Tag: stocktaking

Taking Stock – 9th August 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 3 Comments

Are you sick and tired of the same old thing
Or are you happy enough?
Tell me
When does so much become so little?
When does too little become too much?

It feels like you’ve been here before
These are familiar words you sing
Wheels spinning
Stuck on the rat race treadmill
Are you sick and tired of the same old thing?

A trophy wife and trophy life
Surrounded by all this glittering stuff
Are you empty?
Is that a constant nagging inside
Or are you happy enough?

I have so many questions
Are you certain of all that you see?
Never wrong?
I don’t believe everything that you
Tell me

The Joneses are growing bigger
Your ego inflexible and brittle
Tired of waiting
Believing it’s always your turn
When does so much become so little?

Your debt to yourself is catching up
Your life is empty (as such)
Left with no thing
Just sand slipping through your fingers
When does too little become too much?

A cascading poem based around the final verse of Nomeansno’s ‘Stocktaking’ from their album ‘Wrong’
21st Sep 2024 – Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Wrong

Today I’m feeling:

A little better today after all that sleep yesterday.  I ended up waking a little early this morning, took a while to get myself going but my first two classes were fun and easy.

I feel freaking hot though, my body seems to be working overtime to get rid of whatever is making me sick.  No fever though.

Today I’m grateful for:

Getting through the day in reasonably good shape. I was tired but energised again after another bowl of Pla Tom from Chef Amy. I think I’ll sleep well tonight if I can keep this little cough under control.

The best thing about today was:

On my way to my last class, I found 4 of the students that I had penalised for not submitting work yesterday furiously writing it all out in the canteen. I stood over them for about a minute and they were so focused they didn’t realise I was there.

When they all looked up they gave me a half-upset and annoyed look, along with an ‘ok, I fucked up’ half-smile.

They were wonderfully behaved in my class today and we all had a good time.

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

I was all set to teach in my normal room with aircon this morning when another teacher came along and kicked the kids out.  We easily found another room but unfortunately, without aircon.

To be honest, the aircon doesn’t make that much difference when a room is full off sweaty teenagers (and a sweaty old man!).

In the past, I might have let this sudden change bother me but now I can deal with it easily.

Something I learned today?

I learned that the US Anti-Doping Agency, which monitors for performance-enhancing drugs in sports, let off offenders and allowed them to keep competing so long as they dobbed in other cheaters!

This same agency has now accused the Chinese swimmers of being drug cheats at the Olympics, even though they were tested 3 times more than any other country and passed every test. 

The anti-China rhetoric has jumped the shark.

I took this picture because earlier in the week, Baipad had alerted me to a Facebook auction with this Gloomy Bear plushie. I bid 220 baht and won and here he is sitting on the shelf next to my bed.  It gives me the opportunity to give back the plushie that Baicard gave me on Teacher’s Day 4 years ago and had been sitting there collecting dust ever since.

I’ve heard it said that love is truly sacred but nowhere is it written that it’s guaranteed – 28th April 1994

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

These few days have been big big days, full of content and action (though not so thrilling to impart here).

Before leaving my sweetheart in the above section, we travelled London tubelike, drank coffee in an outdoor shopping mall and went through the science museum like butterflies on the wind. I was at a low ebb and still am today. Must be at the depths of my cycle currently but things have been on my mind. Things of much importance too.

While Bronwyn was away in Norwich we talked on the phone more about our wedding and each time Bronwyn cried on me. So difficult for us to find a compromise to suit all parties.

I’m also busy preparing for our stocktake at work which is causing me some frustration but fucked if I am going to write about work in here. Busy at home too with offers to buy my records now turned to pound notes and now in need of packing and sending. I’ll be glad when all this preparation is over because I feel like time is leaving me and I don’t have the freedom to relax and float around and say ‘Okay, I’ll go do that now.’

Reading Jack on the bus from London – what a great writer. A real poetic grasp on life. He reminds me of me – which could be just the sign of a good writer and I hope to emulate him one day. But my hand may not hold up to the pressure – back to the doctor next week I think.

And tonight restless too, more discussions about wedding and christening should we have the babies we desire. From frying pan to the fire. Sometimes it’s difficult to grasp the meaning of it all. Sometimes you just want to play games for the rest of your life. I wish Steve was here to talk to. I’ll miss my few friends when I leave here and my mum too. Such a big change in my life – I wonder if you can read it in my palm? I look forward to the other side of this weekend already (here’s me wishing away time!). Isn’t planning boring. Later dude!

*What’s Wrong? – 7th January 1985

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

What’s your problem?
You say it’s me
You’re the only problem
I can see
What’s wrong with you
And what can I do?

The Week That Was

Record of the week: Manitou 7″, Unsafe At Any Speed 7″, Wasted Youth – The Beginning of the End LP, Toxic Reasons LP, We Don’t Want Your Fucking War LP

7th January 1985
M: Counted Carsons(?) paint. Gorden Finney was taken in by the police for diddling the company. As was Captain Bill Kirk.
A: Did lots of things. Pretty bored, only got an hour’s sleep last night. Dealt with yellows. Booking in. Tying up advice notes etc
E: Martin came up. Went down Gaunts. Muz won’t come out. Went to H’s, no one answered so I fucked off.
7

8th January 1985
M: Started snowing as I left. Fuckin’ bad in the eyes. Counted screws. Didn’t do a lot but was somehow occupied.
A: Piwi had dinner at work. Did the (?) shit. Good film last night called Southern Comfort. Roads home were fuckin’ terrible cos of the snow.
E: Had a fuckin’ great snowfight around the top of the hills.
8

9th January 1985
M: Didn’t go to college. Went to Houldey’s. Beki and Jamie were home. Beki wasn’t awake. Went down track, it would’ve frozen over if they’d left it.
A: Came home. Took dog for a walk. The pond had frozen over. Jamie and Bennett’s brother had been fucking around on it
E: Went down Youth Club. Pissed around at darts. Got through pool competition.
7

10th January 1985
M: Woke up at 6.30. Told mum I wasn’t going to work. Went back to bed. Tidied room a bit.
A: Woke up at 1.30. Mum went out. Sat around doing this and that – nothing in particular. Don’t feel too good.
E: Watched telly and cleared up the corner where I sit.
4

11th January 1985
M: Decided not to go to work and to miss Ringo Chubb and Manitou tonight. Got up at 11.30. 
A: Farted around. Tidied up another corner of my room. Chucked a few things out. Even hoovered up again.
E: Went down Youth Club. Free games of pool and didn’t pay to get in.
6

12th January 1985
M: Got up 8.30. Went to town.Managed to get bus down to Poole. Bought loads of records. Got Nick Cave LP for only 3 quid.
A: Came back – listened to some records. Went out. Chucked till rolls about. Went to Crabby’s and played on his computer.
E: Pissed around down Muz’s. Lisa Burt and Sharon someone were about so we got on their nerves and they got on ours.
7

13th January 1985
M: Crabby and Muz woke me up at 11. Pissed around chasing Sharon and Slim Burt.
A: Fucked around with bangers. Went into Murray’s. Played cards most of the time. Got loads of sweets.
E: Went down. Got the girls again. Went to Burty’s – had a game of cards.
7