Thursday, July 31, 2008 Cloudy

　My wife and I resumed our daily constitutional-walking briskly in the neighborhood for 40 minutes or so. I usually do that after doing NHK's radio exercises. While walking, I perspire a lot, so on arriving back home, I take a shower. I leave home for work after watching KBS's morning serial drama. Walking to the station, I listened to my i-Pod. At work only a few reports to check today.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Fair

　As soon as our first-born son got back home, what came out of his mouth was "I have decided to get on welfare." Of course he said it jokingly, but his work must have been tough today. Our second son, too, is working so hard but life seems hard. Nowadays some young people go berserk, which is a serious social problem. However, they are having a hard time living each day. We grown-ups have made this kind of world, so we are responsible. Young people have few decent role models.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Rainy and then fair.

　Less hot but a bit too humid. I have not accomplished very much today, which does not necessarily mean I have been lazy, though. Well, naturally I have all kinds of days. That is human. We tend to do things after calculating beforehand. However, it is sometimes not very fun. Sometimes I think we had better follow our nose and do things haphazardly. After all we are born free, and we are free to live as we wish.

Monday, July 28, 2008 Fair, cloudy and a thunderstorm.

　I really hate backhanded comments. They usually come from those whose personality is warped. I easily detect this kind of malice. However, at the same time, they are pitiable and pitiful because they cannot assert themselves without hurting others. If they are left out, they will become very harmful like in today's society. Some go berserk and kill others by brandishing a knife. This "double-bind" society is no good for our sanity. We cannot live freely. We cannot have good interpersonal relationships. It is a suffocating world. Leeway or lattitude is lacking nowadays wherever you go.
　

Sunday, July 27, 2008 Fair

　It was too hot and humid today. I felt sweat oozing out all over my body just sitting still. The temperature at home rose to 34 degrees Celcius. Over in Ohita and Gifu they had a record high of 39 degrees Celcius this summer. Shrilling cicadas just added to the heat. It is almost impossible to concentrate in this kind of weather, isn't it? Even our older son, who seldom complains about hot weather, turned on the air conditioner.

Saturday, July 26, 2008 Fair

　This morning went out in our family car with my wife and did a lot of shopping-toilet rolls, kleenex, cat toilet sand, socks and clothes, and a folding shopping bag. I bought the shopping bag so at not to ask for a plastic shopping bag at a supermarket-for the sake of ecology. On the way we ate udon at the usual drive-in udon restaurant. Our older son is coming back home from Tokyo Disneyland tonight.

Friday, July 25, 2008 Fair

　Another hot and humid day. At home could do a little cleaning before going to work. At work double-checked the first-term results printout and helped another teacher input the results. Only several reports to check and a telephone call from a student for a makeup. Made an appointment for next Wednesday. So hot and humid it was very hard to work where I was.

Thursday, July 24, 2008 Fair

　Today's extra staff meeting lasted for nearly three hours. It was a territorial issue. I realized I should carry my electronic dictionary with me. I must have wated lots of time not doing so. What a shame! The dictionary is indispensable to me. It is part of myself. Today my wife took her mother to a cardiologist. Our first-born son is to leavefor Tokyo Disneyland with his girlfriend tonight. They are taking a midnight bus there.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Fair

　Not many came to take thier makeups. Those who have not taken theirs will come in their free time, not in ours. Like a cow's saliva until the last minute. Checked some reports and also graded some exam papers. Finished all this before four o'clock, around which time I went out to get something to eat for supper. The weather was scorching hot and humid, too. There were two telephone calls for me when I had to prepare for the makeups.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Fair

　It seems that Oita Prefecture's board of education is incurably corrupt. I am afraid that prefecture is not alone when it comes to bribery. Honesty is not the best policy if you are upward moblity conscious. Nowadays money talks in the educational world. Some buy their posts. They are so mecenary. Like teachers like students. Some students are not fair, either. They just want credits without trying hard. They want a free ride. They tend to put the blame on others.

Monday, July 21, 2008 Fair and widy.

　In the morning went to the city library to get a reserved book, but the library was closed. Too bad. On the way just bought a carton of milk at the usual supermarket. After watching KBS's morning serial drama, went out in our car to go shopping-the gas station, the pet shop, the do-it-yourself store, the electric appliaces store, the clothing store, and the drive-in udon restaurant. Today we decided to buy a new refrigerator. The old one is already over a decade old and a bit noisy at night.

Sunday, July 20, 2008 Fair and crazy hot.

　At work spent about six hours marking the English exam papers, inputting the results into the computer, putting the exam papers into envelopes, and then putting the envelopes in the mailing system. Exhausted. On the way home I hurried to the station, so I got dehydrated all of a sudden. I almost had a heat stroke or something. I should not have hastened.

Saturday, July 19, 2008 Fair

　Went to the usual English conversation school in the neigborhood. There were only four of us including our teacher. We chiefly talked about Oriental food in the U.S. My wife had to take her old mother to the hospital. Took a walk at night with my wife today becauseit was cooler that way. My wife is now so much into ForCrime she stayed all night watching it tonight.

Friday, July 18, 2008 Rainy and fair.

　The last day for the first-term exams. On duty twice in the teachers' room and at the gate and one exam to invigilate. Marking today's exam papers on Sunday at work. Today checked nearly 40 reports. As usual, I felt as if I were in a steam bath while working on the fifth floor. Coming back home, watched "De Joyon" on KBS.

Thursday, July 17, 2008 Fair

　At work there is someone who is in the habit of shaking his finger at the other person he is talking to. He may not be aware of that and may be doing it unconsciously. Then deep inside he is always feeling like accusing or warning somebody else. I am not comfortable about it. Maybe it is too late to cure that habit. I want peace at work. This world is rapidly getting cold and inhuman, I am afraid.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Fair but too hot and humid.

　Two exams to invigilate. Put into envelopes almost all the exam papers already marked. Began preparing for the second term, too. The homeward-bound train was too air-conditioned, which made me feel bad. Everything is a matter of degree, isn't it? Neither too much nor too little is no good. There was a call for me before my working hours. How could that be? These days there are so many who think only about themselves.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Fair

　Today being a substitute holiday, I went to the sign language club in the morning, and in the afternoon I studied Korean. In the evening I worked on the Super Crossword, which took me several hours. It was so hard I was afraid I would not be albe to solve it. Anyway I finished it a while ago and sent it to the creator of the crossword.

Monday, July 14, 2008 Overcast and muggy.

　Marked all the Reading exam papers The results were just as I had expected. They did rather well. I am glad. However, I also had an unpleasant experience while checking the reports. One gave me lots of poison. I had this kind of poison for the first time in many days. I used to go through such poison when younger. Just sad that it reminded me of such terrible sides of humman nature. Anyway once in a while you step on a mine living each day. That is life.

Sunday, July 13, 2008 Fair

　Another so-called tropical night. Turned on the air-conditioner a while ago. All day today worked as a STEP examiner. Really exhausted. Maybe it is about time I quit that. Back home went to buy sushi for the family, and then watched the usual serial Korean drama. Now watching FoxCrime. FoxCrime is not bad. I will have the Reading exam tomorrow. I think I will mark the exam papers right away.

Saturday, July 12, 2008 Fair

　Realxed at home, doing nothing in particular. Just watched TV, mainly English and Korean programs as usual. Did some reading, too. Listened to some Korean while I was out for shopping. Today was so hot and humid, too. Even early in the morning the thermometer stood at 32 degrees Celsius. Taking a day off tomorrow, I will act as STEP interview examiner for the first time in many days.

Friday, July 11, 2008 Fair

　Invigilated two exams-one in the separate room and the other for the Oral �Texam. There were so many in the separate room it seemed impossible for me to manage alone. I found a few more erros in the Oral�Texam while invigilating. Too bad. I was scatterbrained then, too. I made some booboos. I checked some reports and marked all the 31 Oral�Texam papers.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　Yesterday I began to fill the 2nd-term reports with the correct answers, and today I went on with it. There were some mistakes and typos. I pointed them out to the teacher who had made the reports. These days I frequent tp the bakery near the station. The first-tern exams will start tomorrow. There will be lots of reports to check and also exam papers to mark.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Cloudy, occasonally rainy.

　I misspelled a very easy word evn junior high kids know. This sometimes happens especially in the evening at work when you are tired. I attribute it to my tiredness. It can be, but after all I am getting old. My memory fails me from time to time. If I had a tenacious memory at my age, it could be cruel. Unpleasant memories should leave me. I must admit that my memory is fading away, and soon me, too. Life is getting tough in this world. I do not have much in here now.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Rainy, occasionally cloudy and fine.

　Today being a workday, I could not afford to go to the sing language club this morning. At work did my work at my own pace in my own way. For supper bought some bread at the usual bakery near the station. Back home watched the usual Korean drama on KBS and did the dishes as usual. Tomorrow morning I will take out the garbage as usual. Doing some online research on studying English through movies.
　

Monday, July 7, 2008 Overcast

　Some reports to check. Studied this and that on my own. This new antivirus software is so 'strong' I cannot send files on the Homepage Builder. If I turn off the firewall, I can. The fifth floor I am on was so quiet today, but it was so hot and humid I just kept the fan turning. Decided to take summer special holidays from August 11 to 15 and did the procedure online.

Sunday, July 6, 2008 Fair

　Too hot, but I weeded the backyard for the first time in many days. In order to avoid having a heat stroke, I took breaks at short intervals. Took a nap on the corridor today, too. Watched a baseball game between the Hanshin Tigers and the Yokohama Baystars. Today's game was very dramatic. Somebody living upstairs in this condo complex lacks common sense and has no manners, discarding water late at night from up there I was surprised by the strange sound last night.

Saturday, July 5, 2008 Fair

　To the English conversation school in the morning. Overslept, so a little late. There was a new comer. Then as usual went to buy some udon for lunch. Took a nap on the corridor where it is coolest in our home. In the evening went shopping for cat stuff. On the way back again ate udon at the usual drive-in udon restaurant. Back home watched the usual serial Korean drama.

Friday, July 4, 2008 Fair and so hot.

　Checked over thirty reports. This took me a long time. Just the last English �Tclass to teach. The students' participation was not much, and so was the attendance. Helpled a couple of students with their English. Sharing ideas with one of my fellow teachers, I realized that I had forgotten something very important I used to regard as important-confluence of intelligence and emotions.

Thursday, July 3, 2008 Cloudy

　There was a regular meeting from 2:00 p..m. until 3:20 p.m. It was discontinued halfway for another meeting. Today's joint staff meeting was held in the AV room, which has no air conditioning.　The place was a steam bath with 100 people or so packed in there. You can have a heat stroke. As soon as this meeting was over. We resumed the regular meeting and then worked together putting printed matter into envelopes, which were to be sent to students. Took a couple of hours off this evening.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Cloudy and then a bit rainy.

　The third period was HR. Explained about the first-term exams, etc. Only a few reports to check. In the staff room, heard some people criticizing my reports for being too difficult. I don't think so. It takes time, though. It is unfair to talk behind somebody's back. I cannot buy that idea anyway. Really what is the scariest in the world must be people.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Fair

　Went to the sign language club's weekly meeting. I signed two words by mistake−"spicy" and "ramen." Only tiny errors, though-the shapes of my fingers. In the afternoon, went to the Korean language school. On the way there I was so sleepy I almost fell asleep on the train. Nowadays life is hard all over the world with crude oil and raw materials going up in price. Our lifestyle has to be changed drastically now if mankind is to survive.