July: July 21 - July 26, 2017

July 21, 2017

Ugh…today was exhausting.  I’ve had a rough week.  It started out easy on Monday, but when trying to add variety, it was hit and miss so…it’s been a struggle at times to keep going.  Also, office politics.  All I’ll say.  I hate them and they’re not my problem.  I really stumbled today.  I always finished my classes on time and with the material I had ready, but I felt like I was just fumbling through the first few.  Picked back up in the evening with more confidence and more preparedness, but I’ve been pushed to just…survive, so far.  This may be the most stressful job I’ve ever had.  For varying reasons.

I do want to say that getting a few of my students to laugh and none of them being misbehaved near the end of my day did help lighten my mood.  The goal was to make them have a good time while introducing new language and goal accomplished.  I actually debated not getting yakiniku because I’m so bloody tired, but I was just like…you want this.  You need this.  And I just told myself…yeah…yeah, I do.  So, I had some.  Always good.  So good.  Maybe replacing others as my favorite food.  Not sure.  Anyway, I then came home, did some gaming, and my weekly reports. Did I fail to mention that?  I send my boss weekly reports.  Nothing major, but it is a bit weird writing them at like midnight and these journals at like 1 am.

Anyway, Chicago class tomorrow and I am super duper tired.  Need to also try and get up in time to talk to my family, who I owe a big thank you to for the care package.  So…gonna go to sleep so I can do that.

July 22, 2017

Good lord…where did the day go?  Oh, right.  Teaching.  The class today ran long because of paperwork, so I was in school for about 2 and a half hours so…yeah, tired.  That’s my sixth day in a row so…yeah, tired.  Went to the bath house, but due to the crowds it took a while for me to both get zen and get my food so…yeah…tired.  I talked with the family and made tacos again, which was nice, but I’ve been weird all day.  I alternate between manic energy and total exhaustion like crazy.  Got tired of playing one game, so, instead of resting, I jump on another one for two hours, then spend two more hours trying to get a 20 year old piece of abandonware to work…which I did.  Magic the Gathering, the old 1997 realm of Shandalar is pretty cool for old MTG fans, but perhaps a bit too…MTG for me to play it seriously, like Gwent or Dragon Quest.  I seriously need to rest.  I seriously, seriously do.  So, I’m going to do that now. I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I need to at least put myself horizontal and just…let the world pass until I feel better.  The stress is real, but life goes on.  No writing today.  Hopefully tomorrow.  God…so tired…

July 23, 2017

Got my writing in today, so WOOWOO, but still tired.  I was surprised at how the old genesis spark, the creative energy, the will of the magician(okay, I think I’m done) kept me writing even after I figured it was time to stop.  Now is it any good?  Ehhhh…I dunno.  Anyway, it’s been an exhausting day, even though all I’ve done is rest.  Just lounging about sounds great, but my A/C has been dripping, so I’m going to talk with my staff about getting that fixed.  Also, only having one day with no work is wearing on me, as I still feel pretty bloody exhausted.  Ugh…well, that’s life, I guess.  Now, moving on.

July 24, 2017

Ugh…so tired again…we noticing a pattern?  Anyway, talked with my best friend today, which was nice, but class was…well, it was fine, I guess. One just really bugged me, as the heat and the students’ lack of enthusiasm just kinda wore me down.  Every time I hear they don’t understand the instructions, when I know I’ve spelled them out in Japanese and English, I get so tired.  Anyway, most of the classes were okay, but I’ve just felt so…burdened, of late.  Anyway, I got some fun games of Gwent when I got home, so that was good.  I have my hardest day tomorrow, so that sucks but some days you just gotta…push on through and try to do better the next.  That was today, that will probably be tomorrow.  Still toying around with different ways of adding variety to classes and starting a few classes, high school level, on small talk, which is a useful skill, provided you know when and where to use it.  So…hopefully that goes okay.

July 25, 2017

A Tuesday that didn’t kick my butt?!  What’s this?!  I’m half kidding.  A few new activities I tried went over okay, though I worry the students aren’t ready for hangman, since it requires spelling.  But, they love competing, soooooooo…anyway, I only had one class I would call hard today and I also had a trial student who, I think, did pretty good.  I hope she stays on with us.  I did have to stay very very late though.  Sometimes we get adult classes late at night and if they arrive late…be a pal and stay a bit late for them because they don’t want to be there at 9, you don’t want to be there at 9, but hell, if they’re willing to pay AND put in the time…as a teacher, the least you can do is put in the time.  I appreciate that.  I went to bed right after that, though.  So tired.

July 26, 2017

I feel like my plans of updating my blog on Wednesdays are slowly becoming pipe dreams, as it’s Wednesday and that ain’t happening. Maybe tomorrow. Anyway, I bought an electric kettle today since my family sent me some good tea in my care package and I want to get back to drinking tea, but I don’t want to use gas to heat my water.  Too much trouble.  Gonna see how I do with returning to tea and stevia.  Also had ramen at a ramen shop and I am now relaxing before work.  Maybe I’ll update more when I get home…maybe not.  Who can say?

My family will mock me from my grave for this, but I’ve accepted eggplant back into my life.  For context, my parents made the second worst food I’ve ever put in my body when I was about 5 years old.  It was an eggplant casserole.  I swore on that day, to never eat eggplant again.  Today, I had eggplant in my rice bowl.  Was good too.  Also, worst food ever in my mouth, beating out 2 year expired crackers AND eggplant casserole is Japanese Natto.  That stuff is nasty.  Anyway, classes were okay.  The kettle works and I am stoked.  I bought some file folders and put some order into my pile of nonsense that is my paperwork.  Or at least I made it a more organized pile.  Wednesday has so far been an easy and enjoyable day.  Tomorrow will be a lot more work.  However…life is good here.  I like it and will stay if I have the chance. Sigh…continue to be disappointed in the US.