Written on Christmas Eve in OsakaI stepped out wearing my indoor shoes. I’d be pitching my old beat-up shoes, and I wouldn’t need a separate pair of indoor shoes anymore. I wasn’t coming back. Alone, I walked out of the genkan and out onto the driveway ( Read more... )

I found this Word document left open by a coworker and decided, in a fit of inspiration, to fill it out myself and save the copy in a new file.

SOCIAL STUDIES ACTIVITY: YEAR 31) What is the capital of Nova Scotia ( Read more... )

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the off-and-on shenanigans at work that I forget that there’s more to Japan besides the school I work for. It’s easy enough to do, because I live on school property and have to follow their rules even after I punch out for the night.

Really, Japan is not that bad - don’t let my writings dissuade you from coming ( Read more... )

I was at the DeoDeo tonight shopping for new rechargeable batteries for my camera when I happened upon a section of the laptop department dedicated to Netbooks. Several models were represented, including the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, which I had been coveting for some time. I like my current Dell laptop with its 15.5” screen and capable keyboard (can ( Read more... )

I had a pretty good day today! It was a Monday with a cherry, cream, and caramel fudge topping!

I’ve been meaning to talk about this for a few days - last week, M. told me about a fire at a “video café” in Osaka.

(“15 killed in pre-dawn fire in Osaka Japan”)

For someone who frequently stays overnight at similar establishments * (I’ve done so four ( Read more... )

I was perusing Google Maps satellite images of Bayers Lake because of something Mayoral candidate David Boyd was asked about the proposed Plazacorp development there.

I noticed that the parking lot at TeleTech looked rather empty... Although, looking around the business park, you can see that a lot of lots are empty - perhaps this image was taken ( Read more... )

I was going to go to Temple 88 this morning, but I wussed out. I wasn’t awake until 10am, which I think is too late to get a good run at it. I’ve set my alarm for 7 and I’ll try again tomorrow. [No, I'll leave it. It's too far away. I'll get it someday when I return. (And it also ended up raining.)] Next weekend, the long weekend, I hope to get to ( Read more... )

Our friends with the drills and hammers are back, and the noises they make can be disruptive - when I was administering a spelling test today, comically so. M., though, caught a lucky break. Just as the word "clanking" came up in reading class, one of the workers outside started banging on a pipe with a hammer. Perfect timing ( Read more... )

Some story problems I made yesterday for tomorrow’s Year VII math class:

1. A book club sells memberships for $20 a year. A lifetime membership is $150. How long does it take to get your money’s worth?
[This was inspired by the LiveJournal situation.]2. Suppose you want to rent a car for a three-week trip. The daily rate is ¥6,000. The monthly ( Read more... )

I've just realized that I have almost no reason to go back to Saint Mary's when I return, aside from its merits. And it's a meritorious school ( Read more... )