Hey Everybody,

I'm back. I'm looking for some new ideas on how to run a 30-day marathon of promptness. Technically, I started 5 days ago, but I'm in need of some motivating methods from your brains.

In particular,

-how to keep on top of emails (my original goal was to empty my inbox every day, but I'm falling behind already, on Day 5!)

-things to do in the morning that get you up going(besides coffee)

-podcasts or music that motivate and inspire you (mostly things to listen to when I wake up or am driving to Aikido)

-anything else you think would be helpful!


I would also like to start a 30-day marathon of something unrelated to that, such as giving a massage to someone every day for one month, just to see what the results would be. I could use your help with ideas of that sort too. Just post a comment, email or call me.

As for what's been going on these days... well, since October I've been working back at some of my original junior high schools in Arao. I work for the YMCA(we don't actually sing the song together, although I won't say I haven't sung it recently ;-) ) as a contracted teacher, and I work for three schools, as opposed to the 17 I had in my first year.

The work is pretty much the same as it has been. I'm pretty used to teaching by now, and although teaching junior high is a little bit different than high school, I can use most of the same lesson ideas, games and such as I could in Tamana Girls' High School.

Among the teachers I work with, their effectiveness in the classroom ranges from terrible to terrific. The most terrificest teacher in my opinion, Mr. So, captivates even me, so much that I wish I could learn Japanese from him. I've been taking notes on his methods, because I really find them to be motivating, adaptable and well, plain old interesting.

Otherwise, I look forward to changing jobs some time this year, not because I don't like my job, just because I'd be a lot better at something else. Whether that means being a student back at home for a while, or what--as long as I'm not at Starbucks(nothing against Starbucks, I just can't imagine working at a coffee shop when I don't even drink coffee. I only say this because three of my friends worked at Starbucks after they came home from Japan).

I'm staying with Japanese family now, and I have been since I came back to Japan this summer. That's been working out well, with a little bit of an adjustment period behind us. My J family is extremely kind and generous, and I'm deeply grateful to them.

As for the holidays, I took a short trip to Obama Town, Nagasaki, with a few friends over winter break.



(Nagasaki night view)

Can't think of a place I'd rather have spent my new year's. Let's hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship.