Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Fair

　On the way back from work my Korean master and I were thinking of going to the usual Korean eating place, but when we got there, the mistress was absent, so we gave up and were on the way home. As we were walking toward the station, we saw another colleague walking ahead of us. We called to him, and suggested that we go for a drink. So, we drank a lot, talking merrily at a different Korean restaurant.

Tuesday, November 29, 2005 Fair

　This country, too, is becoming a hell of a place now. A sloppy architect forged condo plans. An inspecting company did not inspect appropriately. A condo construction company put profit first. Now they are blaming each other, shifting the responsibility. Adam Simth's "invisible hand" does not seem to be functioning all right. The market mechanism of capitalism is falling apart?

Monday, November 28, 2005 Fair

　Today, in contrast with yesterday, I kind of could take it easy, although I had to leave home early to attend the usual Korean study meeting. At work I was thinking about what kind of exhibits to prepare for the school festival. There are three exhibits in mind now. One is about the way most Americans think about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, another is about the radio interview with the navigator of Enola Gay, and the other is about the way of thinking of American leaders.

Sunday, November 27, 2005 Fair

　Today I had a killer work schedule. I had four classes in a row from the third period. On top of it, in the fourth period I had one of my bosses sit in on my English �T class. At this time of year all the teachers have their teaching evaluated by their bosses. This system started last year. I was dog-tired at the end of the day. I am glad that it is over now, and tomorrow is another day.

Saturday, November 26, 2005 Fair

　After driving my wife to work this morning, I did some household chores like cleaning the floor and taking in the washing. I viewed an old sign language video taken five years or so ago. My wife, I, and our second son went to the hospital to see our grandpa (my father-in-law ). In the evening we ate out together in the neighborhood.

Friday, November 25, 2005 Fair

　Today I was kind of on 'cigarette cleaning duty' Usually we do it in a group, but today I was all on my own. I picked up cigarette butts thrown away here and there on the premises of the school with a pair of tongs. When I do this, I feel somewhat sad. Smokers smoke all right, but where are their manners? Maybe there are only a handful of incorrigible smokers. Recently on TV the avian flu is often talked about. I hope it will not rage this winter.

Thursday, November 24, 2005 Fair

　Near my place of work is a good Korean restaurant where I can drink good Korean soju. This is called "pohe" in Korean, and I love it. Thanks to my Korean language teacher, I enjoy my life at work and this beautiful language, Korean. Tonight I received a letter from one of my college pals asking me for my email address. I let him know that immediately.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005 Fair ( Labor Thanksgiving Day )

　This morning I finished reading all the unread emails in my Yahoo inbox. There were around fifty of them. My desk and the area around it were a mess, so I did a little cleaning. At night I went out for a walk. It was not cold at all tonight. On Monday I handed in a slip asking for permission to take part in a two-week Korean language course, but it was rejected. My explanation fell short. I will explain in more detail and tender it again.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005 Fair

　I reported for work early in the morning because there was a meeting for Kinki district correspondence high school English teachers' meeting today. 'Our Korean master' was kind enough to show the visiting teachers around Korea Town. We ate lunch together at a Korean restaurant. It was reasonable and delicious. In the evening I went to see a Korean musical, but this was not much. On the way out, however, they gave us a pack of frozen samugetan.

Monday, November 21, 2005 Fair

　There was a Monday morning Korean language study session as usual, after which lunch was taken at the usual restaurant in the ward ( city ) office. It took me long again to prepare a student's report. It is so complicated. On the way back a homeless-looking man got on my train and sat next to me. He really stank, so , although I did not want to, I had to move away from him. When I changed trains, there was a man probably in his sixties sending a mail or something on his cell phone, making a lot of noise. Maybe he was drunk because his face was rather red, but it was rude and insolent of him. He should have done it in manner mode.

Sunday, November 20, 2005 Fair and then cloudy.

　First thing in the morning I watched the TV Korean language program as usual. There was a fair at a local welfare institution. I helped out as a volunteer this morning. I just tended the stall for a while, though. Late in the afternoon I had some work to do. My wife went to work today, and when she got home, she seemed so tired. She went to bed early.

Saturday, November 19, 2005 Fair

　This evening I saw on TV the late Koshiji Fubuki singing "Ai no sanka" (A song in praise of love ). Of course it was a recording made nearly 30 years ago, but the way she sang was so familiar to me it struck a chord with me. Today there are no singers like her who can really sing about life. While I was taking a walk tonight, the outside air felt so cold my ears hurt.

Friday, November 18, 2005 Fair

　My first son also went to the doctor to get a flu shot this morning. At work there was an English teachers' conference in which we discussed next week's local correspondence school English teachers' meeting. I thought I was supposed to talk about the way English is taught at our school and to make sure I asked them, " So should I get some handouts ready?" The answer was "No." The English section rep even said, "If you want to, go ahead and do it. Just suit yourself." But later on one of the teachers came up to me and said that I should do that. I first thought I remembered incorrectly, but now which is correct? Again this type of confusion.

Thursday, November 17, 2005 Fair

　Information is something you find on the spot, so it is situational. Information remains data until you find it. Whether you find it or not depends on your awareness of the issues. This situational information is vital for survival. I happened to hear this on the radio this morning. Today I took a day off. I went to the city office to get seal registration and income certificates, and also had myself vaccinated against the flu. The flu shot cost me 2.500 yen. My blood pressure was rather high and I am gaining weight these days, so the doctor gave me some advice.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005 Fair

　At the education center I heard two university professors talk about the hopeless situation Japanese young people today are in. There are so many young people who are called "NEET" or "Freeter." Most young people are anxious about their future. Japanese society cannot provide them with assistance or something worthwhile. Nor can Japanese schools. The gap between the able and the incompetent as well as that between the rich and the poor just keeps widening.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 Fair

　The word "rose" in sign language is expressed by showing "red" and "flower" while saying "bara." Our first son fell for the first time while riding his motorcycle. I hope he did not get injured. My wife just got a mail to this effect. Our second son was very late in coming back. I wonder why that was. I was so tired after attending the sign language circle's meeting and the Korean class I rested a lot. I have located the thick down jacket I have been looking for. It was in the closet, and I took that for something else. It was my mistake.

Monday, November 14, 2005 Cloudy

　When I got home, my wife seemed to be in a mean mood, although she denied it. Something must have happened at work. This morning I hung the washing out to dry and hurried to the station on foot. After studying Korean under our Korean teacher, I ate lunch at the usual restaurant. I ate noodles for supper at the shopping street udon shop, where I met up with two of my fellow teachers. There was one exam to proctor. I checked quite a few 'reports.'

Sunday, November 13, 2005 Fair

　There was a STEP test, and I was an examiner. I took care of 43 examinees. This time most of them did pretty well. At night I saw a Korean drama for a couple of hours with my wife, so I failed to take a walk. I am looking for the thick down jacket I bought long ago, but it is nowhere to be found. Maybe I gave it to somebody. I forgot who, though.

Saturday, November 12, 2005 Fair

　With my wife I drove over to my parents' place to ask them or my sister to go security for our first son's scholarship. We will still have to have a seal registration certificate issued, though. My wife went to see her father at the hospital. I accompanied her. Our parents are now so aged, and we are aging, too.

Friday, November 11, 2005 Rainy

　There was just one exam to invigilate. A person in China called to ask about our high school, speaking rather unintelligible English. The one who wants to come does not have Japanese nationality. Outside it was raining while I was at work. As Ms. Unsuku, my Korean teacher, said, I should get a flu injection this winter. To prevent the avian flu every bird should be vaccinated and wear a mask. I hope this will not become a pandemic.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 Fair

　For teachers' education two schizophreniacs talked to us teachers. There were two others, too. One was a mental health adviser and the other the representative of a group of parents whose children have mental disorders. I realized for the first time how schizophreniacs are suffering. There was a teachers' union get-together. No good news. Only bad news, such as our decreasing salaries and more rigid control over us teachers.

Wednesday, November 9, 2005 Fair

　On my way back home from work there was a railroad accident resulting in injury or death, and my train was so overcrowded I could not move an inch. Today I studied Korean a lot, but I still find it not enough. I cannot study it enough. At work there was a conference where we discussed what to revise in the human rights education pamphlet.

Tuesday, November 8, 2005 Fair

　Today being a substitute holiday, instead of going to the Korean language school I went on a sign language circle outing to Kobe. We enjoyed a lunchtime cruise there. The weather was so nice the scenery was beautiful. The cruise ship was big enough not to shake too much, which was good because I easily get seasick. There were 20 participants-11 deaf and 9 hearing.

Monday, November 7, 2005 Fair

　At this time of year I must make the usual year-end tax adjustment. This really is a hassle. I hate it, but this year there has not been a good explanation, so I am in a lot more trouble. All this trouble comes from computerization. What an irony! Computers have become a tool to control people, far from making each one of us happy. The gap between the rich and the poor is also widening. This seems to be part of the reason for riots now happening in Europe.

Sunday, November 6, 2005 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Sadly enough, there is company you might as well avoid for your sanity. Hence the saying " A wise man keeps away from danger," or "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." A still young Japanese singer by the name of Honda Minako died today of acute marrow leukemia at age 38. Those whom God loves die young. Now riots are spreading all over France. There must have been smoldering hatred based on racial discrimination. It has just exploded. 　

Saturday, November 5, 2005 Cloudy

　It looks like Americans are very fast eaters while Europeans, except British people, take their time eating. Japanese, too, are fast eaters with so many convenience stores here and there providing us with fast food. Fast food, such as sandwiches, was sometimes invented by gamblers. To them, time really is money. Eating is taking something into yourself, which means you accept this world. Also it is said that you are what you eat. "Eat, drink, and be merry" is a well known phrase. "Life is but a dream," is another. In a way, we all live for fun. What kind of fun to choose varies from person to person. A famous German writer ( Goethe?) said," One is not a real grown-up unless one has the child in himself." So have fun your own way.　

Friday, November 4, 2005 Fair

　At today's Human Rights Committee meeting, which lasted for two hours or so, some of us pointed out that the human rights pamphlet might as well be revised. I am in charge, so I went over to the other sections' teachers' rooms to meet the ones in charge, asking them to check the pamphlet to see if any part of it should be revised. We will have a meeting next week.

Thursday, November 3, 2005 Cloudy

　My Korean teacher belongs to a civic group. Today this group did fieldwork, and I participated with him. I learned a lot and enjoyed myself, too. There were about 50 present. In olden times Japanese and Koreans used to be a lot more friendlier terms with each other. We have a lot in common in terms of culture, too.

Wednesday, November 2, 2005 Fair

　On my way back home, I bought a lot of fruit, persimmons, tangerines, and bananas, but when I got home, I found a lot of fruit on the table. My wife had it delivered by the Coop today. Anyway we need to take enough vitamin C. What is the use of learning a foreign language? You cannot necessarily make money out of it. Maybe I should think more about it.

Tuesday, November 1, 2005 Fair

　Although I had planned to take a walk at night, I was not able to because I took a nap and when I woke up, it was midnight. Then I worked on the online crossword and studied Korean into the wee hours of morning. I need to practice reading Korean.