Kakuta Haruo---Decoding Japan---

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Location: Sakai, Osaka, Japan

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

To Control the Author-Teacher Relationship within Myself

If I work on class, my teacher will display more wit, charm, erudition, loquaciousness, cleverness and panache than me, the author. How is that possible? Because of the time factor. What my teacher says and does in a class seems spontaneous. They seem like real me saying and doing clever things. But the author of this class may have stayed up for two nights asking myself what the teacher could do to impress students.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Can Kitabatake Keep Being Called Kitabatake?

I have read the novel "Hagun no Hoshi" written by Kitakata Kenzo, whose main character is Kitabatake Akiie (1318-1338). In the story, Akiie dies at Ishizu in today's Sakai City, not at Kitabatake in today's Osaka City. I wonder how many believe Kitabatake died at Kitabatake.

Monday, August 16, 2010

July, 2010

Thursday, July the 1st, 2010

It's another hot morning. The morning sun is sending its beams directly onto the lower bounds. I feel really tired after yesterday's concert. Some students badly need listenership.

Friday, July the 2nd, 2010

A hot cloudy morning. The last class day of the week at last! The problem is if I can survive the coming 8 or 9 hours.

It is still hot in the tram. The air-conditioner conditions the air's temperature but not its smell. It smells stuffy.

Yesterday, I started using the Twitter for real. I might as well use it for a large scale concerning career education.

Saturday, July the 3rd, 2010

It's raining so hard. The air smells damp and acrid. I hear raindrops falling. It sounds like tens of thousands of faucets are developing their water out in millions of drips. I have fitted out my Twitter in Japanese, while I have been using Facebook in English. Should I have second thoughts about using Hatena in Japanese and Blogger in English? Everything should be organized around branding myself. I have no time to waste.

To twitter, or to grumble? That is the question. Or to grouch? Boyaki sounds suited to the twitter. However, I want to be positive, or have to live positively toward the end of my career. I have only several years left.

Sunday, July the 4th, 2010

Another cloudy morning after yesterday's being a rainy day. A high-rise apartment building has built on the eastern of the station, which shed a long shadow to ease the morning sun. I've got a seat on the morning commuting train. Of course, it's Sunday today. No wonder!

The Yamato River has gathered water and spread its width. The southern edge of its water is almost washing its concrete bank. A typical scene after a long rain. As the train approaches the terminal, the clouds have started dimming the sun up. The sun, for now, is shading the world with its dimly bright lights. Is the world lighted or unlighted? Or should I say, “Is the world enlightened or obscured?”

Monday, July the 5th, 2010

This morning, it was so fine and bright that every and any leaf had its own dark side, shadows. “(O)nly in dark the light, … bright the hawk's flight on the empty sky.” (from The Creation of Ea) The world is fringed with shadows.

Tuesday, July the 6th, 2010

Thick greens are sinking in the light rain. Trains are delayed for half an hour. Rains are sometimes troublesome.

Wednesday, July the 7th, 2010

The Tanabata Day has a foggy morning. Or does the air contain so much humid that the greens over there seem to be masked?

On the train, two girl students are busy cramming for their music test, probably this morning's. One remembers perfectly which part starts in which bar in which major/minor in Bach's Fughetta.

Thursday, July the 8th, 2010

The shadow of the opposite apartment building gives us a relief in such a fine hot summer morning. How do you dare to be a teacher on such a stout day?

A day of work has finished, watching the movie Ooku for a little more than 2 hours. The viewing gave certain tired feeling.

Friday, July the 9th, 2010

Another cloudy morning with a lot of humid around me. Is it only around me? Or around the world? Around the Universe? Is it wet or dry in the space?

It's still something like the darkness before the dawn. The clouds are so thick that even the 7:33 sun cannot send enough light onto the ground. I wonder if the darkness will be cleared sometime. Or someday?

Saturday, July the 10th, 2010

A fine morning was not so hot, but it's getting hotter to ward the noon.

Sunday, July the 11th, 2010

A cloudy morning has been leading to a rainy afternoon.

"Not there. Not on the sea. Not on the sea but on dry land: what land? Before the springs of the open sea, beyond the sources, behind the gates of daylight ---" (Le Guin, p.190) Where am I going? Not there. Not in the world. Before the Western Pure Land, beyond the hope, behind the dead end.

It's so hot on the platform. Hot and wet. The fine but steady rain is adding humid to the air. I wonder why the temperature below our body and water which our body also contains can give us such an unpleasing feeling.

Monday, July the 12th, 2010

It's a very windy morning. Is the warm weather front passing northward so as to bring the summer after it? The House of Councilors election has passed. What to leave after it?

The rain is going down softly and lightly at Ten'noji. However wet the rain makes it, there could be a blessing rain. However confusing the result might look, could there be a blessing election?

Tuesday, July the 13th, 2010

It suddenly restarted raining. It had rained hard last midnight. Thanks to the rain, the breezes are a little bit cooler, although they have much, or even more, humid within themselves. The season is going forward, however slowly it is.

I have segregated my habitats in the Facebook and/or the Twitter. The next question is how to form a new community suitable for the Twitter. More specifically speaking, with whom I should start recruiting.

Wednesday, July the 14th, 2010

It's raining wetly. So wetly, that every inch of the air feels to be stuffed with water, humid, vapor, whatever you may call it.

I don't want to lose to anybody, any game.

Thursday, July the 15th, 2010

A jungle. The thickness of the greens is that of a jungle. The damp of the air is that of a jungle. Is the law of the business that of a jungle?

Friday, July the 16th, 2010

Cicadas! Just a little bit of the summer sun shine gives us cicadas singing.

The tram is being invaded with the spillover (or spill-in?) of the hot air outside. Once the door is shut, it is a world apart of the outside world. The separateness seems rather ridiculous today.

Monday, July the 19th, 2010

A very very hot morning even from the very start of the day. Finishing the morning routines, I'm heading toward school to take care of the club. It will be another hot day.

My right elbow has been aching since a couple of days ago. I shouldn't have bitten off more than I could chew. The question is whether I should ask ECC or TOEFL Seminar to send someone to explain TOEFL.

It's sweating hot at noon. I've sent out some messages to broaden my Twitter and/or Facebook communities.

Tuesday, July the 20th, 2010

Another very hot morning. I'm sweating even before drying the washings.

It's so sweating! I have sweated a lot even before getting to Ten'noji-ekimae Stop. Two more days! Two more days, and I will be freed somewhat. Not thoroughly, but at least somewhat.

Wednesday, July the 21st, 2010

The last class day before the summer holidays is another melting hot day. I really feel grateful to the apartment building in the east of the station.

Sitting on the tram, I'm thinking of the coming day, 1 English Expression class, 1 Comprehension Study class, general cleaning, and then general meeting of students. It sounds I'm having a very general morning. Later in the afternoon, I will have trilateral confabulation. That will make another hard day.

Thursday, July the 22nd, 2010

We are having the SEC camp at Nagai Youth Hostel today, and tomorrow. I have to consolidate questionnaires.

Friday, July the 23rd, 2010

Just too hot! I can hardly bear the hotness. I should have left home earlier, as early as I usually do. This morning, I'm heading to the Nagai Youth Hostel, which is closer than the school. I'm taking the train more than 1 hour later than usual. We have barely a shadow. The sun beams are much stronger.

Here I am in Nagai YH. It's blessing cool inside the building. Compared with the outside, it's just a heaven.

Saturday, July the 24th, 2010

Another infernally hot day.

Sunday, July the 25th, 2010

I'm visiting Seiko Gakuen on such a hot day to take care of the club without the help of the coach. It will be another tiresome day.

Monday, July the 26th, 2010

It's head-emptying hot this morning. My head has been almost faded out.

I bought a 420-yen Japanese lunch box in Ten'noji Station this morning, and moved on to the tram stop. The 8:50 tram is surprisingly uncrowded. Is it because almost all the high school students are having their summer holidays now?

Tuesday, July the 27th, 2010

The Twitter might be a good answer for the school public relations. That will enable each doer of each educational activity to send out the information of the activity. That will make the school public relations more efficient and speedier than carrying it out via a transmitter of various information.

Wednesday, July the 28th, 2010

Yesterday was a laboring day. I cleaned the male locker room in the morning, and helped remove pieces of furniture in an ALT's apartment room.

Today is, meanwhile, another hot day. Hot is hot, but, as it is very cloudy, it's not so hot as it has been for about a week.

The Twitter might also coordinate school public relations with information generators' personal branding and carrier development.

Thursday, July the 29th, 2010

I am trapped in a prison. As such, my notebook is Prison Notebook. Americans sound to believe partisanship is the evidence or proof of political sophistication. If so, being sophisticated just means being automatic. Is sophistication merely automatism?

It seems that I have always been pursuing "interdisciplinary projects” which “are almost always the most difficult to finance” or to win approval, “because it is difficult to identify ... agencies who will also be interested in breaking down barriers." (Marco Iacooni, "Mirroring People", 2008, Picador, New York, p.248) To carry on such projects I have to meet people in other discipline "several times over the course of a year to figure out how to set up a series of experiments that would address the various issues” all the participants are “interested in.” We are “venturing into the unknown.” It will take “us a while to shape our interests and ideas into viable experimental designs. When we finally do, we have “to face the standing problem in” education. “How could we fund the project?"(ibid., p.247)

Friday, July the 30th, 2010

A hot morning after the rain is very humid. Having washed out, the greens look a bit refreshed, and are simmering in the morning sun shine.

Iacooni says, "The subjects who knew a lot about politics were the ones who responded quickly and with consistent attitudes. The subjects who didn't know nearly as much took a long time to respond and then did so 'inconsistently.'" (Marco Iacooni, "Mirroring People", 2008, Picador, New York, p.245/246) The truth can be the other way around: The subjects who responded quickly and with consistent attitudes were considered to be the ones who knew a lot about politics. The subjects who nearly as much took a long time to respond and then did so “inconsistently” were, on the other hand, considered to be the ones who didn't know.

If I give you inconsistent ideas consistently, am I consistent, or inconsistent? Does the consistency mean that I will get caught in every and any trap? If so, even the freedom might mean that we walk around along the prison wall.

Saturday, July the 31st, 2010

The sky seen in the prison.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

June, 2010

Tuesday, June the 1st, 2010

The first day of the rainy month is fine and rather hot. I don't mean it's too hot for the season, but it has been too cold these days.

It hasn't been so bad so far today. Even the cold is getting better finally.

Wednesday, June the 2nd, 2010

Each of the leaves, each of the greens, are lit by the morning sun shine. Buddha resides in details. Is it unanimous, or ubiquitous?

Thursday, June the 3rd, 2010

I must feel lucky. A big apartment building has been built in the east of the station, which shelters me from the morning sun shine. In spring, it meant nothing, but, as it has become summer, it means a lot; I can feel relieved.

Friday, June the 4th, 2010

A good morning. Not so hot, not so cold. Shaded by the building, waiting at the station is not so stressful as it used to be. I wonder, or wish, something would shade us from everything in business.

"I therefore think it is likely that these 20 percent of the mirror neurons in lateral F5 are the result of the repeated exposure of the animals to the sight of human experimenters using tools. This explanation of Ferrari's findings suggests that mirror neurons can acquire new properties, a key feature to support imitative learning." (Marco Iacooni, "Mirroring People", 2008, Picador, New York, p.42) This suggests that "exposure" has significant meaning for the animals to "acquire new properties, a key feature to support" whatever learning. And a human being is an animal, too. The meaningfulness of exposure might support the usefulness of apprenticeship. And that, in turn, leads us to tie-ups.

Saturday, June the 5th, 2010

An off day. "(W)e are on the receiving end of beauty(.)" (Annie Dillard, 'Pilgrim at Tinker Creek', "Three by Annie Dillard", 2001, Perennial, New York, p.138) Is it just “of beauty” that “we are on the receiving end”? It might be of truth or something different as well.

Annie Dillard continues, "Landscape is the texture of intricacy, and texture is my present subject." (ibid., p.136) "What I want to do, then, is add time to the texture(.)" (ibid., p.138) What is my subject? And what do I want to add to the subject?

Sunday, June the 6th, 2010

Both Omuro Gurutto Map and Decoding Kyoto projects are to develop students' fieldwork competency and English proficiency. The two are also doing their bit for the development and improvement of the local community especially in enhancing multiculturalism and attracting inbound tourism.

Is anonymity in inconsistent with individualism? It seems to me they are in juxtaposition, hand in hand, back to back. Anonymity is unanimity, and vice versa. When does anonymous person stop being closeted and stand up to camp it out? Even when they do it, is it just their low camp has become that of high camp?

Monday, June the 7th, 2010

Greens are getting settled. Not every and each green is standing up, but searching for some middle ground.

Inside the tram is a little bit stuffy. Not so crowded, not so hot, yet it is humid and choking. Are we ready for the coming rainy season?

Tuesday, June the 8th, 2010

Greens have got matured. They have undergone their early adolescence. I'm visiting Osaka City University this afternoon. The collaboration will get matured?

I'm taking the 16:11 local train to be late for the meeting with college professors. The tram I had been going to take was a little bit late, or, maybe, a little bit so early that I should take the next one. I don't know which, but I'm going to be late for about 10 minutes.

Wednesday, June the 9th, 2010

It's cloudy this morning. I feel tired after yesterday's visiting the Univ. And sleepy. Couldn't I sleep well last night? A collaboration always needs cross-cultural understanding. Each community has its own culture.

Thursday, June the 10th, 2010

The Japanese word for “weather” is “ten-ki.” The two Chinese character sometimes pronounced “ten-ke,” and means the heaven's (or the Emperor's) condition. These two days, the heaven's condition has been very hot and clear. However, the ground has had its own problems:

A negative problem was that one answer sheet was missing yesterday. It was not collected by the tag end student, and was not checked or counted properly by the teacher. A positive problem was that I am busy organizing everything for sectoral briefings and mock lectures.

Friday, June the 11th, 2010

A hot morning will lead to the evening welcome/farewell party. Who are taking part in it?

We are having a meeting with Kawai Cram School this afternoon. I am supposed to make contacts with 4 private universities, and a couple of national/public ones. Has career education been ever busier?

Saturday, June the 12th, 2010

It's so hot even from the start of the day. Washings will be dried well. However, marking in the teachers' office will be a tough one.

The intrinsic school identity is needed. Both of International Science High School and Super Science High School are extrinsic. Extrinsic identities, which are usually given by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, by the Board of Education, don't last long, although they bring some budgets. Where do intrinsic school identities come from then? They might come from the school's history. It means some of them come from its alumni, some others from its past teachers, and still some others from its surrounding local communities.

Sunday, June the 13th, 2010

A cloudy morning is having a rainy afternoon.

Monday, June the 14th, 2010

A cloudy morning after a half day's rain. Bird by bird, detail by detail, things are to be described. Otherwise, nothing could be communicated.

Tuesday, June the 15th, 2010

After Kitabatake, Abe? After Abe, Oji? What comes next? I still have stiff shoulders after marking 4 classes of the tests and composing the text over Akiie's death. Its framing is not so bad, but the configuration of its ideas or implications is not enough yet. Do I still have a gut to elaborate the text?

Wednesday, June the 16th, 2010

A cloudy morning after a day's hard raining. Everything is so wet. So is my mind? Not so much.

How about exporting CSV files of semboku_jp and fuko-eiken to Facebook? That doesn't necessarily mean inviting those on the list to Facebook. One of basic operations before one of the possible next steps.

I think I successfully imported semboku_jp into the facebook, without any significant effects though. I don't have to flounder around on the issue. “Let comers come; goers go.” might be the best policy.

Thursday, June the 17th, 2010

A hot fine morning. A break, or a half time, in the rainy season.

I finished editing “Ito Shizuo at Matsumushi-dori” on the morning tram. That was not five minutes' work but easier than 10 minutes'. I finished marking English Expression's tests later in the morning. Today has been a finishing day.

Friday, June the 18th, 2010

A stuffy cloudy morning. It's humid and hot even at the very start of the day. It seems I failed updating the anti-virus soft. The last class day of the week has a rather languid start.

Should I start gathering new materials to cover another story?

I talked with two students over choosing subjects for more than an hour. That was energy-consuming. I just hope it helped the students.

As for DASAI project, I asked the last student to finish the last part of Kishi-no Gohon-matsu. We have to share the finished draft next week first, before we will hand that to ALTs to check it.

Saturday, June the 19th, 2010

A rainy morning. I have to go to school to finish some miscellaneous services, or odd jobs.

A hot cloudy afternoon. It's sweatingly hot.

Phase transition could be found where? Anywhere. "One of the most startling examples in support of this idea is the spontaneous but fully developed sign language created by deaf children in Nicaragua schools in the late 1970s to 1980s. before that time, the deaf in Nicaragua were largely isolated, communicating with friends and family through simple gestures and 'homemade,' ad hoc sign systems. Then the Sandinista revolution encouraged centers for special education of deaf children. Hundreds were enrolled in two schools in the Managua area---a critical mass, it turned out. While interacting in the school yard, on the buses, and in the streets, these children progressively developed a shared sign language by combining gestures from their individual systems. Initially, this was a relatively simple language with a simple grammar and few synonyms---what is called a pidgin language. Later on, younger kids developed a more sophisticated, well-defined, stable, and full-blown sign language that is now known as Idioma de Senas de Nicaragua." (Marco Iacooni, "Mirroring People", 2008, Picador, New York, p.99) This is a good example that polyadelphous ( or many-bodied) system could lead to phase transition. “(J)oint power of imitation and innovation creates communication." (ibid. p.99)

Sunday, June the 20th, 2010

A cloudy messy morning. I watched an art brut TV program this morning. Creating only for their own good sounds both enviable and plaintive. Do I do something even when the deed is just for my own good? It's very cumbersome, isn't it?

Fujiwara Sanesuke, who left his diary Shoyuki (978-1032), was born 1,000 years before my birth, and died in 1046 at the age of 89(?).

Monday, June the 21st, 2010

A possible rainy day? Or just a cloudy morning. The greens are gradually draping the world. The would-be maturation of the green world will lead to the sear heat, won't it?

The end of the day; the end of the burden. Who will benefit whom is another question to be asked. The nest human the benefit would be passed to might be the first who had passed his benefit to the second.

Tuesday, June the 22nd, 2010

A rainy dawn has led to a cloudy commuting hour. It7s very humid.

The tram seems, or feels, more crowded with the humidity. The crowdedness powers the humidity in turn.

A small failure or shortfall of a partner sometimes cost me more than an hour. So did one today. I left school at 19:45. Still there were a lot of students leaving school or finishing their club activities yet.

Wednesday, June the 23rd, 2010

A rainy morning in the rainy season is washing the green leaves. The leaves are shining dimly in the light of the clouded sun. No wonder we are said to live in laurel forests.

A green poster, a tea arbor in a bamboo grove, is out of the opposite tram window. The window is wet with the rain drops. The greens on the poster might be wet with the rain. Greens are being washed in the rain anywhere. It's ubiquitous in this rainy season.

It's so energy-consuming! I have talked with several students after school every after school these days. I left school at 19:15 even today.

Thursday, June the 24th, 2010

Having been washed out, the dense greens look somewhat fresher. Can we expect some better weather today? Can we, in other words, predict a better day in the sky, and on the ground as well.

Friday, June the 25th, 2010

A cloudy green morning. The hotness of the day has been inflated even on my way to school. It will be a hot rainy season day.

Saturday, June the 26th, 2010

It's raining this morning. I have re-validated the anti-virus software.

Sunday, June the 27th, 2010

It's so hot this morning. Occasional breezes give me a relief even at the very beginning of the day. How hot will it become toward the noon? I have a club activity to take care of.

Yesterday's rain, which rained for the whole day, washed the greens. The dense greens look ever refreshed again. The denseness still holds some fresh light greens. Japanese cinnamon trees and fragrant olives are giving their buds out.

The 7:43 tram is not so crowded. 4 of us, its passengers, at first, and 13 when it leaves Ten'noji-ekimae Stop. Unlucky? Never mind! The weather is getting better as the tram leaves the stop, and that makes me mind or regret that I should haven washed more. Never mind?

Monday, June the 28th, 2010

It's so hot this morning. The tram passengers are sweating after some of each commuting. The goal is still several stops away.

I feel tired after yesterday's club. Watching games tires me a lot these days. I might be doing some shadow playing as I watch.

I feel hot, not mentally but physically. It means that it's just so hot, especially after the air-conditioners in teachers' office being turned off. It's usually said that the end of money is the end of love. The end of air conditioner is the end of a hard worker.

Tuesday, June the 29th, 2010

A very hot morning with the heaven almost covered with clouds. That shows we are still in the rainy season, and having the summer just around the corner. No wonder it's so sultry.

The sultriness suggests the coming melting hotness. What does the word “coming” mean here? Within the day? Or about the season? In wither meaning, the word will come true.

Another hot hard work day is over. I am on my way back home on the tram. I'm just afraid of smelling sweaty.

May, 2010

Saturday, May the 1st, 2010

It is fine. Very fine this morning.

I'm waiting for the train at Mozu Station, feeling the warm sun shine. The winter has gone, and, with the warm sun shine and winds, the summer is coming. Then, where has the spring gone?

The Study-Support divides the students into 4 groups; the Group 1, High Study Performance with Low Study Habit; Group 2, Low Study Performance with Low Study Habit; Group 3, High Study Performance with High Study Habit; Group 4, Low Study Performance with High Study Habit. The demographic shift is easy to follow, but is just the amassment of individual personal performances and behaviors, while each student's performance and behavior is the accumulation of daily perspiration.

Sunday, May the 2nd, 2010

The Decoding Abeno & Sumiyoshi Area Initiative might be a good naming for the project, although it might sound a little bit nerdy and unfashionable when abbreviated.

Thank You (or 390) lunch boxes have gone, and I bought the 420 one. The Engel's coefficient might rise for 7.7%.

Monday, May the 3rd, 2010

An off day after 7 days is a holiday, Constitution Day. Or should it be called Constitution Memorial Day, because the constitution has long been forgotten in all but name.

Tuesday, May the 4th, 2010

The supply and demand for minor pilgrimages can be seen. Petit sightseers are hanging around with brochures in their hands in my neighborhood. They might have escaped from the overcrowded “holy places” such as those of Sakamoto Ryoma.

Wednesday, May the 5th, 2010

The greatest major pilgrimages this year are those bound for the “holy places” concerning Sakamoto Ryoma, as NHK's saga drama covers him for a year. However, I found some petit sightseers hanging around in front of the neighboring ancient tomb mound with brochures in their hands. Some need grand tourism, while some others just need petit sightseeing. In any case, holy places and their pilgrimage should be supplied to answer the demand. The pilgrimage implies the pilgrims' ways, Eucharistic food, sacramental goods, and, sometimes, even imarets.

What is the holiness? To be a holy place which attracts holiday makers, a neighborhood should have certain holiness.

Thursday, May the 6th, 2010

Misty feelings. Choked with the humid. The first class day after the Golden Week starts with a cloudy morning. Having been invaded by yellow sand for a couple of days, the windows of the tram are dusted over. Even the air seems to have gathered dust.

On my way back home, I'm taking a tram at dusk. In the dusk, I can hardly find the dust. At night, from distance, under a hat, we can hardly find foulness.

Eki-naka, or in-station, style sounds suitable to me. Purchasing lunch in a station is more convenient than out of the station.

Friday, May the 7th, 2010

It started raining as I started drying washings, if that can be called drying. It is raining somewhat outside the tram on my way to school. As I took 6:56 train at Mozzu Station, the train and the tram are not so much crowded. However, the rapid train from Sakai-shi Station was ridiculously packed with commuters, as it goes through to Osaka Station. The rapid train after the 7:06 one at Mozu was much better, not so much crowded.

Saturday, May the 8th, 2010

A fine morning. Will it be hot?

Sunday, May the 9th, 2010

We must not forget that "our opportunities and our life chances continue to be structured by our lived rather than our mediated experiences." (Andy Furlong and Fred Cartmel, "Young People and Social Change", 1997, Buckingham, Open University Press, p.113) Accumulated lived experiences build up human capital.

Monday, May the 10th, 2010

The first full class week after the Golden Week is going to start. However, we are going to have a sports day at the end of the week. Is it fully a class week in a real meaning?

A toll bar at a railroad crossing between Higashi-Kaizuka and Higashi-Kishiwada was broken, and trains consequently delayed for about 10 minutes. The train I took was super-crowded because of the accumulation of the commuters caused by the delay. It was a relief to find the tram less crowded, and I could obtain a seat to sit.

Tuesday, May the 11th, 2010

The cloudy morning has led to the rainy evening. It's raining outside the tram.

Wednesday, May the 12th, 2010

The cloudy morning … will lead to a fine afternoon?

We should reevaluate the idea of our having human capital, as "our opportunities and our life chances continue to be structured by our lived rather than our mediated experiences." (Andy Furlong and Fred Cartmel, "Young People and Social Change", 1997, Buckingham, Open University Press, p.113) Any individual should accumulate his/her own lived experiences to build up his/her own human capital.

It's getting “cold” in the afternoon. Yes, I can say it's cold. Chilly winds are blowing northward, and the sky is covered with sluggish clouds. The setting sun is reflecting its brightness on the other sides of the clouds, revealing its power on the edges of the clouds. The brightness of the edges, however, is almost that of winter.

Thursday, May the 13th, 2010

It is still a little bit cold this morning. I can say, however, it is refreshing; not too cold, not too hot.

A hot day has passed. It has not been literally hot, but the school was hot with the preparation for the coming sports day.

Friday,May the 14th, 2010

It may be one of the bottom high schools in the academic hierarchy.

Saturday, May the 15th, 2010

The devil makes work for idle hands.

Sunday, May the 16th, 2010

The astrology suggests that I should go out in public. What kind of public should it be? Anyway, the street in front of my house is busy with the preparation for the Tour Japan of cycling. I walked in front of the cycling public to get to the station. Can I say I made myself in public?

Monday, May the 17th, 2010

The pay day started with a fine rather hot morning. I possibly will be a summer day.

What should we do to those who lack a posture or readiness for college entrance examinations? Try to develop a preferable posture? Or to prepare a gimmick or two to lure them?

Tuesday, May the 18th, 2010

The Summer has come. At least its early version has. It is very difficult for me to describe the details of the transformation from Spring to Summer. Gods reside in details. How can I find details when the greens are so deep and dense?

Wednesday, May the 19th, 2010

A humid cloudy morning. Two middle-aged men made a quarrel in the train. No wonder. It's very stuffy today.

Friday, May the 21st, 2010

A misty green morning is the start of the school trip day. I'm taking the 07:12 train at Mozu Station, and heading toward Kyoto in my white shirt and tie on. What's the difference?

Having become so hot toward the high noon, walking around the Mimuro area was a tough one. The bus from Ryoan-ji Temple was so much crowded that we gave up taking it, and walked back to the Ritsumeikan University to pick up another one. Although we could take a seat on it, it took us longer to get to Keihan-Sanjo Station than we had expected, as the streets were very busy. Is visiting Kyoto so popular? Even back alleys were busy even before the sun set.

On the 17:43 train from Kyobashi to Ten'noji, a college (or high school?) student is reading A Catcher in the Rye. Hang it out, a young lad!

Saturday, May the 22nd, 2010

A hot rather fine morning led to a cloudy hot afternoon, which has become a stuffy evening with slight rain.

Sunday, May the 23rd, 2010

The day started with rain even from the very beginning.

Green, green, green, and green. As the greens have thicken, my way to the station has become unanimous and monotone. Even the dots of white clovers and the leftovers of azaleas are overpowered by the greens, … as I am.

It's raining hard on my way home. It's not spring rain, but still not summer rain. Too hard to be called spring one, but too cold to be that of summer. We may be in the shadow of the two season. Transition is always sore, as Iacooni puts it: "we all know that it is hard to give up the old paradigm, to think outside the box, to change --- and not just in science." (Marco Iacooni, "Mirroring People", 2008, Picador, New York, p.13) Not just in science, but even in seasons.

Monday, May the 23rd, 2010

Small rain drops are hitting the muddy deep green surface of the moat. Branches are sunk in the water. Summer is the season of the ground; while winter is that of the heaven.

Visited Ritsumei-kan Univ. and talked with Prof. Wataru Ozawa, who has produced Omuro Gurutto Map. The Map is published in English, in Chinese, in Korean, as well as in Japanese. The project is to develop students' fieldwork competency and English proficiency.

Buildings are sinking in the dusk, with the faraway western sky still holding shantih twilight. As the street lights have got put on, the dusk deepens itself.

Tuesday, May the 24th, 2010

After yesterday's heavy rain, the trunks are mossed. That makes the scene ever and even greener. Greens are overpowering the world.

Wednesday, May the 25th, 2010

The dimly wet sun lights are shining on the dimly sunk greens on the ground through the dimly wet clouds. Dimness is not only in my brain.

Ritsumaikan University has another English-education-related project, Decoding Kyoto. The project is organized along the Policy Science Department line, while the Map is along the Industrious Sociology Department line. I can hardly tell the difference between the two, but find it very interesting they are dealing English as a tool to render service to the society.

Thursday, May the 26th, 2010

Crowding clouds are covering the heaven. Seen from the heaven, the ground is covered with the clouds. Separated by the clouds, blues are ever blue, and greens are, not ever but occasionally, green.

The problem how to synchronize the files has been settled. Stop using a USB memory, and directly synchronize the SD card and the hard disk memory on my Intranet PC. I wonder if I should synchronize the SD card and the hard disk memory on my PC at home.

Friday, May the 27th, 2010

Simmering greens are pressing along the street. Glazing clouds are weighing over the road. The way to the destination is usually pressing.

Yo-zemi is buying off another education-related company. The educating industry is accelerating its realignment.

Saturday, May the 28th, 2010

I should have personal branding myself in my own mind. My DIY enables my to understand students' DIY.

We explicitly need High-end Exit Strategy and Low-end Exit Strategy. The explicitness would enable us someday to fit to the new situation.

Cohort, bracket, group... we need a appropriate category to talk about the new situation.

Will the tie-ups with cram schools lead us to another CEE literacy?

Sunday, May the 29th, 2010

Almost the end of the month. It's fine today, although I'm afraid I have a little bit of cold. Gods reside in details.

The God resides in details. Or, The Buddha resides in details.

The setting sun is still high in the heaven. At 6 in the evening, it is still bright and warm. Taking care of the club in the afternoon always demands me to close all the doors and gates. In the summer, however, it is not so bothersome. Ah, but I remember the last Sunday. Raining hard, some students secretly staying in the club house, it was really troublesome.

I have to get prepared to the individualizing and personalizing society, or the education in such a society. Isn't it contradiction

Monday, May the 30th, 2010

Actually the last day of the month. It is fine and rather hot this morning, although I have rather cold-like symptoms. It this a kind of a hay fever again?

How to make good use of Office Live, especially its Small Business Support, is my next challenge for the Summer Dies Non. Their good exploitation would enable me both to develop myself and to enhance the educational activities.

Participial constructions might be difficult to understand, especially when they have a subject and become an absolute participial construction. When a participial construction is used to make the sentence compact, what use does an absolute participial construction, which has at least one word more, have?