Entries this day: Shtuff internet_connectivity_status

Shtuff

10:29pm JST Thursday 5 April 2007 (day 13525)

At the McDonald's in Shibuya now, slurping on the internet access that Hitomi hooked up for me some months ago when we were talking. I told her I didn't need it anymore, but now I do; she seems to be completely busy or disinterested in talking to me, so I have no idea how long this access will continue to be available.

Work was bearable tonight, though my last lesson was quite challenging as she was just reading with basically no comprehension. I thought about writing a letter to my boss to say I never want a lesson with her again, (the way I no longer have lessons with a student who similarly wrote to him), but, assuming such a request would not be honored, I thought of a different way of handling it.

Basically told her it was really hard for me to know how to help her, given that she doesn't understand the word brain, though she's reading an article that starts, "It won't come as a surprise to fitness freaks to learn that aerobic exercise does more than increase the heart rate and raise one's confidence: it increases blood flow to the brain, which strengthens it as well." or something like that.

I had her go bit by bit through the article until she actually understood the sentences of the first paragraph, and the we were out of time. After I suggested an easier book, she poo-poohed them as too easy, but I pointed out that she can't produce the easy language without reading the book. She readily agreed and I was like, "see??" as if I had turned on some light for her. Fluency includes speaking without reading.

Anyway, fuck that; Tariq, Hitoshi and I met this morning for a couple hours, starting here at ¥Þ¥Ã¥¯ in Shibuya, where for some reason the internet connection wouldn't even register on their machines though I had full signal strength, and then moving to Shinjuku in search of the perfect location of free electricity and wireless signal.

We have discovered that Standard's Burgers in Shinjuku has both, but at the cost of a meal.

We hung out there for a while after they opened and after Hitoshi headed out at 12:20, I helped Tariq with some questions on his website.

Headed off to work myself, enjoying the weather and Shibuya Crossing, which was timely as my first student(s) (a pair) asked if I had seen cherry blossoms. I was like, "yeah; four years ago.." and they were like, "nooooo, this year," and I'm like, "no way; I'm not going to *go* anywhere to see cherry blossoms, cause it's not "real" if I go someplace that I never normally go and see the place how it never normally is."

They didn't quite get my meaning, but I was like, "I like Shibuya; it's my home station. I know Shibuya at night, during the day, when it's crowded, when it's empty, when it's dry, and rainy, etc. So, I'll enjoy the cherry blossoms in Shibuya better than I will in Ueno Park. To me, Ueno Park always has cherry blossoms. What's the big deal?"

Or some shit like that, and they got it.

Also chatted with Tomomi, one of my favorite students, for her huge efforts and high level of speaking and comprehension, and difficult questions. Also chatted with Yoko, one of my favorite students, for her smile, height and relaxed nature.

One week alarm went off and I realized I basically haven't done shit since I met Kim last Thursday.

12:16am JST Friday 6 April 2007 (day 13526)

And in other news, I just downloaded Google Desktop for Mac. Awright.

internet connectivity status

1:20am JST Friday 6 April 2007 (day 13526)

Learned from Michael that the construction will be done for the internet in 2 weeks from now.

Argh.

I've come to expect internet connectivity; I've got biweekly and biweekly online chats planned with Tariq and Kim, respectively.

biweekly

adjective & adverb: appearing or taking place every two weeks or twice a week
[as adj. ] a biweekly bulletin
[as adv. ] she followed her doctor's instructions to undergo health checks biweekly. 

noun ( pl. -lies) a periodical that appears every two weeks or twice a week.