A Kind of Vacation

iPod morning commute music: N/A (vacation mode, sort of)

However, I did make a recent CD purchase of note: The New York Dolls, Rock 'n Roll (1994)

As I mentioned when I wrote about Bowie, I was never into the image glam rock at the time it was popular (nor punk, for that matter), and missed some great music on the first time round because of it. This is just another example of a really cool band that I never gave a chance! Punk before punk was invented, it is all cool music, rough and dirty. I'm glad to finally be listening to it.

I've spent the last two days working on teaching schedules for the part-time teachers and myself. Missing the first week of school means I'm forced to miss a few days of vacation (I'll miss more once the British kids and teachers arrive). I think I'll be able to finish up all the necessary prep tomorrow at school.

Tatsu and I went to see the movie Crash the other day. I have to admit, this is my kind of film. Excellent performances all the way around, and superb editing (for which it won an Academy Award).

World Champions

iPod morning commute music: N/A

Today I came into town with my wife and daughter. I don't know, it just seems rude to me to listen to music when with other people (unless they are doing the same). I feel the same about text messaging. I don't think reading is rude, though, so there's probably some generational prejudice in my way of thinking.

I came in today thinking it would be my last day, but actually, tomorrow is. Oh, well, I got the English Communication Handbook printed and stapled, with only two typos that I can see. I blame Word for one, though. We used to refer to our subject as OC (Oral Communication), but it's been changed to EC. My first draft used OC throughout, so I ran a Find and Replace: change OC to EC. Unfortunately, the damn program isn't case sensitive, so it replaced ANY OC to EC. I caught all but one; 'located' now reads 'lECcated'. Anyway, too late to fix it now, except for the saved file.

Yesterday, my daughter and I watched the final game of the World Baseball Classic, Japan VS Cuba. It was a great game, and everyone who loves baseball here is thrilled that Japan won 10-6, becoming truly the World Champions. I agree with an NY Times article I read in today's International Herald Tribune: MLB needs to rename the World Series, or as I like to call it, the World Serious. And Team USA should take a closer look to see real teamwork.

Closing Ceremonies

iPod morning commute music: The Byrds, Box Set, disc 3 (1990)

Same view as my last post, on disc 1 (I listened to disc 2 on the way home that night). Great music by a great band.

Yesterday (Sunday) saw some welcomed resolution to a family problem. Having talked to both my brother and my parents, and think everyone concerned feels better. Without going into detail, the problem centered on whether my son should enter university or take some time off and work. A major problem is that he may not be able to enter as a state resident, and financial aid turned out to be unavailable. While we're still not sure which way things will turn out, we now feel that whatever happens will be okay in the long run.

We had our closing ceremonies for the students today. For most, the school year is at an end. A few students need to take make-up tests later this week, and I'll have to come in for one last meeting on Wednesday (tomorrow is a national holiday), but it feels like closure. Wednesday I'll need to clean my desk and pack things up in boxes as I'll be moved to a new section of the teachers` room.

I also finished up the handbook for English Communication teachers at our school. It's basically 10 pages of stuff you need to know to do well at this job. I hope it will be helpful.

Kaoru is on the second day of a three-day conference on Japanese teaching at her school. She says its very useful, but I know how tiring 6 hours of workshops can be.

Finally, tonight I'm going out for dinner at the Chinese restaurant I went to in, I think, February: about $25 for all you can eat and drink in a 2-hour time period. Not a good way to lose weight

A Rare Saturday Post

iPod morning commute music: The Byrds Box Set, disc 1 (1990)

The Byrds were one of the great bands to come out of the '60s, and this 4-disc box set is probably the best way to hear them (though 1968's Sweetheart of the Rodeo should be in any comprehensive rock collection). Folk, folk rock, rock 'n' roll, psychedelic rock, country rock: The Byrds touched on all of these genres. A great box set.

It has been a tough week, full of meetings and tension. On Thursday I was able to stay home, but my Internet provider was down, which meant my phone wasn't working either. I wanted to call my brother to talk over some family problems, but couldn't. In the end, I watched Japan lose to South Korea in the international baseball series being held right now. I thought Japan was out, but then Mexico beat the USA team (of All Stars!) to allow Japan to slip in through the back door. My family was pleased, and frankly I didn't mind too much. I think the Americans assumed they would win, so maybe it's a good thing to be humbled.

Last night, the English Department at my school had a farewell dinner for a teacher who is retiring. It's the first time in three years for us to all go out together. We went to a restaurant where we had a farewell dinner back in 1990, an infamous affair due to food poisoning, which everyone who ate the raw oysters came down with. It was strange to realize that only a handful of us there last night were at the 1990 dinner; so many have retired in the last 16 years. I am now the second oldest teacher in the department!

One final note: my 3-year contract expires this year, and I was just told today that my new contract, which I will sign on Monday, will be permanent. Nothing really changes, but it will be nice never having to renew the contract again. Now if I can just figure out how to get them to include a clause giving me Saturdays off....

Winter Returns

iPod morning commute music: The Blue Box: The Best of Blue Note, disc 1 (1997)

As those into jazz already know, Blue Note records is one of the pioneers in jazz recordings. This 4-CD box set is a generous overview of their recording history, beginning in 1939 and running through the '90s. Cool, cool stuff, and good for a person like me who likes jazz but doesn't know jazz.

We had the graduation church service today. The students were restless, a bit talkative. Afterwards, I went to school and had to rework our native teachers' teaching schedule for next year. Information I should have received in December was given to me for the first time today: forcing the rewrite. Sigh.

Winter has returned. It was snowing at my place both yesterday and today, with the roads a bit icy this morning. Having come of age in Eastern Washington, I learned to drive in snow, so it doesn't bother me too much. Still, slipping and sliding down the road is never pleasant.

I think I can leave early today. Like now. Sayonara!

Monday: Graduation Week

iPod morning commute music: N/A

This morning I just wasn't in the mood for music. Part of the reason is I am reading a great book that my parents sent me for my birthday: All the King's Men (restored edition) by Robert Penn Warren. For some reason, I find it hard to read literature and listen to music at the same time. For the last couple of weeks I had this problem reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and I can see All the King's Men will present the same problem. Great literature, great writing in general, demands full attention if you want full reward.

Today is a day for meetings and tying up loose ends here at work. Tomorrow, the graduating 9th graders have a special graduation church service in the morning, with the graduation ceremony itself on Wednesday. Then emphasis will shift towards preparation for the new Japanese school year which starts in April. I'll be especially busy for the next few days as I need to finish my prep before the British students and teachers visit for almost 2 weeks, from the 2nd through the 14th of April. I'll be hosting one of the teachers and helping to escort the group around Japan.

Finally, I need to mail in my absentee ballot for Tuesday's local election (school levy) after the teachers' meeting coming up at 2:00.

Sunday: Where did the Week Go? and Voter Registration Information

iPod morning commute music: N/A

Here I am, at home on Sunday afternoon. It was one helluva week. Tests began on Saturday the 4th, with both of my levels (9th and 10th grades) falling on Monday. While on paper I was on a half-day schedule, the reality was pretty much full days. I did cook more meals than usual, making sloppy joes on Monday, when I also started some beef stew, which we could just add the veggies for Tuesday's meal. I also made chili from scratch, with chunks of beef instead of hamburger. Last night, Kaoru and I made a Paprika Chicken together.

I got the tests all marked and grades recorded, attended umpteen meetings, and finally got the time to go through the new voters Assistance Guide (I am the Vice Chair in charge of voter registration, Democrats Abroad Japan-Kansai, motto: "I'm so liberal I even register Republicans"), my overview reported below.

The main reason I failed to post last week is that the computers at work were all being used all the time for legitimate school work! Hogging by blogging would NOT have been appropriate nor appreciated by my co-workers. My home computer is pretty much being used by other members of the family as the second trimester winds down at the international school. But hey, it was a pretty boring week, and this week promises to be the same.

The following is US voter registration information. If anyone reading this in Japan isn't registered to vote and needs assistance, please leave a comment including (for once, though I hate making a practice of this) your e-mail address. If you live in the Osaka area, I can meet with you and help you through the process.

******************************************************************************************************************************

I finally had a chance to sit down and read over the 2006-7 Voting Assistance Guide (VAG). A lot of improvements have been made since the 2004 version.

First off, it appears that overseas voters from EVERY state and territory can register to vote, though a few still require a notary (available at the Osaka Consulate) and one, Alaska, requires photocopied proof of residency. Second, the Federal Post Card
Application (FPCA) has been greatly simplified, especially the section (now at the top of the form) identifying what category of overseas voter you are. However, individual states and territories still require varied information to fill out the rest of the form; you wouldn't want to help someone fill out an FPCA without being able to consult with the VAG.

Most states and territories now allow you to send in your FPCA by fax (and a couple by e-mail), some will fax you your absentee ballot, and a few will allow you to return the ballot by fax as well. Anyone who wants and is allowed to fax in either the FPCA or ballot can use this toll-free Japanese number: 00531-1-20833.

As I've mentioned before, most states and territories require annual filing of the FPCA, and the VAG recommends this even though a single filing should now be good for two years (hence the 2006-2007 in its title). Many states and territories provide ways to apply for permanent registration through the VAG, but this greatly varies from state to state, and even if
permanently registered, the voter will still need to submit the FPCA to get a ballot.

I've also checked out (but not thoroughly) the Democratic Party's voter registration site below:

http://www.democrats.org/registertovote

It appears that when choosing your 'state' in the drop-down menu, overseas voters should choose 'living abroad'. It then directs you to a page stating that if you don't have a legal residence in the States, you should use the FPCA, NOT their website, and give you the following link to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/onlinefpca.html

Been here/done this two years ago: this is NOT a user-friendly site. You can click to fill out an on-line form to be printed out and sent in if you don't have access to the FPCA, but they advise you to check out the VAG (linked) before you write anything.

Hopefully, Democrats Abroad or some other group will create a better way to register on-line, though it doesn't appear there will be any way to submit the forms on-line; they'll probably need to be printed out and mailed in or faxed, if allowed. If anyone out there knows of such a site, please let me know.

Finally, all of the following upcoming primary elections allow you to fax in your FPCA.

MIDTERM ELECTIONS: UPCOMING PRIMARIES
April 11: California Special Primary to fill the seat
vacated by Randy Cunningham. (Registration Deadline
March 27)
May 2: Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio
May 9: Nebraska, West Virginia
May 15: Kentucky, Oregon, Pennsylvania
May 23: Arkansas, Idaho

Not Just a Blogger Anymore...

iPod morning commute music: Talking Heads, Popular Favorites 1976-1992: Sand in the Vaseline, 1992 (disc 2)

Talking Heads was a band I missed the first time around. Their debut album came out in 1977, the same year I graduated from my first college. I didn't have much money and tended to listen to the music I loved from the '60s: The Beatles, Stones, and Dylan. Then, after two years of working as a landscaper/gardener (NOT a good job in Western Washington's 9-month rainy season!), I went back to school, graduated as a teacher, subbed (NOT a good job anywhere ever!) and finally wound up here in late 1983. But good music has a way of finding me eventually. In the case of Talking Heads, my co-worker Bob turned me on to this 2-disc greatest hits set. I was hooked immediately, and bought it within the week. Really cool music that fits so perfectly with New York's punk club CBGB's scene (The Ramones, Patti Smith, Television, Blondie). This is still the only Talking Heads I own. It may be enough.

This week has been dominated with trying to decide on who to hire as our new part-time teacher. As I've written before, every candidate had so many strong points that it was nearly impossible to decide, but decide we did, and are hoping we really made the right decision. I think we did.

I taught my last class of this Japanese school year today. Tomorrow, final exams begin. It feels like heading home.

Finally, this is my 70th post on Craig in Japan. It seems a nice, round number, a good post to announce that the TOEIC textbook I co-authored, Basic Listening Strategies for the TOEIC Test, was just published by Kenkyusha, a famous textbook publisher here in Japan. It isn't even listed on their web site yet. The book looks great, and it really is a kick to see my name on the cover! So, I'm not just a blogger anymore. I'm also an author.

Wednesday Already!

iPod morning commute music: Steely Dan, Citizen Steely Dan, disc 2 (1993)
Steely Dan was one of the great bands of the '70s, but I didn't have any of their CDs in my collection at the time this box set was released. Basically, this set is just everything they every recorded in chronological order, which means if you own any of their music already, you would never want to buy this. For me, however, it was a perfect purchase, and another example of music Tatsu put on my iPod when he reprogrammed it.

Not much to report. I've only got three classes left before final exams start (and this is the end of the Japanese school year, which runs from April through March as I'm sure anyone reading this already knows). It's time to shift thinking to next year, i.e. April, and start really looking at how I want to stream my lessons to meet the needs of the ability grouped students. Of course, the end of year paperwork will be a pain, but I won't really need to think about that until after the exams finish next week. Oh, yeah, the Junior High Graduation is something else coming up, but again not till the middle of the month.

I do have some decisions to make about increasing my involvement with Democrats Abroad Japan on a national level, but I'm taking a low-keyed approach on that one. They're looking for a National Chairperson for Voter Registration (I'm the regional chairperson for voter registration here in the Kansai). I'm just not sure what extra responsibilities go with the position, so it's wait and see the job description. It is nice to know, however, that our regional chairperson thinks I might be a good candidate for the position.

Lunchtime!

A Good Weekend for a Change

iPod morning commute music: Ray Davies, Other People's Lives (2006)
My birthday present to myself, this is Ray Davies' first true solo studio album. It couldn't be finer! One of my very first iPod morning reports dealt with a Kinks greatest hits album, and this has gotten me listening to that again, along with my favorite of their mid-sixties albums, Face to Face, Something Else by the Kinks, and The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society. But I digress...Other People's Lives is very good by any standard. Davies is a writer's songwriter, and his wit and observations come through clearly here. Musically strong as well, Alisa, my 15-year-old, said she couldn't believe Davies was 62. My friend Brad G. also commented that his voice sounds as young as ever. If you are a Kinks fan, you will love this CD.

And it was a very good weekend indeed. I turned 52 with a bullet. Kaoru got me a new wallet, Tatsu bought me Rickie Lee Jones's first CD (Chuck E's in Love) and Alisa got me a small birthday teddy bear that could hang in my car if I wanted to be cute.

On Saturday, Alisa and I joined my friend Aaron for a professional basketball game (The Basketball Japan League, unfortunately known as the BJ League) The Osaka Evessa vs the team from Niigata. The father of Matt Lottich (sp), a point guard out of Stanford and a team leader, was in attendance, and Aaron got some free tickets courtesy of his father-in-law to give to other Americans to keep the dad company, which we did. He was sitting directly behind Alisa. The hightlight for us came before the game started. I guess the team also throws out 4 autographed team balls to the crowd, and Alisa managed to snag one. Needless to say, she was thrilled. The game was excellent, fun, exciting, really noisy, with our team winning. I would love to go again!

When we got home, Kaoru had made my birthday dinner, lasagnia, and a delicious chocolate birthday cake.

Sunday was spent just kicking back, watching the Olympics, sipping beers. Tatsu, unfortunately, couldn't watch much because of several school papers all due on March 1st. It appears he finished his Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay, but still needs to work on the final draft of his Extended Essay. Reading over the TOK, I have to admit I was impressed with his writing and thinking skills. Of course, there were a lot of small mistakes, but overall, it was pretty well done. As a dad, I am pleased.

Birthday Boy

iPod morning commute music: Keren Ann, Not Going Anywhere (2003)
I bought this on a hunch based on a review I read somewhere and gave it to Kaoru as a birthday present. It's one of the quietest CDs I own. She reminds me of Nick Drake. Beautiful, laid back music, perfect for early morning commutes.

And yes, today is my birthday. Not much to report. My ESS Club members bought me a Beanie Baby Birthday bear, which Alisa will put with all of her Beanie Bears, and a small box of chocolates. I'm meeting my family for an okinomiyaki dinner in Kawanishi tonight, with the proper b-day dinner and cake coming tomorrow, after Alisa and I get back from the basketball game. I think I'll buy myself a new CD.

Happy birthday to me.

Jobs That Just Aren't There

Yesterday's iPod morning commute music: Jackson Browne, The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne [Japan] (2001)

Today's iPod morning commute music: James Taylor, Sweet Baby James (1970)

Jackson Browne and James Taylor were the top of the sensitive singer/songwriters of the 1970s and '80s. Both wrote (and I guess continue to write) great songs. The Jackson Browne best of just doesn't compare to Taylor's second, and probably best, album. Sweet Baby James, Steamroller, and especially Fire and Rain are simply killer cuts. Fire and Rain will forever put me back in high school, where my friend Nan, here friend Mary B. and I participate in a 26 mile (I think) Walkathon to raise money for some worthy cause or another. It was brutal, and as we crossed the finish line we were singing the chorus. I was stiff and sore for at least a week afterwards.

We're in the midst of conducting job interviews for a part-time native teacher. The people we're interviewing are very qualified, almost overly qualified. You can tell that they would make excellent full-time teachers, but the full-time jobs just aren't there anymore. The new reality is two or three year non-renewable full time contracts, especially at the university level. You're almost better off (almost; full-time still pays better than part-time, particularly when you consider the Japanese bonus system which most part-timers don't get to participate in) landing several part-time jobs at good schools, as part-timers are NOT subjugated to non-renewable contracts. It's a sad situation. My co-worker, Bob, and I were lucky to both get hired in the '80s. Qualified teachers were few and far between back then, and there was at least a small demand for full-time native teachers (I interviewed at 2 schools, and was offered a position in both). Now you have teachers with Master Degrees and teaching qualifications from their home countries unable to find full-time work. It hardly seems fair.

Another Tired Monday

iPod morning commute music: Fairport Convention, Meet on the Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975), disc 1 (1999)
A great band in their heyday, Fairport Convention featured great guitarist Richard Thompson and the perfect vocalist in Sandy Denny. Disc 1 of this double greatest hits covers the time both were in the band. The highlight for me is A Sailor's Life, a traditional British folk song extended by the band into 11 glorious minutes. Thompson's subtle lead guitar work is a constant in the background, and Denny's voice was never lovelier. The same song can be found on their (arguably) best album, Unhalfbricking (1969), which I also have.

The Koreans arrived safely on Friday, and we got the students off with their host families without incident. Then the Korean teachers, our international committee members, and the higher ups at our school went out for a traditional Japanese dinner of shabu shabu, which is basically cooking vegetables, tofu and paper thin strips of Kobe beef in a soup stock. Shabu shabu represents the sound the meat make as you swish it around the ceramic pot with chopsticks. It was delicious.

On Saturday and Sunday my ESS (English Speaking Society) Club took part in the Osaka Private Schools' English Festival's World Quiz Competition (whew!). Seven schools' ESS Clubs participated. This is the major event of the year for these clubs. This year, the quiz was about the UK. Each school takes a topic (ours was Literature) and writes 20 questions, 10 multiple choice and 10 open-ended, in English of course. The schools then exchange questions, research to find the answers, and memorize them. At the actual competition, held last Sunday (Saturday was a prep day) each school takes a turn asking a question, and whoever raises their hand the fastest gets to answer. In the first half, each question (usually multiple choice) is worth 1 point; in the second half, 2. My school came took 5th place, with awards going only to the top three schools. However, the contest was terrific, the students using English only. All of the teachers were really pleased with the result.

Finally, today I was able to take a tour of the construction site of our new school. Only a handful of teachers joined in, but it was cool to walk through the buildings. It will be a beautiful school when completed.

Coincidences

iPod morning commute music: Emmylou Harris, Wrecking Ball (1995)
By the time I started listening to this this morning, I realized that it was the final piece in a series of coincidences. More on this below. First, Emmylou Harris is an artist underrepresented in my collection. I bought her second album, Elite Hotel (), when in first came out, and again when I started buying CDs. I also own Trio (), recorded with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt and a greatest hits. Of course, she sang back-up and duets with Graham Parsons. But Wrecking Ball is special. First, it's not country. Produced by Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan), it is full of atmosphere. Second, Neil Young is helping out a bit, always nice. Mainly, though, it is a mature set of songs that sends shivers up the spine. A masterpiece, different and daring, especially for a singer just approaching 50.

Today, students and teachers from our sister school in Korea will be arriving for a 5-day visit. The students will be in home stays, with the teachers in a hotel near the school. This is a great program we run, as the common language is English, with all the students being non-native speakers (as opposed to our British sister school program and our summer home stay/study program in Australia). My involvement this year is minimal: I'll be one of the teachers meeting them at the airport this afternoon, will join the teachers for dinner tonight, and will help out with Monday's in-school program. Two years ago, though, I escorted students to Korea and was heavily involved in their visit here. One of the best parts of my job is my work with the international programs.

Yesterday, a friend in Seattle wrote that they were having trouble with the Korean home stay student they have hosted for at least a couple of years. I couldn't believe it, because this family is one of the most liberal, progressive and laid-back family I know. If a home stay student can't make it with them, they couldn't make it with anyone.

Then, this morning, I decided to listen to Emmylou. A few minutes into it, I realized the one time I saw Emmylou and her Hot Band live, around 1980, was with the same friend having problems with the Korean student. I was a student in Eastern Washington working on my second degree at the time, and a group of us drove over to Seattle for the concert, I believe at the Paramount Theater. Asleep at the Wheel opened the show. When Emmylou came out, we all shouted "Emmylou, we know someone who would drink your bathwater!" in reference to a mutual friend who couldn't make it to the concert. It was a great time, a great show.

And a weird feeling on the train at the coincidence of it all.

Back in the Saddle Again

iPod morning commute music: Elvis Costello, King of America (1986)
As I've mentioned before, I had my son, Tatsu, dump all the music off my iPod and put in his choice of playlists. He has always been appalled that I hadn't put any Elvis Costello onto the computer, a problem he rectified when programming his own iPod at Christmas. King of America is supposedly Costello's personal favorite. I can see why. It's low-key, personal, and explores country, folk and blues. The lyrics are terrific as well. I believe I have the British version with a bonus disc, but I need to check it out when I get home to be sure.

Sorry I haven't posted of late. We had our senior high entrance exam on Friday and Saturday, and our 9th grade students who didn't do well had to come in of Monday to be scolded (the rest of the school had the day off, as this was considered part of the entrance exam). Yesterday was graduation for our seniors, at an auditorium outside our school. Both Monday and Tuesday were half days, so Kaoru was happy that I could cook dinner two nights in a row (meat loaf and honey-mustard chicken, nothing too fancy).

We've been watching the Winter Olympics (for my kids, anything is better than CNN, and they know I can't complain about the Olympics, as I do when they are watching Japanese MTV or, even worse, quiz shows). Yesterday I got home early and watched, of all things, Curling, Japan vs Russia, as I decided on and started dinner. I actually got into it. I enjoyed the slowness of the sport (I'm a big baseball fan, so perhaps that makes sense), the fact that the team members could take the time to talk about and decide strategy. I felt sorry that the Japanese women lost, but it was a good match.

Japan basically shows only events which have Japanese competitors. I guess that's to be expected. I generally root for Americans first and Japanese second. While it's pretty much a given that the US will do well, Japan is a bit more problematic. They've been getting a lot of 4th place finishes it seems to me. Hopefully they'll do better in figure skating.

Grammys

iPod morning commute music: U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)
When I read that U2 had dominated the Grammys, I decided to listen again to the CD that won it all. It's good music, but I don't think it's their best. Vertigo is a great song. Anyway, good music, but I was hoping McCartney would win for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.

I was surprised to read that American Idol won the ratings war over the Grammys. I guess since I can't see them live, I imagine most people who could, would. The reality shows I've seen have all been pretty horrible in my opinion. Granted, I'm pretty conservative in my viewing habits (CNN, sports, movies, a couple of TV shows such as Lost, West Wing, Six Feet Under), but I miss the Grammys and the Oscars. For a while the Oscars were on sort of live in Japan, but they were constantly being interrupted by Japanese 'talents'; pretty awful stuff (particularly the transvestite, but let's not go there...).

Our high school entrance exam is underway, and I need to start psyching myself up for marking (the candidates are sitting for the English test now). The marking takes 8-10 hours, brain-numbing work. Each teacher is responsible for a section, and you just mark that section over and over and over. Then you have to check it again to make sure no mistakes were made. We'll work over 2 days, with a long staff meeting to decided which candidates will be invited to join our school. As I mentioned when discussing the junior high entrance exam, many of the students are taking our test as a back-up, in case they can't enter the public school of their choice, so the trick in selecting is to invite the right number of students, expecting many won't come.

Enough for now. I need to get ready to mark.

Schedules

iPod morning commute music: Buffalo Springfield, Box Set, disc 4 (2001)
Buffalo Springfield was a great band of the '60s, folk rock at its best. Featuring Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Richie Furay, the band had great vocals and guitars. They only made 3 albums together, so the box set contains a lot of rarities, demos and alternative versions of their songs. Disc 4 is probably the most boring of the discs for fans as it contains only their first 2 albums in their entirety. But that's what I like about it. Always a great morning listen.

Today was spent teaching a couple of lessons and working on next year's native teachers' schedule. Not to go into detail, but it's a pain in the butt to try to fit everyone in. The rough draft is finished, which is good.

Tomorrow is our senior high entrance exam. My ninth grade students have to take the test, and we're expecting them to do poorly. I hope we're wrong. It seems like a joke because they'll all be accepted no matter how horrible they do on the tests. We'll just have to give them extra lessons, study halls, worksheets, whatever. Of course, the marking is pure hell.

Wednesday, and Recovered from the Stupor Bowl

iPod morning commute music: Brinsley Schwarz, Nervous on the Road/The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz (1975 on record, I'm not sure on CD)

Brinsley Schwarz was the name of a British pub-rock band that recorded in the '70s. I first learned about them clicking on links at allmusic.com. I was checking up on Nick Lowe, and they linked him to this band. I liked what I read, and bought this, a single CD combining 2 of their albums, from 1972 and 1974, respectively, and a greatest hits (Surrender to the Rhythm, 1991). After they split up, Lowe went on to help form Rockpile with Dave Edmunds before embarking on a solo career. He also produced much of the early Elvis Costello. A couple of other members, including Brinsley himself (guitar) joined up with Graham Parker's backup band, The Rumour. All of what I've mentioned is great rock 'n' roll.

And while I may be doing better, I'm still not much in the mood for talking football.

Stupor Bowl

iPod morning commute music: N/A (damn battery was dead this morning)

Well, it was interesting to watch the Seahawks implode at the Super Bowl. I understand that some are blaming the officials, but hey, the officials didn't drop those passes or get called for holding to negate a key play. The Hawks just made too many mistakes.

It was nice to watch the game live at my buddy, Dave's house (from 8:00 am on Monday morning). I can't remember the last time I drank beer before noon! We made up a batch of chili, and had as good a time as one can watching one's team implode.

Today has been pretty low-keyed.

The Refreshed iPod

iPod morning commute music: shuffle mode

Recently, I've realized how bored I was becoming with my iPod musical selections. I've basically had the same core music on the machine for 4 years. I have done some editing...I dumped 10 of the 15 Elvis CDs from the 3 box sets (I mean, for a while every third song was The King, and that was never my intent). The problem was a lack of variety. My CD collection has a lot of artists represented by a single CD, but they weren't on my iPod...every Beatles album was, my entire Dylan collection, and a whole lot of Grateful Dead, not to mention the Stones. Hell, I had every Nick Drake CD on it.

Last night, I met Tatsu at our station, drove him home, and thought about things. When I found out he didn't have any homework, I asked him if he'd mind taking my iPod, deleting all the music from it, and fill it up again with a wider variety of music. Of course, 95% of the music in iTunes comes from my collection, and Tatsu has excellent taste in music, so I reckoned I was safe.

And I was. This morning, for the first time in years, my own music took me by surprise. Richard Ashcroft, Fairport Convention, the Small Faces, Steely Dan, Ella Fitzgerald are just some of the new artists which weren't on before and are on now, and were listened to in shuffle mode. Tatsu did a great job, and I realized once more how lucky I am to have a son who isn't into hip-hop or J-Pop.

On a sad note, my cousin Stephanie's father passed away yesterday in hospice. We're keeping her family in our prayers.

Also, Alisa had some orthodontic surgery yesterday, and is looking a little beat up around the face. She took today off from school, but other than appearance, she seems to be holding up OK. Also, she finally got her information packet from the Global Young Leaders' Conference a couple of days ago, and there will be 360 students attending, representing 100 countries. She's pretty hyped.

Finally, I'll be watching the Superbowl live over at my friend Dave's house. I'm taking a personal day from work (I have no classes and no meeting on Monday). The pre-game stuff (in Japanese) starts at 8:30 am, so we'll start a batch of chili which should be ready by halftime. I don't usually drink beer before lunch, but somehow I feel an exception might be made. Go Seahawks! I've been waiting years for this day.