Friday, May 31, 2013 Fair

　Day two or everning two of my slow-jogging in the evening with my wife in the neighborhood park. This morning drank some mix juice made by the machine my wife has got recently. That was great.

Thursday, May 30, 2013 Rainy

　The rainy season was declared three days ago. At work just a joint staff meeting for the annual budget, but the settlement was just a mess-ununderstanble, the worst so far. The bad thing about it is that they tried to cover up their mistakes or negligence.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Rainy and then cloudy.

　Rather hot and humid today. Two classes to take care of. The HR was taken care of by the other teacher, which turned out to be a nice discussion. Yesterday went to the Korean class, the instructor of which, Ms. Lee is really a great teacher. I was impressed. On Monday, taught two classes. It was so hot my mind almost went blank at one moment, making an mistake in class. Too bad. However, to err is human...

Sunday, May 26, 2013 Fair

　Went on an outing at Sanjo, Kyoto. Walked a lot in the hot weather, doing a lot of sight-seeing with a colleague and a homeroom student. This fellow teacher went to school there and knew a lot about the area, so I got to know something unfamiliar to me, which was quite nice.

Saturday, May 25, 2013 Fair

　Went joggong along the road this mornin for a little over 30 minutes. That was it. For the rest of the day, just slept. I have never slept this much lately. Maybe because after I retired, I tend to relax a lot over the weekend, so that pattern may have settled into my life.

Friday, May 24, 2013 Fair

　Teaching two classes in a row was really tiring. Took one hour off and came back. I still have a lot of paid holidays left. I need to use them by the end of this school year.

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Fair

　Threre was some trouble with the mail I had sent one of my hormeroom students. It did not get there. So strange! What happened? This kind of thing has never happened so far. For sure this workplace has a lot of diversity. Today we had a meeting to share info on students. This year the busyness is the same as ever although my pay is less than half.

Wednesday, May 22, 2012 Fair

　At work two classes to teach. Made some handouts, but short of time. Brought some work home. Too bad, but I have no choice. Our little cat got sick again. My wife is taking her to the vet. My wife is sick, too. We are all sick. I am sick and tired of being sick. That is not sic. Just playing with words...

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Fair

　Been to the Korean language school. On the way home bought something for supper at the department store almost as usual. Bought three NHK textbooks, too‐English, Korean, and Chinese. Today there was no sign language club because they went on an outing in Kyoko.

Monday, May 20, 2013 Cloudy

　At work, although I had only one class to teach, I got exhasuted because I made a couple of handouts and did the printing. It took me around two hours. Period three was not much because there were only a few students.

Sunday, May 19, 2013 Cloudy and then rainy.

　Jogged along the street this morning since some people were playing baseball in the usual playground. As it was raining all afternoon, instead of going to the library read a book or two at home. Had an English book sent to my son as a birthday present, via Amazon. Yesterday I happened to forget the plural form of a simple English word, which came to me as a shock. In low spirits now.

Saturday, May 18, 2013 Cloudy

　Went jogging early in the morning. Been to the doctor. In the afternoon off to the library, where I spent three hours or so dozing and reading. The place was full today with some junior high kids who knew no manners.

Friday, May 17, 2013 Fair

　Tried to make some handouts for next week by utilizing what little time I had at work. Back home read a couple of books before gettting to sleep. Healthwise I wonder why this heartburn bothers me. I know I am aging and that the mouth of my stomach is loosening. Well, got to see the doc.

Thursday, May 16, 2013 Fair

　Just finished solving the Super Crossword. It was so hard I almost gave up. Today at work the staff meeting was not too long, so I had some time to make a Rreading worksheet for next week. On the way home bought supper for the two of us. Took a nap in the evening, too.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Fair

　Teaching three classes in a row, I got really tired but then I had some more work to do with someone else for an hour or so. Maybe today must be the busiest day so far this term. This school year I have changed the way I teach English. I am still having trials and errors. I will get some conclusions sooner or later. Just wait and see.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Fair

　There was a surprise at the Korean language school. We had a new teacher. The old one was fired. And the new one is Ms. Lee, who taught me Korean for the first time eight years ago. On the way home got two pork cutlew bento and beer for supper. My better half is still coughing. She is an ex-nurse but does not take good care of herself.

Monday, May 13, 2013 Fair and hot.

　It was like summer today. Today's C English �Tclass was not as good as the one last week because there was less participation although there were dozens of students. As a result of the diagnositic test, I found out only 10 out of 50 are familiar with how to use the personal pronouns. Too bad. Quite a few even do not know their alphabet. No wonder their participation was poor today.

Sunday, May 12, 2013 Fair

　Spent a few years reading in the city library. After retiring I often spend some time in the library over the weekend. I think high school teachers are too busy to think about how to teach their students or about life. As Ende wrote in "Momo," we are being deprived of our precious time by time thieves. We just keep paying attention to the outside world, forgetting about looking inside of ourselves. It is a real pity.

Saturday, May 11, 2013 Rainy and then cloudy.

　So I worked at home today, getting the second-term Reading reports ready. This adademic year I have changed the way I teach my studetns English quite a lot. It seems to be working anyway. Some great Japanese teachers of English, university professors, did a lot of research for a few years and got some results on how to get out of the rut of the so-called translation method. Here oral reading is emphasized, which idea I think isi quite right.

Friday, May 10, 2013 Cloudy and then rainy.

　Hectic at work, teaching two classes, OC�Tand Reading. Also checked some reports. Setting my goals for this school year, wrote my Assess-and-Assess System report. Will hand it in on Monday. Exhausted at the end of the day.

Thursday, May 9, 2013 Cloudy

　At work worked overtime because the staff meeting lasted too long and there remained little time for us reemployees for the shipment. I do not have enough time to do everything at work. Actually, I have to take some work home. Too bad.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013 Fair

　Schooling started today. I had two classes to take care of-C English �Tand Homeroom. Left pretty much undone for C English �T. A call from a student without manners. Recently students like this seem to have increased. A sign of the times? I hate to say something like "You devil or brute!", but I cannot think of any other words for such human beings.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Fair

　Yesterday finished reading two library books. Today went to the sign language club in the morning and to the Korealn language school in the afternoon. Bout bento for supper on the way home because my wife is still coughing.

Sunday, May 5, 2013 Fair

　Our second-son left for Tokyo in the morning after taking a shower. Last night our first-born son came over, but I fell asleep in bed, tired from visiting my mother. This afternoon, too, spent three hours or so in the library.

Saturday, May 4, 2013 Cloudy

　Instead of visiting my mother on Mother's Day, went to see her today. Got there a little past 1:00 p.m. Spent a few hours talking, drinking tea and coffee, went slow-jogging with my sis, and so on. Left for home around 5;00 p.m. Again I had that scotoma. Yesterday that happened, so for two consecutive days. My sis gave me a ride to the usual station.

Friday, May 3, Fair

　Went jogging along the road because the park in back of my place was occupied by some delinquent old men who usually play baseball there although it is prohibited. Went to Kohnan to busy some cat food, cat sand, and so on with my wife.In the afternoon went to the city library and spent two hours reading.

Thursday, May 2, 2013 Cloudy

　Went work. At work just prepared for the very first two classes next week. Since I am going to teach in a new manner, I am a little nervous now. Well, whatever may happen, I am trying hard for my students. That is all. Got to work at home during the rest of the consecutive holidays.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　A workday. Worked almost as planned at work. Actually, overworked myself. Returned two library books on the way back. In the morning went shopping at Daie for cat food. It is 10 percent off on the first of the month. That is why.