it's not life that matters but the journey...

Yes its that kind of day - a blah day.  Its overcast, but not rainy.  The temperature's cooled off quite a bit, though its still not cool enough for long sleeves during the day.  We had a couple hot days at the beginning of the week, and the humidity was too much to handle, but its feeling better today.

Well, up until today I have been pretty busy.  We visited the onsen Sunday, and Monday morning I accompanied Masahiko to his jazz practice (with a piano and a bass) in the nearby town of Fujinomiya.  they secured a room in the city hall building, so its quiet and private for practicing.  I just sat and listened to them and read a book - but it was good to get out of the house since it was a holiday and Masahiko's 9-year-old nephew Daiki was over.  Its not that Daiki is a bad kid, but when he comes over, he's noisy and changes the whole atmosphere of the house.  Plus he always argues with Masahiko's parents about something (usually he wants to play video games and they are suggesting otherwise) - basically he's a spoiled kid and very disrespectful.    apparently tomorrow is a holiday too (they have lots in Japan) and unfortunately, my tutoring's been cancelled.  So, I'll be here all day tomorrow.  better get out the headphones to block out all the noise so I can get some writing done . . .

Tuesday I spent the day with my good friend Naomi.  She picked me up at noon and we went to a karaoke place for a couple hours.  We had lunch there, and I had fun practicing singing songs I've never tried.  In Japan (if you don't know), karaoke is luckily not something you have to do in front of strangers.  They do have karaoke at some bars (what they call "snack bars" in Japan - basically a place for businessmen to take their clients and get them drunk).  But I don't like those places.  Instead, I like the places, like where we went Tuesday, where you can rent individual rooms and just sing with good friends.  Its better than in the states when you have to do it in front of complete strangers, who are usually drunk and belligerent!  Anyway, we had fun - Of course I've done karaoke many times in Japan (its the national pastime, next to "pachinko") but I've never gone to a karaoke place during the day, so it was a new experience. 

Wednesday night I had to work at the school in Shizuoka.  Poor Naoko (the school's owner) hired a Canadian guy to teach on Wednesday and Thursday nights (since I refuse to work past 8 p.m.), and she said that he seemed so nice.  But after only two weeks, he quit, telling her that he is not confident to teach English.  Huh?  How can a native speaker not be confident to teach English in Japan?  All you have to do is be a bit silly and play games (with kids), and know a little about grammar (for adults).  Nonetheless, she was stuck without a teacher again, so she asked me to fill in from 5-8 this and probably next week (or until she finds another teacher).  She has the worst luck . . . I don't mind the money though, and something to do.

Preparations are in place for our school:   We got the wallpaper replaced in the room, and washed the curtains.  Next we'll take out the old dirty rug, and polish up the wood floor, then get furniture and supplies.  Yesterday he got the supplies to make a sign, and has finished the pamphlet, so we'll start putting the word out soon . . .  I hope it works out!! 

In October (on the 9th, my sister's birthday to be exact), I'll be going to a conference for JALT (Japanese Association of Language Teachers) in Shizuoka.  Its kind of expensive, but I'm going to hand out my resume and hopefully get some on the spot interviews for part time teaching at universities near my house.  It wouldn't start until next April, but I'm going to try.  One day a week would be good - and the money is much better than the school where I'm working now. but if our own school is successful, I probably won't need to teach anywhere else. 

I've been watching the news of the next impending disaster in the southern states.  I can't believe that some of the poor evacuees from New Orleans will have to evacuate again, this time from Texas (where they were moved to).  I hope that New Orleans does not have any more flooding or damage.  Its too much!  Of course I wouldn't really cry if Texas was completely washed away and destroyed (being George W.'s territory, after all), but, like Florida, its got too much providence on its side (and I'm not really talking divine providence, but the providence of the Bush family).  It always seems that every time a storm hits Florida, those Floridians just bounce right back.  There's no bouncing back in New Orleans is there?  Well, let's see what happens with this storm - a couple more days . . .