Friday, December 31, 2010 Cloudy

　My wife has been trying hard to clean the living room. Our two kids are taking it easy today. I finished reading a library book. Also went to the banks and the post office to transfer, withdraw, and deposit money on behalf of my wfe, who is busily putting the room in order. Did some shopping on the way back, too. This year I read 71 books in all, but there are not very many books written in English among them. Next year I am thinking of reading more English novels. At night our first-born son lost something important. We all tried to look for it in vain for hours.

Thursday, December 30, 2010 Cloudy

　Cleaned the rooms on and off. Still in poor health coughing from time to time, especially when it is cold. My wife, recovering more quickly than I, began cleaning the room, too. Our second son went to his year-end party before coming here. The place is the tavern near the train station. When my cell phone alarm went off, I woke up from my nap and got to my feet, listening to NHK's Business English in Action.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 Cloudy

　In the morning did some cleaning, but got tired and began to cough again, so decided to take a break. Just ate instant noodles for lunch after watching the usual Korean drama. Did a little more cleaning toward the evening. My wife cooked oden for supper. Our first-born son came home after working all night, fixing the machinery. Our second son will be coming home from Tokyo tomorrow. Maybe it will be raining then. At night listening to The Brothers Four sing Four Strong Winds made me so nostalgic of the good old days. Looks like I already belong to the past... This year our cat Igi died on February 3. Last year Chil died on May 11, 2009. Also Dad passed away on July 2, 2009. The ones who are dear to me belong to the past, too.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 Fair, cloudy and rainy, thundering occasionally.

　The last workday of the year 2010. At work made part of the third-term exams, cleaned the desk to the left of mine in the English Interview Room, etc. My coughing is almost the same as ever as yet. Hope this medicine will work. Although I will have to clean the rooms at home, I am afraid I may not be able to. Our first-born son will not come home tonight. He has to repari some machine at his workplace. My wife's voice is hoarse.

Monday, December 27, 2010 Cloudy

　Went to see the doctor with my wife. Both of us are sick coughing a lot. I have been coughing for more than two weeks. I had my chest x-rayed. The doctor said I had no neumonia. He prescribed a different kind of medicine this time. He advised my wife to go see the ear, nose and throat doctor, too. She followed his advice. I met her at that doctor's office in the evening on my way back from work and went back home together after buying us supper. I took a few hours off.

Sunday, December 26, 2010 Cloudy

　Still coughing from time to time. It has been very cold today. Been to the library to check in one and out another book. On the way back got together with my wife, who had been at her beauty parlor to have her hair dyed. We did some shopping together at the supermarkets. After eating, will watch the the usual serial dramas.

Saturday, December 25, 2010 Cloudy

　Went out with my son to Yodobashi Camera at Umeda and bought a new iPod-iPod touch this time. Bought some other stuff, too, such as a pedometer, some spare Brown toothbrushes, and a couple of spare cartridges of printer ink. Ate lunch at a restaurant on the sixth floor of the same building. The place was so crowded I really got tired. Anyway I have a new iPod now. However, it is not easy to use fully.

Friday, December 24, 2010 Cloudy

　I have lost my iPod today. Its body came off from the earphones. I was not aware when it happened. What a shame! I am sure it happened at work. I have used it for two and a half years or so. Our son had a day off today. He went out and came back home with a Christmas cake after buying some life insurance. At work I am in the process of making teaching plans for January, the Reading and OC�Ttests, hints for the third-term reports, etc.

Thursday, December 23, 2010 Cloudy

　Wrote some New Year's cards using a picture of Buggs Bunny found online. Also used his well-nown line "What's up, Doc? Of course you know this means war." Did some cleaning-today only on and under the desk. Easy to say, but took a lot of time and energy. I got tired out. The cough goes on, which is very tiring.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010 Cloudy

　Day 10 after my coughing started. What a persistent one! Well, I am still alive anyway. The medicine my doctor never seems to agree with me, though. Went to work and sent my homeroom students their second-term results. Also sent some for the colleague on sick leave. Made the Reading reports for next school year's first term. In the process of making the finals for Reading and OC�T. Filled out the Nurture and Assess System form anyway. What a bore! There were some other odds and ends to take care of, too.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010 Fair

　Absented myself from the Korean class today because of my bad coughing. I called and talked with my Korean teacher in Korean. Maybe I should take it easy today, I thought to myself. Now school is out for a while for the winter holidays. I will have to report to work, though. I will make next school year's reports and handouts for my January classes. Also I should do some cleaning at work.

Monday, December 20, 2010 Fair

　Had another attack of coughing last night. Coughed badly almost all night. A very stubborn cough. My wife has begun to show similar symptoms. She got it from me probably. In spite of this violent cough, I got some sleep before I woke up this morning, so I decided to go to work. After all I managed to work all day today-a Korean study session, two classes to teach, and dozens of reports to correct. Today's schooling was last this year.

Sunday, December 19, 2010 Fair

　Today being a workday, I went to work, but the other two teacher were absent and I had the English Interview Room on the fifth floor all to myself for the first time in many days. I had my Korean friend over and read the usual book in English but I kept coughing all the time. Also an English �Tstudent came over and worked on the reports. I tried to contact another English �Tstudent in vain with her homeroom teacher absent today.

Saturday, December 18, 2010 Fair

　Absented myself from today's English-speaking session. Instead went to see the doctor because I hardly slept last night coughing almost all night. Forgot to return two library books which were due. I wil use the book drop tomorrow if possible. Otherwise I will go aplologize. Hope I will not cough the way I did last night.

Fridday, December 17, 2010 Fair

　The deadline for the second term. There was no end to the stream of students coming to the Enlgish Interview Room up until around 9:00 p.m. Two kids were irresposible enough not to bring their seond-term reports directly to me. I had to make liots of phone calls. Extra hassle. Helped around fifteen students with their reports, made some phone calls to a few students, and checked dozens of reports. What a hectic day! At the end of the day I was reduced to pulp.

Thursday, December 16, 2010 Cloudy

　This high school of ours is being attacked by the prefectural politicians. They are going to sacrifice this school in order to get more money for such school as can send more students to better universities. The law of the jungle is now being applied to our students as well as to us teachers. Now the name of the game is survival here, too. The survival of the fittest, social Dawinism. It is a dog-eat-dog world, and the end of the world.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Fair

　As soon as I got to work, I had a Reading student taking her makeup. Then afte I was thorugh with the Inculsive Learning Hour, came another who took two makeups. I also had an English �Tstudent who had not finished any of the three reports, telling me, however, to recognize his hard work because he came to see me anyway. I refused. After I ate supper, I had still another Reading student. While doing all this, I took care of the school festival's financial reports. About five or six people's accounts are going to be overdue.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 Cloudy

　Could not take a walk for the third straight day. I do not feel up to it. Although I did not have to go to today's sign language meeting, I had to go to the Korean language school. On the way home, I did some shopping at the usual supermarket. My cough has not stopped yet. It is not much, but my throat is kind of itchy.

Monday, December 13, 2010 Cloudy

　Although I did not feel all right, I had to leave for school. Had a Korean study session, taught a Reading class, and helped some students with their reports. When all was done, it was past seven. Then came a call asking me for a grade certificate for a graduate. This took me some time, and it was the last straw. My eyes hurt so I could not open my eyes from time to time.

Sunday, December 12, 2010 Cloudy

　When I woked up this morning, I found myself having a sore throat. However, I had to report to work today because it was our school festival and I was in charge of something. Worked just as planned. Things went better than last year. Helped a Reading student with the reports. Coming back home, watched the usual dramas. My wife had been to the beauty parlor, but to me, her hairdo is not much.

Saturday, December 11, 2010 Cloudy

　Prepared for tomorrow's school festival. Things all went smoothly because my partner was good to work with. We got the attendance sheets ready, moved the desks downstairs, put the waste baskets in place, etc. My bonus is very small just as I expected. This is Osaka, the wosrt pay for teachers in Japan.

Friday, December 10, 2010 Cloudy

　Four students came to see me and worked on their reports. Again it was very, very tiring to help such a student as is reluctant to study-unwilling but wants only the result, no process in-between. There is something wrong with that attitude, but I cannot blame students like that because ours is such a society. The in-between process is not evaluated. Results alone are estimated even among teachers.Teacher are now being choked to death under much stress. No decent pay and overwork. Politics intervening too much in education.

Thursday, December 9, 2010 Cloudy and cold.

　Two Reading students came, one studying for arouhd three hours and the other four. They really worked hard, which is good. However, there is somebody who is reluctant. It is really tiring to help out such a student. You can take a horse to warter, but you cannot make it drink, you know. The way I see it, it is a sense of purpose that matters.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Cloudy

　With only one class to teach, I thought that I could take it easy at work. However, contrary to my expectations, students came one after the other, asking me to help with their reports. I ended up helping them just before I left for home. What a hectic day! Back home, drank and ate a little maybe becasue of stress. Not too good.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 Cloudy

　Took a walk in the morning. On the way back from the walk dropped in at the supermarket and bought some bread. Then went to the sign language club's weekly meeting. After that, went buy some side dishes . In the afternoon off to the Korean language school. Coming back home, took it easy at night, going to bed at the usual time, midnight.

Monday, December 6, 2010 Cloudy

　As one of the English teachers was absent, I had to teach two extra classes as soon as I was done with the daytime classes. I had a quick supper and got ready for that. Well, the night students for English　�T were O.K., but there were only three for Reading class, which made it hard for me to manage. However, they were all good students. Going to school early for our Korean study session, I taught for around six hours in all. That was a full day!

Sunday, December 5, 2010 Cloudy

　Ate out for lunch with somebody I know at a nearby restaurant. Had fun eating and chatting for a while. Waited for a Reading student in vain. During that time, made an English �Thandout and read some books. Coming back home, watched four Korean or Chinese dramas on TV, including a recording, forgetting about work.

Saturday, December 4, 2010 Fair

　I did a lot of things today. First, took a morning walk as usual, then went to the Egnlish conversation class, next walked to the library, went shopping for some clothing, and drove to Joshin. Walked about 30,000 steps. At night there were a couple of Korean or Chinese dramas to watch on CATV. I cannot imagine having noting to do at all all day long or not knowing what to do with myself. My life is sort of Spartan, no luxuries, but enjoyable enough for me.

Friday, December 3, 2010 Cloudy and windy.

　It was so windy that again the train schedule was disrupted, and the train I got on was jam-packed. Helped two Reading students with their reports. There was a student who handed in all the three second-term reports today. It took nearly an hour to correct them all. Exhausted. Kind of drove me nuts.

Thursday, December 2, 2010 Cloudy

　Rather warm all day. I'm retiring from work in the near future, but I will still have the need to continue to work to pay off our mortgage. I'm not a good number cruncher. I turn to my wife for that kind of stuff. I know, however, we need to take a long, hard look at our cash flow. At any rate, the way things are now in this country, we are not likely to spend our golden years free from any economic worries.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 Cloudy

　Took a walk in the morning as usual, dropping by the supermarket on the way home. At work made two handouts and the third period was Homeroom. Back home, worked on the Super Crossword until midnight. Now I have to hit the sack. Feel sleepy.