There is no spring here
Where I’m sitting warm
Tropical thunder
Crashes all year round
No icy mornings
I’ve never felt snow
One day I wish to
Wear a winter glove
To feel warm red cheeks
To see words in breath
A thick winter coat
Wet with cold, cold snow
Like two cats in love
We’ll keep ourselves warm
The bud breaks the bark
I’ll watch in wonder
Submitted to Tanka Tuesday – Kigo words ‘cats in love’
Today I’m feeling:
A little tired again I think because whatever is giving me a sore throat is just taking a little out of me. I don’t feel too bad but on the edge and it could go either way.
I slept relatively early again and got up later, skipping exercise again. There’s nothing to do at school today as all the kids go off camping and thankfully the high school foreign teachers don’t have to go like the primary teachers do.
Coffee, writing and reading time and then back home. Hopefully, I can avoid an afternoon nap today though it is tempting me right now.
Today I’m grateful for:
Keeping track of various things over time, with the likes of diaries, emails and archives of things that I’ve kept.
As I was on the verge of dozing off this afternoon I wondered if it was possible to get access to my old email account, pre-2008? The idea forced me up and though I soon discovered it was impossible I started rummaging around my old Facebook archive and then even older emails and just reading through a little of those triggered more memories.
I could even see that I was explaining things in 1998 about something that happened ten years earlier that I have since forgotten!
The best thing about today was:
What I mention above. It has me excited to dive further into the detritus of my life!
Something I learned today?
A burning ban is due to start on the 15th. So everyone is getting their burning in now. It also remains to be seen if anything is actually implemented.
There was also a newspaper article today which describes the government asking people not to burn so much paper money and incense during Chinese New Year!
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
I think I have only spoken with two people today. Amy and Gui. Not much opportunity for either good or bad.
I did nod good morning to one of the other teachers when I signed in this morning.
I gave Tokyo her daily snack for which she is always happy.
I also replied to an old acquaintance from Sydney who contacted me to say hello and ask for music recommendations.
25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO – 14. Learn Every Day. You’ve got to train your brain to stay alert. You don’t have to read a book a day to learn every day. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from the people around you—be open to what they can teach you.
I force a lot of stuff into my brain every day and as I find answering ‘what is something I learned today’ is often difficult it seems like much doesn’t stick.
It’s going in, adding to my overall persona (input and output) but I often find myself in a conversation where I say ‘Oh, yeah I heard about that’ but don’t have the details; or think to myself ‘I wish I could recall the things I read to keep this discussion going.’
At least, I’m aware and know that I still know little about anything at all. That’s why I ask myself every day, ‘What did I learn?’
When was the last time I felt inspired?
I reckon it was last year when I first heard SpeechOdd. I really enjoyed their music and wanted to work with them. By the end of the year the opportunity arrived.
In general, I am inspired every day. I try to write poetry every day and I’m always on the lookout for things that may drive that inspiration and have found a couple of regular resources to keep me inspired.