Weather

This is the craziest weather season I can ever remember in Dallas. We have had so much cold weather and so much rainy weather. I can't remember it ever being like this. I hate cold and rainy.

Long week

It is almost the end of a long week. Having a Saturday class now is really kicking me in the rear. It is nice to know my MA is finished. Still, with evening classes giving me 12 hour work days, Saturdays are tough for me. I enjoy my class but it is hard to keep energized.

Apparently I have tons of food allergies. Once I change my diet to a 4 day rotation and start taking these food allergy shots, I'll feel better and have more energy. I am just allergic to everything on the planet. I stalled going back for my last talk with the allergy nurse. I need to make it back so I can start doing what I need to do.

2010

One of my goals for 2009 has carried on into 2010. Dieting. I still go to the gym as much as possible. I enjoy that. I also enjoy unhealthy food. I also need unhealthy food when I don't have time for anything else. If I ate at home more, I would be able to lose weight. I used to have a decent diet. I need to be able to do better with that.

Desires

I think I'd like the chance to teach abroad again. I really enjoyed my time in Japan and South Korea. It was a good way to spend my mid-20s. Moving back to Dallas has been difficult. I've got a good situation. I finished my MA. I have a job I like. However, I miss the lifestyle I had when I lived in Asia. I am not to say I am unhappy now but I miss those days.

All finished

I am officially finished now with my MA in education and curriculum. No more work to do. Let's see how well this pays off now. I can sigh a breathe of relief while working my tail off doing what I do. I hope to get some better opportunities in the near future.

48 hours

The last 48 hours are the most stressful. I ALMOST have all the work done I need to finish my class class for my MA. I have a little more to do tomorrow morning. I am too tired tonight. It is a group project and I hope they'll tell me it is good enough. Once we compile everything tomorrow, we are good to go! I will officially finish Monday but I think we will finish everything tomorrow, Sunday.

I need this to finish. I teach my evening classes and now I have a Saturday class too from 8:30-1:00. I need my time to be MY TIME without worrying about having more work to do. Not to mention, the DCCCD will give me a bonus for finishing and I'll have the chance for getting a better job.

Dallas

There are two things I really dislike about Dallas.

1. Traffic. Driving anywhere in town is just a nightmare. It is horrible. So many people and public transportation system here is an embarrassment.

2. The weather. We know summer is hot. But for 8 months of the year, it is so unpredictable. It can be warm, then cold the next day. It can rain with tornadoes and then no clouds in the sky hours later.

Back to work

My Saturday class has enough students to keep open for the semester. My evening classes are enough to keep me busy. Now, I have my 12 hour days Monday-Thursday, 8 hours on Friday and 4.5 on Saturday. I lose one day of my weekend but get more money. It is a trade off. I just wonder if my body will allow me keep up this schedule. My diet sucks. I need to work on it. Now, I won't have the time to go to the gym like I want and need to do. Can't win them all, can I?

Allergies

It is no doubt that I've had horrible allergies for years. I have taken allergy shots for about a year. It might even be slightly longer. For the last month, my allergies have gotten worse. So this week, I am not going to take allergy shots for food. As if allergies to molds and pollens are enough, I might have food allergies. What am I NOT allergic too?? Seriously...

Not so bad

So, this week hasn't been as painful as I thought it might be. I am used to working hard. I don't think it will be too crazy to have my evening classes. I still don't know about my Saturday class but I think I will have one.

I will finish my Master of Arts on February 1. I have been able to successful do my work this week. Next week's assignments are not as time consuming as this week's work so I am feeling relieved. I am looking forward to crossing that finish line on February 1.

Busy Busy Busy

I have been extremely busy for a 3 day weekend. I have basically done nothing but work. Well, I have done nothing but work except for dinner last night at Genghis Grill and a movie. We saw the new Jackie Chan movie. It was cute. Not great but I had a few good laughs. I got some work done this morning and now it is time to relax just a little and watch the Cowboys. I'll have some more work to do but I'll do it tomorrow.

This weekend

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The man was important but today it means I get a 3-day weekend. Then next week, classes begin and my super busy schedule returns. The highlight of my weekend will be watching the Cowboys-Vikings playoff game. The Cowboys haven't done well in the playoffs since I was in high school. I, of course, want the Cowboys to win. However, if they lose, I'll cheer for the former OU and current Viking star Adrian Peterson.

Schedules

I don't think I deal very well with stress. My spring schedule is coming into place. Thank goodness this MA degree will be done February 1. I am suppose to start the Ph.D. program in April but I just don't know if I'll have what it takes to complete it on top of my normal schedule. I am already going crazy with what I have now.

Winter

I cannot remember a winter ever being this cold in Dallas. Never. We have had cold spurts but nothing that has been this cold for such a long period of time. This morning my driver-side door lock was frozen. I had to get into my car on the passenger side. By the time I got to work, though, I could get out on my side. My electric bill last month was significantly more expensive and I bet this month will be even more expensive.

I am back at work this week but I am distracted. I have a lot on my mind and I am not quite thinking about work.

Back to work

Getting back to work today wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I am expecting the difficulties to resume in 2 weeks when the full schedule returns and classes resume. I want a 40 hour work week every week with a good salary. Now, once I finish my PhD then maybe I'll have a great job.

On the way back to reality

I'm back to my school for some office work tomorrow. Classes will begin in two weeks. That is when my evening classes will also begin. I guess I should enjoy my 40 hour work weeks while I have them. It's going to be a long nightmare when those 12 hour days return.

This year

I want to be optimistic about the year, but I am not. I want to think that this year will be a good year but I am not so sure.

2010

I am looking forward to the new year. I have to be optimistic. I don't think it can be any more challenging than 2009. At least I hope not. I have my challenges ahead but I think good things will come.

New Years Resolution

I have to admit that I won't be making resolutions this year.

I have failed in the past. Not only have I failed, but I have gone backwards. I haven't met my goals and I have gone in the wrong direction. I believe in making goals but I just need to be more realistic and stick to those I decide to make. I don't know if I am unrealistic or too demanding.

Texas wintertime

Yesterday it was in the 70s. Today we have a high of 46 and a low of 28. We are suppose to have an inch of snow. Several Texans will be happy to have a white X-mas. I would love to live in a tropical climate. Preferably, I want a home on the beach in an area with a small population. If I can win the lottery one of these days, perhaps my dream will come true.

It is nice relaxing even if there are a few issues causing me stress and problems. A couple more parties this weekend and possibly another one for NY. Tis the season to relax.

EDITED: We got our snow. I cannot remember having this much snow in Dallas. It has stuck and is a good few inches. The lows are below 32 for the next several days so it will be ugly icy conditions for a while. Not good.

Vacation

I am into day 3 of my vacation. I always work so hard and so much that it takes several days for my body to calm down and relax. It is hard for me to do anything much of anything. It is really sad.

Finally

Finally, I can begin my much needed vacation for the next couple of weeks. I won't have any work to do. When working 12 hour days 4 days a week plus 8 hours on Friday, I need my rest. The weekend always turned out to be "catch up" and "house work" days. Now I can really take my rest.

The spring semester will be just as busy. Actually, it will probably be busier. I still have extra classes but instead of all evenings, one is now a Saturday morning class.

32

I've been 32 for just over a week now. Yeah, maybe I feel it. I know I work a lot but I actually need the weekend now to catch up on rest. When I was younger, if I had a busy weekend, it didn't matter. Getting back to the workweek didn't matter so much. I wonder if I had a "normal 40 hour week, would I still be so dead tired on the weekend? If I have a lot to do on the weekend and get back to my normal busy schedule, it is tough. Just a few more days until my break. Then I'll only have my MA projects to complete. On February 1, I will officially be done. In April, I am still planning on starting that PhD.

Food

Let's see here.

• Thanksgiving
• My birthday--I am loved because I got 4 cakes in 3 days. I had parts of all of them.
• We had lunch provided by the school today and some students also brought lunch.

How can I ever lose weight?

It's a Friday night and it's been a long week. I am going to enjoy a glass of wine before reconsidering my diet.

Busy week

This has been quite a busy week. Somehow, I've managed to make it. It isn't done yet. I still need to survive through tomorrow. Then, this craziness will last until sometime next week but then it'll slow down some. I've got my 2 week vacation. I need it. I also need money but that's another story. It'll come soon enough. Just got to make what I have last longer. Almost done with the MA degree and thinking about starting a Ph.D. in mid-Spring. I keep feeling like I am about to get sick but I haven't. I hope I won't. I guess I have a good immune system. I know I have a very high tolerance for pain.

This time of year

• I enjoyed way too much birthday cake.
• Life is way too busy.
• It is way too cold in Dallas, Texas.
• I am looking forward to some time off after Friday December 18.
• I hope to win the lottery some time this month.
• I think 2010 will be just as busy as this year has been. I don't yet know if that will be good or bad.

Birthday weekend

I have a birthday coming up. I am not sure if I feel it or not. I didn't feel 30 until I turned 31. Now at almost 32, I am not quite sure. It's just a number, isn't it? But at this point in time, am I doing what I want to do? Is my life what I expected it to be?

Yeah, I'll have to ponder once I have some time off.

Saturday

Saturday was a fun day. A good part of it was consumed with alcohol, though. I watched OU beat OSU. It was one of their few stellar performances of the year. It was great to watch.

Last time we went to a bad, Sherlocks. It was my second time there, I think. It was okay. Way too crowded for my taste. I also hate smoky atmospheres.

Thanksgiving weekend

I love Thanksgiving. The food, the football and the company. Not to mention the long weekend.

However, during the next 6 weeks, I'll do my best to avoid shopping. I'll avoid it like the plague. Shopping is one of those things I don't like to do so the crowds will drive me nuts.

Thanksgiving holiday

I am looking forward to the 4 day weekend. However, I have a lot to do. I am not sure how relaxing it is going to be. X-mas and New Years time will be much better cause I'll have 2 weeks off.

It is nice that I'll get to go to San Antonio this weekend. I still have some grad work to do. Should get an oil change too.

Relaxation

I keep a busy schedule. This is no secret. In one week, with all the work I do, maybe I have a full day of rest. That is, if I finish my grad work, laundry, grocery shopping, etc...

I get a 4 day weekend for Thanskgiving. I spend the weekend with family in San Antonio. With my "free" time I relax or finish up work.

During my 2 week X-Mas or New Years break, I rest or catch up on graduate work. It's my longest break of the year.

My wife now has a car so I don't have to drive her everywhere.

My body

I think my body has gotten used to the long working days. Even if I don't go to "work" on the weekend, I always have "work" to do at home. I always have something I need to do. I rarely get a day where I can just sit down and sleep the entire day. I get bits and peices but I want a whole day. Actually 2 if I can get it. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving in San Antonio and 2 weeks off at the end of December and early January. More food. I have already gained a lot of weight recently. I need to make a move downward.

My life

Looking to next semester, I am going to be as busy as I am now. I might even be busier. Just when I hope for an easier life, I don't get one. Busy is the way to go. It is the only way to go to survive. I miss the days in Asia when I had one job. 40 hour work weeks. A life I could live on. Plenty of time for rest and plenty of time for fun and for me. I love teaching but I also need to take care of myself.

Halloween/DST

I love Halloween. It's always been one of my favorite holidays. I had fun last night. Rachel and I met her friend and her husband. Our neighborhood doesn't have many kids. So, at her friend's house, she actually got to see her first trick or treaters. Then what is a Halloween without a couple of drinks, right?

Daylight Savings Time is a waste of time and effort. It should completely be abolished.

World Fest

Addison's World Fest was nice. They did a good job. The events were good. They had good dancers, incredible Chinese acrobats and other shows too. Good food. Good shops were set up displaying jewelry and other interesting items. Nice crowds too. Addison always does a good job with these events.

New starts, new stresses

I enjoyed the one week between Fall 1 ending and Fall 2 beginning.

Now, I have a new Fall 2 AECI class, a new online class that I'm teaching, a new grad class for my MA, a wife at home sick, a fat ass that needs to lose weight and exercise, and a way to save more money. No, no stress on this end. None at all. I just hope I don't catch whatever my wife has. I don't have time to get sick. I am worried enough about my wife. Since we've married, I've never seen her this bad. She's got her meds but something was going around. With a little rest, I hope she gets better.

The game

Neither Oklahoma nor Texas looked good today. Texas won. I still had fun there. The large crowd got to me a bit but it was worth the trip. It seemed weird seeing a game without a home field advantage. I guess that is just part of the Oklahoma/Texas/Cotton Bowl experience.

The Cotton Bowl

I graduated from the University of Oklahoma. I have spent 21 out of my 31 years in Dallas. I have never until now. Tomorrow will be my first game. We'll take the DART because traffic will be hell. I haven't even been to the Texas State Fair since I was a kid.

Office

I am glad that I am a teacher. I could never sit in an office 40 hours a week. It would drive me crazy to be in the same place for such a long time. I enjoy spliting my time between the classroom and my office.

When we are between sessions, time seems to go slowly. I work hard and usually get my work done pretty quickly. I organize my work and just do it. Then that leaves me with a little extra time to work on other projects. It still seems a bit long to be sitting just in an office.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

I think Dallas is a great city. I feel blessed that I've had the chance to live 2/3 of my life here. My biggest complaint is the traffic. We don't have a good public transportation system. I am thrilled that the city of Dallas has plans to expand the current system into a better one by 2030. However, it is too little too late. Also, it isn't expansive enough. Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington/rest of suburbs is officially the 4th largest metropolitan area in the USA. It needs to have a good system to represent a population of this size. Not only will it help with traffic congestion but also with people not rich enough to have a car. Plus it is "green." Less cars=Less pollution. That's my two cents.

Organization

I try my best to be super organized. With the schedule I have, I need to be super organized. However, being organized sometimes kills me. I have way too much to do and I keep asking for more. Sad, isn't it? The Fall 1 semester is done and I have completed all my paperwork. This means that I will take off Friday and have a nice 3 day weekend. I'll head to the fair to watch the Oklahoma/Texas game. Funny, I never went when I was a student at OU.

This week

I actually had a two day weekend and it was still hard waking up this morning. Why? I got full nights of sleep 3 nights in a row and I had good rest. If someone works 12 hour days, 4 days a week, maybe it takes longer to recover.

A friend of mine has an extra ticket to the Texas/OU game this weekend. That should be fun and interesting. I've never been before.

Today

I don't plan on doing any work today. It's just not going to happen. I have some graduate work to do but it can wait until tomorrow. I only have 1-2 hours worth of work anyway. I am all caught up on grading finals. I just need to enjoy some rest. It felt nice to "sleep in" until 8:00 am. It is nice to know I can have a 2 day weekend this weekend.

The Oklahoma Sooners play today and the Cowboys play tomorrow. I hope they can win after last weekend's embarrassments.

Weekend

I am proud of myself. I've done well with time management this week. I have had such a busy week and have had completely everything I've needed to do. This evening or tomorrow, I have some graduate work to do, but I can then take an entire 24 hour day off without work. I am really looking forward to that. I need the rest. It'll also be nice to get to sleep in 2 days in a row.

My complaints

Here is a list of my complaints this morning:

• I didn't sleep well last night.
• My allergies are bothering me.
• Because of my TESOL conference on Saturday, I really had only one day off. I should have done work but I didn't.
• Both of my football teams (Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma Sooners) lost over the weekend. My Texas Rangers, who missed the playoffs, also lost their last game of the season.
• I have a busy week this week. Actually every week until mid-December will be busy.
• Busy week=A bit of stress.

Deeds that need to be done

Well, one of those annoying tasks that I hate to do had to be done this evening. It is one of those tasks that I have to do cause no one else that loves me will do it for me. That's right. I had to clean the cat's room. I cleaned the area right around the kitty litter. I clean for them, I feed them, I pet them and I love them. What do I get in return? An occasional purrrr. Is it worth it? Definitely.

Now for the other task that must be done.....I need to lose weight. I've gained quite a bit over the last few months and I need to reverse the trend.

October 1

Today is my sister's birthday. I don't feel old enough to have a sister that's 37. Then again, I don't feel old enough to be 31.

I am feeling overwhelmed with everything. I am on overload. I hope all of my work pays off. I am cautiously optimistic about my future. I am looking forward to what it brings but I am not totally sure I'll end up where I want to be.

The Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers gave us their best season in years and only their second winning season in 10 years. I was hoping to see some playoff baseball in October but that won't happen. I just don't get how some teams never ever have any luck. This team has talent, but they just couldn't get to where they needed to go. There is always next year but with the managment problems the Rangers are having, I don't know if next year will be better.

Money

Today was pay day for me. By my calculations, most of that money will be gone by the end of the week. How sad is my life? Ninety percent+ of my bills are due before the 5th of the month. Now, I have only food money until the next payday unless I win the lottery.

Beginning

It's the beginning of a new week and I'm already tired. I prayed for Yom Kippur last night. I probably should have again today. I chose to go to work instead. I need to do what I need to do.

The Fall

The weather the last month has been very strange. We've had a lot of rainy and cool days. We've also had a lot of beautiful, sunny and hot days. Today is just perfect! Sunny and 80ish. I love it! Too bad I had a class this morning. Oh well. Tomorrow evening is Kol Nidre, the beginning of the Yom Kipper holiday. I get to ask God to forgive me for all my sins for the past year. I'll have a clean slate. I wonder how long it'll take me to already made new mistakes.

The concept of a weekend

The weekend is a great concept. Work during the week and rest during the weekend. I love it. However, in my world, good rest is hard to come by. This Saturday and next Saturday I have to sub a class, which I volunteered to do, and then I'll go to TexasTESOL, our professional conference. While I've been working long days, I have quickly realized how important it is to have a 2 day weekend. I hope to consistantly get these and occational vacations in the future.

Allergy season/September

I take allergy injections but sometimes they just aren't good enough. If it was easy to replace my nose with a newer filter, I would.

Friday evening and Saturday marks Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Since I am no longer in Japan ad since it is the weekend, I don't have any excuses for not attending services. I plan on going Friday evening and Saturday. This weekend is also Oktoberfest in Addison. I plan on concluding my weekend by going there. It is always a great celebration and good fun.

Friday

It's Friday of a 4 day work week and I am exhausted. I had an extra day off and it didn't give me any extra energy. While I love teaching, having these extra classes are a killer. They just knock me out. 12 hour days 4 days a week and then a normal 8 hour day on Friday. And I tutor on Sundays. Oh yeah, and I am getting my MA degree.

I want to win the lottery and move to the countryside. Is that too much to ask? At least I have the weekend now.

Next weekend is Rosh Hashanah. It's on Saturday so I'll be at Synagogue a good part of the day.

Back to reality

I didn't realize how nice it was to have 3 days off in a row. I didn't remember how good it felt to sleep in 3 mornings in a row. It almost felt too good. I miss my old life when I could relax every weekend and take 1 week-10 day vacations 3 times a year. Oh, the life. Now, I'm working way too hard and I'm too tired to do anything on the weekend. There's so much I want to do but I don't have the time nor energy. I am proud of what I've done but yet there is more I want to do. And, at the same time, I want to do less so I have time to myself. Doesn't make sense, does it?

3 day weekend

A 3 day weekend will start after I finish tomorrow afternoon.

• No work.
• No tutoring
• No graduate work
• No obligations
• Nothing serious
• No alarm clocks

My weekend

It's been an interesting weekend. My cat had this bruise that looked infected. I took her to the vet. She got a shot and some liquid medicine I need to drip on her twice a day.

I ate Mexican food last night. It was delicious. Mannys is a great place. However, I was so knocked out after just 2 margaritas that I went to sleep at 8:00 last night. It could have just been physical exhaustion. I have a schedule that is a bit busier than I'd like it to be. However, I need money so I do what I need to do.

My schedule

In addition to teaching my normal class, I have committed to a MW evening class, an online class and finally yesterday, I also committed to a TTh class for the fall semester. I am still finishing up my masters and tutoring a student on Sunday mornings. So, will I get any rest? Will I actually save some money? The more I work, the more money I make.....also, the more exhausted I feel. There ya have it. Let's just hope I have some time to go to the gym and sleep.

P.S. I have to take my "Baby" cat to the vet tomorrow. I'm worried about her because she has an infected looking sore.

Week 1

Thus far, this week has turned out to be as busy as I thought it would be. It will get busier with my new online class. It will also be busier once I start my new round of grad classes. This current class I've taken online has been relatively easy.

And just in case anyone is interested, the Mega Millions lottery is up to $325 million and $200+ million after taxes. I don't play much, but when it gets that insanely high, it does hold my attention (and $1).

Fall/allergy season

It's the beginning of a new fall semester. It'll be an interesting but busy semester. Busy is good, though. This will be a good semester, I think. Good kids. More diverse than usual. Evening classes are also set up. This is good so I can get some extra cash. Coinciding with the beginning of this season is allergy season. I've had a horrible time breathing the last several days. I take allergy shots weekly but I am still struggling. There's not much I can do.

random thoughts

I am glad the Texas Rangers are doing so well this late in the season. We still have a chance at the playoffs. I wish I had the confidence in the Cowboys when football season begins.

This week we've got a lot of meetings and get togethers to get ready for the first week of classes next week. It's been busy but interesting. All of the food is not good for my diet. At least I'm still going to the gym. Let's hope I keep that up once I start my evening classes again next week.

My diet

I've still done a really good job at going to the gym 5 times a week. Sometimes, I only make it 4 time but for the most part, I've gone 5days a week. However, my diet needs work. I think my diet has gotten worse over the last couple months. That's really unacceptable on my part. Some of it is motivation. I really need to work on it while I am exercising hard.

My fall teaching schedule will be busy so I am not sure if I'll be able to consistantly exercise 5 days a week.

A 4 day weekend

I have really enjoyed having 4 days off in a row with little responsibility. It has been nice and restful. This is exactly what I needed. I would have liked a full week but I've still got my night class until Wednesday. I guess I'll take what I can get.

I've been to the gym, went to the pool in my neighborhood, slept in past 8:00 (late for me now), watched some movies on tv, had some wine....

Not quite ready to go back tomorrow. I can now look forward to winter break. I know I'll have a longer break then.

A new school in Addison

A new DISD elemtary school will be built within Addison city limits in the near future. This is good news. Since Addison doesn't have it's own school system, most of the young people go to DISD. The bad news is the name. It'll be named after George H.W. Bush.

http://www.addisontx.gov/Departments/city_council/News___Articles/DISD_school.asp

Adam's random thoughts for today

What's the point of having a calender if I never look at it? I add things to it but I don't check it later. Crazy. I need a secretary or a calender that will talk to me. Yeah, that would be great. If teachers started to earn 6 or 7 figures, I would be very happy.

I took my blood work this morning. I am off to the dentist this afternoon. Then I have my night class tonight. I am taking Thursday and Friday off. It will be a real 4 day weekend for me. No work. No appointments. No tutoring. Little graduate work (if I can get away with that).

When payday comes....

When payday comes....

....the money goes just as quickly.

When the bills are paid, what is left over?? Sadly enough, there isn't much left at all. Well, we all have to pay bills and do what we can with the leftovers. This is why I need to invent something creative.

Yoga

I did yoga last night. I hated every minute of it. My body just can't stretch and bend in places that yoga participants can stretch and bend. It's crazy. The people in the class are all regulars that have been going for months. Last night was the first time Rachel and I went in several months. I guess if I want to do better, I need to go regularly. That's not going to happen.

Schedules

Anyone can make a calender, right? Keeping to it is another thing. Making goals are important. Making them happen are another. It would be great to have a personal secretary to kick my butt and keep things organized. I am looking forward to my fall schedule. I just need to remember to make time to go to the gym 5 days a week. I also need to find time to make healthy food for myself so I don't eat at the Subway on campus too much. Maybe I can win the lottery so I can slow down a bit. I would love to buy a house on a small ranch or open land just outside of Dallas. It could be my escape. If only...

August

I was hoping to take some time off in August. It doesn't appear as though I'll get too much down time. I am looking forward to my fall schedule. It'll be better than what I've been doing lately. However, I need to spend a lot of time preparing. There is always X-Mas, right? I can rest then.

What would it be like if....

What would it be life if I had a lot of extra cash in my bank account? What if I won the lottery? This is the second weekend this summer I've had the chance to come to Houston/Galveston. *BTW, Galveston looks 1000% times better than it did just two months ago.* I saw these condos. It was late at night and dark but if I had the money, I sure would love to have a home here. I would love to be near the water. I love the atmosphere. Dallas isn't what it used to be. It is busy and crowded. I'd move here in a heartbeat if things worked out.

That extra push

I wish I had the strength to give that extra push. On Friday evening, I sat down for 5 minutes, ate dinner, got tired and didn't go to synagogue as I originally planned.

On Monday and Wednesday evenings, I now teach an evening class. I wake up at 6:30, leave after 7:00, and get home at 9:00. Guess what? My gym opens at 5:30 during the week. I could get my lazy butt one hour early and exercise. I can't give the excuse that I don't have time. I need to give myself the strength to go just a little bit more.

August

August is looking good. I'll take some time off from work. I won't tutor so much. I will only plan for my fall schedule. The good news is my travel situation. I won't have to go all over the place to teach my extra classes. I just hope I can keep up my current fitness schedule. I've been good at going to the gym 5 days a week. I need to keep it up. I need to make this a habit. I need to shed the pounds.

July 4 weekend

I am really looking forward to the three day weekend. I get Friday July 3 off in observance of Independence Day weekend. That is just fine by me. My students have mid-terms tomorrow. I'll have some grading to do this weekend, but no tutorials.

I am looking forward to KaboomTown on Friday night. First of all, it is in my back yard. If it weren't for the trees, I could see it from my house. So I'll walk a half mile to a mile to see it. No biggie. I think I love the war planes they have flying over the town just as much as the fireworks.

Tired

Weekends are suppose to be restful, right? Mine was quite busy. Yesterday, I went to two different parties in the evening, though. That was nice. I would have stayed longer but got tired. My condo complex had something last night. It was hot and I was tired so I only stayed for a short time.

This weekend is a 3 day weekend. I only need to make it alive through Thursday. No tutoring this weekend. I'll have some work to do from home but no big deal. I am looking forward to Addison's annual July 3 event.

Texas heat

It has become so incredibly hot. I don't we got this hot so early last summer. I want to live in a tropical area with 70 degrees Celsius all year long. I want pristine beaches. I don't want a huge metropolitan area with heavy traffic. I'd love to live on a barely inhabited island with enough to get by and survive.

Busy

Been busy with everything. I hate tutoring. I really do. I am driving all over the place....Plano, Irving.....I have my primary job and I hate having a second one that requires this. For the fall, I am working on a situation that won't require me to do that. I want to have my second job be more convenient. It'll help keep my sanity for sure.

Weekends

Weekends should be spent relaxing, right?

The highlight of my weekend is sleeping in until 8:00 on Saturday. I worked on my graduate class, graded student work from my class, went to the gym on both Saturday and Sunday, tutored a student this morning from 8:30-10:30 and now I'm doing laundry and making sure everything is in order.

We had dinner with some of Rachel's friends at Spring Creek BBQ. That was nice. Not good for my diet, though. Is there a way to lose weight, gain muscle and eat all the fatty crap that I love to eat?

My cats

My cats are so strange. "Mama" drinks water from the toilet. She hates for doors to be closed. She often tries to bust down the door when I go into the bathroom for a pee. I've also seen her head sneak a look when I take a shower. Crazy girl.

It is HOT here in Texas.

Friday night

I'm watching the Texas Rangers tonight and drinking a glass of wine. I've got a lot to do this weekend but still need some down time. I should think about cancelling my Sunday morning tutorial so I can actually have a 2 day weekend. I remember the days when I only had one job. Ahhh. What a memory. One job, 5 days, 40 hours. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

I've been good at exercising 5-6 days a week the last few weeks. I need to work on my diet so I can actually shed a few pounds. I am bigger and heavier now than I have ever been in my life. I need to work on that.

June

Well, today was day 1 of my summer schedule. I have a full class of 16. I am also going to tutor and take my grad classes. I am also motivated to exercise 5 days a week. It is going to be a long 8 weeks but I think life will be managable. I just hope I can keep up with the hot Texas summers. It always wears me down. 

This summer

I have a feeling that it will be a very long summer. My summer class here at Richland is full and I also have a lot of tutoring planned. Then of course there is my graduate class. Everything will be busier now than it was in the spring. No easy summer for me. I am so worried about everything as well.

Back to work

After my nice 5 day weekend, I am back at school now. My class doesn't start until June 8, but I want to save some vacation time for August. Then I have my tutoring today, tomorrow, and Sunday. I still need some more. I had an opprotunity for more, but I turned it down. I didn't want to tutor 4 evenings a week. I am wondering why I didn't take it. I think I should have. I still have some tutoring, a full time job and graduate classes. It is no wonder I am always exahausted. I should enjoy feeling rested while I can.

Good deed for the week

I had an interesting day off yesterday. For one, I met my new next door neighbor.

Second, I met a different neightbor who locked her keys out of her home. I happen to walk to by her to the mailbox as she was franticly calling friends and family to see if someone had a spare key. With the help of her next door neighbor, we unsuccesfully tried to help her break into her own home. She eventually gave up and called a locksmith. Despite the heat yesterday, I did my best to help. It doesn't sound like much but I did my best. 

Galveston

I just returned to Dallas last night from a wonderful 3 day trip to Houston and Galveston. It was my first time to leave Dallas since Thanksgiving 2008. When I was in Japan, I used to take frequent weekend trips to various places. Now, I am too busy and/or too tired to do that. 

However, this weekend was a nice trip. The weather was great with the exception of a couple hours. The ocean and beach looked beautiful. We had a nice time and I wish I could have stayed longer. Rachel is returning to work today even though I am not returning until later in the week (maybe). Just being by the water was so relaxing. I hope I can make it back down there later this summer.

Between classes

When one semester is finished and I am waiting for the next to begin, life is so much more relaxed. I can wake up at 6:30 or 7:00 instead of 6:00. It makes a huge difference. Trust me. I feel so much more rested when I can sleep even just an extra 30 minutes.

This weekend I am looking forward to a 3 day weekend trip to Houston and Galveston. Not to mention, I am taking a few extra days off next week. It will be fun. I don't think I've left Dallas since Thanksgiving 2008. Sad, isn't it?

Comparing now and before

I miss the simplicity of the life I had in Japan. I had one job. I worked 40 hours a week over 5 days. I didn't drive. The bus stop was outside my door. I could walk to work in 20 minutes and to the grocery store in 5. My expenses were low. I could go out every weekend and I did go out every weekend. I had time to go to the gym 5 days a week. I had more vacations than I do now. I had more friends than I do now. I miss that way of life I had.

Food

Every year, Addison has it's Taste of Addison. It is a great way to walk around and see all the different restaurants in Addison at one place. Of course for a fee, you can take bits and pieces from different restaurants. They had live music. It was pretty good too. I wanted to go back twice but didn't make it. 

My life

I believe everyone is responsible for his actions.

I have had a great life. However, there are a few things I wish I had done differently in my life. There are a few things I wish I had done differently. My life would be so much better today if only I had worked harder and done more when I had the chance. I regret missing some opprotunities.

Addison

I voted today for Addison mayor. There is early voting until May 9, one week from today. I voted for Joe Chow, the current incumbant. He's done a great job with Addison the last few years and I hope he can keep his job.

On another note, more storms are passing through today. When will they end?

If you don't like the weather...

If you don't like the weather in Texas, come back in 5 minutes. Horrible storms, then sunshine. I am used to it. I just don't like driving in it. I wish I could live in Hawaii and have some weather consistantcy. I would love that.

It looks like I am going to have a busy summer. At least I'll have about a week off at the end of May. I need a vacation.

Spring

I've been taking weekly allergy injections. I think they are working. I am still sneezing but I don't feel as bad as before. When I have allergies to grass, trees, mold and dust, something will always bother me. I hold it'll improve, though. Today is a nice warm Texas spring day. Our school had it's annual intercultural festival. It has been going nice. Good day for the festivities. The students are enjoying it.

I somehow hurt my shoulder carrying a bag with my schoolwork in it. I usually have a high tolerance for pain so if it hurts, it must be pretty bad. I'll go to a doctor if this keeps up.

I need to be motivated to diet. I am getting worse and not better. Grrr.

Summer

This summer is looking to be like I expected it to be.

1. Unpredictable Texas Rangers.
2. Work at my school and a lot of extra tutoring.
3. A couple short trips.

It is nice getting extra income from my tutoring and extra classes. My problem is getting too much work. I need to take a rest sometimes.

I do need these short trips. I need more rest. I miss traveling like I used to when I was in Japan.

Long weekends

I didn't have school on Friday. Today no school or tutorials. I like having 2 day weekends. I could get use to this. It wasn't so long ago that I had a 2  day weekend EVERY weekend. How I miss those days. It wasn't too long ago I didn't have to teach extra evening classes on top of a normal schedule. I do what I have to do. My body can't take this much longer though. I need to win the lottery or do something for extra cash so I don't always have to worry.

Busy

On top of my full time job, I teach 2-3 and even sometimes 4 evenings a week. And I have one or two tutorials on Sundays as well. I am exhausted. Oh yeah. I am also taking some  grad classes too. I know there are some people who can easily do all this and not complain. I am not one of those people. I am tired. I love education. I wish I would be compensated for what I think I am worth. 

Arboretum

I went to the Dallas Arboretum yesterday. Beautiful weather. Beautiful place. Perfect afternoon there. Everything was perfect, except the crowds. We had to park off site and take a bus to the park. I would say that this place is one of my favorite places in Dallas. The Arboretum and White Rock Lake are incredible. They are beautiful. 

I also love the ballpark. I love going to Rangers games in the summer. I always try to go to the home game on July 4 and see the game and fireworks after the show. Also, my home in Addison is wonderful. I love the July 3 fireworks, Oktoberfest and the international food festival. 

Spring

Spring in Dallas is wonderful. Sun, nice tempratures. It is my favorite time of year. Here and in any country. Well, any country I've visited. Too bad I am working too much to enjoy it. I am tired. I enjoy education. I would think about another field if I could do it well and make some money in it. I don't think I am a great educator. I don't think I am terrible but it is the only career I've ever had.I just worry about money too much. This is why no one wants to go into education. 

My home

Wow. Refinancing is good. Lower costs. That is definately nice. Since October 2007, my house has increased $9,600. Great in this economy.

Too much work and stress

I have way too much on my plate right now. Work at school, extra classes and tutorials, graduate level classes, refinancing my mortgage and a permanant residency interview for Rachel. I could certainly use a rest and more time. Not to mention, our weather here in Texas is really crappy right now.

Work

I have 4 evening classes this week and I am tutoring two students on Sunday. All this on top of my full time teaching job. Oh yeah, and I have a graduate class too. Am I crazy? If not, then I am getting there. In 2007, I decided to come back to Dallas. I often think that my life in Asia was a lot simpler than it is now. I didn't have too many responsibilities and I didn't have any problems. I worked 40 hours a week and had free time to enjoy myself. I miss that life. Now, I am doing way too much.

The end of a long weekend

It was nice having a few days away from work. I still had a few  things to do and I tutored this morning. In order to make myself truly rest, I think I need to leave town and have no communication with the outside world. Maybe I can take a trip away in May or August. My body is still tired from working two jobs. I am trying to save some cash so I am doing what I need to do. I just wish life wasn't so expensive. But is it worth it? I know I am not in education for the cash, but it would be nice to have a job that had a decent salary.

I know I came back to the US because I was ready to return. 4 years abroad is a long time. However, sometimes I want to go back. At this moment in my life it just isn't the right time. However, I've thought about it. 

Spring Break

I've got a few  days off for Spring Break this week. I am getting some good rest. We've had great spring weather. I had some wine last night. Wine, candles and a Japanese movie. Great evening last night. Hopefully, I'll have more of the same tonight. If I could somehow manage to win the lottery, I could have more vacations. I wanted to go to Galvaston for a few days but Rachel couldn't get off of work. Maybe we'll plan for May. 

Spring Break week

The students had the whole week off between our two 8 week sessions. I still had to come this week but I am taking off Wednesday-Friday. I need those days off. I need to sit back and rest. I honestly don't have too much I want to accomplish during those days. I need to file taxes but other than that, I think I'll sit on my but, drink a glass of wine and watch movies.

Baseball season starts soon. I look forward to the season but I don't have high hopes for my Texas Rangers. It doesn't look good for them, again.

My cats

My cats are incredible creatures. They are so social. They hate being alone. I can't even take a shower without one of them trying to open the door and get inside. They want and need to be in control of their house. If they want attention, they come over. If they want or need anything, they make it known. I grew up with dogs and I am really more of a dog person. However, I am not home as much as I should be to take care of a dog. That's how I got my girls. They are wonderful. 

Movie review

Last night, I saw Swing Vote. First of all, it has an all star cast. Second, the story is wonderful and really shows why elections are so important. Third, it shows how a person can change.

It isn't as serious as I am making it sound. It is cute, has some funny moments and is certainly enjoyable.

Another good movie I saw last week was Children of Huang Shi. It was a great historical movie taking place in China in the late 1930s. It is a bit sad, but it is a war movie. Great characters and great story.

My future

If you ask me about my future, I am optimistic. I know what I want. I know I will have a nice and happy future. At the same time, I know life may be a bit difficult. Life always has it's challenges. I just need to do a good job balancing everything. I need to take time for myself. I need to stop being so busy and relax sometimes.

Money

I love being a teacher. I really do. I just wish I made more cash. I wish I didn't have to worry about never being rich. I hope one day I can save enough to actually retire. Perhaps I can win the lottery? I've occationally thought about looking at a career that makes more money but I just don't know what I would do. Education has been my entire adult  career. I am not saying I am a wonderful perfect teacher but I just don't know what else I would do if I quit teaching. Obviously, I don't have modeling, singing or acting aspirations. haha

Being busy

I am always so busy here. Richland College. A few extra classes on the side for extra cash. Errands. Things to do. I rarely get time to myself. I am always tired. This has been causing me to be a bit down too. I'll do what I have to do to make extra cash to pay everything and to *try* saving. But at what cost to my body? I need to start taking it easy. 

My life

It is hard for me to diet. It really is. I enjoy going to the gym. I don't go just because it is healthy, but I really enjoy it. It helps relieve stress and that helps me. However, I love food. More specifically, I love unhealthy food. I had high cholestoral in a blood test a few months ago. The doctor told me to diet (I didn't) and come back for a blood test (I did the other day). He knew when I first saw him that my diet was unsuccessful. We both know, but won't say it until we get the official results, that my cholestoral is still a little high. I'll probably have to start taking medication. On another note, he'll test me for some allergies and hopefully fix some problems the allergist couldn't fix last year. 

I also searched for some synagogues in Dallas. I went to Temple Emanuel growing up and looked at a few others as well. I miss being active in the Jewish community. Then I noticed how expensive it is to join these places so I don't know what I am gonna do.

Dallas

I am always so surprised to see how quickly the Dallas metroplex develops. Dallas is getting bigger and bigger every day and every month. The outskirts of Dallas are getting bigger and more developed. I can't believe it. It just isn't the same place it was when I was growing up 20 years ago. It is good to see all of this growth even when the economy is bad. I would like to move to an outlying area that is growing. I don't like living in such a crowded area.

My ideal world

In my ideal world, I work in a job that is 40 hours a week and neatly scheduled. 8-4 or 9-5. Whatever. I wouldn't have to do extra work in the evenings or weekends. In my ideal world, I make enough money from this one job to pay all my bills, live comfortably and have enough left over for some extra fun evenings out and vacations. I would have the time AND energy to exercise 5 days a week in my ideal world. I wouldn't get caught in Dallas traffic. I am sure there are other things that would also make my world complete.

Judaism

I used to be a good Jew. In college, I would go to our Shabbat services 2-3 times a month. I participated in events with Jewish organizations. 

I miss that now. I could find the time to go to Shabbt services since I am not busy Friday evening and Saturday. Synagogues are just so expensive to join, though. 

My ideal world

Yeah, I've been back to the grind. I went back to teaching my extra classes this last week. I forgot how wonderful it was to only have one job. Teaching extra classes is just exhausting. having multiple extra classes is difficult. I think one could be managable but now I have 2-3 during the week and a Sunday morning tutorial. I need the cash so I am doing it but it is draining. I wish I could have one job and feel comfortable financially off of it. I guess I am in the wrong field, huh? No teacher is in it for the money.

Random posts

80 degrees Saturday
25 and Ice Wendesday
70s Saturday

Welcome to another week in Dallas!! I hate the summer heat but at least it is predictable.

I didn't use my CPAP last night. Apperantly if there is a popping sound, that means there is still water inside of it. I cleaned it on Sunday and apperantly didn't get all the water out. Hopefully, it'll be usable tonight.

I wish I had enough money not to tutor or teach extra classes on top of my normal full time job. I love education and wouldn't want another career. However, I want to have another life too. I'd love to have the time and chance to do something fun without being dead tired.

My January 2009 report

One of my 2009 goals is to lose weight. After one month, the report is in. FAIL!

Another one of my 2009 goals is to save money. After one month, the report is also in. FAIL!

I hope I can do better with the next 11 months. We shall see. 

We have a new President and I am optimistic he can turn around this country. Not immediately but in time. 

I like my job and hopes I can continue doing it. I have some good extra classes as well.

What a week

If ice isn't enough, I feel flat on my ass yesterday. The temprature reached freezing level at about noon yesterday. I saw ice melting outside my window. Perfect, I thought. I went outside to take out the trash. I didn't even make it two steps before falling on my behind. My cell phone flew into a puddle of water. Luckily, it didn't shut down. I was worried about it. I am on my third cell phone since I came back to Dallas in April 2007.

We saw a Japanese movie the other day. It was interesting. Japanese movies are generally a little strange to us Americans. However, it made me miss living there. I know was ready to come back and I still feel glad to be here. However, I guess I do miss it sometimes. I did live there 3 years.

January fun

80 degrees on Friday. Ice today and tomorrow. This "winter" has been the craziest I can ever remember in Dallas.

I went back to my horrid tutoring schedule yesterday. Starting next week I think it'll be a little better because I am teaching a different class in the evenings.

I got my CPAP machine yesterday. I couldn't sleep well. I don't know if it was because of that.

January 20

A new day.

President Obama.
FORMER President George W. Bush

It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

A new class for me. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. never gets any easier. I guess I am getting older. When I turned 30, I didn't feel it. When I turned 31, I felt it.

Random thoughts

It sure is nice having a 3 day weekend. When I am at work on Tuesday, George Bush will be replaced by Barack Obama. This will be a nice week.

Our Spring I semester starts this week. Some of my tutorials aren't continuing. Actually, none of them might continue. I picked up an extra class teaching an after school program class for adults in the RISD. At least I can have an extra class. Good thing we'll have Rachel's work too. Too bad life is so expensive. I am also suppose to get my CPAP this week to help my sleep apnea. 

Regularity

I am certainly back to my regular routine again at my school. I still have three students for tutorials. I only see one of them right now, but the other two are suppose to start again at the end of January or early Feburary. I want to stop tutoring but I don't think I will. We now have two incomes but I'll probably keep doing this to get the extra cash. I wish I could have evenings and weekends to myself but that probably isn't too realistic.

I need to keep up my gym routine. I've been going 5 days a week for the last few weeks. I don't want it to drop down to 4. I won't let it drop below 4 days a week. Other than that, I don't see Rachel too much. We work at different times and sleep at different times as well. Not much I can do to change that.

This week

Waking up at 6:00-6:30 a.m. isn't easy. It is never easy even though I've been getting up that early for work for over a year now. It is harder after a nice 2 week winter break. It is tough when I hardly see someone because we are never home and awake at the same time. Life goes on, right?

This is the craziest Texas "winter" I can ever remember. 70. 30. 70. 30. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. This has been changing on a weekly basis. Usually, we get this once or twice per winter season in Texas. Recently, it has been a weekly phenomenon. I can't stand it. So many people are sick and my allergies are out of control. Texas summers are hell but at least it is predictable.

Sleep Study

I had my second sleep study last night. The oxygen mask they gave me felt fine. I could tell that I was breathing better while I was hooked up to it. However, I didn't sleep well last night. I don't think it was because of the mask. Maybe it was all the wires hooked up to me. Maybe it was just being away from home. Maybe I was just a little stressed cause I had to come back to work this morning. Who knows? I hope they get the results they need. I'll go back to the doctor next week to talk to him about my study.

Yes, I am back at work this morning. It is cold and we are suppose to have freezing drizzle today. Texas weather is such a roller coaster.

Next week

I am back at work on Monday and I am not looking forward to it. I'd love to have some more time off. I've gotten some rest but not as much as I needed. I still had some things to do and errands to run. This weekend I am tutoring and getting ready to go back. My break is really finished now. I am cautiously optomistic about 2009. I'll either be fully optimistic or totally pessimistic before January ends. A lot of events in January will shape my opinion about the next year. 

Last day of 2008

I am optimistic about 2009. I don't think life can get more difficult for me than it was in 2007 and 2008. I am hopeful for the first time in a very long time. 

I have a job I like. I hope I can keep it for some time to come.

I love my home. If I had money, I'd do some remodeling. I just need to be patient. Tons of people have told me I should try to refinance my mortgage. When the economy is bad, people can try to refinance to get a lower interest rate. I am talking with people to see what I can do.

Two working adults with one car will be difficult. I am glad that we have some options for transportation purposes. The extra income will be nice. 

I have sleep apnea. I am going back for a second sleep over at the doctor's office Sunday night. I hope that we can get something figured out. To be honest, I'm more worried about my sleeping habits affecting Rachel than me. 

2009

A few days ago, I laid out my 2009 goals.

1. Lost weight. I gained a lot in 2008. I need to work extra hard now to really get it down.

2. Save money. I need to work on that. I need to put some away for a rainy day. 

3. Become a better teacher. Teachers can improve their skills by teaching. This is my chosen profession and I'd like to be a teacher for years to come.

4. Become a better person. I know this is broad but we can all improve ourselves.

Losing weight is a goal of mine just about every year. However, in 2008 I went in the wrong direction. I gained about 10+ points. I need to lose that and then some. I just hope to have the free time to go to the gym often. This week I've gone 6 days out of 7. I wish I could keep it up when I get back to work, I know it won't be realistic. Number 2 will be an easier goal now that I've got someone working who can help me out. Numbers 3 and 4 will just take practice.

This week

I've been on break for about a week now but it doesn't feel like it. I am still physically exhausted. Rachel starts working during my vacation. What a coincidence, huh? Since we have only one car, can't afford another and since Rachel doesn't have her licence yet, I've had to play driver. I've wanted to stay in bed late or move slower, but couldn't. Some days I wanted to stay on the couch and watch television, but couldn't. I am glad she has a job. I really am. Because she'll make money, this will help me out a lot. However, this will also put a huge burden on me and my lovely mother who will have to drive her to work while I am at school. I have always wanted Dallas to have a better transportation system. With good news comes an extra burden huh? I just hope she doesn't close every night. I don't want to wait for her at or after 9:00. 

The power of sleep and rest

Usually, I have a busy schedule. Too busy for my own good. Now I have some down time for the first time in a very long time. I feel better. I feel great. I am in a better mood than usual. I need to give myself some time every weekend if I can. This way I will continue to feel pretty good. Taking some down time can be just as important as sleep. Lets just hope I win the lottery so I get lots of rest. 

End of year activities and 2009 goals

I have a nice little vacation until early January. What do I want to do? Rest. Sleep. Spend some time at home.

Rachel got a job and started on my first day of vacation. Go figure. I have to take her and pick her up everyday but that is all I have to do. 

I have a few 2009 goals. Some are repeat goals that I failed to accomplish last year.

1. Lost weight. I gained a lot in 2008. I need to work extra hard now to really get it down.

2. Save money. I need to work on that. I need to put some away for a rainy day. 

3. Become a better teacher. Teachers can improve their skills by teaching. This is my chosen profession and I'd like to be a teacher for years to come.

4. Become a better person. I know this is broad but we can all improve ourselves.

Vacation

I am tutoring today and tomorrow but will enjoy a nice vacation once this is all done. I've taken a few extra days off on top of my normal school vacation. This is good because I need the rest. Rachel got a job at the mall so she will be working. I am thrilled we'll have an extra income. I look forward to being lazy and not doing very much at all. 

Dallas weather

There is a saying in Dallas. If you don't like the weather, come back tomorrow.

This "season" has taken the crown as the strangest season I've ever seen. One day it was warm, then we had freezing weather, then it was warm again, then we had frozen rain, and tomorrow, it is suppose to be warm again. This has been the weather for the last two weeks. WTF!?!?! I don't like winter but I'd like something a little more consistant.

1 week

I have about one week until my 2 week winter break begins. Goodness, I need it! My body just can't recover when I have my short weekends. I tutor today so I had only yesterday. Even when I have a day off, I am so busy doing other things, I just don't get the rest I need. I looking forward to doing a lot of nothing starting next week.

My birthday

I had a nice birthday weekend. Lots of well wishes from family, friends and coworkers. That was nice. I got a few nice gifts too. I really only wanted a couple things. I wanted and got a new cell phone and I also wanted a new camera. I am suppose to get that for the holidays. It was a busy birthday weekend. My sister was in town and it was my mother's jewelry show. I am glad everyone was in town on the same day. It was the second time in two months everyone was together.

Now, I can look forward to a vacation at the end of the month.

My health

This has not been a good couple of months for my health. Yes, over the last year, I have gained a little bit of weight. I know I need to lose quite a bit. I had some blood work taken not too long ago and I have high cholestoral. The doctor and I agreed that with a little effort in my diet, I can bring it down. There isn't much of a need for medication yet. Due to certain sleeping habits, it was recommended to me to go to a sleep doctor. My snoring has gotten out of control. I had to sleep overnight one night to be evaluated. I have mild sleep apnea. I need to go back in January and get a CPAP. Hopefully, it'll help solve my issues.

George Bush is moving to Dallas.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081204/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_s_new_home

Bush is moving to Dallas. This isn't a good thing.

Thanksgiving week

For the first time since August, I actually have 2 consecutive days off. Actually, I had 4 consecutive days off. It felt great. I went to San Antonio for the week. It was my fist time to leave Dallas since January. Sad, isn't it? Anyway, it was nice going down there. It was Rachel's first time to leave Dallas. Last night, I had a sleep study. Yes, I have snoring and restless leg problems. Now, the doctor can figure out my problem and give me meds. I don't think I have sleep apnea but I'll find out next week. It wasn't fun waking up at 6am ths morning to get back to my routine.

Time off

Why does it seem like one day off a week just isn't enough time to recover. I am too busy but have too much to do.

I am looking forward to a 4 day weekend this week. I am really happy I'll be going to San Antonio. No work. No stress. Just time to rest. I think this will be my first time to leave Dallas since January of this year. I wish I had more time to get out more. Thank goodness I'll have about 2 weeks in late December or early January.

There is one thing I really miss about working in Japan. They have set vacations in late April/early May for Golden Week Most people have about a week off at this time. Most people also take some time off in August for Obon week. Also people take about a week off in late December/early January. Now lets look at America. Maybe we get a day for Indepndence Day in July. We get 2 days for Thanksgiving in November and then a week to ten days for Christmas and New Years. I miss having the extra time. We need some kind of system like this in America. I wish Thanksgiving was at a different time so we could spread out our holidays.

Time

I now realize that time is a commodity. It is quite valuable. Once you use it up, it is gone. I always wish I had more time. I always work too much (not by choice). I wish I had some more time. This is what the holidays are for, right? We all need some time to kick back, watch movies and relax. That is what my body needs anyway. I enjoy traveling and getting out but I need time to rest first. I would like to implement a 30 hour day. I should contact the new congress about this.

Japanese baseball

TOKYO (AFP) – A 16-year-old schoolgirl with a mean knuckleball has been selected as the first woman ever to play alongside the men in Japanese professional baseball.
Eri Yoshida was drafted for a new independent league that will launch in April, drawing attention for a side-armed knuckler that her future manager Yoshihiro Nakata said was a marvel.
"I never dreamed of getting drafted," Yoshida told reporters Monday, a day after she was selected to play for the Kobe 9 Cruise.
"I have only just been picked by the team and have not achieved anything," she said. "I want to play as a pro eventually in a higher league."
Yoshida, 155 centimetres (five feet) tall and weighing 52 kilograms (114 pounds), says she wants to follow in the footsteps of the great Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.
A female professional baseball federation existed for a few years in the 1950s, but Yoshida will become Japan's first-ever woman to play alongside professional male players.

November

I am still tutoring a lot and have a lot planned for the next month. I think the students I have want to continue through 2009. I am glad that the students I have want to continue. I need the money and I am glad they want to stick with me after I've worked with them for a long time. I want to quit sometime but I'll have to make sure my finances are in order. My regular teaching load at school, online grad classes, tutoring, wife at home....I feel the stress and I feel exhausted. I'm looking forwad to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. The holidays are great. I am looking forward to time off more than anything. 

I like having digital cable. I don't have HBO or anything but I have more stations and some movie channels without commercials. It's definately worth having. 

I took my cats to the vet the other day. They're healthy. They're definately feeling more comfortable here now. Baby's filling out a bit, which is good. She was too skinny before. Her mama, on the other hand, is a bit too big. 

Random thoughts thrown into a blog

I am currently upgrading Basic Cable to Digital Cable. It's only $10 extra a month, and since I don't get out much, I thought it would be a good idea. Today, I don't have any tutorials so I am enjoying a day off. I still have grading to do but no students. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving because we're going to San Antonio. It'll be Rachel's  first excursion in the US outside of  Dallas.

The election

This is the best election the US has had since 1996. I am thrilled Obama won and the Democrats won more seats than before. Finally, we can send this country into the right direction. I am only disappointed about one contest. Addison had a bond issue to expand the Addison Theater and build an airport museum and a new parking lot. It was defeated by just three votes. It would have been a great deal and I hope it can work out sometime in the future.

Future plans

Before I talk about my future plans, I have to say I voted for Obama about a week ago. I hope he wins or else this country will become more hazardous than it already is.

I work at my school, I am taking a few grad classes online and I am tutoring. I also have a wife at home who can't work yet. I am physically exhausted. I've decided I need to stop tutoring in the next few months. I've promised a few students I'd help them out until December or January. By early 2009, I want to cut out all of my tutorials. I need to have a weekend to rest. Running around busily 7 days a week has become too difficult for me.

This week

I voted early the other day. I am glad to get that out of the way. I want to avoid long lines at all costs. I just can't wait to get "W." out of office.

I also got a physical at the doctor's office yesterday. On the outside, I am a healthy 30 year old. On the inside.....well, I am still waiting for the bloodwork to be tested. I think I am fine, though.

I am also getting ready for the next 8 week semester that starts tomorrow. I am still tutoring a lot as well. When I have some free time, I am still really busy. I guess I just don't get any free time. I dream of the day where I can just stay home all day and do nothing. I want just one of those days. That is it. Just give me one.

My weekend

Over the weekend, the good news is that I didn't tutor. I needed the money but two students cancelled so I got some time off. The bad news is that I don't feel rested. I got sufficient sleep. On Saturday, we went to the DMA to see King Tut. It was interesting but made for a long day. Yesterday, we went shopping. I always do my shopping on Sundays. I need a movie day. I need a day where I don't leave my bedroom. I need a vacation where I don't have any responsibilities. I can only hope I make it to Thanksgiving and eventually to our winter vacation.

Tutoring

In addition to teaching at my school, I've also done quite a bit of tutoring on the side. When there are only a couple students, it isn't too difficult. Once there several students, it can become a challenge. It is nice getting the extra income, but the planning and time contraints have become a challenge. I do like working for myself. I am not a business, but again, it is a nice additional income on top of my school. There are ups and downs to everything. In the end, I wish teachers had the same salaries as movie stars or athletes so I wouldn't have to think about extra work.

Time

I wish I had more time. There just isn't enough time in the day to do everything I want and need to do. I'm trying to work hard, be a good person and have good health all at the same time. In a sense, all three things compliment each other. If all are good, then life is perfect.

The more I think, the more I wish I had done when I was younger. Kids have so much free time, right?

Jewish holidays

When I was younger, I used to be more active in Jewish life. I was actually president of the student group in university. Then I went to Japan where the Jewish population is next to nothing. Now that I am back in Dallas, I don't do what I should do. The other day, on Yom Kippur day, I working during the day and tutored in the evening so I couldn't go to the synagogue. I guess for me not missing work is more important.

A month to think about

I have two doctor's appointments this month. A dentist appointment and a regular doctor appointment. I know I have a small cavity that needs to be filled. Also, my parents have been pushing me to go to the regular doctor to get a physical. Since I am slightly overweight, my mom is sure I am going to have a heart attack within the next 6 months. Well, maybe not. It is good to get a check up every once in a while. I do have high blood pressure in my family so I need to know that I am safe. I do need to lose weight so maybe I'll get some motivation to get it down a little bit. I snore at night and I've heard some complaints about that laltely. I did some research and I read that one way to reduce snoring is to lose weight.

Enough about doctors and my health.

I love this Texas fall. This is the best weather I can remember here for a long time. We don't usually get wonderful weather for such a long time. It is shocking. I always say that Texas has two seasons. We have a long and painful summer. We also have a second season that I plainly call "Not Summer." We don't have a winter. We just have some strange season that isn't summer. I hope this wonderful weather lasts.

A political rant

The US government is spending billions of dollars on an unnecessary war in Iraq. Why? Because we wanted to rid Saddam Hussain of nuclear warfare that we never found. We are still spening billions for no reason just to keep it safe. It isn't any safer now than it was 6 years ago when this mess began.

The economy is weak. Today, the House failed to pass a measure that would bail out banks, help them out and improve the US economy as a whole. Why did this fail? I don't understand why.

Where is the logic of all of this? Why does a failed war get so much support but the US economy doesn't get any support? How can America let this happen? This is a joke.

Gray hairs

I have some gray hairs on my chin. If I grew out a beard or a goatee, it would be partially dark brown and partially gray or silver. When I was younger, I had a goatee but I shaved it quite a while ago. Rachel doesn't like facial hair so I can't grow it out. I know I am not old, yet. It just feels strange seeing my head go bald while I grow gray hair on my chin.

My goals

Let me take a minute to think about my goals.

1. I want to lose weight.

I am still good at exercising regularly but my diet is less than perfect. I am not doing what I want to do.

2. I want to learn Tagalog or Spanish.

I have my Tagalog books at home and someone to help me practice, however, it just isn't happening. I just don't have the time I'd like to sit down and study. Well, sleep is more important than studying.

3. I want to save money.

Uhm, yeah. I am a teacher. That isn't gonna happen unless I win the lottery. Wishful thinking.

What I need

I need a couple days of rest. No classes. No tutorials. No assaignments. No trips to the grocery store. No need to clean. No need to do laundry. No 6 a.m. alarm clock rings. I need a couple days with no obligations. I need a couple days of alcohol and movies or sporting events to watch on tv. Ok, so maybe I don't need the alcohol. I don't think I'll get my wish for some time.

This week, I am tutoring as usual. As long as I have the energy, I'd also like to visit Oktoberfest in Addison. It started yesterday and lasts until Sunday. I'd like to go for a bit maybe tomorrow evening. The weather is just incredible. It is perfect for a nice evening outside wandering around an event like this.

Seasons change

I still have some pretty horrible allergies. Tomorrow, I am visiting the allergy doctor for the first time in almost a year. I took an allergy exam that showed I am allergic to many things. I have a horrible allergy to some grasses and trees. I don't know what is blooming now but the last couple weeks have been worse than usual.

What a nice night the Dallas Cowboys had last night. They look good, but I am skepitcal about their future. The Cowboys can only stop themselves from winning the Super Bowl. Tony Romo needs to think clearly under pressure. Also, Wade Phillips has to kick the team's ass this week for having so many unnecessary penalty flags.

On another note, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and New Years. I despritely need a vacation. I can't believe I just had one a month ago. It feels like ages ago.

My allergies

The last week or so has been absoluetely horrible. I can't breathe. At some point last week, I also had these horrible allergy related headaches. It has been hard to function at times. I heard a lot of people in the Dallas area have been affected by the remains of Hurriance Gustav. It blew in a lot of grass, weed and other problems from the coast. It has given those of us in Dallas with allergy problems a huge headache. Even thought it has been a week now, my allergies are still horrible.

A little sleep....

Last night I went to sleep at about 8:30 p.m. This morning I finally got out of bed at about 8:00 a.m. I woke up a couple times but it was so nice laying in bed for such a long time sleeping and catching up on some rest. A little sleep can really go a long way. I feel great this morning.

September events

There is an Octoberfest event in Addison in two weekends from now. You have to respect a festival that celebrates beer and food. I can't wait for it. Then the Jewish holidays are coming up too. I used to be more religious than I am now. I am actually looking forward to the holidays. I miss being a part of Jewish life.

My Home

When does a house become a home?

I've been in my home for 10 months. It feels like I've been here for 10 years. Now that I have some company, things around here are changing fast. I thought I could decorate well. Of course, she has to redecorate and make things a bit different. If I can win the lottery, I'd like to do some remodeling around here. The big question is if. Teachers will never win the big bucks so I hope I can win the lottery.

US Politics

Let's face it. Politics are ugly. George Bush will go down as being one of the worst, if not the worst, President in United States history. The Democrats should be poised to win in November. I just don't understand why Obama and McCain are neck and neck in the polls. Don't people understand that McCain will bring another 4 years of negativity to the US? If the Democrats can't win by a landslide this November, it will be very sad.

In case you can't tell, Obama gets my vote.

Time

Recently. I've been busier than I would have liked. Reality says I do what I have to do. I am not going to argue with that. However, I would also like to have more free time to have some hobbies or to do something fun. I have a problem. When I work a lot and have lots of things to do after work, I don't have a lot of extra energy. Maybe it isn't a problem. I wish I had extra energy. I don't know how some people can run around with tons of energy all day. Some people can function with little sleep. I am not one of those people.

Autumn

The autumn season will start sometime next month. Finally the Texas heat will cool off some. I am looking forward to that. I have such a busy schedule that cooler weather might be the only thing I get to enjoy. Work, work, grad classes, and trying to save money. I think I am ready for retirement. Sadly enough that won't be for another 35+ years. Now if I win the lottery, that is another issue.

Learning is a part of life

Learning is a part of life, right? If we want to better ourselves, we have to learn something new. To get ahead in this world, we need to study more. I am taking graduate classes to get ahead. I believe everyone should become multi-lingual. When people like myself have an extremely busy schedule, it can be hard to study, but it is necessary.

Vacation is ending. Back to Work

I have been on vacation all week from Richland. I've still done a little tutoring though. It is sad, isn't it? I need to work on my vacation to get extra cash. For the most part, it was relaxing. I got some good and much needed rest. I took Rachel shopping to help her get settled, I saw some movies and had a pretty decent week.

I am not looking forward to going back to work. Today, Saturday, is really my last day of vacation. Tomorrow through Wednesday, I have this silly retreat to attend near the airport. It is a part of my work so I guess I shouldn't complain. It'll just be a long week. I am already looking forward to Labor Day weekend.

Vacation

Next week I am taking a vacation. For me, "taking a vacation" doesn't mean a whole lot anymore. I am not going anywhere. I am not doing anything exciting. I probably won't even catch up on the rest I need.

By vacation, I mean I am not going to my primary job. I am still tutoring my normal students that I would on any ordinary week. Then I have a lot of catching up to do. There are several things I need to do that I haven't had time to do because of my crazy schedule. My week will be more relaxed than usual, but it still isn't the vacation I really need.

Tutoring

It is really sad that teaching full time at a school isn't good enough to make and save money. I need to tutor on top of that to really be in good condition. If I work my ass off, it would be nice to have tons of extra income. Sadly enough, that isn't true. I enjoy teaching. I just wish it brought me more money and security for the future. I've wanted to learn about investing in hopes of making money in another form.

My visitor

Tomorrow I'll be welcoming a visitor from far away.

How do I feel now? Well, I am exhausted. My summer class that I've been teaching just finished today. This Texas heat is also getting to me. I've also been cleaning and organizing everything. I need a vacation. I am taking one in August. I'll probably spend most of my time here in Dallas. Wouldn't it be nice to be rich so we could truly rest without having other things to do as well?

Anyway, I'll have a busy weekend so I won't get any rest until my vacation. I do have a bottle of wine, though. I hope that'll help me relax.

My last weekend alone

I will have some company on Friday July 25. After a year of waiting for immigration papers to be approved, someone special is finally arriving. While I have some anxiety about her arrival, I am excited too. I've been cleaning, organizing and trying to do my best to make sure everything in my home is in order. And since it is my last weekend alone, I also drank a little too much wine last night. The last time I had a roommate was when I was in university. That was about 10 years ago. I know a wife is a lot more than just a roommate but it'll be a little different for me. I am definately looking forward to Friday.

My goals/desires

There are so many things that I want to do that I am just not doing.

1. I would love to lose weight. I am good at exercising but my diet isn't the best in the world.

2. I would love to save money. Well, currently that isn't an option. I have too many expenses.

3. I would love to have a vacation. I might get some time off in August.

4. Learn more about different things. I do enjoy reading and learning new things. Time is a huge issue for me. I don't have much free time.

Texas Heat

Texas heat makes me thankful for a few things.

1. I have air conditioning. It is one of the best inventions of all time. Without it, I don't think I would last. I spent the summer of 2000 in Israel without air conditioning and I don't know how I did it.

2. I have a car. With it, I don't need to sweat all over town just to go from one place to another. I didn't have a car while I lived in Asia. I didn't miss driving one bit. However, I didn't like walking in the hot and humid Japan summers. I also didn't like the cold, bitter and windy winters. I guess everything is a trade off.

3. Texas summers also makes me look forward to November. We can still have hot days through September. October might be pleasent.

Money and the economy

I would love to understand the economy. If I did, I would invest wisely. I don't have much money to invest, but I would love to use every extra cent I have. That way I could make more money off of that. Teachers don't make much and never will make a good income. I'd love to learn how to make money off of the economy, stocks, or whatever so I could have a nice supplemental income. Tutoring is difficult and makes for a long day. I enjoy it, but it still doesn't give me all the money I think I need for my future. I enjoy teaching and don't regret being in my profession. I just wish it was more financially rewarding.

I teach during the day and frequently tutor in the evening and on the weekend. It is nice to have the extra income from that. It is nice being my own boss. It is nice for the extra money but it wouldn't be a good primary income. However, it makes for some long days and busy weeks. It makes for a restless weekend if I am tutoring on my days off. I do what I have to do. I enjoy teaching but I would love to be financially weathly.

A relaxing day

There is nothing better than a day at home with a few good movies and wine. I needed the relaxing day. I am happy that I can relax today too.

I am really looking forward to August when I can have an entire week to myself.

3 day July 4th weekend

Luckily for me, I am feeling better than I was last night. I don't have work today and all of my students cancelled this weekend. I don't have any tutoring until next week. This is good so I can rest. However, if I don't tutor, then I don't get money. Everything has a good side and a bad side, right?

I didn't feel good last night. I slept ok but woke up early. My body is accustomed to waking up at 6am everyday. If I wake up at 7:30, I guess that is "sleeping in." The good news is I took advantage of the early morning. I cleaned my home and I worked on one of my graduate papers. It has been a productive morning and it is only 9:30. I've done a lot in the last two hours.

July 4th Eve aka July 3th night

Tonight is July 3. I live in a suburb of Dallas called Addison. Addison is famous four having a July 3rd firework show every year. It is allegedly one of the best nationally. I went early to eat and watch a special airplane fly-by show. Go figure. I ate something bad at dinner and got a horrible stomache. It was so bad that I couldn't finish watching the firework show. I live close to the show but my view is blocked by trees and another home. I hear the booms, though. Why, of all nights, did I get sick tonight?

Visa

So, we finally have a visa so Rachel can finally come here in July. If anyone reading wants to marry someone they meet in another country, expect the whole visa process to take about a year. That is crazy but it is US immigration. I sent out her initial paperwork in June 2007 and she'll here in July 2008. That is way too long. There needs to be a major immigration overhaul. However, I can say I am excited and I'll look forward to her coming here.

Busy

I have been quite busy lately. I am teaching at my school, tutoring on the side and taking some grad classes online. I don't have any downtime. I need it too. Thank goodness Friday is July 4th. I don't have to work and I don't have any responsibilities on that day. I plan on kicking back and relaxing. Thursday night is KaboomTown. Addison likes to have fireworks every year on July 3. I can probably see them from my home. The center of the events will be at the Addison Circle park and I'll probably stop by for a little bit.

George Carlin

George Carlin was a great comedian. He said what he thought and he made it funny too. He made great jokes and had wonderful thoughts on life. He also made a huge impact on free speach too. He made headlines and influenced other comics.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080623/ap_en_ce/obit_george_carlin_29
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/06/23/carlin.obit/index.html?iref=24hours

Internet

I got wireless internet yesterday. If someone like me only has a laptop then there isn't a need for a cable connection.

Now for the bad news. When I called Time Warner Cable to cancel my internet, I was on hold for an hour and a half. I never talked to a person. I finally hung up. I'll try again another day.

The double edged sword

Tomorrow, I don't have anything to do. That is great news. No work. No tutoring. I don't have to do graduate work. I can relax the entire day.

Now here is the bad news. I need money. I want to tutor so I can get the extra cash. Life has been hard for me lately financially.

I need the rest. I need the money. Sadly enough, I can't have both. I'll enjoy the rest but I could use some extra cash too.

Important things in life

I have noticed that there are several things that makes life work. This week has made these things seem more obvious to me.

1. Not having internet and phones at work makes it hard to do things. That is, unless you bring your work home. That isn't fun, is it?

2. Not having air conditioning on a 100 degree F (40 C) day isn't fun.

3. It doesn't matter how hard we work. It doesn't matter how hard we save. Money is always gone before you can snap a finger.

The Texas weather

I tutored on Saturday. The Air Conditioner in the building was only partially working. Then yesterday, my AC wasn't giving me cold air for a couple hours. Then today at my school, the entire building doesn't have AC. What's up?? It is 100 F, or 38 C, so I shouldn't be surprised. I have lived without Air Conditioner before but it is horrid. Even for one day without it, I have a hard time.

Vacation wanted

I really need a rest. I have been working a lot and I started a graduate class this summer. Soon, I'll have a wife here living with me. She just has to get her visa and we have to get her all set up here in Dallas. All of this is putting a lot of stress on me. I really don't have much downtime. I need it too. I don't have to work on July 4, which is a Friday. Then I plan on taking a week for vacation in August. I'll need that too. I wish teachers made more money so I could take some more time for myself.

Random thoughts

It is another Saturday. It is another Saturday I spent tutoring half of the day. I need the money so I have to do what I have to do. One of these days, I'll break a big paycheck in the education field, right? Either that or I'll get struck by lightening. While I am writing this, it is Saturday evening and I am enjoying a glass of wine. Wine is my favorite drink. I need some every once in a while to kick back and relax. Not to mention wine is good for a person's heart.

I really love my cats. They are doing great in their new home. Mama can't stop purring. I never thought a cat could purr as much as her. Kitty is finally warming up to me. After being scared for so long, she is used to me now. Or at least she recognizes that I am the one who feeds her.

This afternoon I saw Zohan. It was a great movie. It was a lot more explicit than I expected, but it was funny and made me laugh. It is definitely worth checking out.

Summer thoughts

June is here in Texas and it is hot. A lot hotter than it was last year at this time. As a Texan, I guess I am used to it. I went to my pool a couple times already and it felt nice. I wish I could go more often but I just don't have time.

I have to admit that I am surpirsed by the Texas Rangers thus far in the season. They are playing .500 ball. I thought they would be much worse than that. They are happily surprising me. If they improve, I'll be even more surprised. They are showing more hope than I have seen in a real long time. If they can keep their pitching under control, then they might have a chance to go to the playoffs.

On a side note, I like these recent Blogger changes.

My summer

My summer schedule really began yesterday. My new summer class has begun and it will be a busy 8 week session for my students. I am also starting a graduate class. That'll certainly keep me busy in the evenings and weekends. Then it looks as though my loved one will finally get her visa this week or next via mail. Her interview at the US Embassy went well. She should be here soon. I don't mind being busy. I just hope it won't be too much. Graduate school is a lot of work and I want to do well.

Memorial Day weekend/Indiana Jones

It is amazing to know when a long weekend isn't long enough. Saturday was my first real day off in a long time. No school and no tutoring. Sunday, I had one student and Monday, I had some things to do. I enjoyed my weekend. I went to the pool, I slept a lot and I saw Indiana Jones. I didn't think it was as good as the first 3 but it was entertaining. I definately recommend this movie, especially if you are an Indy fan.

Exercise

I have always been athletic. I played sports in my youth. Now, as an adult, I really do enjoy going to the gym. Even when I am busy, I make it at least 3-4 days a week. I've been quite good lately. I can feel myself getting stronger with the weights. I wish I could be just as good with my diet. I eat good for awhile and then I don't eat good. That isn't going to help me lose weight. Unfortunately, I need to lose a few pounds and I need to keep it off.

Summer plans

I have quite a busy summer planned for me. I am teaching my regular load, tutoring on the side, starting a graduate program and I will have a wife here with me. The graduate program is 90% probable and pending an interview at the US Embassy, my love with finally have her visa.

I need some rest, but it looks like I won't get it. I am taking some time off in August, though. It'll be between the summer and fall semesters. Hopefully, I'll have someone here to keep me company.

Sunday

I spent half the day yesterday in bed. I needed it. Actually, I really wanted to spend the entire day in bed but I couldn't. I had to tutor one student and I went to the grocery store on the way home. It is just amazing. A little sleep and a little rest can go a long way. I feel better today. It isn't that I felt horrible before but I wasn't rested. I could have used an extra day to sleep or rest. I am really looking forward to Memorial Day weekend. I don't have any exciting plans. I just want the extra day for some downtime.

Cats

I adopted two new cats last week. A mom and her baby. They are wonderful and I am glad that I got them. However, I never thought that adopting them would be so expensive. Vet costs. Additional Petco or Petsmart costs....aka "things that I have to bring home stuff"......food, toys, bedding, litter supplies.....Oy vey!!! All this on top of US immigration costs...I never thought that US immigration would be so expensive or difficult. The good thing is that she should be here by late summer....

Busy

I have been quite busy lately. Too busy for my own good. I teach during the week. I tutor a couple evenings a week and on the weekend. I have other things to do on the weekend too. I have to make sure my personal life is in order. That doesn't leave me any free time at all. That barely leaves me enough time to sleep. I try to exercise 4-5 times a week. The last 3 weeks, I have barely been able to exercise 2-3 times a week. I really need to take care of my health. Sadly enough, money comes first. I need money. That is why I am tutoring so much on the side. I need some downtime. I need a vacation. Sadly enough, I won't get that for some time. I can only hope that I win the lottery.

My new family

Today, I adopted two new cats. Not one, but two. I have been looking for about a month now. Because of a rat problem I had before, I wanted to make sure that the hole in the wall was sealed and that my kitchen was cleaned to perfection. I found the most beautiful cats last week. Today, I went back to look for them. I wanted only one but these two were so cute I had to take them both. Here is the catch.....There really wasn't a choice. They came together. I now have a (roughly) 2 year old mama and her young 6 month old kitten. They had been abandoned and left to die. Luckily they were found, cleaned up, taken care of, and today, given away. They are healthy cats after being taken care of for two months. They are beautiful cats despite the tough past that they have had. If you can give me any recommendations for names, I would appreciate it. I have been calling them "Mama" and "Kitten" all day long.

The Geography of Bliss

I read a book about a month ago that was really great. It is called The Geography of Bliss and is written by NPR correspondant Eric Weiner. As a foreign correspondant, Weiner saw a lot of unhappy places. He decided to go to the happiest places in the world and study them. What makes happiness? This book is fascinating. The places he listed are interesting. The evidence he gave to show what makes these places happy made me think. He really did a good job with this book and I highly recommend it to anyone. It is the best book I have read in a very long time.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a month away but I am already looking forward to it. It means I have an extra day off from work. I am doing a lot of tutoring. Being busy is fine for me, but even I need a real day off. I tutor some evenings and I also tutor on the weekend. I usually tutor one day on the weekend and the other day I have to clean, do laundry, go to the grocery store and do all those other things. Sometimes, I'll even tutor on both days. I really haven't had a real day off with no responsibilities in a long time. I will get that day, maybe even two, on that weekend.

Crazy thoughts

It seems as though everything happens at once. I have a lot of work to do to prepare for the end of the semester. I am also tutoring a lot. I also am getting some more paperwork to send to the Philippines. Thank goodness the whole immigration process is almost done. My days are quite long and I would love a little more down time. Or at least a lazy day. Unfortunately, I don't get a lazy day. I don't have time for one.

Recently, I have been thinking about getting a cat. I am more of a dog person, but since I am never home, I can't take care of a dog. A cat would be easy. Make sure it is declawed and fixed. Feed it. Get it a kitty litter. I think that is about it. I used to have a cat but had to get rid of it when I went to Japan. The hole in my kitchen is now boarded up so hopefully my rat problem will never happen again. Now that the rat problem is solved, I think I can consider actually getting a cat and bringing it home.

What a week....

First there was my phone washing incident last week. Then a storm hit so hard that I thought there was a tornado right outside my home. There was one only 2-3 miles away. That kept me up part of Wednesday night. An unexpected visitor, a decent sized rat, kept me up Thursday night. There is a hole in my wall behind my refrigerator and that is how he got in my home. He caused a stir in my kitchen and when he heard me coming, he ran back into his hole as fast as he could. Friday night, he chewed on my toaster and my coffee machine. Saturday morning, someone from a pest control company came to my home. He agreed that the point of entry was this hole in the kitchen. We think it is only one. In 3-4 days, and at least 3 visits into my kitchen, I still haven't seen this guy. I don't have any proof that he has been in any other room of my house. That is the good news. Saturday morning, the pest control guy gave me a trap to catch the rat. Last night, it didn't work. I put food inside the trap, but it didn't close. I don't know how the rat managed to get the food without setting off the trap. Today is a Sunday so of course the pest control company is closed. I put more food in the trap. I know he'll be back sometime today or tonight. Hopefully, it'll catch him. If not, I hope the pest control company can send someone over tomorrow.

The story of my life.....

I would like to think I am an intellegent person. I would like to think that I know what I am doing in life. I would like to know that I am a good person. I would like to know that I am aware of my surroundings.

Today, I put my laundry in the washing machine as I always do on Sundays. I went outside for a jog because today was a beautiful Spring day in Dallas, Texas. I came home and realized that I couldn't find my cell phone. I looked all over the place. I only have one phone, my cell, so I couldn't call myself to hear it ring. After thinking it over, I figured out that it was in one of two places. I ate dinner with my parents tonight. I thought that maybe I left it in their car. That didn't seem like the kind of thing I would do. The only other option was that I left it in the pocket of my blue jeans.....which were in the washing machine. That doesn't seem like me either. My wash finished just as I was looking for my phone. There it was. Dead as a doornail. Not fixable. There is a Sprint store near my home so I went there. Lucky for me, I got there about 10 minutes before it closed. I was able to get a new phone but still had to pay $100. I learned my lesson. Usually, I am really good with things but I am not always paying attention on the weekends.

The Texas Rangers

I have a lot on my mind. Work. Immigration for Rachel. Grad school in the Fall.

My favorite sport is baseball. It is one of the few things in life that can take my mind off of everyday stress. My favorite team is the Texas Rangers. They have only been to the playoffs three times in their history but I am always loyal to my hometown team. Their first game is tonight. I am happily watching it and following the stats of my fantasy team that I started on yahoo. I am looking forward to another baseball season this year.

Wedding

Boulder, Colorado is not that kind of place that a person can go for a weekend trip. From Dallas, it is about a 2 hour flight and then another 45 minute drive from the airport. This trip made for a very long few days.

Now that I am physically home in Dallas, I can say I had a great weekend. The wedding was beautiful, my cousin and her new husband looked happy and it was nice seeing some people that I haven't seen in years. I wish I had more time to spend in Boulder because it looks like a great little town. From the little that I saw, it seemed very beautiful and unique.

My cousin's wedding

My cousin is getting married this weekend. I hate to say it, but I haven't been too close with my extended family. I grew up in Dallas and lived there until I turned 18 and left for the University of Oklahoma. My mom is from Rochester, NY and my dad is from Chicago, Illinois. For the most part, my mom's family is still in NY and my dad's family is still in Chicago. We have other a few other relatives scattered all over the US. With that kind of distance, it makes it hard to be close with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents......As a child, my sister and I would go visit eveyone for a week or two during the summer. That was nice, but it wasn't enough to build a close bond with anyone. However, these trips did make my sister and I closer. This wedding is the first time in a very long time everyone will be together. I am looking forward to that. I am exhausted and would prefer to spend the weekend in bed, but I am happy for my cousin and I am happy that I'll get to see family that I haven't seen in years.

Traveling

When I was in Japan, I used to love taking day trips. I would take the train to a near by place and see what was there. I lived near mountains so I could go hiking. I was also close to the third largest lake in Japan, Lake Inawashiro. I went there several times. Tokyo and Sendai were the two biggest cities close to me. I went there every once in a while.

Now I am back in Dallas. I have been back for a year. I just don't take weekend trips anymore. I went to San Antonio just after I came back. That wasn't because I wanted to tour the city but because my sister lives there. I also went to Houston and Galvaston for a long 3 day weekend. That was it. I've been back in the US for a year and I haven't left Texas. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It is a big state. I just don't have the energy that I used to have. When I have a day off, I usually have tons of things to do. If I don't have things to do, I want to sleep. Next weekend, I am going away. My cousin is getting married. She lives in Boulder, Colorado. It is suppose to be a beautiful area. My parents and I are going Friday night and coming back Sunday afternoon. The wedding is Saturday night so I'll have Saturday during the day to do whatever I want. I am looking forward to getting away. I hope I have the energy to hike. I also hope the weather is nice. Of course I am happy for my cousin too.

1 year

Normally I am not big on dates, anniversaries, or special times of the year. However, I have been thinking a lot about the last year of my life. My contract in Japan finished March 14, 2007. I went to the Philippines for just over 3 weeks and returned to the US in April. Moving back to the US was much more difficult than moving to Japan. Don't get me wrong.....Culture shock was tough. Once I assimilated, I felt comfortable and life became as normal as it could be.

Coming back was a different story. I looked for jobs before I came back, but everyone wanted a face to face interview. I understood that but it didn't make it any easier for me. Until I started at Richland in January, I worked part time at two different places. Working at one place is so convenient. I do additional tutoring but that is something I plan. Because I didn't have a job when I first came back, I had to live with my folks when I first returned. That wasn't easy for a 29 year old who has a lot of pride. However, after a few short months, I was able to get my own place. Going to Japan was easy. I had a job and an apartment waiting for me when I moved there. The only stress was culture shock and learning a new city. It was tough but nothing too bad. Then there is US immigration. I have complaied enough about this, but after over 8 months, paperwork is finally going to the US Embassy in Manila. This is enough of my reflections.

Approval

I check the USCIS's (US Immigraion) website regularly. Finally, this morning, over 8 months after I sent out my application, they have approved my request. Something is in the mail to tell me what we have to do next. I hope the next stage is not as slow as this one.

US immigration makes it so hard for good people to come to this country legally. I understand there are a lot of applicants and sorting them out takes time. I believe an overhaul is needed to make it harder for illegals to come into this country. Also US immigration needs to make it easier for good applicants to apply legally and make it here in good time.

Royal Sushi

Royal Sushi is a Korean/Japanese restaurant near I-35 and Royal Lane in Dallas. It is owned by a Korean family so it has more Korean food than Japanese. 1 of my 4 years in Asia was in Seoul, South Korea. The thing I miss the most about Korea is the food. I love Korean food. I heard good things about this place, and since I was in the neighborhood last night, I ate dinner there. It was quite good. There are many Korean restaurants in this area. I definately recommend Royal Sushi if you want to eat good Korean food.

Daylight Savings Time

I have complained about this before and I will again. Daylights Savings Time doesn't have any true benefits. It causes more inconvenience than is helpful. While I was in Asia, we didn't have DST. I believe this is only a North American thing. The benefits it might have had 50 years ago don't exist anymore. I believe it shouldn't exist anymore.

And don't forget to change your clocks one hour ahead tonight.

Texas weather

Warm
Cold and Snowy
Warm
Cold and Snowy
Warm

This all happened in less than a week. I don't like cold weather. However, I would like the temprature to just stay the same. This up and down change is just horrible. It isn't good. The crazy cold/snowy/icy weather caused me to have a 1+ hour drive to work when it usually only takes me 15-20 minutes.

Currencies

I don't understand how currencies work. I wish I did. When I first went to Japan, there were 120 yen to the $1. Then in early 2005, it was 102 yen to the $1. Then in March 2007, when I left, it was again near 120 yen to the $1. I recently checked the exchange rate and again it was 102 yen to the $1. I wish I had kept some yen so I could get more USDs from it now. I freqeuntly check the rates because it interests me. I also need to know about the Filipino currency so I can know the rates out there. I know the dollar isn't strong. I wish I knew how to invest money in other currenceis so I could make money.

http://www.xe.com/ is a good site to check updates.

Jury Duty

Before today, I always had a good excuse to get out of jury duty. I was a student and that was an exemption. Then I was in Asia and for obvious reasons, that was an exemption. For the first time in my life, I actually didn't have an exemption today. I really had to show up.

To be honest, it was a complete waste of time. I would have rather been at work. I showed up at 8:30 am. Every juror has a number and every juror has to wait for this number to be called. First, they called 1-100. Then about 45 minutes later, they called the next 200. Then another 30 minutes went by before they got up to 600. At 11:00, a lady walked up to the podium and said that no more jurors were needed so those of us waiting were excused and could go home. I am lucky that I didn't have to go through the process of jury duty. I still think it was a waste for me to just sit there for 2 and a half hours. However, I have done my duty and hopefully I won't get called for a long time to come.

My almost one year anniversary

My contract in Japan finished March 14, 2007. On March 15, I went to the Philippines for 3+ weeks to visit my future family for the first time. It was certainly a stressful time for me. I was moving from Japan to America, I was inbetween jobs and I was meeting my fiancee's family. It was a crazy time, but it was a good trip. In early April, I returned to Japan for a few days to gather my things and I moved home to Dallas. It has almost been a year since my move back to Dallas, but it feels like it has been 5 years. I have been so busy and have been doing so many things to get my life here in order. I had a great time in Japan and I am happy to be back home. However, it has been a tougher year than I ever expected. Moving back to Dallas was harder than leaving for Japan in the first place.

The GRE

I took the GRE this afternoon. I didn't do as well as I had hoped. However, if statisics are true, my scores fall somewhere in the "average" range. Here is the funny thing.....I studied more for the English section than the math section. I am looking into history programs and ESL programs so I thought that it would be more important. In the end, my math score was higher than my English score. Crazy huh? I have already applied to a few places and my GRE scores will be heading to these schools soon. I applied for the Fall semester so I can take it again, if I want. I hate those stupid tests. They don't test a persons true knowledge of life. They only test a person's test taking skills.

With Honors

With Honors with Joe Pesci and Brandon Frasier is one of my favorite movies of all time. It came out in the mid-1990s and I think that it should have become more famous than it did.

I was searching YouTube.com and I found my favorite scene from this movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7kVDwGiRg

Games

I am not into online games. In fact, I don't understand how some people can play games for hours upon hours and neglect the rest of the real world.

Saying that, this is the third year that I've signed up for a fantasy baseball team on yahoo's fantasy sports website. One year, I won my league of 12. The other year, I came in dead last. Go figure. I love baseball so watching the regular season and playing around with my fantasy league will be a good distraction.

I am working a lot, taking the GRE this Saturday, March 1, and sending out graduate applications as we speak. I've got a lot on my mind (as if work and preparing for grad school isn't enough). US immigration is making my life more stressful too.

Enter baseball season. I am a guy. This is my one joy that helps me forget about everything. I don't know why, but other sports just aren't as interesting for me as baseball.

Texas

Our weather here can be quite obnoxious. It goes up and down. Hot and cold. 80 degrees. 30 degrees. Sunny. Rainy. All in a 24 hour period.

It is no wonder that my allergies are killing me. I take Allegra and Nasanex (2 allergy medications) on a regular basis. Somedays, even with those 2 medications, I can't breath, I get horrible headaches and I have a hard time doing anything. I went to an Allergist a few months ago. He gave me a prick test to see exactly what bothers my allergies. I have quite a few allergies. My biggest allergic reaction was to grass and trees. Unless I move to the Sahara Desert, there is nothing I can do. I last went to the Allergist in November. He said to come back in early Spring if I felt like I was getting worse. I get my health insurance on May 1 (I think). The first of the month after 90 days......Yeah, that is May 1. I'll go back eventually.

Exhaustion/Thoughts on immigration.....

I am very tired. I would love a vacation but really don't get one for a long time. I have my regular day job Monday-Friday at Richland. On the weekend, I am doing some extra tutoring for extra cash. I feel a need to save as much as I can. I know that when Rachel gets her visa, she can't work for a long time because immigration is a pain in the neck. As a young 30 year old, I've never had to take care of anyone else so I am a bit worried about that. Of course, when she gets here, I won't work on the weekends. No more tutoring.....Probably. I think being busy is good for me so I am not at home depressed and sad. I think she is handling US immigration better than me. She is the one waiting for a visa to come here and she doesn't know when. I would be going crazy if I was the one waiting and waiting and waiting. US immigration needs a major overhaul. It needs to be easier for the legal ones to get in and harder for the illegals to cross the border. If I was President of the USA, I would end the Iraq War immediately and put some of the N