Friday, July 31, 2009 Fair

　Had to take a day off today because I went to the hospital. It took me a whole day. When I saw the ophthalmologist last Saturday, he suggested I go to the hospital for a further checkup. That is why. The hospital doctor said there is nothing wrong, but I was tiried out waiting so long fro my turn. I thought those who go to the hospital must be sturdy enough to wait for such a long time. If you are really sick or ill, you will not even feel up to going to the hospital.

Thursday, July 30, 2009 Cloudy

　Happened to wake up in the wee hours and applied the eye lotion to both eyes. Found an email for me in the mailbox. Wrote back. At work sent my homeroom students their grades for the first term after printing addressed envelopes and my message. Felt a bit of hunger and went to the nearby supermarket to buy something to eat and drink. Also ate ramen for a snack. Tried to make a handout for Part 4 of Lesson 11, but not done yet. Read a book a little as usual.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 Cloudy

　Gave a couple of stuents a retest. Corrected several reports. Helped a student with her report. She said that she would come again tomorrow. My wife began to watch KNTV today at home. On the way home ran into a colleague at the station where I usually change trains. Studied English with my friends for two hours or so. I recommeded that one of them study English grammar.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Cloudy, raining on and off.

　Took my wife's mother to the doctor instead of going to the sign language club. She needed to get an IV again. Took a half day off and went to the Korean classroom. Then to work and made part of the next handout for Reading. Read a little bit both in English and Korean. Decided to take the so-called 'Refresh Holidays' from August 10 to 14th and did the red tape online.

Monday, July 27, 2009 Cloudy

　I had my chest X-rayed and had a urine test. Today was our medical checkup day. I was the first man to be examined this afternoon. Made another handout for Reading. Saw the second-term English �Treports for the first time today and was surprised because it is just the same as the textbook. I have never seen anything like that. Happened to find that I am entitled to the so-called Refresh Holidays, five consecutive holidays, while I was on the SSC Net.

Sunday, July 26, 2009 Overcast

　This morning the 'cat bus' ran out of control at our home. My face was part of the roads. The young cat even scratched my face. It hurt. I screamed. She is really naughty. What a rascal! The other cat, who is old, cannot meaow any more. She does not have that much strength now. Maybe her days are numbered just like the white cat, who died in mid-May.

Saturday, July 25, 2009 Cloudy

　Took my mother-in-law to her cardiologist. Then go see an ophthalomologist myself. The eye doctor diagnosed my illness as conjunctivitis, prescribing me three kinds of eye lotion. I need to apply them to both my eyes at intervals of five minutes four times a day. As we get older, we are likely to need more medicine. That is aging. That is life.

Friday, July 24, 2009 Cloudy

　Gave my mother-in-law a ride over to her doctor. She needed to get an IV. She seems to be getting better anyway. Tomorrow I will drive her to another doctor. Killed another long-legged wasp flying over my parking space. Too bad. Actually, they are not harmful when they live away from humans. At work gave a couple of students an OC�Tmakeup. Checked some reports and marked the exam papers, inputting the results.

Thursday, July 23, 2009 Cloudy

　I noticed a long-legged wasp or two hovering around the parking space this morning, too. The janitor has not told me what he did yet. Drove my mother-in-law to the clinic for a drip again. Her kidney is a bit swollen. She is my late father's age. At work marked the Reading exam papers. Put ahe rest of the exam papers into envelopes and sent them to the students. Inputted the results of the exams. There was a teachers' education session on developmental disorders between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Cloudy (Total Eclipse Day)

　The last day of the first-term exam period. On duty on the hall, which I found very uncomforttable to do because the majority of our students are not that unruly. Who decided to do that, I wonder? On duty at the school gate, too. However, we were not sure who to let in. Checked 20 reports or so. Marked the Reading exam papers, but not done yet.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Cloudy

　Went to the sign language club in the morning and to the Korean class in the afternoon as usual. On the way home, did some shopping at the supermarket as uaual. Just one of those Tuesdays, which is good. Took a nap in the evening when there was a call from my wife's mother, who seemed to have eaten something that did not agree with her. Got to take her to the doctor first thing in the morning tomorrow.

Monday, July 20, 2009 Cloudy

　Today was a national holiday called 'Ocean Day'( 'Marine Day') and also the 49th day after my Dad's death, so a Buddhist memorial service was held. I did not know we were going to chant a sutra together. I felt as if I were a member of a religious cult group. However, now I realize why some people chant a sutra so intently. It is because that is the way for salvation.

Sunday, July 19, 2009 Cloudy

　All day hard at work, doing one job after another. Madea Reading handout for the second term. Was on duty in the teachers' room for an hour, during which I studied Korean. Prepared a schoolwork status sheet to send with the exam paper. Also cleaned the English Interview Room. Sent some students a retest schedule. At the condo complex there still are some long-legged wasps flying around my parking space although the janitor said he had removed the nest there. Again wrote a note asking him to do something about it.

Saturday, July 18, 2009 Cloudy

　Getting up early in the morning, took out the garbage while the family were still in bed and also worked on the Super Crossword. Our second son came back home from Tokyo late last night to see our new cat. Went to the English conversation school and did some shopping at the supermarket on the way home. My wife's aunt came to see us and we played mahjong together.

Friday, July 17, 2009 Cloudy

　Finished grading the English �Texam papers. Invigitaled two exams. Also the marking of the OC�Texam papers was done. Checked some reports. On duty in the first teachers' room in the evening. Helped a Reading student with his reports for a couple of hours. While I was at it, an OC�Tstudent took her exam in the English Interview Room.

Thursday, July 16, 2009 Cloudy

　As soon as I got to school, I began to mark the exam sheets. There was a teaches' education session-a lecture on career guidance. It began at 130 p.m., ending around 3:00 p.m. Then resumed marking the English�Texam papers. Had an English study meeting later. The marking is not done yet. It takes time. Just a few reports to check. Read "Happy for No Reason" on the homeward-bound trains.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Cloudy

　Something I had never expected happened today. The second-term Reading report's No. 4 was OC�T's No.4. How could something like this happen? So I had to change the wrong one for the right one. I tried to print 50 copies of that No.4. However, the printer was new to me, and I had no idea how to change the so-called 'Master Roll.' I asked someone to do it and did the printing and replaced the wrong ones. Ten students or so had already taken the wrong one. This happening was really a bolt from the blues. Checked over 20 reprots and began to mark the English �Texam papers.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Fair

　So hot and humid it is easy to have a heat stroke today. This morning I walked to the supermarket. Just walking there was so tiring, so I deciede not to go to the sign language club today. In the afternoon went to the Korean class. On the way home there was again an accident involving injury or death. I had to walk some distance to a different train station. Of course, they issued transfer tickets.

Monday, July 13, 2009 Fair

　It has been so hot and humid today. I perspired a lot. I even changed into another undershirt. A morning Korean study meeting. Invigilated two exams in the first and third periods. Checked over 20 reports. Began to make Reading handouts for the second term. A couple of homeroom students came to see me. Helped a Reading student with his reports.

Sunday, July 12, 2009 Fair

　Acted as STEP examiner. Interviewed 50 examinees or so. Quite exhausted. Only Grade Three examinees this time, so not too tough, though. Reported to the place by 8:45 a.m., leaving there past 4:00 p.m. Come to think of it, I have done this STEP thing for 30 years or so. From now on I am sort of in sumer holiday mode.

Saturday, July , 2009 Fair

　Drove my mother-in-law to her clinic in the morning. Hung the bamboo blind back outside the front window now that the repair work of the condo complex is over. Then put the warehouse back in place on the balcony, too, with my son's help. Then pruned the trees in the backyard. There was a long-legged wasps' nest, which I removed later. Went to the drive-in noodle shop for lunch, and then to Joshin, Konan, and Petton.

Friday, July 10, 2009 Cloudy

　Had to teach four classes in a row today. A hell of a day! Then ate supper and checked over 20 reports. However, today was the last day for the first term. Thank Heavens! It is about time I was in summer vacation mode. I want to watch lots of Korean dramas. I want to read lots of books. Although the global economy is in a recession and most of us are badly off, I would like to spent the summer in a different way than usual.

Thursday, July 9, 2009 Fair, hot, and windy.

　Corredted several reports and been to the fire station after making a phone call there. Handed our fire drill schedule to the man in charge. Prepared for Monday's Korean study meeting, did a lot of reading, and prepared for tomorrow's classes. It was so windy the windows could not be left open on the fifth floor, so I kept the electric fan on. Our baby cat eats a lot and we are almost out of cat food, so I bought some on my way home from work.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Fair

　Just one class to teach-Reading. Over 20 reports to check. An English study meeting in the evening. The female boss's memo was in my pigeonhole, saying I should have written where my father's funeral was held, too. I remember her saying to put the date of the funeral there, though. Checked the exam in Reading made by the other teacher-just a collection of patches pasted from the reports.

Tuesday, Junly 7, 2009 Cloudy

　Went to the sign language club for the first time in many days. I had forgotten a lot of sign language-even simple words. In the Korean language class, too, simple words slipped my memory. Today was not a good day for language. At work put exam sheets in envelopes and then into the cabinets. Spent some time with a colleague. Did the homework for the Korean classroom. Got ready for tomorrow's Reading class.

Monday, July 6, 2009 Cloudy and muggy.

　The English Interview Room on the fifth floor was like a sauna today, although we used an electric fan. I corrected over 20 reports in that sultry room. Two OC�Tclasses to teach and in the morning was held our usual Korean study meeting. Had bread and coffee for supper. Did the printing of the exam in OC�T. The printing room was close, too. These days at the request of an OC�Tstudent I use a lot of English in class. I am more comfortable that way.

Sunday, July 5, 2009 Cloudy

　Kyun eats and drinks little, so we are so much concerned about her health. She is so thin. Has she been taken good care of by her former owner, I wondered? My wife cleaned up the bathroom, which took her two hours or so. When she does, she is thorough. Kyun used her toilet for the first time here. What a relief! Igi is a gentle cat, but she gets jealous if we pay too much attention to Kyun.

Saturday, July 4, 2009 Fair

　Went to the English conversation school and talked in English for a couple of hours as usual. On the way home dropped by the supermarket and bought yakisoba, beer, an apple, and so on. In the afternood went to the ward office to get two copies of my family register and two copies of my cetificate of residence. Then came the new baby cat, which our son named 'Kyun.'

Friday, July 3, 2009 Cloudy

　I was supposed to teach three classes in a row. However, I ended up teaching only in the first and third periods. The first two classes were Oral �Tand I teach the same thing twice, but in the first period almost all the students came. That is why I did not have to teach in the second period. Lucky me! I could check some reports in the second period. In the first period, however, the other teacher again had the CD to himself and I was in trouble. I had it ready at hand, but he had taken it away. I hope he will be a little more considerate of the other teacher's schedule. How could something like this happen? I had never had this kind of thing before. And this is not the first time.... 　

Thursday, July 2, 2009 Fair

　This morning solved the Super Crossword. Took me a couple of hours. Two staff meetings-a regular one lasting from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. and a joint one until almost 5:00 p.m. Then prepared mail to send to students. Checked several reports. On the way home read a book on the trains. Did some shopping at the supermarket as usual.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Cloudy and then rainy.

　On my way to work, I rode past my station, so I gave up the idea of getting to work on time today. However, when I got to Namba, there was a local train leaving after one minute. I huriied to the train and got on it. Then I got to the station where I had to change trains. I ran and ran to catch the 12:06 train, but I could not. Then came another on the next track. Anyway I got on it, thinking I might make it at the next station. On arriivng at the next stop, I ran up and down the stairs, barely making it onto the train I had missed a while before. It was like a miracle to me. I did it. At work just one English �Tclass in the first period and HR in the third period. Then came a student to the English Interview Room and we talked for an hour or so. I ate my box supper around 5:30 p.m. and then came my Korean friend to study English together. I checked over 20 reports today. On the way home I met my son.