Monday, June 30, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally clearing up.

　Looking for a good English-Korean dictionary, went to a certian secondhand bookstore, but found no reasonable one. Ordered a DVD from a certain bookstore. Today's Korean study meeting was the last before the summer vacation. Last week I was so busy fatigue seemed to have piled up before I knew. Can't believe our cat is to die soon. Too bad.

Sunday, June 29, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Studying this and that all day, and at the end of the day, I got such a stiff neck I found it hard to breathe. This sometimes happens when I work hard and when I have extreme weather, such as too cold or too humid. Maybe it is due to my ailing neck, although I had an operation four years ago. Also I am in shock because of our cat's serious illness. So susceptible maybe, but can't help it.

Saturday, June 28, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally drizzling.

　Our first-born son's workday. My wife and I went to the Kobe Municipal Museum for some exhibits and paintings from the Louvre. On the way ran into an ex-colleague. We ate lunch at a restaurant in the station building. Stopped over at Namba and got a coffee server. In the evening took our younger cat to the vet. She has breast cancer and her days are numbered. We ate out at the usual udon drive-in restaurant.

Friday, June 27, 2008 Fair

　For the first time in many days I could take it easy today. All the three kinds of exams are ready now, and the rest of the handouts for the remaining two lessons have already been made. All I will have to do is to get the English �Tanswers ready for the other three teachers, which I almost forgot. Tomrrow being a day off, I am going out with my wife. However, our younger cat may be ill. If so, we will have to take her to the vet.

Thursday, June 26, 2008 Cloudy

　These days I have been somewhat workaholic, but today the English �Texam sheets are also ready. When and if I make another teaching plan tomorrow, I will take it easy for a while. I have worked too much. I am a little anxious about some of the young teachers at work. They seem to be too conservative. I am afraid history might repeat itself. I do not see any insightful ones. Too bad.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Cloudy

　Got the Reading exam sheets ready today after correcting a few errors in the exam, double-checking the answers, doing the printing., and putting the exam sheets into some envelopes. Before doing all this, taught three classes in a row, the attendance was not much. Participation was OK, though. Checked nearly 20 "reports." On my way to back from school these days I listen to my i-Pod-chiefly the Podcast.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Cloudy

　Today printed the OC�Texam sheets and put them into envelopes. For the other two exams all the envelopes are ready now. Worked all day doing this and that. The fifth floor was almost empty, though, today being Tuesday. Probably the other exam sheets will be ready by the end of this week. I have made a total of 48 pages of exams this time.

Monday, June 23, 2008 Cloudy

　A Korean study meeting in the morning. Then had my box lunch. Checked some "reports." Taught one English �Tclass. The audience was small in a large classroom. There was an extra suject rep conference. I had to be excused from patroling around the cafeteria, picking up trash and cigarette butts with a pair of tongs. In the process of getting OC�T exam sheets ready.

Sunday, June 22, 2008 Rainy

　Decided not to work at home, so just relaxed all day. It is raining outside now. I can hear it. My wife and first-born son are watching a baseball game on TV. They are fans of the Tigers. I have just made an overall weekly plan. I will have to print all the exam sheets after preparing the answers to the exam questions. I hope I can do all this by next Sunday. Another busy week.

Saturday, June 21, 2008 Cloudy

　Went to the English conversation school in the neighborhood in the morning. On the way home, bought udon for the family for lunch. Looks like I lost my ballpoint pen somewhere. Finished making the Reading exams for the first term. Tired out. Then I watched KBS's drama for an hour or so. Tomorrow I will not work at home. This kind of work will never be evaluated.

Friday, June 20, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Looks like they arranged they would say the same thing, which behavior patterns seem a bit ill-natured anyway. Well, it was stupid of me to believe that they would do something for somebody else, to being with. It was so muggy today, too. Because of this incident and the weather, I was doubly exhausted today. My wife went to see the doctor because she broke out in a rash.

Thursday, June 19, 2008 Rainy

　Had been in conference for around seven hours altogether and could not do anything else. This reminds me of the days when I was working at a certain difficult school. Nowadays things have changed, though. Teachers and students live in more different worlds. Even among teachers there are more conflicting interests. These days people easily cherish resentment against each other. We live in an age of resentment today.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Fair

　Only a few reports to check today. After teaching today's Reading class and helping the only member of ESS with his English, made two teaching plans, which took me quite some time. I am supposed to make three midterm exams this time, so I will have to prepare all the handouts for the remaining classes and get those exams ready as soon as possible. I worked hard using the computer on the second floor.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Fair

　Went to the sign language club's weekly meeting in the morning and to the Korean language class in the afternoon. On the way back bought reimen and returned a library book. Then did a little shopping and came back home. Before midnnight watched a serial Korean drama starring Cherim. The drama title is "Strong Enemies." My wife watched baseball games on TV all night.

Monday, June 16, 2008 Fair

　I wish I could go back to the nighttime section. I was more comfortable there. I felt freer there. Here at the daytime section I have to be on the alert all the time in many ways. I hope I will get used to it. These days I am under the impression that young people today are under lots of stress. They are apprarently doing whatever they want to, but they never seem to be content. Adults are the same, though. We are under much invisible pressure. We all have nothingness inside of us. Ende's prediction was right. Nothingness will spread. We need to get back our dreams or ideals. But it may be too late.

Sunday, June 15, 2008 Cloudy and then rainy.

　We had soft volleyball matces today at school. I was one of the judges, and I made a mistake. I was supposed to draw a circle for the winner, but I did the opposite. I drew a circle for the loser. For one thing I was in a hurry to help the colleague hand cartons of tea to participants in the cafeteria. However, the biggest cause of my mistake was on the slip the winner was on the right side while on the gym floor the winner was on the left. I may have made the same mistake last year. There was an English study meeting later. I did not have an umbrella on the way home, so I had to buy one because it began to rain.

Saturday, June 14, 2008 Fair

　I have a little high blood pressure, so I visit my family doctor once a month for my medicine. This morning I went to see him and got my medicine. As you get old, your body weakens and you have to go see your doctor more often. The older you get, the more you lose-your physical strength, friends, status, money, etc. After all, you cannot take it with you. By the way, I am losing my hair, too. Too bad, but it is hereditary.

Friday, June 13, 2008 Fair

　Today has been a tiring day. Teaching three classes in a row and checking nearly 30 reports, I finally ate my supper at seven thirty. My iPod froze tonight, too. I will have to ask my son why that often happens. Coming back home, watched KBS's Tejoyon. Then did the dishes and cleaned the floor because it was a bit dirty after taking out the garbage. My wife was watching TV. She is the queen at home, I being the servant.

Thursday, June 12, 2008 Fair

　Sent the student teacher's grade and notebook to the university after having the other English teachers look at them. Tomorrow's teaching plans are all ready now. Went to Korea Town and got some cucumber kimchi and two pairs of Korea slipper socks for my wife. Helped the ESS member with his English. Only a few reports to check. My iPod often freezes. So does my son's.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally drizzling.

　There was a soft volleyball joint HR at work today. My homeroom class lost in the first match. They went home after getting a small carton of green tea as a prize for participation. I checked some "reports" and took three hours off, eating out with some friends at a Korean restaurant. The student teacher came to see me with her practice teaching notebook. I wrote my comments and graded her practice teaching.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Fair and hot.

　There was a conference today, but I was not sure what time it would begin. While I went to get some bread, it had already begun. As a result I was late for it. Made a handout or two for my next English class. There was a goal-setting interview with the bosses. Well, this whole system is meaningless educationwise. However, that is what they have to do. My iPod froze this morning, but I did the trouble-shooting successfully anyway.

Monday, June 9, 2008 Cloudy

　Taught English after an interval of 10 days. The sound quality of my iPod headset is pretty good. It was expensive! At work corrected some "reports". Took some time. There was one which was hard for me to make out. Such "reports" give me a headache. Students came to the English room one after another. Until around seven, I had no time to eat supper.

Sunday, June 8, 2008 Cloudy

　Our older son invited my wife and me to dinner. We ate out at Umeda. He wanted to do that because he got his first salary. On the way home, bought an i-Pod because he recommeded I buy one. He bought me a nice headset for Father's Day. Back home downloaded i-Tunes and got registered online. I still do not know how to use this i-Pod, but I will ask him and learn little by little.

Saturday, June 7, 2008 Cloudy

　Enjoyed conversing in English at the English conversation school in the neighborhood. Spent two hours talking about this and that in English. Then walked to the udon shop to buy some udon for lunch. After lunch helpled my son get used to driving our family car. He is a motorcycle rider and not used to driving a car. After diinner tried to make an exam for OC�T. I must make three exams this time, so I will have to make them little by little.

Friday, June 6, 2008 Fair

　At last today was the last day for the student teacher, who came here on May 12-a total of four weeks. I let her use my handouts and gave advice on how to teach. There is more to an English teacher's work than just teaching English. Back home took out the garbage and did the dishes after watching the usual Korean drama for an hour or so. My wife is under the weather, as is often the case with her.

Thursday, June 5, 2008 Rainy, occasionally cloudy.

　There were two conferences in a row−a student council teachers' meeting and a regular staff meeting. They were over around 4:00 p.m. Then I made a couple of handouts for next week. I am still indignant about what happened to my son last night. Is Japanese corpoate culture like that across the nation? If so, this country is just crazy.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Cloudy

　Today' Homeroom in the third period was about human rights. I explained to my homeroom students, by using the human rights brochure. I also threw in a couple of handouts concering sign language and the Korean language. Almost ready to hand in the budget draft of the English department. Worked at my own pace, but busy with this and that all day.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Cloudy

　Absented myself from today's sign language club's weekly meeting. A bit too tired to get up. In the afternoon attended the Kroean language class. Had a dental appointment in the evening. This time today was my last appointment. In six months I will visit the dentist's office. My son says he will buy me an i-pod. Looks like he wants me to listen to the same Podcast programs. My Sony Walkman is not as good. I should not have got it.

Monday, June 2, 2008 Rainy

　A Korean study meeting in the morning. Observed the student teacher's classes in a row. She has improved. Checked twenty 'reports' or so. Sent my homeroom students reminders to let them know how they are doing with their reports. Today I got a postcard from the wife of one of my ex-colleagues. He was a smart and strong person in my former place of work. He passed away recently because of pancreas cancer. Of all people why he? I cannot believe that. Death is sure to come to all human beings. There is no exception. We all want to live a life worth living, but the way things are these days, this country seems to be up againt the wall, and people have lost hope. I sound very pessimistic again.Now I just believe in this tiny happiness of living with my family each day. But for them, this world would be worthless. Back to the ex-fellow teacher, who died the other day, where has he gone, I wonder?

Sunday, June 1, 2008 Overcast

　Today things went smoothly according to plan, but I worked so hard all day I got really tired at the end of the day. It was hot, but the fifth floor where I was was quite breezy, and I could work comfortably. Lent a couple of friends some books. Again went to Korea Town to buy another pair of Korean slippers made of cloth for my wife. I must check out "Sophie's World." Or should I buy a copy of the book?