weights, and a sweet present, convos with Jpns kids

I lifted weights after work yesterday. I’m always sore and something is in pain lately, but Groundslam’s physical trainer Take-san advised me to try lifting little by little and see what I could do, and of course, if I feel a lot of pain, don’t do THAT. So I didn’t do any heavy lifting, just light reps, and this morning I feel good. Like….not broken. Kind of the opposite… as if I were coming apart at the seems and somebody put glue in the open spaces.

Does that make sense to anybody?

Thanks, Take-san. 🙂

At work, one of my students, a young 11-year-old girl, gave me a pen!!! 😀 A Winnie the Pooh Pen! It makes sense because every time I teach her, I bring in a NEW PEN, to try and get some kind of reaction out of her, which is usually a slight smile.

She’s the little one who never talks unless it’s to repeat something, and I can never hear her. And she looks like she’s afraid of the world. (I like her a lot…although I’ll always feel guilty about the time I tried to force her to speak by starring at her until she said something, and she walked away looking like she wanted to cry ;__; I feel soooo guilty.) But anyway, she’s sweet and she gave me a pen in a Disneyland bag. Our conversation went like this
girl: *slowly slowly hands me the bag. I can see there’s something long inside*
Roxy: For me? 😀
girl: blank expression
Roxy: Me? present?
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: Oh thank you!!! 😀 *Takes it*
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: Can I open it?
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: okay?
girl: *slight nod*
Roxy: *openopen* Oh!! It’s a PEN!!! XD YAY, oh thank you!
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: I love it! 😀 It’s Winnie the Pooh! Look, it’s rainbow colors! Haha I love pens. Thank you, (insert name here)
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: When did you go to Disneyland?
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: DID you go to Disneyland?
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: When did you do? *points to calendar*
girl: *eyes flick to calendar*
Roxy: Disneyland or Disney Sea?
girl: *slight smile*
Roxy: ….
girl: ….
Roxy: Well, that’s okay. Thank you! 😀 😀 😀 Okay, what day is today?
girl: Today is August 18th.
Roxy: very good. ^^;;

My other boy student of the same age is remarkable, though. Kids tend to not want to answer unless they understand the question 100%, like the girl above. But I’ve been teaching this boy for exactly half the time of the girl. Our conversation went like this:
Roxy: Did you have school this week?
boy: School? No.
Roxy: Vacation?
boy: vacation!
Roxy: Did you do something?
boy: ??
Roxy: beach? travel? games?
boy: Disneyland!
Roxy: Oh yeah? ‘I went to Disneyland…’
boy: I went to Disneyland.
Roxy: What attractions do you like?
boy: I like Great Thundermountain. And Toy Story (something)
Roxy: Oh, Toy story? Is that a ‘jet coaster?’
boy: No, shooting.
Roxy: SHOOTING?! You?
boy: YES 😀
Roxy: uh huh. Hey, when’s your birthday?
boy: my birthday is ….*checks calendar* November 5th.
Roxy: Do you have a party?
boy: Yes.

etc etc etc That’s good for his level. EBS chapter 20…