Sunday, October 31, 2010 Cloudy

　I knew that tests not only evaluate learning but also improve learning, but recently there seems to have been an article in a US magazine called Science regarding this. Maybe I should apply this hypothesis to my work as well as to my learning. Usually it is small things that tend to make a big difference. Although their experiment seems not much, it is worth keeping in mind. This is effective in the area of memory work.

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Cloudy

　Took my wife's mother to her doctor in our son's car. Ate noodles for lunch at the usual drive-in noodle restaurant. Finished reading a library book and put the stuff on the dest in order. Went shopping for some clothing with my wife and her sister. Gave my wife's sister a ride home in the evening. Coming back home, we walked to the neighborhood supermarket to buy some things. Watched two Korean dramas at night.

Friday, October 29, 2010 Cloudy

　Barely made it to school on time, hurrying from the station. Usually it take around 12 to 13 minutes, but today it took me only 10 minutes. I sweated and was breathing hard when I got there. Since I left home late, I expected to be late but made it anyway and was glad. Read several books, just a little bit of everything. A Student Council meeting and a pre-test cleaning.

Thursday, October 28, 2010 Cloudy

　Thinking I would take a short nap before leaving for work, I fell asleep and overslept. A Reading student came over and worked on her report for a couple of hours. Worked almost as I planned. Th e fifth floor where my room was so quiet today, I worked my own way on my own, preparing a worksheet and helping the student. Looks lik I am beginning to get use to Chinese sounds.

Wedensday, October 27, 2010 Cloudy

　Taking two hours off, just came back home and took it easy. If I removed all the facades from my life, I wonder what would be left. As time goes by, you will have more things in the past with the future becoming less. Today while waiting for my train, I happened loook down at a couple of homepess men from the platform where I was. They looked older than I. I imagined myself to be in their place. Should I lose everything I have now, I would be like them. No, even now there is no difference. Actually, I have nothing to myself.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 Cloudy and suddenly cold.

　A morning walk, a shower, the sign language club, and lunch in the morning. Then in the afternoon the Korean language school and the Chinese class until 8:00 p..m. It has been a full day. Ate ramen for supper near the Chinese classroom. Winter is here all of a sudden today. Until yesterday it had been summer weather. The problem of climate is change is now global. Uncertainty is the word for the mentality of today's people.

Monday, October 25, 2010 Cloudy, occasionally rainy.

　Went out for a walk early in the morning, listening to NHK's Korean program on the radio while walking. Had a Korean study session in the morning as usual. My Korean was out of shape this morning. Chinese was on my mind. Tomorrow I have a Chinese class, but I am not ready yet. At work busy checking 'reports.' No time to do anything else.

Sunday, October 24, 2010 Cloudy and then rainy.

　Printed the second-term exam papers, put them into big envelopes, and put the envelopes away in the cabinets. Had an English study session. Had a homeroom student over and talked for some time. Prepared the OC�Tlistening comprehension test tapes. Came back home exhausted. Used the massager for the first time in some days.

Saturday, October 23, 2010 Cloudy

　These days I am gaining weight again although I take a walk almost every day. I decided not to eat anything after 9:00 p.m., but I began to eat and drink a liitle recently. Maybe that is why. Well, I need to get back to my decision or thnk of some alternative. Today by and large I took it easy all day, just watching TV-mainly Korean dramas as usual. Did a little reading, too. Took a walk in the evening.

Friday, October 22, 2010 Cloudy

　Woke up rather late in the morning, but took a walk anyway, doing the rest of my morning routine, too. At work, two classes to teach. I do not know why, but the English one class was overcrowded. I almost ran out of handouts. The OC１class was O.K. Today three pairs, namely, six out of nine participated in the pair work, an improvement. Over 20 reports to check. There was canteen duty, too. Participaed in the club also. A busy and full day.

Thursday, October 21, 2010 Cloudy

　Tried to finish reading a library book in the morning and got tired. At work two conferences-one Student Council one and a staff meeting which lasted for three hours or so. Handed in a report sample. Got a homeroom student's transcript and a letter of recommendation ready. Uploaded the hints for Reading Report No.6 around midnight because there was an email form one of my students requesting the hints.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Cloudy

　A morning walk as usual. Then did a little shopping. Saw the usual morning drama, ate lunch and left for work. Just one class to teach, three students to help with their reports and around 20 reports to check and correct. Also had a homeroom student's mother visiting with me. Another full day. Had to finish reading a library book because it would be due tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 Cloudy

　A substitute holiday. After taking a walk, took a shower and went to the sign language club. Bought some bread on the way home as usual. Ate lunch and headed for the Korean language school. Then to the Chinese classroom. Oh, Chinese pronuciation is too much for me. I ate my box supper on a stone bench near the train station where I got off to get to the building where my Chinese class was to be taught. I had a full day.

Monday, October 18, 2010 Fair

　A morning Korean session as usual starting at 11:00 a.m. and three classes to take care of in the afternoon and on duty after 5:00 p.m. What a tough schedule! I thought I would die, but anyway I managed to survive. This is no exaggeration. Besides, I corrected over 20 reports. Around 7:30 p.m I just closed my eyes trying to rest them for some time.

Sunday, October 17, 2010 fair

　Last night worked on the Super Crossword. The morning routine as usual. On duty at the education center. A girl student I know won the top prize for her work of art. While sitting at the reception, talked with my partner about this and that. Finished reading two library books and returned them. Also checked out one. Saw the three serial dramas on TV as usual.

Saturday, October 16, 2010 Fair

　There were 12 or 13 people at the Egnlish conversation school. The place was full. All kinds of things are talked about here, but today Japanese was often used. Our instructor, who is a Japanese educated in the States, mentioned that Americans do not "nayamu" the way Japanese do. Saw three serial dramas-two Korean ones and one Chnese one. Have to hit the hay now. Tomorrow is not a holiday.

Friday, October 15, 2010 Cloudy

　My wife took her mtoher and aunt to a play. She did not see it but just showed them the way to the theater. So, I ate my lunch all by myself and saw the Korean drama alone, too. Took a very short nap and left for work. Prepared for next monday's Inclusive Hour first thing at work. Just over ten reports to correct, but I felt like doing nothing. Ate my bento a bit early and resumed my work. Helped the club, too. Paid 3.000 yen for the wedding present for a colleague.

Thursday, October 14, 2010 Cloudy

　Having someone tell on you to the boss really makes you indignant. It is a very dastardly deed. Well, we now live in such an age. We can never get back to those good old days. I do not have much in this kind of workplace. I am sick and tired of it. However, necessity is a hard master. I have to work to make a livning and I enjoy teaching my subject anyway. Otherwise, who will stay in a ruthless world like this?

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Cloudy

　Happened to wake up before dawn. Did some reading and went back to bed. After sleeping for an hour or so, woke up when the alarm went off. Did the radio exercises, ate breakfast, and took a morning walk as usual. Saw the serial Korean drama, ate lunch, and left for work. At work, taught OC�T　and then walkep up to the AV room for the joing homeroom hour. The place was full and we saw a documentary type of movie about a phisically handicapped person who is a graduate of the night school on the same premises. Then checked a quite a few reports. Came back home exhausted.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 Overcast

　My wife sometimes stays up all night playing this DS Pokemon Game. She is a so-called "gamer." Wen to the sign language club's weekly meeting as usual. Ate lunch, rested for a while, studied Chinese, and went to the Chinese class- the third session. Too much to learn at a time. Have to change my strategy. Otherwise I may end up gaining nothing.

Monday, October 11, 2010 Fair

　Autumnal Equinox Day. Woke up later than usual and did not go out for a walk this morning. Did quite a lot of cleaning in and around the house. Did some weeding and pruning in the backyard, to, -thick with weeds and branches. Two-60-liter plastic garbage bags of weeds and branches. Also put away the stuff which I had taken out of my old car and left out by the door. Swept the balcony and picked up my other room a little. Studied Chinese and prepared for the Inclusive Hour next Monday a little. I seemed to have overworked myself today. At the end of the day, I found myself dead tired.

Sunday, October 10, 2010 Coudy

　At work did one task after another as planned. My satisfaction level was rather high. The tests are all done. Made the OC�Ttest at school. Prepared three transcripts in all. Now it is time to prepare my lecture for the Inclusive Hour next Monday. This is going to take me some time and energy. Also by this coming Tuesday I need to study Chinese. At home watched the three dramas on TV. Our second son has gone back to Tokyo.

Saturday, October 9, 2010 Rainy

　Walking in the morning as usual, I began to make a Reading exam. It took me a whole day to finish making it. Really exhausted. I made it almost from scratch. That is why it took so long. Saw the Chinese drama "Daishin Teikoku" in the evening. I will watch two more dramas "Chejungwon" and "Don'i." Our son is coming back home after attending his friend's wedding. The first-born son is working, today, too, just like a slave of his company.

Friday, October 8, 2010 Cloudy and then rainy.

　Fragrant olives (kinmokusei) smell sweet this morning while I was taking a walk. At work quite a few kids came see me. I had to prepare a transcript for a homeroom kid. I will have to prepare two more the day after tomorrow. I will have to write a letter of recommemdation as well. Corrected around 20 reports. Helped a colleague with his club. Prepared a OC�Thandout. Read a little.

Thursday, October 7, 2010 Fair

　Took one hour off. Today's staff meeting was very short. It did not take even an hour. I prepared a couple of handouts for my next English �Tclasses. I think I will take it easy up until the first half of January next year because I am now done wtih what I was put in charge of. This morning I felt tired when I went out for a walk probably because I woke up before dawn and went back to sleep. I did not get enough sleep.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 Cloudy

　Took two hours off and came back home. Decided to think that I will live as if I were already on pension, on a small income, which means I will not overwork myself the way I did when I was younger. The whole world iis now going through a depression. Like humans when you are suffering from depression, the most dangerous thing is to push yourself too hard. Our son did not come back home for the second night. What a company!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 Cloudy

　At 9:00 a.m. called the municipal libarary to see if the book I had reserved but was already overdue was still available. The man on the other end of the line said that he was not sure because they just handle the books according to the rules, adding that I could come anyway to check on that. Thinking it was worth the trouble, I dropped by the library while I was taking a walk. Fortunately, I got the book. In the evening attended the Chinese class after going over last week's lesson. The instructor covered so much I could hardly follow her. I must do a lot of reviewing.

Monday, October 4, 2010 Rainy and then cloudy.

　We are losing incentives to work because they will carry out more pay cuts and even a big reduction in our retirement money. I know this prefecture is in the red, but this is going too far. I gave up my car last month. My present salary cannot affort it. Now I will have to give up more things. I am the only bread earner in the family. The future is just gloomy.

Sunday, October 3, 2010 Cloudy and then rainy.

　Today's athletic meeting was called off because of rain. The students were on their way home by noon. I prepared a couple of handouts for my next Reading classes. I will have to give up checking out the library book I had waited for about two months becuase I had failed to go get it in time. What a shame! I asked my wife to get it for me this morning, but she forgot about it. The Osaka's governor is going to provide money for the tuitions of private high schools in this prefecture by reducing the pay of Osaka's public servants-very mush like his way of thinking. I am afraid this is not going to be the end. He will think of more ways to give us a hard time.

Saturday, October 2, 2010 Cloudy

　Went to work to help make preparations for tomorrow's athletic meeting. It may rain tomorrow afternoon, so the folding chairs, the tables, the taups etc. were put inside the school building and the tents were partially put together just in case. Got the necessary stuff ready for the referees, too. Prepared one OC�Tworksheet. Back home saw the Chinese period drama "Daishin Teikoku." Fell asleep and could not see the Korean drama "Ton'i."

Friday, October 1, 2010 Cloudy

　I thought I could take it easy at work, but actually I had a very busy day. A graduate came for a certificate of his grades. I had to send the first-term results to my homeroom students. Also some reports to correct as usual. The club to help with their sign language. Some more arrangements for the athletic meeting the day after tomorrow. Of course before leaving for work, I did my daily routine-a morning walk, the Korean drama, etc. Looks like I am burning the candle at both ends.