Sunday, November 30, 2008 Cloudy

　Prepared a report on the newly-employed teacher assistance. There was an English study meeting in the afternoon. Then came a student for his makeup. Made an English �Thandout. On the way home bought taiyaki for the family. Listened to the i-Pod on the trains. Today's brisk walking will be done late at night. Tomorrow will be a full day.

Saturday, November 29, 2008 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Took my mother-in-law to her doctor in our family car. Also drove her to the local Uniqlo because she wanted to buy a coat. Then went to the usual Joshin to buy scales for our second son. Udon for lunch and hokaben for supper. Of course, it was I who ran the errands. Resumed brisk walking with my wife this evening. Walked for 50 minutes or so. Got an extention on the two library books.

Friday, November 28, 2008 Cloudy

　Just one English �Tclass to teach. The number of students was not too great, but they read in chorus after me loud enough. Strangely enough, though. I told one of them not to work on her report for a different subject in class. Her response looked very sour. I was under the impression that she was in my class for the first time. Handed out the school festival money to some of the teachers.

Thursday, November 27, 2008 Rainy

　Cleaned the floor of the English room. Sent the second-term results to my homeroom students and a reminder to 19 students regarding their status quo on their English. Prepared an OC�Thandout. Really worked hard from 12:30 to 20:00. Then I found myself exhausted and took a break. The fifth floor was deserted as usual-a ghost floor. Read an English book a little.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Cloudy

　A couple of students came for their makeup or retest. One of them could not take hers because there was no makeup exam paper. I do not teach that subject. Today's Reading class was just too much because I had to cover two sections, double the usual coverage. Checked some reports and made an English �Thandout. Told to meet the vice principal. Took an hour off today.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Cloudy

　In the morning went to the sign language club's weekly meeting and talked a little in sign language. Whenever I write some sentences in Korean, I make some silly mistakes. I still have a long way to go before I can write well enough in Korean. At work prepared the OC�Tsyllabus for next year. Only a few reports to check. Printed tomorrow's handout for Reading. Tried to make a handout for English �T.

Monday, November 24, 2008 Rainy

　It has been rather cold all day today. I made a handout for my next Reading class. Studied Korean. Read and watched TV a little. Our second son left for Tokyo a little before 6:00 p.m. I want to watch some redcordings, but I wonder if I feel up to it. Recopied in the notebook Koean words and phrases I had taken notes of while watching Korean dramas. Took a long time because there were some backlogs.

Sunday, November 23, 2008 Cloudy

　First thing in the morning watched NHK's Korean program on TV and then the recorded two episodes of The Lost World. In the afternoon over to Konan again for three more'color boxes'　and a toilet tank rubber float. Our second son went to the wedding somewhere in the Nanko area. I gave him a pre-paid train pass. My wife says he has lost his watch, which she had given him. She has lost her pedometer, too.

Saturday, November 22, 2008 Overcast
　
　Late last night our second son came back home from Tokyo to attend his friend's wedding the day after tomorrow. He has lost weight and, unlike his big brother, seems to be keeping up a healthy lifestyle except for smoking. Today my wife took him shopping for clothing. I gave them a ride. I drove to Konan twice today-first to buy three "color boxes" and then to get cat scratching boards. Tonight we are having a better-late-than-never birthday party for our second son. Then our two sons will go out for a drink. My wife is beginning her year-end cleanup or general cleaning.

Friday, November 21, 2008 Cloudy

　Two classes to teach today-OC�Tand English�T. About ten reports to check and one makeup to take care of. Quite a few telephone calls from students and other teachers. Constantly busy all day at work. Some school vandalism is noticeable on the first floor; probaby just a small group of studetns did it. For some time that will continue. Poor students! They must have no self-respect, much less resoect for others or public property.

Thursday, November 20, 2008 Fair

　My wife says my loss of hair has advanced. I am aware of it. I am old enough to be this bald. I am no longer young and will not live for ever. Aging is inevitable. Although I know I have lost lots of hair, now that my wife mentioned it, it was something of a shock. Anyway, I admit that is true. So, what should I do? Do something to prevent losing hair or just leave it as it is.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 Cloudy and cold.

　There was an extra staff meeting as soon as I got to school. Taught my first Reading class of the third term. Also had the first homeroom class. Checked around ten reports and gave a student a makeup. Tried to make an English �Thandout. Almost done. Tomorrow will do the printing. The temperature dropped all of a sudden. My system is having a hard time trying to adjust to this sudden change.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Cloudy and cold.

　It has gotten so cold suddenly that my whole body shrinks, which causes poor blood circulation. As a result, after working hard all day, I have all the more painful shoulders and back. Old age is telling on me. Back home the cat is in heat and so noisy. That is a very stressful situation. Life, aging, and death are inevitable. If so, I would rather find myself dead when I wake up. Such a death would be desirable for me.

Monday, November 17, 2008 Cloudy

　A Korean study meeting in the morning. Gave a retest in Oral �T. There were two students present. However, all the tapes for the listening comprehension were gone. I found it out right before the restest and had to look for them. How could this happen? Prepared the attendance sheets for the third term on the second floor. Made a handout for my Reading class this week. There is going to be still another pay cut. What a world!

Sunday, Novemer 16, 2008 Rainy

　Took out the recyclable stuff, such as old newspaper and cardboard boxes. It was raining outside. Also cleaned the floor first thing in the morning, while my wife was watching TV. My first attempt at the Super Crossword was a success. One of our two cats is now in heat and keeps patting at the doors of the bedroom, which causes me to have trouble sleeping. Prime Minister Aso's Cash Handout plan is really irresponsible and lacking in prudence. Will it really stimulate the economy? I doubt it. That is nothing but a deception called "Chosan Boshi"(Three chestnuts in the morinig, four in the evening-an old Chinese proverb). Hope Japanese are smarter than monkeys.

Saturday, November 15, 2008 Fair

　After driving my mother-in-law to her doctor went to the English conversation school in the neighborhood in the morning. On the way home dropped by the city library and returned two books and borrowed another two. Drove the mother-in-law home and then went to buy some cat food. Also put gas in the car. Back home took a nap and worked on the Super Crossword Puzzle.

Friday, November 14, 2008 Fair

　Writing this in the morning before leaving for work in about two hours. In about four years I will retire from my job, maybe getting employed again somewhere as an English teacher if I am up to the work then. So, how should I spend the remaining years? There were makeups today. Only a few came to the other room for the subjects other than OC�T. Four came to my room. Checked fifteen reports and marked the exam papers. Also inputted the results. Took around three hours altogether. Yahoo is going to do away with its free Briefcase service, so I finished downloading all the files from my Briefcase. Felt like eating dried cuttlefish on the way home. Bought it and two cans of beer.

Thursday, November 13, 2008 Fair

　We English teachers had a meeting today. We did not see eye to eye on everything on the agenda, which could not be helped the way we are now. Prepared attendance sheets for the school festival on December 7th. Removed the 2nd-term attendance sheets on the second floor. Handed in the sheets for next school year's recommened English dictionaries and grammar books together with a floppy disk containing the file for those sheets. Bought taiyaki on the way home for the family. I tried to be very careful because they could be flattened on the crowded trains.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Cloudy

　Left home for work a little earlier than usual. Soon after arriving at school, there was an extra teachers' meeting. Sent exam papers makeup notices to students. Marked the Reading exam papers. Felt ill at ease while marking because the allocation of points does not make sense to me. Corrected some reports and inputted the exam results. Did some typing on the second floor as well. Studied Korean and read a little. Got a bit chilly in the evening and I felt a bit of a chill, too. Our Washlet type toilet is out of order now. There is something wrong with the nozzel.

Tuesday, Novemer 11, 2008 Cloudy

　No sign language club because they are going on an outing in Kyoto or somewhere. I need to attend my Korean class this afternoon, so I cannot go. On the way home from today's Korean class, I went shopping as usual. We were out of milk. This evening I am thinking of watching some of the recorded episodes of "Dewang Sejong." Have to read a bit, too.

Monday, November 10, 2009 Coudy

　A morning Korean study meeting. Two exams to invigilate. On parking lot duty between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Something very tragic happened at school this evening, and there was an extra staff meeting at 9:00 p.m. Came back home very late. Watched the recording of today's Kobbegi episode and also that of The Lost World until very late. Marking Readin exam papers, I had trouble with the allotment of points-just gibberish! The same is the case with the English �Texam.

Sunday, November 9, 2009, 　Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Went somewhere else other than my work place, on business. It was quite cold. The air was cleaner there. Kind of on duty walking around and chatting about this and that with some of my fellow teachers. The place was about 15 minutes' walk from the nearest station. On the way home missed all the train connections and waited for the next train for some time. This was not my train day.

Saturday, November 8, 2008 Rainy

　In the afternoon watched two Korean movies on DVD at home-"Il Mare" and "Over the Rainbow" , starring Lee Jungjae. In the morning went to the dentist for the fourth time-the last appointment this time. Why is the fee so expensive? Returned a library book and checked out another. On the way home did some shopping. Must have been hungry. Bought a lot. Gotten quite chilly. Tomorrw is a workday. Must leave home early.

Friday, November 7, 2008 Cloudy

　Day two of the second-term exams. Invigilated the OC�Texam. The listening test went well this time. 25 students present. No auditors there. Finished marking the exam papers soon after. Checked over ten reports. One telephone call from outside. Read a little. On duty in the teachers' room between 7:50 a.m. anb 8:40 p.m. Handed in the year-end deduction papers.

Thursday, November 6, 2008 Cloudy and rainy.

　Yahoo's Briefcase will not be for free any more from December 1 on. I guess it is due to the financial crisis. They want as much money as they used to get. Anything goes nowadays. Did the so-called "year-end adjustment" on the computer as follows. First, click on "Year-end Adjustment". Second, choose either Life Insurance or Earthquake Insurance. Third, click "Revision." Fourth, write in the kind of insurance and the name of the company. Fifth, write in the annual payment ( the monthly premium times twelve) for Life Insurance and just the amount of money for Earthquake Insurance. Ignnored the date for the first payment of the pension ( a different kind of insurance). I was told there is no such thing as spouse deduction ( usually for housewives). "Special Spouse Deduction" is usually for working housewives. It is a different kind of deduction. So complicated!!!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Cloudy

　It was rather warm today. Two exams to invigilate. Began marking the English �T exam papers, but not done yet. Over 40 reports to check. Got very exhausted. A stiff neck etc. Worked all along. No time to catch my breath. One telephone call from a student. I wondered if there was any need for that, though. My 3-Sentece Diary's links got overdue. I am now in the process of reconstructing this web page. I will do it little by little.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Cloudy

　Absented myself from today's sign language club meeting because I had to go see my doctor. I also got a flu shot. The fee was very expensive. Then to the Korean language school. After that to the dentist. While waiting for my turn, did some reading. Then to Konan to buy a new lunch box for our first-born son. Although a day off, it has been a full day as usual.

Monday, November 3, 2008 Cloudy

　Been to Uniqlo. My wife had something to buy. Also she needed to get a new lunch box for our first-botn son becasue she wrecked the old one. I have heartburn now. It started some days ago and will not stop. I will go see my doctor tomorrow anyway. Right now my wife is watching "Ghost Whisperer", a serial Fox program, on TV. She likes it.

Sunday, November 2, 2008 Fair

　Still reading Sophie's World with friends. It is about the history of philosophy. My wife says she has caught cold and has a headache. Therefore, she did not cook at all today. On the way home, I bought two salmon makunouchi for the two of us. Tomorrow an the day after tomorrow are consecutive holidays. Thank Heaven. I will just take it easy at home tomorrow.

Saturday, November 1, 2008 Cloudy

　It is already November. Today I will drive my mother-in-law to her doctor and then go to the English conversation session. So I did. Then to Konan with my wife to buy a new showerhead. When we got there, there were none, so I asked a clerk there. Fortunately there was one left. This showerhead lets water spurt. In this way it has a massaging effect. On the way back bought takoyaki as our son asked us to.