Thursday, November 30, 2006 Cloudy

　Made a teaching plan for next week's OC�Tclass. Took some time to get it all day. Talked with two of the fellow teachers for some time about this and that. Life is getting hard for us nowadays. Now at work I an making a move from the second floor back to the fifth floor and in the process of moving the stuff.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Cloudy

　Sent notes to some of my English class students and also the graduating students of my homeroom class. Handed school festival support money to some teachers. There remain several teachers, though. Two Korean study meetings as usual. Lunch at the usual restaurant.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006 Cloudy

　Went to the sign language circle after a month's interval. Then went to the Korean language school, where I felt I lack of my listening comprehension. I have got to do something about it. It is true that I was kind of tired, but still I fell short for sure. I know I need to spend more time listening to Korean. At the same time I should not forget about English.

Monday, November 27, 2006 Rainy

　Asked why I am studying Korean so hard, I have nothing to say in answer to it because I myself do not know why. I just do it for the fun of doing it the way I studied English when I was young. If the good of studying a foreign language is just mercenary, the reason is simple. I do not deny that reason. If possible, I want to make money, too, by using any foreign language. Admitting all that, still there seems more to it than that. I need to keep asking myself that all my life...

Sunday, November 26, 2006 Rainy

　For lunch ate okonomi because there was little time. Sent out second-term results to my homeroom students. The attendance at my English �Tclasses was large today and last week. I was asked to be on soccer club duty by one of the club advisors, but today's practice was rained out. There were makeups, but only a few came.

Saturday, November 25, 2006 Cloudy

　Our first-born son came over and ate his favorite fast food, takoyaki and went to tutor a students-his part-time job. In the evening my wife and I went shopping together at Kohnan, Joshin, and Seiyu. I drove as usual. Our second son was off today and did not use our family car. There was a phone call from my mother. I think I will visit my parents next time our family car is available. I had better hit the sack early, for tomorrow is a workday.

Friday, November 24, 2006 Cloudy

　On my way home from work on the train in front of me was standing a middle-aged man. He was so close by I could see his head clearly, and I found that his scalp, not his hair, was blackish. Maybe he sprinkled some black powder on his bald patch, trying to hide it. Seen close up, it was so unnatural. For some reason or other I felt he should not have tried to hide his baldness.

Thursday, November 23, 2006 Rainy

　Today being Labor Thanksgiving Day, I stayed at home all day, relaxing. Studied Korean a little bit. Took an afternoon nap. Looks like fatigue has somewhat piled up. My parents have bought a new kotatsu for winter. I will pay half the money for it.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006 Cloudy

　Two Korean language study meetings-one in the morning and the other in the evening. There was an English teachers' meeting, too, which lasted for one and a half hours-quite long. After all, "Where there is a will, there is a way," and "You can lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink," are very true.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006 Fair

　Went to the dentist in the morning. On the way took the upward slope and pedaled the bike slowly uphill. Next time the cavity will be filled. I had a makeup half-holiday. Went to the Korean language school. The present textbook seems too easy compared with the former one. At work corrected some 'reports.'

Monday, November 20, 2006 Rainy

　Today I went to school late in the afternoon because I had a substitute half-holiday, but I miscalculated the commuting time and barely made it to work on time. I was out of breath, perspiring a lot. As soon as I arrived, I had three classes to teach straight. Besides, the first one was to be observed and evaluated by the principal and the vice-principal. Yesterday I watched Korean dramas until the wee hours of the morning, and this really told on me today.
　

Sunday, November 19, 2006 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Got up early in the morning, took out the bulky trash, did the dishes, and read a book. Today being a workday, there were a couple of makeups. The classrooms were deserted. The weather getting cold, we began to use the gas stove at home a few days ago.

Saturday, November 18, 2006 Cloudy

　Went to the English conversation school and talked in English for two hours or so. Today our conversation centered around suicides caused by bullying. On the way home, I bought okonomi for my wife and me for lunch. In the evening, we planned to go out to do some shopping-maybe some clothing for winter, but our second son used the family car. So we were unable to go shopping.

Friday, November 17, 2006 Fair

　Went to Korea Town and bought some kimchi and ramen. Made a teaching plan for next week's OC�Tclass. Inputted some of the exam results into the computer. Printed out the photos taken the day before yesterday on our printer. They came out all right-big enough, too. Solved the Super Crossword.

Thursday, November 16, 2006 Fair and then cloudy.

　There were two conferences-a regular staff meeting and a Human Rights Committee conference. Prepared some handouts for next week's classes. The Human Rights Committee members viewed a video about the working poor in Japan. I wonder what this country is coming to. Honesty does not pay here in Japan now.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006 Fair, occasionally cloudy.

　Visited a human rights museum on business in the morning. The curator showed me around the museum, explaining the exhibits. I waited for my fellow teacher, but he did not show up. He had forgotten all about this official visit. At work I corrected dozens of 'reports' and marked the remaining exam papers. At the end of the day I was tired enough to fall asleep as soon as I got into bed. The filling came off again and called the dentist's office.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006 Cloudy and a shower in the late afternoon.

　Went to the dentist in the morning. The sign language circle had an outing today. Made an appointment with the dentist for 10:00 a.m. a week from today, so I will not be able to make it to the sign language next week. Bought an intermediate Korean workbook at the bookstore near the Korean language school. Cost me 2,700 yen or so. Our teacher, Ms. Lee, is really a good teacher.

Monday, November 13, 2006 Fair

　Yesterday my wife and I went to a certain Japanese noodle shop for the first time in many days. Their noodles were very good, but we found them fighting while working the last time we went there. And this time, too, we witnessed a more terrible quarrel. Theirs is a family business, and maybe this mental trait has been handed down to them from their predecessors. We will go there no more. How can we eat in such a hostile atmosphere?

Sunday, November 12, 2006 Cloudy and very cold.

　Went to the dentist twice because the filling came off. Going there by bicycle is very tiring. The way there is an uphill slope. Then went out with my wife to buy some Chinese tea and meet our first-born son. We ate out together. The filling came off again when I got home. Oh, my goodness!

Saturday, November 11, 2006 Rainy

　Went to the dentist and had a tooth extracted. Of course he locally anesthetized the affected part, but it was really a hassle when he gouged out the root of the bad tooth. I was in a cold sweat. then. Later I felt a pain and it bled a lot. I took the medicine-painkiller, antibiotic, and stomach medicine. I gargled, too. Maybe I will be losing one tooth after another as I age further. I made a phone call to the local branch of the antivirus software company and solved the problem.

Friday, November 10, 2006 Fair

　There is something wrong with the antivirus software I newly donwloaded and installed yesterday, so I sent one or two emails to the company. There is no answer as yet. Marked English �Texam papers. 2nd-term 'reports' still keep coming. One of the two vice-principals said that he would sit in on my Oral Communication �Tclass on the 20th of this month.

Thursday, November 9, 2006 Fair

　There was a teachers' education session today. We had the vice-principal of a certain local Korean school come over and give a lecture on his school. Still in the process of marking the English �T exam papers. Looks like by and large the students did not do well this time. As it turned out, there had been some made-up political meetings during the time of the former administration-information control or media control. Liars.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006 Fair

　The regular Korean study meeting in the morning. Had lunch at the usual restaurant-the table d'hote or today's special. Corrected some 'reports.' Was on gate watch duty for 30 minutes. Then invigilated one exam. More 'reports' came-too many to handle then.

Tuesday, November 7, 2006 Fine but extremely windy.

　Instead of going to the sign language circle, I went to the dentist. Again I have a bad tooth and will have to have it treated. In the afternoon had been to the Korean language school as usual. There were only nine students, including myself.

Monday, November 6, 2006 Cloudy

　It thundered and began to rain suddenly for a while in the evening. At work continued working all the time, making a new report, being on gate watch duty, checking 'reports,' getting the phone, dealing with students, etc. At the end of the day, I had a terrible toothache.

Sunday, November 5, 2006 Fair

　The 2nd-tern exams have begun. Invigilated the Reading exam and on duty in the teachers' room. Corrected dozens of 'reports.' On my way to work this morning almost forgot the train pass. Bought a new train pass, too. On the way back home had my hair cut. At night watched KBS on TV. Paul Mauria died. A few years ago went to his concert with my wife.

Saturday, November 4, 2006 Fair

　Solved the Super Crossword, but I may have been wrong. Went to the usual English conversation school. There were six of us, one of whom is a marathon runner, so our talk centered around his participating in a marathon race tomorrow. My wife and I went shopping together. I drove as usual.

Friday, November 3, 2006 Cloudy

　Why is it so warm these days? The global climate must be changing faster than was expected. Yesterday and the day before yesterday I took two consecutive days off. School bullying never seems to stop. We are all under some stress or other day in and day out. The thing is there is no good way to let off steam now. Everybody is strictly being managed, and there is little breathing space. It is no good for our sanity, isn't it? How can we have dreams or hope for the future, I wonder? Is there no way out of this despair?