The weather has officially changed here. Interesting how quickly it seems to do this. Just a couple of weeks ago it was hot and humid and still felt a lot like summer, but now I am sleeping under a blanket and pointing the fan more at my feet instead of at my back. Soon the leaves will be changing and I'll be loading up the bike for trips to the gas station to get kerosene. Changing seasons is something I really never much noticed in California. Kinda cool how it happens here.

Watching a football game right now. New York Giants vs. Green Bay. Good game thus far. Mostly defense with a few offensive mistakes that has kept the score at nil late into the second quarter. This game is about 18 hours old by my calculations. Happy to be getting it.

This morning I was sitting here watching the news at about 7:45 and waking up for work when the phone rings. It was Nozawa-sensei from Tokai where I was scheduled to go today. He told me "Ahh, today we have student assembly. Second period will start at 10:30. Please come to our school at 10:20 for the second period."
"Ok," I said, happy that I would not have to see my usual first class as they are a bunch of noisy and/or sleepy fools.
Then he continued, "Ahh, today there is no English club after the sixth period. But can you help me after school? I have work to do with university (Tokai is also a university although I have nothing to do with it). I need help with American news. Can you help me with American news?"
"Sure," I said, really having no idea what he was talking about. But that is they way it often goes around here and I've learned just to agree and then do what has been requested. These odd jobs are usually quite easy since I speak English fairly well.
So I watched more news, took my time doing everything and left at a leisurely 9:45.
When I got to school there were two notes on my desk that looked to be written by the same person. One was regarding second period and the other was regarding third. Both mentioned what this mystery teacher wanted me to do in each of these classes. From the looks of it I'd never been to the first class but had been to the second. While I was reading these notes I overheard the other foreign teacher there, an Aussie named Chris, talking to one of the Japanese teachers about today's class lengths. Apparently the morning assembly changed the entire schedule and all classes would be 40 minutes instead of the normal 50. My day was getting better by the minute.
About this time the writer of the notes came over and presented herself. It was Yikiko and I've taught with her a few times before. She's a very nice young lady but has no control over the first period students I mentioned above. Anyway, she was explaining to me what we'd be doing in the next class when Nozawa comes over and asks if I am ready to go to class with him. At this I gave them both the confused look and they gave it back to me as well as to each other. Some mixup here as I can't be in two class at the same time. So they talked in their native tongue while I awaited my fate. So I ended up going to class with Nozawa and seeing my normal class (I like this lot) and had a fairly normal time.
After this class I went back to my desk and read over the note I had for this class. Strange thing though because I could have sworn that the handwriting was the same which would make this a note from Yikiko. But while I was reading it my normal third period teacher came over and began talking about what we'd be doing in our class. She was explaining when Yikiko came back to her desk, heard what she was saying to me, and reacted in a very surprised manner. So again, the native tongue comes out and I awaited my fate. This time, though, Yikiko won and I went to class with her.
These people need to talk to each other before notes get written and I show up. Nutty morning.
Then during the fourth period, for which I was off today, Nozawa comes over and leads me to a room so that I can watch the "American news." It ended up being a 30 minute local news (on NBC) from New York. Nozawa explained to me that they spoke English too fast for him to be able to understand. So my job was to watch a segment, stop the tape, and then explain what it was about to him. The news was from early August so it wasn't all that interesting. We did half of it during this period and then finished it up after school. Was easy.
Another funny part to the day happened during lunch when Chris told me, "Well, I got hit by a little karma today."
"What happened?" I asked.
He then proceeded to tell me that a few days ago he had helped a class prepare some questions to ask me today. He said the questions were good ones relating to my love life, relationships between boys and girls, and other things of that nature. Essentially questions no teacher wants to tackle in front of a bunch of horny teenagers. The karma came in when, in the all the confusion over which class I was going to, he ended up having to go to that class himself and answer those questions. HA HA HA! Now that's funny!
Anyway, was a good day. I like it when the schdules change and I end up hainvg no idea what I will be doing; especially when it happens at a school where I don't much care for a couple of the classes I normally have.

This weekend I go to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix. I have been an F1 fan for about 10 years now and have seen the Suzuka race every year on tv so this is going to be great to actually be there. I will post pictures here when I get back.

Ok, that's enough for tonight. I am at the Kencho tomorrow so I might write more if I have access to the computer. Now back to the game. 7 to 7 in the 3rd.