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

today I feel really sick.  stomach problems.  maybe from food, or maybe from the heat.  Its getting hot here, but luckily we still have a breeze, and the nights are cool, so we can sleep easily.  anyway, I don't want to eat, but there is a cake in the fridge downstairs that is calling me...

I found out that the part time job I applied for is not available anymore.  they said that it was filled, but there might be another opening next month.  more waiting.  meanwhile Masahiko has started to make a pamphlet for our own little "tutoring school" called PEAKS - he made a logo, based on a pub we saw in Port Angeles.  I'll push him to finish it so I can start teaching.

My friend Bobbie, who teaches full time at a women's university in Tokyo, suggested that I write an article and submit it to the online TESL journal - she said it will help me to get hired by a university, even part time.  I think I'll write about how the use of Katakana in Japan (the language system the Japanese adopted for foreign words, that basically turns all of our words into something that they can read and pronounce) should be banned, especially in the teaching of English.  Katakana really ruins any Japanese person's ability to pronounce English words correctly, and it keeps them from immersing themselves in the language, which is the only way to learn a foreign language.  I need to do some research - should keep me busy!  If I get it published, I'll put the link here. 

Sometimes I can't believe how fast the days go even though I am not working.  Its already almost the weekend here - luckily I have plans Sunday and Monday - and maybe next Wednesday too.  gotta stay busy . . . 

The new "Batman" movie should be out soon in the U.S. and its gonna be a big deal here since one of the bad guys is played by Ken Watanabe, a Japanese actor who broke into Hollywood with the "Last Samurai."  He should set an example for kids to learn English.

I realized that I haven't put any examples of bad English on here lately.  So here goes: (from the notebook I bought awhile ago)

"A hot thing does not continue."

"Please do not shut yourself up in the room.  Outside many pleasant things are waiting."

Some good things to think about, hmmmmm!!