Sunday, July 31, 2011 Cloudy
This past Friday sent my homeroom students their first-term results.
An ESS member came over, studying for a long time in the English interview
room. Over the weekend. I just relaxed at home, reading and watching TV.
Thursday, July 28, 2011 Cloudy
Interviewed five homeroom students today. Reaing "Momo" in
Korean. SF novelist Komatsu Sakyo's death on the 26th has been reported
this evening. Man sure is mortal. Finished reading two library books. Called
a homeroom studnet and caught his mother at last. I wonder why he called
and left a message with a clerk for me.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 Cloudy
At work interviewed seven homeroom students and talked over their first-term
grades etc. Some came with their mother. Starting 1:00 p.m. and ending
at 5:00 p.m. Just exhausted. Ate supper and did a little reading, when
an OCⅠstudent came. This one turned out to be a very demanding one. What
a day!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 Cloudy
Went to work in the morning because of the annual checkup. I usually
have my chest X-rayed and urine tested. That is it. No blood test. Then
after eating lunch and preparing for tomorrow's interviews, off to the
Korean language school. Back home saw a lot of commerical broadcasting
for the first time in many years.
Moday, July 25, 2011 Cloudy
Took a morning walk as usual. My neck pain was rather sharp. Took some
medicine this morning. Went to work and gave some students their makeup
and also checked some reports. Had an English study session as well. Trying
to make a Reading worksheet. It takes time!
Sunday, July 24, 2011 Fair
I watched the last story of the Chinese drama "Shugensho",
the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty. This drama consists of 46 episodes.
I wonder what power is for and also what life is for. Yesterday watched
"Sun Tzu's Art of War" on WOWOW. Sun Tzu lived in the sixth
century B.C. Generally speaking, life is really made light of in Chinese
historical dramas. They commit suicide by slashing the carotid artery with
a sward.
Saturday, July 23, 2011Fair
Yesterday at work had an ESS member for six or seven hours. Also had
seven English students who took their makeup or retest. Installed a bar
code reader into my computer. It really comes in handy. Today at home just
relaxed all day.
Thursday, July 21, 2011 Cloudy
Had a Korean study session. Then we talked about why our society has
become like this-most young people working hard but poor. Is it because
some politicians carried out some administrative reform? Maybe so. Even
into the education world they introduced competition. Competition is not
bad in itself. However, they became too mercenary-distributing money according
to results. That is using the carrot and the stick? Are we horses?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Cloudy
Today's makeups have been cancelled due to Typhoon No.6.. The storm warning
was called off at 10:07 a.m.-7minutes too late. Therefore, there has been
something of a hassle. I sent 70 envelopes to students who may possibly
take English makeups. There were some phone calls for me, too. Kind of
hectic all the time today.
Tuesday, Jly 19, 2011 cloudy and windy, occasionally rainy.
Yesterday was Marine Day, a national holiday. I just relaxed all day.
Today went to the Korean language school and then to work. Did some miscellaneous
work. Typhonn No.6 is coming this way. A storm warning has been issued
anyway.
Sunday, July 17, 2011 Fair
Returned two library books and checked out three. Watched all the recordings
of the weekend Chinese dramas. Today's heat was rather intense, but we
did not use air-conditioning during the day. During the night, that is
not the case. We need to save power by 15 percent. Let's rough it.
Saturday, Juy 16, 2011 Fair
Off to the English conversation school in the morning. There were 15
of us there. Quite a few. After this, went to the supermarket to buy something
to eat for lunch. After eating lunch, took an afternoon nap. Began working
on the Super Crossword in the evening.
Friday, July 15, 2011 Fair
Invigilated two exams. A total of 12 homeroom students will come see
me late this month-so many. On the way home did some shopping and hurried
to the checkout counter, but the cashier made a mistake, saying for me
to go over to the serivice counter, where the clerk kept making mistakes.
I was kept waiting there for nearly half an hour. Too bad.
Thursday, July 14, 2011 Fair
Made my overall plans for the summer holidays. Today I worked as plammed.
Had a Korean study session for one and a half hours. Made a lesson plan.
The temperature was not too high in the room, so I did not take refuge
in the air-conditoned staff room.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Fair
Did not walk this morning. I had to finish up two library books. They
were due today. At work on duty in the teachers' room and then invigilated
the Reading exam. Marked all the OCⅠand also Reading exam papers. Inputted
the results, too. One of the homeroom students called me while I was not
in the room, not telling the clerk what he called me for but just saying
to tell me that he called. I called back but he was not at home. What a
student!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Cloudy
Drove my mother in law to a bank, from where my wife took her to the
ward office to do some procedure. I had a call from my doctor's office
in Tokyo. I may resume traction here-7 or 8 kilos, very weak. Then bought
bread at the usual supermarket. In the afternoon off to the Korean language
school as usual. Came back home and had to read some books.
Monday, July 11, 2011 Fair and then cloudy.
Invigilated two exams and on parking lot duty. Checked some reports and
helped a student with her report. Three or four calls from outside. Had
an English study session with my Korean friend. There was a brief thunderstomr
in the evening.
Sunday, July 10, 2011 Fair and cloudy.
Yesterday went to the usual hospital for the first time in many days.
Looks like the neck pain is back. I knew it would happen some day, but
some day came sooner than I had expected. Anyway I must face the reality.
Today marked 81 English Ⅰexam papers and inputted the results. Took me
over six hours.
Friday, July 8, 2011 Fair
The first-term exams have begun today. Checked over 40 reports and still
81 exam sheets to mark. Double the number of exam sheets last year. Invigilated
one exam and on parking lot duty. The English Interview Room on the fifth
floor was quite hot-33 degrees Celcius.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 Rainy
Two meetings-a Student Council teachers' meeting and a regular staff
meetings. Then off to the fire station with a draft fire drill plan. Walked
all the way in the rain. These days my neck pain and tipsiness really get
me. I may not have long to live as a teacher.
Wednesday, July 6, 2o11 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.
There was a rather strong earthquake yesterday evening. The epicenter
was in Wakayama Prefecture. I was on the third floor of the main school
building. The whole room swayed to and fro for a while-so scary. My health
is not in good condition, either-I mean, my internal environment. I feel
I have aged all of a sudden these days. I feel man is alone after all.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Cloudy
Returned two library books and on the way home got bread at the supermarket.
Could not afford to take a walk this morning. Taking the first half-day
off, went to the Korean language school. Then to work, and had two meetings
to attend and some reports to check. Also sent the summertime interview
inviation to homeroom students.
Monday, july 4, 2011 Cloudy and rainy.
I spent time at home in a lazy manner this past weekend, gaining a lot
of weight. Therefore, I need to lose weight this week. Won't eat anything
after nine o'clock in the evening. Will drink green tea, though. Today
at work kept working little by little all the time, printing the Writing
exam sheets and putting them away in the cabinets for the teacher who has
been absent., preparing some data for two homeroom students because their
ex-teachers are coming tomorrow, getting the invitation for the summertime
interview, etc. Oh, I almost forgot. For two hours in the afternoon we
English teachers waited in the classroom in order to help students with
their English.
Sunday, July 3, 2011 Fair
Was at home all day while my wife and our son were not. My wife went
to Kyoto to see an art exhibition and our son to work. I just tried not
to think about anythingn related to work.
Saturday, July 2, 2011 Fair
Last night I was so very exhausted I could not think, so went to bed
without solving the Super Crossword Puzzle. Even during the day, while
teaching in class yesterday, I made a couple of silly mistakes, misspellings,
for instance. The humidity really got me and my brain was malfunctioning,
I guess. This morning went to the English conversation shcool as usual.
Took it easy and talked a lot anyway. An easygoing Saturday, which is a
good thing to me anyway.