

A hot lightning haunting
Snatched in the throttle of the bolt
Hungry in the forever unknowing
Searching fields empty of answers

A thrilling hand held sates
The old straw weaver
A symbolon of another something
A token of completion

Inspired and paraphrased from this post by Ars Poetica – go and read it! The picture was also found there.
Shared to Sammi Scribbles 383 – calculate (80 words) and What’s Going On

Today I’m feeling:

Anxious, tired and sleepy. Yesterday’s events were on my mind as I was sleeping, though I didn’t dream of floods or water, but just the underlying anxiety woke me up a few times.

Thankfully, it didn’t rain much overnight and there are only intermittent storms this morning.

Our school told students not to come to school but teachers are still supposed to go! I told them that I’m still dealing with the situation at home and been sitting in Utopia doing this new report that the school wants.

It’s pretty straightforward once it’s been done once, which took a little effort. It is just another piece of paper that won’t get read, though.

My throat is sore, possibly from being wet and riding the bike around yesterday but could also be from falling into the ditch yesterday – who knows what the hell might have been in that water!

Health:

Physical: 6
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Getting up at the normal workday time but not going to work. I’m exhausted in that kind of good way that all my energy has been spent. The day has felt long and thankfully peaceful.

The best thing about today was:

The memory of that first sip of coffee at Utopia. Sublime! Will I remember it in a few days time? Will I even remember it after tomorrow’s first sip?

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

Our old wooden door that Amy had turned into a table for some plants in the garden finally succumbed to the elements and collapsed into pieces.

I should have spent some time cleaning it up but forgot about it in my lethargy. If Amy doesn’t do it before, I will clean it up at the weekend.

Something I learned today?

I came across a video that recommended taking Pygeum for enlarged prostate problems and I was able to quickly order some on Lazada.

I also learned that the local government and the local electricity suppliers have agreed to cancel last month’s bills due to the flood situation.

I took this picture because Piti was owning the counter this morning.

In Search Of Dry Land – 22nd May 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

A song sung of departure towards a journey of woe
Giant squid squirt inky dark blinded to the flow
No fuel until Friday, at least the captain is saying so
A panorama of the horizon begs which way to go
Neglected were the whispers, part of the ocean’s show
Set light to the sails, watch the flames aglow
From officer to pilot, knowing what’s to know
Clouds clot to bring the storm and finally the blow
Graduating to the ground to see the mountains grow

A multi-prompt catch-up poem. Departure – Squid – Fuel – Panorama – Neglected – Flame – Officer – Clot – Graduate

Today I’m feeling:

Feeling tired and tense.  After finally getting up, the two Utopia coffees kicked started my brain but not my body!  Hence the feeling of tension.

Amy is wound up about the useless builder that has ripped us off for the guttering.  I’m trying to divert her focus but she’s out for blood, and obviously frustrated.

It’s annoying for sure, though I blame myself.  I got the feeling he was useless almost immediately but didn’t go with my instinct.

It’s been an average day that hasn’t seen me brighten up particularly and at only 8.15 pm I’m going to bed!

Today I’m grateful for:

The AI assistant in Quizizz that can quickly put together questions based on a text.  It’s very useful to speed up putting new lessons together.

The best thing about today was:

Writing, and enjoying writing, a new lesson for my new HAP grade 12 class.  It also inspired me to come up with more ideas that I will try to turn into more lessons.

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

After dropping Amy at Cafe No Name for P’Berm’s birthday celebration I picked up some watermelon for Baipad and popcorn for her sister NamHom for her birthday.

I took this picture because Piti was chilling at the coffee machine.