Hi readers... I know it's Monday morning and I should have a couple of stories up and ready for you... but work is still stressful for me. My magazine (Paying day job!) was purchased two Tuesday's ago... I had to finish up a May issue, put out a tradeshow guide and then pack up and get ready for the move. I start at a new facility doing the same job on Monday (today) that adds about 40 minutes each way to my commute, and I admit to feeling some stress in my life right now. I'll be doing one-a-days for a few days until I can get my rhythm back (I'll let you know when I'm back up to speed) ... As well, I know I also have to write four major articles for the June issue of my magazine this week... no rest for the wicked, I suppose.
Just as well that the time I am writing about today is rather dull... and for that, I apologize... but starting tomorrow, things will pick up... I meet an old friend, meet some new friends, and some new women. I also go on vacation in another country with my mother before she arrives back with me in Japan. Old girlfriend, new girl friend and my mother. It's a hectic month to say the least.
Just not this blog entry...
July 26, 1991. Friday. Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City), Tochigi-ken (Tochigi Prefecture), Japan.
I go in to the Ohtawara Board of Education (OBOE) office early and do some computer work--word processing... IE typing, printing and then photocopying.
I put together the August issue of The Tatami Times - a newsletter for JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme personnel living in the Tochigi Prefecture. I'm the editor and chief bottle washer.
When I'm done making 50+ copies, I then ride out to the Nishinasuno-eki (Nishinasuno train station) and zip down south to Oyama-shi and meet MariAnn Hironka who has pretty much assumed command of AJET (Association of JET), after our leader, Susan, has let things tumble...
Susan is still in charge, but MariAnn and I are doing a lot of work in preparation of the newcomers arriving on Sunday... though we (or at least I) won't be meeting them until Monday after they get a day to recover from the jet-lag before plummeting head first into the JET lag of our association.
MariAnn and I put together a book for the newcomers until 6PM... we stop, get some dinner before I head home at 9PM.
At home, I dictate corrections to MariAnn over the phone... she'll type up and print out things for the newcomers. It's an important responsibility... the more information they are armed with, hopefully the less stress they will go through initially.
Last year, I hardly had any stress, except for what I created for myself with an on-again/off-again romance with Ashley... an American who was my girlfriend but is now my friend with benefits (nudge-nudge-wink-wink). She left earlier this week for a vacation back in Augusta, Georgia with her family.
I miss her, but I'm also trying to move on, as she has made it clear that despite the awesome sex, we're not going to be a couple.
At this time in my life, I also hate AJET (lots of work and it seems little reward for myself) and MariAnn and her snotty then buddy-buddy attitude.
Saturday, July 27, 1991.
My friend Matthew, who lives five minutes away from me and teaches at the junior high schools out side the city where I teach, has headed down to Tokyo-shi today. The plan is that I'll meet him tomorrow... meaning I'll have to travel the trains by myself. Gods, I hope I don't get lost!
At my apartment, I do odd jobs and straighten up the place.
Matthew's girlfriend, Takako, a gorgeous local here in Ohtawara-shi, has agreed to stop by and feed my goldfish and water my plants for me while I am away in Tokyo looking after things. Tomorrow, I'm meeting my friend John from back in Toronto who has invited himself over - and why not?
Despite the anxiety of the next few upcoming days, today is pretty uneventful... and while I know I should be grateful to have a day like this, I'm going to be going full tile tomorrow and the next few days.
I hope my brain, liver and self-respect survive... but I'm not taking any bets on that.
Somewhere alone in my apartment-partment-partment-ment-ment-nt-nt,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is by: The Beatles: FLY.
PS: I don't think my place has been this quiet since I arrived in Japan...
Just as well that the time I am writing about today is rather dull... and for that, I apologize... but starting tomorrow, things will pick up... I meet an old friend, meet some new friends, and some new women. I also go on vacation in another country with my mother before she arrives back with me in Japan. Old girlfriend, new girl friend and my mother. It's a hectic month to say the least.
Just not this blog entry...
July 26, 1991. Friday. Ohtawara-shi (Ohtawara City), Tochigi-ken (Tochigi Prefecture), Japan.
I go in to the Ohtawara Board of Education (OBOE) office early and do some computer work--word processing... IE typing, printing and then photocopying.
I put together the August issue of The Tatami Times - a newsletter for JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme personnel living in the Tochigi Prefecture. I'm the editor and chief bottle washer.
When I'm done making 50+ copies, I then ride out to the Nishinasuno-eki (Nishinasuno train station) and zip down south to Oyama-shi and meet MariAnn Hironka who has pretty much assumed command of AJET (Association of JET), after our leader, Susan, has let things tumble...
Susan is still in charge, but MariAnn and I are doing a lot of work in preparation of the newcomers arriving on Sunday... though we (or at least I) won't be meeting them until Monday after they get a day to recover from the jet-lag before plummeting head first into the JET lag of our association.
MariAnn and I put together a book for the newcomers until 6PM... we stop, get some dinner before I head home at 9PM.
At home, I dictate corrections to MariAnn over the phone... she'll type up and print out things for the newcomers. It's an important responsibility... the more information they are armed with, hopefully the less stress they will go through initially.
Last year, I hardly had any stress, except for what I created for myself with an on-again/off-again romance with Ashley... an American who was my girlfriend but is now my friend with benefits (nudge-nudge-wink-wink). She left earlier this week for a vacation back in Augusta, Georgia with her family.
I miss her, but I'm also trying to move on, as she has made it clear that despite the awesome sex, we're not going to be a couple.
At this time in my life, I also hate AJET (lots of work and it seems little reward for myself) and MariAnn and her snotty then buddy-buddy attitude.
Saturday, July 27, 1991.
My friend Matthew, who lives five minutes away from me and teaches at the junior high schools out side the city where I teach, has headed down to Tokyo-shi today. The plan is that I'll meet him tomorrow... meaning I'll have to travel the trains by myself. Gods, I hope I don't get lost!
At my apartment, I do odd jobs and straighten up the place.
Matthew's girlfriend, Takako, a gorgeous local here in Ohtawara-shi, has agreed to stop by and feed my goldfish and water my plants for me while I am away in Tokyo looking after things. Tomorrow, I'm meeting my friend John from back in Toronto who has invited himself over - and why not?
Despite the anxiety of the next few upcoming days, today is pretty uneventful... and while I know I should be grateful to have a day like this, I'm going to be going full tile tomorrow and the next few days.
I hope my brain, liver and self-respect survive... but I'm not taking any bets on that.
Somewhere alone in my apartment-partment-partment-ment-ment-nt-nt,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is by: The Beatles: FLY.
PS: I don't think my place has been this quiet since I arrived in Japan...
