Thursday, January 31, 2008 Fair and then cloudy.

　Hard at work getting ready for this coming Sunday's helping students with their sign-up. There will be about 30 students to hlep, and seven of them are done now. On Sunday just seven or eight of them will come see me. Also busy making next school year's 'reports.' There was a lecture on the status quo of foreign high school students, especially in this prefecture.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Cloudy

　I have little idea why, but it looks like the way I talked on the phone made angry the one on the other end of the line. This one told on me to one of the bosses. Now I have experienced this kind of sneaky tactics, but I wonder what is going on in this society. In a book I read yound people today look down upon others aroun them.
I realize how true it is. There seems be be something wrong. Anything goes.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Rainy and very cold.

　There was a light cold rain all day today-depressing weather. Went to the sign language club's weekly meeting. I talked a little in sign language. I learned the word 'personal contact'(skinship in Japanese) today. In the afternoon I went to the Korean language school, where I made a silly mistake in arranging some passages in the right order. I did not pay attention to the word 'now.' It was the key word. I must have been scatterbrained then.

Monday, January 28, 2008 Cloudy and then rainy or sleety.

　There was a Korean language study meeting in the morning. It was so cold today I needed the heater close to me working in the English teachers' room, but if it is close by, you feel a bit dizzy. It is good for neither one thing nor the other, isn't it? Today I handed in my final report on the Assess-and-Nurture-System, by which your pay is decided. It can be very subjective. If you are self-assertive, you may get a good grade and good pay. The squeaking wheel gets the grease. Made the first page of next school year's Reading Report No. 1.

Sunday, January 27, 2008 Fair and then cloudy.

　Today we had the third admission orientation at our school. It was very cold out on the corridor. Over 300 people came-more than we had expected, so I also had to help with this orientation. Besides a deaf couple were among them. My sign language came in handy. I got some sheets ready for the forthcoming sign-up assistance on February 3.

Saturday, January 26, 2008 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　Did some work at home. Bought udon for lunch. Took an afternoon nap and went shopping with my wife. I drove as usual and got some cat stuff. Play a little with my DS. Although it is cold outside, I am going to take an after-supper walk and then watch two dramas on KBS. Tomorrow I will have to go to work.

Friday, January 25, 2008 Fair but very cold.

　Next year I will belong to the daytime section of this high school. I do not know what it is like. Anyway a rule is a rule. At work checked around thirty 'reoports,' which gave me a stiff neck. Helped some students with their 'reprorts.' No time to prepare envelopes for the students who have been absent this school year.

Thursday, January 24, 2008 Overcast, flurry for a while around noon.

　Another freezing day. Today's staff meeting lasted for three hours or so. The management seems to be getting harder on us. We are losing 'breathing space'.After the meeting we teachers worked together to put papers into envelopes, which were to be sent to students. Also I printed all the exam sheets and put them away in the cabinets. Took some time. In the morning returned one of the two municipal library books and got an extension on the other one.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Rainy and thencloudy

　Now I had the exams checked by my fellow teacher and they remain to be printed. The answers are also almost ready. Today I was busy doing one thing after another. At home watched a lot of TV-"A 19-Year-Old's Pure Heart"(KBS), "Dejoyon"(KBS), "Whisperers"(Fox Life), and "True Calling"(Fox). Also now reading about Freud and also a paperback entitled "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham. My younger son bought me a Nintendo DS and had it sent to me.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally sprinkling,

　This morning too tired to go to the sign language club's weekly meeting, but went to the Korean language school anyway in the afternoon. I seem to be under the weather these days. Made the Reading exam at home. Even on a substitute holiday we teacher work, but it is not evaluated. How can the Assess-and-Nurture System be fair?

Monday, January 21, 2008 Cloudy and cold.

　In the morning there were patches of snow on the ground. The snow soon thawed and disappeared. A Korean language study meeting in the morning. When I got back home today, I suddenly had a migraine. Was it due to the difference in temperature? It was so cold outside. I had the last OC�Tclass today. No more classes this semester.

Sunday, January 20, 2008 Cloudy and then snowy.

　On the way home a wintry cold rain was falling. Felt cold to the core. At work helped prepare about 700 copies of the pamphlet for the next admission orientation. There were three of us, so it took only a total of two hours or so. It is about time to make finals, but I do not feel like it yet. Had the last Reading class. My wife was good enough to make a box lunch for me. I ate her bento for the first time in many days. I do not know what got into her.

Saturday, January 19, 2008 Cloudy

　In the morning went to the English conversation school, but in no mood to be talkative. Maybe a bit tired. In the afternoon drove to our first-born son's place to take some of his stuff home. He is in the process of moving out. Took me about an hour to get there. He is actually moving our on the 29th of next month. He is still working on his dissertation. Hope he will make it. It has been another cold day.

Friday, January 18, 2008 Fair

　It has been so very cold today. There was a Korean language study meeting in the morning, so it has been a long day, too. Did some reading. There was an interesting way to memorize English words. It is called "Three-Word-Brain." Now reading the third book this year-"The Innocent Man" by John Grisham. This time I will read it through without using any dictionary while reading.

Thursday, January 17, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally fair.

　There was a "sign-up assistance procedure" orientation today. It lasted an hour or so, and then came an Entrance Committee meeting, which also lasted an hour or so. At long last, finished Michael Crichton's "Next." It is about time to start preparing for the sign-up procedure. This is going to be the most hectic time of the year at this school.
　

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Cloudy and then fair.

　I have decided to read Korean aloud daily, too, in almost the same way as I read English aloud daily. I hope it will work. Yesterday I had a haircut on my way back from the Korean language school. I usually go to the barbershop at the station. Last night I burned the midnight oil solving the Super Crossword.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008 Fair but cold.

　The sign language club and the Korean language school as usual. The younger cat is noisy now meowing and hanging around me. My Korean language study seems to have run up against a wall. Something must be done about it, but I have little idea what it is. Maybe I need to do more oral reading daily, although it is tiring.

Monday, January 14, 2008 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　Another cold day. There was a sharp chill in the air today. Drove to my parents' place, for tomorrow is Dad's 85th birhtday. Glad Mom was getting better. I have gained weight after eating a lot during the winter holidays. I need to lose weight. Maybe I should drink less. Also I should eat a lot at lunch, and less at supper.

Sunday, January 13, 2008 Fair, occasionally cloudy and a bit snowy.

　It has been cold today. Late at night it snowed only a little. My wife being under the weather, bought boxed meals or hokaben for supper on the way home. Watched two Korean serial dramas as usual. Also on the train read the paperback. One of the two cats peed on the bed. Too bad. She is going to be in heat soon, so her mental state is unstable.

Saturday, January 12, 2008 Rainy and then cloudy.

　Woke up rather late this morning. Did not take a walk. Did not listen to the radio Korean program, either. Just dillydallied until my wife and I set off for Kobe in our car to get some of our older son's stuff back home. He is in the process of moving out little by little. We drove there because it stopped raining and the surface was not slippery. The cart we picked up at Konan really came in handy. On the way back , we gave our son a ride, for he had to tutor somebody in Osaka. We bought him some takoyaki, too.

Friday, January 11, 2008 Cloudy and then rainy.

　One of our two house cats is now in heat and so noisy meowing all the time it drives me crazy. She keeps following me meowing wherever I go. On my homewardbound train, which was jam-packed, were some elementary school brats who had no manners. They must have been on their way back from their juku school at such a late hour. I felt this country would have no future.

Thursday, January 10, 2008 Overcast

　Took an hour off because there happened to be something to do just before leaving for work. Today's teachers' meeting lasted a little over two hours. Prepared for my next classes. Handed in this year's dependent status report printout to the clerk. Yesterday my wife bought me a good neck warmer, a Kiribai product. Checked out two books at the city library. Interested in mourning work and good ways to memorize English words.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008 Fair

　Not too cold today, either. At last handed in the school festival final accounts. There was a Student Council teachers' meeting. Spent much time over the wording of a document. I wonder if it is that important, though. A bit off the point. About time to buy supplies for the English department. Looks like I did a lot of shopping today of all days when the Co-op delivery came. The fridge is full now. Too much kimchi!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008 Fair

　Attended the first half of today's sign language club meeting. Exchanged New Year's greetings. Today played yunnori, the Korean sugoroku, for the first time. Very fun. Handed in the winter study-at-home report to the bosses. Was about to submit the final accounts for the school festival, but the clerk was not in the office.

Monday, January 7, 2008 Rainy and then cloudy.

　Went to work for the first time this year. It was raining. It was rather cold, and so was the school. Had the first Korean language study meeting of the year. Took a latter half-day off and came back home. On the way home, bought Hoka-ben. Ate it together with my wife at home. Called Mom. Still not back to normal. I am worried about her health. With our two sons away, this condo is again an empty nest. We love them...

Sunday, January 6, 2008 Overcast

　Our second son, too, has gone back -to Tokyo, in his case. Tomorrow is my first workday of this year. I am thinking of making a reading "bankbook", which I started using over ten years ago, but stopped using in the midst of busy work. Reading is the only way to foreign language acquisition. Sometimes form leads to substance, so I will focus on "form" this time.

Saturday, January 5, 2008 Overcast

　Had an appointment with the dentist at 11:00 a.m., but waited for two hours or so. While waiting, read my pocketsize Korean-English dictionary. Today was the second anniversary of my father-in-law's death. I heard the priest chanting. On the way home, my wife bought some takoyaki at the usual shop. We walked both ways.

Friday, January 4, 2008 Overcast

　My wife keeps staying up till late or going to bed in the wee hours of morning, playing some DS game. Does she find it so much fun? Our first son has gone back to resume writing his dissertation. Our second has met quite a few old friends while back home. This evening, too, he has something like a reunion. Bought some more New Year's cards-for my second son and for myself.

Thursday, January 3, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally sprinkling.

　Went to see my parents. My mother collapsed on the 1st of this month and was taken to the hospital, but my sister sent me a mail saying "Took Mom to the hospital." I never thought Mom's condition was serious, but I was wrong. Today I found her in bed. She says she felt dizzy with the room whirling that day. She is almost 80, taking care of her 86-year-old husband. I guess she got too tired. I will have to visit her often to help her this year.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 Cloudy

　Our first-born son is going out with his girlfriend to Kyoto. Our second son is still in bed-maybe tired because he solved all the riddles of some DS game overnight. The weather has got a bit milder. I have tried to make some New Year's resolutions, but I have just listed up what I can possibly do this year-kind of wishy-washy stance. I still have a lot which needs deepening, though....

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 Overcast

　I had to write back to over 20 persons who were good enough to send me a New Year's card. When I called my parents, I found that my mother was sick. My sister took her to the hospital in her car. My wife and our two sons went out in our family car to buy some clothes.