Blogging Blues

iPod morning commute music: Lindsey Buckingham, Under the Skin (2006)

Lindsey Buckingham was the guitarist for Fleetwood Mac during their heyday in the late '70s early '80s. He is also a topnotch singer/songwriter. However, he hasn't put out much music as a solo artist, only 4 albums in 25 years, and this is only his second album since leaving the band (the first, 1992's Out of the Cradle, is excellent, though not many people seem to know about it).

Under the Skin is mainly acoustic. Buckingham plays almost all the tracks himself. He uses a lot of echo effects on his vocals, which my daughter finds distracting. Myself, it is an album I love. His original material is great, but so are his covers, especially his version of the Stones' I am Waiting, off of Aftermath. The guitar work seems almost classical; certainly this isn't your typical rock album. Highly recommended.

A couple of days ago I wrote a long blog expanding on the trip to Hokkaido I took. For some reason, it wouldn't publish, and I actually lost the damn thing. It is very frustrating to lose writing (Microsoft, are you listening? Word crashes WAY too often, and almost always during those rare moments when I forget to say every two minutes!).

So here is my short little entry for today. With luck, it will publish.

Back from Hokkaido

iPod morning commute music: Bruce Springsteen, Devils and Dust (2005)

Another one of Springsteen's quiet, acoustic albums, like Nebraska and Ghost of Tom Joad, not as good as the former, but I like it much better than the latter. It's not one of his albums that I play often. For me, the Springsteen of Rosalita is the one I like to listen to, when his music was fun. That said, I own everything he's done in one form or another, and all of it is interesting. Devils and Dust is, for the most part, somber stuff, but coming into school for the first time in a week had me in a pretty somber mood. Very good music.

Hokkaido came off without a problem. As I think I wrote earlier, I always have a better time once I'm on the trip than I imagine I will. The oddest thing that happened to me was on the last day, in the seaside city of Otaru. Everyone had 3 hours of free time to sightsee, shop and eat lunch before taking the busses to the airport to fly home. Each teacher was assigned an area of the town to go to at 2:30 to make sure the students got back to the busses on time. I had to search out students at a huge music box museum/store. I got there early, and was looking at their collection of antique music boxes (of which I knew absolutely nothing about), when I ran across one manufactured by the Regina Music Box Company out of Rahway, N.J., which was a city quite near to where I lived before moving west at the age of 12. My family always caught the train into New York City from Rahway. Anyway, I was shocked to see anything from N.J. in this museum, and I wrote down the name of the company to check it out on the Internet when I got home. It turns out it was (still is, though they went out of business years and years ago) a very famous company, with its music boxes still selling on eBay for thousands of dollars apiece. I also learned a bit about the history of music boxes along the way. Actually, it is a much more interesting topic than I ever expected.

Hokkaido on the Horizon

iPod morning commute music: Pat Metheny, Bright Size Life (1975)

I was surprised to find this on my iPod, but surprises are what you get when you let your 18 year old son program it for you. This is Pat Metheny's debut album, and it is excellent jazz, with Metheny on guitar and Jaco Pastorius on bass. I believe that I saw Metheny live at my first college back in the mid-seventies, but I really hadn't paid much attention to him. Obviously, that was a mistake!

The adjustment to the new language labs is getting better, but just when 1 thing begins to mellow around here, something else comes along to get you back on edge. Next Tuesday I have to go to Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, with our senior high two (juniors) students for 3 nights and 4 days. These short trips are really busy, and it isn't that fun to be with students (or responsible for students) all the time. That said, I usually have an okay time once I'm actually there, but it's still not something I look forward to.

My son got his Washington State Driver's License yesterday, so the primary goals of his gap year (job and license) have been reached. Next up is to finish the university application process and find out if they really will grant him state residency.

Yesterday's Blog Today

iPod morning commute music: Bob Dylan, Modern Times (2006)

Again. I actually have listened to other stuff since the last time I posted, but the Dylan keeps pulling me in. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

This IS getting stupid. I'm so busy at work I don't have time to post, and I'm so tired at night I don't feel like doing anything other than watching TV. Things are getting better at work, though: I'm about two weeks ahead of myself in planning.

Our TV went belly up last Saturday, so Kaoru and I had to buy a new one. With the move to complete high definition TV coming in 2011 here in Japan, it only made sense to but an HD TV. We ended up getting a nice one, a Hitachi Woo 37" Plasma with a built in 250 GB HDD. What the hell? We figure this TV will be with us for the next 10 to 15 years, so we went with a good one. It is cool.

Tatsu finally started working at the local Thriftway. I suspect it is strange for him to go from the life of a student to the life of a worker, Monday through Friday, 40 hours a week. I think it is a good job for him, though. The pay is above minimum wage, it's a union job, so he can eventually get health coverage (his Japanese insurance only covers the minimum overseas), and he can get to meet a lot of the local people. Also, when he goes to college, he can always look for part-time work in a grocery store.

For some reason, I couldn't publish this yesterday, so I copied and pasted it into a Word document and am trying again today. Hope it works.

There is an LL in the Word HELL

iPod morning commute music: Bob Dylan, Modern Times (2006)

A great album, unless you don't like Dylan, and then you will hate it. It's actually been my morning commute music for the last week or so. I'm listening to it at least once a day. This fits right in with his last two CD's, Time Out of Mind (1997) and Love and Theft (2001). Every song is cool. Way cool. Buy it. Unless you don't like Dylan.

Posting has become difficult since the advent of our new Computer Aided Language Labs (CALL's) in action. On top of the learning curve and trying to get the part-time teachers trained and able to use the machines, the software seems to be full of bugs. Programs close all on their own! Others open in their place! Virtual tape recorders suddenly start playing for no reason! It is awful...teachers keep having to stop their lessons to bring back the student software programs (the entire class loses programs all at once).

When things work, the LL's are great, but they aren't working very well very often.

Tatsu is doing better in the States. He just landed a job at a Thriftway grocery store, which was the job he wanted (and I wanted him to get...there are grocery stores in every college town, and it would make a good part-time job when he is in university). Hopefully, things will continue to look up for him.

Sorry this is so short, but it's lunch time and I'm starving.

Keeping in Touch

iPod morning commute music: N/A

With my son, Tatsu, living in the States with my elderly parents, I was hoping to figure out better ways to keep in touch. Certainly phone calls have gotten cheaper since we got broadband and IP service, but still it costs money. When we bought Tatsu a computer for his graduation present, the fact that it came with a built-in camera for video conferencing intrigued me. My friend, Tom, now in Australia, and I messed around a little with CUSeeMe when it first came out, but my ISDN just wasn't good enough for decent quality. We all remember the herky-jerky movements from those days.

I decided that we should check out iChat, Mac's conferencing program. While I didn't have a camera, I figured we could just set it up for telephone chat. It turned out that Tatsu could actually send out video from his end to our computer, which was so cool I ended up heading straight for Osaka (a 90 minute journey 1-way) to pick up an iSight camera for my eMac (I know, there are WAY cheaper cameras on the market, but I just love the simplicity of Mac products, and it looks pretty cool, too!). Once we got it up and running it sort of took on a life of its own.

It was like having Tatsu in another room in the house. We basically ran it for 3 hours straight that first day, but we weren't nailed down in front of our computers. We wandered in and out, take breaks, whatever. It was cool.

Today was even better. Alisa was home in the morning, and when she and her brother started talking I left the room. In the hallway it sounded like Tatsu was in the study with Alisa! Weird in a good way.

So I went the next step and downloaded Skype's beta version of their Mac video conferencing software. This way, I figure, I can communicate with those living in the Windows world. Skype is certainly not as good as iChat; the motion is jerkier, and there's a longer delay in the audio, but hey, it's free and works pretty damn well for that price.

So, I'm up and running for any iChatting of Skyping any of my friends would like to do. It looks like a much better way of keeping in touch.

shave and a haircut, two bits

iPod morning commute music: Graham Parker: Passion is no Ordinary Word, The Graham Parker Anthology, Disc 1 (1993)

Yesterday morning's commute music, actually. I first got turned on to Graham Parker (and the Rumour, back then) in 1979, with his superb album Squeezing Out Sparks. But for some reason, that's as far as I went with his catalogue until this 2 disc anthology came out. My vinyl collection in the States had vanished by then, so the anthology became my sole Parker CDs, and they were revelatory! I prefer the earlier stuff found on disc 1, but the later stuff is cool, too. I finally replaced Squeezing Out Sparks with Arista's 1996 re-mastered CD which included, on the same disc, a live version of the same album, in the same order, referred to as 'Live Sparks'.

Today I don't have to go to work, as only the senior students have lessons, and I don't teach them on Fridays. Monday I'll need to go in, but Tuesday should be off as well. The rest of the students return on Wednesday, and from then on it's business as usual.

Yesterday I went for a haircut at the cheap barber located near Tenma Station on the JR Loop Line. On Thursdays, they charge only ¥1,800 (at yesterday's exchange rate) for a haircut, shampoo, mini-massage and and shave. As I've written before, I really enjoy this full treatment; yesterday, I was in the barber chair for over an hour. What's amazing to me is how in America this doesn't really exist. The emphasis is on speed, get it cut and get out ASAP. I know of no one in the States who has EVER had a shave at a barber shop. It's a shame, really, that this ritual, the shave and the haircut, is virtually nonexistent anymore.

Two bits, BTW, equals 25 cents. An old football cheer went like this: "2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits, a dollar; all for Belvidere stand up and holler!"

I wonder if Americans still know what 2 bits are?

Teaching Again

iPod morning commute music: Elvis Costello, King of America, 1986

There really was no reason why I chose this classic this morning. I was actually feeling more like listening to Dylan, but this jumped out at me as I was scrolling down the playlists. Cool stuff, and a real harbringer for the kind of vocals Elvis would end up giving us today, the Burt Bacherach side of him.

Today we had first lessons for our senior students. We weren't able to use the new LL's yet, so my co-worker in charge of the year group, Bob, suggested a writing task. We brainstormed and he made a cool worksheet based on the results. What I like about the task is that it utilizes, on one sheet of paper, the basic writing process: Pre-writing, Writing, Evaluation, Re-writing. Obviously, we're talking about paragraph writing, not an extended essay! Spread out over two classes, it looks like it should work. Today we did the pre-writing task (a mind map) and the 1st draft of a paragraph based on 1 of 3 topics.

Also at work today: Someone drank my opened Diet Pepsi! I drank about a third of the bottle between lessons and put it back in the fridge. When I came down after my second lesson finished, I couldn't find my drink. I thought I was going mad, forgetting where I put it, so I searched around for it. "Hmm, did I forget to put it back?" Finally found it in the trash can next to the sink in the break room. Whoever drank it didn't even bother to recycle it in the Pet Bottle Bin! Unbelievable that anyone would stoop so low.

After work, I met with Jo, my co-author for the TOEIC books, to discuss the second book. We need to finish it by the end of the year. I'm sure we'll manage, but it will make for a tough autumn. We have no choice, as the book we've finished (on the listening component of the test) is pretty worthless without its companion volume (on the reading component). To sell the first, we need the second.

Once we get this initial set published, we can then concentrate on getting the second level written in 2007, then the third level in 2008. It is a pace that can be reached.

Tomorrow I only have one class, 6th period, meaning I can sleep in. Always good news.

Back in the Land of Wa

iPod morning commute music: Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited, 1965

Without a doubt one of Dylan's (and Rock 'n' Roll's) greatest albums, the one where he went electric for good (or at least until after his motorcycle accident), the album opens with Rolling Stone magazine's #1 greatest rock song ever recorded, Like a Rolling Stone. I'm reading Greil Marcus' book, Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, so it seemed like a logical choice.

I got back home from the States late Tuesday night, back into the heat and humidity of the Land of Wa (as opposed to the cool, beautiful summer of the State of WA). It was a busy 3 weeks. Good but frustrating news was that Tatsu should be considered a Washington State resident since I should be considered a Washington State resident ("should" because we still have to wait for the paperwork to be approved). It turns out I was basically right all along: By keeping my WA driver's license and voter registration at my parents' address, I retained my residency. Tatsu still will take a year off, and will probably attend my first college, The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, though Western Washington University in Bellingham is still an option. The problem is that Western won't give much credit for Tatsu's IB Diploma, while Evergreen looks like they'll give a lot (45 credits, though again we won't know until the paperwork goes through).

Along with Tatsu's university dramas, he was/is learning how to drive. Our friend, Holly B., is a certified Drivers' Ed teacher and is giving him free lessons. Kaoru and I basically just let him drive us around everywhere, giving him chances to practice. His longest road trip was to Ellensburg, where we stayed with another friend, Mitch W. Had a chance in the 'Burg to visit a whole slew of the family who lived across the street from us. Tatsu's driving is getting very good, and hopefully he'll take his driving test at the end of August in North Bend, where my brother Mark lives.

Cliff and Holly from Alaska came to Vashon for a few days to visit. They were pretty stressed out over trying to plan back to back weddings for both their children, but I think we helped to relax them (all the Costco beer, wine and food that they brought with them contributed greatly to that cause). We also met my late friend Bob K.'s sister and fiancee for lunch and had a BBQ party at my cousin Juila's and her husband, Craig's place, where we got to see my ailing but improving Aunt Vera and my other cousin, Stacia, whom we hadn't seen for several years.

Nan W. took us to see a Seattle Storm (women's basketball) game. My friend since high school, Nan is an artist who has helped Tatsu over the years with her advice and guidance, and who recommended Evergreen's art program as one to be considered. Before the game, we made signs which, when put together, read "WE'RE STORMIN' MAD! Save our teams!" protesting the potential move of both the Storm and the Sonic to Oklahoma, and which got us on TV for a moment of glory.

Craig B., Holly's husband and one of my oldest and best friends (since 1972, when we were both 18 and in our first year at Evergreen) sailed back from Lopez Island to Vashon Island following a Latitudes and Attitudes party on Lopez. It was my first long sailing trip, and aside from hurting my ribs in a fall, damn near getting sick in the Straits, and getting the worst sunburn I've had in recent (20 years!) memory, I had a great time.

But mostly it was about family: My mom and dad both turn 80 this year; Kaoru, taking care of them while she was there; my brother Mark and I sharing wine on his back deck at night; long conversations with his wife Ann after Mark went to bed; Alisa, off to the Global Young Leaders Conference; Tatsu, staying behind with my folks for a year, realizing he will need to cook for them. It was hard to say goodbye to Tatsu when he and Mark saw me off at the airport. He turned 18 at the end of July, but it is difficult to acknowledge a child becoming a man. Our last few days together were spent with me trying to be a daddy one last time, to show or teach something to my son one last time, to try to make him see how much I love him one last time before flying back to the heat and humidity of Wa.

In Transit, In Korea

iPod morning commute music: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dirt Silver and Gold, disc 2 (1976)

Not really, but it WAS the last thing I listened to. I owned the original release, a 3-record set, the bulk of it a greatest hits, with 10 new songs. I discovered this new release (2003, on [I think] BGO, a British label) in Tower, in the country section, and had enough points on my point card to get it for free. I was surprised to see it in country, but that really is the best genre for the music, all of which is excellent. 37 songs total, I think, give a very good representation of the band's talent. It lived up to my memory, and it pleases me that I had the sense to buy it way back when.

I'm in Korea's seriously beautiful and new Seoul/Incheon International Airport. So far the flight home is going well. The limo bus took only an hour from the closest pick up point to my house. I don't think I've forgotten anything, I got the house shuttered down, powered off (except for the scheduled recording of Lost (season 2 in Japan). Flying Korean Air seems like a great idea so far. The service was great on the short flight from Osaka, with five flight attendants (yes, young, attractive pleasant women, and yes, in economy) bending over backwards to get the snacks out and the beers served. The connecting flight's gate was only a 5 minute walk from the arrival gate. One piece of advice: Get out of the duty free area, which is crowded and expensive (there's a Internet lounge where you have to buy a prepaid card to log on) and go up to the level denoted as Transit Hotel and Airport Lounges, where the Internet's free and the restaurants empty. They even have showers, which I may take advantage of on the return flight.

It has been a crazy week. The last day at work (Thursday) was just jammed with cleaning and packing up the LL's for the move to the new school. I got there at 7:50 am and finally left after 4 pm. Yesterday was spent cleaning the house and packing up. Today it was up at 6 am and out of the house by 8:20. It's just about 5 now. My flight leaves at 6:20, and then it's 10 hours till home. I can't wait.

Finally, it looks like the Seattle flight has individual entertainment systems for ALL the passengers (at least, Korean Air was advertising it on the flight from KIX). That would be nice, if true.

OK, time to let others get on line.

Still in Japan, Wanting to Leave

iPod morning commute music: N/A; Driving to JUSCO shopping music: R.E.M. Reckoning (Import w/bonus tracks), 1984

R.E.M. was a band I missed in the States. Their debut album, Murmur, came out in January, 1983, when I was eking out a living as a substitute teacher in the Seattle area. In November of that year, I moved to Japan. As I mentioned before, I became a fan in the early '90s. This is a CD I've been meaning to get for sometime, and it is great. It is sad that I missed out on the band for so many years, but one of the wonderful things about music is it's never to late to go back and explore. Highly recommended.

Obviously, I'm not posting often these days. Saturday I went into work for a PTA (Perfectly Torturous Activity) meeting, then packed up my work area for moving to the new school. Afterwards, I escorted my club students to a prefectural level meeting, then went out in Umeda with another teacher and good friend, Keiji, for beers, pizza, and nachos.

Sunday afternoon, I met my friend Dave for beers and conversation in Kawanishi. I also talked to the family in the States, and did so again today. It's amazing how much meta-language I lack in English. I tried to help Tatsu get hooked up to a DSL Internet connection, but I just don't understand the on-line questions. I think I understand them, but I can't be sure. In Japan, when we decided to get broadband, we looked at the cost, picked a company, and Kaoru got them to come in and do everything. But I have no idea of what they did, other than...hook me up for broadband! In the end, Tatsu and I had to give up. He'll talk to my good friend, Craig B., when the family goes to their place for a BBQ tomorrow night.

Five more days and I'm out of here! At least the weather cooled down as the remnants of a typhoon moved over us, dropping down a load of rain (though South Korea appeared to get the brunt of it). I can't wait. As Paul Simon once sang: "Oh, homeward bound, I wish I was...."

Finishing Up the Paperwork

iPod morning commute music: Robert Johnson, The Complete Recordings, disc 2 (1990)

This was the first box set I ever bought. I was so dumb, I threw away the box, saving the booklet and the discs in their jewel cases. Just wanted to save space. These two discs contain everything Johnson record, all in the mid-1930s. Just the man, his voice, his songs and, most importantly, his guitar. The myth is that he sold his soul to the devil down at the crossroads in exchange for his blues guitar playing. Extremely important music.

Got my marks in the computer, and will return the tests shortly. Hopefully, I'll be finishing up today. Then I just need to pack up my desk and things for the move. That job will get underway on Thursday, after the senior high students get their test back. Tuesday and Wednesday I'm taking a holiday.

I'm shipping two boxes of books back to my house, a 20 volume Japanese dictionary styled, I guess, after the Oxford English Dictionary. They're for my wife, of course. It'll cost about $25, but each book weighs about 5 lbs., so I think it's worth the expense.

Tonight I'll be meeting my friend Gib for some beers, maybe a bite to eat. Should be fun. He's getting back from a conference in Kyushu, so he should be all dressed up. Poor bastard, in this heat.

Alone again, naturally

iPod morning commute music: N/A.
Saturday drive to JUSCO for a bottle of red for tonight music: Ray Davies, Other People's Lives (2006)

I've always loved the Kinks (perhaps my first iPod morning commute music entry), saw them a couple of times in the '70s, and this solo effort by Ray Davies (main songwriter, singer and rhythm guitarist for the band) is a welcomed addition to my collection. It's wonderful to hear someone who hasn't lost his wit or his eye for observation. He makes you both tap your foot and smile. Not many artists can do that.

My friend Gib just started his own blog, and wrote to let me know AND remind me that I haven't posted for over a week. What can I say? Monday was the start of first term final exams, so I was proctoring tests and trying to finish writing my senior high one (sophomores, for those of us in the U.S.) test. Tuesday was dedicated to getting the family to the airport and on the plane to Seattle via San Francisco (I took the day off work). Wednesday was spent proctoring and finishing the test, getting the listening sections recorded. Thursday I had my English for Academic Purposes exam, and had to mark my senior high three (yes, seniors for all you bright Americans out there) tests. I also went out with for dinner with the sales rep (and friend) from one of the major textbook publishers. Friday was more proctoring, my SH1 test, and getting paperwork done. And going out for dinner at a new Portuguese restaurant with my travel agent (and friend), an ex-co-worker (and friend) and the owner of the main foreigner bar in Umeda.

Today was laundry and dishwasher day. I'm finally sitting back with a beer.

I did get very good news late Thursday night: my son's IB scores were posted, and he did exceptionally well. When he goes to university in 2007, I'm sure they will waive enough courses to basically allow him to enter as a sophomore (second year student to all of you NOT from the U.S. I talked to everyone in the States today, and we are all so proud of Tatsu's achievement.

Time to bring in the laundry and start marking tests.

Fried Friday

iPod morning commute music: Beck; Sea Change (2002)

Readers of this blog have probably picked up on the lack of any true rap/hip-hop music in my collection. I do have some, but it is not a genre I love. Beck, I love. I bought Odelay after it won a Grammy just to see what all the hype was about, and quickly "two turntables and a microphone" got stuck in my head forever. Sea Change is something else again, a sad but beautiful album about breaking up. Mature music from a maturing (32 at the time) Beck. Soft, haunting stuff.

Yesterday I was too busy to blog; sorry about that! I was working on final exams, plus had to take a business trip with another teacher to visit a junior high school to help promote our school. Not one of my favorite things to do, but infinitely better than going to the dentist, where the treatment for my infected gum was to cut out the infected gum (OK, area of the gum). The dentist called it cleaning, but trust me, it was NOT cleaning. I have to go back today to have it disinfected again.

This afternoon, Tatsu is hosting 12 of his classmates for a BBQ party at out house. Both Kaoru and I are working, so he's on his own. I just hope it doesn't rain, and that he can manage to get the charcoal lit.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend, but know it will probably be anything but. The family flies in four days.

It's Getting Better All the Time

iPod morning commute music: Electric Light Orchestra; Definitive Collection (1999)

This is a so-so greatest hits collection out of Holland, and is the only ELO I own, which is surprising since they were a pretty good group. I even saw them once, opening for Wishbone Ash at Central Washington State College's (now University)Nicholson pavilion (a gym by any other name!) when I was a high school student, 1971 or 2. They did Roll Over Beethoven, I remember, and we thought it was pretty damn hot. So why didn't I buy any of their albums? Maybe because most of their hits sound pretty much the same to me. Regardless, they were a good band, and this is an OK disc, though I understand through the All Music Guide that is isn't the best ELO greatest hits around. I should probably spring for a better CD in the future.

I'm feeling better today, thank you. My eye problem has cleared up, my tooth isn't so achey, and I don't feel quite so drained of energy (maybe sleeping from 9:30 last night helped). I'm also encouraged about my "diet": I'm down 4 kilos (about 9 lbs) in 6 weeks. It's a slower weight loss than when I did eDiets 5 years ago, but as I've mentioned before, it seems to me to be a more realistic diet, since I'm eating whatever I want and allow myself to drink beer and wine on the weekend, which for me these days begins on Friday night.

On a sad note, the Language Lab for junior high students broke down yesterday. Since we're in our last week of lessons for first term, and since we'll be tearing this one down in September when we move into the new school and the new Computer Aided Language Labs (CALLS), there's nothing we can do but work around the machines that no longer work. I taught a junior high lesson today with a portable tape recorder and survived the experience. It's strange to go so low-tech when I know we will be going high-tech in a few weeks, and kind of a weird way to end the term.

Breaking Down on Tuesday

iPod morning commute music: Elliott Smith; XO (1998)

Lyrics have always been important to me, hence my love of Bob Dylan's music (most of it, anyway: I still can't stand Man Gave Names to All the Animals!). Elliott Smith wrote (he committed suicide in 2003) some of the most depressing but literate lyrics dressed up in some of the most lovely melodies on record. This is the only album I own by him, and I really should buy some others. Beautiful music from an obviously tortured man.

I feel like my body is breaking down today. News from the dentist last night was not good, and today I'm having a problem with my eye, either something in it or the beginning of a stye. The weather doesn't help, very hot and humid today.

I'm also beginning to go into my I'm-going-to-get-depressed-because-my-family-is-going-to-the-States-and-leaving-me-behind mode. This is, of course, total BS; they go early because it saves us money and they can spend more time in the States than I can. I think part of it is I hate having to totally fend for myself. I love it that Kaoru gets up with me in the morning (at 5!), and makes my breakfast and lunch for me while I shower, shave and get dressed. I hate having to get up earlier to do all this myself. Ditto for dinner: I usually get home at 7:30, and it's nice that dinner is waiting for me.

That said, we've been doing this for years, ever since the kids have been in school. I always manage, though my dinners do suffer. I just eat cereal for breakfast, buy a sandwich for lunch, and make fast food options (we don't have American-style TV dinners in Japan, but some things come close)for dinner. In reality, I survive. It just isn't something I look forward to.

One of those Weekends

iPod morning commute music: Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship, Hits, disc 1 (1998)

Jefferson Airplane was a favorite of mine in high school. In fact, when my good buddy John B. and I were in Radio Production Class in our junior year, we actually produced a radio show about the band which was broadcast over our local station KXLE. We were really pleased because we managed to get the song Volunteers aired over that conservative station even though it contained the word "fuck" in its lyrics. Yes, we were radicals back in those days!

This double CD collects the greatest hits from all three incarnations of the band, with disc 1 covering the Airplane proper. It's great stuff, and this is probably the best introduction to a great band. I also own their box set, Jefferson Airplane Loves You (1992) which is recommended if you are already a fan.

I just came out of a very busy weekend. Saturday, I had to come in to work for an International Studies Committee meeting, after which I met Tatsu and Kaoru in Umeda to buy Tatsu's graduation present, a new MacBook computer. We got him the white 2.0GHz with a 13" screen and the Superdrive, upgraded to 2GB SODIMMS memory. This is not just a gift from us, but from my parents, my brother, and anyone else who wants to chip in! It is a really nice computer, and Tatsu's thrilled with it.

We then went to a farewell party for our good friends Maria and Andreas G. and their two daughters who are the same age as Tatsu and Alisa. It was a street party in the neighborhood next to the International School where so many of the families who are sent abroad live in huge, American-style houses. It was a great party, and it honestly felt like we were in America! Alisa was at another farewell party for a classmate, but it finished early and she was able to join us. I only wish that we lived closer to the school and could have attended more functions like it.

On a bad note, I have an infection in my mouth, an old tooth (capped) that probably cracked. I had to go in for emergency dental work yesterday (Sunday) morning, and have to go back this evening at 6:30. God knows how many times I'll have to go to get this problem fixed. I just want to finish up before heading to the States on the 22nd.

Finally, this is our last week of classes before final exams begin next Monday. I just want to get this term over with, and get back to Seattle for a little R & R.

Well There Ain't No Cure for the Samurai Blues

iPod morning commute music: Joe Cocker, With a Little Help from My Friends (1969)

This is just a wonderful record! I think with the advent of the Beatles, rock music moved towards bands that wrote their own songs, which is fine. Joe Cocker co-wrote a couple on this album, but he OWNED the covers! My wife always says that any Dylan song sounds better when someone other that Dylan is singing it. Listen to Cocker's gospel-like interpretation of Just Like a Woman, and you would damn near have to agree. One of the great debut albums of all time, this never fails to amaze me when I hear it. Just an extraordinary voice and an extraordinary album! A must in ANY decent rock 'n' roll collection. Seriously.

Well, Japan's World Cup hopes were dashed 4-1 by Brazil. The "Samurai Blue" as they were known as here in Japan are now singing the Samurai blues (apologies to Eddie Cochran). It was another game, like the first against Australia, where they held there own in the 1st half (1-1), only to fall apart when Brazil scored in the 2nd. I was planning to get up at 4:00 am to watch the game with the family (I even took my morning shower before going to bed), but it turned out no one was willing to get up with me, the only family member with no samurai blood in his veins, so I said to hell with it and stayed up till 11:00 watching CSI, and got up at my normal time, 5:00, and watched the second half, which was more than enough.

Today is moving slowly towards the weekend. I've taught 3 classes, and have 1 more to go. For those readers outside of Japan (both of you), one of the biggest differences between Japanese high schools and American are the number of classes taught per week and the number of meetings held per week. Out of 37 periods (7 periods per day M-F, 2 periods on Saturday), I teach 17. I also average about 5 meetings per week. Yesterday, as I wrote, I had 2 after school, which finished up at 6:30. However, I do have a lot of time for lesson planning and, er, blogging.

Tomorrow, I have to come in from 1:00 till 2:00 for an International Committee meeting with parents and students involved in the Australian homestay/study program. Other than that, my weekend is free. It's been a long week, and I can use the rest.

You Can't Get More Humid Than Rain

iPod morning commute music: John Fogerty, Centerfield (1985)

Creedence Clearwater Revival (known only as CCR here in Japan) was one of the great bands of the late '60s, early '70s. John Fogerty, of course, was their lead singer/songwriter/guitarist, not necessarily in that order. After CCR broke up, he released one album and disappeared for 10 years, before returning with this disc. It made you wonder why he'd gone? The music here is so alive! The title cut, of course, can be heard at any Major League Baseball Park across America, but the album hasn't got a bad cut on it. If you were a CCR fan, you want to own this.

Today, the high humidity of the past week gave way to the 100% humidity known as rain. It's pouring down. Coming from Seattle, I don't mind rain, though I have to say that the monsoon downpours we have here are nothing like the generally gentle rains of the Pacific Northwest. I quickly learned to use an umbrella after getting to Japan, something no true northwestern would usually think of.

My weight has begun to drop again. I lost a kilo (2.2 lbs.) so far this week, and it's only Thursday. Maybe walking is helping, but my guess is that my body just kicked back into weight loss mode.

At work, it's a combination of finishing up last lessons and writing final exams, which start on March 3rd. I'm just about finished with my study guides, which need to go out from Monday, and should have the listening tests ready to record by the beginning of next week. I'm actually a bit ahead of schedule, which is good.

Two teachers' meetings this afternoon put more of a damper on my spirits than the rain. The first is a 'jinken' (loosely translated, discrimination) study meeting for 1 hour followed by a regular teachers' meeting which will last for, hopefully, no more than 30-60 minutes. Regardless, I will be getting home late.

Tomorrow morning at 4:00 Japan will play and probably lose to Brazil in World Cup action. I'm planning to shower this evening and get up early to watch the action, and then be exhausted (and most likely depressed) all day along with most of the other teachers at my school.

Random observation: Japan's coach, Zico, looks a lot like Dubya, with those eyes just a little too close together. One more reason why Japan will probably lose.

Walking Off the Bacon Cheeseburger

iPod morning commute music: Keren Ann, Not Going Anywhere (2003)

I bought this CD for my wife, who loves folk music and Suzanne Vega. Keren Ann grew up in France, and her first albums were in French. This was her first English album. It is soft, beautiful music; her voice is terrific. Much of the CD is acoustic and very understated folk. Perfect for background music with dinner, or a morning commute.

Yesterday, I was on my own for dinner, and copped to a Wendy's classic bacon cheeseburger set, with fries and a Diet Pepsi. It was great, my weekly taste of fast food. No beer or wine. I got home just as Kaoru and Alisa were arriving back from a party held for some visiting friends from Thailand.

At 9:30, Kaoru and I decided to go for our second evening walk in as many days. Our neighborhood is actually great for walking, quiet streets running up a hill. Yesterday, we walked to the top of the development, then back down side streets to our house, about 35 minutes in all (compared to 25 the day before). I have to admit I worked up a sweat, but we were walking at a moderate pace. It felt good.

When I weighed myself this morning I was pleased to not my first slight drop in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the walking will help. I know the bacon cheeseburgers won't, but the whole point of this diet is to eat what I want in moderation, and to limit alcohol to the weekends. So the burger is OK...once in a while. Especially if followed by a nice walk on a summer's evening.