Well, I didn't have to go to school today. Got a call from Goto-san at home the other evening and through a difficult-to-understand conversation he informed me that my Friday school had called and said to make my first day out there a week from today. So yesterday was it for this week. Oh well. No big deal. Monday I will be here, at the Kencho, again and then Tuesday I start a run of school days that should last a while.

I am still undecided as to whether I want to do a third year here. I like living here but the seven school thing had gotten to me by May and I imagine that it will not be as fun this year as it was last year due to the newness of it all not being a factor (I am speaking only about the job here). I am really beginning to think that seven schools is a bit much. Hard to keep up with. And I still don't really know any of my students. It's a bit tough coming in every time and feeling out of touch with what is going on.
But anyway, I don't bring this up to complain (that ain't my style). I bring this up cause today I had a short conversation at lunch with Dilek about grad school. She said she just applied. And I thought, "Damn. I guess I should start looking into that." So I looked at Washington and Oregon residency requirements (for an example) and it looks as though it takes a year to establish yourself in order to be able to pay in-state fees. And since I recently gave up my California residency I imagine that is the case there too. Is this the case for all states? I don't know.
It is going to be tough finding a job from here, also, I imagine. Not that I want one. Heh heh. But in all honesty I have no idea what I am qualified to do. Very little, I imagine. Pretty sure I don't want to teach although teaching my own students on a more frequent basis might be much different and more enjoyable than my current situation. Again, don't know.
Anyway, if this is my last year here, I need to get started on all this. Would still like to be a pirate though. How does one go about that?

This weekend I haven't got much planned. Yamashita night tomorrow but other than that I guess I'll leave it to Amy to entertain me. She'll like that.

Yesterday I ran into Mashi on my way through his driveway and to my place. We stopped and exchanged greetings and I asked how he was doing. Now, his English is very broken but he did manage to tell me that his cousin had died a few days before and that yesterday was the funeral. "Oh," I said, "Sorry to hear that." Then he went on to tell me that his cousin was only 48. At this I was a bit shocked and tried to ask how he had died but couldn't get my question across. I asked if it was a heart attack and he said, "Yes, my heart is broken." This, of course, doesn't quite mean what you and I would have it mean but I got his point, though, I never did find out what had caused his cousin's death.
So I might never know. That is just the way it goes sometimes over here. But hell, man, 48! That's rather young.

Ok, not much to say really. Just trying to make it through this Friday and into Friday night when I can go home, have a beer, listen to some tunes, and wait around for Amy. Have only 25 minutes to go. Have a good weekend.