“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
This mondo shared with #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge: Silver Linings. Image found at Palestine Will Be Free Substack
6th Dec 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #206 – everybody scream
Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – opposite concepts
Inspired and paraphrased (as ever) from the Red Hand Files #297
10th Sep 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – something good
Written for No Theme Thursday picture prompt (above) and Poets and Storytellers United – holding your breath
A 9-syllable Magic 9 shared with dVerse OLN #372 , Poets and Storytellers United – moon and Word of the Day Challenge – costume
The following is a letter from December 28th, 2023, delivered today from the past
Dear FutureMe,
You turn 57 today. This is it, the downhill straight hurtling towards the finish line. Finish with a flurry, why not?
Right now I’m sitting in House, this very familiar spot, looking out into the messy garden here. My body aches from chest and arm exercises but it feels good. Slowly making this machine the way it was supposed to be. A little late….but never too late.
It’s the 28th of December, the kids all had sports day yesterday and it was a blast. So much fun for everyone. Today is a combined Christmas/New Year party day and sure to be fun too. I’ll go back to school soon and stick around for a while before heading home for a five-day break. We talked about going to Chiang Mai which I’d really like to do but being short of cash means we’ll just be at home, spending New Year’s Eve at Mum and Dad’s.
I wonder what life will bring between now and when receiving this letter. I don’t have any definite plans but Amy is planning to go to Turkey and Europe sometime this year and maybe even a quick trip back to Australia.
I’d like to get back to other parts of South East Asia again to meet friends but also need some other motive, like a band tour to tag along with. I also only have April to take a break like that without getting penalised payment at work. Let’s see.
School has been great this year and the connection I feel with my students grows exponentially as I’m introduced to a new batch each year. I really hope I can stay here in this fulfilling role for a good while.
Do something nice for Amy today. And every day.
Let’s go!
Submitted to No Theme Thursday (picture prompt) and Poets and Storytellers United – substitution – a meditation on the stupidity of mankind when presented with the tools for wisdom and peace.
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good again with a little clarity. I think that is coming from the skipping of Tramadol but the other effect of that is feeling less inspired and ponderous.
So after cleaning the entertainment area and stretching out my back this morning, I took one and will see how I feel later today.
This morning feels like a winter morning with nice, clean and clear cool air and it reminds me to look forward to this time of year and think about doing some bike rides again, which I haven’t been on since last winter.
I’m surprised my body isn’t more stiff this morning, as I spent about 17 hours in bed yesterday, either sleeping or reading. I read a great Paul Jenkins story called Revelations and, despite being tired, read the whole six issues. A great Vatican murder conspiracy with awesome artwork.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Chatting with Matt a little yesterday about maybe jamming some music together soon. To be honest, I’m a little scared as I really am hopeless at playing guitar and haven’t been excited enough to practice much recently.
I do also recognise, though, that doing something creative would give me more reason to practice and improve myself. I’m talking myself into doing it.
The best thing about today was:
Organising more things on my computer, in my room and on my blog. My old MacBook has finally given up, so I’m trying to get my music altogether on my old iMac, which is still going pretty well these days.
I was glad to spend a fair few hours in there today instead of succumbing to any afternoon snoozing.
A reflection on getting older and wondering what might be next. I’m reasonably happy with my life and feel a little lack of ambition. This could be the folly of comfort but I’m tired too.
Shared with dVerse Poetry Form: Villonnet and Poets and Storytellers United – dreams and also for a course at AllPoetry.com
17th Dec 2024 – Published at Edge of Humanity
Today I’m feeling:
A little better again this morning. It was good to see more kids around school and I’ve managed to get out a little bit for a coffee kick start.
I sent a message to Kru Mai at around 10 am to see what was going on and was told that I could find 2/7 and help them out with cleaning.
So I went back to school but it was an hour and a half before I found them and they were just sitting and waiting in the canteen.
I helped out a little here and there as I was walking around but it was very disorganised and chaotic, though some of the motivated kids were doing a lot of work.
I found Jet and asked her what her class was supposed to be doing in the afternoon and her reply (as was everyone’s) was just ‘cleaning’. Whatever that might entail. She said she will probably ‘jump’, meaning skipping out of school and I laughed and said ‘same!’
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Having options for other coffee shops now that House won’t be available for a while.
I tried Hobby this morning but the coffee is not to my taste, really and also expensive at 70 baht.
In the afternoon, I went to 22 Grams, where at least I know the coffee is great but that is also 70 baht too.
Maybe I will try a couple of other places this week just to see what else is out there.
The best thing about today was:
Getting into a real flow again this afternoon whilst at 22 Grams. I caught up on a lot of reading and a bit of writing and also worked out some other ideas for publishing poetry on Instagram and Substack.
I ended up spending almost 4 hours there and was in a good mood, so I thought to drop back by school on the way home just to check in with what was going on.
However, literally as I crossed the road to my car a huge storm rained down and traffic slowed as rain flooded the roads, possibly as most of the drainage was still blocked from mud.
I decided to skip school, though it took me a fair while to get back home as the rain pelted down all the way.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I’d thought that I would pick some things up from Makro on the way home too but the rain put the kibosh on that.
Not to worry, if the rest of the week goes like today, there should still be opportunity to do a little shop one afternoon.
Something I learned today?
I learned a little bit about setting up Substack to publish and then also started investigating the Buy Me A Coffee app, though I struggled to figure out how to add the widget or embed it on my pages so far.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I ended up giving Film my copy of Childhood’s End today. I hope he can enjoy it and get something out of it.
Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United – scream and Ovi Poetry Challenge 64 – think
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty good once I got up and going.
Last night, Cap was in our room when we turned out the light, but when I was almost asleep, he wanted to get out. That was ok, and I was drifting off again after about five minutes.
Then suddenly, the screams and cries of both our cats fighting shocked us both awake, and we ran out to find them with claws in each other and fur everywhere over the floor.
After separating them, we found that Cap was bleeding from his paw and one of his nails was pulled completely out. As we cleaned up his wound, we were both fully awake again.
We put Cap back in our room and kept him in until early morning.
When my alarm went off, I was in the middle of a sex dream based on a true story that Amy had told me last night. I contemplated grabbing an extra few minutes, but pushed myself to get up and was glad that I did.
(Later) It has been grey and raining all day, which has dampened my mood a little and at 5 pm I’m already feeling sleepy.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
The pharmacy in Central for finally having some Ultracet in stock again.
The best thing about today was:
Coming home after lunch and getting a lot of comic reading in. A suitable dull rainy day for reading.
We also watched Wolverine and Deadpool this evening, and I enjoyed all the comic-book references in it, but the movie itself was pretty average.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
The room that I had been borrowing for the grade 10 class was in use today, so amongst the students and me, we had to find another classroom for our lesson. I eventually found one in building five, though the tables and chairs were all stacked away, which made it a bit awkward.
With it being dull and rainy too, the kids weren’t in much of a mood to study either, but we got through.
Something I learned today?
Tangmo came to visit when I got home and I fed him a snack as usual. When I’ve seen him in the last few days, I noticed that he had a little difficulty chewing and swallowing the snacks and today I saw why.
I pulled back his jowls and saw that his top left canine had been pulled out of the gum but there was still gum around the whole tooth, so that it was just hanging off that and flapping around in his mouth. It looked crazy and annoying.
Unsure if the family across the road knew about it, I went over to Auntie’s next door and showed them. They will tell their relatives about it, though I don’t know if they’ll bother to do anything.
Written about my struggles with the remnants of a recent second infection of Covid 19.
2nd Sep 2024 – Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United – letters to our body
Today I’m feeling:
Halfway good. I got up feeling ok and exercise was invigorating but once at school, I felt my energy quickly dwindle. I’m hoping for a good coffee kickstart.
(Later) As I went through the day, I felt pretty good though perhaps having the feeling that my tank was empty. My last classes with the grade 8s were fun if a little chaotic.
I was in a fairly positive mood when I got home but as soon as I got out of the car and into the humid air, I realised that I was running on fumes.
Straight to eat but that didn’t pick me up and I’m showered and ready for bed at 7.30 pm. I still have a lingering headache and cough. I got medicine yesterday for the cough, which seemed to be helping but today the phlegm has just risen up into my throat and made me croaky and squeaky, which had some students laughing at me.
Health:
Physical: 5
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
The lady at Banana who helped me with sorting a refund on the USB-C adaptor that I bought last week, which I didn’t end up needing. It may take a month to get back into my account but that’s fine.
The best thing about today was:
Many students hugging me. I’m not sure why they felt the need but there are a few girls who come and hug me.
It isn’t a sexual thing in any way, as most of them are openly gay. It feels like a comfort for them and some form of affection that they are not receiving at home.
I’m sure I will likely get in trouble at some point, as Thai adults also seem to see the worst in any form of affection and David was warned about it recently, too.
Something I learned today?
Pavel Durov, the owner of Telegram, a generally uncensored social media messaging platform, has been arrested in France and may face charges leading to up to 20 years in prison.
Written after seeing a particularly strong performance by a front woman for a band (SpeechOdd) and their song ‘More Than Decoration’.
Submitted to Poets and Storytellers United and somewhat connected to the prompt “Love your neighbour as yourself”
Today I’m feeling:
Exhausted. I think that I slept deeply but only in small bursts, so that I woke up well before my alarm and realised that I needed way more rest and so I reset my alarm and decided not to go to school today. I’m glad I did.
My alarm woke me up again at 7.30 and I sent messages to Kru Mai and sent some work for my morning class to complete and send to me. Then it was back to sleep.
Around what I thought was maybe 10 am, I thought about maybe getting up but then checking my phone, I found that it was already 2pm! I got up quickly, though still groggy and dozy. I got on my laptop and sent work to my afternoon class that was due to start in 30 minutes.
After that, I almost fell asleep again watching videos and at around 5 pm, Amy made me fish congee with ginger, which made me feel much better, though I’m about to get back into bed again now at 8.30.
I think I’ll be ok to go to school tomorrow but the morning will tell for sure.
Today I’m grateful for:
The delivery guy who dropped off the record covers from Malaysia, though, didn’t contact me until later to pay the customs fee. I don’t know what he would’ve done if I hadn’t paid him but I knew this was coming and happy to do the right thing despite how fucking annoying paying these fees are.
I can’t imagine anyone in the West trusting people like that.
The best thing about today was:
Catching up my exhausted body. Have done little else today.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Naturally, sending my students work to do whilst I’m not in class causes more work for me – especially with the students who don’t bother to do anything and I have to chase them up.
1994ever 