Thanks to Andrea, I have got the blog roll up and running. Yay! Caro, can I link you?
THanks for all of the comments on the last blog and I will post recipes soon! Thanks, Jean, for stopping by and making a comment!
Caro, I know, too weird (and gross!)
Have a good night/day!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
yummy
Well, I made us a yummy dessert tonight (if I do say so myself!) We had rice pudding. HMMMM! I haven't had it for about 3 years. I haven't made it since moving here as my MIL always had a puzzled look on her face whenever I mentioned it (rice, in a dessert? Huh?) But I decided to make it for my 3 lady students tomorrow night. They are quite a low level but everybody likes talking about food, and they do their best to talk in English whe we talk about food. So at the end of the month, I ask them to bring a recipe to share with everyone. Some of them are beyond their comprehension, so I sometimes bring samples. They've had perogies, pumpkin pie, a variety of cookies, and tomorrow night rice pudding. I hope they like it as much as I do!
I'm quite tired today and my throat is really sore from teaching. I taught around 135 elementary school kids today, all in grade 2. I had 4 consecutive classes. We were doing body parts, so we sang Head & Shoulders, played Simon Says, and then sang a couple more songs that I had taught them last year. It was really fun but my throat is paying for it now. They are pretty funny-every time I talked about singing a song with them, two or three of them would say, "I know this song." or "I've heard this song." and and I'm thinking all of you should know this song, I taught it to all of you last year? I can't believe how well some of them did with Simon Says. I was speaking pretty fast and they managed to keep up. It was great!
Going to turn in early tonight but I'll leave you with this- it explains alot to me about why there are so many weird looking people on tv /in magazines.
I'm quite tired today and my throat is really sore from teaching. I taught around 135 elementary school kids today, all in grade 2. I had 4 consecutive classes. We were doing body parts, so we sang Head & Shoulders, played Simon Says, and then sang a couple more songs that I had taught them last year. It was really fun but my throat is paying for it now. They are pretty funny-every time I talked about singing a song with them, two or three of them would say, "I know this song." or "I've heard this song." and and I'm thinking all of you should know this song, I taught it to all of you last year? I can't believe how well some of them did with Simon Says. I was speaking pretty fast and they managed to keep up. It was great!
Going to turn in early tonight but I'll leave you with this- it explains alot to me about why there are so many weird looking people on tv /in magazines.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
blogging for dummies
Okay, I don't know how to do this and would appreciate any advice-how do I put a blog roll on my blog? I tried inserting them before my links, under my links, under my flicker badge but to no avail-Anyone?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
oh boy!
I have some unexpected time to myself-the boy is passed out-didn't sleep all day and just had it around seven.
So I have been quite busy lately and even at school I have had lots to do. One thing I was doing was interviewing the students in grade seven. ALL of them. It was fun but time consuming. I prepared some phrases for them to think about while they were talking to me as their level is QUITE low and lots of they need help. One of the questions that they can ask and answer is What do you want now?
Ohhh, what a question-so many possibilies running through my head-Let's see, on a personal level, I want my family to be happy and healthy, I want to not have to worry about anything but especially my little boy being hurt by someone, I want him to never have to worry about money, I want to spend more time with myself but I want more time to myself, I want to be younger, slimmer, energetic, beautiful, bigger boobs, smaller bum, a car, another kid, countless cds, books, clothes...For a bigger outlook, I want the American government or any other government for, that matter to stop bombing the shit out of defenceless people, world peace, to stop world hunger...hmmm, I guess that covers it for now.
So then I just smiled at them and said, "Uh, I want a car." and asked what they wanted now, and it was always something like a new pencil case.
;P
So I have been quite busy lately and even at school I have had lots to do. One thing I was doing was interviewing the students in grade seven. ALL of them. It was fun but time consuming. I prepared some phrases for them to think about while they were talking to me as their level is QUITE low and lots of they need help. One of the questions that they can ask and answer is What do you want now?
Ohhh, what a question-so many possibilies running through my head-Let's see, on a personal level, I want my family to be happy and healthy, I want to not have to worry about anything but especially my little boy being hurt by someone, I want him to never have to worry about money, I want to spend more time with myself but I want more time to myself, I want to be younger, slimmer, energetic, beautiful, bigger boobs, smaller bum, a car, another kid, countless cds, books, clothes...For a bigger outlook, I want the American government or any other government for, that matter to stop bombing the shit out of defenceless people, world peace, to stop world hunger...hmmm, I guess that covers it for now.
So then I just smiled at them and said, "Uh, I want a car." and asked what they wanted now, and it was always something like a new pencil case.
;P
typical?
Sorry for the lengthy delay between posts, I just can't seem to get out of bed after lying down for what seems like hours to put Hiroki to sleep. He currently has ANOTHER cold (and fever) though and he actually went to sleep quite quickly:P
So I was at yoga class this weekend (still feeling the pain) and some of the other yoga-ees were talking about foreigners. As in me. But not me, because they weren't talking about me or to me, just about foreigners.
Sometimes even though a foreigner comes and speaks to me in Japanese, I just answer in English, because I am just expecting to speak English
Me thinking, yes, I've experienced that many times.
Then someone else says
Well, when a foreigner come up to me or near me , you know, I just, well, get all nervous
Me thinking WTF? Sitting right here? Can't see me?
I just can't understand this way of thinking, mostly because I was born in Canada and we just don't know (or care?) who's foreign or not. Also, MOST PEOPLE I KNOW WOULDN"T TALK LIKE THAT!
It bugs me because even if they weren't intending for me to feel isolated, separating people into us and them just makes me feel even more that I won't be part of us.
Even more good news. The Japanese government in its infinite wisdom has decided that all foreigners coming to Japan will have to be fingerprinted to prevent terrorism. (Again WTF?)(The only terrorism that has happened in Japan has been by a Japanse cult) The only exceptions to this will be Special permanent residents (Korean and Chinese) who were actually born here. That's pretty forward thinking, way to go guys!
Have to end this post for now as I can't see anymore. Need sleep!
So I was at yoga class this weekend (still feeling the pain) and some of the other yoga-ees were talking about foreigners. As in me. But not me, because they weren't talking about me or to me, just about foreigners.
Sometimes even though a foreigner comes and speaks to me in Japanese, I just answer in English, because I am just expecting to speak English
Me thinking, yes, I've experienced that many times.
Then someone else says
Well, when a foreigner come up to me or near me , you know, I just, well, get all nervous
Me thinking WTF? Sitting right here? Can't see me?
I just can't understand this way of thinking, mostly because I was born in Canada and we just don't know (or care?) who's foreign or not. Also, MOST PEOPLE I KNOW WOULDN"T TALK LIKE THAT!
It bugs me because even if they weren't intending for me to feel isolated, separating people into us and them just makes me feel even more that I won't be part of us.
Even more good news. The Japanese government in its infinite wisdom has decided that all foreigners coming to Japan will have to be fingerprinted to prevent terrorism. (Again WTF?)(The only terrorism that has happened in Japan has been by a Japanse cult) The only exceptions to this will be Special permanent residents (Korean and Chinese) who were actually born here. That's pretty forward thinking, way to go guys!
Have to end this post for now as I can't see anymore. Need sleep!
Saturday, February 04, 2006
um
Well I've been meaning to write for a couple of days again. This working 4 evenings a week is really getting to me...The weeks go by soooo fast! I can't get anything done, the house looks pretty bad!:P
So my brother brought me some music and some of it I just can't get out of my head!
Warren Zevon and some of his songs done by other people, and Rilo Kiley. I really like some of their lyrics, too.
I should find someone better for me but Mom says we're born that way in a song named Glendora
and
You're just image control for a walking corpse like mein Portions for Foxes.
I don't really know who they are and if I can I'll set up a link for you (but it's not working right now, no emoticon for speaking through gritted teeth!)
I took the day off on Thursday (so nice!) but still didn't end up getting much done. I went to Shizuoka city by train to get my new spouse visa and apply for my permanent residence visa here. Since I had already applied for my spouse visa, I didn't need to add much more paperwork. Now I just have to wait for it to be processed.
I think there's another wave of influenza going around. One of the teachers at the school has it, and I've heard that my nephew has gotten it. I hate this season.
Take care everyone!
So my brother brought me some music and some of it I just can't get out of my head!
Warren Zevon and some of his songs done by other people, and Rilo Kiley. I really like some of their lyrics, too.
I should find someone better for me but Mom says we're born that way in a song named Glendora
and
You're just image control for a walking corpse like mein Portions for Foxes.
I don't really know who they are and if I can I'll set up a link for you (but it's not working right now, no emoticon for speaking through gritted teeth!)
I took the day off on Thursday (so nice!) but still didn't end up getting much done. I went to Shizuoka city by train to get my new spouse visa and apply for my permanent residence visa here. Since I had already applied for my spouse visa, I didn't need to add much more paperwork. Now I just have to wait for it to be processed.
I think there's another wave of influenza going around. One of the teachers at the school has it, and I've heard that my nephew has gotten it. I hate this season.
Take care everyone!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
overheard
So this is a conversation I heard between a couple of teachers at my school last week...
Teacher A: I was standing outside smoking this morning and one of the parents who dropped their kid off asked me if I thought it was a good idea to be smoking and greeting the students.
Teacher B: Really? You should have said to him that he shouldn't be dropping his kid off. He's spoiling her.
Teacher A: Yeah, it takes all kinds of people.
Teacher B: Yeah.
Meanwhile I'm thinking uh, (WTF?) you shouldn't be smoking in front of the students
I have issues with Japanese school boards as they feel that dropping your kid off teaches your kids to be dependent (or something?) Even at the elementary school level, when kids start grade 1, parents are not supposed to walk their kids to school. GRADE 1! They feel that the kids will be safe because they are asssigned groups to walk in. After the latest incidents here (2 separate incidents of grade 1 girls being taken and killed in less than a week last November)the only thing that changed was there are some more adults on the streets as part of a patrol. But the thing I don't get is even in groups, I don't think it's much safer. Especially the last part of the group-the kid walk together until they get home, so the group gets smaller and smaller, until there's only 1 kid left. So when there's only a couple of kids, what's to stop someone from trying to take them? And if your kid is the last kid, what happens? I don't like it and I live in a small town. I can't imagine living in a big city and not being able to walk my kid to school.
That's it for now.:)
Teacher A: I was standing outside smoking this morning and one of the parents who dropped their kid off asked me if I thought it was a good idea to be smoking and greeting the students.
Teacher B: Really? You should have said to him that he shouldn't be dropping his kid off. He's spoiling her.
Teacher A: Yeah, it takes all kinds of people.
Teacher B: Yeah.
Meanwhile I'm thinking uh, (WTF?) you shouldn't be smoking in front of the students
I have issues with Japanese school boards as they feel that dropping your kid off teaches your kids to be dependent (or something?) Even at the elementary school level, when kids start grade 1, parents are not supposed to walk their kids to school. GRADE 1! They feel that the kids will be safe because they are asssigned groups to walk in. After the latest incidents here (2 separate incidents of grade 1 girls being taken and killed in less than a week last November)the only thing that changed was there are some more adults on the streets as part of a patrol. But the thing I don't get is even in groups, I don't think it's much safer. Especially the last part of the group-the kid walk together until they get home, so the group gets smaller and smaller, until there's only 1 kid left. So when there's only a couple of kids, what's to stop someone from trying to take them? And if your kid is the last kid, what happens? I don't like it and I live in a small town. I can't imagine living in a big city and not being able to walk my kid to school.
That's it for now.:)
Thursday, January 26, 2006
keep your fingers crossed
Oh I am just saying that because I am sooooo superstitious...but I haven't been laid out flat with the flu this week so I think? I'm ok. Having written that I'll probably get struck with something, some way, some how.....
I have to say that I am soooo very disappointed with the election and the (freak)new PM in Canada. Anybody who agrees with Bush and what he is doing should have his head examined, IMO. I sincerely hope that because he is in a minority government that he won't be able to reverse the laws that he said he was going to.
My brother Mike came for a visit and brought me some goodies that I'm enjoying-especially music! It has been fun listening to bunch of new music. Also peanut butter cups (huge box of them) and my sister in law (thanks Jackie, you are so smart!)made him bring a people magazine about the 20 years of sexist men. Nice.
Ok I don't have much more to say and everything I was thinking about writing has simply disappeared? so that's it for now.
xoxox
I have to say that I am soooo very disappointed with the election and the (freak)new PM in Canada. Anybody who agrees with Bush and what he is doing should have his head examined, IMO. I sincerely hope that because he is in a minority government that he won't be able to reverse the laws that he said he was going to.
My brother Mike came for a visit and brought me some goodies that I'm enjoying-especially music! It has been fun listening to bunch of new music. Also peanut butter cups (huge box of them) and my sister in law (thanks Jackie, you are so smart!)made him bring a people magazine about the 20 years of sexist men. Nice.
Ok I don't have much more to say and everything I was thinking about writing has simply disappeared? so that's it for now.
xoxox
Saturday, January 21, 2006
oh sh*t
Well, I've spent the last couple of days at home with Hiroki as he has Type A Influenza. What?! I said to the doctor, amazed when she told me as I had just been at her office twice in December to get him vaccinated against the flu. She said that that's why he had such light symptoms. Great.
Weds night he woke and his cough was an eerie sounding whooping type of cough. That and his breathing really freaked me out so I checked his temp and it was 39 degrees. Thankfully I still had some medicine Mom sent to me.
Thursday morning I went to school for the morning and came home to take him to the dr. We were there for about 2 hours, waiting with a whole bunch of people who looked really sick. (I was just hoping that we didn't get something from everyone else - I HATE going to the drs)
Hiroki didn't sleep all day Thursday (after having been up for a couple of hours the night before) and didn't go to bed until about 8:30. He as running around and playing, he did NOT look like a sick boy!
Yesterday all of his not sleeping caught up with him and he took a 2 hour nap in the morning. But that's it. He didn't sleep until after 9:30 again last night!
I hope he's feeling better, I have yet to take his temperature today (was still 38 yesterday)
Atsunobu's mom and I have been even wearing face masks to try to avoid getting sick. She just came and told me that she has a sore throat and a fever. Shit! Shit!She also was vaccinated. I was NOT! (sick when I was planning on going)ARGH!
I am hoping that it won't get to me (I am supposed to make treats with the grade 8s on Monday, and then I'm supposed to go to 2 kindergartens next week!) Also hoping that we won't pass it on to my brother who's coming for a visit today!
Argh!
Weds night he woke and his cough was an eerie sounding whooping type of cough. That and his breathing really freaked me out so I checked his temp and it was 39 degrees. Thankfully I still had some medicine Mom sent to me.
Thursday morning I went to school for the morning and came home to take him to the dr. We were there for about 2 hours, waiting with a whole bunch of people who looked really sick. (I was just hoping that we didn't get something from everyone else - I HATE going to the drs)
Hiroki didn't sleep all day Thursday (after having been up for a couple of hours the night before) and didn't go to bed until about 8:30. He as running around and playing, he did NOT look like a sick boy!
Yesterday all of his not sleeping caught up with him and he took a 2 hour nap in the morning. But that's it. He didn't sleep until after 9:30 again last night!
I hope he's feeling better, I have yet to take his temperature today (was still 38 yesterday)
Atsunobu's mom and I have been even wearing face masks to try to avoid getting sick. She just came and told me that she has a sore throat and a fever. Shit! Shit!She also was vaccinated. I was NOT! (sick when I was planning on going)ARGH!
I am hoping that it won't get to me (I am supposed to make treats with the grade 8s on Monday, and then I'm supposed to go to 2 kindergartens next week!) Also hoping that we won't pass it on to my brother who's coming for a visit today!
Argh!
Friday, January 20, 2006
I knew it
| You Are a Powdered Devil's Food Donut |
 A total sweetheart on the outside, you love to fool people with your innocent image. On the inside you're a little darker, richer, and more complex. You're a hedonist who demands more than one pleasure at a time. Decadent and daring, you test the limits of human indulgence. |
Monday, January 16, 2006
nothing really
Well, here I am at school, adding to my blog. I am taking some advice from another blogger, Andrea (thanks!) who says she updates her blog between classes and uses Word while at school. So I decided to give it a try, too. I tried once before only to find out that I didn’t have a floppy disk drive on my computer at home. (heh heh) I need some reburnable cds.
It’s not terribly cold now but last week was a first for me. It’s the first time I have seen snow here (not that much but still it was snow) and also the first time I have taught in a classroom with absolutely no heating in it while it was snowing outside. The high for one of the days last week was (brrrrr) 3 degrees. 3!! I know that that sounds warm for many people who may be reading this, but the whole no heater thing makes it very uncomfortable. I had 3 classes in a row, no stops to the heated teacher’s room (and even that could be warmer!) and so I absolutely froze!!! All of my muscles were sore from trying to stop shivering while in class. At least I could hold a couple of Hotshot type of things in my hands while I was walking around the class to get warm. I felt worse for the students, who are not allowed to walk around in class. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
I also have a hard time getting what used to be my feet and are now just blocks of ice warm. I have gotten chillblains from the cold weather. Don’t know what that is? I didn’t know either. It started last year, my toes started to really hurt and it felt like my shoes were too small. Parts of my toes went red and hurt and got itchy whenever they were warm (means in the bath). It sucked. But this year I know that I can use a cream to stop them from being itchy (got red hot peppers in it) and now I have figured out that if I change my socks 2, 3 times a day, my feet aren’t as cold. (But feels strange, sitting in the staff room, changing my socks, too lazy to go to another (unheated) room to change ha ha). Ok, finished my whining about the weather.
I think influenza is going around here. Last week I was at 2 elementary schools. I didn’t ask about the flu at the first school but unfortunately at the second school I was at there were some students away due to the flu. Actually it happened to be the class I ate lunch with. I washed my hands a lot and hope that nothing will come out of it. Here at the jr hi, there are so far only 3 official cases of the flu but there is one homeroom with 9 students away!
Hiroki is growing up so much and is enjoying life. He would rather stay with us than go to school but I think he likes going to school and playing with his friends and teachers. He especially enjoyed the snow (even though he thought that it was dust hee hee) because his grandmother was worried about driving in the snow and he ended up having another day off.
Right now his thing he wants us to jump out (yelling BAAA!, the Japanese version of boo!)and scare him after he's gone to the bathroom. Don't know why it's such a thrill for him but it is. He knows we are there and waiting for him and still gets scared. (hee hee)
So now I am even busier than before in the evenings-I teach Mon, Tues, Weds, and Fri nights. I used to teach on Sat but I moved those classes to during the week so now I truly have weekends. I think that I’m going to try and start going to yoga again. I have been doing nothing fitness wise and that and my winter weight gain has led to me feeling extremely blob-like. I hate it. I think the only way I could exercise is to get up at around 5 (yah, like that’s going to happen) but Hiroki goes swimming every Sat morning and Atsunobu tries to be the one to take him there, so that frees me up for yoga. 1 class lasts about 2 hours! It’s not very aerobic or strenuous or anything but at least I would be moving and stretching which feels good.
I’m really looking forward to Mike’s visit here. Not really sure what we will do yet but it should be fun anyway. Hiroki was delighted yesterday when we moved the bed upstairs for Uncle Mike but for some reason he kept talking about ‘Banpa’ (Grandpa) sleeping there. I think he’s got it straight now.
Well I think that’s a long enough post about nothing! Hope you are all well!
xoxo
(ha ha now you really are updated on my exciting life!)
EDIT: Typing at school was good as I had lots of time to write what I wanted but the only worry is if I can stay awake long enough after putting Hiroki to sleep to add to the blog! My neck has a permanent crink in it as I'm trying not to put my head down on the pillow (but still end up nodding off!)
It’s not terribly cold now but last week was a first for me. It’s the first time I have seen snow here (not that much but still it was snow) and also the first time I have taught in a classroom with absolutely no heating in it while it was snowing outside. The high for one of the days last week was (brrrrr) 3 degrees. 3!! I know that that sounds warm for many people who may be reading this, but the whole no heater thing makes it very uncomfortable. I had 3 classes in a row, no stops to the heated teacher’s room (and even that could be warmer!) and so I absolutely froze!!! All of my muscles were sore from trying to stop shivering while in class. At least I could hold a couple of Hotshot type of things in my hands while I was walking around the class to get warm. I felt worse for the students, who are not allowed to walk around in class. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
I also have a hard time getting what used to be my feet and are now just blocks of ice warm. I have gotten chillblains from the cold weather. Don’t know what that is? I didn’t know either. It started last year, my toes started to really hurt and it felt like my shoes were too small. Parts of my toes went red and hurt and got itchy whenever they were warm (means in the bath). It sucked. But this year I know that I can use a cream to stop them from being itchy (got red hot peppers in it) and now I have figured out that if I change my socks 2, 3 times a day, my feet aren’t as cold. (But feels strange, sitting in the staff room, changing my socks, too lazy to go to another (unheated) room to change ha ha). Ok, finished my whining about the weather.
I think influenza is going around here. Last week I was at 2 elementary schools. I didn’t ask about the flu at the first school but unfortunately at the second school I was at there were some students away due to the flu. Actually it happened to be the class I ate lunch with. I washed my hands a lot and hope that nothing will come out of it. Here at the jr hi, there are so far only 3 official cases of the flu but there is one homeroom with 9 students away!
Hiroki is growing up so much and is enjoying life. He would rather stay with us than go to school but I think he likes going to school and playing with his friends and teachers. He especially enjoyed the snow (even though he thought that it was dust hee hee) because his grandmother was worried about driving in the snow and he ended up having another day off.
Right now his thing he wants us to jump out (yelling BAAA!, the Japanese version of boo!)and scare him after he's gone to the bathroom. Don't know why it's such a thrill for him but it is. He knows we are there and waiting for him and still gets scared. (hee hee)
So now I am even busier than before in the evenings-I teach Mon, Tues, Weds, and Fri nights. I used to teach on Sat but I moved those classes to during the week so now I truly have weekends. I think that I’m going to try and start going to yoga again. I have been doing nothing fitness wise and that and my winter weight gain has led to me feeling extremely blob-like. I hate it. I think the only way I could exercise is to get up at around 5 (yah, like that’s going to happen) but Hiroki goes swimming every Sat morning and Atsunobu tries to be the one to take him there, so that frees me up for yoga. 1 class lasts about 2 hours! It’s not very aerobic or strenuous or anything but at least I would be moving and stretching which feels good.
I’m really looking forward to Mike’s visit here. Not really sure what we will do yet but it should be fun anyway. Hiroki was delighted yesterday when we moved the bed upstairs for Uncle Mike but for some reason he kept talking about ‘Banpa’ (Grandpa) sleeping there. I think he’s got it straight now.
Well I think that’s a long enough post about nothing! Hope you are all well!
xoxo
(ha ha now you really are updated on my exciting life!)
EDIT: Typing at school was good as I had lots of time to write what I wanted but the only worry is if I can stay awake long enough after putting Hiroki to sleep to add to the blog! My neck has a permanent crink in it as I'm trying not to put my head down on the pillow (but still end up nodding off!)
Saturday, January 14, 2006
hihair
We bought an electric hair-cutter thingy and used it on him. We started it before New Year's but he cried so much we had to stop (about halfway!) Last week I was able to finish it without to much trauma!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
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