Monday, October 31, 2005 Fair

　I have a sore throat, and at work there was a colleague who had a cold. I have decided to go on a ' gourmet' cruise with the sign language circle members next week. Today I was shocked because I had forgotten even a basic grammatical item. This kind of thing happened to my English the other day.

Sunday, October 30, 2005 Fair

　Another off-day and also another day to relax and be lazy. But if I stay indoors all day, I gain weight, so to get some exercise I took a walk at night. Tonight Our first son did not come yesterday. He seems to have caught cold. It is cold now. We ate fuyugaki persimmons for the first time this year.

Saturday, October 29, 2005 Rainy

　It being an off-day today, I just took it easy. We ate the usual takoyaki for lunch, drinking a cold can of beer. Our older son is coming home tonight. It is said that some bird flu or avian flu will be raging this winter, calling for a heavy death toll. In that case, it is supposed that around 100,000 people will die in Japan, too. Washing your hands is a very simple but effective way to prevent infection.

Friday, October 28, 2005 Fair

　There was little time to breathe today at work. A student kept asking me questions about English, which made me very happy. I welcome questions. I checked dozens of reports today. Now I am trying to memorize basic Korean words, about 600 words, to begin with.

Thursday, October 27, 2005 Fair

　The other exam, too, is ready now. I did all the printing and stowed away the exam sheets. I dubbed the listening comprehension test as well. There were two staff meetings. We also sent mail to students. While we were putting printed matter in envelopes to mail to students, it was peaceful unlike when we were in conference. Are we belligerent or pacifist? Maybe both. We are self-contradictory beings after all.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 Fair

　Today work popped up without stopping. I finished making the Reading exam, checked reports, did some paperwork online, sent some mail to students, etc. There is one more exam to make. For both lunch and supper I ate out. Today my Korean teacher pointed out that I need to practice reading Korean. I think so, too.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005 Fair

　I was in charge of part of the sign language circle's weekly meeting this morning, but what I presented seemed too difficult and some were kind of complaining. I have a sore throat. I may have caught cold. I feel tired. Anyway the Reading exam is almost ready.

Monday, October 24, 2005 Cloudy

　I sometimes see an old couple walking regularly at night maybe for their health, but the husband looked different than usual. last night. He seemed tired and reluctant to walk. The wife is always walking ahead of him. They never seem to be enjoying walking together. At work today I was quite busy doing this and that. Back home I did the dishes and made some oolong tea as usual.

Sunday, October 23, 2005 Rainy and then cloudy.

　It has been a long and busy day just as I expected. In the 6th period, the Joint Homeroom Hour, two old gentlemen who were in Hiroshima at the time the city was A-bombed came and talked about their experiences. I felt as if the scenes visualized. War sure is nothing but insanity. The newly elected chairpersons were all women.

Saturday, October 22, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Tonight I happened to see a very interesting drama on TV. Its title is "Nobuta wo Produce." I want to buy this book. I also reviewed last year's TV Korean language program on video, realizing that I had forgotten even the spellings of some simple words, which made me feel small but humble at the same time. Tomorrow I must go to work. It is going to be a long day. I should retire early.

Friday, October 21, 2005 Fair

　I cleaned the balcony for the first time in many days.. It was a mess-bugs, cobwebs, fallen leaves, and so on. In the morning I put some gas in my car ( now 131 yen per liter at this cheapy self-service filling station ) and did some shopping-cat food, human food, etc. At work I checked quite a few reports and did some reading in the library.

Thursday, October 20, 2005 Fair

　The weather is so nice this morning it is a shame not to go out and have fun-sporadic temporary peacefulness. Playing, NPR doing some household chores, and taking it easy, I am spending a short time in the morning before going to work. So much work has to be done for the school festival. We discussed it today.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 Fair

　Today I was outside of the school on business, and that was fieldwork in and around Korea Town, including a lecture by a gentleman, a Korean living in Japan. It was worth it. I bought some books at the station before this fieldwork began. Tonight I watched a Korean movie entitled "Old Boy." on video. I borrowed it from a colleague. I enjoyed it. Our round-trip plane ticket to Seoul was around 4 4,000 yen.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005 Fair

　Suddenly it got very cold, so I had to put on a thin jacket this evening. In the morning I went to the sign language circle's weekly meeting, and then in the afternoon to the Korean language school, its new term starting today. Tonight I have to prepare for tomorrow's Korean study session.

Monday, October 17, 2005 Fair

　Today I took the word "Argentine" for "Argentina." Maybe I made such an inference because of the Philippines and Filipino. Anyhow that was a shock. Really, out of use, out of mind.( Out of sight, out of mind.) Although by making mistakes we learn, it does make us feel small. We have to get over this negative feeling. That is also part of the process of learning a foreign language.

Sunday, October 16, 2005 Fair

　It is said that the movement of the earth's crust has got into its active period. That is why big earthquakes are happening here and there all over the world. The earth is alive, and people are born, live, and die. Today I was so busy with my work. The third-term reports are almost ready. I handed in my second report of the Assess and Nurture System.

Saturday, October 15, 2005 Rainy

　This morning I had my right big toe caught in the toilet door and shouted ,"Ouch!" My son said, "What's the matter?" I was just agonizing. Then my wife said "It hurts. It can't be helped." My toe was bleeding. The neighborhood confectionery did not go under. They were just renovating the shop. What an unlucky birthday it was, of all days!

Friday, October 14, 2005 Fair

　It was quite hot today. The thermometer stood at about 28 degrees Celsius. Just unthinkable at this time of the year. According to my Korean teacher, the round trip ticket to Korea costs around 40, 000 yen toward the end of this year. The birthday cake we ate yesterday was nothing but junk-from a Fu○iya confectionery. Too bad! Good old shops are all disappearing. Is this a healthy economy? Who has created this kind of situation? This is a dog-eat-dog economy.

Thursday, October 13, 2005 Fair ( My 53rd birthday!)
　
　While I was looking for a book in our first son's room, I was at the same time straightening up the mess there, so I was a bit irritated. Then my wife on the balcony asked me for a thing. I got more impatient. I may have sounded so, and she got sullen. I explained the situation later. She seemed to soften a little. The confectionery we usually buy birthday cakes from seems to have closed down. Very shocking! It has been there in our neighborhood since before our kids were born.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 Fair

　Tonight I sent an email to the motel in Seoul where my Korean teacher and I will be staying in two months' time because, although a couple of mails were sent there, there has been no reply. But as soon as I wrote to them in English, I received an email from my Korean teacher. He got an email confirming the reservation. This evening he and I ate out at the usual Korean restaurant. I used a little Korean there. Just practicing.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005 Rainy

　Today my sign language circle celebrated the 15th anniversary of its foundation. I attended the event-a lecture by a guest speaker, a luncheon, and games. There were a little over 40 members present in spite of the rain, and it lasted from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The fee was 2,000 yen. The three consecutive holidays are over. I have not accomplished very much.

Monday, October 10, 2005 Rainy

　This afternoon I watched "The Fall of the House of Usher" on TV. I remember seeing it more than thirty years ago, but I felt as if I had seen it yesterday. It was an American movie based on Edgar Allan Poe's work. I do not know why, but this movie appealed to me. Although I have a lot of homework to do, I am in no mood to do that.

Sunday, October 9, 2005 Fair

　My wife and I went to two exhibitions today. One was the Silk Road exhibition in Kobe, and the other Louvre exhibition in Kyoto. The former was good, but the latter was not much. In Kobe, we ate Korean food for lunch with our first son, and in Kyoto, our bus got caught in a traffic jam, and it took around one hour to get to the gallery from Kyoto Station. On the way back, we had Kyo noodles and zenzai. We used the Keihan Line and changed trains at Kyobashi.

Saturday, October 8, 2005 Rainy

　I went to the prefectual education center to hear speeches by part-time and correspondence school students. Among the participants were two students whom I know or teach. One of the two won the first prize. I teach her English, and I know she is a very hardworking student. When I heard her speak on the stage, I was so impressed I thought she would win a prize. I am glad she did, and congratulations to her on winning the first prize!

Friday, October 7, 2005 Rainy, occasionally cloudy.

　In the 3rd period today was "Inclusive" Learning Hour ( Sogoteki gakushu-no jikan). There were seven teachers talking about whatever they liked. I was one of them. My classroom being on the 8th floor, the top floor, I thought none would come, but seven students came. I prepared my handout all in English and talked according to that, so the talk got a bit monotonous. I myself got bored as I talked. Next time I do this kind of thing, I would rather plan roughly ant talk more freely., but what shall I talk about then? Oh, a headache!

Thursday, October 6, 2005 Fair

　There were two conferences today-one of the information department and the other of the human rights committee. Tonight I saw the Korean movie " Wolves' Temptation," with my wife. A nice movie. I think I understood around 60 % of the Korean spoken in the movie.

Wednesday, October 5, 2005 Rainy

　At work I spent a lot of time making a student's school report to submit for admission to a technical college. I made this kind of paper for the first time here, and I had to delve into the old school records, too. I called a Korean restaurant in the vicinity of the school to make a reservation. The usual Korean study meeting was held in the morning. I went to the Ward Hall for lunch, and met two of my colleagues there.

Tuesday, October 4, 2005 Cloudy and then rainy.

　In yesterday's online news I read that Elizabeth Taylor, now age 73, who once starred the movie "Cleopatra," is now suffering from depression and has lost her will to live. Man sure is mortal. Beauty is only skin-deep.. There is no raison d'etre, especially in this age of terrorism.

Monday, October 3, 2005 Fair

　In the morning I attended a Korean language study session. In the afternoon I took care of two students whose 'reports' left much to be desired. One of the two even took her makeup. The vulgarity of somebody who mentions something vulgar is out of the question and repulsive. I instinctively abhor that. On the way home I met my wife, who was out on business, and came back home together.

Sunday, October 2, 2005 Fair and then cloudy.

　Today was our sports day. Students got together at 9:30 a.m., and we teachers called the roll at 10:00 a.m. It lasted until around 3:00 p.m. I was preparing for "Inclusive Learning Hour" this week. One of the two vice-principals pointed out a tiny mistake in my online business trip form, saying , "Didn't you do that last year?" I said, "I don't remember such a thing." My wife and I ate out at the usual Chinese restaurant.

Saturday, October 1, 2005 Fair

　Today the weather was nice but rather hot for this time of year. In today's English conversation class were six of us-the same old members. We talked about alcohol, drugs, the way some Westerners work in Japan, differences in education between Japan and the U.S., and so on.