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Just a Pair of Socks!

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  Happy New Year! Please see below for the Japanese translation! I hope you enjoy these photos of Kurashiki, which is close to Okayama. I fell in love with this beautiful European-style canal, bordered by classic Japanese buildings. What a sight! I photographed this location in the afternoon and early evening, and in the early morning. I love that early morning light! I am sure you are wondering about this title! Just a Pair of Socks??? To be truthful and accurate, it was four pairs of socks. That was my thoughtful wife's Christmas present. Little did she know how precious that gift would turn out to be!  As I have expressed on this blog, I am pretty fanatical about the environment. Although I have not been active as an activist, I have been trying to do my part in my personal life. With that in mind, I try to avoid using the heater by dressing warmly and staying as active as possible. Despite my efforts, my feet get cold; it is a real challenge to give them the active care th...
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Are We There Yet?

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  Please see below for the Japanese translation! One key to good photography is to return to the same site again and again. I was fortunate to photograph Okayama Castle once during the central part of the day and once during the early morning. Thank heavens for that early morning light!   Are we there yet? How many thousands of kids have asked their parents that question???!!!! The same can be said about the ongoing process of personal development. However, in that case, at least speaking for myself, I will never fully arrive! I wish I had several hundred years to learn all the lessons I need to know! Given that is not the case, here is an update. One of my favorite sources of personal wisdom is Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements. One of those agreements is not to take anything personally.  In particular, he talks about not swallowing the emotional poison of others. In other words, if a person is upset and losing their cool, I should not swallow that poison or rea...
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Exercise Ecstasy!

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  Please see below for the Japanese translation! For good reason, Himeji Castle is a World Heritage site. It is truly incredible and gorgeous! As is the case with so many photo shots, my favorites are the ones with the outlying landscape: the water, the bridge, trees, flowers, and buildings. What a site! When it comes to what is most important to me in life, exercise is at the top of the list. In short, exercise helps me maintain physical, mental, and emotional balance and keeps me healthy, and happy!  One of the best things about my home online tutoring business is the convenience of working out. In my office, I now have a recumbent and an upright exercise bike, a rowing machine, a treadmill, and a stair stepper.  The cool thing is that the two exercise bikes  can be pushed partly under my desk, so I can use them while tutoring. Because of the back support, I now use the recumbent exercise bike most of the time. I love it! In addition, I do a series of daily st...
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The Heart and Soul of Teaching!

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  Please see the Japanese translation below! These photos are from the November light-up at Showa Kinen Park. Gorgeous and amazing! Speaking of amazing, my Preply tutoring experience has been one of the best things I have ever done in my life. The superlatives just keep coming as I think about the benefits of that wonderful work. For starters, I think that one-on-one teaching is truly the heart and soul of teaching. This type of teaching gives the teacher the opportunity to delve deeply into the curriculum and address students' needs specifically and comprehensively.   Secondly, I can use so many of my teaching skills and experiences: English as a Second Language teaching, reading comprehension, writing, discussion, grammar, presentations, literary analysis, foundational reading skills, and conversation. A real potpourri! Thirdly, the relationship building has been fulfilling, satisfying, and inspiring. I have met people of all ages and English levels from many parts of the wo...
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