Are you receiving My vibrations, Detecting these Oscillations?
I’ve got a message for you That you’re gonna wanna hear Are you receiving me Loud and clear?
Signals in space Time has come A human race Together as one
I’ve got a message for you You’d better be ready There’s only growing up To keep the ship steady
Are you receiving These modulations? Mind control Manipulations
Message understood You’d better tell everyone That you’re ready For what will come
Inspired by the main story of the Three Body Problem and an allegory for a student of mine who is struggling to grow up to face the future. Submitted to Writer’s Workshop Prompts – radio and NaPoMo.
Today I’m feeling:
Pretty healthy and active. Amy was out last night with Takky, Hangy and Berm so I had some free time to read, write and watch TV. And it appears to be more of the same tonight too. I want to be productive.
As I jumped into bed last night I caught this thought as I was opening up Telegram to get the latest reports from Rise of the Global South. ‘I read just enough tragic news that the axis of evil inflicts on people around the world to go to sleep with just the right amount of indignation.’
This month usually sees me making some adaptations to things that I do. I deleted a whole bunch of Substack subscriptions. One, because there are other things I want to do with my time and two, I’m sick of reading so much about the dysfunction and lies from and about the USA. It seems like inconsequential news to me these days. It is all so negative and decisive too. It’s not a good impact on the psyche.
I want to focus more on Asia and China as it is more relevant to my location and news is mostly just that – news. No opinions, no vague nonsense masquerading as news. And I also want to avoid news that is constantly comparing the USA and China. It’s kinda moot these days.
Today I’m grateful for:
A quiet day of few plans, all achieved.
The best thing about today was:
Spending some time dinking around in my room, trying to organise computer files, reading and writing, though no guitar playing today.
Something I learned today?
Through some miracle, Ipswich is in the top position in the Championship. It’s super close with Leeds and Leicester in the race too.
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
I spent some time this morning tidying up our cables along the fence.
I also cleaned out the litter tray and swept the floor in our bedroom.
Like I haven’t slept enough. I could easily curl up and snooze for a bit but hopefully, this coffee will kick-start the morning.
Today I’m grateful for:
Having things to read while sitting around doing nothing at school this afternoon whilst the Thai teachers were keeping the kids occupied. After an hour and a half though I snuck out and didn’t bother signing out either. Hopefully, that doesn’t come back to bite me but Scout week is one of those frustrating wastes of time for us foreign teachers.
The best thing about today was:
Amy’s dinner of fried rice with fish sausage, crunchy cabbage, carrot and topped off with a perfectly fried egg. Since I started just eating breakfast and skipping lunch I’ve been able to easily adapt to eating rice almost every day at dinner time.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Despite having to show groups of 8-10-year-olds over and over again how to tie knots this morning and itching to get out for more coffee it wasn’t actually too bad. David and I had fun with the kids, some of whom were hilarious.
It was interesting to notice how much better their English is than the kids we actually teach who are up to 5 years older. We finished up at around 11.30 and I was happy to get away by then.
Something I learned today?
From Stephen Fry’s SubStack he talked about how in a group of twenty people, for example, there will be a leader, a clown, a know-it-all, a shy one, a complainer, a rebel etc and then if you take all the leaders and put them into a group, all the rebels into a group and so on, within each group they will soon revert back to having a leader, a clown, a know-it-all etc
Review your acts, and then for vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad. — Discourses 3.10
In the morning I met Waiz’s younger sister who always runs up to me for a fist bump. I had just been given a scout scarf and asked her to ‘do it’ for me because I wasn’t sure how. She then folded it up and put it on me as she had been taught to do. It didn’t look great but I kept wearing it because she had done it for me.
25 THINGS ABOUT LIFE I WISH I HAD KNOWN 10 YEARS AGO – 12. Money Isn’t Important. It really isn’t. But you have to train yourself not to care about money. Don’t become too dependent on the stuff you own; otherwise, the stuff will own you.
Money is important when you want to do things. As I’ve aged I’m starting to want to do less.
As I write that I question myself whether that is true or not. Sure some things have dropped off but I still have stacks of music that I haven’t properly listened to yet. Years and years worth of books and comics that I wish to read.
So perhaps I should say that I refined some of the things that I want to do. I want to read more than travel but hell, I’d still like to travel. I guess I’m taking the easier path more often these days. But I also see doing less as more suitable to my age.
Damn, I’m conflicted with this because I’m always imploring people to do something, to do more! The dichotomy of life in Thailand is rubbing off on me!
I took this picture because our two boys often spend the afternoons dozing in the boxes on their cat castles, often swapping places depending on who gets there first.
Where the waters glisten night and day With all the pearls of wisdom on display There’s a bridge over untroubled waves That draws the diamonds a gambler craves
Awash with stories, a rain with dice There are twenty floors of a winner’s advice A promise of the life richly deserved Park your dreams in the spot reserved
Pearly smiles are this devil’s greeting The chase of the highs is forever fleeting One more roll, one more spin or turn The future is no longer of concern From the shore or dreams, ships depart Into the mists of the broken heart
Today I’m feeling:
A little anxious about all the things that need to be done when we get back home but also thankful that home is there waiting for me.
(Later) Amy was straight into cleaning mode so I dashed out for coffee revival at Utopia. Once back home though I got sucked into the whirlwind.
Today I’m grateful for:
The hotel staff who helped us in the morning, the taxi driver who told us about his BYD electric car, the Thai Smile check-in staff who was very helpful with our bags, the airport staff we interacted with, the pilots for flying us home, the cabin crew who gave us a snack and water, Aing for picking us up at the airport on time, Now for washing the car (badly but I appreciate the effort), Art for a great first coffee home, the seller for his fish for our dinner. All the people in and out of my space that didn’t kill me today.
The best thing about today was:
Feeling positive and content despite all our running around. Getting back to our home was a little strange for a moment but when I jumped on the bike to go to Utopia I suddenly felt free again.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Aing and Now had two friends staying over and asked if they could stay for a couple more days. For me, it doesn’t really matter as we are still busy running around and Amy didn’t have any problem either except when we met them they didn’t say anything except hello. Amy was upset about that and I tried to rationalise it away. It’s pretty Thai style but still…
Also, despite us just getting back we had to drive into the city for dinner at Amy’s parents as her brother was here for the weekend and flies back early in the morning. It was literally, drive there, eat and drive back!
Something I learned today?
I caught up with all my Substack reading over the last couple of days so lots of stuff went into my eyes and possibly made it to my brain. I think I read one article twice without even realising it. Anyway, one thing that I do recall is a breakthrough in quantum computing. I don’t understand exactly what the machine was doing but the computation took one-millionth of a second whereas it was estimated it would take our current fastest supercomputer ten billion years to complete! That’s outrageous! But will it be useful? Time will tell.
What’s my earliest childhood memory?
I’ve answered this before and I’m a little curious if I would say the same thing now. It must be something from living in Bransty, Whitehaven. I have quite a few memories from there but can’t quite put them in order. The most important memory is from when I was 4 years old (and I even wonder now if that’s right but I’ve made it that age over the times I’ve recalled it) and crying because I didn’t want to die. I assume this may have been triggered by talking to my mum about why I didn’t have a father like other kids. Learning about death is pretty traumatic for a four-year-old.
I took this picture because I’m back home and our giant asparagus plant thing is about to do something. I don’t recall there being amazing flowers but it’s obviously part of its reproduction cycle. The other one that grew before hasn’t flowered again since it did back three or four years ago.
Everything is an advert
Begging you to pay
But it’s all a load of talk
With very little to say
No contribution to society
Not in any little way
Is it only me alone
That doesn’t understand the play
Too old for an opinion
Too old, too far away
Is it possible to tell me
What is culture today?
Today I’m feeling:
Excitedly anxious as we pack and prepare for our flight this afternoon. I’m not looking forward to it but am looking forward to getting back to Thailand and home. It’s been very pleasant to be back in Sydney as a tourist but that’s all I am in relation to being here this time.
Today I’m grateful for:
Karin and Peter for letting us use their house as a base whilst they are away on their own travels. I’ve never met them but I am grateful.
The best thing about today was:
It hasn’t happened yet but getting off this plane will probably be it!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
There are lots of empty seats in today’s flight so should be able to spread out a little bit after take-off.
(later) The ten hours are nearly up and this flight has been nowhere near as much of a struggle as the one to Australia. I’ve stayed awake and hope to be able to sleep soon after getting to the hotel and then be back to normal in the morning. Let’s see.
Something I learned today?
Being able to catch up on my Substack reading I read a lot about Israel and Palestine and didn’t realise that the Jews in Israel are extremely disunited and would likely collapse into civil war without having Palestinians as an enemy.
How can I be kinder to myself today?
I’m pretty kind to myself every day. I don’t think I need to be especially kinder. I’d be better served by being kinder to other people and again, I feel I’m kind most of the time too. I have noticed how much Australians are more wordily polite than folks in Thailand but also at the same time how these words don’t always translate into actions.
Today will be a little gruelling as we spend 9-plus hours on a plane. I’ll try to remain patient and kind!
I took this picture because that’s our plane and the last picture of Australia for a while.
A stupid child shouting abuse at others Running away from the fires lit Giving constant shit to forgiving mothers Until they no longer stood for it
Shouting from a stage the bitter truth Angry words to the congregation Obstinately always demanding the proof Deeming those far below this station
Then working hard, through sweat and tears A love thought to last forever But there was nothing more important than beers That life can never be kept together
Chasing opportunities, an inspired need to change A white-collar worker on the twenty-fifth floor Those times sure did seem strange And could never understand there’d be more
Loving coffee and oneself much more than beer It’s as if someone had switched the signs Overcoming the challenges and fear And learning to read between the lines
As things change, they remain the same Smile at the parts of the whole What used to be is still part of the game Put it together and accept the role
inspired by this line about boyish skateboarders ‘They look like the self that they will tell someone about one day.’ at Spinning Visions blog
Today I’m feeling:
(2.15 am) It’s going to be a weird day today. I just had a one-hour uncomfortable doze and now I’m just waiting to be able to check in for my flight, maybe grab an hour or two of sleep and then try to force myself to stay awake on the flight so that I can sleep at the appropriate time in Australia.
(4.44 am) No more sleep so I reckon I’ll have to catch up with some on the flight. I’m starting to flag now.
(11.17 am) impossible to sleep except for brief dozes which may only last a second or a minute. I’ve no idea. Time is going quick enough. There’s no entertainment except the book I brought with me and the cache of entries on Substack, which I guess I can slowly catch up on.
Today I’m grateful for:
The tough authoritative-looking guy at passport control who was very pleasant, commenting on how long have been in Thailand and asking if I was coming back to which I replied ‘Of course!’
10th Jan 2024 – What a palaver that turned out to be and which could have been averted with a little more conversation at this point.
The best thing about today was:
Finally putting my body into a proper bed and falling asleep.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
On the way to check in, I bought a couple of packet meals for Hayden and Bronwyn that I thought they might enjoy. I shoved them in my bag.
At the gate there was a long queue up on the gantry before going down to the waiting area. I decided to wait until the queue died down. They were checking carry-on luggage for any liquids over 100ml. Apparently, Australia doesn’t like to let anyone on their flights with water etc even if purchased inside the airport.
I opened up my bag and they seized on my purchases which I thought maybe had some liquid component inside. There was a bit of a buzz as questions were asked and people came over, walkie-talkies were engaged and the last of the rest of the passengers went on down. I heard the lady on the walkie-talkie reading out all the ingredients and after a few more minutes went running off.
I asked another guy what was going on and I thought he said something about cancer, as if there was something in the ingredients that Australia finds unacceptable.
After a little while though I guessed he was trying to say ‘cancel’. As the plane was nearly fully boarded by now I said that if that was the case then, maipenrai, don’t worry about it but he told me to wait for the lady.
The crew came up from downstairs wanting to know what the problem was and I was starting to get anxious that I wouldn’t be able to get on the plane for whatever this stupid reason was.
In the distance, I could see the lady alternating between running and walking to get back. The guy with me said that the shop shouldn’t have sold the products to me knowing that I was going to Australia (as they’d checked my ticket).
The running lady couldn’t muster up more energy to run but eventually, she made it back and I wondered what I was in for but she just apologised and handed me my money back! I was free to go.
Amy took this picture because, after 5 and a half years, I’m back in Australia. To be honest, it doesn’t feel that long and after being around Aussies on the plane, it doesn’t feel like much has changed either.
Where can I hide from you? Your red and blue words cut Angel face, honest and true Harder to crack than a nut Where can I hide from me? My blue and red words cut My cave mind unfair, unfree Always stuck in my own nut All that glitters is not gold Our stories best left untold
Today I’m feeling:
Very relaxed feeling today so far. I feel like I got an unexpected holiday gifted to me.
Today I’m grateful for:
My curtains all around the house. Since Amy went back to Australia I keep most of the curtains drawn all day to try and stop the sunlight and heat getting in. I think in our next house we have to think more carefully about design to allow better airflow and insulation to keep heat out. If there ever is a next house.
The best thing about today was:
Enjoying all the things I was reading from Substack articles about events in China, Dave Simspson’s book The Fallen about ex-members of the Fall and Michael Parkinson’s biography about his interviews with Muhammad Ali.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I called Hayden today and he was feeling down about things. He complained about his friends and how he feels they are treating him and also that he was feeling lonely. I was a little stuck with what to say and ended up saying that me and mum were far from good examples on how to make and maintain friendships and I felt a bit apologetic towards him. I tried to generalize things a bit and tell him that we often don’t have any idea what other people are dealing with so we have to forgive them and at the same time, we also have to be kinder to ourselves. I’m still trying to understand these things so he shouldn’t beat himself up about not knowing the best thing to do. Although I couldn’t really help him at least he knows he has someone he can talk to.
Something I learned today?
I think I accidentally saw the result from today’s Swans match whilst looking around Youtube. I didn’t see a score but the picture and title were definitely pointing to a defeat. Oh well. I will still watch the match replay tomorrow morning and try and enjoy it!
What is my idea of fun?
These days I feel like I have no idea about fun. I’m happy and content but fun doesn’t play much of a part in my life right now. Perhaps the closest I get to the feeling is going on crazy bike rides or being with my students. I would love to be involved in concert organisation again but there’s just no chance of doing it locally and I’m slowly losing touch with what’s going on around southeast Asia too.
I took this picture as a follow-up to yesterday’s. It seems these flowers don’t burst open into bloom, they just wilt like this. They look like they are tired and gave up.
The man with the winning smile Wins a front-page reward His shiny teeth are squeaky clean But he speaks like a machine And everyone got bored
The man stands above the crowd Surveys the plebs around A swinging dick and shiny head But a nightly empty bed With no friends to be found
Today I’m feeling:
Relaxed and chilled. Cancelled riding over to see Matt as I feel lazy and want to enjoy my home for another day. May go to Daytripper later but I thought that yesterday and ended up not getting there.
Today I’m grateful for:
Nut and Bruno again, this time bringing me food because they are going away for a week. A whole banoffee. I need to work these calories off!
The best thing about today was:
Walking in our driveway in the dark and looking at the clear night sky and the brightest nearest stars. I do this most nights and feel how inconsequential I am in the bigger scheme. I’m smaller than an ant. An atom or even less.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I had minimal interactions with people today and nothing went wrong at home. I have spent 95% of the day in my head where I had full (?) control. Maybe I couldn’t control my laziness today and I handled that with a delicious nap.
Something I learned today?
I learned that I can use ChatGPT to write lesson plans! But I will investigate more as I want to come up with more fun ideas for the classroom.
What are your top two favourite apps or websites?
Website is definitely Bandcamp as I use it to host promote and sell the tenzenmen catalogue. It’s easy to use as a seller and as a buyer and researcher.
As for an app, apart from this one (Day One) at the moment, it is probably Substack as it collects interesting newsletters for me to read when I’m free, rather than clogging up my inbox.
Art took this picture because he used it to post to Facebook to show Utopia is open. I don’t like myself in this picture though. I’d like to cut off my sagging chin!
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