Tuesday, November 30, 2010 Cloudy

　I did not attend the sign language club's weekly meeting this morning. I thought I would have run out of energy by the time I go to the last Chinese lesson in the evening after going to the Korean class in the afternoon. So, anyway I manage both lessons all right, but I got tired enough at the end of the day. At night I enjoyed this song-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXHgSSTBSqc&feature=fvst. I sang along.

Monday, November 29, 2010 Cloudy

　Today's walk, too, covered only half the usual distance for lack of time. At work super busy giving a makeup, helping some students with their reports, and preparing a transcript for a homeroom kid. Quite hectic! Of course, in the morning had a Korean study session as usual.

Sunday, November 28, 2010 Cloudy

　Walked for half the usual distance. My right sole hurts these days. Due to too much walking? Worked my own way on my own all day at work. A Reading student came over for help. Bought something for supper, for my wife was under the weather. Watched a couple of dramas on TV-Chinese and Korean.

Saturday, November 27, 2010 Cloudy

　My wife was not feeling well in the morning. So, I thought I would take it easy all day today. I just watched three serial dramas. That is it. I did not read any book, either. Just played with our cat. Our son worked today, too. My wife was concerned about him. He managed to finish his presentation today.

Friday, November 26, 2010 Fair and then cloudy.

　Finished reading a very short book, the title of which is "The Mirror Rule" , a translation from the Japanese original. Well, what it talks about is simple but hard to put into practice because it is too good to be true. At work worked in my way on my own.

Thursday, November 25, 2010 Cloudy

　The same morning routine-reading a little Korean online, walking, viewing the morning Korean drama, etc. Sent the interim second-term results to my homeroom students. Also made an English �Thandout. Did some reading, too. I read several books at the same time.From Wednesday through Friday I listend to NHK's Business English in Action.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010 Fair

　After teaching two English �Tclasses, i thought I would pass out the school festival money, but my partner was absent today. However, it should be done today when there were enought teachers present. So I asked somebody to help me, and he was good enough to give me a hand. As a result I am almost done with that with only several teachers left. Anyway a busy day. Back home talked to our cat and drank good wine with my wife.

Tuesday, November 23, 201 Fair

　Labor Thanksgiving Day. I took it easy all day. I am a laborer. Realized how hard I work each and every day, and that I used to have more time available for my private use. Restlessness prevails these days. Due to the changes brought about by the Abe administration, teachers are under more pressure now, not being able to do creative work but just being on the safer side all the time.

Monday, November 22, 2010 Rainy

　Did not take a walk in the morning partly because it was rainy. Had a Korean study session as usual. Had two classes to take care of and ten reports to check. Tried hard to look for the lost Chinsese-Japanese dictionary in vain. Viewd the recording of the morning serial Korean drama. Only the cat welcomed me with my wife fast asleep.

Sunday, November 21, 2010 Cloudy

　 It was not very cold today, but the weathernan says it is going to be cold this week. May have to wear more layers of clothing. Went to the library, returned two books and checked out three books. Overall, took it easy all day. Watched three serial dramas on TV- Chinese and Korean.

Saturday, November 20, 2010 Cloudy

　Went to the English conversation school. Today much Japanese was spoken, not English. I was in no mood to speak English, either. What was being talked about was interesting. That was why. The instructor is bilingual, and those present want to be able to speak English better. However, I am almost sure no matter how many times you attend this kind of session, your ability in English will not improve. If this took place in an English speaking country, it would be a different story, though. Much depends on your mindset, conscious and unconscious, and whether you have a real need for that foreign language. So, create an artificial need. Need also means "lack." Lack makes you want something. Foreign language learning goes on whether you like it or not. It can be that it is equivalent to abusing you.

Friday, November 19, 2010 Cloudy

　Just one English �Tclass to take care of today. Strangely, only two reports to check. I went to the sign language club only to find none in the room. Read some books. On my way back home, I misplaced my Chinese dictionary. I hope it is there in the room. I do not remember dropping it anywhere on the way back. Did some shopping at the usual supermarket. Got an email from one of my students. Wrote back right away.

Thursday, November 18, 2010 Cloudy

　While taking a walk this morning, I got sick and slowed down and took a different easier route. Anyway I managed to return home after walking for a shorter distance than usual. Last night I went to bed very late studying Chinese. Just lack of sleep got me. I should use moderation. I bought two Chinese dictionaries-one today and the other yesteday. Today at work there were two conferences. Preparations for the school festival are under way for me, too. Did some reading.
　

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 Cloudy

　The temperature dropped suddenly in the evening, which was not good for my blood pressure. Taught OC�Tfor the first time on this first day of the third term. More students than I had expected showed up in class. Almost out of handouts. Got to talk with some of my homeroom kids after the third period Hommeroom. Checked some reports and worked on my own my own way.

Tueday, November 16, 2010 Cloudy

　At today's sign language club's meeting I learned about a member being serious ill. In the afternoon went to the Korean class and then to the Chinese class. Generally spearking, both teachers are good, but the students learning Korean seem to be more cheerful and outgoing than those learning Chinese.

Monday, November 15, 2010 Cloudy

　Had a Korean study session in the morning as usual. Gave some students retests. Then marked the exam papers, inputting the results. Corrected some reports, too. All this took over three hours. Did some reading. Took an hour off and came back home. The day after tomorrow is the first day of the third term.

Sunday, November 14, 2010 Cloudy

　Went out for a walk in the morning as usual, doing some shopping on the way home. My wife loves persimmons. She loves beer, too. Resumed readin the book where I had left off. Also practiced Chinese pronunciation a little. I understod a few words while watching today's Chinese drama.

Saturday, November 13, 2010 Cloudy

　Gave my mother-in-lawa a ride to her doctor. Then after eating noodles for lunch, my wife and I drove out and did a lot of shopping-daily necessities and cat goods. Dropped by a gas station, too. After supper, took a walk, watching the usual Korean dramas later at night.

Friday, November 12, 2010 Fair

　Although I take a morning walk daily, I do not lose very much weight these days. Maybe I need to do something different. Let's see... What will that be? I will think about it. At work only a few students came for their makeups in English. Did some reading. Helped a Reading student with her report.

Thursday, November 11, 2010 Cloudy

　There was a teachers' human rights education session at Liberty Osaka. I got there straight from home. I spent over two hours watching so many things on display. Then went to my workplace and worked for the rest of the day. Finished reading a library book today.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Cloudy

　I was out of lunch all day today. To begin with, my train pass expired yesterday, but I totally forgot about that. Next, there were a couple typos in today's exam, but I became aware of them too late. Lastly, when I went shopping at the usual supermarket, I held out the wrong credit card to the clerk. Finished marking all the exam papers and inputted the results into the computer.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 Cloudy

　No sign language club because tbey were going on an outing today. Just went to the supermarket and bought some bread as usual. In the afternoon off to the Korean language school and then to the Chinese class after eating ramen for supper. During class I felt very sleepy.

Monday, November 8, 2010 Cloudy

　Took a walk and while I was at it, returned a library book. Left for work early because I had a Korean language study sesiion from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Then just one exam to invigilate and on parking lot duty. Except these, I had over 20 reports to check and dozens of exam papers to mark. I was not through with the grading, but I called it a night.

Sunday, November 7, 2010 Cloudy, occsionally sprinkling.

　When I left home, took a collapsible umbrealla wieh me just in case. Later it began to rain as I got off at the usual station. At work worked my own way on my own, preparing a couple of handouts, having a language study exchange session, etc. However, I found myself exhausted at the end of the day. Finished reading a library book, too.

Saturday, November 6, 2010 Fair

　It has been rather hot for November today. Went to the English conversation school in the neighborhood, chatting in English for a couple of hours. On the way home, bought some deep-fried vegetables and fish for lunch. Took an afternoon nap and watched three dramas on TV as usual. Tomorrow is a workday. I was out ouf notebooks. Did some shopping after supper.

Friday, November 5, 2010 Fair

　Invigilated in the school nurse's offece for the exams in the first period. There were four students there. Checked around 10 reports. Studied Korean and Chinese. Spent some time reading a library book, too.

Thurssday, November 4, 2010 Fair

　Tried to do the year-end adjustment procedure on the computer, but something went wrong. I went to the clerk in charge and found that I was clicking the wrong button. How stupid of me! Shame on me! Marked the Reading exam papers. Made an Englsih �Thandout. Did the Korean assignments, too. Because I stayed up until late last night, I had my mind malfunctioning, I guess.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 Fair

　Finished reading a libarary book and took notes in my reading notebook. It turned out to be a better book than I had expected.. I read on even after midnight. I found myself tired and went to bed. The book is due on Novemeber 4. That is why I tried to finish it.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 Cloudy

　Worked on the Super Crossword for a couple of hours in the morning, so could not go to the sign language club's weekly get-together. Leaving home at 12:30 pm. and coming back home bdfore 9:00 p.m., first went to the Korean class and then to the Chinese class. Ate ramen again for supper. I like this miso soup at that ramen restaurant. In the Korean class, I talked about the effect of practice tests on learning, how they improve learning., using an article in the US Science magazine published last month.

Monday, November 1, 2010 cloudy

　Couldn't take a morning walk all right because there was a Korean study session this morning. At work busy invigilating two exams, correcting around 30 reports, and being on parking lot duty. Could hardly do anything else. So tired, too. I have to be ready for tomorrow's one-minute talk in Korean, but I am not fully ready yet. I think I will improvise if necessary.