Tuesday, August 31, 2004 Fine and then cloudy.
There was a lecture on sexual harassment for those who work at our school.
The harasser is usually a male, and the victime is a female. But actually,
there is more to it than that. Things are not that simple. The air conditioning
was too strong in the place. I had a very stiff neck, felt sick, and almost
felt like fainting. Is it due to the neck operation? I don't know.
Monday, August 30, 2004 Cloudy, rainy, and very windy.
Three weeks have passed since I had my neck surgery. And I am getting
busy as the new term is about to start. I do not think Osaka is going to
enter the storm zone of this Typhoon No. 16, but a strong wind warning
has been issued. Killed a big spider on the balcony with an insecticide.
There are a couple of long-legged wasp's nests, too, to get rid of.
Sunday, August 29, 2004 Overcast and windy.
School starts again this week. The second term begins. This summer vacation
was very special to me. The biggest thing was my neck operation. I had
the surgery of my life. Watched lots of videos and CATV. Went to work today
and took care of some makeups and did the marking. Some students took retests,
too.
Saturday, August 28, 2004 Cloudy and windy.
Typhoon No.16 is approaching Western Japan. It has been very windy all
day today. And tomorrow I will have to report for work in this weather.
Too bad. But there are retests. I am now really into AXN English serial
dramas. This evening my wife is attending a farewell party for some employees
who will soon quit the hospital.
Friday, August 27, 2004 Fair
My wife and I have an agreement, that is, never to carry your anger over
to the next morning. It is easy to say, but hard to carry out. But I made
this promise when we got married 24 years ago. I have not always been a
man of my word. Anyway so far, so good. Watched a lot of CATV in English.
Thursday, August 26, 2004 Cloudy
AXN looks like a good TV station. I think I am being taken to it. Paradoxically,
I got angry when I was not really angry because my wife said that I was
angry. I said angrily to her,"I am NOT angry." I knew she was
projecting her anger onto me because she had to cook dinner when she was
tired after the day's work. She hates cooking, though she is not a bad
cook. She loves to eat out.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004 Cloudy
The price of gasoline shot up overnight from 117 yen a liter to 124 yen
( high-octane ). Reported for work around noon, ate a box lunch, and hurried
to Osaka City's sign language class. I was so scatterbrained today. I forgot
to retrieve my train pass as I went through the ticket gate. And I parked
my car with the gearshift in drive.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004 Cloudy
Watched the last of the three rented videos in the morning. Another Korean
movie entitled "Yuryon"(Ghost). Picked up my wife and treated
her to dinner at the usual restaurant. Did not accomplish anything today.
Just dillydallied all day. Not interested at all in watching the Olympics
on TV.
Monday, August 23, 2004 Rainy
Had a birthday party late last night. All the family got together. The
NHK Special which I saw yesterday was a shock to me and made me think about
life. It was about ALS patients. This morning I saw a Korean gangster movie
on video. Made a phone call to ask about how to dispose of bulky trashーtwo
collapsible beds and the lower half of a cupboard.
Sunday, August 22, 2004 Rainy
Ordered a birthday cake from a neighborhood confectionery. Our first-born
son will be coming back home to celebrate his mother's birthday. I have
not bought anything for her yet. I cannot think of anything. I rented three
videos again. Watched one of them, "About Schmidt."
Saturday, August 21, 2004 Cloudy
Took some of my older son's stuff over
to Kobe in my car with my wife in the morning.
We found him asleep in his apartment. There
was a friend of his there, too. Immediately
we headed back. On the way , bought some
takoyaki. Watched two of the three rental
videos. Today is my wife's birthday. As our
kids are busy, we will celebrate it together
tomorrow.
Friday, August 20, 2004 Cloudy
My wife burned the midnight oil last night
and looked tired this morning. I am concerned
about her health. Met my friend at Namba
and ate lunch together. Then went to a coffee
shop. We had a good time chatting. Later
I went to Nipponbashi, Osaka's electronics
shopping district. Bought some books at Namba
City's Asahiya Bookstore. Also rented three
videos when I got back to my town. Picked
up my wife as usual and ate out at the usual
Japanese restaurant. Watched one of the
three videos.
Thursday, August 19, 2004 Fair and then rainy.
Went to the banks to pay the operation and hospital charges and also
the car checkup money. Ate a box lunch at school, checked some reports,
and did some other work. I think I forgot my pocket calendar somewhere
on my desk at work. It has been windy today due to the typhoon now in the
Sea of Japan after hitting Korea.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Went to the educational center for the annual explanation of the curriculum.
This year the atmosphere was very rigid. The emcee seemed cold. I was so
thirsty walking all the way there from the station under the hot son, but
we were told to refrain from drinking. Three teachers shared their teaching
experiences. The two young ones were doing fine because they were enjoying
teaching. Unless teachers enjoy, how can their students come to like English?
Tuesday, August 17, 2004 Rainy
Watched the next Korean drama "Beautiful Days" all day. I thought I had done all the scheduled recording all right, but something went wrong with the last four episodes. I wonder what was wrong. It was very humid today and thundered in the evening. This year it thunders more often than usual.
Monday, August 16, 2004 Fair
Drove my wife to work this morning. Put
3000 yen's worth of gas in the car. Had the
car checked yesterday. A periodical checkup.
Only the tip of the third finger of my right
hand is numb and hurts a little. It may be
there to stay. Toward the evening picked
up my wife , on the way back went to the
usual pet food shop, and did some shopping
at Seiyu.
Sunday, August 15, 2004, Cloudy
I am back home alive and grateful that
there was no earthquake while I was being
operated on. The surgeon was not only a good
doctor but also a great person. On the night
of the surgery day, I had terrible nausea.
For the first three days, my throat hurt
even when I gulped down a little water, not
to mention food. On the fourth day, I went
out of the clinic and did some shopping.
And boredom set in. While at the clinic,
I exchanged around 100 emails with my family
and friends. I did a lot of reading, too.
To tell the truth, I am still wondering if
my neck will be all right. The doctor was
excellent and confident. Today my wife and
first-born son came to the clinic and we
came back home on a Nozomi bullet train.
There still is a water-proof bandage on the
throat wound. Some titanium alloy has taken
the place of one of neck bones. I am a newly-born
cyborg now.
Saturday, August 7, 2004 Fair
Went to the usual English conversation
class in the morning. Since I am going to
have surgery, I asked my sister to be my
guarantor. Yesterday I began to watch another
Korean serial drama, "Nice Guy."
I sure am hooked on Korean dramas. I won't
be able to update my webpage for a week or
so because of my operation and hospitalization.
Friday, August 6, 2004 Cloudy
Wow, this morning there was an earthquake
where my clinic is. Just as I had feared.
Watched a lot of CATV in English for my listening
comprehension. Did not accomplish anything
today. In no mood to do anything. Our first-born
son's grad school exam is over. The announcement
of the result is next week.
Thursday, August 5, 2004 Cloudy, occasionally
rainy.
It must have rained last night, but this
morning the air was not refreshing. It was
rather muggy. And 'bush' mosquitoes were
everywhere in action. The West Nile virus
is yet to be found in Japan, but it may be
a matter of time. At work there was a study
meeting on how to use SSC, Osaka's online
service system. Sent the 1st-term grades
to my homeroom students today.
Wednesday, August 4, 2004 Fair, cloudy, and
then rainy.
So sleepy because of so much video watching.
Korean dramas are addicting. Another typhoon,
Typhoon No. 11, is approaching. It has no
storm zone and is a minor one. These days
my vision is blurred. Is it because of aging?
I miss watching "Hojun." Attended
Osaka City's sign language class. Went there
by subway. On the way back, ate a bowl of
miso ramen at the usual shop. Also got a
haircut at the usual station barbershop.
Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Fair
I will be having my neck surgery in just
a week. I am like" a carp on the cutting
board." I will be staying with my best
friend in Kanagawa the day before. Should
an earthquake happen while I am having an
operation, that could end my life. Then it
is my destiny. Wrote my report on the first
of my three summer assignments. Finished
watching all the 64 episodes of "Hojun,"
such a great Korean drama I could not help
crying at the end.
Monday, August 2, 2004 Fair
Probably because I was tired from watching
videos so long, I slept a lot today. Now
the Korean drama "Hojun" is a long
serial drama consisting of 64 episodes in
all, but there are only several more episodes
left. Ate out with my wife at the usual Chinese
restaurant because our second son was out.
One of his best friends is going to study
abroad. A send-off party.
Sunday, August 1, 2004 Fair
Watched the Korean drama "Hojun" all day−up to the 56th episode.
I went to bed at around 2:00 a.m. Again had a quarrel with my wife over
how to cook ramen, etc. PL's fireworks display was rumbling. At first,
I took it for thunder. I was at home all day, watching the videos.