(Friday, March 4, 2005)
　Last night I saw "Garfield"(DVD version) on TV. As usual I saw it with the English language and Japanese subtitles. I think it's just because of my poor listening, but the words in the movie were a little too difficult to catch. Garfield the Cat said, "I'm aware." instead of saying, "I know." Maybe the producer wanted the cat to talk like a professor. That's why he used rather old-fashoned words in the movie. Anyway I think I have to practice listening more.
　It's been snowing since late last night and the ground is covered with snow. I'm afraid I won't be able to drive to my student's house this afternoon. I'll have to make a decision by twelve noon.
　Just a few minutes after I had finished writing the last paragraph above, the sun showed up. I feel relieved. To tell the truth, I tried to attach the rubber belts to my car tires. First I almost made a very big mistake. I intended to attach them to the rear tires, but actually I had to attach them to the front tires. I was lucky enough to read the car manual just before doing my important job. Anyway I couldn't make it. I didn't understand how to attach the belts. That's why I'm so happy to know the sun has come out.
　This afternoon I saw "Tetsuko's Room" on TV. Today's guest was Kaoru Sugita who married a rich businessman recently. I felt she looked much more beautiful than she had been before. I still remember her young days. When she made a sensational debut, she was surely a twinkling angel. Everybody was sure that she was going to become a great actress in the future. But after she became 20, her evaluation rapidly went down. She was given an unhappy nickname "a poor loser." I never thought of her as a loser, but actually she was. Now that she's got a very big chance to get back to her own self, she's going to start a new life as a great actress again. I'm sure I'll always be by her side.

（Saturday, March 5, 2005）
　I'm afraid there are some foolish mistakes in my writing. But It's OK, because the Bible says, "To err is human, to forgive is devine." However it is of course no good for me to write poor English sentences, because I've just started to work as an English instructor of the ECC.
　It's already 1:20a.m. Why do I have to work till this late every night? That's OK. Forget about it. I'm the only one who knows the answer. It seems that our pet dog Ryoma has fallen into a good night sleep. I think I'm going to join him now.
　Isn't it a beautiful morning! If I remember correctly yesterday's weather forecast told that it was going to be a very cold morning today. But we can't blame them of their mistakes, because the weather is quite changeable at this season of the year.
　Today is Sunday, but I have to drive to Isehara to teach English conversation. It's just an hour and a half long lesson, which is in a sense very enjoyable. It can help me brush up my teaching skills. And driving itself is very refreshing.
※【To possible native readers】If you find any mistakes in my English writing, please be kind enough to let me know. I will be glad to correct the mistakes A.S.A.P.　
　　　→E-mail Address： marine-777@jcom.home.ne.jp
　Sorry to talk about dog shit, but our pet dog Ryoma sometimes walks for more than two hours to shit. He usually go for a walk in the morning and in the evening. This evening my mother took him for a walk, but he didn't make it. My mother had only little time left, so she came home without success. About a few hours later I took him for another walk. But that time he was kind enough to do it within an hour. It was freezing cold outside, so I was happy to see him finish his wonderful job. Sometimes I wonder if he intentionally takes a long time to do it just because he wants to enjoy walking for as long as possible. Maybe I'm wrong in thinking that way. Dogs are not usually that cunning. What do you think?

(Sunday, March 6, 2005)
　Ryoma seems to be the only one in my family who is so active in this cold weather this morning. He's found a new play with a tennis ball which he brought back home last night. When I saw him make a quick move, he had already got a tennis ball in his mouth. I almost burst into laughing when I saw him carrying the dirty tennis ball all the way back home.
　After we reached home, I cleaned up the ball and put it through hot boiled water
so that Ryoma might not get sick playing with the ball. He looked so happy to get his own ball. I think it's a little too big for his mouth, but it seems that he doesn't care.
　I feel people are getting more and more careless while walking or driving. I sometimes feel like shouting at the crazy pedestrians who think nothing of crossing the street without paying any attention to the cars. I don't care if they're involved in car accidents or not, but I don't want them to involve me.
　This afternoon we went shopping with my wife's parents to look for new cell phones for them to use. This time they bought cell phones with cameras. Cell phone cameras will be of some help in case they should get involved in some accidents. E-mail function will not be of great help for them, I suppose.

(Monday, March 7, 2005)
　Late last night there was an accident which made us very much worried about out pet dog Ryoma. He suddenly made a big short cry. When I look down on the floor, I knew that he had got electric shock while biting the plug. He seemed to be OK, but I got only relieved when I found him alive this morning. Oh, poor Ryoma! Please don't bite anything dangerous again. Instead I'll let you bite my fingers.
　This morning I had a quarrel with my mother, who still tends to think of me as a kindergarten kid. It's not an easy job to keep good relations with somebody who is very near to me. I hate quarrels, because they don't bring about anything valuable.

(Tuesday, March 8, 2005)
　Last night I got e-mail from Mr. and Mrs.Hayashi who also have a shiba-dog and manage a homepage for many shiba-dogs. I had sent them my e-mail when I had found a shiba-dog whose name was the same as our shiba-dog Ryoma. They looked like each other so much that I felt like writing to them. They said that our Ryoma resembles their Momo, a 5-year-old femail shiba-dog. Yes, they're right. They seem to be a brother and a sister.
　When can we see the way out of the long tunnel of economical depression? In this severe situation most public servants are having a rich life. Everybody except those lucky people feel that it's unfair. They don't have to do their best to improve the organizations that they belong to. I myself used to be one of them. But now I'm not. Do you think I should have been wise enough to stay in that greenhouse?
　This afternoon my mother and I visited my father in the hospital. He looked a little sleepy, but nothing seemed to be wrong. Nut I noticed he almost dropped tears when he know we were going to leave the room. I felt very sorry for him. Everybody has to get old. But it's such a lonely ending of our lives, isn't it?

(Thursday, March10, 2005)　
　I didn't write in the diary, so many people should have thought that I'd already given up writing English diary. But that's not true. I was just too busy.
　I've had a hay fever for these two days. This year I didn't feel anything wrong, so I believed that I was free of that troublesome fever at last. But that's not true, either.
　Today's Thursday, which means I'm supposed to buy a Loto 6 ticket for \1,000. I hope it will change into 200 million yen tonight!
　Late this morning "Natural Thigh Trainer" arrived about a month and a half after I had ordered the high-tech machine. Actually it's not high-tech, because it's not controlled by a computer. But it's true it gives our thighs certain burden when we use it. What effects are expected, we still don't know.
　This evening I took Ryoma for a walk. Can you believe that it took him about one and a half hours to accomplish his sacred mission. I was so much tired. But he looked quite satisfied to take such a long walk. Am I a servant of his? Is he our King?　

(Friday, March 11, 2005)　
　What a big mistake I did yesterday! The high-tech machine is not "Natural Thigh Trainer," but "Lateral Thigh Trainer." If you want your thighs trained naturally, the best way is to take a long walk, not to use a high-tech machine. Anyway I'm so good at it now. I wonder how long I'll be interested in the training, though.
　Horiemon, the president of Livedoor, has been making some serious mistakes. The biggest problem is that he doesn't notice the fact. I can understand what he's going to do, but it's too early to build a computer-based society in Japan today. "Those who are not talented should not be highly evaluated," he had no hesitation to say. But who knows if you're really talented or not? Horiemon himself is a talented person? I doubt it, because he couldn't foresee any actions against his ploans when he had bought enough stocks to rule one of the major broadcasting companies. He has too much confidence in himself.
　What a surprise! The TV news has just said that Horiemon has hit a homerun at the top of the 9th inning. Will Fuji TV be able to hit the good-bye homerun at the bottom?
　My wife says that mass media itself has changed its attitude to Livedoor. I think she's right in saying that. I'd like to say, "That how the world goes."

(Satuyday, March 12, 2005)
　I've had a hard time repairing my homepage uproading system since last night. I felt I was going to be mad at it. But luckily enough, I finally made it! What a genius I am! The cause of the trouble was so simple. There were too many unused uproaded files, which made the uproading system complicated and too heavy to work. I've learned it's important to always keep my room cleared up.
　It's a little warm today. I'm really looking forward to the arrival of spring, although my most favorite season happens to be summer. I'm going to be 47 on the coming March 20. I feel I'm still in my thirties at heart, economically in my early twenties, which I have to confess. I'm sure I'll be a great businessman before I'm 50 years old.

(Sunday, March 13, 2005)
　The president of the Fuji TV Broadcasting Company, Mr.Hieda, said he would never mind if his company is ruled by Livedoor as long as the takeover would not threaten the existence of his company. How can a man be so easily changed? A few days ago he banned "Horiemon", the Livedoor President Mr.Horie, saying that there could be no possibility of their understanding each other. You can never believe in men in power.
　It started snowing late in the afternoon. It looks so beautiful, but it's quiet cold once you're out of the house. I'll have to take Ryoma for a cold walk this evening too. I hope it will stop snowing around that time.
　My wish was heard and it was not snowing hard when I left home for a walk with Ryoma. Today Ryoma was rather excited and tried to pull me energetically, which seemed to have made him tired. Actually he was jumping rather than walking. That's why he's in his deep sleep now. It may be that he was happy about something we couldn't understand.

(Monday, March 14, 2005)
　Today is so-called "White Day," which doesn't exist in other countries, of course. Japanese sweets companies were wise enough to make "St.Valentine's Day" a dollar box selling tons of chocolates. And they were wise again to produce another happy day to make themselves rich. Japanese people are good merchants.
　Mass media has been paying too much attention to the problem between Livedoor and the Fuji Broadcasting Company. There should be many more important things to be discussed. How about the terrible murders occurring almost every day? Something's wrong with our country. Many specialist including some statesmen have to study possible causes to that seriously terrible situation.
　Now South Korea has started again to insist on possessing the Takeshima Island. They claim that the Japanese government has to look sincerely back on its merciless policy against South Korea during World War Ⅱ. I'm very sorry to hear the news, because the relations between the two counries have been improving rapidly thanks to some outstanding film stars in South Korea. Politicians have made us back to the starting point again. What a pity!

(Tuesday, March 15, 2005)
　Time really flies, doesn't it? It's already in the middle of March. Spring is just around the corner. Plum trees around here are in full bloom. I hope they won't be love by disgusting caterpillars that are sure to make me crazy. They really kill me, I have to confess. Once I often had nightmares in which I had a big caterpillar in my mouth trying to eat it. No way! How can I do such a terrible thing? Oh, I should stop thinking of that scene.
　Ryoma was quite cooperative this evening. He did his job so quickly that we could come back home earlier than I had expected. It seemed that Ryoma also felt cold and he wanted to come home as early as possible.

(Wednesday, March 16, 2005)
　If I were still a school teacher, today was supposed to be my pay day. Nothing more to say about this. Such a lot of money is being wasted on such dull people called "teachers." Is this too much to say?
　Last night an elementary school girl was stubbed with a knife again. Why do they try to hurt innocent little girls? What if police officers are given rights to shoot criminals? Japanese cops carry small guns. American cops use shot guns. If the criminal will not listen to them, American cops don't hesitate to shoot them. Japanese cops should carry heavier weapons and be able to decide how and when to use them. Otherwise the number of terrible crimes will keep on increasing.
　It's such a beautiful day today. I know the weather at this season is changeable, but it changes too drastically for us to keep up with it. Of course we welcome the warm weather. I think this spring we're expecting beautiful cherry blossoms.
　Late at night, there was a phone call from my ex-colleague who got married to a Chinese woman at the end of last year. He's a math teacher, but he hasn't found his place in his new school yet. I told him that he'd got the most important person in life and that he didn't have to worry about little things around him.

(Thursday, March 17, 2005)
　It's so cold this morning. I feel as if we were back from a trip to Hawaii. How can we adjust our body condition to such a changeable weather? I hope the sun will be kind enough to show up this afternoon.
　My third book entitled "Uragiri(Betraial)" has been highly evaluated by the Bungeisha Pulishing Company. I'll have to pay half of the money needed to publish the book, but I'm sure I'll have to make it in some way or other. It's based on a fact that I experienced, but anyway it's a novel, not a true story. How much percentage of the book is real, I can't tell now. If it should sell well and I should be interviewed, I'd be happy to tell the truth. I hope I wouldn't be terminated by the authority then.

(Friday, March 18, 2005)
　Some English conversation schools, including the one that advertises you can listen and speak a lot, hire only native speakers as instructors. That's a different system from our ECC's. I wonder how many of them are qualified as English teachers. Just as all the Japanese people living in the States can't be instructors of the Japanese language, I doubt some of them are really good at teaching the English language. Many Japanese parents feel relieved to know that their sons or daughters are taught by native speakers, but something's wrong with their attitude. Native speakers are not always good English instructors.
　So far we've had more than ten native speakers as AET(Assistant English Teacher)'s. Two of them were arrested by the police because they had drugs. Another two of them were dead because of too much stress they had living with Japanese partner. They all were official native instructors of Chigasaki City.
　Not to change the subject, Mr.Murakami looks much more aggressive than "Horiemon" of the Livedoor. Both of them graduated Tokyo University. They're so smart and have such brilliant histories that many usual people envy them, I suppose.
　This evening on my way back from Isehara, I was caught in a traffic jam. The cars almost moved like snails, so I turned into the side road to get out of the long line. I was successful and made my way home, though it was around half past seven when my car reached its own position.

(Saturday, March 19, 2005)
　Do you really think money talks in this world? Partly it's true. If you don't have enough money, you might never be given a chance to make your dreams come true. But how can we earn such a lot of money? Staying in the same company is quite safe, but you'll never be able to make good money. Starting a new business is sure to give you a certain risk, but you may be able to make big money. Which way are you going to go?
　It's such a beautiful morning again! But I've been having a very big problem these days. It's hay fever that really kills me. When the month turned into March, I suddenly had it. The TV news says that there are many people who suddenly have hay fever, even if they haven't experienced the irritating sickness before. That's because this year we have lots and lots of cedar pollen scattering in the air. Did we have such pollen allergy when we were kids about 30 years ago? I don't remember we had any.

(Sunday, March 20, 2005)
　Today's my 47th birthday! I still can remember my high school days as if they had been yesterday. But time has surely passed by. I feel my 46th year was such a long time. I hope my 47th year will be longer. I've got a lot of things to do during the period.
　At 10:53a.m. there was a big earthquake in the northern part of Kyushu. The magnitude fo the tremor was reported to be around 7.0. One of my best friends lives in Fukuoka. I tried to call him, but the system was too busy to work well. I think I'm going to call him again later. I hope he and his family are all safe.

(Monday, March 21, 2005)
　Still I can't have a contact with my senior living in Fukuoka. But "No news is good news," a famous saying goes. Yesterday I published my own e-mail magazine for the first time in my life, which was such a exciting experience. During a few hours last night I got more than 20 readers. I hope they will keep on readking my magazine.
　As my birthday presents, I got a pretty tie with lots of dogs from my mother and two cool shirts and two ties which go along with the shirts well from my wife Kayoko and her mother. I think my 47th birthday was such a happy day.
　Today I was planning to take my wife and our dog Ryoma to Lake Miyagase, but I had to finish some urgent jobs and postponed our drive. Instead I'm going to eat out with Kayoko tonight. I'm sorry for Ryoma, because we'll have to let him wait inside the car until our dinner's over. Will he get angry about that?

(Tuesday, March 22, 2005)
　It's quite interesting that the piracy incident came to an happy ending. Maybe some big money was paid to the pirates through somebody who could contact them.
　The Straits of Malacca is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. The area has been paid much attention to by those super powers like Japan and the United States. As a matter of fact, just before the Pacific War began America had been aftaid that the important area would permanently belong to Japan.
　As is widely known, the Straits is a very important toute for both American and Japan to ship Arabian oil to their own countries. If we consider that the countries around the Straits are rather poor, it is quite natural for some people to become pirates and try to get lots of money from certain advanced countries. If I were the leader of the piracy group, I would have done the similar crimes, though I would have told my men not to kell anybody for any possible reason.

(Wednesday, March 23, 2005)
　It was incredible that the earthquake of that size killed only one person after all. Anyway it's a good news, of course. If it had happened in Tokyo, the number of victims would have been over 100,000. I was also impressed to see the Self-Defense Forces made a very quick move and tried to help people near the epicenter.
　Kayoko is such a nice wife. This morning, just before leaving for work, she put a 10,000-yen bill on the kitchen table, saying,"You're always try not to spend money on what you want. Please buy something you want." How can I use such precious money for something I want. Actually I don't want anything now. I think I'm going to buy something for Kayoko instead. I know she's the one who try hard not to spend money on anything she wants. I'd like to see her happy smiling face, which is something I really want.
　These days Ryoma sometimes suddenly changes into a baby mode. He starts licking my face or my wife's face, which continues for some time. He's still a baby dog.

(Thursday, March 24, 2005)
　This morning I called the headquarter of Harberlife Company to tell that I'm going to quite the job as a individual distributer. They soon accepted my request and promised to send me a official retire form. I've been doing this job for only two months, but I haven't got a penny. I think I'm not curved for this kind of business.
　For a change, I've started to build another homepage entitled "Mr.Ishiyama's Room." I'm not going to make it a business homepage, but a room for discussion. It'll take me for half a month or so to build the framework of the website. I'll do my best.

(Friday, March 25, 2005)
　How stupid I was to send e-mail magazines with every reader's address written on top. Tow of the readers sent me a message saying that I was too careless to make such an easy mistake and that they wanted their addresses unlisted. I was so much shocked that I soon tried to solve the problem. How stupid I was. I wanted to say hundreds of times.
　Now that the Softbank has got control over the Fuji TV, I wonder what next step the Livedoor's going to take. Do they have any other choices? Is it really possible for them to improve the quality of the Nippon Broadcasting Company? In the interview yesterday Horiemon confessed that he didn't know much about the radio system. Then why did he try to be the biggest stock owner of the radio company?

(Saturday, March 26, 2005)
　Yesterday was my pay day. Just after 12 noon I went to the bank to check out the account. It was not a big sum of money, but I was happy I got the first salary from the ECC Institute. Because it was my new beginning of a new career.
　I think I have been as honest as possible to those who I believe are reliable. But these days I'm starting to think it's sometimes quiete dangerous to be too honest. People are not so easy to understand. Some look humble, but actually they aren't. Others look no good, but actually they turn out to be good. It's a very difficult problem to solve.

(Sunday, March 27, 2005)
　Both Matsui Hideki and Suzuki Ichiro in the Major League Baseball have been in good condition. They're really great, because they weren't beaten by the pressure coming from every direction. I hope this year will be a great one for both of them.
　It's quite dangerous for us to walk along a narrow path especially when you're walking with your dog. Maybe more than 80% of the bikes running at night don't put on their lights. How can we notice they're there? I don't care if they'll be involved in an accident because of no lights, but I myself don't want to be involved in their accidents.
　You should let the pedestrians know that you're coming near them from their back. Otherwise you might hit them when they make a sudden unexpected move.
　The police statictics say that many of the traffic accidents these days have something to do with bikes. Bikes today may be the most dangerous vehicles in the world.

(Monday, March 28, 2005)
　The Rakuten Eagles didn't win the second game. But considering that this is their very first year, it was a great job to win the first official game yesterday. Are they going to change the dull atomosphere of the Japanese pro baseball world?
　It is reported that not a few TV stars had expressed their decision not to take part in any of Nippon Hoso(Nippon Broadcasting Company) radio programs. Don't they like Horiemon? That's why they decided not to cooperate with the Nippon Hoso? If that actually happens, what will become of the employees working in the company? Are they going to quit the company? Will the Fuji TV Company be happy to hire all the people who once belonged to the Nippon Hoso and hope to start working for the Fuji TV now? I don't think it's possible for the Fuji TV to pay enough salary for all those people.

(Tuesday, March 29, 2005)
　Last night I went to Shinjuku to take another training course of the ECC Language School. I got nearly 10 textbooks for the classes I'm going to take care of this April. I felt my bag was as heavy as a climbing bag.
　Nobody has expected another huge earthquake would occur in the same place off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The magnitude of the tremor was about 8.7, which was a little smaller than that of the last year's one(M9.0). According to the TV news, more than 2,000 people were killed near the epicenter. I sincerely wish that there will be no more big earthquake in that area.

(Wednesday, March 30, 2005)
　Perhaps most of the Japanese people kept sitting in front of the TV screen tonight. The soccer game between Japan and Bahrain was the only object that we were interested in for about 110 minutes from 7:00p.m. Finally Japan won the game by 1-0. But the only and the most important goal was made by a Bahrain player, who had burst into tears after making the serious mistake. I feel very sorry for him, because he will never forget the scene for the rest of his life.
　On the other hand, in North Korea there was another game between Iran and North Korea. It was held at the famous huge stadium. The people who came to watch the game was too excited over the doubtful judgement made by the chief referee to stay in the stadium for a long time after the game, which made it impossible for foreign visitors including Iranian players, referees, and so on. It's important to be good players in sports, but it's also as important to be good suporters. I'd like the North Korean people to know that very important rule.

(Thursday, March 31, 2005)
　Today is the last day of March. The name "April" gives us images of beautiful cherry blossoms and brand-new people and things. In Japan everything starts in April, which is quite different from the States where everything starts in September.

(Friday, April 1, 2005)
　Today is April Fool's Day, which I think has almost no meanings to our daily lives. Only kids enjoy making tricks on their friends on this day in Japan. If you do that in your office, your colleagues will say to you, "Hey, we're too busy to play with you, kid!"

☆Here's something from the Internet

April Fish
The French came to call April 1 Poisson d'Avril, or "April Fish." French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered.

　I didn't know that in western contries there are still some people who try to set the alarm clock of their friend's room an hour earlier than usual. It can be possible here in Jpana too. But you should not set it an hour later, which will end up with a very serious problem if April 1 is a weekday.

(Saturday, April 2, 2005)
　I wondered why there were so few students seen walking to and from school. I didn't realize that they're having spring holidays now. The new teachers were already made public on newspapers on March 31. I was surprised to know Mr.Devil became the principal
of Nishihama Junior High School. If I were still there, I would never talk to him. He's the one that I despise the most in this world. Now I understand I was wise enough to have quit the teaching job last year.

(Sunday, April 3, 2005)
　The number of people who has become readers of my mail magazine is now over 500. It's been increasing at a higher pace than I expected. The more readers I get, the more responsibility I have to burden. But it's worth while spending a lot of time.
　Today one of the readers of my mail magazine bought a movie pack, which enables you to see a lot of movies all around the world for free, by the Internet. He's the first customer for me. So I've given him a special discount. I wish him good luck on his own Internet business, and I'll do anything I can do for him.

(Monday, April 4, 2005)
　So many flowers tell us that spring's already here, but suddenly we have a very cold day like today. It's not so easy to adjust our body condition to the changeable weather. I hope it'll ge warm tomorrow, when most of public schools have entrance ceremonies.
　This evening I took Ryoma for a walk and met more than 15 dogs. He's so calm that most of the dogs like to become friends with Ryoma. Sometimes a short-tempered dog barks at him, but he shows no interest in fighting with such a wild dog. If he were a human being, I'm sure he would be as generous as Sakamoto Ryoma who contributed so much to the opening of the Meiji Era.

(Wednesday, April 6, 2005)
　I forgot to write in this page yesterday. "Was too busy to do something." That's what I don't want to say most.
　Today was the first day of my new teaching career. The memorable first class was "Three-month Intensive Course." They're planning to master English conversation during the three months. So they come to school almost every day. I take care of just one of their classes a week. The other classes are handled by a native teacher. My task is to let them understand better the English grammar. I think I'll also give them as much information as possible about the modern English so that they might be more interested in learning the language. Anyway I was so surprised to see such aggressive students like them. How happy I felt....it's more than words can say.

(Thursday, April 7, 2005)
　Spring has suddenly arrived, and I feel something's wrong with the weather. It's cloudy, but it's very warm. Just like the day before a big storm comes. Before I knew some cherry blossoms were already in their full bloom. Nature changes itself so quickly.

(Friday, April 8, 2005)
　How did it happen that so many people were cheated by the leader of the crazy cult. Cult is a small religious group. Of course not of a major religion. So the leader could say anything he/she likes that would possibly give him/her some advantages. I understand we are in an unstable society, but it's too easy-going to rely on somebody who believes he himself is just like God.
　So many flowers suddenly come out and they make us so happy. Spring is such a wonderful season, isn't it? In Japan every new thing starts in April. So the spring is the starting point in a sense. Everybody's full of hopes. We live in a very happy country that has as many as four seasons. How exciting it is to see the changes of the four seasons in just one year. How I wish to visit Kyoto A.S.A.P! I suppose the city is in all pink now.
　There is a very famous "tanka"(short poem) which is one of my most favorite ones. It goes like this: If there were no cherry blossoms in this world, how quiet would the spring in the city be? I agree with the writer.

(Saturday, April 9, 2005)
　The night before last, I got strange e-mail from Africa. It was from the son of the former President of a certain country in Africa. I didn't understand why it came all the way to me. And I didn't understand what he exactly wanted to say in the mail. So this morning I showed it to one of the English teachers at the Kokusai Gaigo Center. The Canadian teacher took a glance at the mail and gave it back to me. He said, "It's world-famous e-mail that invites you into some black business. If you want to join them, go ahead." I was so surprised to hear that. I thought I was wise enought to ask him about the mail. You can't easily believe anything in today's world.

(Sunday, April 10, 2005)
　The weather forecast says that today would be the last day to enjoy "0-hanami" (Cherry Blossoms Watching) in the western parts of Japan. Of course people living in the eastern parts of Japan, like Sendai or Aomori, can enjoy beautiful blossoms in the middle of this month.
　Again my hay fever's got worse. It's because of this warm weather. I like warm weather, but hay fever really kills me. I have to do "Achoo!" thousands of times a day.

(Wednesday, April 13, 2005)
　The United Nations Security Council 5 Permanent Members and 10 Elected Members. Japan became one of the elected members in January, 2005. The five permanent members are the United States, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, France, and China, which were the major countries that won World War Ⅱ. Now there is a discussion as to if they should make Japan the 6th permanent member country.
　Not a few Chinese people got angry to hear this, claiming that Japan has not yet compensated what they had done during the war. Do you think it's a fair claim? I wonder why Germany has not been elected member of the council. It's been doing a lot of efforts to bring about world peace since the mad leader named Hitler had done terrible crimes.
　I'd like to ask Chinese people one question: "Has China always been a peace-loving country?" The answer is, of course, "No!" Long time ago when it was one of the greatest countries in the world, it killed a lot of people of other tribes. When they study their history very carefully, they cannot only blame Japan of having disturbed the world peace.

(Thursday, April 14, 2005)
　It's quite warm this morning. How refreshing it is to walk around in the garden early in the morning! The first cherry blossoms' season has finished, but there's a second chance. It's time for "Yaye" cherry blossoms to come out. They're usually in their full bloom toward the end of April. They're called "Coming-out-late Cherry Blossoms," which is "Osozaki-no Yaye-zakura" in Japanese. They sometimes become symbols of the women who get married rather late.

(Friday, April 15, 2005)
　This morning I went to Peare at the wrong time. I thought my class would start at 10:30a.m., but it was supposed to start at 3:00p.m. What was I thinking of? Was I drunk? Maybe I was too tired to look at the different part of the schedule sheet. But I could see the French guy there again. I spoke some French, which he evaluated to be pretty good. I was so glad to hear that. I think I'm going to study French again this year.
　Today's last lesson started at 7:35p.m. A office lady takes some private lessons during April. After the first one month, she's going to join the three-month intensive course. This evening she hurried to school after her working time was over. It took her about one and a half hours. I thought she was such a great student and at the same time hoped that I could be of some real help of hers.

(Saturday, April 16, 2005)
　Last night I fell into a deep sleep on the sofa. When my mother came home late at night, she seems to have tried to wake me up, but it didn't work at all. Once I get into my deep sleep, it's almost impossible for anyone to wake me up without being shouted at by me. So this morning when I got up just before 7:00a.m., I felt so sleepy that I didn't feel like making a move at all. But I encouraged myself to renew my main web site. It was a few minutes after I had washed my face and had finished shaving that I really came to myself. I was going to take care of the first lesson in the morning, which would start at 10:30a.m. every Saturday. Of course I made it in some way or other.

(Sunday, April 17, 2005)
　Late this afternoon my mother, my wife, and I went to see my father in the hospital in Ebina. It's a kind of a nursing hospital built not so long ago. It's surrounded by plenty of nature, but it's about 20 minutes ride in a car from my house to go there. It's Sunday today, so we bought three dinner packs on our way back home.
　Now I have to write something about the riots happening in China. I can understand what they insist about the miserable past caused by the Japanese military forces during World War Ⅱ. But in order to make a really peaceful world, it is sometimes important to forgive other country's serious mistakes. Most of us Japanese already know from many books that we have done terrible crimes in China 60 years ago. And there are many people who are trying hard to construct a new good relationship between the two countries. The riots that have been happening these few days can only disturb the great efforts of those peace-loving people. Japanese children should be taught the so-called "truth" hidden in the past, I agree, in a positive way, not in a negative one.

(Monday, April 18, 2005)
　I feel a little bit cold today. The weather these days is so changeable that it's not so easy to adjust our physical condition to it. Both my wife and I need many pieces of tissue paper because of hay fever.
　This morning my wife and I went around in our garden to see what kind of changes does it have for spring. We found so many new leaves and buds coming out. Especially our most favorite hydrangeas, or "ajisai" in Japanese, are sure to have increadibly many flowers this year. We're looking forward to having them so much, because the hydrangeas are the ones we bought in the Town of Kaisei near Odawara City when we visited it for the anual Ajisai Festival a few years ago. They were not so big at that time.

(Tuesday, April 19, 2005)
　Is is true that Japan is planning to buy six more high-tech battleships? It will cost us more than 400 billion yen to buy one of them. Japan and the United States are the only countries that have those incredibly expensive high-tech machines. Japan's Self-Defense Forces are estimated to be the second strongest ones in the world, I hear. The only difference that lies between the Japanese Forces and the U.S. Forces is whether they have nuclear weapons or not. I believe that Japanese Self-Defense Forces have no nukes according to the Three Principles as to the nuclear weapons. "Not to produce one, not to have one, not to allow anyone to bring in one." However today's international situation urges us to abandon those holy principles. What a pity!
　Today I was supposed have one private lesson for the KGC, but the student had some urgent situation and the lesson was canceled. But it's very kind of the KGC to pay me for the canceled lesson, because I had not been told so until this morning. I respect the reasonable principle of the KGC, because in a case like this most schools will not give me pay for the canceled lesson.

(Wednesday, April 20, 2005)
　Last night at the ECC, I met a British instructor. He was from London. But his English didn't sound like British one. I have to study the difference between the American English and the British English in more detail. Anyway the difference in pronunciation interests me so much that I'd like to study phonology myself.
　It was a little cold today. Our dog Ryoma seems to have a cold. He didn't have a good appetite. It seemed that he didn't feel like going for an evening walk, either. Do dogs catch cold just like we do? I've never heard of dogs having cold. If only he could speak!

(Thursday, April 21, 2005)
　It's incredibly hot this morning. It seems that summer has come before spring is over. But I welcome hot weather. I took our dog Ryoma for a short walk in our garden, which made him so happy. He walked around here and there in the narrow garden, smelling anything that came into his sight. And surprisingly enough he made his first piss in our garden, which he had never done before. Now it's become "his" garden.
　Last night I added new pages to my web site. One is for the Kokusai Gaigo Center, and the other is, of course, for the ECC Language School. I really like those two language schools. I'd like to introduce anything that I can see from the viewpoint of one of the instructors working there. Please come and visit us at our schools, everybody!

(Friday, April 22, 2005)
　I made a big mistake yesterday. I'm not talking about my work. I'm talking about Loto 6, which is now a very popular lottery here in Japan. According my original data, number 24 does not become a so-called "hit number" very often. Last year it happened to be one of the six hit numbers, so yesterday I decided not to buy the number. But as you already know, it showed up again! What a big surprise! I feel it's now trying to make up for the past when it rarely became hit numbers.

(Saturday, April 23, 2005)
　It's such a beautiful morning again. I think it's going to be another hot day today too. There are some people who insist that something is wrong with the weather these few years. I agree with them, but for me, as long as it's warm or hot, there's no problem.
　When I talk about summer, I often remember my travels to the Maldives, that is now a republic country floating on the Indian Ocean. They say that they have more than 3,000 small coral islands in their country. Only about 200 of them are inhabited islands. Each islands is so small that you can walk around one in about 15 minutes even if you walk slowly enough to enjoy the beautiful beaches. The average temperature is around 27 degrees Celcius. If you visit the islands, I'm sure you will never want to leave them to come back to your daily life.

(Sunday, April 24, 2005)
　My personal computer got a great damage last night. First I thought something was wrong with my computer itself, so I tried my best to fix it in every possible way I could think of, though in vain. This morning I expected my computer had been automatically fixed by Trend Micro Company, which was actually didn't happen. At last I called the company to get proper infromation as to how to fix the system using its fax service. It worked and now everything's OK.
　After a long absence my younger brother visited my house to go and see my father in the new hospital with my mother. After he came home he said, "It seems that Dad's getting better mentally. He can understand everything around him. He couldn't remember my name, though." I was happy to hear that.

(Monday, April 25, 2005)
　This morning I woke up to find a cloudy sky, which made me feel unhappy. I don't like cloudy days. I usually like things to be black or white, not gray in between. Until yesterday the weather was really like spring, sometimes like summer, but this morning it's like the end of winter again. It's so changeable that it's sometimes quite tough for us to adjust our physical condition to the weather.
　We took Ryoma to the vet this morning again. He got two shots, which made him make a sharp cry. I hugged him tight so that he might not feel afraid. He's OK now. My wife and I said to each other, "Let's not try to give him nothing that we human being eat."

(Tuesday, April 26, 2005)
　About 20 years ago, a JAL jet plane crashed into Mt.Osudaka after losing its tail. The cause of the crash accicent was said to be metal fatigue, which nobody could prove to be the real cause for sure. Out of 524 people on board the plane, only four was resucued the next morning. It was such a terrible accident that many of us cannot forget the news.
　Yesterday morning a train accident as terrible as the plane crash that happened about 20 years ago surprised all the people watching TV news. At present 54 passengers were killed and more than 430 were injured. Some of the people who were sent to the hospital were seriously injured and got surgical operations. I hope no more people would be counted as victims when we switch on the TV to see the morning news.
　Bad things never betray our expectation. The victims of the train accident turned out tobe as many as 71 people. And there are still some passengers left unresucued inside the first car of the train. It's become the worst train accident in Japanese history.
　How can public servants be so dishonest? They've been using our taxes for nothing. Don't they understand how tough it is for us to pay taxes periodically? Many of them are said to have been severely punished, but it's not true. The punishment they got is almost the same as just a simple warning.

(Wednesday, April 27, 2005)
　All the media throughout the world is interested in the train crash that happened in Japan the day before yesterday. Japan is famous for its punctual, accurate, complicated, and safe railroads system, so the world is so much shocked to hear the news.
　Especially the United Kingdom is most interested, because it's been re-constructing its railway system by learning a lot from the Japanese railroads system. The BBC news says that the terrible train crash accidents which happened in the 1990's robbed most of the British people their trust in the railway system of their country. So it's a very big problem that there could be a terrible train accident even in Japan which is world-famous for its high-tech railway system.
　According to the long-lasting depression, it's inevitable for every kind of company to decrease its cost for maintenance, which might cause a terrible accident like the one in Amagasaki City. Which is more important, cost or security? This is not a hard question to answer at all, isn't it?
　The number of victims in this accident will be more than 100, which is of course the worlst record since the JR system started.

(Thursday, April 28, 2005)
　The rescue mission has been going on and most part of the second car was taken away. It is said that some more people are still locked inside the crashed first car. It is quite impressive to hear that many people living or working near the accident site gathered together to help resucue the injured people soon after the accident happened. But I wonder why Prime Minister Koizumi hasn't visited the site yet. I think he should have been the first statesman to visit the accident site. When the Niigata Earthquake occurred last year, he went into Niigata Prefecture four days after the area had the natural disaster. He went there later than Ms.Tanaka Makiko who is the daughter of the ex-Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei. I don't understand what he's thinking. I hope at the same time he would behave like a real leader of the country.
　The number of the victims of the train crash finally went up to 106 tonight. It'll become bigger tomorrow. The 23-year-old train driver was also found dead at the front part of the first car. We should not blame him of all the causes of the accident. There should have been some good reason for him to run the train at such an incredible speed.

(Friday, April 29, 2005)
　The so-called Golden Week starts tomorrow. Many people are expected to go traveling at home or abroad. But we have to know there are some people who cannot stop working in order to take care of so many older people in nursing homes. I myself will hang around in my place to do some computer business. If possible, however, I'd like to visit the Saijoji Temple in Ashigara District to ease my tired mind.
　My wife Kayoko has just been to Hakone with her parents to enjoy hot springs. She has bought some pickles as souvenirs for my mom and me. She has selected two kinds of pickles, both of which was quite delicious. When I enjoy eating pickles, I feel I'm a typical Japanese man who can finish his breakfast with just rice and pickles.

(Saturday, April 30, 2005)
　It's a great pity that Prime Minister Koizumi hasn't visited the train crash scene yet. He claims that a detailed investigation should be done about the incident. It's quite easy to say something good, but it's difficult to put the words into practice. It's not the policy that makes a country, but each individual person. Nothing could be more important than people themselves. Does Mr.Koizumi understand the basic idea to construct a country?
If he pays no more attention to his people, we'll never trust him again. Many of us have already lost interest in things he's been doing.
　Late this afternoon I took Ryoma for an evening walk after a long absence. I've been busy working for both the KGC and the ECC, so my wife have been taking care of him for a while. He must have been so happy to walk with me that he took a very long walk before he felt too tired to walk as fast as usual. After he came back home, he soon fell into his deep sleep.
　We've decided not to give him any human food at all. So Ryoma looks a little sad but quite healthy these days. If we want him to live a happy long life, we should never be kind enough to give him whatever human food he wants.

(Sunday, May 1, 2005)
　Are Chinese people really planning to put into practice another big demonstration against our counry at the biginning of this month? The Chinese government now tells them not to do any more demonstration against Japan, but I'm not sure they mean it. For China, which is rapidly developing with vast amount of Japan's aids, it isn't wise of them to stimulate Japan any more. It's true that they need our help. Then why don't the top people explain the real situations between the two countries to the people of their country. They've been teaching their people how aggresive the Japanese Empire was during the World War Ⅱ. But they haven't taught them anything about the drastic changes that Japan had to make after the war. If we take the fact into consideration, it's only too natural for most of the Chinese people to get upset when they hear that Japan wants to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.
　This morning one of the passengers who has been taken care of in the hospital has passed away. The total number of the victims of the train crash has now come up to 107.
One of the victim's family told a TV reporter that when she had asked the man from the JR West Japan to be kind enough to close the eyelids of the victims smashed face, he had refused to do that saying it had been the undertaker's business. I was shocked to hear that. Why don't they understand the family's sorrows? Why don't they dare to look directly at the victims' faces which don't look like human beings' any longer?

(Monday, May 2, 2005)
　The expected Chinese demonstration against Japan has never happened after all. It's because the Chinese government proclaimed that those who would participate in the demonstration were going to be punished severely. This means the government didn't mean to stop their people's unti-Japan movements that happened last time. But they have realized that their people have gone too far. That's why they have to show their honest attitude toward the Japanese government, which will continue to give lots of money for their country to get more and more developed.
　More detailed investigation about the train crash in Amagasaki City has been done, which has revealed that the driver might have been doing his best to make up for the one minute and a half lost by his own mistake. Most of his friends says that he's been a very serious type of a guy and was one of the smartest students in his high school. What has given him such big stress that he had to have the risk of running the train more than 30 km over the limited speed per hour? That's the most important question.
　The hydrangeas growing in our garden are now getting ready to make their flowers get into bull bloom. Especially the Kashiwaba Hydragnea grows so rapidly to become like a tree right now. It's been here for only a few years. Its flowers are just like lilies of the valley, much larger of course. We're all looking forward to seeing their beautiful features.

(Tuesday, May 3, 2005)
　Wow! It's already in the middle of the Golden Week. Why do holidays go so fast? Weekdays pass so slowly. Sometimes a very busy day makes us feel as if we were spending almost a week in one day. My English lessons will starts on May 6. Until then I also have holidays. What am I going to do? Will it be really possible for Kayoko and me to visit the Saijoji Temple for the fouth or the fifth time? I hope it will.
　The Meteorological Agency declared yesterday that the Okinawa District had got into its rainy season. Those who were traveling in Okinawa might have been shocked to hear that, because they knew they were going to have cloudy weather during their stay there. My next-door neighbor has suddenly decided to visit their relative in Izu. It's quite wise of them to do that instead of having planned to go swimming in Okinawa.
　FIFA decided to punish North Korea with a very severe decision, which said that the next official game between Japan and North Korea would be held in the third country and no supporters would be allowed to enter the stadium. Some people predict that North Korea would cancel the game because of the punishment they didn't like to obey.
　Are you interesting lottery? I've been challenging Loto 6 and Mini-loto for a few years, but the biggest sum of money I've got so far is 25,000 yen. When am I going to bet the 1st prize and become an millionaire? Please God help me with the lottery!

(Wednesday, May 4, 2005)
　Yesterday a police helicopter crashed in the yard a few meters away from an apartment house in Shizuoka. All the five police officers on board the helicopter were killed in the accident. They contacted the headquarter five minutes before the crash, which made those who might concern even more embarrassed about the cause of the accident.
　Around three o'clock this afternoon my wife and I visited my father in the hospital in Ebina. When he first saw us, he looked a little bit surprised and also very happy. But while I was taking him around the floor in his wheel chair, he started to wet his eyes. I noticed tears fell down on his cheek after I took two pictures of him with my wife Kayoko. Kayoko tried to take our pictures, but I stopped her with eye contact. Both of us visited him after such a long absence, which made him feel so happy into tears. I thought I should visit him at least a few times a week.
　Anyway my father looked quite fine. He said something that we couldn't understand, but in his mind those things must have been connected in a right way, I believe. The only thing we have to do is just nod when he says something.

(Thursday, May 5, 2005)
　Riding on a motor cycle at this season of the year is quite refreshing. I wish if I could ride a big motor cycle with 400cc exhaust gas. Like the little girl in one of Miyazaki Hayao's film, I'd like to run feeling the wind passing by.
　I remember riding my motor bike to move from home to home. Visiting the students' homes is one of the biggest event that most of public junior high schools have around this season. Some teachers use their bikes. It's so refreshing running thourgh the open air far away from school. Everybody needs a change of air from time to time.
　Have you ever heard the technical term "PTSD"? That is "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," which a web site told me. When the United States were having the Vietnam War, most of the American soldiers who had luckily came back home from the hell had the mental diseases, which were typical PTSD. I don't know doctors in those days named the diseases that way or not. The lucky soldiers couldn't easily get into sleep because the terrible hell scenes in which their friends were torn into just pieces of meat. But the anti-Vietnam War movements didn't allow them to be well taken care of. Most of the American citizens blamed returnees of having killed so many innocent people in Vietnam. I'm very sorry for them, because they themselves didn't want to go to Vietnam. Back then the ones who had unlucky draft cards had to go over to the Southeast Asian country. The one to have been blamed of the sin of killing a lot of innocent people was the U.S. government itself.
　By the way, how many secrets are going to be revealed from now on? The JR West Japan made it public that some 43 employees were having a bowling contest when the terrible train crash happened in Amagasaki. At least 13 ot them knew that the accident had occurred, but they didn't think they had to take some action. Is that really possible? Many people might be killed in a train accident caused by their own company and the employees thought nothing of keep on enjoying bowling. Nobody including me would never believe what they say about the accident any longer. They've lost something very important. They've lost something that they would never be able to regain.

(Friday, May 6, 2005)
　Surprisingly enough, the JR West Japan employees started bowling at 1:00p.m. It means that most of them should have had enough information about the train crash that had happend in the morning. And after the games, about 20 of them went for a drinking party. Some even went to the second drinking party. How could they be so crazy? Didn't they have any common sense? Why do we have to pay the train fee, if the trains are conducted by those crazy guys who cannot understand the importance of human lives?
　I'm now taking care of an Australian high school girl who is staying in Japan as an exchange student. She'll be here until January next year. Jenny, which is her name, was a little excited when she got into the lesson room. She wondered why many Japanese people try to talk to her in English. She came to Japan to learn the Japanese language, so she wants to try her Japanese wherever she goes. She was also complaining about being regarded as an American by most Japanese people she first met. According to her, most Australians hate Americans, because they're too pushy in Australia. I thought we should study more about the actual international relationship of today's world.

(Saturday, May 7, 2005)
　This morning the TOEIC lesson was cancelled and I had a chance to take a nap, which made me energetic once again successfully. Last night a TV report told that in the United States today they were having a big problem of many people who could not sleep well at night. A specialist insisted that people with less than 6 sleeping hours could possibly have diabetes or over-weight problem. So now taking-a-good-nap business was in its high bloom, the report concluded.
　In some of the STEP classes I'm taking care of, there are some kids who have lived in foreign countires for some years. Thanks to the long stay in the English speaking countries their English pronunciation is really fantastic. Especially I realize the fact when I let them repeat after me. I'm sorry to say this, but their English is much better than mine! I hope they will be able to make the best use of their advantages in the future.
　The rain which started early this morning stopped falling in the afternoon. For a short while the sun showed up, but it was cloudy almost all this afternoon. Tomorrow willo actually be the last day of the Golden Week. I really hope it will become a beautiful day.

(Sunday, May 8, 2005)
　Today was Mother's Day. We had dinner together with my wife's parents. It was a very enjoyable time we had together. My mother ordered sushi from a sushi shop nearby. It was not so expensive, but tasted so good.
　My father-in-law's crazy about movies just like me. We have the same taste of movies. He's taken "Alian VS Predetor" home so that he might enjoy watching it in his free time.
He's over 70 years old now, but still so energetic that he drives around in Kanagawa Prefecture, or sometimes in Tokyo, to work as a carpenter. What a tough guy!

(Monday, May 9, 2005)
　How can they be so dishonest? Some group of employees of the JR West Japan had a drinking party with a silent prayer at the beginning. Can you believe that? Those who had sincerity of making a silent prayer could not have done such a hishonest deed.
　Most Japanese businessmen try hard to be promoted to a higher position. Once they get the position they try to hold on to it by any possible means. Finally they become too conservative to be honest. It's a piece of cake for them to tell obvious lies to stay in the top position. But they don't think of the meaning of extra salary paid to them. It means that they have to take responsibility for what will happen in his section. But actually they're not ready for that. They're not ready for any emergency situations.

(Tuesday, May10, 2005)
　How many more people have to die in Iraq? Even the United States didn't expect such a mess would come after the capture of President Saddam Hussein. In Iraq now around 50 people are killed almost every day, including innocent Iraqi people, young and old.
　After Christopher Columbus reached the American Continent, lots of Europeans rushed into the vast land and erged the Native Americans(so-called American Indians) to convert to Christians. They originally had their own belief that was very close to animism. Remember what happened to them after the arrival of the European people? More and more of them became alcoholic and their culture seemed to have lost its growth.
　This means that no one has the right to invade other people's culture, because no one can be responsible for what will happen after the invasion. That's what is happening in Iraq today. I don't say the autocratic President should have taken his seat for as long as possible. However the United States shouldn't have attacked Iraq, which was not ready enough to have its own democracy. We Japanese know well what happens if the free political system called "democracy" suddenly come for us to control. People just start to do anythng they like under the name of freedom, which is not a true democracy.
　Late in the morning, I let Ryoma take a shower. It's been about two months since he last took a shower, I suppose. I think it's not good for a house dog to take a shower or a bath too often, becuase the skin of the dog must be covered with certain oil. Taking a shower takes the oil away. We may feel good because of the good smell, but the it's not so refreshing for the dog to go through hot water so often, Ryoma looks fine, though.

(Wednesday, May 11, 2005)
　Last night after I came back home from work, I watched AXN TV and was so much surprised to see some nude pictures of Jessica Alba who starred in the TV drama series "The Dark Angel." Surprisingly enough her hair was not black! Which is her original hair color, black or gold? It's almost three years since she starred in the sensational drama. Now she is such a beautiful adult actress.
　This morning I was in charge of the three-month intensive English conversation course. From this month all the four members can take the lesson together. They're all so willing to learn English, so I think I'd like to be of great help of theirs.
　One of my students at ECC is going to get married at the end of this month. There are some happy news about some famous TV personalities also. News should be happy, I truely think. There have been too much terrible news these days, haven't there?

(Thursday, May 12, 2005)
　It's 0:39 in the morning. Ryoma has just released my rife's slipper. He's always trying to take one of her slippers away with him. Sometimes his target can be my mother's slipper. I don't usually wear my slippers inside the house. I don't know what makes him so interested in slippers, but it's true he likes them next to his three meals of the day.
　While I was walking with Ryoma yesterday evening, I noticed two posters that said that we should keep the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution as it is. The posters were made by the Communist Party. I understand how important to think much of the Article 9 which denies any form of war to settle international problems. But what else could we do to protect our own country? It is said that the North Korea is preparing for the nuke test. Could we do anything effective to stop it? The North Korea is threatening us, just because they know we cannot attack them first because of the Article 9. Then isn't it OK to rewrite the Article 9 in order to make it possible for the Self-Defence Forces to make the first attack if there is obvious danger? Politics sometimes goes against ideals.

(Friday, May 13, 2005)
　One of my colleagues working for the KGC comes from Sweden. His name is Sebastian whose father is Japanese and mother Finnish. We talked about Asian people staying here in Japan, especially about Chinese and Koreans. I was very much impressed by his words: We can't change history, but we can change our future. Those who living in the past can't do anything to make a bright future. Of course he's talking about some Chinese people banning Japan for what it did during the war. I said to him, "People can be as crazy as they can be while they're in danger of being killed. There should have been many good guys among the German soldiers who had to obey what the Dictator Hitler ordered them to do." He agreed with me. We, who are living in today's world, should get together to make the world a really peacefrul place to live in.
　I wrote a business letter to the Herbalife Headquarters in the United States, because the Herbalife Japan has been doing something incredible for some years. I'm quite interested in what they're going to say in their possible letter back to me.

(Saturday, May 14, 2005)
　I can't believe the big difference of the weather these days. Yesterday it was freezing cold, but this morning we're having a very beautiful weather. It's so difficult for us to adust our physical condition to the changeable weather.
　Today I met Laurent, my French colleague, at the KGC. Everytime I meet him I try to talk to him in my poor French. But to tell the truth, I learned French conversation for three years at college. This year I think I'm going to learn it again and in a year or so I hope I'll be able to talk to Laurent about lots of things in French.
　Many people say French is a difficult language to learn, but I like its sound. Actually it's easier for us Japanese to pronouce French words than to pronouce English words. That's because French words contain a lot of vowels, while English words have lots of consonants, which makes it even harder for us Japanese to speak fluent English.

(Sunday, May 15, 2005)
　Yesterday I wrote about Herbalife business on my mail magazine. So I expected more than 10 readers would ask me to erase their mail addresses from my readers' list. But actually only two people did that. Does this mean most of the readers are not interested in what I write on my mail magazine?
　The other day I used one of Billy Joel's songs entitled "Honesty." In the song he says that honesty is such a lonely word and that everyone is so untrue. I think it's true. In today's world it's quite dangerous to be honest. Even if you try to be a honest person, your friends will think nothing of betraying your trust in them.
　I think that's because people are so weak. They have no strong belief, on which they live their own lives. I have my own belief, and I'm going to live on it as much as possible.
They can go on their own way. I'll go on my own way however dishonest the other people turn to be.

(Monday, May 16, 2005)
　Today is my first pay day. I know that I didn't make a lot of money in April, but it's exciting to have paid for what I have done so far. When I was an English teacher at public schools, I didn't feel that way everytime I had a pay day. I took it for granted that I made such a lot of money, which I believed deserved my hard work. But now that I'm out of that warmhouse, I can understand how tough it is to make a certain sum of money regularly. I wish one of my book might get the Naoki Award or the Akutagawa Award next year, which would bring me a fortune.
　Now is the season for grass to grow so fast, but some grass is covered with plant louses which make me sick. But Ryoma dares to put his face into grass wheter there are lots of little black bugs or not. Please don't do that, Ryoma. During the evening walk he ate something so quickly that I couldn't stop him. I wonder what he got in his stomach. I just hope he won't get sick tomorrow morning.

(Tuesday, May 17, 2005)
　It seems that the North Korea is really intending to make a nuke test sooner or later. IN that case the United States will possible attack the testing site using hundreds of cruise missiles just like they did to Afganistan or Iraq. Is it what the North Korea really want from the military super power of the world?
　Some scientists point out that if the nuke test was actually put into practice, it would bring about serious radiation pollution to South Korea and Japan. The U.S. government cannnot ignore the dangerous situation as a "big brother." But what would happen if the attack really happens? The World War Ⅲ? What a crazy guy Kim is!

(Wednesday, May 18, 2005)
　At the ECC we're having a counciling session now. At the beginning of each lesson two or three of the students talk to the instructor for 10 minutes and to the manager of school for another 10 minutes. It's a unique system that the ECC has been doing for a long time. For us instructors and staff members, what is the most important is to know how each student feel about the usual lessons and how well they're doing for their own goals.
　One of my business partners told me an incredible story. She has a friend who has 21-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter. The daughter decided to start learning English and she visited a juku school. Then the manager of the school told her that because of those children who could not attend school cause most of the cruel crimes happening in Japan today. I couldn't believe the story. How could a man like that handle an organization called "school"? The fact is that those adults who cannot understand why there are so many reluctant children increase the number of terrible crimes.

(Thursday, May 19, 2005)
　Our dog Ryoma is now a year and three months old. He is gradually learning to understand what we tell him. Yesterday afternoon, while I was taking him for a walk, he tried to piss at the gate of a house. I told him not to do that because it was the entrance to the house. Then he looked up at me and stopped pissing. I was so much surprised. He's becoming a good boy day by day, which makes me smile.
　These days Ryoma seems to have a poor appetite. He now weighs 13.3kg, which might be too heavy for his age. It's getting hotter and hotter, which may have robbed him of his appetite.

(Friday, May 20, 2005)
　The U.S. government has been negatiating with North Korea, the TV news says. If North Korea stops developing nukes and be willing to participate in the 6-country meeting, then the U.S. will admit that North Korea is a sovereign country. The decision must be made during the nest two weeks. Every country is now interested in their answer.

(Saturday, May 21, 2005)
　North Korea has expressed its regret about the U.S. proposal made public yesterday. Are they really going to fight against the U.S.? It'll take the U.S. military forces only a few minutes to destroy all the major facilities in North Korea.

(Sunday, May 22, 2005)
　I envy those children who have been in a foreign country for some years. They speak English with very beautiful pronunciation. Sometimes I don't quite understand what they're talking about, because they speak so fruently. I really think that children are full of possibilities. And we burden a big responsibility to let their possibilities come out.
　I watched an animal TV program, in which a mother lion killed her seriously injured baby. It was an incredible action from mother's instinct love for her babies. After that she began to eat the dea baby, becasue the smell of the dead baby might cause another danger for the other babies. I felt so sorry for the mother lion.
　Even a lion has deep love for its babies. Why not human mothers? I suppose God the Creator let all the animals exist on the earth so that we human beings might sometimes watch them to remember the importance of life and love. What do you think?

(Monday, May 23, 2005)
　I like the TV drama "The Wild Shogun," which has been on air for such a long time. The actor Matsudaira Ken who played the role of the 8th shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune released the famous "Matsuken Samba," which made a sensational sales record last year. Many Japanese people like the drama because they sincerely want a great statesman like Tokugawa Yoshimune. I also hope a great hero like Yoshimune will get the power to rule this country. We're not interested in Mr.K any longer.
　It's really a beautiful day today. I feel a refreshing breeze coming in from the south. It's about 4 km from the beach, so the breeze doesn't bring the smell of the seal I like this weather so much that I feel like writing a new book. I've been out of my writing business for about a few months. Now is the time for me to start it once again, which will meke my everyday life incredibly busy, I'm sure.
　The 3rd trial for the killer of an elementary school girl in Nara was carried out today. How many trials do they have to have before the judge to give him sentence to death. If I were a parent of the girl, I would try to kill him in the court even if it's completely against the law. I feel very sorry for the girls parents who could do nothing to punish the killer. It is said that he didn't show any regret about having done the murder.

(Tuesday, May 24, 2005)
　Why do Japanese people try to hide their true colors? If you don't want to say anything in front of the person you're talking about, then you shouldn't say that to anybody else. Just keep it in your mind. That's my policy. But it isn't always applied to all the people.
　Before I quit my teaching career I always tried to be as frank as possible. I expressed myself frankly in the teachers' meeting, but nobody said anything about my opinions. As was always the case, after the meeting was over, there were lots of chattering about the topics dealt in the meeting here and there in the teachers' room. I always thought that they should say that in the meeting itself. If they had been silent during the meeting, they should have been as silent after the meeting. They were chickens!
　The Chinese vice-premier canceled the meeting with Mr.Koizumi and went back to China soon after she took part in the economic meeting with some top people of Japanese big companies. Obviously her urgent cancel of the meeting is against Mr.Koizumi's comment about the Yasukuni problem. If Japan was a military superpower like the U.S., could China do the same thing? I now feel that we really should change the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and enable Japan to have a strong military forces again. All the Asian countries would ban Japan, but both China and North Korea would stop taking strong attitudes toward our country. As the only country in the world that has experienced the disaster of the nukes we should seek for world peace, but that doesn't mean we should abolish all the military forces to protect our own country. International relationship is just like that of men. When we fight, the most important thing is to let the other person think we're tough, or he will easily start attacking us.

(Wednesday, May 25, 2005)
　Tomorrow is the day just one month after the awful train accident in Amagasaki. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, the crash site will be opened to the families of the victims. A special stage for offering flowers will be set up and the president of the JR West Japan will make an address to express the company's deep regret for all the passengers killed and injured by the train accident. Surprisingly enough many people who survived the accident still suffer from the sense of sin. "Why have I survived the accident? Why not them? Was I saved by those dead people?" They still keep on asking themselves the questions which would have no answers.
　This morning there was a trouble on the Tokaido Line of JR East Japan at Yokohama Station. More than 100 trains had to be stopped because of the trouble, the evening TV news said. What's going on in the JR company? Can we really trust them for giving us safe services? I think I'm not going to take trains for the time being.

(Thursday, May 26, 2005)
　This morning around 10:30a.m. I got a phone call from the KGC. The front girl told me that I was supposed to have a lesson this morning. It was just a misunderstanding. This week I've been supposed to have two extra lessons. But I was informed of each lesson at a different time, and I thought I was supposed to teach on Friday morning only. I soon finished my morning things and changed my clothes, rushing to the KGC on the motorbike. It only took me about 15 minutes to get there. The 30 minutes that the students missed this morning I would have to make up for next week. I have to be careful with my teaching schedule every day.
　We have bought 40 packs of dog milk by the Internet. Each pack is about \30 cheaper than the one in a drug store near my house. So those 40 packs have totally made \1,200 discount for us. Don't you think it's incredible? My wife cut the corner of the first pack and let Ryoma drink plenty of milk tonight, which made him look so happy.

(Friday, May 27, 2005)
　Yesterday I bought 10 groups of numbers of Loto 6. Each group cost me \200, so I paid \2,000 for them. As a result I got two 5th prizes, which would give back the \2,000 to me. My guess was such an close one. Maybe next time I'll get two hundred million yen for my family, I hope.
　When I came home from work, Ryoma welcomed me as usual. My wife Kayoko always wants me to give her a hug. She's as childish as Ryoma is. On Friday she has to take Ryoma for an evening walk after coming back from her busy part-time job, which should make her so much tired that she doesn't feelo like doing anything when she comes home again. I'm sorry for her. Someday when I come to make lots of money, she'll be freed from this busy routine.

(Saturday, May 28, 2005)
　It's going to be a real tough day today. In the afternoon I have to take care of six successive STEP classes with just 5-minute break between each class. Once I stop my engine, it'll take me lots of energy to make a restart. I have to keep running.
　I've been suffering from a bad cold for about a month now. Is it really a cold? When your coughs never stop, you may suspect that you might have a larynx cancer. It's so scary, isn't it? Should I go see a doctor and take medical examinations?
　It's been so tough today just as I expected. The first lesson started at 10:30a.m. and after a lunch break the afternoon lessons started at 1:15p.m. and lasted until 7:00p.m. When the last lesson finished, I felt completely tired and packed up everything to come to leave school A.S.A.P. without eating dinner outside. Just bebore I got home, I met my wife Kayoko with Ryoma. It was obvious that she had hurried home after work so I might not have to take Ryoma for an evening walk. How nice of her to think of me that way!

(Sunday, May 29, 2005)
　Last night after I did some computer work I felt a little sick, so I went to bed much earlier than usual with an ice-packed pillow under my head. This morning I woke up to find myself feel much better. However busy we are, it's very important for us to try to have enough sleep every day, because lack of sleep would fainally cause a serious disease. And it's also so refreshing to become an early bird.
　At night my brother Wataru visited us at our house. Then Ryoma seemed to go mad. He's always too happy to stay still when my brother comes to see us. Tonight he brought some milk bars for Ryoma. Soon he got one of them and it took him only about 15 minutes to eat it all up. He was looking for another stick, which my brother refused to give him. Eating too much is just like eating too little.

(Monday, May 30, 2005)
　Why it suddenly became so cold at this season of the year? I suppose that not a few people have caught cold today. It's so tough for us to adjust our physical condition to such a changeable weather these days.
　It seemed that Ryoma didn't feel like going for an evening walk. Usually as soon as the door is opened, he rushes out of the house, but today he slowly walked out of the door and looked up at me as if he was asking if he should really go out. During the walk he regained his power to walk at his pace, but he never did his job. It may have been because of the vaccination against hydrophobia he got this afternoon. The nurse at the animal hospital took a blood sample to see if he had got filarias. The result was negative. But they gave us some bags of preventive medicine against filariasis, which we will have to let him take from the middle of next month up until November.
　I doubt he's caught cold because I saw him sneeze several times. Or did he get a bad cold from his Dad?

(Tuesday, May 31, 2005)
　It is said that there are still more than 40 Japanese soldiers left in the mountain areas of the Philippines. But the two soldiers in question didn't have contact with the Japanese representatives. The Philippino woman who had first told about the soldiers has now confessed that she had lied about them. Actually she had never met the two soldiers.
　Anyway 60 years is such a loong time. I can't imagine how hard it is to live in the mountains for as long as 60 years after the war. I guess they were so ashamed to be found alive, while their fellow soldiers had lost their lives for their sacrid country.
　Wars only bring about tragedies. Nobody could make up for their lost 60 years.

(Wednesday, June 1, 2005)
　May is over now and the rainy season is just around the corner. Time really flies, doesn't it? I don't like the rainy season, but it's no good to take Ryoma for a walk in the rain. He doesn't like walking in the rain either.
　This morning I usually had an English conversation class, which started 30 minutes ealier than usual at 10:00a.m. They studied until 12:00 noon without any break. I thought they were really patient. After 10-minute break, we started the lesson again until 12:55. Wow! Such a long lesson! I wasn't so tired, but I'm sure they got really tired. They're great!

(Thursday, June 2, 2005)
　Taking care of the ECC classes in not an easy job. In each class we have eight members at most. Everybody wants lots of chances to speak English, but if I try to explain grammatical things, it will rob them of their precious time to use their own English. That's why we Japanese instructors have to try our best to absorb as many requests from the students as we can. It's something very difficult put into practice, but is worth trying.
　Interestingly enough, Ryoma kept roaring at the TV screen while he was watching gun battles. Is he a peace-keeping dog? Is he against physical violence? I wondered why he was actually so excited about, but I was sure he didn't like the TV drama.

(Friday, June 3, 2005)
　Teaching English conversation is cuh a lot of fun. When I was a junior high school teacher, I had to use much Japanese to explain grammatical things. Sometimes I tried to handle the classes in English, but it was not easy to teach English through English when we have nearly 40 students in one class.
　Now I teach English conversation through English, of course. You can't imagine how exciting it is to be like a native English teacher. I feel as if I was performing some role on the stage. I'm completely different person when I'm doing that.
　The most impressive class of all is the Introductory Course of English Conversation for mothers held at Peare Fujisawa. Some mothers are over 60 years old, but they all look like high school girls who are willing to learn English with their eyes curiously open.

(Saturday, June 4, 2005)
　I'm now watching the soccer game between Japan and Bahrain. Maybe lots of Japanese peopel, whether they're soccer fans or not, are sitting in front of the TV screen at this late hour all through Japan. I'd like all the bosses in all the companies would ignore big yawnings tomorrow.
　The TV personality says that the humidity around the soccer stadium in Bahrain has come up to 50%. The temperature is about 32 degrees Celsius. It's really a tough battle they're having in that desert country. At present Japan leads by the score of 1-0. I hope they'll win the game to get another three winner's points. Before this game Iran won the game against North Korea by the score of 2-0.
　They made it! They got only one point, but the one point was the most precious one that they have ever gained. Both Santos and Nakata were given the second yellow card, which made them out of the coming game against North Korea, but it's OK. They now work as one team.

(Sunday, June 5, 2005)
　We've been to the Hydrangea Festival in Kaisei Town. The town is located in the area called Ashigara-shimogun. We went there by car. They prepared a large parking lot which cost us only 500 yen per day. But it was a pity that most of the hydrangeas were not yet in full bloom because of the unexpected cold weather of this April. I bought a hydrangea planted in a pot. It was the same kind of hydrangea as the one my mother had bought at a department store near the station. But the flowers were thin purple, which was completely different from the thin pink color of my mother's.
　Luckily enough we also had a chance to visit Hanaaoi Festival which was being held nearby. The pink flowers were incredibly beautiful, which took all the stress away from our minds. Anyway it's been such a enjoyable day. I was happy to see my wife's satisfied look. Our dog Ryoma also looked happy to visit a new place. In his mind Kaisei Town must already be one of his territories.

(Monday, June 6, 2005)
　These days Ryoma is often seen eating grass, which most of the dogs usually do. But this morning it surprised my mother that Ryoma suddenly vomitted the grass he had eaten the day before. But after that he ate up two plates of dog food, so we don't have to worry about him. Eating grass is a kind of wisdom that the dog has naturally gained. They do so when they feel something's wrong with their stomach, which is just like we human beings try to take as much fiber as possible when we are constipated.

(Tuesday, June 7, 2005)
　We unexpectedly had a very beautiful morning today. I thought it was going to be the last chance to take pictures of the hydrangeas in our garden. Now that we're getting into the rainy season, they are getting more and more alive day by day. One of the most impressive things about hydrangeas is their energetic green leaves. Thanks to my mother's careful watering and composting, the hydrangeas in our garden have very thick leaves, which are also having their bright green colors.
　Not to change the subject, I sometimes look back on the days when I was playing softball with the girls on my team. I really enjoyed sweating together with them on the large school ground, which was so refreshing especially at this season of the year. I could still belong to the regional softball team as a player, but it will make me more exhausted than I expect. What if I was asked to manage a softball team? Would I say yes?

(Wednesday, June 8, 2005)
　I'm now watching the soccer game between Japan and North Korea, of course. it's such a terrible condition for the players on both teams. The temperature is about 36 degrees Celcius and the humidity is more than 60%. I understand that everyone playing on the ground is completely exhausted. And one of the forward players, Yanagisawa, has just made a sensational goal, which all the Japanese supporters have been expecting so long. I feel that most of the players on the Japanese team are less aggressive than the players who were on the national team years ago. I expect some players like Gon Nakayama will make a debut in the near future. Technically Japanese young players have made great progress, I admit. But mentally they have to be more positive. Soccer is, in a sense, a fighting sport. I want them to be as wild as they can be.

(Thursday, June 9, 2005)
　This morning TV news is still packed with the result of the soccer game last night. Especially the supporters who went over to Thailand knowing that they would not be allowed to enter the stadium were really great, it reports. Yes, I agree. They were in front of the Gate 12, where they could not understand what was going on inside the stadium. Still they kiept on cheering for the Japanese team.
　It's been so humid today. We're still out of the rainy season, but the humidity is surely getting higher and higher day by day. One of the students studying at the ECC told me that we were going to have a cool summer this year. Of course it's easier for us to spend a cool summer, but summer should be like summer. If we don't have a usual hot summer, something terrible will also happen in fall and winter.

(Friday, June 10, 2005)
　It's been drizzling since this morning. The weather forecast says that we're getting into the rainy season tomorrow. But it seems that we've already got into it. The humid weather will last for about a month, which will make many people feel depressed just like the economy in Japan has long been in a deep depression.
　After a long absence, I bought numbers 3 and 4 that might bring me some big money if I'm lucky enough. But the result was no good. June 16 will be my pay day, but I've only got about one thousand yen left in my purse. It's so difficult to make money in this world of long recession. I have to confess that I sometimes regret having quit a junior high school teacher, though my status as an English teacher is obviously higher than before. But in Japan it's the safest to become a public servant. They might not be able to make a fortune, but they could keep an average economical standard.
　I hope in the near future my career as an talented English instructor will be highly evaluated and that I'll be able to get much more income than I do now.

(Saturday, June 11, 2005)
　Today was the last Saturday when I have six different classes for preparing for the STEP test, from 5th grade to pre-1st grede. It's been so tough because I only had 5-minute break between each class, which actually meant almost no break in between.
They're going to take the tests tomorrow. I hope many of them will pass the tests, partly because it will lead to my evalutation. I'd like to be described as follows: If there's nobody who could manage, why not ask Mr.Ishiyama? He'll be sure to make it all right.

(Sunday, June 12, 2005)
　This afternoon my wife and I visited my father in the hospital in Ebina. The nurse told us that he had tried a lot of things in the morning and that he must have been tired. As she said, my father was sound asleep. We sat beside his bed for a while, but there was no sign of his waking up. We decided to give up talking to him this time and left the hospital.
　After that we used the Tomei Highway to visit the Hydrangea Festival in Kaisei Town in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. We visited the festival last Sunday too, but at that time the hydrangeas were not in full bloom. So my wife suggested that we visit it again today. She looked so happy because we were blessed with a fine weather today, though we're already in the rainy season.
　Most of the hydrangeas were in their full bloom, and we enjoyed the festival to our hearts' content. I was glad to get a "Sumida-no Hanabi(Fireworks of Sumida)" which I have long wanted to have. It's one of the lacecap hydrageas and really looks like fireworks in the night sky.

(Monday, June13, 2005)
　Why do Japanese mass medeas not understand how crazy they are to pay to much attention to the quarrel between Taka and Waka? I think Taka is right in saying that his big brother Waka, who already left the sumo world, has no right to say anything about their father's funeral. Especially the ex-wife Fujita Noriko should not have made any comment on the two sons' quarrel. If she could appear in today's Sumo Association's Funeral, she would be naturally banned to be a woman without any common sense.
　Ryoma went see a vet late this morning. He needed to get a vaccination shot. The gog these days are in dangeous situation too. They are in danger of getting filariasis by being bitten by mosquitoes. We don't know what kind of virusesn hidden in the wild grass, because more and more people leave their pets' shit in the paths, which is of course against the regional laws.
　Many dogkeepers say that their dogs tend to lose their appitite in the summer time. Our dog also lookes a little tired even walking around inside the house. Maybe that's because of the humidity of the weather these days. They're just the same as human beings.

(Tuesday, June 14, 2005)
　Are we really bin the rainy season? After the Meteorological Agency had declared that the Kanto District had got into the rainy season, we haven't had much rain so far. We don't welcome lots of rain, but having too little rain also causes a big trouble. Are we going to suffer from lack of water this summer?
　Is it true that dogs are usually nearsighted(shortsighted)? As far as our dog Ryoma is concerned, he's always trying to see far. When a butterfly come near, he jumpes at it at a surprising speed. I guess he has a good eyesight. We human beings have five senses―sight, hearing, smell, taste and tough. I think the dog is superior to us in every field. The only thing they can't do is to speak a language. But in that sense also, it is a little bit doubtful. They might have their own language.

(Wednesday, June 15, 2005)
　It's been raining since early this morning. I feel now that we're in the rainy season. We have to have a lot of rain during this season, or we'll have to suffer from water shortage. The hydrangeas in our garden looks very happy to be in the falling rain. They're so beautiful that those who visit the garden for the first time will surely be impressed by the splendid scenery.
　This year we've got four new pots of planted hydrangeas. I'm going to plant it in our garden after their season is over. Maybe next year our garden will be famous for its beautiful flowers, which I'm looking forward to very much.

(Thursday, June 16, 2005)
　Late last night I took my wife Kayoko and our dog Ryoma for a drive. My wife and I dropped in at a family restaurant where we enjoyed light meal and desserts. Both Kayoko and Ryoma looked very happy, which made me feel happy too. On our way back home I was surprised to see so many crazy drivers running along the seaside road at an indredible speed. How can they be so crazy? Someday they might have an car accident. I don't care if they're safe or not. I just don't want them to involve us in their own accidents. Why don't the cops clamp down on those crazy speeders? Go get them now!
　After finishing his breakfast Ryoma went for a morning walk earlier than usual, because it can start raining heavily at any time this morning. Yesterday he wore two of his raincoats, so this morning he had to wear the third one, which is a little too big for him. I hope he won't have any trouble pissing out of the big coat.

(Friday, June 17, 2005)
　The jurors decided that Michael Jackson was not guilty as to all the ten cases. How can a kinky man like him be regarded as innocent just because there was not enough evidence? He's not guilty because he's such a great celebrity? He could get the freedom because he's one of the world richest artists? The Japanese government is now thinking of building its own jury system, but I don't think it really works effectively. Some special people in power can put as much pressure as they want on the jurors. If that happens how can the jurors make their own fair decision? It's a very difficult problem.

(Saturday, June 18, 2005)
　What a humid day we've been having today! It's so humid that we can't sweat a lot, which makes us feel even more uncomfortable. And it is usual the case with the weather like this, we don't have any breeze coming from the sea. However, staying in a air-conditioned room for a long time makes you sick little by little. Sometimes the cool air makes you gain weight. So the ladies working in cool offices have to be very careful about what will happen after the comfortable experience you've been through. After the hot summer they will suddenly find themselves being so fat. Oh, my God!

(Sunday, June 19, 2005)
　There's a place on the Internet where people can exchange their ideas freely without showing their true names. The place is called "BLOG," which is English or not, I'm not sure. I hear the word "weblog" has been shortened to become a "blog." In one of the "BLOG" sites I found an opinion supporting Mr.Nakayama, the Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science, who told the press that he was happy to know that the word "comfort women" had been deleted from the history textbooks used in Japanese public schools. Is he crazy? Now that Mr.Koizumi is strongly banned for visiting the Yasukuni Shrine by both China and South Korea, how can a minister express extra vicious ideas? The problem is not whether the word "comfort women" really existed or not, but what most of the Japanese statesmen have in mind. Both Chinese people and Korean people wonder if the Japanese really think about themselves and feel sorry for what they did to the next-door neighbors in Asia. I think a minister like Mr.Nakayama should be fired as soon as possible. We don't need a minister who cannot understand what kind of problems Japan is confronted with at present.

(Monday, June 20, 2005)
　There suddenly appeared an interesting notice on the package of cigarettes. It goes like this: Smoking may affect little babies, women, older people. When you smoke, the possibility of your having cardiac infarction will get 1.7 times as high as those who don't smoke at all. Then I'd like to ask JT why they continue selling those poisonous stuff publicly with lots of tax included in the price.
　Why are there so many parents who cannot discipline their kids? If they really love their children, it is sometimes necessary to be a strict parent. They have to thell their kids what they must do and what they must not do. And they have to do that when their kids are small enough to listen to their parents. Many parents notice that their children has lost their ways when they grow up to be of difficult ages. It's too late and almost no use to try to discipline a 16-year-old boy or girl. Why don't they understand that?
　A scientist said that human begings were not born to be human beings. He insisted that they should be disciplined to become able to behave like human beings. Education is so important especially to young kids. Japanese parents should know that.

(Tuesday, June 21, 2005)
　Last night at the ECC we had a lesson in which we learned how to ask about one's weekend plans. But yesterday was just the beginning of a new week, wasn't it? It was so-called a blue Monday. Who would think of making some plans for the weekend on Monday? They have just started the engine, and the cars are moving slowly now.
　Last night at the ECC also, I met a new native teacher. We intoroduced each other, but I forgot his name. The only information I remember about him is that he comes from Washington D.C. I told him that many Japanese people misunderstand Washington D.C. is located in the State of Washington. Then he told me that even many American people tend to make the same mistake. Are they no good at geography? I also asked if the special district is strictly guarded by some special soldiers, then his answer was yes.

(Wednesday, June 22, 2005)
　I'm very sorry for Mr.Jenkins who visited his mother living in the States, knowing that he was being banned for what he had done years ago. Yes, the fact is that he did betray his own country. However terrible he describe the situation he's been in in North Korea, he cna never change the fact. As he himself addressed today, this will be his last chance to land on the States. This kind of tragedy was surely caused by war. War is really evil.
　The LDP has made a plan to increase tax. Isn't that indredible? They can't make the best use of our tax. Of course the first thing they should do is make a research as to how effectively our tax has been used so far. After everything is done, then they can ask us to pay more tax to make our society better. That's they have to do.
　I advised some of the students at the ECC to keep a diary in English every day. And after a few hours, I got e-mail from one of them that was written in English. Her English is very grammatical and contains almost no mistakes. "Have more confidence in your English ability," I said in the e-mail I sent back to her. I really welcome such a quick response from the students. I'm sure she'll soon become a very good speaker and writer of the English language. I wish her every good luck in her English studies.

(Thursday, June 23, 2005)
　I was so stupid that I didn't have time to buy a Loto 6 ticket this evening. After I came back home from the ECC, I checked the Mizuho Site and know that if I had bought the five groups of numbers, I could have gained 2,000 yen. But let's forget all about it. I'll make it next Thursday.
　Now I have only a month left before I take the TOEIC test. I haven't done much to prepare for the test. It's true that my vocabulary is gradually enriched, but that's not enough for the tough test. As a bilingual instructor wroking at the ECC and the KGC, I have to get more than 900 points. It's so thrilling, isn't it?
　It's already after 12 midnight. This morning (I mean on the morning of June 24) I'm having a conversation class, so I have to go to bed now.

(Friday, June 24, 2005)
　This morning our dog Ryoma looks much better than yesterday, which has really made me feel relieved. Yesterday morning when he went see the vet, he got a very big shot, which scared him so much. Today he has to go see the doctor again. When the car comes near to the hospital he know what's going to happen to him. He's so smart.
　It's a very beautiful morning we're having today. It's just like we're already out of the rainy season. But the weather forecast says that we're going to have lots of rain at the end of the rainy season, and that this summer will be as hot as the usual summer. I thought we would have a cool summer or something unusual. I was wrong. But according to the TV news they're having incredibly hot days in the southern parts of Europe. I didn't know that in France about 15,000 had been dead from the heat some years before. So this year again, they're afraid of having the same tragedy. I hope they won't. In Chana the temperature went up to 40 degrees Celcius, which made the pandas in the zoo almost unable to make a slight move. I'm very sorry for them. Here in Japan the temperature recorded more than 30 degrees in Hokkaido yesterday. That means they've had a so-called "mid-summer day" earlier than we do in the Kanto District. Anyway something's so wrong with the weather all around the world.

(Saturday, June25, 2005)
　Japan Highway Public Corporation has been using our tax in incredibly terrible ways for many years. Some branches have bought baseball uniforms claiming that they would have to buy some workwears for the employees. Don't they feel guilty in doing such absurd deeds? Taking many unreasonable ways of public organization's using our tax into consideration, we could never agree with the increase of tax that has been planned by the government. We're really pissed off!
　It seems that Ryoma has got rid of diarrhea, but he still doesn't look like himself. I mean he's too quiet. He never runs around in the living room. He never jumps on the sofa. He never try to attack my wife. It's not all because of his sickness, but partly because the dull weather, I suppose. However it's good news that his appetite is coming back.
　It's been so hot all day today. I feel as if we were in the middle of the summer. Every year we have something wrong with the weather, but this year it's too much. The TV news says that in some places in Jpana the temperature went up as high as 35℃. I'm afraid some big disaster might occur in the near future.
　I feel that young people these day are more obedient than before. I find only a few rebellious young guys. After entering the society, they will become obedient workers who listen to their bosses very carefully. To be humble(or modest) and to be obedient are quite different. It's always important for us to be humble, but it's also important not to believe anything so easily. I'd like them to be courageous grown-ups who can say no about things that they think are wrong.

(Sunday, June 26, 2005)
　This morning I got e-mail from a 9th grader in Aichi Prefecture. She said that she din't know how to make a longer English sentence. Writing English sentences is not such an easy job for a junior high school kid to do. Even for grown-ups, either. Think of a situation in which you are told to write 10 manusucript sheets of Japanese composition. Is it easy for you to finsih the task within half an hour? Most people would answer in the negative. If writing in your mother tongue is such a tough job, how can you easily make English composition so easily? It's impossible.
　So when you try to learn how to write English sentences, the first thing you've got to do is just imitate some fundamental sentences. You can substitute some words in the key sentences with other words you like. That's how you improve your writing ability. Writing English sentences as freely as birds fly in the sky comes after that. Don't make haste, and try to do it step by step.
　The East Japan Railroad Company unveiled the new type of Shinkansen that can run at a speed of 360 kph. The new bullet train will be put into practical use in 2011. It is supposed to be the world fastest train. But do we really need such a fast train in this small country?

　The photo above has been taken from the Japan Times. The newly developed Shinkansen has a cute face, doesn't it? Will it invite a lot of children? I'm not sure.

(Monday, June 27, 2005)
　It's so humid this morning again. Where has the rainiy season gone? Will it rain a lot at the endo of the season as the weather forecast told the other day? If the weather goes on like this, lots of people will be dead because of heat exhaustion. The same tragedy actually happened in France a few years ago. In Europe this year too they're suffering from unusual hot weather, and they're afraid another tragedy might happen again.

(Tuesday, June 28, 2005)
　I have just got a phone call from Mr.Ide, now manager of Hagisono Junior High School's softball team. There are only three 9th graders in his team this year, but it's one of the storongest teams in Kanagawa Prefecture.
　My house is about 30 minutes walk from Shorin Junior High. It has a very strong softball team. Everytime I hear the girl players practicing softball, I still remember the hard days I spent with the girls on my team. I'm now thinking of belonging to the regional softball team. It will be fun to play softball myself, but if I become a member all my Sundays will be spent for the team. That's the problem I have to think over carefully.

(Wednesday, June 29, 2005)
　Today the TV news told that the Chinidese government didn't allow Japanese schools in China to use their geography textbooks, just because in the textbook Chinese Taipei was regarded as an independent country, not part of China. How can a foreign government make such claim to the textbooks used in Japanese schools in their country?
　I sometimes doubt that if Japan has strong military forces the Chinese government still maintains strong attitude toward Japan. I think they can't. If it's true, we should change our constitution immediately in order to enable our country to have strong military forces just like the United States. I don't think it's possible for Japan to have nukes, but we can build strong forces by having many high-tech usual weapons.
　Idealism will not work in the world of politics. We should look at the world situation practically and prepare for what could happen in the future. I know that it's not the best way, but China has gone too far.

(Thursday, June 30, 2005)
　Time flies, doesn't it? It's been almost a year since I quit the teaching job. Officially I left school on July 5 in 2004. Since then I've worked with so many people. Some of them were no good, but many of them were really nice to me. I've learned a lot from them. To tell the truth, while I was wroking at a cram school, I felt uncomfortable staying in the wrong place where I shouldn't be. However, now that tow of the major language schools have hired me, I've regained my confidence in my life. My English has also improved a lot. Now I can really speak the English language as fluently as native speakers.
　But in the learning of English, there's no finish line. Even if you're a good English instructor, you should keep studying the language as long as you live, because English has gradually been changing and it will keep on changing forever. You should try to get as much new information as possible. Your knowledge has to be updated always.
　It's 12:11 now and it has already stopped raining. In Shikoku there's serious water shotage. If the weather goes on like this, some of the dams will dry up. How terrible!