Sunday, April 8, 2007
Plus and Minuses
Interesting week on the emotional richter scale. Monday, my bike decided to "take a vacation". That is to say, it disappeared. This was a -1, but I found I was feeling it like a -2. (Somehow I was feeling paranoid about it. Why my bike? Why did I forget to lock it, etc.)
I also had a trial lesson later that day, so I had the prospect of a new student. +.5.
On the same day, I got a call from my Tuesday night gig that they were ending the class (-1). The company that was sponsoring it decided to subsidize its employees classes individually, to give them more flexibility. I started to make me feel a little doubt about my teaching ability (-1). All in all, a -3.5 so far.
On the other hand, I had to go in and do my Tuesday gig (-.5 for anticipation), but it went really well, and they were supportive about my departure, and i felt good about my teaching again (+1). Now I was at -3.
The next day, however was a + day. For one, my bike came back from its vacation (+1). That is to say, it reappeared. No idea where it went on its vacation, except that the key was still in it (sans keychain), and the seat was adjusted to a different height.
I also got a call offering me an interview for another job. Maybe a +.5. So I was at -1.5.
Then I started thinking about the job situation, it is not a problem, really, since it was only one day a week, and it was at an inconvenient time and place, and the money wasn't really critical. So, in a way, I am already better off. So I worked myself up to a -1.
Then I found out that new position was going to be on a better day for me, and pay almost exactly as the one as I lost. Perfect (+.5).
I also had some new students at my other job this week, and they turned out to be very good (+.5), so that pretty much put me at zero again. Which is good, cause even my zero is very high these days.
On the other hand this week was that I was going to be on TV on friday...Yes, on TV in Japan. I had been interviewed a while back and it was finally going to be broadcast. We had been waiting for a while, so I was heading for a +2 for the week.
However, that ended up being slightly less than imagined...all they showed was a brief image of Yukie and I. It was still exciting though...so maybe I was at +.5.
..except, I took the job interview, which went very well (+.5). And they even offered me a position (+.5), but alas, on a day I can't do (-1.5). Oh well, back to zero.
This week was also very busy. Yukie and I were asked to do a rush (-1) translation for subtitles for a Deaf film our deaf filmmaker friend made. That was a lot of fun (+1)...thinking about the best way to phrase things, thinking about how the various languages are different and similar, and so on (+1). Coincidentally, Yukie was asked to translate some class notes for our neighbors...so she was really busy (-1 for me) doing translation, which she doesnt like (-1), usually, but seemed ok with this time (+1).
So all in all, the week was a wash. But the week is not over: today Yukie and I are going to going do some volunteer English teaching...at an orphanage! The prospect of doing that is...
What's up with you?
I also had a trial lesson later that day, so I had the prospect of a new student. +.5.
On the same day, I got a call from my Tuesday night gig that they were ending the class (-1). The company that was sponsoring it decided to subsidize its employees classes individually, to give them more flexibility. I started to make me feel a little doubt about my teaching ability (-1). All in all, a -3.5 so far.
On the other hand, I had to go in and do my Tuesday gig (-.5 for anticipation), but it went really well, and they were supportive about my departure, and i felt good about my teaching again (+1). Now I was at -3.
The next day, however was a + day. For one, my bike came back from its vacation (+1). That is to say, it reappeared. No idea where it went on its vacation, except that the key was still in it (sans keychain), and the seat was adjusted to a different height.
I also got a call offering me an interview for another job. Maybe a +.5. So I was at -1.5.
Then I started thinking about the job situation, it is not a problem, really, since it was only one day a week, and it was at an inconvenient time and place, and the money wasn't really critical. So, in a way, I am already better off. So I worked myself up to a -1.
Then I found out that new position was going to be on a better day for me, and pay almost exactly as the one as I lost. Perfect (+.5).
I also had some new students at my other job this week, and they turned out to be very good (+.5), so that pretty much put me at zero again. Which is good, cause even my zero is very high these days.
On the other hand this week was that I was going to be on TV on friday...Yes, on TV in Japan. I had been interviewed a while back and it was finally going to be broadcast. We had been waiting for a while, so I was heading for a +2 for the week.
However, that ended up being slightly less than imagined...all they showed was a brief image of Yukie and I. It was still exciting though...so maybe I was at +.5.
..except, I took the job interview, which went very well (+.5). And they even offered me a position (+.5), but alas, on a day I can't do (-1.5). Oh well, back to zero.
This week was also very busy. Yukie and I were asked to do a rush (-1) translation for subtitles for a Deaf film our deaf filmmaker friend made. That was a lot of fun (+1)...thinking about the best way to phrase things, thinking about how the various languages are different and similar, and so on (+1). Coincidentally, Yukie was asked to translate some class notes for our neighbors...so she was really busy (-1 for me) doing translation, which she doesnt like (-1), usually, but seemed ok with this time (+1).
So all in all, the week was a wash. But the week is not over: today Yukie and I are going to going do some volunteer English teaching...at an orphanage! The prospect of doing that is...
off the charts!
What's up with you?
Labels: life in japan
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