Shooting Rainbows – 10th November 2021

Pointed words lost meaning and never became real
Maybe I’ve gone crazy, but it’s happiness I feel
My mind is ravelling, circled to the start
Painted rainbows shooting outward from my heart


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to the farmer and cows that eat the jungle growing on the land next to us. Those cows are eating machines.


If I only had three wishes, as some stories contain, then it is obvious that the third wish should be for three more wishes, over and over again! But what to do with these wishes? Knowing that a wish for a positive more often than not ends in a negative, for example, wishing to be able to have sex with that beautiful girl ends up with her getting pregnant!

So, perhaps my wish could be more even-handed; perhaps instead I would ask my jinnee to give me useful advice when I so required and I could choose to take that advice or not.

In fact, as I think more deeply into this, I realise that a jinnee is not required. We have everything we need already (speaking from my position of privilege, of course). Our jinnee is in our head, just waiting to be used.

As Amy considers starting a business in Australia, I am not so hot on the idea. I am not opposed to it and I know we could do it. I just wonder, what is our purpose in doing it? We could be successful and make lots of money but will that make us happier?

I know Amy is frustrated with where we are, living in Thailand but actually our lives are very simple and easy despite those frustrations. We have choices and neither of us works particularly hard. Amy loves to cook and serve people; her dream is a business like this. We also currently have the choice to do that here, as we’ve often discussed before.

I’m not going to try to convince her one way or another, I will be happy anywhere, everywhere in the world. I am happy to be with her, even if we are not always in the same place. I got my jinnee working for me right now.


The Week That Was – 4th February 1979

Read A Book – 2nd November 2021

Gonna be a good day, gonna read a book
Even the adults are smiling everywhere I look
The sun may not be shining but our hearts are bright
It’s gonna be a good day, gonna let in the light


Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to see my students back at school again today. They were happy to see each other but not so happy to study again.


Busy and mostly successful day at school. No time to read or write, really, and one hurried coffee in the morning. I felt good and happy, though.

But now I’m tired and feeling it a little. We haven’t been given any schedule for tomorrow yet, so I can only hope that it’s not as filled as today. Either way, I will cope and enjoy my day.


The Week That Was – 28th January 1979

I’ve got to get some pretty pictures in my mind – 29th May 2020

Count on the insane to save the souls of the suckers.

Nuclear nightmares last night at Chatswood apartment – safe but the outside world changed – coronavirus allegory? Kimchee trapped in an escalator – she turned up in the morning safe and sound. Why those dreams?

Eat more, exercise more – no energy, weight is okay but need to toughen up my body. Thinking, I think too much and haven’t turned thoughts into actions. Stay positive – look at everything positive – listen better – compliment, help others. Life is easy so take time for others. You can do it.

What else you got in your head this morning? Creaky little froggy under the fan, foot aching old man. Take what you want from others’ speech. They may be right, they may be wrong. Do you need to say the words? If not then don’t say them. This is your life now so do the best with it – it’s easy.

Pink, the colour – not the person. I really don’t know modern popular music – I think it’s funny. Is it calming your mind? I freeze my thoughts writing this but if I sit to meditate, thoughts come on back. Today, yesterday. Seeking clarity. Couldn’t do long meditation yesterday – got too itchy and antsy. Keep going. Keep trying. The benefits are what I’m looking for – fat sticky stomach. Breathe. Big yawn – fun day ahead and weekend after that. Gratitude and project good wishes.

Okay, rest your weakened wrists now. Got coffee cups to hold.


Gratitude Journal

I am happy and grateful for my newly found patience with things at the school. Things can be so dynamic here that they can change with every person you meet. I have been able to deal with this well so far this semester.

To-do list

  • Take a few minutes to wish everyone happiness ✅
  • Take a moment to wish yourself happiness too! ½
  • Speaking is ok – but does it need to be said? ½
  • Give more compliments today – nothing negative ✅
  • Are you just reading about self-improvement or actually improving? ½

A funny old day today where plans kept getting changed and ultimately nothing got done. I just went with it and felt fine. It was a good day.

Amy and I went out for one last meal at Oshinei together with Aing and Nu. When we got home I was too full and tired to write here and went to sleep very quickly.

In the morning I went to meet Bruno for coffee and we spent a pleasant couple of hours catching up on each other’s gossip. Bruno is interested to do some other things together sometime such as motorbiking around, fishing or just generally catching up. I think he’s looking for other folks to hang out with.

I like Bruno but also want to be careful with what I say to him as we both have lots of mutual teacher friends and gossip travels fast.

Today, I’m consigned to my room to sleep as Goy and Nan and their families are staying the night. Suits me – I had a lot of fun playing around with music and can keep it going all night as I drift in and out of sleep.

If it’s not raining in the morning I’m hoping to go for a motorbike around before it gets too hot.