Sunday, May 31, 2009 Cloudy
At work I did one job after another rather smoothly. However, by the
time I stuied English wih my friends, I had gotten exhausted. Anyway I
managed everything I had planned for the day. Coming back home rather late,
I went to bed without watching the usual Korean drama because I was worn
out. Hearing my son and my wife talking in the living room, I fell asleep.
Saturday, May 30, 2009 Cloudy
Drove my mother-in-law to her clinic and around noon my wife to the inkan(
seal) shop to get a new seal for our older son. Then ate lunch and took
an afternoon nap. Spent the rest of the day doing nothing special. Just
watched three episodes of a certain serial Korean drama. We will be having
a new kitten in June. My wife and our sons say they cannot think of life
without cats.
Friday, May 29, 2009 Rainy and cloudy.
Today we did not take our morning brisk walk. That is OK. Sometimes we
should take it easy. These days my life seems to lack life. Is it because
of my age? Do I need to find another phase in my life? At work corrected
over 20 "reports." Quite worn out. Prepared this school year's
budget draft. Did a little reading. No time to space out.
Thursday, May 28, 2009 Cloudy and rainy.
My left eardrum keeps popping. Because of stress? Anyway, the thing is
whether you yourself like something and enjoy it. Otherwise you cannot
share it with others. As Misora Hibari once sang, "Don't think of
winning. If you do, you will lose." Very paradoxical, isn't it? There
was a human rights-related teachers' education session for one hour and
a half. Next came a joint teachers' meeting on this year's budget. Finally
we had a Student Council teachers' meeting. I am fed up with meetings.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 Cloudy
My wife went to see two doctors yesterday. She may be seriously ill.
I am concerned. She will go see her doctor this weekend and may be examined
more closely. I taught English Ⅰfor the thrid time today. The trend is
the same. Most of the students avoid attending my classes, an old teacher's
classes. Over a time those who participate in activities only come to my
classes. I will not change my stance-emphasis on sounds. Hence practicing
speaking in class.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 Fair
Today being a substitute holiday, I did Tuesday's routine. Bought bread
at the supermarket, attended the sign language club's weekly meeting, and
then went to the Korean language school. I must have been tired today.
I dozed on the train both on my way to and from the school. I almost missed
my stops. Coming back home, I took a rather long nap. Returned a library
book and checked out another.
Monday, May 25, 2009 Cloudy
A morning Korean study meeting. A quick lunch and the first period was
Reading. In class and while correcting reports, made one silly mistake
after another. Today is my "mistake" day. Had to correct over
30 "reports". Also there was an English study meeting. No time
to eat supper, working all the time from 11:00 a.m. to past 9:00 p.m. Today
school resumed after a week.
Sunday, May 24, 2009 Cloudy
Today was a workday. On arriving at my workplace, there was an information
meeting on the reopening of school. Today I cleaned the English Interview
Room and straightened up the mess around my desk. This took almost all
day. Just wrote my weekly schedule. For the past two days played a lot
and fatigue has piled up. My wife is in poor condition now. She says she
will go see a doctor, which is strange because she never does that. There
was a call from our second son in Tokyo about his moving out next month.
Saturday, May 23, 2009 Fair
Our aunty loves playing mahjong. So my wife and I played mahjong with
her all this weekend. She played mahjong for the first time in ten years
or so. It must have been very fun for her. Our son worked all night last
night because there was some trouble at work. We were concerned about his
safety. Took my wife's mother and aunt to UniQlo, where they bought some
clothing. We ate udon on the way there.
Friday, May 22, 2009 Cloudy
Yesterday and the day before yesterday we did not take a morning brisk
walk. We resumed it this morning. It was OK, not too hard. My wife is taking
her mother and aunt to a play at a theater in Osaka. It is such a hassle.
I am giving them a ride to the nearest station. So I have to eat lunch
alone. Working hard all day, back home played mahjong all night.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 Cloudy
The south side of the condo complex has been painted anew. The east side
will be done soon, but the weather will soon be getting worse. Today's
our first-born son's birthday-his 28th birthday. I bought him one of Marci
Shimoff's books translated into Japanese. I bought a copy of the English
version in the original. Japan, being so small and densely populated in
city areas, is a very contagious country, so it seems to be necessary to
take different measures than other countries.At work today's conference
lasted for over four hours. Unthinkable! I was too much out of energy to
do anthing else, but I had work to do.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 Fair
This morning we did not take a morning walk. My wife got a lot better,
but refrained from walking, to be on the safe side. She wants me to take
a half day off or something and attend the condo assembly. If it is something
important, I will do so. I will check it out. The temporary closing of
school may be called off next Monday. This swine flu is said to be almost
the same as the conventional seasonal flu, but it should not be trifled
with. The Health Ministry seems to be making a big mistake. The virus may
have some hidden potential.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Fair
The Korean language school has also decided to close temporarily for
a week. I had a call from them. Actually, they left a massage on the answering
machine for my cellphone. Took a brisk morning walk with my wife for an
hour or so and had bread, coffee, and half an apple. Then watched the two
serial Korean dramas with my wife. At night when I was on my way home,
she emailed me, saying that she is running a fever. She is now in bed.
Is she coming down with swine flu?
Monday, May 18, 2009 Fair
Because patients with swine flu are likely to increase rapidly, all the
prefectural schools are closed temporarily for a week. I did not know ours
would be also closed today. After our morning study meeting, an extraordinary
staff meeting was summoned at 12:40 p.m. Until 1:30 pm. I was on gate duty.
Later I sent a notice to my homeroom kids. Anyway prepared for my next
classes. Studied English and Korean with my friends. Did a little reading.
Sunday, May 17, 2009 Cloudy and rainy.
After taking a brisk morning walk, ate breakfast and thought about my
Assess and Nurture System goals for this school year. Then drove my first
son to his workplace by using the expressways because he wanted to know
how to get there by car. My wife also accompanied me. I needed her navigation,
too. Back home worked on the Super Crossword and did the Korean homework.
Ate supper and prepared a handout for tomorrow's class. Although a holiday,
it was a busy day.
Saturday, May 16, 2009 Cloudy and rainy.
At the time of today's English conversation session, lots of English
questions were asked. To me, that was interesting and fun. Back home ate
lunch with my wife. Took an afternoon nap. In the eveing went out to buy
us hokka bento. Then worked on my computer. Wrote in the schedules for
the second-term reports and corrected some minor errors.
Friday, May 15, 2009 Fair
A week from today my wife is taking her mother to a play, so she did
the simulation of taking her there. I just gave her a ride to her mother's
place and then to the station. At work rather busy doing this and that.
Spent some time chatting with a couple of colleagues, checking the school
records, printing out some documents, and so on. On the way home, listened
to my i-Pod.
Thursday, May 14, 2009 Fair
Igi is still looking for Chil. She is meowing for her. The late Kyon,
who died several years ago at age 14, was a smart cat, who taught me that
cats are not dumb but wise. Chi was a gentle one and taught me gentleness
and also transience of life. This one Igi is innocence itself. Today's
Student Council conference lasted for an hour and a half. Since I hate
long meetings, I was rather uncomfortable. Took over from the former treasurers
and immediately got down to business. Prepared for tomorrow's classes.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Cloudy
After taking a morning walk with my wife, ate breakfast and then ordered
two books online on Amazon-one for my son's birthday and the other for
myself. My right toe has got an ingrown nail now again. It hurts. Inserted
the speical thread in there anyway. Hope it will work. Igi's cancer part
skin is getting redder. Her days may be numbered, too. One little, two
little, three little kittens, ... Our existence is limited in time and
space, after all. At work busy correcting reports today after taking care
of three classes in a row. Quite exhausted. My voice actually got hoarse
in class.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Cloudy
The cat's name is Chil. She was such a small and shy one, but she was
a gentle one. She never got mad or short-tempered. A lovely one. Oh, how
I miss her! I feel like shedding tears when I think of her. I thank her
for having been with us for 13 years or so. I will go the way of all flesh
like Chil some day. Our second son, who is now living in Tokyo, must be
in tears, too. The lightness of Chil's weight had never been light to us
all, I have realized. I still feel as she woould pop up right in front
of my eyes if I called her name. Igi, the only cat who is still alive in
our home, also seems to be feeling lonely.
Monday, May 11, 2009 Fair
This morning I cannot have the usual Monday Korean study meeting. I have
a bad cough and keep spitting out phlegm. I will go to the doctor. Our
white cat is now breathing faintly on the floor. She will die shortly.
She is to be cremated. Right before leaving for work, she died. Wnen I
got back home from work, she had been cremated, and I found her urn on
the table. I cannot pat her on the head anymore. I need to be in mourning
for some time. I miss her. She was such a tiny being but dear to me.
Sunday, May 10, 2009 Fair
Our older son has already gone to work although today is Sunday. The
white cat, who, we thought, would live longer than the other younger one,
is about to die now. Her breathing is getting shorter. She cannot excrete
or vomit because of her weak physical strength. My wife says she will not
last until tomorrow. Never expected her to go this soon. She is nearly
70 in terms of human years.
Saturday, May 9, 2009 Fair
Bought a new train pass, checked out two library books in the city library,
and bought sushi for lunch. Asked the condo junitor about the leaky kitchen
tap. He fed me some good information anyway. In the afternoon drove over
to my parents' place with something for Mother's Day. Mom looked suddenly
aged. She says taking care of Dad is too tiring. Dad had a leased bed.
One of our cats won't eat after our second son went back to Tokyo. She
may die this time. She has been with us for about 13 years. We took our
brisk walk in the evening.
Friday, May 8, 2009 Rainy and cloudy.
Took our daily constitutional under umbrellas in the drizzling rain.
Then our daily routine-eating bread with a cup of coffee, watching some
Korean dramas, taking a shower, eating an early lunch, etc. I still have
a sore throat and a bad cough, too, but my physical strength has not decilned
too much. This afternoon a toilet repairman will be coming for the third
time-the Panasonic toilet has been used for onely one and a half years,
though. At work made the graduating students' grade list, but there arose
some problem. So, I am at a standstill. I need to ask someone else to correct
some mistakes.
Corrected eight reports. Still coughing. Phelegm comes out.
Thursday, May 7, 2009 Rainy and cloudy.
Took a morning brisk walk with my wife in the drizzling rain. The toilet
has been out of order for the past few days and it has been very uncomfortable.
This Panasonic toilet must be defective in its design. The circuit is exposed
and gets wet easily. This malfunction is the third time. The Golden Week
holidays are over, and back to work. Coughing a little bit, I felt tired
all day today.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 Rainy and cloudy.
Returned the library book after reading quite a few pages for these two
days. At first the book seemed to leave much to be desired, but anyway
it was infromative after all. Watche three old movies on YouTube-"The
Seventh Voyage of Sindbad," " Jason and the Argonauts,"
and "The Clash of the Titans." I love this kind of adventure
movies. Our second son has gone back to Tokyo, and the first son is back
from his overnight hot spring trip. My wife is already fast asleep. She
has not been feeling too well for the past couple days.
Tuesady, May 5, 2009 Rainy
I still have a sore throat. Rested in bed for some time. Went out with
my wife to the cellphone shop to get a new battery for free( after one
year of use, eligible for this) and get my cellphoe repaired( the corner
of the phone chipped and the screen part cracked on the outside). They
loan me another cellphone while mine is being repaired. My wife has a headache
today, which means I should keep my distance from her. Learned this through
life experience. "Let sleeping dogs lie, " you know. Actually,
she is sleeping in bed.
Monday, May 4, 2009 Cloudy
Late last night finished the last page of the next Reading report. This
morning our second son came back home. But both our sons are out now to
see their friends as usual. I have caught cold. I have a very sore throat.
This monirng worked on the Super Crossword and mailed my answers. I have
burned out and am out of energy now.
Sunday, May 3, 2009 Fair
This morning my wife was too tired to take a brisk walk. Our first son's
girlfriend came around 11:30 a.m. She looked a bit tense. We were nervous,
too. We ate lunch together at home. My wife cooked it. Glad it is all over
now. What a relief! I made another two pages of the next Reading report.
Dog-tired! Our slogans for the cleanup this time were "chaos"
and "the broken windows theory." The house got clean, and defective
things get seen easily. As a result, we found out that the tap is leaky
in the kitchen. It is going to be expensive, I am afraid.
Saturday, May 2, 2009 Fair
Early in the morning gave my mother-in-law a ride to her doctor. Back
home, loaded the car with around 200 kg of bulky trash. Continued with
my cleanup in the living room. After eating lunch transported the junk
to the recyling center for the second straight time. Did some shopping
at Joshin and Konan on the way home. Ate takoyaki for supper. Made another
page of the next Reading report. Cleaned the frond door and the entrancehall.
It took me around two hours. Then took a brisk night walk with my wife
as usual although both of us were really exhausted. It has been a full
day.
Friday, May 1, 2009 Cloudy
Went to work and made another page of the next Reading report. It took
rather long and I got tired. There still remain four pages to make. My
wife seems to be busy putting the whole house in order because we are having
our first-born son's girlfriend over the day after tomorrow. My consecutive
holidays begin tomorrow, but I have a lot of things to do. No time to take
it easy.