Category Archives: Random

Sunday Delivery and Economic Policy

Leave a reply

Because I haven’t transferred money to my US account since 2011, and because the company that used to handle the transfers has been bought out, I suddenly found myself having to reapply to transfer money to the USA.

This, however, was complicated by US law. I won’t go into details but the basic idea behind the law is “don’t trust Americans or we will hurt you because they are all tax-evading bastards”. Because of this, even Swiss banks have been playing ball, so to speak, and I had to fill out a fairly hefty application and copy two forms of ID. Then I had to answer any unanswered questions via phone calls and then wait long enough that I was worried I’d been rejected.

(Note: there are other ways to send money to a US account but they involve a trip to the post office, hefty amounts of paperwork each time, fees, and, on occasion, substantial profane language.)

Yesterday, though, I received notice that I had a registered letter waiting for me at the post office and She Who Must Be Obeyed called and arranged delivery today. The postal worker arrived at the very end of the requested time period–I didn’t complain because Sunday Delivery–and then he spent a full three minutes filling out paperwork. What shocked me was that 1) HE filled out the paperwork and 2) that he accepted a non-photo ID as proof of who I was.

I now have an account and a way to transfer money. That means I’ll have to actually attempt all that tomorrow. That’s when the real swearing will probably begin.

Stumble into the Sabbath

Leave a reply

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8

I’m pretty sure that verse doesn’t mean “Do something, but not that thing you meant to do.”

In the grand judgment of “accomplished stuff” versus “wasted entire day” the verdict is “push” because I didn’t waste time effectively.

Although I had a basic plan, being finished with classes and marking for the term at the school where I work caused my body and my psyche to shut down and take a day off. I had stuff set out to do, but all I managed to do was stare at it and go “I should do that some day”.

That said, I managed to write a few things that will eventually appear on this site. Eventually.

I also took some pictures that will, in theory, accompany the things I wrote.

All this surprised me as one of my long term plans is to establish a day where I write and save a couple posts so that I always have something on hand for days I’m busy.

Granted, I wrote it all out by hand which means it’s not in an internet usable form, but tomorrow is another day. Sort of.

 

Accidental Time Swapping Traditions

Leave a reply

It has become a tradition in my daily log that I get a couple days backward.

In both this year’s log and last year’s log, I’ve started to fill out a page only to realize, much too late, that it’s the wrong page. This means that the next day also has to go into the log in the wrong place resulting in a couple pages of swapped time.

This made more sense in last year’s log as it was a blank book and I had to write the dates every morning.

However, my current log has dates already printed. Despite this, for yesterday’s entry, I strarted writing the notes for the 12th on the 13th. Today I had to write the 13th on the 12th.

Tomorrow I hope the 14th is on the 14th, but I can’t guarantee that.

A Foolish Randomness Helps Consistency

Leave a reply

Sometimes a little randomness helps me be a more consistent marker.

As a rule, I’m usually kinder on the student works I read first and harder on those I read last. This is because by the time I reach the final students, I’m tired, cranky and well out of patience. The papers I read last suffer because of this.

Or, I’m kinder, gentler at first and at the end when I’m rushing to finish, but brutal on those who fall in the middle.

To avoid this I try to read student works in a random order. This gives everyone a chance at the kinder, gentler me.

That said, I’ve also begun reading the worst students first. I’ve found that what destroys my momentum and energy when I’m marking a lot of stuff is suddenly stumbling across a piece of bad writing. I lose patience and that poisons me for all the work that follows. It also slows me down as I take out my frustrations on the next few pieces of writing.

Eventually, though, i’m done. Then I do feel kinder and gentler.

Messing Up the Lay Up

Leave a reply

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that the most difficult shot in basketball is a wide open lay-up.

The problem is that the instincts that got you out in the open fail you as you approach the basket. You start thinking and trying to count steps and then you take the shot and it bounces off the rim, goes over the basket, or bounces off the bottom of the backboard. I suspect this is why the dunk was invented. Don’t do a lay-up, just jump and drop the ball in the hoop.

As for me, most of my problems in basketball came from not thinking. Or, more specifically, thinking too much in the wrong direction.

When we lived in Hayden, Colorado, for reasons I don’t remember (probably my request) we put a basketball hoop and backboard on our house. I still couldn’t do a lay-up and that inspired me to improvise.

I stood on something (the bumper of my dad’s pick up?) and decided to attempt a dunk.

The first part went  well as I managed to dunk the ball. However, for reasons I don’t remember, I decided to try hanging on the rim.

The entire basket and backboard ripped out of the wall and we both fell to the ground. I somehow managed to remain uninjured, but the backstop got an impressive scrape.

After that, the basket got put back in place, but I never liked that it had a scrape, even though I caused it.

First in Fifty-Four

Leave a reply

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Hope you have a great one, and don’t get injured wrestling for Black Friday sales. 

We woke to slush falling from the sky and, at some point, there was an earthquake that I, once again, didn’t feel, but what interested me the most was the snow.

We  got the first measurable snowfall of the year and Tokyo got its first November snow in 54 years. This was kind of fun, but it didn’t do me much good as none of the important train lines were down.

This meant I got to school on time and had to teach regular length classes. It also meant that all my students, including the bad boys, were able to get to school.

Luckily, because the trains important to my life were never affected, I was able to get home easily from my evening class.

As freak snowfalls go, it wasn’t that freaky, but that was probably for the best.

Stirred But Not Shaken

Leave a reply

Apparently there was a large earthquake this morning but I didn’t feel it.

It apparently hit as I was getting dressed after a shower. In fact, it may have hit while I was still in the shower. All I know is at one point She Who Must Be Obeyed insisted there was an earthquake. This was confirmed by swaying lamps and laundry.

After I realized how large the quake was, and that it had reached international news, I decided I’d better post that I’d not only survived, but hadn’t noticed. I turned on my computer to find messages from family members requesting I confirm that I had not faced catastrophe.

Oddly, this isn’t the first time I’ve not noticed an earthquake. I do not know why this is, but it may have something to do with us living on the first floor (ground floor for those from the UK) and me not being as concerned about the ground shaking as I probably ought to be.

The only consequence I faced was a delay in the start of school and the sudden belief among my students that a half-hour delay = no need to do anything.

The final twist was, after I got home from work tonight, She Who Must Be Obeyed asked if I’d felt the earthquake. I asked when it had happened. She said it had happened 20 minutes before.

Of course, I hadn’t, which kind of worries me.

The Problem With Birthday Rulin’s

Leave a reply

That would be scann’d.

Was abnormally busy today and that has me repondering my suggestion for birthday rulin’s (aka new year’s resolutions done on your birthday).

The main hassle I have is that my birthday arrives at the start of the busy season at the school where I work. Exams must be written. Listening tests must be recorded. Souls must be crushed. On top of that, I have three other part time jobs (two that require travel and one that can be done at home) and those eat up time.

Because I didn’t rethink the rulin’s on Saturday when I had more time, even though I was actually working at home, I won’t be able to do them until next Saturday, and then only if I’ve finished my work at home work.

The advantage of the new year is that there’s a few days off and, with the proper balance of booze,  you might be able to hammer out some proper resolutions.

That said, I’m still working on my rulin’s and hope to get them posted on Wednesday when we have a national holiday.

Nothing Gained Got Nothing

Leave a reply

A placeholder today as I spent most of the day out of the house working or waiting to work.

In fact, the thing I dislike the most about my current schedule, voluntary though it may be, is the amount of time I spend waiting to go to work.

This means time on trains, time in coffee shops and time doing actual preparation. It’s boring and that makes it more tiring that should be.

Also, perhaps because of the weather, I was more cranky than usual. (More on that in a future post.)

Luckily, my evening class was good.

One-Thousand Bits of Blather

Leave a reply

If I could do math, I’d figure out how many years 1,000 posts is, but I can’t be bothered to do so. Instead, I’ll just admit I’m shocked I’m still doing this and shocked I intend to keep going.

I also have to keep in mind there were a couple days posted directly to Facebook because of technical difficulties with the site, which means I’ve probably already passed 1,000.

Either way, the blog has become a regular habit, for better and for worse, and the compulsion to produce something at all costs has led me to produce more than a few bits of filler. This is partly because my usual writing time (sometime after 10:00 p.m.) has become more of a chore than it used to be and I’m not always in the mood to produce something, but then I produce something.

I’ve resisted the urge to produce nothing, even when I have very little to say, mostly because I know how addictive that “after all, tomorrow is another day” habit can be.

Readership hasn’t climbed greatly, but that’s partly the fault of the random content and lack of self-promotion.

The goal from now on is more pen and stationery posts mixed with more personal history and random philosophical bits, tying it all together whenever possible. It’s fun doing the long-term pen and notebook reviews, but they take time, not only to use the item long-term, but also to assemble notes and to take and process photos. In general, if I haven’t done all that by 10:00, I end up with a filler post.

I continue to resist any kind of plan, but I also know I’m too dependent on random posts.

For those who’ve stuck around though, thanks, although I’m not sure why you are still  around. Thanks, though. I hope you’ll stick around.