Saturday, October 31, 2009 Fair

　It was rather hot today. I perspred a little. Sent in-mourning postcard to friends. Went to the usual electronics store to buy printer ink. Also got some other things such as cat sand, two thin boards to make a ladder for the cats with, and cat food. On the way home ate udon for supper as usual. Renewed the car insurance online. Then a strange thing happened. Two totally identical emails were sent to us right after finishing the procedure online.

Friday, October 30, 2009 Cloudy

　Cleaned the classroom on the fifth floor with two other colleagues for the coming exams. Two teachers were absent and did not join us. Corrected over ten reports, which took me one hour or so. Made one English �Thandout. Read a paperback a lot. Took two hours off and came back home. On the way bought six taiyaki for the family and myself.

Thursday, October 29, 2009 Cloudy

　The year-end adjustment season has come around again-that complicated procedure! I will do it at the beginning of next month. Our pay is likely to decrease again soon. I will no longer support the present Government. They are liars.They advertize wine and sell vinegar. Might makes right. Today I decided not to expect too much of others at work. If I continue to expect them to work properly, I get sick. That is why I made that decision. You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Fair

　Made another two handouts and corrected some fifteen reports. Studied English with a friend with a friend. Just before leaving for home, I found out the third-term OC�Treport was printed wrongly. The lady in charge of printing printed the same page twice. I was shocked. The Reading report also had two letters gone, so I wrote the letters by hand in the report room. Too bad. There were 50 copies.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Cloudy

　This morning for the first time in many days I read English and Korean out loud for a total of 30 minutes. The Korean language classroom I went to this afternoon is over an hour away from home by train. I have to change trains twice. The fare is more costly than before, too. Besides, if the number of students in our class is as small as ever, the class will be discontinued next spring.

Monday, October 26, 2009 Rainy, occasionally cloudy.

　Just studied Korean with friends, checked some reports, made two handouts, and did some other odds and ends. Ate my box lunch for lunch and okonomiyaki for supper for the first time in many day. The two young English teachers helped the older one print and staple the second-term English �Treport at the last minute. It is due today.

Sunday, October 25, 2009 Cloudy and then a little rainy.

　On getting to work, checked several reports. Then studied Korean for some time. After eating lunch, printed the tests and put them away. This took a long time as usual. Also printed 3rd-term Reading handouts. Read a couple of books in English, too. As I left for home, it began to rain again, so I fetched my umbrella.

Saturday, October 24, 2009 Cloudy

　Took my mother-in-law first to UNIQLO and then to the beauty parlor in our car. My wife kept her company. I was just the driver. Checked out three library books at the munucupal library. Anyway, by and large, took it easy all day, not working. In the evening two Korean dramas to watch for two hours or so. Then reading a little and scheduling for this next week.

Friday, October 23, 2009 Overcast

　15 students and one teacher came to my Inclusive lecture on how to enrich your vocabulary through an entymological approach. I expected only a few to come, though. The first period was Reading. There were 11 students present. The total number of registered students is less than 20. The attendance rate is quite high. I checked the other techer's English �Trerport draft for the third term. He got it ready at the last minute as usual. He has not looked though my two tests yet.

Thursday, October 22, 2009 Cloudy

　Two meetings. One is a Student Coucil teachers' conference and the other a regular staff meeting, where the clerk in charge of Student Council money made a proposal, which was rejected later. I thought that would happen. I gave my two tests to the other teacher more than a week ago so that he could look them over, but he has not done that yet. Procrastinator! I prepared for tomorrow's Inclusive lecture on vocabulary building through an eymological approach.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Fair

　Returned a library book on the way to work. Two English �Tclasses to teach plus Homeroom and over 20 reports to check. Studied English with my Korean friend. Quite busy at work all day. Several students came to see me for help with English and other things, too. Still have to prepare for the Inclusive Hour lecture the day after tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 Fair

　Went to the sign language club's weekly meeting, checked out two library books after returning one, bought a 3000-yen prepaid train pass, and did some shopping at the supermarket. In the afternoon went to the Korean classroom. This time to the new building. It takes longer than before and costs me more. In the evening saw two episodes of "East of Eden", a Korean drama starring SongSunhong.

Monday, October 19, 2009 Fair

　Rather warm today. Studying Korean with some friends in the morning, Taught Reading in the first period. Two homeroom students came to see me. One of them is pregnant and wants to take her exams in the school nurses' room, and the other told me about her problem with P.E. I went to one of the P.E. teachers to get advice. Corrected 15 reports today. Also had a club session (ESS).

Sunday, October 18, 2009 Fair

　Workday. Worked almost as I planned. I have had a full day. However, I still have to make more preparations for the Inclusive Hour lecture-on an etymological approach to enrich your vocabulary. This morning it took me ah hour or so to prepare the cassettes for the listening comprehension test. I got one extra cassette ready just in case. There is somebody with a strong possessive instinct. Things get lost easily.

Saturday, October 17, 2009 Cloudy

　Went to the English convesation school in the morning. But due to lack of sleep I felt so tired during the session. Coming back home, I took a nap for some time. On the Internet read an article about Kato Kazuhiko's suicide. He was a member of Folk Crusaders in the 60s. "Ano Subarashii Ai Wo Mo Ichido," "Imjin Gawa", and "Kaettekita Yopparai" are some of the songs that come to mind. Another memory of the Shawa era is gone.

Friday, October 16, 2009 Fair

　KBs's morning serila drama is coming to an end. The plot has been unthinkable. A very strange drama. Three classes to teach in a row. Both today's English classes read the text aloud after me O.K. anyway. No noisy students today. Last time was an exception. I usually have almost no unruly students. Checked 20 reports and was on canteeen duty, too. A full day. Could do nothing else. We had our first teacher H1N1 case at our school today.

Thursday, October 15, 2009 Cloudy

　Filled in the OC�Texam with answers. Double-checked both the OCI and Reading exams and corrected some mistakes. Handed the two exams to the other teacher so that he could look them over. Handed in a report sakple to the boss-part of the Assess and Nurture System. Prepared envelopes etc for the exam sheets. Prepaared two mini sheets for next week's Reading classes. Finished reading a book.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Cloudy

　Intended to read two books but could not afford the time today. Listened to my iPod as uaual and corrected 17 reports. Attended only the first part of the joint homeroom in the fourth period because I had something else to attend to. Filled in the Reading test with answers. In the evening I had my language exchange partner over. Handed in the interim report on the Assess and Nurture System. ( I have never been nurtured by the management, though.)

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 Fair

　My 57th birthday. At first thinking of going to a movie or something with my wife, but nothing good enough to see is showing right now, so on second thought decided to take it easy at home. Went out two or three times to go shopping in the neighborhood. I wanted my wife to relax, too, because it was my birthday today, so I bought sushi for supper for the two of us. When our son comes back home, we will have the birthday cake together.

Monday, October 12, 2009 Fair

　As my wife said she wanted to eat otsukuri for lunch, I went to the supermarket to buy it. In the afternoon after withdrawing some money from the bank account, we went shopping at the supermarkets on foot. Later by car to buy cat sand and cat food. On the way back ate udon for supper. Also the confectionary is closed tomorrow, got a birthday cake today for tomorrow. I am going to have 57 candles on it.

Sunday, October 11, 2009 Overcast and chilly in the evening.

　Woke up as early as 5:00 a.m., made second-term Reading exams. Then took a shower, got some rest, and left for the prefectural education center, where students' autumnal presentations were given. I was on duty between 12:30 and 13:30 p.m. at the reception desk. Then went into the aiditorium to hear a total of 12 speakers, among whom was my homeroom kid, who turned out to be the second best prize winner.

Saturday, October 10, 2009 Fair

　Bought a new pair of sandals and six pairs of socks. Cleaned the rooms. Also spent almost four hours making OC�T exams for the second term. Although today was a day off, I was busy doing this and that during the day. I decided to take it easy in the evening and at night, maybe watching Korean dramas or reading a book or something. Got an email from a homeroom student and wrote back. I prepared the intrerim report for the Assess and Nurture System. It is not much in substance, though. I do not approve of this system per se because it is an inhuman system which do not grow on Japanese soil.

Friday, October 9, 2009 Fair

　Two classes to teach. The latter one was visited by the two bosses. There happened to be a group of naughty and noisy kids in class of all days. Usually my classes are not like that. The first class was better today because the students participated more. More than twenty reports to check. It was after six o'clock that I could afford to take a break and eat my supper. What a hectic day!

Thursday, October 8, 2009 Rainy and cloudy.

　The typhoon did not hit my area, so I went to work as usual. Just two conferences. I double-checked the freshly printed Reading reports for the third term and found out some errors, so I asked the lady in charge of printing to print it again, apologizing to her. The fifth floor was quite deserted as is oten the case. I talked with a colleague of mine about my age, who said he lacked the will to do anything. I wonder how I should view aging.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Rainy

　Typhoon No. 18 is coming up this way. Took an hour off, came back home and put away some of the stuff on the balcony so that it would not be blown away. This typhoon is said to be quite strong, also bringing lots of rain. Today's fire drill was called off. I called to the fire station to make sure about the cancellation and made an announcement on the PA after sticking a notice on the bulletin board.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Rainy

　Sleepiing and getting some sleep, I felt better because the headache and toothache was almost gone. Went out only once today to buy bread and two bento for my wife and myself for lunch. This morning absented myself from the sign language club's weekly meeting and relaxed at home. Skimmed through some of the nine library books this evnening. My wife wen to see a doctor becuase the young cat jumped on her chest and caused a crack one of her ribs.

Monday, October 5, 2009 Cloudy and then rainy.

　A Korean study meeting in the morning and three classes to teach in a row. About twenty reports to check. At the end of the day I had a terrible headache and toothache. As soon as I got back home, I took some pain reliever. The pain lessened a little, and I am writing this now. If this wet weather continues, the fire drill will be called off the day after tomorrow.

Sunday, October 4, 2009 Sunny

　Our school had an athletic meeting outside on the ground for the first time in three years. It was rained out three times in a row. I was one of the judges, but I failed to judge properly for the 1000-meter race because 23 runners ran at the same time, which made it very hard to tell who was who. I am afraid the way the race was done was a mistake.

Saturday, October 3, 2009 Rainy, cloudy, and sunny.

　Went to work to help get ready for tomorrow's athletic meeting. Just took out several tables ant left them where they should be. Checked the Super Crossword answeers and found still another typo. Got an English �Tworksheeet and a Reading mini sheet ready. To make up for today I am entitled to take a substitute half-day holiday. My wife ordered a Learn Korean with Bae Yong Joon DS software and had it delivered this evening.

Friday, October 2, 2009 Rainy

　Began working on the Super Crossword this morning, and then went to the dentist-my last appointment this time. Because it was raining, I drove there. After watching the usueal serial Korean drama on KBS and eating lunch, left for work in the rain. At work taught only Reading today, correcting some reports. It was so hot and humid in the classroom, but air conditioning could no longer be used. It can be used until September 30.

Thursday, October 1, 2009 Cloudy

　It was rather hot today. The thermometer registered nearly 30 ℃. There was no conference today, which thing seldom happens. I was able to take it easy and prepared for tomorrow's class. Read a book a little as well. Right before I was about to leave home, I heard fire engines running. As it turned out, I saw black smoke rising in the neighborhood. Some police officers were at the intersection nearby for regulation of traffic.