Sunday, July 31, 2005 Cloudy

　There was a call from our car dealer this morning. Our car is due for a safety check. It takes two days. The car will be back on the evening of August 2. We have to pay around 100,000 yen beforehand for the tax and recycling fee this time. Now I am watching a Korean drama entitled "Rosemary," a very sad but realistic story.

Saturday, July 30, 2005 Overcast

　At dawn I had an interesting dream. The unconscious often sends messages to you through dreams. It knows the answer to your present problem. In the morning the electric current was cut off for five minutes or so to have the old electricity meter changed for a new one. I had to adjust the electric clocks later. We ate out for supper.

Friday, July 29, 2005 Fair

　This morning I had a headache-a hangover from last night's banquet. Our second son is now in Tokyo with his friends, visiting Hide's museum, which is soon to be closed down. I called Mom and talked for a while about this and that. I went out by bike to do some shopping-cat food and beer. Toward the evening I picked up my wife an drove her home, and then watched some Korean movies already recorded on the HD of the DVD player.

Thursday, July 28, 2005 Fine

　In the morning there was a Korean language study session, and in the afternoon a teachers' education session on sexual harassment, which lasted for a little more than two hours. This was a workshop type lecture. I sent the first-term results to my homeroom students. There was a union teachers' get-together, too. Quite a full day.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005 Overcast and then cleared up.

　Early this morning our younger cat, who is now in heat, peed on the sofa. This sometimes happens. She is not spayed. I cleaned the sofa, and she keeps meowing. I went to Korea Town to buy Shin ramen, and spoke in Korean for the first time while shopping. I could make myself understood anyway, but the response was too fast and too much for me. I still have a long way to go.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　The typhoon is heading for the Kanto district. Cancelling today's substitute holiday, I went to work. The school seemed quite deserted as there were few students. I did work at my own pace. I know there will be some more students who wish to take their makeups, but they come sporadically. Sometimes they break their appointments.

Monday, July 25, 2005 Overcast

　There is a typhoon coming up this way. The day before yesterday there was a rather strong earthquake in the Kanto area. Natural disasters happen one after another these days. Together with terrorist attacks I have a feeling that we live in mappo now. There were a couple of makeups today, but one of the students did not come although I waited for over an hour.

Sunday, July 24, 2005 Fair

　Although today was Sunday, I went to work and took care of some makeups, which is very characteristic of correspondence schools. I graded those exam sheets and inputted the results into the computer. Coming home in the evening and eating supper, I watched a Korean drama on video. This one is a very sad story. I have a bit of a sore throat now. Do I have a cold in summer?

Saturday, July 23, 2005 Cloudy

　The board of education electronically handles things and we teachers are managed likewise. Does all this enhance the morale of the staff? I am afraid not. The fact of the matter is to the contrary. Watchdogs say there should be transparency. Transparency is often bad for our sanity, though. My left knee's pain may be here to stay. The doctor gave me a supporter. I am already that old.

Friday, July 22, 2005 Fair

　I found a basketful of washed washing near the washer this morning, so I hung it out to dry. Cicadas chirp noisily. This afternoon I walked to Korea Town with my colleagues. I bought three packs of Shin ramen for 240 yen. Our older son came home by motorcycle today and ate supper.

Thursday, July 21, 2005 Fair but extremely hot!

　Because my left knee hurt, I was not able to weed the backyard for so long, but weeds are growing all over, so I did a little weeding this morning for the first time in dozens of days, without bending my knees. I am sick and tired of the bigotry of the world, for it gives rise to persecution mania. Today I came across a person with a persecution complex.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 Fair

　When I was about to leave for work, my whole body felt tired all of a sudden. Shuffling my sore left leg, I plodded my way to work. Anyway I managed this long and full workday. School is out tomorrow and the summer vacation begins, but this year we teachers are supposed to report for work every day. The times have changed. We keep busy enough not to be able to thinkーthe world described in Ende's Momo materializing now. So who are "the men in gray"?

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 Fair

　U.S. President Bush was a member of an extreme rightist secret organization when he was in college, I hear. So was Truman, who decided to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These people are what is called "white supremacists." To them, the Japanese, who are yellow, are probably like insects, and Jesus is a white, too. It is said that America is now stealing oil from Iraq.

Monday, July 18, 2005 Fair

　Another hot and humid day although the end of the rainy season has been declared. Today being a holiday, I just relaxed at home. I went out by bike to buy cat food. I practiced writing Korean a lot. I got an email from Mom on the cellphone asking me if I was doing O.K.

Sunday, July 17, 2005 Fair

　Early this morning after doing the dishes and cleaning the floor, I took out some bulky trash. Today has been a workday. Another hot and humid day. I felt greasy sweat oozing out all over my face where there was no air conditioning. I invigilated two exams and marked some exam sheets, which took quite long.-a full day.

Saturday, July 16, 2005 Fair

　In today's English conversation were eight of us, including the instructor-quite a few in the small room. The topics we talked about included last week's terrorist attacks in London, overseas trips to Vietnam and China, Japan's postal service, the recent bridge construction bid rigging, Ishihara's sarcastic remarks about French, the Indonesian earthquake possibly triggered by nuclear testing ( conspiracy theory ), etc.

Friday, July 15. 2005 Fair

　Almost all day when I was free, I practiced writing Korean. Although my Korean pronunciation is far from fair, I have to know enough basic Korean words and structures. That is why I spend time writing Korean. Korean sounds really beautiful especially when spoken by women.

Thursday, July 14, 2005 Fair

　On my way to and back from work, I often see some less public-minded people. Some have two seats all to themselves when they just need one. Some have their big bag either on their shoulder or back on crowded trains. Needless to say, some talk loudly on their phone on trains. What has become of this country?

Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Cloudy

　I feel the need to incorporate both English and Korean into my daily routine. Now I study English rather haphazardly. In my opinion, foreign languages are "alive," and your daily intake is indispensable. Otherwise they will die. Today I attended a seminar on "empowerment," which is part of the annual human rights program under the auspices of the board of education.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005 Cloudy

　Today I had my weekly Korean class. The students of this class are really hardworking. A very excellent class. I made a little mistake yesterday and caused somebody else some trouble. I called and apologized. So much was on my mind. I make so many tiny spelling mistakes in Korean. I must get over this .

Monday, July 11, 2005 Cloudy

　My study of Korean seems to be running up against a wall now. My vocabulary is still so limited. I keep making simple mistakes. I think I need to practice writing words so that I can spell them correctly. I should review the introductory textbook over and over.

Sunday, July 10, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　I interviewed quite a few STEP examinees all day. I got exhausted. Compared with Japanese students, Korean students are very hardworking, I hear. By and large, nowadays Japanese have little incentive to work harder. We have sort of reached a point of saturation. According to J.S. Mill, it is better be be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied. How true!

Saturday, July 9, 2005 Very cloudy, raining on and off.

　It has been rather humid today. The floor was sticky. I resumed reading the online Korean news. I prefer that to reading stories in Korean. I want to know about people and things that are living now. Tomorrow I have the STEP test to take care of from early in the morning till late in the afternoon. I had better rest well tonight. 　

Friday, July 8, 2005 Cloudy

　Yesterday's simultaneous terrorist attacks in London have killed over 50 people so far. This chain of hatred never seems to end. I ate out at a Korean eating place with my colleagues. The food was very hot, but I liked it. My left knee is a bit better now, but I still have to use elevators.

Thursday, July 7, 2005 Cloudy, temporarily rainy.

　I want to see the Korean movie "Marathon." I saw the trailer. I could understand some of the Korean spoken in it. Today there were two staff meetings-one for the correspondence section and the other for the whole staff. Neither took long, which was rare but good. Brevity is the soul of wit.

Wednesday, July 6, 2005 Cloudy

　I was on soccer club duty today. The school grounds dry up very quickly, so the soccer team members were able to practice today. There were around seven of them today. This year they are full of eagerness. Our younger son went to Koshien to see the Tigers play. Our elder son is now back here with us. He seems to have gotten sick of his graduate school.　

Tuesday, July 5, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　This was not my day. On my way to the Korean language school, I got on the wrong train and barely made it to class. In class I made simple mistakes. This morning, too, at the time of the sign language circle's weekly meeting, I was unable to 'read' the easy sign language of one of the deaf members. It is now midnight, and I have just taken out the garbage and done the dishes.

Monday, July 4, 2005 Rainy

　When I was about to leave for home, it began to rain really hard. Too bad. My shoes got thoroughly wet. I dropped by Daiei, and the place was deserted because of this pouring rain. As soon as I got home, I found an email saying for me to call someone. So I did. I may get a hand from a native Korean from September on, which hopefully will help me learn Korean.

Sunday, July 3, 2005 Rainy

　All my English classes for the first term were over today. Maybe due to the rain, not many students came to class.. Perhaps because of my lack of sleep last night, I was so sleepy when I got home I took a nap. While asleep, my first-born son came and went. At midnight I did the dishes and made some oolong tea for the next day.　

Saturday, July 2, 2005 Rainy

　In the morning there was an English conversation session as usual. There was a new comer. We talked a lot about this topic and that. Time passed very quickly. Then I did the Korean assignment. It took me some time. Tomorrow is a workday, and I should take it easy today.

Friday, July 1, 2005 Cloudy and windy, occasionally rainy.

　This morning I drove in the rain to the hospital to have my knee examined again. My knee is still swollen. Yes, it does hurt even now. It is going to take some more time. I use elevators these days, and I have found that so many people use them. However, some stations still do not have any elevators. Elevators are needs for knees. Now I know where elevators are at the stations.