Sunday, January 31, 2010 Rainy

　Today's morning walk was just half as long as usual for lack of time. As soon as I got to work, a student came to see me for help. Helped him all day. Got a sealed transcript ready. Prepared for the sign-up assistance. There was an English teachers' meeting, too. We discussed a possible new curriculum. It ended sooner than I had thought. Back home watched two Korean dramas on TV and the 67th episode of 'Isan' on DVD.

Saturday, January 30, 2010 Fair

　Called a travel agent. I am thinking of taking a three-day trip to Jeju toward the end of March. Went out to buy some canned cat food this afternoon. Watched a couple of episodes of the Korean drama 'Isan.'' When a person comes to power, what will become of him? Absolute power corrupts absolutely.Checked out another book at the library.

Friday, January 29, 2010 Fair

　Took a walk a bit late in the morning. The rest is my daily routine-reading today's Morning Letter in Korean, reading an English book out loud for 15 minutes or so, taking a shower, watching the spiral morning Korean drama, and eating lunch before leaving home for work. At work checked 40 reports or so, invigilated the English �Texam, helped a student with his report, marked the English �Texam papers, was on duty in the teachers' room. etc. A full day.On the way home read a book on the trains.Back home ate a bowl of zenzai with a rice cake and half an apple.　

Thursday, January 28, 2010 Cloudy

　At work there was a lecture given by a female newspaper reporter on the poverty of the young in Japan as well as in Britain. Poverty is handed down from a generation to the next. It is impossible to get away from it by working hard. Other people must be involved. It is a social problem. However, here in Japan people tend to think of it as a private matter. The slogan in Britain is "Every Child Matters." (ECM) Young people in Japan are worse off than those in other developed countries. A lamentable fact.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Cloudy

　At work checked around ten reports, finished making the transcript for a student, helped a student with his report, did some preparations for the sign-up assistance period, had an English study meeting, etc. At home our black and white cat is now really dying, eating little, smelling of blood. If she dies, we will have three cats die. They all lived for over ten years.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Cloudy

　Absented myself from today's sign language club's weekly meeting, at which somebody was supposed to give a lecture or a talk. Took a walk a little late in the morning. Also checked out three books at the municipal library and bought some bread at the usual supermarket. In the afternoon went to the Korean language classroom, and as soon as it was over, hurried to my workplace. Helped a Reading student with his report, checked some reports, and prepared a transcript for a graduating student. Talked with a fellow English teacher about the status quo of our English department-quite lamentable.

Monday, January 25, 2010 Cloudy, partly rainy.

　There was a Korean study meeting this morning for 90 minutes or so as usual. I had an early lunch as I brought my box lunch. The Reading class student who said he would come at 12:30 p.m did not show up. I prepared some sheets to send to the graduating students, the so-called 'stagnant' students, and 'active' students. Corrected some reports.

Sunday, January 24, 2010 Fine

　This morning I read and saw a photo collection with captions in English by Shinya Fujiwara. Its title is "Memento Mori (Remember Death)." While reading it, our dying cat bled a lot suddenly on my wife's lap. The table and the floor were stained with blood. She may die from loss of blood. From what the vet said, she should have died in November, 2008-more than one year ago. Last year our white cat died in May, my dad in June, and this black and white cat's death is imminent. Death has been just by my side all along these days. Well, it must have always, just I was not aware of its presence. Oh, Michael Cricton, one of my favorite novelists, died last year, too, and so young. Come to think of it, death is all around. And it is so natural...

Saturday, January 23, 2010 Overcast and cold.

　Although a bit later than usual, woke up and took out the garbage anyway. Then finished reading the three library books which were due today. Gave my mother-in-law a ride to her clinic. I took notes about those books I read. Ate udon for lunch. Then went to the library to return the books. I took a walk for some time in the afternoon, too. In the evening saw the 48th episode of the Korean drama "Isan" after doing the dishes.

Friday, January 22, 2010 Cloudy

　Today was the last schooling day of this academic year. I taught two classes-Reading and OC�T. In today's Reading class we read the last section of Anne's Diary. Most of the students find this lesson impressive. This material has its power. I checked 40 reports today and helped a student with her report. Really tired out. I also put the exam sheets away in the cabinets.

Thursday, January 21, 2010 Rainy and then cloudy.

　Two meetings-Student Council and staff. Then shipping mail to students. I printed the final exams. Took me over an hour. While checking reports today, came across a sheet inserted in one of the reports. That was a handout used in class. The same questions on one of the reports were there. I was reminded of something similar an ex-teacher here did several years ago. It should be a tacit understanding among us English teachers that explaining the answers to the questions on a report is not what we are supposed to do. What we do is to teach English per se.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Cloudy and then rainy.

　So busy all day teaching, checking reports, helping a student with his English, and so on that I could not afford the time to read the books I brought with me. I could not listen to all the iPod programs, either. All the classes for this school year's English �Tare over. I am under the impression that the students have become less hardworking as the reports have gotten easier. Their intellectual curiosity seems to have gone down. However, it cannot be helped. Teaching is no longer fun intellectually here. Students should not study English just to get the credits, though.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Cloudy

　Checking in a library book and out two, the sign language club, buying bread, and the Korean language school. I was busy during the day. In the evening I watched an episode or two of "Isan." We ate pizza for supper. Feeling tired, I did not take a brisk walk. Maybe fatigue must have piled up. I will go to bed early and rejuvenate.

Monday, January 18, 2010 Cloudy

　At work just two classes to take care of in the third and fourth periods. After the homeroom period, a student came and talked with me. While talking, she compared my English �Tclasses and the other teacher's. She says the other teacher uses the board very well. Now I am under the impression that most English �Tstudents think much of taking notes from the board. So this is their idea of an English �Tclass. Thinking sound is important, all I write on the board is just necessary information-just jotting it down. This student does well at school. Maybe I should listen to her, but still I want to spend more time reading, speaking,, and writing English itself in class. Therefore, I am thinking of explaining how to use the notebook next school year, saying that just copying from the board is not everything and that the notebook is what they themselves make, not what the teacher writes on the board, which information is far from sufficient.　

Sunday, January 17, 2010 Cloudy

　Handed in the last report on the assess-and-nurture system. Prepared for tomorrow's classes and Wednesday's Homeroom. Did some other odds and ends such as stamping envelopes with the "sign-up handbook" stamp, checking a Reading report, making some copies of a sheet for the homeroom period, cleaning the room, and writing on the board on the 2nd floor a message intended for graduating students.

Saturday, January 16, 2010 Cloudy

　Today being a holiday for me, stayed in bed longer than usual, getting up around 8:00 a.m. Went to the English conversation school after taking a shower. In the afternoon, after eating lunch, I felt so sleepy I took a nap, ending up sleeping too long. Waking up, I ate supper and watched two Korean dramas-KNTV's Sondok Wang and KBS's Sol Yakkuk-Chip Aduldul. I took a short brisk walk between the two dramas.

Friday, January 15, 2010 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　Took today's walk late in the morning, too. Although I try hard to walk in the morning for some time, it seems hard to lose weight. At work I was out to lunch all day, making some booboos. There must have been so much on my mind. Anyway thanks to some colleagues, things went all right. These day I make it a rule to take a break playing bingo in the middle of my classes, which is good for a change of air.
　

Thursday, January 14, 2010 Fair and cloudy.

　Got up a little late and took my daily constitutional late, too, in the morning. Took a shower, watched the Korean drama, ate an early lunch as usual, and left for work. At the workplace, read a little of each of the three books I brought. Then there was an information meeting for the sign-up assistance procedure for this next school year. It took nearly two hours. Made a checklist on the computer and ran off around 40 copies, sticking each on an envelope later and filling in with the student number and name. of each of those students who need to sign up for the school year 2010. Also printed about 70 copies of the sign-up simulation sheet.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Cloudy, windy and cold.

　This morning's walking was quite tough because the wind was so strong an cold I could hardly breathe. So, I changed the route and took a less tiring walking route. I listened to the radio and the iPod while walking. On my way to and back from work I could do some reading. I had my Korean friend over and studied the usual paperback together. My brain was not in Korean mode today. Watched "Isan" far into the night.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Woke up a little later than usual, hardly listening to the radio Korean program. Took a shower and went to the sign language club, buying some bread and mikan on the way back. After eating lunch, left for the Korean language school. Today's Korean class was OK. Got a courtesy desk calendar there. Next week we are having a review test. The good part of having a fight between husband and wife is that you can spend more time reading, thinking, and walking, and the bad part is that you feel yourself in a somewhat stressful and awkward situation.

Monday, January 11, 2010 Cloudy

　Only studied for tomorrow's test in Korean in the Korean classroom anyway. In the morning things went OK until the morning Korean drama, but in the afternoon, while going over the Korean handouts and doing my homework, I felt so sleepy and tired I took a nap. Now I am awake I have to study for the Korean test a little more. My wife has been watching the recorded serial Korean drama episodes.

Sunday, January 10, 2010 Fair and cloudy.

　No time to take a brisk walk this morning. Just did the radio exercises, took a shower, swept the floor and left home for work. As soon as I got to my workplace, I cleaned the floor. Could work at my own pace all day, patrolling around the gym at the end of the day. Spent some time chatting with the nighttime part-time English teacher, too. A homeroom student came to see me for her Inclusive Hour.

Saturday, January 9, 2010 Fair

　Went to the dermatologist first thing in the morning after taking a shower. I was given an ointment this time. Then I took my mother-in-law to her doctor. My wife accompanied her as usual. We ate lunch at the usual roadside noodle shop. Dropping my wife's mother at her place, my wife and I went shopping for daily necessities, cat sand, Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee, etc. On the way home, I felt like eating some sweets, so we dropped by at the usual confectionery. Before having a coffee bread, I went to the library to get an extension on the library book which was due today. In the evening I took a brisk walk in the dark all alone.

Friday, January 8, 2010 Cloudy

　Did the radio exercises after eating a slice of bread with some coffee milk. Then read a paperback out loud in English for 15minutes or so. Listened to NHK's Korean program. This morning, too, walked for an hour or so, listening to my iPod. Studied a little more and watched the morning Korean drama on KBS. Ate lunch and left for work. Work was not too busy today. One class and 16 reports to check. Prepared for the sign-up assistance period.

Thursday, January 7, 2010 Cloudy

　While walking this morning, I listened to my iPod with a towel around my neck. Discarded the old shoes with shock-absorbing insoles. Remove the insoles beforehand and used them in my present shoes. Two meetings today. They ended soon enough, which is good. Finished making the 3rd-term Reading exam.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 Cloudy and cold.

　A morning walk by the same route a little later than yesterday. Better to use a towel around my neck because of perspiration and also to carry my iPod after upgrading the night before. Took a calendar to the workplace and pinned it up at the same spot on the wall. The third-term Reading test is almost ready. Studied English with my Korean friend. On the way home met my wife at the station. She had been to her little gym near the station. We shopped for canned cat food.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 Cloudy and cold.

　Took a brisk walk in the morning all by myself because my wife said she would not. Given my present weight, it is now mandatory. Got an extension on my library book and bought some bread as usual. At work made part of the 3rd-term Reading exam on a computer on the second floor. People are always shooting the breeze there, while I have so much work to do.

Monday, January 4, 2010 Cloudy

　Got up later than usual and reported for work for the first time this year. The 3rd-term OC�Ttest is almost ready, including the listening comprehension part. Work on the computer on the second floor, although it was too noisy all around. The floors were being waxed and I had to walk carefully. Only two reports to check. One New Year's card from a student.

Sunday, January 3, 2010 Cloudy

　Our second son has left for Tokyo, leaving his iPod behind. Today I just saw a couple of episodes of Isan on DVD. Read a book a little. Took a shower and found that I had gained weight again. Too bad. I did not get any exercise during the holidays. Our first-born son cleaned his room all right, but he put all his junk in my room. What a man!

Saturday, January 2, 2010 Fair

　My wife wanted to make sukiyaki for the kids but found the electric sukiyaki pan missing. I guess she gave it to her sister last year. She forgot about it. So we went to Joshin nearby, but the one we wanted was out of stock. The clerk who attended to us called another shop and we hurried there to get the same type of electric pan. Have been to Mom's place with a box of herring roe. Got two bags of tea leaves.

Friday, January 1, 2010 Cloudy, occasionally sunny.

　I woke up first this morning, feeding the cats and doing the radio exercises as usual. Also cleaned the floor and did the dishes. My wife made zenzai. I took a short afternoon nap and saw the 17th episode of Isan. Our two sons went out to see their friends. Just an empty nest as usual. Our younger cat, who is in heat for the first time, is still being noisy. It has been a very cold day with a strong wind blowing outside all day.