April 2018 – AGAINST THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC

你好/ Ní hǎo / Nín hǎo / Hello / How do,

I found four unfinished pieces of writing.

#1 The signals are there. All signs point to misdirection. The bright colours fade to grey. There is no disco ball on this journey. The next few moments may decide if the rainbow reaches a pot of gold or a muddy pond of I’ll repute. What is the destination? A journey into the unknown. Nothing is certain but endless entropy and the final closing of your eyes. But, don’t we all deserve a little more? No. Fate is reaction after reaction with reflected deflections and noodles shaped highways. The soul, that vehicle of being craves a smooth journey, but what will the voyage bring? When is it our time? If not now, when? [March 2018]

#2 Can you do your best, if your fate is in the hand of others? Can you feel love, alone? Can you fly high, when your feet are stuck in concrete? Can the uncertain, make the certain less certain and more foggy? How vague is the fog that shrouds the darkest night? What news can deliver the righteous sight? If you support and ask for no support, will you feel held up as the sea covers up your feet? Where are you? Where are you, really? Are you here? Or, did you leave long ago? What happened to make this so unclear? This night, this eve, this moment of fear. Or, I could… [March 2018]

#3 When all else fails, or you feel low, there are always places to go. Beyond the days that make you feel blue, between the skies ever so grey, there are words looking for you. They’re everywhere, in orders so plentiful, ensuring life isn’t dull. They won’t hold you tight, or try to end a fight, but they are here, here alright. [October 2017]

#4 Things I like: 九层塔 jiǔcéngtǎ (basil); 番茄 fānqié (tomato); 柠檬草 níngméngcǎo (lemongrass); 迷迭香 mídiéxiāng (rosemary); and 熏衣草 xūnyīcǎo (lavender). I like them because they make mosquitoes fuck off. [March 2018]

I could finish them but I don’t feel I want to. They can stand alone, with no completion in mind.

We are the champions! 我们是冠军！

We are the champions of England! 英格兰的冠军！

City made it double! 曼城是双料冠军！

The boys in blue will never give in. 蓝色军团从不妥协！

再见/ Zài jiàn / Bài bài / Ta’ra / Goodbye

你好/ Ní hǎo / Nín hǎo / Hello / How do,

Have you ever found your mind to be scattered almost everywhere simultaneously at the same time? Have you ever doubted the ground you stand upon as being this very Earth? Have you ever wondered why some things happen to you and not other people? Did you ever start to believe karma is real because once you threw a crisp packet into a litter bin, but it hit the side and blew away in the wind? Do bad days last forever? Has a music number from the genre of the blues been written just for you? Just exactly, how rainy is the day that never stops raining? If pain is temporary and class is permanent, then why did it hurt for so long? If good luck and bad luck are in a bar, then why does good luck choose to stay there and not visit you? How many instances of terrible fortune does it take to defy a fortune cookie? Did Coldplay write your life story? Anyway, it could be worse. I could support the Red Devils!

Today, a Thursday, and the fourth working day of a six-day week. Today and tomorrow are exams across the school. The midterm indicator exams. Nothing too special or worrying but amongst our foreign teacher team we have eradicated the need for oral exams at this time. Continual assessment and encouragement is of much more value. Besides it shows that you have more familiarity to the students and parents. For me, it has much more value. On Monday, Operation Greenblue commenced in class 1F. We have now five small rectangles of mint, lavender, rosemary, thyme, tomatoes and lemongrass in the process of growing. Even after two days, excited students peered upon the first sprouts of life. Marcus, the tallest boy, requested that we grow watermelons soon. We shall do our best. Victorie, the tallest girl, has given us all a huge rosemary plant. I encourage their enthusiasm and in turn their new plants will discourage mosquitoes. Meanwhile. my own small crop in my apartment is emerging well. Bye, bye mosquitoes?

In around 3 weeks we must stage a school drama and I am working on a script. I’ll add it after the final signature. I want something original and challenging for my 6-7 year-old tribe of talent. That’s why I am here, right? To be the CHAMPION equivalent of Pep Guardiola in the classroom. Surely, I cannot stop evolving simply because I have taught the words long, short, same, and different, this is not enough. Aim high. Later the job will be more rewarding.

再见/ Zài jiàn / Bài bài / Ta’ra / Goodbye




Act 1: The dawn chorus	[Music: Bring Me Sunshine, Ashleigh Wood] Location: by a tree. Lewson (narrator): A new day is dawning and all around the tree, sleepy nights are ending with waking yawns. Sabrina Sunshine: Wow. Today will be a beautiful and bright day. I will make sure of that. Aaron (bird): Yes, what a delightful day it will be. CK/Tik (bird): I can’t wait for some yummy worms today. Hardy (bird): I’m going to sing in my beautiful voice and wake everybody. Doris (bird): I am a bird – and that means there is no homework! Angela (Miss Rabbit): I love hopping, shopping and beat box popping. Kristy Kangaroo: I like hopping too. I hope you get to see me hop all day!
Act 2: The Storm steals the sun	[Music: Blue Moon] Location: by another darker tree. Allen (narrator): A naughty team is being led by Naughty Natalie. She really is very naughty! Naughty Natalie: I don’t like the sun. It is all shiny and bright, shining in the sky so happily. Monster Marcus: Yes, I like a dark night with the glow of the moon. Typhoon Tyler: I like wind. Lots and lots of wind. I don’t mind of it is sunny or dark. Marline the moon: I shine best at night. I need the sun for my light, but I can reflect with a smaller light if needed. Tony the Tiger: Naughty Natalie, I have an idea! Let’s steal the sun and give the moon a new home. Leon the Lion: Oh, you are naughty but I like you!
Act 3: The hunt for the sun	[Music: Benny Hill theme tune] Location: a tree by a small bridge. Alice (narrator): In the U.K. people are always looking for the sun. Today, all around the world, many more animals and people are looking for the sun. Will they find the sun? Will they save the day? Happy Henry (goat): I’m big Happy Henry, they all know me. I eat grass, whilst you sit on your… Billy the kid (goat): Stop, I’m Billy the kid, a goat that did, not do homework, for I was chewing some grass, sat upon my… Jimmy Jams (goat): Stop! I’m Jimmy Jams, a goat who slams, words for fun, out in the sun. Candy the Caterpillar: I have too many legs. It takes me an hour to tie my shoe laces. We’ve been walking for hours looking for the sun. It is too dark to find our lovely sun. Kitty Cat: Don’t worry, I’m a cool cat and we look for food at night. That’s right. We can find anything at night. [Kitty Cat trips over in the dark] Jumping Jessie Cat: Meeeeeoowwww, sunny, sunny sun, where are you? The sun is far too big to hide!
Act 4: Saving the sun	[Music: Run Boy Run] Location: A different tree, that looks like the other trees. Allen (narrator): Many hours passed. A team of superheroes was called into action. Let’s get ready for action. Action! Rocket Roselle: We have been flying around schools, parks, hospitals and even Manchester but we cannot find the sun! Super Soffy: We can look around like the Old McDonald song. We can look here, there, everywhere… Daring Dongyee: [sings] Old McDonald had a farm… [laughs] We can save the world, one step at a time. Where shall we look now? Doctor Evan: I have been thinking and the sun is too big to hide. It must be on the other side of the world. Kind Kelly: Okay, let’s go. Super Soffy and Rocket Roselle, you can fly there. Doctor Evan, Special Sharon and I can take a taxi. Special Sharon: I might walk there. I don’t like taxis. Altogether: Off we go, to save the day! We are stronger together!
Act 5: Altogether now	[Music: Fight for the right to party] Location: by two trees. Allen (narrator): Our bold heroes find the other side of the world. After waiting for the taxi to arrive and making a very large payment, our heroes find the sun. The sun is trapped by Naughty Natalie. Super Soffy: Give us back the sun! Monster Marcus: You will not stop us. Ha ha ha. You are no Super Baby! Doctor Evan: A baby can’t be super. I’ve never even seen a baby cook for themselves! Typhoon Tyler: We will fight to the end! Sunshine Sabrina: I just want to shine in the day and make everyone happy. Daring Dongyee: Okay Naughty Natalie: I will win this fight. Ha ha ha. Marline the moon: I want to be alone – all by myself. No sun. Just me, the moon! Tony the Tiger: Grrrrrreat Leon the Lion: Let’s eat the sun. I bet it tastes lovely and hot. Kind Kelly: You will do no such thing. Special Sharon: I don’t want to fight! [breakdancing battle] [rock, paper, scissors fight] [arm-wrestling fight] Justin Time: Wait! Wait! Wait! Stop! Stop! Stop! We all need the sun. We all need the moon. We all need day to play and we all need night to sleep. Doctor Evan: Yes, Justin Time, you are right. We need to be friends. We must enjoy both the day and the night. Jumping Jessie Cat: All we need is love. Altogether: {sings} du du du duhhh Victoire Violin: [sings] I love you. You love me. We love each other and we’re family. Altogether: [sings] I love you. You love me. We love each other and we’re family. [and dancing]
Students bow to audience and say, “Thank you kindly for watching our performance. Have a happy day today, tomorrow and keep smiling!” [Music: Hello Sunshine, Super Furry Animals]

AGAINST THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC – ACTON28.BLOG

ACTON28.BLOG – AGAINST THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC

Month: April 2018

Unfinished pieces of writing.

The Trials of Life