The End of Winter

 The winter seasoin of 2023-2024 is dragging on longer than last. Last night brought 20 centimeters of new snow to the Shiribeshi area. I like hiking in the mountains and if the conditions are right, I also like to do some riding. So far, I have 31 days of riding in this season including morning only and solo sessions.  I think this number is better than the average season. I have a YouTube channel that documents each of these days. I do not recommend this to anyone but the  genuine lover of Hokkaido's winter mountains. If you happen to be one of those desperate people, this is the link.

UCoyrlmBklI_SZ2juvyV0tIQ

 

Spring is just  around the corner,

Pat

The summer of 2023

 The summer this year was one of the hottest I can remember from my 30 summers in Hokkaido. It was a busy and overall a fun time, exercising, camping, but most of all running the school.  I've always been a camper but I have to admit that it wasn't my favorite activity and I prefer to hike, cycle, or even kayak. Camping for us involves bringing all the creature comforts we have to a nature setting and mimicking the exact lifestyle we have at home, but just not at home. Until now, I felt this to be a silly pursuit and a mind boggling hassle.  I realized I disliked the way we were camping and the non camp items we camped with.  I have started to collect camp goods, upgrading my camping set-up and have become dangerously close to being a camp geek.

The DOD Okura Tarp

This tarp is a recent upgrade. Flame retardant, waterproof, and UV ray bloccking featuresmake my old tarp look like a bedsheet. 

This table is not the lightest but it was not expensive and I had been using it for about 3 years and can testify to its durablility. I decided to increase my tablel space and bought the same table again. There were some design changes but the tables are compatible and I think they look alright too.

I picked up three of these side tables for cooking and just to have for anything kind of table.  They are light, easy to set up and they will last I'm sure. This make the camp experience richer for sure.  So convenient.

Very recently, I picked this up during a sale at the local outdoor store Paddle Club.  I haven't been able to take in and fathom what kind of uses this might have but it is super light, compact and easy to set up.

I also picked up thhis affordable cot from WAQ camping supplies. It works as a bench, make-shift table, and, of course, it provides a place to lay down and relax after a hard day camping. 

Although I haven't used a gas lantern or an oil lamp in quite a while, I was a little dissatisfied with the Balmuda lanterns that I owned.  They are interesting in that at a low level they are orange and turned up full they have a normal white LED feeling.  I don't like them because of the short battery life.  The internal battery also takes a very long time to charge up completely. This new Lumena2 outdoor light has a workhorse of a battery and the four settings allow you to choose how much you want to see f a particular setting.  This is just a ridiculously practical light without any flare or romance. It comes in a close second to my trusty head lamp.

I've actually been using this head lamp for over two years now and it is definitely the best one I've ever had.  Turns night into day and has a variety of colors to amaze your fellow campers. I use it for early morning hiking and walking the dog.  If it broke, I would have to get another.  It has proved its usefullness very well.

I kind of accidentally took possession of my friend's wine tumbler because I failed to return it promptly. I used it a little and then realized I had to get my own, SO I did. I got the navy and light blue versions and whatever it is, it stays cold or hot.  I like the way it feels in my habd too.  Unfortunately it is not a good fit for the cup holder in my car.

The Le Creuset wine cooler is so useful I will never go without again.  How was I able to manage before I got them?  I have two and the whites are always well chilled.  I'm sure it works for big bottles of beer too although I've never tested it out.  I mimicked my friend who had two black ones.  I bought two red ones so as not to get confused.  I use them nearly every day for wine, wine, and wine. but occasionally just to cool something down.

Sure, my old collection of plastic, wood, and ceramic dishes did the job and I had no intention of going in for a 20,000 yen set of designer dishes, but a very good friend and generous one as well gave us a present of the Snow Peak stackable stainless steel dish set

This is another item that I discovered when researching on YouTube.  I have used it once or twice and so far I like it for its lightweight and cooking ability. It also loos pretty cool too.

As far as a fueling the cooking fires, I've always been keen to use charcoal or wood but this is a new item for me because it has a strong flame that is good for outdoor cooking,  The old cassette burner I had always used was built for indoor work.  This one is simply better.

I picked this one outon the net and decided to get it based on reviews.  After a few uses, the metal warped and the fit became a little awkward. It has returned to a relatively level position lately and Ihope that it continues to hold up.  I haven't made use of the dutch oven hooks yet.  Also, it is a little smaller than I imagined, but seeing as how we are only two people,it is an option.  I AM thinking about acquiringa proper fire pit though.

That's the scoop for the camping kit.  All of these addition have come in the last couple of years and some were purchased and some were received.  These upgrades have really made the camping experience more outdoorsy and fun.  I have never really been excited to go camping but now I am searching for campsites that I like.  Maybe I'll put those sites up in the next BLOG.  When will that be?

Outdoorsly,

Pat  

 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day here in Japan.  I always find it impossible to not feel obliged to prepare something for my wife on this day.  Men in this country do nothing on this day and instead are often the recipient of a chocolate gift.  I am not a traditionalist in that I think this is a bad idea, but it's just something I have never grown used to. As I write this, I admit to have made no effort at all. The florist that I had often used has closed and moved elsewhere.  Without ordering the bouquet, I don't know of a shop that might be able to provide something suitable for a walk-in like me. Regardless, as I write this I feel more and more compelled to go get a bouquet.

Headed to the flower shop,

Pat 😅

 

Favorite February

 

February is the shortest month of the year and I also have some very important birthdays in this month as well.  This year's second month has started off in grand style.  It has been snowing constantly, requiring super human effort with the shovel, Regardless, February is weird. Its quirky 29th and its unbelievable shortness make it special somehow.  Stay warm, stay safe and YES!!! my website has been renewed.  I did it.  I'm not sure if anyone knows or cares, but I stepped up and did it.  I swamped through the kanji then I suffered the jargon that is Wordpress.  I had ups and downs.  It was fun but it was hard too. I hope the handout page proves to be of some use for my classes.  I'm  looking forward to using this as a tool to reach more people and expand the English learning opportunities in this community.

Proudly,

Pat

January 6th, 2023

 Hello,

It has been half a year since writing and now that the new year has begun, I'd like  to report that although my efforts with this blog are minimal, as usual, I have made progress with YouTube and LINE.  On the left is the official line account QR code for Shinkotoni. This is not to be confused with the Kitano Official Line Account. If you friend this account you will be informed about the curriculum for the lessons monthly.  Also, you can chat and ask questions, get advice, or even complain.

This is Shinkotoni 新琴似教室 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoCL29s-oaJk8VceU5dIWMA

Links to the YouTube accounts for each classroom can be found 

after signing up for the Line account or click on the links below the QR code.

This is Kitano きたの幼稚園教室

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCifvGPgA_Oj5u6IQ7tHVSDA

I know that I really need to update my website considering that it was made in the pre-smartphone era. Most of my students can't imagine a time when there weren't smart phones. I tried looking at that today and allowed myself to get sidetracked into posting a blog that no one will read.😂

Technically,

Pat

Number 18

 There are 18 holes on a standard golf course. Over the course of those 18 holes confidence builds, wavers, or crumbles.  Hope is repeatedly crushed and then born again. Pride is hurt and sometimes never restored.  Drama unfolds and comes to an end in the course of 18 holes. 

Here at English Island we have reached the 18th year. Although the last couple of years have not been about growth in the number of students we teach, I have personally felt a change for the better in my teaching styles.  Prepare yourself for the YouTube posts that will support the weekly lesson. It will take a  week or so for the segments to be posted but for those who take the time to check them out, THANK YOU!

State of Emergency continues...

 Unfortunately, the state of emergency that had been in place to protect the people of Hokkaido from the spread of COVID-19 has been extended to the middle of next month.  At English Island we are doing our best to sanitize tables and chairs after each lesson. We also sanitize pencils after each use. Although we have limited the number of items that require physical contact it is difficult to completely eliminate the use of cards and paper in an EFL classroom.  We ventilate regularly if not constantly.  All the students temperatures are now being taken and documented.  

We can only hope for a quick and safe return to normalcy. I hope everyone has a safe and productive year. 

My dog not practicing safe social distancing as usual.

Busily,

Pat

BACK AGAIN!

To say that it's been a while is unnecessary.  It's been forever and then some.  By listing all the things that have gone down in the last 3 years surely I'll be forgiven for not blogging.

1. RECOVERY
The crippling arrhythmia that had me suffering and in and out of the hospital for four years just went away.  It just went away. It must have been MANapause or some panty disease like that.

2. A PASSING
My mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and she passed away 2 years ago.  She faced her final time here on earth admirably and with a grace that leaves me with respect and humility.  I am in deep gratitude for all the kindness and love she gave to me for more than 25 years.  She will be missed.

3. A MARRIAGE
My son got married.  He also had a wedding ceremony and then promptly left for Australia on a working holiday.  He's still there, but will be back shortly. I'm extremely happy for him and his wife is a charming and talented young woman.

4. A PASSING
About a year and a half after my mother-in-law passed away, my
father-in-law joined his wife. I'm sure they are wise cracking at each other
and playing hanafuda on the other side.  Aloha 'oe a hui hou.

5. RESTUCTURING
I work alone nowadays except for Hitomi who helps me in the younger kid's
lessons.  It's less stressful, less fun, and maybe less educational for me to
work alone and to be honest, I miss all the great people who have helped
out at the school in the past.  I'm busier now than ever before and not
having time for this blog is obvious.

That's it.  Those are my excuses for not keeping a running blog talking about the things going on at the school.  I think that a blog that almost nobody reads is not really important. That's another reason for the lack of posts recently.  I was updating my HP which really needs a complete makeover and stumbled onto the relic that BLOGGER is here for me.  I decided that today I have time and that I'll post one and run.  I've been snowboarding a little more recently.  I'm still the eternal beginner and doubt I'll ever be able to boast any skill, but the exercise does me good and my snowboard friends are generous enough to let me tag along. The video is from a famous mountain near Kiroro.  Best run of the season for me so far...

Simply,
Pat

Relearning

It's been a while since I've logged on to the blog/FB/website that is my excuse for  web presence. To be honest I wasn't at all sure I remembered how to, but here I am. That said, I have little to report other than I continue to enjoy working with the kids to enjoy learning English as foreign language.  Some of the students from the past have indeed gone on to much more than speaking English as a foreign language and are indeed using it as a second language.  They may actually be closer to bilingual.  I wish I could take all the credit but those students eventually went on to live in English speaking countries and have become more and more fluent as they live abroad.  It's great to see them on Instagram and Facebook enjoying life.

Although in the past there were teachers who helped out at English Island, now I am teaching alone assisted by my wife, Hitomi.  It does simplify the process, but I miss the company and shop talk that comes from having a teaching colleague. That doesn't mean that English Island is slowing down in anyway.  We are having a great year and hopefully next year will be just as good.

I'll be back on the blog when I have something meaningful to say.  For now, the weather is turning and before long winter will be bringing the snow and all the changes that comes with it. Stay healthy and make the most of the rest of 2017.

Aloha,

Pat

Sports is What's Up!

Aloha,

     This month the topic is sports!  I love this topic but I am aware that not everyone is as enthusiastic about
sports as I am.  There is really not a sport I dislike.  I may not be familiar with cricket or field hockey but that is not to say that I don't like them.  By far my oldest infatuation is with the game of golf.  I have played golf nearly my entire life, but as of late I tend to play only around ten times a year.  At one point, through playing nearly 300 rounds a year, I rarely shot over 80.  I have to admit a player of any talent should probably have taken that opportunity and become one of those people who play golf for a living.  Unfortunately, my character didn't allow dreaming of that sort to take root and I constantly reminded myself of what I wasn't capable and that in turn became the reality that exists to this day, at least as far as golf is concerned.  I tried the Japan Professional Golf  Qualifier and failed miserably, the scars from that debacle never fully healing.

     Now I'm a 'will I break a hundred' standard duffer who chilly dips and shanks.  I can't say that I even enjoy the game much anymore but I'll be giving it a go once the snow melts and the greens thaw.  My son Kai has really taken to the game and I'd like to play together this year.

     Anyway, snowboarding season is not over yet.  The weather this weekend looks like it's going to be sunny.  I'll be doing what I usually do on sunny days in winter when lessons are off.

Sportingly,

Pato

児童英検

When I first started the school here English Island Conversation School.  Yes we are an 英会話 I suffered from a small inferiority complex.  I'm afraid the fear that I'm less than qualified hasn't ceased to haunt me. Part of the reason for this fear must surely be my lack of formal training and an absence of any kind of license.  I tend to view my relationships with our paying customers as less formal teacher-student like and more like me being the cheerleader and assistant in their English learning journey.

So when I first started out more than ten years a group of mothers kind of pushed me into doing an eiken (英検）　class.  Since then I have done several eiken classes with results that led me to believe it might be better to just leave the eiken to the schools.  I can motivate, give an authentic cultural exchange, teach pronunciation, change conceptions of what language does, and much more.  I can also teach the 英検 and I can teach TOEFL as well.  BUT doing these things at the same time is not natural.  I think it's infinitely easier to study for the eiken using Japanese freely. I don't use Japanese in my classes because we focus on conversation and through years of experience I have found speaking Japanese in the class to be a motivation killer.  Admittedly, I'd like to use it sometimes, but when a student discovers that I speak Japanese, the communication medium invariably becomes Japanese and I have lost my power to insist that the student try to use Japanese.

Anyway, the test that the mother's from ten years ago insisted on me administering to their kids was the 児童英検．Although the test was rather colorful and fun in appearance and the language presented was rather congruent with the language I often used and studied in the classroom, there were some drawbacks.

1. Stress

The test was a listening only affair but sitting and listening to a tape can be stressful                  when you are 4 years old.
2. Timing  

We need to pressure ourselves to achieve things I suppose.  Do we all feel that way                   on the same date and time? Is it important that we do? I don't know.
3. Comparisons
Kids won't compare the results, but mothers will.  They may make a rash                                 decision based on their child's ability or inability when in fact the problem was                           the timing of the test to begin with.

It has been such a long time since I've done that test.  Now, a mother of two of my cutest little students has decided to pull her kids because she wants her kids to do the jidou eiken.  You know... the one all the other kids are doing.

Good Luck with that...

Regrettably,

Pat

The return of winter and birthdays

It's Monday again.  After an uncharacteristically warm day yesterday, the regular winter weather patterns seemed to have returned and I again feel confident that it is far too early to start imagining cherry blossoms, bicycles, or trailer camping.

This Monday is also a very big day for our family.  My one and only son has turned twenty-one today! Apparently he has taken the day off.  After a very long and challenging week in the studio last week, I suppose he needs the time to recharge a bit.

I could also use some time to recharge, but in fact, I'm coming off a four day weekend and what I really need to do is get my self charged and ready for the week. It's going to be a busy one.  All the kindergartens are on for this week and I need to come up with some fresh activities to enhance this week's topic, Body and Health.  The reality is that I woke up with a sore throat and a sour stomach, but I refuse to accept that I have anything and would like to believe it was something I ate or maybe just a bit of fatigue.

Anyway, when I try to think back to my 21st birthday, I remember being marginally happy playing golf and going to UH Hilo.  I was probably a little lighter and had a little more hair.  My back was definitely stronger.  Kai has all those things and more.  I wonder if he'll be around tonight for a birthday dinner...  Hitomi has been suffering from a bad stomachache, but seems to be doing a little better today.  Anyway... it's Monday...

Back to Work.

Lethargically,

Pat

Emergency

This winter has been a mild one as far as snowfall, yet I've been feeling the cold.

The number of back country skiers in Hokkaido has been on the rise.   Getting into the wilderness and enjoying the white paradise and plush powder zones of Hokkaido is a newly booming business.  I include myself in the novice rankings of back country athletes as I have been in the know now for only five years now.  In those five years I have probably developed at a less than average pace and still feel a little nervous and even overwhelmed at times.

Thus far, I have relied on my friends too much and have resolved to become a more competent mountain guy this year.  Some things I do take are emergency sheets, rope, and a dry base layer.  Some things I don't take are a method for starting a fire, enough food, or maps.

Recent events have made me realize that I need to reassess those items.  There was a close friend who led a group up behind one of the ski resorts here.  The weather turned bad and they wound up sleeping on the mountain.  It must have been a long (13 hour) night.  I know they are a tough set of individuals with vast more mountain experience than I have.  They came down the next day without any trouble other than serious fatigue.  They hadn't planned nor prepared for spending the night on the mountain.  If it had been me, I can't be certain I would be able to tough that it out in style. I'd probably resemble that lad over there on the right. --->


Anyway... be careful.

Cautiously,

Pat

Happy New Year ( a little late...)

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Another year has come and gone and the new one is well underway.  Our classes at Kokoro Kindergarten will unfortunately come to an end and Grapeseed English Systems will step in to fill the gap.  We are trying to decide whether it is feasible to start a school in Tonden for those who would like to continue with English Island.  All things come to an end and as surely as the snow that has given us so much joy this year will melt away, Kokoro's Tuesday afternoons will be no more come April.  I'll do my best to make the right decision on this one.

In the meantime, a short winter vacation starts on February 11th.  Classes resume on the 15th. As always, I am looking forward to seeing everyone after Valentine's and making the best of 2016.


Waxingly,
Pat

Sightseeing in Hokkaido

   I don't really consider myself to be a tourist when I'm walking around Shinkotoni or anywhere in Kita ward for that matter.  I will admit to feeling out of place on the other side of town though. Hiragishi, Makomanai, and Toyohira are just names to me.  Hokkaido is a rather large island compared to where I grew up and even after 20 years here, I occasionally find a place that has somehow eluded me.  Last weekend, I went to one of those places.

   Orofure Pass is a road that goes through some of the most scenic points I've ever been to in Hokkaido.  It is a winding, dangerous road that is closed during the winter months, at least during the night. I think Horohoro mountain, Shiratakidake, and Mt. Orofure are the mountains it  goes through from Lake Toya to Noboribetsu.  I started in Noboribetsu and went toward Lake Toya in the afternoon which, unfortunately, left me looking directly into the setting sun. I definitely think starting from Noboribetsu and heading toward Lake Toya in the morning will give you the optimal light for viewing the magnificent beauty of Hokkaido.

Touristly,

Pat

The Far East

There's a snowstorm on for today in Hokkaido!!

I'm just a local boy from the Big Island.  I'd never had any fancy Far Eastern medicine before and although I wasn't actively doubting the efficacy of it, I honestly didn't have any high hopes for the minuscule sesame seed-sized pellet with a profound bitter aftertaste.  I popped my first dose last Saturday and to this day (exactly 7 and a half days later) the symptoms of breathlessness, rapid heart rate and an inability to climb even a single flight of stairs smoothly have ceased to appear!

I probably got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep last night.
I woke up at 4 o'clock this morning.
I hiked up a relatively small peak (1 hour?).

Here's the verdict...

I could do it and I'm still felling pretty normal.  A little tired, for sure, but not what it has been like for me lately.  Is it safe to say it?     ...I'm back... (I think).

♪　Kyushin ~♪~ Kyushin  ♪

Far Easternly,
Pat

Middle of Winter

Long time no post,

Happy New Year !!!

Summer came and went; autumn stuck around a while before winter crept in and took a firm foothold in the Northernmost Island of Japan.  Shoveling the classroom out from the encroaching frozen whiteness has become a serious task requiring the strategic planning of a general leading troops against an all too powerful enemy.  As I write this the snow continues to come down and the yardstick dips out of sight when I try to measure the accumulation on the top of my garage.  My true love is not to shovel or scrape the frozen precipitation to less obtrusive areas but to seek it out at it's deepest and steepest points, strap on the board, and race down over the surface while hooting pleasurably.

This year has been another year of heavy snow.  Both shoveling it and driving in it has proven challenging.  I complained about the snow to my mother on her birthday the day before yesterday and she seemed to misunderstand me and consoled me about becoming disillusioned with my job.

Allow me to climb upon the soap box.

I love my job.  I love sharing the learning experience with everyone at English Island. I love the challenge.  Learning English or becoming able to speak and use English (or any foreign language) is an extremely difficult concept.  It's hard and sometimes even painful.  Often times, in order to succeed, the learner must change his view of the world.  After twenty years of experience in teaching I don't believe in the "簡単に身につく" or "聞き流す" The companies who make these claims would like you to believe that it is possible to learn English painlessly.  At English Island we'd like you to learn how to understand and use English effectively, but first I want the people who attend lessons here to love learning and to love breaking down personal barriers and exploring new horizons.  Learning English is not only difficult, it is fun and rewarding as well.

Hope to see you soon.

Philosophically,

Pat

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day might be a little late here today as it is the 18th.  But it IS St. Patrick's Day in the U.S. I asked many of the kids and some of the adult student's if they knew what St. Patrick's Day was and they all answered negative.  I gave them all a pinch anyway for not wearing green and I had a few too many beers last night just to prove I'm Irish.  

But I did drink Japanese beer.  I love that AOONI!!!

The Middle of Winter

I finally forced myself to look at the blog that I have been ignoring with a vengeance.  I haven't had time to write, I lost my password, and my fingers... yes arthritis has set in.  Alright then!  I don't really have an excuse except for the busy one and that's pretty lame.  Classes have been running at full steam and we have more enrollment than ever.  Coming up with appropriate material on a daily basis is my daily business.  BUT...  The net is also my business or at least where my business is being displayed.  I noticed Google doesn't rank my site on the top page anymore even though we are the most honest Eikaiwa in the world.  Anyway, I have been having a lot of fun in the classroom and I'm going to talk about it shortly.  For now, the blog is back and current and I'll be updating soon.

Mid-summer

OK. It was a zebra head. 

   Our school in Shinkotoni is really bustling at the moment.  We've never had so many students and taking care of day to day lessons is pretty much all we can do at the moment.  This BLOG has been on the back burner and I apologize in the fortunate event that someone is reading it.  At Shinkotoni we have studied the countries, the family, and now we are practicing talking about daily life.

   I no longer post the handouts on the HP so please look for them in the handouts section of the HP which is here:   --->  HANDOUTS.  There are now over 80 color handouts.  Each handout has twelve, sixteen, or twenty-four words with pictures.  That's about 1600 words!! I'd love to get it bound and published properly, but the concept of having the kids collect them and make their own picture dictionary has even greater appeal.  Also it not making it bound gives me the freedom to edit and adjust to the needs of our students.

  I'm not looking forward to the sweaty summer very much, but I can't help to get excited about the lessons.  Next month, we'll look at school language and shopping for school supplies.  It's always been a favorite of the kids and a great way for them to become familiar with talking about prices connected to items in their immediate environment.

Daily,

Pat