Sunday, February 29, 2004 Rainy and then
cloudy later on.
Was waiting for some students to come all
day at school. Only a couple came. One complaint
through a homeroom teacher from a student;
I gave the student too difficult an assignment−
nothing but bullying. I had no such intent,
though. And the assignment is simple enough,
though it may take some time. Almost everyone
else did it all right. I wonder what is wrong.
This is my second or third time at this present
place of work to be treated like this unexpectedly.
Saturday, February 28, 2004 Fair
Replaced the old toilet rubber ball valve
with a new one. I went all the way to Konan
by bicycle this morning. The problem was
that water sometimes kept running even enough
time after flushing the toilet. I thought
that water was probably leaking around the
old rubber ball. I hope the new rubber ball
will solve the problem. Picked up my wife
at the hospital and ate out as usual.
Friday, February 27, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy.
Resumed brisk walking again yesterday.
Also began doing pushups after taking a shower.
I wonder how long this will last this time.
I am what is called a spasmodic worker. Prepared
lunch for my second son and ate together.
One makeup and one re-retest. Made some phone
calls to some students on my cell phone.
There still remain some more students to
take care of. On the homebound train was
a young couple flirting beside me. Then for
an instant I felt as if I foresaw their future,
a vision. Seize the day.
Thursday, February 26, 2004 Fair and rather
windy.
My second son stayed with one of his best
friends overnight. Two of his best friends
are studying abroad−one in the United States
and the other in the U.K., I hear. As far
as studying abroad is concerned, the younger,
the better, I believe. The ultimate deadline
for this school year's grades is getting
closer, so I either called or wrote to some
students who are not through with their required
schoolwork. Bought some cream puffs for my
family on my way home from work.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Cloudy
After driving my wife to work as usual,
went to a nearby corner shop for some bread
for breakfast. Woke up the kids and fed them
breakfast. Then they went back to bed. They
are night persons.Nocturnal. Not thieves,
though. The younger one goes to school at
night−What is called 'double school.' The
older one will go shopping for a motorcycle
later. In the parking lot of the condo complex,
almost collided with another car because
a van was parked in the wrong place and it
blocked the vision.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 Fair.
Enjoyed myself with the sign language circle
members in the morning. Finished a quick
lunch and headed for work. Today is an official
day off for the correspondence school teachers,
but I worked and was on telephone duty again.
Also I gave one student a makeup. So, I will
take tomorrow off.
Monday, February 23, 2004 Cloudy
It was so warm yesterday , but the temperature
dropped by 10 degrees or so today. On my
way home from work, my system seemed to be
having trouble adjusting to the drastic change
in temperature. My heart shrank in the cold.
Between 4:00 p.m.and 7:00 p.m. on telephone
duty for prospective applicants making inquires
by telephone. I am beginning to realize the
raison d'etre of this correspondence school.
Sunday, February 22, 2004 Cloudy, a thunderstorm
and a strong wind later.
Got up early in the morning and drove to
the university where today's STEP interview
test took place. Interviewed 40 examinees
in all−the second and pre-2nd grades. Exhausted.
There was just one returnee, who naturally
spoke English naturally. I am in favor of
"Japanese English" if there is
any such thing, though. Native speakers speak
perfectly, which is a matter of course. There
were a couple of gentlemen who spoke English,
not the way native speakers do, but if there
were enough of them, we might have our own
Japanese English. It thundered and a strong
wind blew late at night.
Saturday, February 21, 2004 Fair
It was as if spring were here. So warm
and sunny. But pollen again has begun to
fly. My first-born son has pollen allergy
and has a runny nose and eye irritation now.
I have a bit of a sore throat and eye discomfort,
but bearable. Chatted in English for two
hours in the morning. Later did a little
shopping and ate lunch on my own. Picked
up my wife at the hospital and ate out−the
usual routine. Tomorrow got to interview
STEP examinees all day. Tiring.
Friday, February 20, 2004 Fair
This morning I had a narrow shave while
driving my wife to work. Again I almost hit
a bicycle−a blind spot. Maybe I am too tired
now. I had better rest a little. There was
a joint staff meeting which lasted over two
hours. Conferences drag on here. We are all
busy now and have work to do. Why now? I
do not understand. We get tired and easily
make mistakes.
Thursday, February 19, 2004 Fair
Attending the Entrance Exam Committee conferences
so far, I have realized that this school
is a very busy one timewise. But there are
so many competent teachers that things will
go smoothly with just one incompetent one
like myself. Any organization has only 20
% of members working so hard that the rest
are doing so-so or almost nothing. Should
everyone be a go-getter, terror or the law
of the jungle would prevail. Be competent
enough to be content to be incompetent. There
were two students who took makeups. There
was another hard to handle, too. I wonder
why some flip out so easily. Tired out at
the end of the day.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 Fair
Went to the movie "The Lord of the
Rings' The Return of the King" with
my wife, taking a half day off. Leaving the
theater, we looked for a bench or something
to eat a box lunch purchased before going
to the movies. But there were none, so we
had no choice but to eat at the station sitting
in plastic seats. Then I hurried to work,
my wife going home. Today's conference lasted
for two hours, not too long at my school.
Students came one after another to see me.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004 Cloudy
Went to the sign language circle, but had
to leave in the middle because I was supposed
to report to work on time, before 12:30 p.m.,
today. I got to school and ran my IC card
through the slit for attendance. This is
done for three days to test the system, I
hear. Just one conference for night school
English teachers at my school. Input the
results of the tests into the computer. Spent
a little time shooting the breeze later.
Monday, February 16, 2004 Fair
Working on Sunday yesterday, took a day
off today, a substitute holiday. For neck
traction at the hospital in the morning as
usual. Ate lunch together with the firstborn
son. My second son is out on a retreat with
his college professor and classmates somewhere
in Shiga Prefecture. He is doing his presentation
there. Picked up my wife, and the three of
us, my wife, our first son and myself, ate
out together at the usual sushi shop.
Sunday, February 15, 2004 Fair and windy.
There were makeups in the morning and,
in the afternoon, a school orientation for
prospective applicants for admission, the
last one in a series of four. There came
around 500 people. I was in charge of two
rooms, where both my partners did a good
job of explaining about our school. After
hours, I thought some of us would go for
a drink, but nobody seemed to do so, and
I was on my way home. Making a stopover on
the way, I picked up an American novel.
Saturday, February 14, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy, rain later, a strong wind all day.
Today is St. Valentine's Day, on which
let me compose a haiku or senryu: Valentine−better than none, obligatory
chocolate. (barentain−naiyori mashino, girichoko
ka) Prepared breakfast for the kids after
driving my wife to work. Looks like "New Orleans Trial" is a good movie. Its original title
is "Runaway Jury" by John Grisham. It was blowing so
hard I was afraid the washing might be blown
away, so I took it all in because it was
already dry. Dropped by the dry cleaner,
after picking up my wife, to get the three
futon the cat had wetted.
Friday, February 13, 2004 Fair, rain at night.
Come to think of it, today is Friday the
13th. Got to keep my fingers crossed. I am
a bit superstitious. In the morning went
to Daiei and got ballpoint pen refills, then
to the hospital for neck traction. Ate a
quick lunch and left for work. This correspondence
high school has a diversity of students,
so it takes time and patience to deal with
each of them.
Thursday, February 12. 2004 Overcast
While driving my wife to work this morning,
I was in trouble. I had to go to the toilet.
At the convenience store we usually drop
by, I used the rest room, I was in such a
rush but the toilet seat was soiled a bit.
So I quickly cleaned it with the disinfectant
spray that happened to be hanging on the
wall. At work today's conference lasted for
four hours or so. Maybe more than two persons
should count the number of hands when a vote
is taken ,to avoid making a miscalculation.
Also it is better to make sure that, if an
amended bill is rejected, the original one
passes in order not to take a vote twice
on the same item.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004 Fair
Today was National Foundation Day, a legal
holiday. There was a fire drill at our condo
complex. All my family, however, were in
bed during that time, needing a good rest.
Also a drainpipe cleaner came. The other
day when there was a fire alarm checkup,
we had a raincheck on that. My wife bought
a wall pocket for small articles from COOP.
In the evening we went to Joshin.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004 Fair
Today being Tuesday and a substitute holiday
for Sunday, I went to the sign language circle
as usual. I , in charge of today's sign language
lesson, suggested that we play a game.−"Speaking
of..."(naninani to ieba). Ate lunch
together at the usual restaurant and chatted
in sign language. Picked up my wife at the
hospital and ate out at the usual Japanese
restaurant. One of our two cats, the younger
one, now has a bad habit of defecating at
the door. Got to watch out; otherwise we
may step on her poop.
Monday, February 9, 2004 Cloudy, with occasional
rain.
Took my wife to the usual doctor's office.
According to the doctor, she has bad tonsilitis.
That is why she had such a fever the day
before yesterday. Just one makeup to take
care of at school. Now that the students
are finished with their reports, few students
come to my web page. It may have to hibernate
until spring.
Sunday, February 8, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy.
Marking the examination papers almost all
day at work. Then mailed them all. Invigilated
in the school nurses' room. Also was a substitute
for the exam in the first period, but there
was no need. My wife's fever has gone down,
but she has a sore throat. And now our first
son seems to have caught cold. He is taking
his temperature now. Who's next?
Saturday, February 7, 2004 Cloudy
Went to the usual English conversation
class and enjoyed chatting in English for
about two hours. There were only three people,
including the instructor−maybe because of
this cold weather. It was snowing on my way
there. Toward the evening, I went to pick
up my wife at the hospital. When I got there
and saw her coming toward the car, I thought
there was something wrong with her. Even
from a distance, I noticed it. She was coming
down with a cold or the flu. Now she is in
bed, running a temperature. We had some hot
meals delivered for supper.
Friday, February 6, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy.
Went to the hospital for neck traction
in the morning as usual. When I left home
for work, it was snowing a bit. I got to
the station and found that I forgot my train
pass again, so I hurried back home to get
it. No invigilating today at work. On teachers'
room duty, issuing temporary ID's. Just spent
most of my time at work marking exam papers
and checking the attendance for the third
term.
Thursday, February 5, 2004 Cloudy and windy.
There was a lecture by a counselor on sexual
harassment for teachers. It lasted for two
hours. After all, it is all up to the harassee.
If anyone finds what you say or do uncomfortable,
it can be a case of sexual harassment. It
all depends on the harassee's subjectivity.
So, might is right? I do not understand,
although I believe in the golden rule. Asked
the principal what grade I got on the "Assess
and Nurture System."
Wednesday, February 4, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy.
Now I am a little into catechin tea, which
is said to be good for your health. I bought
two bottles of catechin tea today. They were
different kinds. I just wanted to compare
the tastes. Proctored two exams. Also prepped
some 'hakama', envelopes cut in half used
as containers for applicants' documents.
I was kept so busy at work I could hardly
take a break.
Tuesday, February 3, 2004 Cloudy
Coming back home, I found my wife tired,
so I suggested that we eat out. And so we
did. The kids, too, were good enough to do
so on their own. In the morning, went to
the sign language circle. Helped two students
with their English at school. Received an
email from STEP( Eiken). Going to interview
STEP examinees on the 22nd of this month.
Monday, February 2, 2004 Cloudy, with occasional
rain.
Maybe tomorrow I will have read 1.000.000
words in English. My first attempt at that
will be over. I think I will keep it up.
At this rate, I may read around 3.000.000
words in a year. Well, don't count your chickens
before they are hatched. I had better enjoy
the process. The printing of the final exam
having done last week, today I put away the
exam sheets, which is such a bother and takes
time. Checked nearly 50 reports and also
tutored one student. Tomorrow two students.
Sunday, February 1, 2004 Fair, occasionally
cloudy.
My wife, my second son, and I went together
to the polls early this morning. My first
son could not afford the time then, thinking
of voting in the evening. The turnout never
seemed to be good for this gubernatorial
election. I wonder why the prefectural government
keeps bailing out the semi-public companies
when it is in the red. And the welfare and
education budgets are sharply curtailed.
Who is taking the lion's share?