Thursday, September 29, 2005
Sometimes, being GMT +9 isn't so bad...
Today, I woke up to this news. The day is all of the sudden a brighter one.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Monday and payday
It's Monday (evening) so I need to look at our schedule for the week. Tomorrow Mrs. Suzuki will come see how much our stove sucks. Wednesday is nothing. Thursday we'll be heading to Chiba to pick up money and Greg's work permission, then to Tokyo to see the Inoue family. Friday we hopefully get off work at 2 (like Thursday) and start the weekend. This weekend Greg is in Hakone at the AGM for the union. I will sit at home and eat crackers.
It's payday so I have to look at our bills and figure out what to send home. The exchange rate was 113.36 to the dollar when I checked this morning, the highest it's been in 6 months. I'm hoping it's going to drop to like 110.00 overnight. We may just get by by the skin of our teeth.
Stupid months like August will end when Greg gets his diploma. Nothing will make Mondays better.
It's payday so I have to look at our bills and figure out what to send home. The exchange rate was 113.36 to the dollar when I checked this morning, the highest it's been in 6 months. I'm hoping it's going to drop to like 110.00 overnight. We may just get by by the skin of our teeth.
Stupid months like August will end when Greg gets his diploma. Nothing will make Mondays better.
Friday, September 23, 2005
I'm graduating.
I still have to use that annoying future tense that Micheal Chertoff was so fond of in early September, but I'll have a degree at the end of fall term. The remaining haggling over a course I took in Germany was resolved this morning (my time, at least), so that's it. Of course, the professor in the PS department who was responsible for looking at my coursework gave his OK the week after the deadline to graduate summer term, so now I have to wait until December for my piece of paper. But I'll have one. Soon. Yay.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
I'm tired
... and I wish my hair was dry enough for me to go to sleep.
Tomorrow we have to go to a union meeting.
Saturday we may have to go play with orphans.
Sunday I FINALLY have nothing to do.
I am so sick of this. We've got too much to do and no money to do it with. And what's worse, it now seems like our Board of Education may have been sending a bonus for extra work to our company to give to us and they may have been pocketing it.
Being poor makes me upset, and not having any time to rest makes it worse, but having my employer STEALING from me makes me want to kill.
On the upside, Greg will be able to get a paper from the registrar saying he graduated this week or early next week. We're basically waiting for paperwork to be processed.
Tomorrow we have to go to a union meeting.
Saturday we may have to go play with orphans.
Sunday I FINALLY have nothing to do.
I am so sick of this. We've got too much to do and no money to do it with. And what's worse, it now seems like our Board of Education may have been sending a bonus for extra work to our company to give to us and they may have been pocketing it.
Being poor makes me upset, and not having any time to rest makes it worse, but having my employer STEALING from me makes me want to kill.
On the upside, Greg will be able to get a paper from the registrar saying he graduated this week or early next week. We're basically waiting for paperwork to be processed.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
weekend! (the last one, that is)
It was busy.
Saturday, we had the sports festivals (undoukai) at our respective schools. These are yearly athletic meets where the students at a given school compete in one another in various races, relays, dances, and rehearsed shouting matches. It's a spectacle, but my school is so small (29 students in grades 1-6), that the kids themselves wouldn't really have been able to put on a very long show. Enter the Shibayama Volunteer Fire Department, about 25 members of which (seems excesssive for a town of 8000, but what the hell, it's Japan) took part as well. Not directly against the kids, of course, but with them in some relay races, and against each other a few times. Now afterwards, as is tradition, there was a drinking party at a hall near the school, attended by the staff, the PTA, and (in this case only) the fire department. After the vice principal slumped onto his side next to me, two firefighters came up to me (as one of the few men still sitting up straight) and one, as he pointed to his companion, announced "he numbaa one drinkaa". It was downhill (or uphill, depending on your point of view) from there.
Sunday we saw our friend Eddie and his wife down near our old city of Kisarazu. We joined him for a BBQ at the Sodegaura Seaside Park (kaihin koen), and my god, I had forgotten how foul Tokyo Bay is. Think Boston Harbor in the 70s, or even better, Lake Erie. Despite the smell, we had a fun time eating a bunch of meat and drinking free beer.
Monday was a holiday, so we slept until noon for the first time in what seemed like years, and Tuesday I ran errands in Chiba City. I had to go to the regional immigration office, which always sucks. I updated my permission to work, then came home to Tomisato and picked up my new alien registration card.
Now it's Wednesday, I've worked a day, and my week is already half way over (Friday is the equinox, a holiday). Weeks should be like this more often.
Saturday, we had the sports festivals (undoukai) at our respective schools. These are yearly athletic meets where the students at a given school compete in one another in various races, relays, dances, and rehearsed shouting matches. It's a spectacle, but my school is so small (29 students in grades 1-6), that the kids themselves wouldn't really have been able to put on a very long show. Enter the Shibayama Volunteer Fire Department, about 25 members of which (seems excesssive for a town of 8000, but what the hell, it's Japan) took part as well. Not directly against the kids, of course, but with them in some relay races, and against each other a few times. Now afterwards, as is tradition, there was a drinking party at a hall near the school, attended by the staff, the PTA, and (in this case only) the fire department. After the vice principal slumped onto his side next to me, two firefighters came up to me (as one of the few men still sitting up straight) and one, as he pointed to his companion, announced "he numbaa one drinkaa". It was downhill (or uphill, depending on your point of view) from there.
Sunday we saw our friend Eddie and his wife down near our old city of Kisarazu. We joined him for a BBQ at the Sodegaura Seaside Park (kaihin koen), and my god, I had forgotten how foul Tokyo Bay is. Think Boston Harbor in the 70s, or even better, Lake Erie. Despite the smell, we had a fun time eating a bunch of meat and drinking free beer.
Monday was a holiday, so we slept until noon for the first time in what seemed like years, and Tuesday I ran errands in Chiba City. I had to go to the regional immigration office, which always sucks. I updated my permission to work, then came home to Tomisato and picked up my new alien registration card.
Now it's Wednesday, I've worked a day, and my week is already half way over (Friday is the equinox, a holiday). Weeks should be like this more often.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Shopping trip
I decided to spend the only day of our 3 day break we aren't doing anything doing something. I did a bit of shopping. Nissen is much like the old Sears catalogue, except that you can hop online to look for the newest clearance items and charge them using your non-store account. It takes Nissen about a month to bill, and in about a month we'll be able to afford this stuff.
Greg got some new shirts.
And new pants, in both colors shown (beige and green)
Greg got some new shirts.
And new pants, in both colors shown (beige and green)
I got an interesting new shirt. It reads: The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
This dresser looks cheap and ugly, but it was the only one they had over a meter tall and we need more storage space. 
This is an awesome couch. We'll be getting another one (free) in April from our friends Darren and Danielle. It's a full sized leather couch that folds down into a bed. This will be Dad's bed when he visits.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
We have T-Gel!
A bit spilled on the way here, but any amount to complain about. Screw you, stupid itchy Japanese water!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
TGIF, except that it's not, really.
It's Thursday night, and normally I'd be ecstatic about having only one day of work left this week, but this week I have two. According to labor law in Japan, workers can claim up to two years of unpaid wages when the lodge a complaint with the labor relations board. Handy to know, since I've racked up a couple dozen hours of unpaid overtime in the last few months alone.
Oh well. I don't have to do much actual "work" on Saturday (I have to hold the tape across the finish line in a relay race and fire the starer pistol - that's right, they asked the American to fire the gun for them), but I do have to wake up damned early, and that's enough to set me off. Weekends are for sleeping until noon.
Oh well. I don't have to do much actual "work" on Saturday (I have to hold the tape across the finish line in a relay race and fire the starer pistol - that's right, they asked the American to fire the gun for them), but I do have to wake up damned early, and that's enough to set me off. Weekends are for sleeping until noon.
It's only Thursday
Like Greg I have a really long week due to Sports Day on Saturday. It's made up for by giving us a two day work week next week, but I'm pretty tired right now.
Last night we didn't get to bed until 11:30. I've been trying to get us to bed around 10 every night, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Last night we forgot until 10 that we had to go buy food for breakfast. So, we took a 15 minute drive to the discount market, shopped, and drove home. Then after a bit of relaxing we started to make pre-bed prep.
This morning I was woken up at 5. We've been sleeping with the windows open because summers in Japan make Hell look pretty good in terms of weather. This is a country that just accepts that tons of old people will die during the summer. Anyway, I was woken up because a huge storm had been blown into the area by the high winds we had yesterday. It was pouring, and because of the wind my curtains were blowing out the window and getting wet. So I got up (Greg ignored me asking for help) and closed every window in the house. This upset Trabi, who likes to spend the morning on the balcony. So he proceeded to cry pretty much non-stop until I got up at 7. I considered throwing him out onto the wet balcony, but then he'd cry because he was wet until he forgot how he got wet and started crying to go to the balcony again.
I'm thinking of laying down under the computer desk, but they havn't been using the bell between periods this week so I'm afraid I would sleep through my 2nd period class.
Last night we didn't get to bed until 11:30. I've been trying to get us to bed around 10 every night, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Last night we forgot until 10 that we had to go buy food for breakfast. So, we took a 15 minute drive to the discount market, shopped, and drove home. Then after a bit of relaxing we started to make pre-bed prep.
This morning I was woken up at 5. We've been sleeping with the windows open because summers in Japan make Hell look pretty good in terms of weather. This is a country that just accepts that tons of old people will die during the summer. Anyway, I was woken up because a huge storm had been blown into the area by the high winds we had yesterday. It was pouring, and because of the wind my curtains were blowing out the window and getting wet. So I got up (Greg ignored me asking for help) and closed every window in the house. This upset Trabi, who likes to spend the morning on the balcony. So he proceeded to cry pretty much non-stop until I got up at 7. I considered throwing him out onto the wet balcony, but then he'd cry because he was wet until he forgot how he got wet and started crying to go to the balcony again.
I'm thinking of laying down under the computer desk, but they havn't been using the bell between periods this week so I'm afraid I would sleep through my 2nd period class.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
This week is long.
I think this was foreordained, but the Diet candidate for whom Sam and I were working lost (I can only think of one winning campaign I've worked for - and he was an incumbent in a primary). The margin was pretty shocking - 33.5% to 56% for the winning LDP candidate - especially considering that this guy was the incumbent, and had been serving his district for 4 years and some change. Incumbancy apparently doesn't confer the advantage that it does in US House races. The fact that Inoue's loss was part of an overall 60-seat loss for the DPJ makes it seem not quite as personally damaging to him, at least. I think the guy will get back on his feet.
Anyway, I have a six-day work week this week (bringing this week to somewhere around 55 hours, with no overtime - joy). On Saturday our schools each have their annual daiundoukai (大運動会), an event where the kids do a bunch of chants, dances, acrobatics, and track and field events for the viewing pleasure of their parents (and the mayor). It's weird. I went to one last year, and was vaguely reminded of scenes from the Nurenberg rallies. All this takes lots of preparation, lots of practice outside, and me getting to work at 7am on Saturday to set up tents and tables and chairs and things for the important people. You wouldn't think a town of 8,000 could cough up too many "dignitaries", but I assure you, a Japanese town can.
Anyway, I have a six-day work week this week (bringing this week to somewhere around 55 hours, with no overtime - joy). On Saturday our schools each have their annual daiundoukai (大運動会), an event where the kids do a bunch of chants, dances, acrobatics, and track and field events for the viewing pleasure of their parents (and the mayor). It's weird. I went to one last year, and was vaguely reminded of scenes from the Nurenberg rallies. All this takes lots of preparation, lots of practice outside, and me getting to work at 7am on Saturday to set up tents and tables and chairs and things for the important people. You wouldn't think a town of 8,000 could cough up too many "dignitaries", but I assure you, a Japanese town can.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
My week
Well, one week down, 15 more to go before winter vacation. Being away for as long as I was over the summer vacation was more than just not teaching, I also wasn't speaking (or reading) any Japanese. So re-adjusting to that has been fun. There are a bunch of area farmers tending to our sports field in advance of the sports festival scheduled for next Saturday (an odd feature of the Japanese school system that Sam and I will try to explain sometime, I'm sure). I had a chat with one of the grandfatherly-looking guys who was pulling weeds and it went OK. I remembered more than I thought I would.
Teaching has actually been pretty good too. After a week of giving slideshows and telling stories about back home, I taught my first real lesson today (I was teaching the fifth and sixth graders how to talk on the phone). At the end of each day, the kids have a meeting where, among other things, they tell everyone what their favorite part of the day was. I caught three (it's a class of six) of them saying "eigo!" (english), so that made me feel good. Now we get a weekend of... not relaxing. Tomorrow is the last day of campaigning before the election Sunday, so Sam and I will be in Tokyo helping Kazuo Inoue of the Democratic Party of Japan. Should be fun.
Teaching has actually been pretty good too. After a week of giving slideshows and telling stories about back home, I taught my first real lesson today (I was teaching the fifth and sixth graders how to talk on the phone). At the end of each day, the kids have a meeting where, among other things, they tell everyone what their favorite part of the day was. I caught three (it's a class of six) of them saying "eigo!" (english), so that made me feel good. Now we get a weekend of... not relaxing. Tomorrow is the last day of campaigning before the election Sunday, so Sam and I will be in Tokyo helping Kazuo Inoue of the Democratic Party of Japan. Should be fun.
The kids
Well, Greg is about as good at posting in his blog as he is at writing emails. I guess I'll just have to keep everyone entertained. So, here's pictures of the kids!
Subaru all broken up that I'm leaving.
Trabi the day after we got home. He has a lion cut.
Subaru all broken up that I'm leaving.
Trabi the day after we got home. He has a lion cut.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Woah
I've never seen a group of people be so impressed over spy-ware removing software. Apparently most Japanese people don't even know what it is, but it's a good thing and I got a round of applause.
Have you run Ad-Aware lately?
Have you run Ad-Aware lately?
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Gross
Trabi is chasing a cockroach that is roughly the size of his paw. I am so out of this country.
Summery of my day.
While I have to be at school 45 hours a week, I only work 13. So I guess that makes part of my job description being a lazy bum. I have to pretend I'm doing something while I do just enough to stay awake. Today I teach Today's English with the 6th graders during the morning meeting, 2nd period, skill time (15 minutes after lunch) and 6th period. All of the other time I have to stay busy.
Sadly, today is the busiest day of my week. Because of impending Sports Day most of the regular schedule has been cancelled.
Sadly, today is the busiest day of my week. Because of impending Sports Day most of the regular schedule has been cancelled.
Monday, September 05, 2005
The Japanese sure love ceremonies.
Opening ceremony for the 2nd term of the year, at Hishida (Greg's school). That's the principal on the right, and the vice principal behind him.
Cruelty
We went out for ink for our HP DeskJet 880C.
We came back with an Epson PM-A700 (roughly the same as this, but the scanner is better... )
I think it can be used wirelessly....
Today I ate one huge freaking carbohydrate. Lunch was rice, taro root salad, and potatos. I feel so tired now...
I shouldn't be so exhaused on a monday. It just isn't fair.
Weeks should be 9 days long. 5 for working, 2 for volunteer or social commitments, 2 for rest. At least 2 for rest. I've been working 9 days weeks sans the rest days since a week after we got home. I'm sick of it.
Rest day back pay!!
We came back with an Epson PM-A700 (roughly the same as this, but the scanner is better... )
I think it can be used wirelessly....
Today I ate one huge freaking carbohydrate. Lunch was rice, taro root salad, and potatos. I feel so tired now...
I shouldn't be so exhaused on a monday. It just isn't fair.
Weeks should be 9 days long. 5 for working, 2 for volunteer or social commitments, 2 for rest. At least 2 for rest. I've been working 9 days weeks sans the rest days since a week after we got home. I'm sick of it.
Rest day back pay!!
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