Term 2

Here we are. Back at school.

It's good for me. To work. Stops me from killing myself with over indulgence.

Monday was hit and miss, but I came home and revised my lesson plans and had an easier time of it today, and that should set me up for the rest of the week.

Game nights have been on a back burner and has been playing on my mind. I have prepared my next quest in Lord of the Rings Card Game, Into the Pit. I took it into work today and had a quick play through. I got the gist and will go at it until I defeat it. These quests are a great challenge, and are no mean feat. This is all solo play, you understand. Anyway, it concerns traveling through the mines of Moria, if anyone can remember what that is. I did myself a great service by reading Fellowship of the Ring to enrich the experience. I am now onto The Two Towers, but it is the first book that I truly love, though Lesley and an Internet commentator spoke of the Hobbit war at the end of the story, of which I was completely unaware and was devoid in the movies.

I have about 7 games now, yet 3 remain unplayed. It is difficult to make the time, effort and gather people together. It's a slow process and I am in no rush, only to experience it.

It was good to meet up with my assistant, Port, who is a fine Thai fellow. I have injected a lot of humour into this weeks classes, with plenty of references to beautiful, handsome and clever students and making everyone suitably embarrassed. But I always pacify and reward, unless there is a cocky asshole who will subsequently take the full front of my verbal assault to the amusement of the class. No mercy to disruptive cocksuckers I'm afraid. Zero tolerance.

My first two subjects this term (self-chosen) were the Space Exploration Timeline and Water. Quite fun and fact driven. Perfect for exams.

Today, I got offered a 3 day job on an island! 1200 Baht an hour, 6 hours a day for 3 days. I can take Oi and Grace too working for the Thai government teaching local fishermen who operate a Homestay set up. Awesome, and even I can see this is a bit special. It's a tiny island in the Gulf of Thailand inhabited only by local folk. I said to Oi if she came along I would give her all the loot.

TV. Watching The Walking Dead and Transparent which are both great fun, but I deeply love Transparent. It's wicked.American Jewish Californian humour at its twisted best.

The End of the Holidays

It is the final week before going back to school and the start of the second term of the academic year in Thailand.

It has been a most pleasant time, and I have given enough time to idle pursuits.

Tonight, I'm listening to Lou Reed and a splash of Bowie from the early 80's.

Watch Human Universe with Brian Cox for awesome science.

Grace started at her new school today; Niramon. It's a catholic school and one of the best in town. It looks fine and she took full control of her first day. She's been great.

We had three days in Hua Hin 3 hours North of Chumpon. It's a tourist destination and suitably horrid. Expensive, people asking for money every five paces and rip offs galore. Still, we had an okay time and Grace got to ride on a horse a couple of times.  I think Thailand has lost the plot when it comes to tourism.

Lots of board gaming going on. Normally we will play twice a week. Either Star Wars or Descent, though Carcassonne has been creeping in lately. Several games lie waiting to be introduced; Dominant Species, Pathfinder and Blue Moon Legends. All of which are apparently fantastic. I take my time to learn the rules and watch multiple videos on Utube before I think about bringing it onto the table. Good fun.

It's been glorious and I have spent a fair time quite loaded this hols. I like to indulge and wander about the house, deciding if I should have a coffee, and then what movie to watch.

I finished The Fellowship of the Ring and have just started The Two Towers. I have never been so blown away by something like this before. I highly recommend a read. The movie missed all the best bits in the Bleak Lands, the Old Forest and Tom Bombadil.

Heigh Ho!

LOTR

I've been reading The Lord of the Rings. It is breath-taking. I kind of read it when I was fourteen, but I had no awareness of what I was reading. I could live in these pages. In fact I intend to, for quite some time. I loved it when they meet Tom Bombadil and then get caught by the barrow-wights. And the journey between Bree and Rivendell is spellbinding. I'm currently at the council of Elrond, but everything makes so much more sense when you know the whole story through the movies. The extra content is fascinating. A shame so much was left out of the movies.

I've spent days floating around the house, drinking coffee, tea, stepping outside to gaze at the jungle over the garden wall, reading, watching selected movies, cooking up huge spag bolls, and other leisurely pursuits. It's been grand.