School and a then relaxing

Headed to school for the stat test today, and I think it was the easiest test that I've taken so far. After I headed home and took a nap since I was a little tired. I didn't have work tonight so I was able to just relax and do what I wanted. Tomorrow is just a regular day at school and I don't have any tests. Pretty happy about that. Next week I have two days off and then Finals start. Should be fun!

School and work

Had the accounting test today and then International Marketing. After school I headed to work and when I got home I started studying for the Statistics test tomorrow. Had some great weather today but tomorrow it's supposed to be cold and rainy. Lame!

School

Statistics, then my group put the finishing touches on our Power Point show for Risk Management and did the presentation. We did the presentation and then I started studying for the accounting test tomorrow.

School!

In accounting today we did some review for the test and then my group for Risk Management worked on a paper till it was time for international marketing. After that I studied for the accounting test on Wednesday and then my group and I worked on the Risk Management paper till 11:00. Long day. Can't wait till this week is over. Of course then I'll have finals and won't be able to wait for finals to be over, so I'll just say I can't wait for the semester to be over.

Work, and reports

Headed to Takehito's this morning. Stopped back home after his lesson and then headed to Shinagawa for work at GABA. I had 7 lesson in a row. It made me pretty tired, but my friend Eri was working and she gave me some brownies and cookies, so it worked out ok. After work I headed home and worked on the report for Risk till it was time for bed.

work and study

This morning there were three cop cars parked outside. After that I headed to work and taught 8 lessons and headed back home. After I got home, I started working on the Risk Management paper that I have due on Tuesday. Doing a report on Ford and the incident with the Explorers.

School, Earthquakes and Murder!

Wow, today was pretty crazy. When I left my building today there were cops all over the place and there was a section that was blocked off with cameras. I had class so I just continued to accounting. After class Ryu and I worked on our project for Risk Management until International Marketing started. After class, some friends and I all headed to The Soba Hachi, which is a soba restaurant near school that offers a student discount and the owner is very friendly and gave us some free food and drinks. While we were there we saw on the news what the police were doing at my building. The severed torso of a missing Filipino woman was found stuffed in a paper bag in her apartment about 15 floors above where I live! Crazy!

We stayed at the restaurant for a bit longer and felt a smaller earthquake, so that was fun. Then we all went to Karaoke which was also fun. From there we went to Shiba park to get a look at the remaining Sakura and it was full of people on blue tarps sitting below the trees drinking. It's a tradition in Japan to sit and view the trees, but I'm pretty sure it is just another excuse to drink. After that Josh, Ryan, and I headed to A971 for a bit. It was pretty crowded and they were only letting people in a few at a time but one of the girls that worked there recognized us and let us in ahead of everyone else. After that caught the last train home where there were still cops outside and inside the building.

School, Sakura, and Work

Statistics. For lunch Andrew and I headed to a Tonkatsu restaurant near by and had some good food. After lunch I headed home and changed for work and then headed back to Tamachi where I met up with Eri from work and we headed to Shiba Park for Sakura viewing. The weather was great today and I didn't need a coat at all. Since it was close by we made a stop over at Tokyo Tower and walked around it. Then we headed to work. I did 5 lessons and then headed home.

School and work

Accounting 2 and International Marketing. We had another guest speaker today and he worked for Washington Wine. It was pretty cool learning about the wine industry and the ways they are working to increase their share in Japan. He told us how many people don't even know that Washington produces wine and that he had to educate a lot of the buyers that he works with and the different ways they get their product out there. Pretty cool stuff.

School and test

Statistics in the morning and then study till 5:00 when Risk Management started. The class normally starts at 3:45 but he the teacher said that since many people would still be studying that we could just show up at 5:00 for the test. I think I studied for this test even more than the finance test a while back so it seemed ok, but the multiple choice had a lot of questions that I wasn't sure about. We'll see.

class, study, class, study...

Accounting test online this morning then study for Risk Management test tomorrow. Then International Marketing, then more study for Risk Management. Got Calpis Marshmallows which were great, and there is a pic of the vending machines where I get Apple Tea.

Getting a room and work

Headed to Takehito's today and after lunch we checked out the guest room that his apartment has. It's really nice and cheap. So I booked as many days as I could for my parents and then headed back home. From there headed to work and then home.

Work and Cherry Blossoms

Work from 11:20-7. When I first got there my last three lessons didn't book, but then at the last moment they all booked by the same guy, so I had a student for 3 consecutive lessons. That almost never happens. After work I stopped home for dinner, and then headed out to Naka-Meguro for (花見 hana mi) flower viewing. This is the time of year that all the Sakura trees blossom. It is very beautiful and is a tradition for people of Japan to go and sit under the trees. Since it was at night, raining, and near the river, not in a park I didn't see anyone sitting under the trees but there were lots of couples walking around.

School and Birthday celebration

Accounting and International Marketing like usual. After class some friends and I all headed to Shibuya to celebrate birthdays for a couple two people that had their birthdays this week and last. When we got to Shibuya we all headed to a place called "the Lockup". It was a cool restaurant with a crazy monster/jail theme. When you first enter, it's almost like a cave and there are lots of creepy things to keep you on your toes and scare you. For some reason they have a handcuff that is attached to a chain that they use on one person in the group and escort them to the room where everyone eats, and for some reason I was that person who was handcuffed. It wasn't so bad since the girl working there was cute! When we got to our room they we ordered drinks and they had some really unique presentation for them so it looked like some kind of science experiment. Then the first course of the meal came. After eating for a bit the lights went out and they had some recorded track of people talking about monsters that were free. A guess in a costume came to our room and scared a couple of the people in our group, it was pretty fun. After that the lights came back on and a girl working there came and asked if everyone was ok and told us to watch out for monsters. Then they brought the second course of the meal and finally desert and a cake for the two birthday people.

After that we all headed to the coins bar and since one of my friends had turned 20 we got him some drinks and then headed home.

School, hair cut, and work

Statistics like usual. After school I headed out to Shinjuku and got a hair cut. From there I headed back home, took a shower and headed to work. Not much else happened so I guess it was just a normal day.

School and work

Accounting and International Marketing. In International Marketing we had a guest speaker. It was pretty cool cause he was a guy who worked in Marketing for Mercedes Japan and now works for Mitsubishi trucks, the Fuso lineup. While I don't really like Mercedes that much it was really cool and I learned a lot, the guy even acted as CFO for Mercedes Asia but said he didn't want to go back to that job. It was interesting learning about the different branches of the company and how each one has a very different marketing style. After school, had work like usual. Recently the weather has been great! During the day I don't even need my coat and at night I usually leave the window open. Glad that spring is finally here.

School

The Sakura are starting to bloom! Just a regular day at school. Many people saw my Facial Hair video and told me how they enjoyed it. I was glad to hear it. I have a lot of fun making videos that I post online and I mostly make them for my friends and family in the US, but many of my friends in Japan also seem to enjoy them a lot.

School and shaving

It was a little colder than yesterday and rained off and on though out the day. Accounting 2 and then two friends and I went to lunch at a good pasta place called "Grace". It's close to school, good, and they give large portions, so it's a good place. International Marketing and then I headed home. I've been growing a goatee for the past couple weeks and probably if I let it go for a week longer it would have fully grown in but it was a little itchy and the right side was coming in thicker then the left throwing off the symmetry of the whole thing; plus it just doesn't feel good when kissing. haha.

Happy Easter

Headed to Takehito's for his lesson, back home and then to Shinagawa for more work where I did 7 lessons straight. After I got back home, I studied accounting till it was time to sleep. Happy Easter!

Work, Utada Hikaru, and the Onsen

Headed to work which started at 11:30 and taught until 6:15. I thought I had my last lesson with my favorite student last week, but today was the real final lesson. She is always a lot of fun, I told her to start a blog to help with her English and she did, so I'm really glad that she will be continuing her study on her own. Maybe I'll start my Japanese blog back up. On break I headed to Tsutaya near by and picked up the new Utada Hikaru CD "Heart Station". It's pretty good and I really like the singles on it. I still think "Ultra Blue" is my favorite album of hers, but I'll know for sure in a week after I listen to "Heart Station" more. After I got home we headed out to a Soba place near by and then to the Onsen. I haven't been there in a while so I was glad to visit it again. I always sleep like a baby after going there.

Work on Friday

Today I had off from school but not work, so I headed to work, did some lessons and came home. As long as you have a good attitude teaching English can be a lot of fun and it's a great part-time job till I finish school. My friends are all on trips or trying to understand accounting, so I just stayed home for a change. Fortunately, I found a good site http://www.tv-links.cc/ where I am able to watch my favorite US TV show, "The Office". Some of my friends said that the new season wasn't all that good, but I enjoyed the new season just as much as the previous ones. I hope it comes out on DVD here in Japan soon, so I can show it to my host dad and recommend it to my students as something to help with English.

Holiday!

Today is (春分の日 Shunbun no hi). It's the official day where winter ends and spring starts in Japan and also a national holiday so many people including myself have a day off from work. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty bad so I spent the day inside doing laundry, cleaning my room, and studying accounting. When the market opened in the US I picked up some Visa stock and made $120 in less than a hour. If it does half as good as MasterCard did it should be doubled by next year.

School, ramen, and work

School like usual. After Accounting Andrew and I headed to a place called "Ramen Juro" which is this small ramen shop near school that always has a line out the door. They give huge portions and eating a whole bowl will keep you feeling full from noon till 6 or 7. After school I headed to work. After work, a bunch of people from work and I all headed out to get some food since tomorrow is a holiday.

School, Bike ride, and my Goatee. haha

Finance, Statistics, and Risk Management. For lunch some friends and I went to The Tokyo Restaurant. It is a good restaurant near school with a cool atmosphere inside and out. My friend Ryu had his bike today and the weather was awesome so we drove to Tokyo tower and back, near Tokyo Tower we saw some new Benz being tested so it still had the black tape on it. Interesting that Mercedez is testing cars here in Tokyo, I would think they would do all that in Europe. Since I was on a bike I didn't want to risk dropping my camera so I didn't get to take any "spy shots". We had some presentations during Risk Management, so here is a picture of me in calss with my sweet red Goatee. I'm gonna dump it by the end of the week.

School, Currency drop, and Bank statement

Accounting and International Marketing like usual. The dollar fell today to 95 yen and settled at 96 falling from 98. Wow, America is weak! One of my friends who did the Nike gig with me didn't have a Bank that worked with the Agency so he had his money deposited in my account. I guess I have a more traditional account because I can't just look at a statement online to see when the money was deposited, but I have to go to the bank where I opened my account and put my Bank book in the ATM where it prints my statement on the book. For a country as high tech as Japan, I'm surprised at how far behind the banking is compared to the US. The banking system in the US is so much easier to use in comparison. Guess that is about it, had sushi for dinner and studied for the Statistics test.

Teaching, Ironing, and studying

Headed to Takehito's for his lesson and then back home. On the way home I saw a really sweet RX-7 just parked on the street like it was no big deal. That thing was sweet! Super GT style! Ballin'!

Anyhow, got home, ironed and did homework till it was time to sleep.

Work, school party, and party with school people

Headed to work at 11:30 and did 8 lessons. Saturdays are always fun to work because people are generally more relaxed. One of my favorite students will be studying English through a company program so I had my last lessons with her today.

After work I met up with my friend Miku in Shinbashi and we headed to Roppongi to a place called Splash for a school party. The place looks way cooler on the website than it actually is. Like most of the school parties I've been to, it was pretty weak, but I was there so it was fun anyhow! After that some friends and I headed to A971 for a bit before jumping on the bus to Shibuya. One of the kids at school is the son or daughter of the Ambassador for the UAE and they had a huge party at the Embassy. On the way there one of my friends pulled up in his car and we hitched a ride with him there. The place was pretty big and had a huge gate that opened so we could park. It was like something out of a movie. Guess when you have a lot of oil to sell and a lot of people that want to buy, it adds up.

School and going out with Friends

Accounting and International Marketing like usual. At night I met up with John and some friends. We went out to a Izakaya. I always like going to Izakayas because the atmosphere is very cool. Most of them you take your shoes off and put them in a locker at the door and the tables and seating is low. More and more of the Izakayas are starting to incorporate a digital touch screen menu at all the tables, so you can look at pictures of the food, the prices, and the total of your order before you place it. Then whenever the food is ready a server brings it to your table. It makes ordering more fun, and keeps the conversation going uninterrupted.

Finance, and work

Woke up around 5, headed back home, took and shower, and headed back to school for the Finance test. The test was a little different than the review sheet, which made it bad. After Finance was Statistics and then I was able to relax a bit until it was time for work. Some friends and I all headed to Sukiya for lunch. It's like Yoshinoya but with more variety and you can get Cheese on your Gyudon, which is awesome! Had work and then went home.

School, work, and study

Accounting, study for Finance, International Marketing, Work. After work I headed back to school and met up with Josh and Ryu and we studied till 11:00 when they closed the building. Since there was still some stuff that needed to be covered, we all headed to Josh's'. On the way there the train stopped for a bit because some drunk guy was wondering around on the track. I guess in a city with as many people as Tokyo, there is always something interesting going on. After we got to Josh's' we studied till about 2:30 and since the last train is around 12:30 slept on the floor there.