Mama Mia, Oi Vey, JFC and FFS eh? Honestly, you are getting at least one book out of this - and it's going to be a dark comedy. All the best to you. xo
Funny, I was thinking of your suggestion on the book and tossing out titles. Just now. The first to come to mind was; ARRRRRRGH. Make Monty Python Fictional Comedy Again. Gotta reread Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as it too is so appropriate. Seriously, how is one to take these people seriously? They take themselves seriously. VERY. SERIOUSLY.
"...they take themselves very SERIOUSLY." I know! That's what makes them so g-d funny! Great that you're thinking about book titles! I've been meaning to read Hitchhiker's again also .... The one thing people like that cannot handle is humour/creativity, so it's just the right pen/sword to use! Can you imagine facing a boardroom of them and you walk in, the "guest of honour" and your eyes are glinting with happiness and you bound into the room, face all aglow and greet them with a joke? Or "Hey Mofos! Why so glum, chum?" Laughing all the way! Maybe even a movie script. Have you ever seen Office Space? A total classic! Remember Kitsune - this is YOUR life - as soon as you realize the prison is of your own making, you can free yourself. I know it sounds easier said than done, and for sure it is, but once you make that leap, all the doors start opening - they may not be the ones you hope for, but they are the ones that FREE YOU to BE YOU so you can move on to live your best life. I know you have little ones to care for. IMO, the best way to influence them is to really LIVE life.
I had a similar experience at another med school in 2020. One way I dealt with it was to have “Entrance of the Gladiators” play at the start of my Zoom lessons for that school. You may not know the name, but you know the music. It is what we in the US hear when the clowns make their entrance. I found about a dozen renditions of this, including one on a calliope! Sadly, the students did not understand it as we Americans do. They use it as it was originally intended, or closer to its composer’s internet. The composer meant it for formal military marches, if you can believe it! In Japan it is often used for elementary school athletic events, or so I am told. :(. My subtle subversiveness missed the mark. I was as pleased as Punch until my ignorance was quashed.
Now I go into work listening to fife and drum music from the civil war era as I mentally call on commands to bring a screw frigate of the era to battle stations and steam up the channel and unleash holy hell at all you dare cross me as the USS Wyoming did in the Battle of Shimoseki Straits. To say I go in with a chip on my shoulder is a profound understatement. I attempt to lock eyes on all the mad maskers who come my way. All but one avert their gaze. The one who did not got a ringing “OHAYOGOZAIMASUUUUU!” In reply to her snarled greeting. That was a year ago. That all give me a wide berth of ignore me. Both suit me fine.
I used to love working at this place. This is my 20th year there.
ああ、神様 (Ā, kamisama)!!!! You're hilarious with HUGE heart! It would be a gross miscarriage of justice for you to not present this all from your point of view somehow. I'd read it or watch it! We'd be great friends in real life. Thanks for sharing that! LOL. Something tells me there are some who admire you KitsuneSama! You will find out later. You are doing an admirable job of "filling the stage" with your presence! I really admire your courage and heart. Also, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
My response prompted me to reread an account of the USS Wyoming’s action against the Choshu clan. Inspirational. A lesson Japan would have been better off if they had learned.
I know not of what you speak but I'm interested. It's always a good thing to re-read something that has some gems for you. Have a beautiful day Warrior Fox!
🤣 There you go! Page one! You have exactly the right attitude/perspective to lampoon these - I don't even know what to call them - they're beyond the cartoon stage. Stooges, I guess?
Not sure it’s patience. I went through frightening similar with another med school in 2020. I ended up quitting mid school year. That was a great paying position and unfortunately, as I feared, ever time I have lost a job for whatever reason, two more losses follow close behind; kinda like air crashes. Not right away, but I did lose my jobs at another med school and its associated nursing school during the panic. Now, these last two were due to that school adopting the 5 year rule for part timers that many believe does not apply to universities. Still, these three losses have proved unreplacable and I am hurting for it. I now have only two year round employers and together they offer me only 8 hours of week in the classroom. Not wanting to lose the two 70 minute classes at the med school. Still, not gonna take their BS either. Thus the constant salvos back and forth.
Wishing you the best. Personally it's infuriating just to read about.
Is it possible to earn extra income through private tutoring? I did that while in grad school and found private students much more eager to learn and well-behaved.
I used to do that. Was very busy but earned a lot. Covid has pretty much killed that for me. It is only recently, like earlier this year that coffee houses allowed customers to talk within them. I do not recall when and even if I did, it wasn’t over night; some took down the partitions between seat earlier than others but everyone remained masked. 8 of the 12 med students in my second class today were masked. People are still afraid to be in closed proximity with strangers unmasked. Things are settling down in that regard though but the best time for these for me has been in the evenings after my would be students leave work. I am already working the two evenings a week I can due to my wife and kids’ schedules. Also, my route to private students had always been previous students from company or university classes that ended but they wanted to continue. Covid lockdowns light broke that continuity. Finally back in the classroom for the first time in 3 years, speaking of last school year, the students were a completely different breed of being. All masked. Spooked by their own shadows. Absenteeism greater in one small class of 8 in the first semester than all of my classes in the 20 years predating the panic combined.
However, my earnings would not be that big an issue if my wife did not simultaneously demand that I am home to look after the kids while she works AND not suffer the inevitable loss of earnings.
Though, I have been thinking a lot on how to break back into this market again because I need the money. I also need to get out of the house. But the few hours I have available would not solve the problem even if though they would make a big difference if I could fill all my available hours.
Always fascinating to learn about what's happening in Japan wrt covid and the culture in general. Glad I discovered your substack after reading your comments on others' articles.
I understand you'd prefer to get out of the house but might you be able to tutor online? My son successfully took piano lessons via google Meet during lockdown in my state.
Hard to do. I did so for the three + years of lockdowns literally here and currently have a weekly zoom lesson for a company I teach for. Once we went to zoom, they included employees from afar and that has continued after reopening. Less than ideal especially for a second language. Many wore masks for their zoom lessons! Connectivity issues have become a massive headache. A big problem is payment. If they send money to my account, it is reported to the US via FATCA. I will not be a Trojan Horse for the US to get my client’s financial information. Companies I am less concerned about, but for individuals, no can do.
Mama Mia, Oi Vey, JFC and FFS eh? Honestly, you are getting at least one book out of this - and it's going to be a dark comedy. All the best to you. xo
Funny, I was thinking of your suggestion on the book and tossing out titles. Just now. The first to come to mind was; ARRRRRRGH. Make Monty Python Fictional Comedy Again. Gotta reread Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as it too is so appropriate. Seriously, how is one to take these people seriously? They take themselves seriously. VERY. SERIOUSLY.
"...they take themselves very SERIOUSLY." I know! That's what makes them so g-d funny! Great that you're thinking about book titles! I've been meaning to read Hitchhiker's again also .... The one thing people like that cannot handle is humour/creativity, so it's just the right pen/sword to use! Can you imagine facing a boardroom of them and you walk in, the "guest of honour" and your eyes are glinting with happiness and you bound into the room, face all aglow and greet them with a joke? Or "Hey Mofos! Why so glum, chum?" Laughing all the way! Maybe even a movie script. Have you ever seen Office Space? A total classic! Remember Kitsune - this is YOUR life - as soon as you realize the prison is of your own making, you can free yourself. I know it sounds easier said than done, and for sure it is, but once you make that leap, all the doors start opening - they may not be the ones you hope for, but they are the ones that FREE YOU to BE YOU so you can move on to live your best life. I know you have little ones to care for. IMO, the best way to influence them is to really LIVE life.
I’ll drink to that!
I had a similar experience at another med school in 2020. One way I dealt with it was to have “Entrance of the Gladiators” play at the start of my Zoom lessons for that school. You may not know the name, but you know the music. It is what we in the US hear when the clowns make their entrance. I found about a dozen renditions of this, including one on a calliope! Sadly, the students did not understand it as we Americans do. They use it as it was originally intended, or closer to its composer’s internet. The composer meant it for formal military marches, if you can believe it! In Japan it is often used for elementary school athletic events, or so I am told. :(. My subtle subversiveness missed the mark. I was as pleased as Punch until my ignorance was quashed.
Now I go into work listening to fife and drum music from the civil war era as I mentally call on commands to bring a screw frigate of the era to battle stations and steam up the channel and unleash holy hell at all you dare cross me as the USS Wyoming did in the Battle of Shimoseki Straits. To say I go in with a chip on my shoulder is a profound understatement. I attempt to lock eyes on all the mad maskers who come my way. All but one avert their gaze. The one who did not got a ringing “OHAYOGOZAIMASUUUUU!” In reply to her snarled greeting. That was a year ago. That all give me a wide berth of ignore me. Both suit me fine.
I used to love working at this place. This is my 20th year there.
ああ、神様 (Ā, kamisama)!!!! You're hilarious with HUGE heart! It would be a gross miscarriage of justice for you to not present this all from your point of view somehow. I'd read it or watch it! We'd be great friends in real life. Thanks for sharing that! LOL. Something tells me there are some who admire you KitsuneSama! You will find out later. You are doing an admirable job of "filling the stage" with your presence! I really admire your courage and heart. Also, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
My response prompted me to reread an account of the USS Wyoming’s action against the Choshu clan. Inspirational. A lesson Japan would have been better off if they had learned.
I know not of what you speak but I'm interested. It's always a good thing to re-read something that has some gems for you. Have a beautiful day Warrior Fox!
Just another hohum day at the office.
🤣 There you go! Page one! You have exactly the right attitude/perspective to lampoon these - I don't even know what to call them - they're beyond the cartoon stage. Stooges, I guess?
So, about that PQRST.... You can teach your readers here.
Opps, should be OPQRST.
Onset, Palliating/Provoking, Quality (my favorite), Region/Radiation, Severity, Timing.
It appears the Japanese are very much into robotics. As in programming?
Oh! That’s been the case for millennia. Often cited as a chief reason for the traditionally high suicide rate.
Speechless. Admire your patience with these snotty medical students.
Not sure it’s patience. I went through frightening similar with another med school in 2020. I ended up quitting mid school year. That was a great paying position and unfortunately, as I feared, ever time I have lost a job for whatever reason, two more losses follow close behind; kinda like air crashes. Not right away, but I did lose my jobs at another med school and its associated nursing school during the panic. Now, these last two were due to that school adopting the 5 year rule for part timers that many believe does not apply to universities. Still, these three losses have proved unreplacable and I am hurting for it. I now have only two year round employers and together they offer me only 8 hours of week in the classroom. Not wanting to lose the two 70 minute classes at the med school. Still, not gonna take their BS either. Thus the constant salvos back and forth.
Wishing you the best. Personally it's infuriating just to read about.
Is it possible to earn extra income through private tutoring? I did that while in grad school and found private students much more eager to learn and well-behaved.
I used to do that. Was very busy but earned a lot. Covid has pretty much killed that for me. It is only recently, like earlier this year that coffee houses allowed customers to talk within them. I do not recall when and even if I did, it wasn’t over night; some took down the partitions between seat earlier than others but everyone remained masked. 8 of the 12 med students in my second class today were masked. People are still afraid to be in closed proximity with strangers unmasked. Things are settling down in that regard though but the best time for these for me has been in the evenings after my would be students leave work. I am already working the two evenings a week I can due to my wife and kids’ schedules. Also, my route to private students had always been previous students from company or university classes that ended but they wanted to continue. Covid lockdowns light broke that continuity. Finally back in the classroom for the first time in 3 years, speaking of last school year, the students were a completely different breed of being. All masked. Spooked by their own shadows. Absenteeism greater in one small class of 8 in the first semester than all of my classes in the 20 years predating the panic combined.
However, my earnings would not be that big an issue if my wife did not simultaneously demand that I am home to look after the kids while she works AND not suffer the inevitable loss of earnings.
Though, I have been thinking a lot on how to break back into this market again because I need the money. I also need to get out of the house. But the few hours I have available would not solve the problem even if though they would make a big difference if I could fill all my available hours.
Always fascinating to learn about what's happening in Japan wrt covid and the culture in general. Glad I discovered your substack after reading your comments on others' articles.
I understand you'd prefer to get out of the house but might you be able to tutor online? My son successfully took piano lessons via google Meet during lockdown in my state.
Hard to do. I did so for the three + years of lockdowns literally here and currently have a weekly zoom lesson for a company I teach for. Once we went to zoom, they included employees from afar and that has continued after reopening. Less than ideal especially for a second language. Many wore masks for their zoom lessons! Connectivity issues have become a massive headache. A big problem is payment. If they send money to my account, it is reported to the US via FATCA. I will not be a Trojan Horse for the US to get my client’s financial information. Companies I am less concerned about, but for individuals, no can do.