Friday, November 30, 2007 Fair
Checked out two municipal library books. Had a full day at work, collecting
stool samples, correcting some "reports," and teaching English.
At home just watched today's episode of "Tejoyon," then took
out the garbage. One of the two cats began scratching the sliding doors
of the bedroom again, which noise causes me to wake up intermittently in
bed. Too bad. I may have to scold the cat again. I never use violence,
though.
Thursday, November 29, 2007 Cloudy
At work I had a lot to do. First checked a couple of "reports."
Then patroled the school. Next I had to pass out the school festival money,
so I went to the office. I got dozens of envelopes ready, writing the names
and amounts of money on them. Then went around giving the money to the
teachers. Not all of them were at work, so I had to leave the rest to the
other teacher. I also had to prepare for my next English classes. All the
while I kept moving, so I got exhausted. I had no time to do anything else.
At home I had a good night's sleep.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Cloudy
Asked the clerk for the school festival money. I will pass the money
out tomorrow. Corrected about twenty "reports" and helped a student
with her reports. I seemed to have hurt somebody's feelings although I
never intented to do so. There was a misunderstanding. I had to clear up
the misunderstanding today. I am very sorry that there are people who tell
lies without scruple. However, I do not want to live, suspecting that somebody
is lying.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Cloudy
Another substitue holiday for working this past Sunday. Did not go to
the sign language circle's weekly meeting because there was a KBS serial
drama I wanted to watch. After studying Korean for some time, went to the
Korean language school as usual. Learned indirect speech, but there are
still some things I do not understand. Next week I will ask my teacher
about them.
Monday, November 26, 2007 Cloudy, occasionally clearing up.
Took a compensatory day off for working this past weekend for the first
school explanation meeting. Relaxed all day today, taking a long afternoon
nap. Cooked supper for my wife-oden. Took a walk at night. Tried not to
do anything related to work. In reply to today's email from a friend in
Korean wrote partially in Korean, but the Hangul did not come out all right
partly. Something seems to be wrong, but not sure what it is.
Sunday, November 25, 2007 Fair
I had three classes to teach in a row in the morning. I explained about
stool testing for the nighttime section. Today my wife has been to Kyoto
to place the ashes of her late father in the temple. And it is very expensive.
As the saying goes, money makes the mare to go. Japanese temples are for
funerals, not for the well-being of the living.
Saturday, November 24, 2007 Fine
Today being a holiday officially, I had to go to work, for I am on the
Entrance Exam Committee. The first "explanation meeting" was
held today. Arount 260 people came. After a brief meeting, I took out two
big sign boards and placed them in front of the entrance, sticking some
arrows here and there. Between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. I was standing at the
entrance, ushering in people. On the way home did some shopping at Korea
Town.
Friday, November 23, 2007 Fine
Today being Labor Thankisgiving Day in Japan, I am relaxing at home.
My wife has gone out with her sister. In the morning I watched KBS a little.
In the afternoon I went out and did a little shopping, returning a book
to the municipal library, too.
Thursday, November 22, 2007 Overcast
There was an Entrance Exam Committee meeting in the afternoon. It totally
slipped my mind, and I was in the English teachers' room. Anyway we are
now almost ready for the school explanation meeting the day after tomorrow.
My throat is still itchy, so I wore a mask today.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Cloudy, windy, and cold.
It has gotten cold all of a sudden. We had a meeting to explain how to
handle food at the time of our school festival. I explained about stool
testing. Anybody who cooks is supposed to hand in a stool sample. At night
I wrote back to my Koean pen pal in English via email.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 Fair
In the morning attended the sign language circle's weekly meeting as
usual. In the afternoon went to the Korean language school and then to
work. Today I had a half substitute holiday. At work checked several 'reports.'
At home I drink a lot these days. My wife warned me about it. She is right.
Maybe I have been under
much stress at work. That is why. Now I should control myself.
Monday, November 19, 2007 Fair
The first day of the third term. Today has been a very busy day. Starting
with our Korean study meeting in the morning, I had to do one thing after
another. There were two makeups to take care of. The phone kept ringing
wherever I was. Corrected nearly 20 'reports." Prepared a couple of
sheets for today's classes. Two classes to teach. No time to go buy a boxed
meal for supper.
Sunday, November 18, 2007 Cloudy
Our two sons came home yesterday and went back to their respective places
this morning. Again our condo is an empty nest now. The two cats seem to
miss them. They looked happy while our boys were here. There was an OCⅠmakeup
exam, so I had to go to work. There were four students. However, the listening
test was defective. This is the third time I have had trouble with this
OCⅠ exam. I wish this teacher had been a little more careful.
Saturday, November 17, 2007 Fine
Getting up early in the morning, did my daily routine-household chores
and listening to the radid Korean program. Then taking a shower and resting
for a while, went to the English conversation school. Conversed for two
hours or so. We talked about English education in elementary schools, too.
Bought okonomi for lunch on the way home. Checked a book out of the municipal
library.
Friday, November 16, 2007 Cloudy
Today did a lot of cleaning at work. The amount of trash left behind
by this irresposible teacher is just too much. This was my second time
to do a general cleaning here. Tody I had three big trash bags of litter.
I did a lot of shredding as well. However, I could feel a little catharsis
after getting rid of all this trash-a mass of irresponsibility, so to speak.
How can a person do something like this? I am sorry for this man, who must
have been very lonely at the workplace. He must have never had any sense
of satisfaction or fulfillment.
Thursday, November 15, 2007 Overcast
From Wednesday through Friday I enjoy watching KBS's Korean drama "Dejoyon."
On the weekdays I often watch the serial drama in the morning. I hear a
lot of Korean from TV daily. In the morning I visit Yahoo! , choose an
article, and read it out loud to myself. Also I visit a Korean reading
review site and read the review of the day aloud to myself. These are part
of my daily routine for stuying Korean and English.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 Overcast
This morning I had a fit of coughing. I felt tired. I took some medicine,
not expecting too much of it. These days I do not enjoy working. I think
I have tried hard at this workplace so far, but my will to work is declining.
I sometimes think to myself, "What's the good of doing all this for
the benefit of students?" Finished the year-end adjustment today.
The procedure was simple. However, the manual or explanation was inadequate.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 Cloudy and then cleared up.
The sign langugage club members went on an outing today. I could not
join them because I had to attend my Korean class. On the way home I met
my wife, stopping over at a station before my destination. We bought a
new radio LAN station for a little over 10.000 yen. I watched the rest
of the Korean drama "Thank You." I have caught cold again. I
am beginning to cough now. My wife suggests that I go to bed wearing a
mask. I hope it will work.
Monday, November 12, 2007 Overcast
Studied Korean together with some friends this morning. Inputted exam
results. There was a long English teachers' conference. Invigilated the
Reading exam. Today I realized there is no such thing as the absolute truth.
The truth is the result of meeting each other halfway. These days I have
no strong urge to study English, although I often find myself studying
Korean.
Sunday, November 11, 2007 Cloudy
I am sick and tired of being a teacher now. Teachers are no longer respected
the way they used to be. Education is based on human relationships, but
nowadays this premise is no longer valid among some people. Then education
will be impossible, I am afraid. It seems this world is going to be a place
not worth living in-some animals going extinct and temperatures going up.
Is there still hope? At least our cat trusts me. That is it.
Saturday, November 10, 2007 Overcast
Been to the municipal library to return one of the two books I checked
out two weeks ago. I finished reading it quickly. Got an extention on the
other one. If you step on a landmine, you will get injured or killed. Even
living each day, you are , as it were, surrounded with 'human landmines.'
A man died in hospital today because a woman jumped off the roof of a department
store and landed on him a few days ago.
Friday, November 9, 2007 Cloudy and rainy.
It says in the Ecclesiastes that vanity of vanities, all is vanity. However,
I say that sanity of sanities, all is sanity, for some make othes insane
to stay sane or alive themselves. Also absurdity of absurdities, all is
absurdity. It seems that some have a kind of abyss inside of them. I cannot
inhabit such a world. I would rather choose a different world or story
to inhabit.
Thursday, November 8, 2007 Fair
When the head of an organization is indecisive, thinking of only his
own interests, the organization will be ruined. I experienced this kind
of thing in the past. At that time the situation was disatrous. In today's
Japan an economic war is going on. One out of every three young people
does not have a steady job, which means no social security. However hard
they may try at school, it does not guarantee any success in the future.
Surivival is the name of the game in Japanese society today. Really it
is a cut-throat world.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Fair
Today was not my day. One problem after another arose. First, something
important was missing. Second, I was accused of something that never stands
to reason. Thirs, somebody I was looking for never showed up. Fourth, while
marking exam sheets, I could not make sense out of why some of the questions
were there or the allocation of marks. If I am to blame, I think I will
face it, but these are all too absurd to deal with. Just gibberish.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007 Cloudy.
Substitute holiday. The sign language club and the Korean language school.
Although a day off, been a full day. Got tired and sleepy, so took a nap
in the evening. Ran an errand at night and got alkaline water at the usual
supermarket for free, after doing a little shopping and discarding some
recyclable stuff in the designated boxes. At home, too, took out the garbage
for tomorrow's pickup. I just do these routine chores both at home and
at work, day in and day out. There was a rather strong earthquake in the
morning. The epicenter was in Nara.
Monday, November 5, 2007 Cloudy and then rainy.
Day two of the 2nd-term exams. Checked dozens of 'reports.' Invigilated
one of my English exams. Attendance was poor as I had expected. The rest
will take their makeups at their convenience. What a convenient school!
Suit yourselves, guys. We are here to serve you all. Tomorrow is a substitute
holiday. Thank heaven.
Sunday, November 4 2007, 2007 Cloudy
The 2nd-term exams began today. Invigilated and checked some 'reports.'
One student came and asked me English questions about college entrance
exams. Did some cleaning at work. Some irresposible former teachers left
behind lots of unnecessary papers and sheets. Disposed of them, shredding
those with personal information on them. This took me a lot of time and
energy.
Saturday, November 3, 2007 Cloudy
Went out in our family car to do a little shopping-toilette papter, cat
toitlette sand, and takoyaki. Our older son is coming for takoyaki. I was
in bed most of the day, taking some medicine becasue of this cold. I feel
better now. Tomorro is a workday, so I will go to bed again and get some
more rest.
Friday, November 2, 2007 Overcast
At work after doing a general cleaning before the exams, there was a
teachers' education session, where they did a case study of two kids. I
realized that after all, each of us has a cross to carry. If that is the
case, there is no need to hurry. Just bear it and carry on. I learned that
if any kid has some mental problems, it is necessary to set some rules
beforehand or to place them in some framework. Thereby they can feel secure
and manage their stresses. They are under much stress, living each day.
Thursday, November 1, 2007 Cloudy
Last Friday I had a sore throat. Now I have a bad cough. Should I go
to the doctor tomorrow? My wife says I should. Let me see.... At work checked
only five 'reports.' There was a Student Council teachers' meeting. Student
quality is declining-vandalism, littering, abusing, etc. Preparations for
the school festival are under way. I am in charge of two things-treasurer
and stool testing.