Monday, January 31, 2005 Fair
Bought a Korean dictionary to give my friend in Kanagawa as a present
next week. Ate out at the usual Chinese restaurant. Also got a Korean movie
music CD. Boy! Time does fly. One month has already passed since this new
year started. At work looked over the 'reports' for the next school year-to
be printed soon.
Sunday, January 30, 2005 Fair
Our two cats are in heat at the same time. They are meowing noisily.
They are not spayed. Studied Korean almost all day. In the evening, went
shopping and also put gas in the car. Our first-born son is coming home
tonight, but as soon as he eats supper, he will go back to his apartment
in Kobe.
Saturday, January 29, 2005 Fair
Invited to lunch at a Chinese restaurant, a meal to celebrate the success
in our curry noodle stall at the time of the school festival.. Ate too
much at a reasonable price, although it was on the house. Then went to
have my ingrown toenail treated-the third time. Studied Korean whenever
I had time and wherever I was.
Friday, January 28, 2005 Fair
I am quite into a Korean Christian song. The singer has such a sweet
voice. I kept listening to the song all day today. on my CD player. Just
one conference. Printed the finals and put the sheets away. This took quite
long.
Wrote an email to my American friend, who is heading for Kuwait soon. I
am anxious about his safety.
Thursday, January 27, 2005 Cloudy
Yesterday maybe due to the cold weather in the afternoon, my neck was
in strong pain. I felt such a pain for the first time after the neck operation.
Today it got better. On my way home from work, my colleagues happened to
come across me and we had a drink together.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 Cloudy
Filled out the "assess and nurture system" form and handed
it out. This was the final report. Made the third-term listening comprehension
test in OC Ⅰ in the cold studio and made five copies. later putting them
away where they should be. I was frozen to the marrow. Also looked over
the exams in English Ⅰ and OC Ⅰ just to take a double check. Prepared
the model answers, too.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005 Cloudy and then rainy.
I had to prepare for today's Korean lesson, so I was absent from today's
sign language circle meeting. My Korean, however, was no good in class.
I lack practice. Bought 36 A-4 size plastic fastener cases for my homeroom
class students. They were light but bulky.
Monday, January 24, 2005 Cloudy
On my way home, the trains were delayed. because there was a railroad
accident resulting in injury or death. While waiting for the train, I was
freezing on the platform for more than half an hour. My homeroom class
decided to buy something as a memento.
Sunday, January 23, 2005 Cloudy
While I was walking to the station this morning, my right hip joint felt
awkward. It hurt a bit. It has been like that on and off for the past few
years. My age is showing. The finals are coming soon, and it is about time
to plan the English makeup schedule for the third term.
Saturday, January 22, 2005 Cloudy
Today was a day off. Just relaxed all day. Watched a lot of TV-a Korean
drama, "Laputa"( recorded ), etc. My wife did a lot of washing,
and I hung out the washing to dry. One of our two cats, the younger one,
will not leave my wife's lap.. Tomorrow is a workday.
Friday, January 21, 2005 Cloudy and very cold.
On my way home, while on the train and walking, I had Korean words bouncing
in my head. I carried my compact Korean dictionary in my pocket and consulted
it all the time. When I began to learn sign language five years ago, the
same thing happened.
Thursday, January 20, 2005 Cloudy and cold.
The general affairs department staff got together in the printing room
around noon and worked together. There were two explanatory meetings today-one
for telling teachers how to help students take next school year's classes
and the other for telling teachers how to keep school records. The former
one took two and a half hours. This school is full of complicated procedures,
so it is necessary to refresh our memory every year.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Fair and then cloudy.
There was a Korean language study session this morning. Sent the results
of the second term to the students and made a teaching plan for the next
Oral Communication class. The students saw a movie in the auditorium, which
was done as part of human rights education.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005 Fair
Went to the sign language circle, but had to leave early to study Korean because I had a Korean lesson in the afternoon. I did some household chores as usual and hurried to the Korean language school. In today's Korean class we were told to read a short passage. Most of us had difficulty reading it.
Monday, January 17, 2005 Cloudy
Had a full day. No time to think at work. Studied Korean anyway. On my
way back, my mind was blank while I was hanging onto a strap on the train,
but some nameless anxiety was at the back of my mind-should a big earthquake
happen now? etc. We are now living in an age of anxiety.
Sunday, January 16, 2005 Cloudy and then rainy.
Worked all day long-from morning till night Too care of more than ten
students on an individual basis. At the end of the day I was too tired
to do anything, so I went to bed right after I came home. On my way home
from work yesterday, I made a stopover and did some shopping for supper.
Saturday, January 15, 2005 Rainy
I hung out the washing to dry, but it has been a gloomy day almost all
day weatherwise. I went out in the morning and enjoyed talking in English
for two hours or so. At home, I just relaxed listening to NPR. Picked up
my wife as usual and ate out at the usual restaurant.
Friday, January 14, 2005 Fair and then cloudy.
Attended a Korean language study session in the morning. The English teachers got together to talk about the Daiken, that is, what the Daiken's English test is worth at our school. Some students came at the last minute to take tests or finish up their "reports" in my presence.
Thursday, January 13, 2005 Cloudy
The light bulb in the bathroom burned out. Our second son took a shower
in the dark. I went to the convenience store across the railway crossing
near the station by bike at midnight in the cold air to buy a new bulb.
I replaced the burned-out bulb with the new one.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 Cloudy
Exchanged New Year's greetings with some colleagues. Did the second proofreading
of the school's periodical. Did not take long. Checked dozens of English
assignment papers. Called some students, saying for them to come to see
me at school. Had trouble logging onto the prefectural Net. I typed in
my password where I should type in the school's pin number. Shame on me!
Tuesday, January 11, 2005 Cloudy
This year's first meeting of the sign language circle this morning. Exchanged
New Year's greetings. Also went to the Korean language school for the first
time this year. Forgot so much about Korean. To begin with, I found it
difficult to count in Korean. I did not practice during the holidays. I
was lazy. Back to normal from tomorrow.
Monday, January 10, 2005 Cloudy
The earthquake off of Indonesia must have not only deprived lots of people
of their houses and lives but also have traumatized its survivors. Just
hearing about it via TV news is heartrending, but they must eat to live.
Eating means absorption of nutrients through the villi of the small intestines,
which brings about immunity and facial expressions, that is, emotions,
will to live. Visited my parents' place, Dad's birthday.
Sunday, January 9, 2005 Sunny but cold.
Did the Korean language school's homework. It took a long time., though. There
was an earthquake in Aichi in the evening. These days earthquakes seem
to be taken for granted, and there is too much depressing news. Ordered
pizza for supper.
Saturday, January 8, 2005 Cloudy and cold.
Another cold day when blood vessels contract. This morning while driving,
I saw a couple of dangerous drivers.
One of them ignored the traffic lights. Another was just reckless and outrageous.
Worked quite hard during the day. Mother Nature is ruthless in Indonesia,
and human trafficking, especially of children, has begun there, too.
Friday, January 7, 2005 Cloudy
The weather was not good, but I had to hang out the washing to dry. Went
out to see one of my home doctors in the morning. I had a headache today,
so I could not do as much work as I had planned to do. Have I caught cold
when I went to the clinic this morning? I heard someone coughing.
Thursday, January 6, 2005 Rainy
Worked a lot in the morning at home. Got really tired. Prepared lunch
for my second son and myself, and we ate together. Had a call by an insurance
company seller, asking for me. Pretended to be somebody else. This is nothing
but invasion of privacy. Nowadays there are so many vicious calls.
Wednesday, January 5, 2005 Cloudy
Did some work at home, burning some incense in the living room. While
cleaning, I found the old incense burner. The aroma of incense is soothing.
One of the two cats, who was vomiting yesterday, has gotten better. Went
out and bought some fruit, such as bananas, tangerines, and an apple.
Tuesday, January 4, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.
It has suddenly gotten cold. My year-end clean-up project is not finished
yet. There is too much stuff to straighten out, especially papers and books.
Anyway I will do it little by little. Picked up my wife as usual and did
some shopping on the way back.
Monday, January 3, 2005 Fair
My wife is not feeling well. She must be concerned about our first son.
This morning with the cold air against my face I went to Konan to buy cat
food, but the store was not open yet. I waited for about 30 minutes and
got 18 packs of canned cat food.
Sunday, January 2, 2005 Sunny
Our first-born son is worried about his future course. This is an age
when life is so hard and we have almost no dream or hope, but life goes
on. However, it is necessary for each and everyone of us to TRY to live
on our own. This, I think, should be the starting point.
Saturday, January 1, 2005 Fair, occasionally cloudy.
Another year has begun. I haven't made any New Year's resolutions yet, though. Visited our parents' places as usual. Ate some osechi. Answered some New Year's cards.. The liquid crystal TV screen is nice
and big, and we enjoy watching TV.